Author: Dr Tryhard

  • Family Time!

    A 16-count crew of PAX brothers and their families gathered at The Forge for an OTB trail blazing hike through the woods. Handshake and his family proudly represented NOJ, and while most of the PAX wore rucks, Bromance wore his adorable 2.0 in an awesome military grade carrier. Shortly after 2pm, we launched down to the railroad tracks and walked West along the tracks and then trail blazed South to Crestwood Elementary. In the melee of 2.0’s pouring through the playground gate, DTH’s 2.0 Banjo caught the sharp side of a metal latch on the cheek and the good doctor/Papa applied a snowball compress and then moleskin (thank you Sable) so he could join the rest. After 20 minutes at play, the rabble was rounded up for a looping hike through the woods and back to The Forge to complete the 1 hour adventure. Sunny and 50’s, the weather was truly perfect for this hike! Everyone then converged at Casa de DTH for backyard play and bonfire time – complemented with archery, axe throwing, zipline, trampoline, swing, s’mores, and bevvies. This is what being family is all about and we’ll miss all of you guys while we’re away in PNG the next few months. Yours AYE! ~DTH

  • Velvet Handcuffs

    The Lounge looked bromantic with just Rosie and DTH doing some loungy lazy latecomer loops in the lot until Salt Lick showed up to make it a perfect Menage A Trois. The trio ambled down to join the hottest Swamp Party of 2025 and found a gaggle of endorphin-driven Draper-lovers making casual conversation as they finished Mile 4. The bootcamp trio joined the pack for a lap, then broke off for a brief warmerama. Triple Check was the obvious choice, with one man joining the Draper-ites for a lap while the other two stayed for variable reps. Each bootcamper got in a total of 4 laps and a ton of reps, then bid farewell to the Birthday Boy and moseyed up to the playground for a Mini Murph Sesh – which consisted of x3 rounds of x5 Pullups + x10 Merkins + x15 Squats. Mosey BTTF.

    COT:

    • Counterama # 3
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BOM Prayer

    A loungy fun time was had by all. No STD’s were harmed in the making of this intimate gathering. Happy Birthday Don Draper!!! 43 has never looked so young and manscaped. Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • CSAUP TOMORROW! Frozen Triangle – two options with Run/Boomcamp VS Ruck – kickoff at 0600 at Dogpile
    • 4/5, Mudslide recruiting for Spartan Race 10K in Concord (HUNDREDS OF F3 PAX GOING!)
    • April Hike/Ruck with Rodeo Clown to support Make-A-Wish

  • Forge Foursome Dip the Wick in James

    A balmy 34 degrees greeted four ruckers at The Forge location tackling a pleasant 5 mile jaunt to the James and back in a speedy 1:25. Probably 5+ degrees cooler down by the river, and Shirley’s incline was quite the wakeup call after our long descent. Phenomenal conversation as usual, and deeply grateful for these fine brothers in YHC’s life. COT prayer for a couple men facing hard times. We can always do more for those the Lord places in our path. Yours AYE! ~ DTH

  • 4th F Theory

    Five WestHo studs especially endowed with 4th F power welcomed an SOJ takeover in subzero temps. Marking YHC’s 10th Q for 2025 and (per Big Data) YHC’s 410th documented Q, YHC put experience to work ensuring we all stayed warm.

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Mosey loop around the lot, completing x10 Broad Jump Burpees en route
    • Second lap picked up Handshake arriving late and completed another x10 Broad Jump Burpees so he wouldn’t feel left out
    • Circle up near the Virtual Shovel Flag (because YHC’s truck camper-shell locks were frozen and therefore unable to access the real shovel flag…)
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • The usual DTH top to bottom IC Reps

    GETTING THERE:

    • Mosey down River Road toward UofR with Gumbo’s headlamp leading the way
    • x10 Monkey Humpers IC in Saab’s driveway
    • Keep running, avoid the deer carcass
    • Access the training fields

    DIME POUNDER COUNT DOWN:

    • Like a quarter pounder but stops at every 10 yard line, and reversing order to start with the 100 and counting down to 10
    • Run x100 yards, x100 SSH, Bernie back
    • Run x90, x90 Plank Jacks, Bernie
    • 80yd, x80 Oblique LBC’s, Bernie
    • 70yd, x70 Monkey Humpers, Bernie
    • 60yd, x60 Dry Docks, Bernie
    • 50yd, x50 Flutters (2-ct), Bernie
    • 40yd, x40 Lunges (1-ct), Bernie
    • 30yd, x30 Merkins, Bernie
    • 20yd, x20 WWII, Bernie
    • 10yd, x10 Burpies, Bernie

    USE THE HILL:

    • No good hill left behind!
    • Bear crawl to the top
    • x10 Chain Smokers
    • Crawl bear back to the bottom

    GETTING BACK:

    • Mosey back up River Rd
    • Avoid getting hit by a car
    • x10 APD’s in Saab’s driveway (scolded by Handshake for counting cadence too loud)
    • Return to Virtual Shovel Flag

    MARY:

    • x10 Scrunchy Frogs IC
    • x10 Rosalita Dips IC

    COT:

    • Counterama # 6
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • HUTTON kindly took us out in Prayer

    Prayer Requests:

    • Chaplain’s M’s Uncle Charles – stroke
    • Fireman Ed under treatment
    • Kubota illness

    NMS:  During our little field workout YHC was astonished with the frequency and volume of the West Ho’s 4th F expression and developed a new F3 4th F theory – the earlier your AO starts, the less time your body has to leave the F in the Fartsack, thus increasing the F-factor during the workout. Anyway, it was a good little beatdown, no MABA madness though the early broad jump burpees had Handshake nervous. Nice to see Atilla twice this week, and excellent coffeerama at Starbucks! Look forward to next time gents – thanks for tolerating SOJ’s takeover! Gonna aim for hitting 500th Q this year, so just 90 to go. Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • This SUNDAY (1/26) – 8pm OTB Ruck (watch Slack for details, ALL are welcome!)
    • 2/8, 0600 Frozen Triangle – two options with Run/Boomcamp VS Ruck
    • 4/5, Mudslide recruiting for Spartan Race 10K in Concord (HUNDREDS OF F3 PAX GOING!)
    • April Hike/Ruck with Rodeo Clown to support Make-A-Wish
    • Watch Slack for updates on The Bridge

  • Three Amigos Deep

    Striking deep into West End territory the good Doctor brought SOJ-Takeover warmth to the frozen tundra of The Deep, as follows:

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA: 

    • MUSIC ON – rando collection of get pumped rock
    • Mosey loop around the front parking lot and circle up in front of the school
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • A well-rounded battery of typical DTH reps top to bottom IC

    COP #1: 

    • Mosey to the bus loop and grab a pillar
    • PILLAR ALLEY – Indigenous movement with last man doing a set number of reps whole the PAX does other reps on their pillars
    • 1st Half – last man does x5 Pole Smokers while the others do flutters, then run to next available pillar …rotate to half way point
    • 2nd Half – last man does x10 Donkey Kicks, others do Hoedowns

    COP #2:

    • Mosey up to the track
    • OLD HUNDRED – rep countdown by 10 from 100 to 10 with a run between sets around half the track
    • Sets included: x100 SSH, x90 LBC, x80 Mtn Climbers (2-ct), x70 Shoulder Taps, x60 Dry Docks, x50 Am Hammers, x40 WWII, x30 Jump Squats, x20 Merkins, x10 Burpees (YHC may have mixed some of those middle ones up…)

    Mosey BTTF:

    • 5 MoM with variable core reps

    COT:

    • Counterama # 3
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BOM Prayer

    NMS:  And so begins a little SOJ Takeover for our WestHo and West End brothers – let’s be honest, we just miss seeing them and need the Takeover excuse to get our SOJ-entrenched butts across the river! The Deep was a great time with fine brothers and pumpin tunes on a chilly morning. After the 8 mile ruck yesterday it felt good to give all the muscle groups a decent stretch – Old Hundred never fails and Atilla and Mr Rogers were happy to help provide ideas for the different sets. Appreciate your hospitality gents. Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • Sign up for Breaking Bread
    • 2/8, 0600 Frozen Triangle – two options with Run/Boomcamp VS Ruck
    • 4/5, Mudslide recruiting for Spartan Race 10K in Concord (HUNDREDS OF F3 PAX GOING!)
    • April Hike/Ruck with Rodeo Clown to support Make-A-Wish
    • Watch Slack for updates on The Bridge

  • No Butter, Just Ice

    13 lucky gloom brothers donned the extra weight to conquer a BRUTAL 8 mile trail ruck in preparation for the Frozen Triangle 10-miler happening Feb 8th. After hearing from young Snap he was running behind 15 minutes, the on-time 12-PAX set out from Pump House Park and set a blazing pace down the North Bank trail toward the City. En route, Offshore came running past from the other direction and mentioned the Buttermilk was treacherous. Hmmmm, maybe we should have listened… Starting 15 minutes behind the pack, there was no way Snap was gonna catch up. But the PAX was stopped a few times for water and stretch breaks, and their beloved Q also made them do some IC Flutters and Squats once we crossed the Bell Isle bridge. We also added the Bell Isle loop, but still young Snap hadn’t arrived. This was where the Q asked for volunteers to go back for the SIX, and the PAX split with Ponch leading the front runners toward the Buttermilk, while YHC and a platoon of big-hearted warriors circled back over the Bell Isle suspension bridge in search of Snap. Turns out he blew past Bell Isle and was about to cross the Browns Island footbridge, but we got him turned around and once united we took off at double speed to catch the front runners. Finally reaching the Buttermilk, we knew catching up was going to be near impossible – the entire trail was covered in ice. A few of us who participated in the Grow Ruck had many reflective moments remembering the painfully slow progress under extra weight on these same trails, only then they were slick with hard rain instead of hard ice. Right then we all agreed Rodeo Clown’s strap-on ice grips to be a genius move. It was grueling but the PAX set out to try and catch up with the front-runners, and we periodically shuffle-jogged where the trail permitted. As it turned out we never had a chance to catch them, and the Ponch Crew were driving past us as we were finally crossing the Nickel Bridge. SUPER proud of these men for taking on what turned out to be a wildly challenging CSAUP. In comparison I expect the Frozen Triangle ruck will be a walk in the park. We have 15 PAX so far HC’d to ruck it – WHO ELSE WANTS IN?!?  Yours AYE! ~DTH

  • Rockin Out a Funky Beatdown

    A hearty 21-PAX converged at Rockwood and crushed the DRP with a musical mashup whoopin. Here’s how a FNG private eye investigated F3 SOJ and deemed it GUILTY of BADASSERY! 

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA – BY MUDSLIDE

    • Mosey and circle up on the Basketball Court
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable reps and stretches that only Mudslide can fully know and understand
    • Morning Wood Ruckers arrive at 0707, DTH puts the ROCKIN BEATS ON, Mudslide relinquishes the Q, LET’s GOOOO!!!

    COP #1: 

    • Mosey to the Tennis Courts and circle up 
    • PLAY Stacy’s Mom, by Fountains of Wayne (3:18)
    • APD’s to the beat
    • WWII for every Stacy/Mom

    COP #2:

    • Mosey over to the Pickleball Courts
    • FIFTIES – x50 reps in each of 8 courts, first to call 50 ends PAX reps and calls the next court exercise
    • Exercises included: Squats, Mtn Climbers, Am.Hammers, Monkey Humpers, Merkins, Flutters, LBC’s, aaaaand the all-new Florence Kicks (oof)

    COP #3:

    • Mosey to the large center lot and circle up
    • PLAY Tubthumping, by Chumbawumba (4:39)
    • Plank Jacks to the beat
    • Hand-release Merkin for every “I get knocked down but I get up again” 

    COP #4:

    • Mosey to the Snack Shack and partner up
    • x3 Rounds alternating x20 Hoedowns and other PAX doing Dips until relieved

    COP #5:

    • Mosey over to the far lot and circle up
    • PLAY Stayin Alive, by The Bee Gees (4:43)
    • Jazzercise to the beat WITH GUSTO
    • Squat for every “Stayin Alive”

    COP #6: 

    • Mosey over to the gravel hill
    • Round 1 – mosey down, AYG Sprint to the top
    • Round 2 – mosey down, AYG Bernie to the top
    • Round 3 – mosey down, AYG Bear Crawl to the top

    COP #7:

    • Mosey back to the bball court and circle up
    • PLAY September, by Earth Wind Fire (3:35)
    • Flutters to the beat
    • Heels to Heaven with every “Ba-dee-ya” or “Ba Du Du”

    COT:

    • Counterama # 21
    • Namerama – WELCOME AGENT SMITH!!!
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BOM Prayer

    NMS:  Brothers, cup is FULL today. What an awesome crowd for both the ruck and beatdown. Cheers to Chaplain for passing off the R&R Q and prayers for speedy recovery! Many thanks to Mudslide for covering the Warmerama while the ruckers rolled in late. Welcome to Florence’s Pplice Academy brother, now Private Eye, nicknamed Agent Smith – keep posting! And TClaps to all the PAX pushing hard this morning. As always, it’s a true honor to lead. Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • TOMORROW (Sun) OTB Ruck kicking off from Pump House Park at 0600 (5-6mi)
    • 2/8, 0600 Frozen Triangle 
    • 4/5, Mudslide recruiting for Spartan Race 10K in Concord (HUNDREDS OF F3 PAX GOING!)
    • April Hike/Ruck with Rodeo Clown to support Make-A-Wish

  • Off Campus Trailblazing Ran Overtime

    YHC and a troop of seven hardened ruck veterans escaped the confines of Rockwood Park and took to the mean streets of neighborhoods East of Hull Street, looping a new route North, crossing Hull into an elderly commune, and eventually making it back to Rockwood, 7 minutes late for the Bootcamp YHC was supposed to be leading, having covered about 4.2 miles. Meanwhile Big Rig ran thousands of miles somewhere. Big thanks to Mudslide for covering the Warmerama until I arrived. TClaps to the ruckers going overtime and keeping a speedy pace to cover mew ground. Yours AYE! ~DTH

  • NO TOIL

    Eight CSAUP-loving SOJ studs accepted the 4WD challenge and whatever MABA madness might be in store. Here’s how we counted to 100:

    The THANG: 

    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • #MABA… x10 Burpees OYO

    COP #1: 

    • WARMERAMA = BURPEE TRAIL
    • Mosey around the woods loop periodically stopping to complete x5 burpees
    • TOTAL x30 Burpees

    COP #2:

    • QUARTER POUNDER PLUS
    • Line up on the end of the Field
    • Sprint to 25yd, x25 Mtn Climbers (2-ct), Bernie back
    • x5 Burpee recovery
    • Sprint to 50yd, x50 Michael Phelps holding People’s Chair, Bernie back
    • x5 Burpee recovery
    • Sprint to 75yd, x75 LBC’s, Bernie back
    • x5 Burpee recovery
    • Sprint to 100yd, x100 SSH’s, Bernie back
    • x5 Burpee recovery
    • TOTAL x20 Burpees

    COP #3:

    • PAVILION LADDER
    • x8 Burpee, run around Pavilion
    • x7 Burpees, run around Pavilion
    • ETC, down to x 1 Burpee & Run
    • TOTAL x 36 Burpees

    F3 PLANKORAMA REVIEW

    COP #4:

    • PAVILION COOL-DOWN …you know, since we didn’t do the usual Warm-Up at the start
    • x6 Burpees
    • x10 DQ’s IC
    • x10 ISW’s IC
    • x10 Soldiers IC
    • x10 Cherry Pickers IC
    • x15 Tempo Werkins IC
    • x5 Ranger M’s IC
    • x10 WWII’s IC
    • x10 Left Oblique WWII’s
    • x10 Right Oblique WWII’s
    • x20 Heels to Heaven
    • x10 Suzanne Sommers (ea side)
    • x20 APD’s
    • x30 Moroccan Nightclubs IC

    Mosey BTTF:

    • x10 Final burpees to complete today’s MABA 100 Burpee Challenge – BOOM! 

    COT:

    • Counterama # 8
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BOM Prayer

    Prayer Requests:

    • Power outages, City Water Out

    NMS:  The DTH+Sable caravan arrived on scene and another 6 joined the party. GREAT numbers for 20 degrees and black ice everywhere. Extra emphasis was given for the Disclaimer this morning! Effort was made to spell NO TOLL in the snow while cranking 100 SSH’s, but Bromance thought the beatdown wasn’t hard enough and spelled NO TOIL instead. L Woods continues to accelerate and earned the name “L rabbit” as YHC tried to keep up with him. Belay’s fitness level and high quality form continues to set the standard. YHC did not take the bait and leap the gate today – nobody needs a broken leg. And hey, we stayed warm and crushed 100 burpees! (Actually 102 cause addition apparently isn’t my talent). Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • TONIGHT!!!  7pm SOJ Meeting at Rodeo Clown’s house, open to ALL SOJ PAX
    • Thur 1/9, TIM MAN VQ at The Forge!!!
    • Sat 1/11, Split BDay Q at Dogpile
    • MABA JANUARY CHALLENGE = 100 Burpees per Day x31 days! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q8mbKXzRZw
    • DRY JANUARY – abstain from your usual indulgences this month! 
    • Ongoing opportunities (details on Slack): Breaking Bread, The Bridge, SOJ OTB monthly Ruck
    • February CSAUP – Frozen Triangle

  • Introducing: THE WHEEL OF DEATH!!!

    15 cold weather junkies converged at Rockwood but instead of the expected ice bath immersion experience, the good Doctor kept his comrades warm in the pursuit of MABA madness. Here are the mountains these heroes conquered today:

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Multiple laps around the parking lot with variable movements to get the blood flowing
    • Circle up on the Bball Court
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable reps IC with a bit of stretching

    COP #1: 

    • Shift back to the front parking lot for FOUR CORNERS – LADY OF THE NIGHT
    • Corner 1 – #MABA – yep, x10 Burpees
    • Corner 2 – x20 Oblique LBC’s (x10 ea side)
    • Corner 3 – x30 Mtn Climbers
    • Corner 4 – x40 Nancy Kerrigans (x20 ea leg)
    • (=70 Burpees in total)

    COP #2:

    • Mosey to the playground and present THE WHEEL OF DEATH!!!
    • All PAX plank with feet on rotating platform
    • PlankWalk to rotate the dias for one full circuit – many PAX fell away in this effort

    COP #3:

    • Mosey to the large middle lot
    • BEAST – explained to PAX – x6 stops with x6 Reps at each stop, for x6 Rounds total
    • Round 1 – yep, #MABA, Burpees (=36 total)
    • Round 2 – APD’s
    • Round 3 – Plank Line Hops
    • Round 4 – Deep Squats
    • Round 5 – WWII’s
    • Round 6 – Groiners

    COP #4:

    • Back to the WHEEL OF DEATH
    • The Q had been contemplating the failure of the former effort, so PAX directed to partner up
    • One partner planks on the rail, legs held by their partner, with entire PAX walking the dias clockwise until a PAX drops – got maybe 2 rotations
    • Switch positions and walk the other direction until a PAX falls out – BETTER with maybe 4 rotations! 

    COP #5:

    • Mosey BTTF and circle up
    • HUNDO FLUTTER 
    • x25 High Flutters
    • x25 Low Flutters
    • Roll over and stretch core
    • x25 High Flutters
    • x25 Low Flutters
    • Roll over and stretch core

    COT:

    • Counterama # 15
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BOM Prayer

    NMS:  Empty Rockwood Q sheet on a Friday will almost always mean a DTH double-Q, and a few headlocking texts to get the PAX out even in the bitter cold. Way to get out there gents!!! YHC has been eyeing the new playground equipment for a couple months, and decided today was good for introducing the Wheel of Death. LOTS of options with this bad boy. Partnered option two was awesome – maybe add burpee penalties next time for guys who drop out until we have a winner team left. Love this SOJ PAX and all the energy going into the new year. And yes, if you hadn’t already noticed, every DTH Q this month will check the MABA box. Let’s GO!!! Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • TUE 1/7, 7pm SOJ Meeting at Rodeo Clown’s house, open to ALL SOJ PAX
    • Wed 1/8, Swirly 10-Year at WDog
    • Thur 1/9, TIM MAN VQ at The Forge!!!
    • Sat 1/11, Split BDay Q at Dogpile
    • MABA JANUARY CHALLENGE = 100 Burpees per Day x31 days! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q8mbKXzRZw
    • DRY JANUARY – abstain from your usual indulgences this month! 
    • Ongoing opportunities (details on Slack): Breaking Bread, The Bridge, SOJ OTB monthly Ruck
    • February CSAUP – Frozen Triangle