Author: Chum Bucket

  • Balls and Brains are not Co-Located

    Deciding to brave the elements after an extended exchange with Mrs. Chum Bucket concerning the wisdom of YHC’s decision, YHC arrived at the AO last Saturday for GridIron.  En route, the roads were mostly empty as snow continued to fall.  YHC arrived to, not unexpectedly, find no other takers for the morning’s workout.

    The show did go on and it went down like so:  Initial COP with SSHs, Hillbillies, Don Quixotes, Imperial Walkers, and Arm Circles.  Trudged to the road on the opposite side of the pretty, but snow-laded football field for The Beast (paralleling the field itself) with Burpees, LBCs, Carolina Dry Docks, Mountain Climbers, Flutter Kicks, and Wide Grip Carolina Dry Docks.  Using, effectively, the same cleared path, followed with Black Jack – started at one end of the path with 20 Merkins and 1 LBC and continued back and forth until completion of 1 Merkin and 20 LBCs.  Staggered back around the field to the picnic pavilion for Squats and Dips.  Done.  The COT was completed silently.

    No doubt that while the conditions were challenging, the morning was beautiful without interruption, despite the periodic spitting and snot-rocketing of YHC.  An advantage of an absolute you-against-you morning is that the SSHs could be interrupted so the Q could complete a couple of text messages – one to Johnsonville and one to Mrs. Chum Bucket, both indicating successful arrival.

     

  • Fill in the blank

    A PAX 5 strong ignored sub-freezing temperatures to post for this morning’s GridIron workout.  Approaching the shortest day of the year, light was dim immediately prior to our 7 AM start.  We planted the ShovelFlag and went at it like so:

    Startup COP on the main football field with 5 Burpees, 25 x SSHs, 20 x Imaginary Jumpropes, 20 x Imperial Walkers, 20 x Hillbillies, 20 x Don Quixotes, and 15 x Arm Circles (big and small, forward and reverse).

    Mosey to the sand volleyball court.  Bear Crawl down one side, Zombie Walk the end line, Crab Walk the opposite side, and Side Skip back to the start.  Rinse and repeat.

    Jog to the less-fancy football field for 4 corners including 15 x Plank Jacks, 20 x Carolina Dry Docks, 25 x Alabama Prom Dates, and 30 x Flutter Kicks (two count).  Repeat, adding 5 to each exercise.  Repeat again, adding 5 again.

    Head around back to the baseball field outfield.  Starting at one end of the outfield fence, head out two posts and complete 10 Merkins, go two more posts and complete 10 Squats, move two more and complete 25 LBCs.  Repeat cycle until we reach the opposite end of the outfield fence.  Turn around and complete a similar cycle, but with 10 Wide Grip Merkins, 10 Curtsy Lunges (single count), and 20 Box Cutters.

    Stroll to Pullup Bars for 5 Pullups and head to bleachers for 10 Hyperextensions.  Return to parking lot for 10 Hyperextensions at picnic table.  COT with Earthworm taking us out.

    Moleskin –  Johnsonville doesn’t disappoint with his aerial Hillbillies.  Most PAX hate Crab Walks.  Repeated Box Cutters result in groans.  YHC planned more rounds of Pullups, but we ran out of time.  Coffeeteria at Einstein Brothers was good.  YHC heard Attila had planned to Q, but the Q signup sheet had been blank as of a couple of days ago – sorry Attila – bring the pain next week!

    Announcements – Third F breakfast event on Thursday mornings – Rise and Shine Diner near Atlee.  Hump Day Happy Hour this week (Second F) – at Triple Crossing Brewery on Foushee Street in Downtown Richmond.

     

     

  • Don’t need no stinkin’ pants

    A PAX of 11 posted on a cool morning in Richmond’s Northside and we tackled the following:

    Start-up COP on school’s sideyard with 25 x Imaginary Jumpropes, Imperial Walkers, and Hillbillies, followed by 15 x Arm Circles, small and big and forwards and reverse.

    Mosey to the front for Black Jack.  Starting at one end of the school gym, Zombie Walk to the opposite end of the gym for 1 Merkin and 20 Box Cutters then backpedal to the start for 2 Merkins and 19 Box Cutters.  Repeat until 20 Merkins and 1 Box Cutter completed.  Al Gore variants until completion by all.

    Jog around the back of the school to the ball court for sprint work – started around 50% effort across the court with a slight increase on the return trip.  Repeat twice more with increased effort.  Final pass at full effort to the soccer goal.

    Initiated four corners variant on the soccer field.  High Knees down the field for 15 Carolina Dry Docks then Bear Crawl around the goal for 20 Squats.  Butt Kickers back down the field for 25 Alabama Prom Dates then Bear Crawl around the second goal for 30 LBCs.  Plank while waiting on completion by all.  Repeat, increasing reps for each exercise by 5.

    Wander to the playground for 5 Pullups followed by 5 Burpees.  Imaginary Jumpropes will waiting on completion by all.  Repeat with 6 of each.

    Return to the ShovelFlag for COT.  Fudd took us out.

    Moleskin and Announcements:

    As YHC approached, the Punisher contingent was gathered in the sub-30 degree morning outside of their cars.  Several arrived without long pants.  Not a problem.  Ronnie admitted to not owning any long pants.

    Fudd provided color commentary for the entire workout.  Apparently no stimulants were involved but YHC overheard Toga may have encouraged Fudd’s mumble-chatter.  Can’t be true.

    Nice work gents.  Announcements:

    Turkey Trot at U of R on Thanksgiving with Fudd offering up some hospitality after – see Fudd.

    F3 t-shirts available via F3 site – f3.mudgear.com

    Hampton Roads F3 rollout continues – Hardywood Q this weekend

    Thanksgiving 1 hour 45MOM starts at 5:30 AM.  Circus Maximus at usual time and for usual duration.

     

  • What would Honeydo?

    A solid six gathered for a Halloween edition of The Punisher.  All treat and no tricks as we went at it like this – startup COP with 20 x SSHs, Don Quixotes, and Hillbillies, then 15 Arm Circles, small then big, forward then reversed.

    Mosey to the sideyard for a shot at the 13 Acres Baker’s Dozen.  13 exercises, completing 13 of the first exercise then 7 of the remaining exercises during the first round.  The 13 reps moves down the exercise chain in each ensuing round continuing 7 reps of the other exercises.  The exercise stack was Carolina Dry Docks, Alternating Lunges, Box Cutters, Merkins, Squats, LBCs, Wide Grip Dry Docks, Side Lunges, Flutter Kicks, Close Grip Merkins, Jump Squats, American Hammers, and Ghost Burpees (Sprawls – without the leg thrust).  Zombie Walks around the sideyard between rounds.

    Jog back to the parking lot.

    Moleskin –

    The assembled PAX wondered what Honeydo had planned for that morning’s Southside workout – Merkins for every bird in Bird, perhaps or a Burpee for each of Jason’s victims in the Friday the 13th series?  YHC is preparing this backblast prior to reading Honeydo’s backblast – I wanna know.

    We didn’t finish the Baker’s Dozen – ran out of time.  Will give it another go in 2017 sometime.

    Discussion of the Hampton Roads F3 rollout – clown cars leaving at 4:30 AM for some.  There’s still time to circulate contacts.

  • Steady six on the seventeenth

    A PAX of six posted for #ThePunisherRVA.  We went at it like so:

    Startup COP with 20 x Imaginary Jumpropes, 20 x Hillbillies, 20 x Shoulder Taps, 20 x Slow Squats, and 15 x Arm Circles (forward and back, big and small).

    Mosey to the front parking lot for a version of The Cooper – make a lap around the front parking circle and complete 10 Burpees, 10 Merkins, and 10 Squats.  Another lap, then 9 of each. And so on until 1 of each exercise is done.  Pause after 8, 5, and 3 reps with LBCs until all PAX members collected.  Plank at the end until all are done.

    Stroll to the pavilion for rotation with one PAX member holding a Flexed Arm Hang while counting to 10.  Remaining PAX completes 10 reps of whatever exercise is called by the guy holding the flex.  Two rounds, hitting exercises ranging from American Hammers to Step Ups to Dips to Carolina Dry Docks.

    Jog to the driveway at the northeast end of the school yard for rotating Mary on the sidewalk squares.  PAX alternates Box Cutters (under to over), Flutter Kicks (two count), and Reverse Crunches – 10 reps of each.  Finish a set, hop up and move to the next open square on the sidewalk and complete the next exercise in sequence.  Halted at Laburnum Avenue crosswalk and returned to the Shovel Flag.

    Moleskin:

    Discussion of upcoming Virginia Beach / Hampton Roads expansion.  Toga (kinder, gentler version) to lead the first one on 11/5.  F3 Richmond to support four of the first 6 workouts leading into December.  Please message Johnsonville if you have questions (sorry Johnsonville).

    Bear Creek 10 Miler in December – registration may be closed.  Bear Creek 35K in January.  Bel Monte in March.  Anyone down for some Ragnar Relay action at Pocahontas Park in 2017?  Happy 12th Birthday to Hazel Sterling on 10/17, YHC’s kid.

  • Back from Mexico

    Pushing aside all inclinations to Fartsack, a gathering of 8 of the faithful posted for this morning’s version of #ThePunisheRVA.

    The Thang:

    Mosey to west sideyard for 15 x SSHs, 15 x Imaginary Jumpropes, 15 x Don Quixotes, 15 x Imperial Walkers, and 15 x Arm Circles (forward and back, little and big).

    1 Mile Run from school down Hermitage Road to Brookland Park Boulevard and back pausing briefly at each intersection (Laburnum, Wilmington, Confederate, Palmyra, and Brookland) for 5 Burpees with a Freddy Mercury chaser.  Completed 10 stops to knock out 50 Burpees total.

    Jog to school front entrance for Super 21 including Carolina Dry Docks and Reverse Crunches – completing 1 of each, then 2 of each, and so on until 21 of each are completed.  Paused after 5, 10, and 15 with Dead Cockroach for everyone to catch up.

    Stroll around the back of the school for three quick rounds of 5 Pullups followed by 5 Squats.

    Returned to the ShovelFlag for COT.

    Announcements:

    Convergence this coming Saturday – targeting large attendance for a 7 AM workout at #Dogpile.  There will also be a 6 AM workout at the same AO.  Will #Gridiron patrons be referred to #Dogpile – there is some uncertainty.

    F3 Richmond is to play a large role in supporting the launch of F3 activities in Tidewater, Virginia.  See Jville if you have questions or are interested in helping – workout launches starting at Mount Trashmore in early November.

    Congratulations Saab!

  • Ambulance or Beer Truck

    An enthusiastic PAX of seven posted for Dogpile just ahead of the SpeakUp 5K planned for later that morning.

    The Thang:

    We moseyed from the Dogwood Dell parking lot across the driveway northward to a grassy knoll for the COP with 15 x Imaginary jumpropes, 20 x Hillbillies, 15 x Don Quixotes, and 15 x Arm Circles (little then big, forward then reverse).

    We headed north for a jog around the perimeter of the Vita Course, sticking to the sidewalks and less busy streets.  Stop at each lit streetlight for Little Baby Crunch set of 20 – YHC didn’t count the number of streetlights.  Upon completion of an LBC set, PAX members would jog in place.  Approximately 8 streetlights lined Blanton Avenue as we jogged north and another 6 along Trafford Road after we took a right turn.

    At the north end entry to the Vita Course, the PAX took a break for Jenny.  For those of you getting a little “hate” at workouts, Jenny’s phone number, from a 1981 song by Tommy Tutone, was 867-5309.  At the north end entry, the PAX completed 86 x Leg Circles (Box Cutters but with circles), 75 x Carolina Dry Docks, 30 x Squats (4 count), and 9 x Burpees.

    We continued our jog around the corner at Trafford Road with a left on Spottswood Road headed south.  Streetlights thinned out on Spottswood, but that side of the course was a little longer, so we finished another 7 or so LBC sets.   Near the south end of the Vita Course, we completed another round of Jenny with 86 x Alabama Prom Dates, 75 x Wide Grip Merkins, 30 x Step Behinds (2 count), and 9 x Burpees.

    We jogged south across Park Drive to the posts lining the Dogwood Dell.  Each man gets a post and finishes 10 x Pole Smokers, 10 x Tip Toe Squats, and 10 x Incline Merkins.  PAX ran a weave through the posts towards the toll plaza.  At the transition from posts to rocks, we picked a rock and completed another set of the same three exercises.  Weave through the rocks to just before the turn to the Pump House and complete one more set.

    Mosey up the hill, past the dog park, behind the ampitheater, and down the hill to the Rusty Cage (Pull-Up Bars as named by Honey Do – missed the Grunge themed workout).  PAX completed three rounds of 5 x Pull-Ups, 10 x Rows (underhanded on Dip Bars), and 10 x Xs and Os.

    Return to the ShovelFlag

    Moleskin:

    PAX discussed apparent Blue Ridge Relay exploits of our brothers running the NC mountains.  We were pulling for you guys.

    YHC was very glad to meet some Daville-ians.  Glad to put some faces with F3 names.

    It seems there are two spots in that vast parking lot where one can get a ShovelFlag in the ground.  The rest is grassy gravel.

    The beer truck arrived at the scene of the SpeakUp 5K before 6 am but, alas, no samples were offered.

  • Fourth planet from the Sun

    PAX of 1 for this morning’s offering of The Punisher.  No matter, it went down like this:

    Mosey to the sideyard for Seal Jacks x 20, Imperial Walkers x 20, Four Count Leg Kicks x 10 each side, Arm Lifts x 20

    Jog around front for, along the width of the school gym, High Knees down and back x 2, Butt Kickers down and back x 2, Half sprint down and back x 2.  Down and Bear Crawl down, Crab Walk back, Bunny Hop down, and Duck Walk back.

    Head to the bus loop for Curb Crawl variant. Bear Crawl across for 1 Incline Merkin, flip, and 1 Decline Merkin.  Back across for 2 of each and continue until 5 of each completed.

    Jog around the bus loop around the back of the school for Jenny – 86 Alabama Prom Dates, 75 Merkins, 30 Step Behinds, and 9 Burpees followed by a quick loop around the trees and back.  Another round with 86 Leg Circles (like Box Cutters but circles), 75 Carolina Dry Docks, 30 Four Count Squats, and 9 Burpees.

    Stroll to the outdoor pavilion for Lindsays – 30 Dips and 10 Two Count Flutter Kicks then 25 and 15 and adjusting by 5 until 10 and 30 are done.

    Mosey around western perimeter of AO and back to the ShovelFlag.

    ‘Skin:

    What is the singular for PAX?

    Spoiler Alert-

    Some comparisons with The Martian – the novel and movie (collectively, the “story”).

    An astronaut is left for dead on Mars when a mission is cut short by a storm.  The astronaut awakes to find his mission mates have left him behind and he needs to improvise to survive.

    OK, the only parallel is YHC was solo this morning.  The Punisher AO, in fact, offers the following advantages over Mars:  1) Oxygen – while scarce on Mars is plentiful at Linwood Holton Elementary; 2) Water – the “mission” this morning wasn’t long enough to require water, but last night’s rain left it all over the ground – again plentiful; and, 3) Proximity – the AO is about 20 minutes from anywhere in Richmond while a manned-mission to Mars takes years to arrive.

    After some discussions with several F3 brothers, we’ll keep The Punisher at 5:30 AM on Monday mornings with the expectation that the workout numbers will grow again in the Fall once vacations end.

     

  • Same bat time….

    A gathering of five regulars made it to The Punisher at the regularly scheduled time on the usual day of the week.  We went at it like this:

    Jog to the school side yard for initial COP involving Imaginary Jumpropes x 20, Imperial Walkers x 20, Hillbillies x 20, Forward and Reverse Arm Circles x 15, and Four Count Squats x 20.

    We strolled to the rear soccer field for the Merkin Ladder.  We started on one end line and ran High Knees to the other end line to complete 20 Merkins and ran Butt Kickers back across for 19 Merkins, and so on down to 1 Merkin.  Upon completion, Touchdown Al Gore until all are done.

    Hop over to what’s left of the playground equipment for the Six Pack.  OYO, 5 Pullups followed by 1 Lieutenant Dan, then 4 Pullups and 2 LDs, and so on down to 1 and 5 of each.  Again, Touchdown Al Gore.

    Run back around the school to the front parking lot.  PAX sets off on a jog starting at the parking lot circle down the sidewalk to Laburnum Avenue, right on the sidewalk adjacent to Laburnum and back around to the parking lot entrance on Hermitage Road, and then a right turn back to the parking lot circle.  Distance of .2 miles.  At each turn, for the first two laps, PAX completes 50 LBCs – four turns equals 200 LBCs and two laps equals 400 LBCs total.  Heading off PAX complaints about doing hard stuff like jogging and LBCs again, we reversed direction around the circle and completed another lap with Flutter Kicks – 50 each turn single count.  We made it back around one other lap before time was called just before finishing a fourth turn of Squats, the exercise in play during this final lap.

    ShovelFlag return and COT.

    Moleskin:

    OK, we’ll leave The Punisher where it is timewise.  YHC had heard from some sad neighborhood guys that they MIGHT like to come but that they don’t know anything about 5:30 in the morning.  Had briefly wondered if 6 AM might be attractive, but have heard from some Punisher attendees that the time change would prohibit their participation.  We’ll stick with the time and with the enthusiastic guys we know that show at 5:30 AM.  May consider a prize giveaway or free puppy to attract the sad neighborhood dudes.

    Sorry no yoga stretches at the end.

    Discussed the schedule of upcoming events outside of our weekly F3 calendar – BRR and Spartan Race among these.

    As always, I enjoyed the opportunity to Q.

  • Go for two

    A PAX of two for Monday’s Punisher and we handled it like this:

    Mosey to the school side yard for COP – Imaginary Jumprope x 20, Arm Circles x 15 (forward and reverse / big and small), Russian Soldiers x 20, Hip Heist / Sit Outs x 10 (right then left)

    Saunter to the front yard for The Beast – Mountain Climbers, Lieutenant Dans, Rosalitas, Carolina Dry Docks, Freddy Mercuries, and Windshield Wipers.

    Move to the easternmost sidewalk for 5 Burpees, a 15 yard Bear Crawl, then 20 Alabama Prom Dates and 30 Box Cutters.  Zombie Walk back to the sidewalk.  Repeat twice for three total rounds.

    Slide to the gymnasium wall for alternating People’s Chair and Balls to the Wall and some attempted Inverted Merkins.

    Quick stretch then return to ShovelFlag.

    Moleskin:

    Pleased to have double the turnout of last week’s Source of Truth.  Good to see Toga show after his week driving around Tennessee.  Social on Wednesday.  Have a good week.