Author: Dr Tryhard

  • Sandy pushin us over 100

    8 gloom warriors took to the Rockwood trails for a 1 hour ruck training opportunity – today’s challenge were two sandbags, one 50 pounds, the other 60 pounds, which were passed between the PAX every 100-200 yards. For those of us already carrying 50+ pound rucks, we definitely went slower than usual also hefting the Sandies. McRib found us toward the end having enjoyed the surprise blessing of prayerful solitude. I appreciate this perspective – while he could have been disappointed to be unable to find the PAX for most of the hour, he instead embraced the opportunity as a blessing to get some quiet time with the Lord. If we look at life, no matter the hardships or frustrations, Jesus always provides a silver lining – we just have to maintain a Kingdom perspective to perceive it. As always, appreciate your company and conversation brothers. Yours, DTH

    #SOJ 💪 !!WHUA WHUA!! 🔥

  • Monsoon Ruck

    Six SOJ studmuffins donned their rucks and embraced the soaking suck as they put in a full hour of Rockwood speed-rucking. Two stops were made to first exhaust the quads with ruck squats, then later Mudslide led the PAX working the upper body through a variety of ruck-holding reps. TClaps to these HIM’s not only embracing the monsoon ruck but then going on to conquer the flesh with a truly challenging Florence beatdown. Getting stronger TOGETHER! ~DTH

  • Swift Currents

    10 F3RVA brothers locked arms to forge the swift currents of The Crossing. Conditions were gusty, but quite sunny and 70-ish, and the PAX gave superb effort to complete this high-intensity beatdown:

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Moseyrama loops around the Annex Lot and circle up
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom

    COP #1: 

    • Mosey to the sloped end of the main parking lot
    • FATBURNER LINDSEY (double the reps)
    • SSH’s 60-50-40-30-20
    • Mtn Climbers 20-30-40-50-60
    • Run between top & bottom of lot

    COP #2:

    • Mosey to the front of the church
    • WALLORAMA
    • People’s Chair, Milkers x20 IC
    • Hoedown’s x10 IC
    • Dirty Hookups x10 each side IC
    • Donkey Kick-offs up to 20
    • Hip Slappers x10 IC

    MOSEY around the church, stopping under the main entrance awning to circle up in plank and review our F3 Mission, Credo, and Core Principles.

    COP #3:

    • Discover some cones conveniently spaced apart in the South Lot
    • Parter up for DORACIDES:
    • x100 Ball-Dippers (2-ct)
    • x200 Mericans
    • x300 Oblique LBC’s (alt sides as needed)

    Mosey BTTF for COT:

    • Counterama # 
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • WHITEWATER took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Solid numbers continue to post for the newest hottest AO in RVA, and these PAX put in some tough work this evening tackling a behemoth of a beatdown. Most of the PAX discovered their exhaustion point during the Wallorama, if not in some of the other COP’s. You don’t know what you are, or aren’t, capable of until you’re pushed to discover it. SYITG, DTH

  • Heavyweights

    5 SOJ HIM’s rucked a few miles of Huguenot Flatwater this morning, all wearing more weight than they’re used to. Slightly slower pace/mile, but sufficiently challenging and excellent conversation. Also, a big WELCOME BACK to our brother XO, an ex-Navy guy who makes heavyweight rucking look easy. SYITG fellas, DTH

  • Trimming the Fat

    14 PAX completed this morning’s beach season abb burner, including two FNG’s and a brother from down range. Here’s the Thang:

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Mosey onto the BBall court & circle up
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable IC Reps and a Perimeter mosey
    • Mosey out to the plush Field #1

    SIX PACK OF DIAMONDS:

    • Reps completed at each corner of half the soccer field, with x6 Rounds completed
    • x6 WWII
    • x12 DTH’s
    • x18 Am Hammers (2-ct)
    • x18 LBC’s 
    • x12 Dr.W’s
    • x6 Kimchi Twists

    BUDDY COUNT-DOWN:

    • Partner up to complete reps from 5 down to 1, with sets separated by a run between sides
    • x5 Buddy WWII’s, Run, x5 PLT’s each, Run back
    • x4, run, x4 each, run
    • ETC

    BTTF for COT:

    • Counterama # 14
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  In the words of our Australian-born Irishman FNG, nicknamed DANNY BOY, “Twas a grand time!” Heavy on the abbs and light on the back and shoulders is what the good Doctor prescribed for himself after one too many recent rucks with coupons. Well done NTB headlocking Danny Boy into the fold, and also TClaps to DEALER for bringing out FNG #2 nicknamed BROMANCE. Seriously, ya’ll should have heard the love sonnet delivered by Dealer describing their lifetime of closer than blood brotherhood. Finally, also want to give a shout-out to SNIPER, posting from downrange for a few days – waaaayyy too cool of a nickname, but YHC got the impression he could easily kill you if you insulted him, so welcome SNIPER! He’ll be at SOT tomorrow and TIMBERWOLF Thursday. As always gentlemen, it gives me great joy to lead you into the harder things – appreciate ya’ll showing up! 💪❤️👊 ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    Prayer Requests:

    • Family and friends with cancer and other difficulties – prayers for healing and for the Lord to lead us in serving them in their time of need

  • Every Day Pain

    The pre-dawn gloom of Forrest Hill Park welcomed 11 GrowRuck warriors to an epic beatdown. With only 47 days left to train for GTE #47, today’s challenge was a taste of the real deal, but only 1/6th the duration. Here’s how these HIM’s turned green to celebrate the holiday and conquer the flesh:

    ROSIE’s “WARM-UP”: 

    • Warm up on the tennis court – SSH, Ukrainian Soldiers, Helicopter, Imperial Walkers.
    • PT test prep with 30 HRM and 35 WWII’s.
    • Over to the hill for 11’s – Squats at the top, Mtn Climbers at the bottom. 
    • Finish at the bottom and bear crawl up half the hill and lunge the rest. 
    • Circle up for some weighted OH press, cleans and squats.

    THE RUCK LOOPS:

    • DTH directs the PAX to the coupon trailer to collect x3 Logs (8’ segments of telephone pole), and x3 Sandbags (weights of 25#, 50#, 60#)
    • PAX rotate Implements of Woe as needed
    • Ruck down the paved path alongside Forrest Hill Ave
    • Once pond is reached, PAX un-shoulder burdens and Speed Ruck Loop #1
    • Plank it up – Mission Challenge, x5 Merkins awarded each time a PAX member messes up stating the F3 mission …20 merkins completed
    • Loop #2 carrying the logs&bags
    • Plank it up, merkins awarded for messing up the Credo …15 merkins completed
    • Loop #3 another speed ruck
    • Plank it up, merkins awarded for messing up the 5 Core Principles…5 merkins
    • Final Loop #4 carrying logs/bags, stop at the long paved road up to the parking lot
    • Plank it up, hold plank while all together reciting the F3 Mission, Credo, and 5 Core Principles 
    • Re-shoulder Implements of Woe and Ruck them aaaaaalllllll the way up the hill and back to the trailer. 

    GRAND FINALE:

    • Each PAX collect a cinderblock from the coupon trailer
    • Circle up near the stone House to complete IC reps of Overhead Presses, Straight arm lifts, Pulls, Skull Crushers
    • TUG OF WAR – split pax 5v6 with House Party and Mudslide as anchors on each end. HP’s team of six easily yanked the other team over the line. x10 Burpees for the losers while the winners do Squats.
    • Round 2, the extra man goes to Mudslide’s team… but then the House Party team of 5 still yank us over the line easily… HMMM. Burpees again (vomit a little in mouth)…
    • Round 3, Dealer is called to join the losing side. House Party doesn’t look worried as his team of 4 takes on 7. Finally, Mudslide’s team gains a win. Everyone does 5 burpees.
    • Pick up the cindies and ruck across the field to the far hill – MURDER BUNNIES to the top of the hill. 
    • Carrying cindies overhead, run back down the hill and up the other side, then return cindies back to the coupon trailer.
    • Mosey BTTF for COT

    COT:

    • Counterama # 11
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BIODOME took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Well, that was hard – like, harder than The Hardest Mile level of hard. Definitely wouldn’t have done it without you HIM’s, and only bummed we didn’t get the whole lot of the GTE-Registered PAX out there to experience it. Good number of guys out of town or sick/recuperating, but we’ll do this again in a couple weeks. SUPER stoked to have SABLE’s HC on Registering today, and BIODOME is a SC that’s steadily getting hard. Proud of you men! SYITG, DTH

    “Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.” Mark Twain

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

  • Fast-N-Hard

    Nine speed-ruck studs looped Rockwood a few times this morning, stopping a couple times for variable squats, and also completed 50 yards of Polar Bears up a hill. GTE training continues – some will be ready when the day comes. Keep posting fellas! 💪🫵🔥~DTH

  • Heavy Stuff, Repeato

    A rabble of 15 studly gloom warriors accepted today’s Ruck challenge, including NTB’s two high-spirited FNG’s. Yoko and Sandy (75lb punching bag & 50lb sand bag) joined the PAX from the get-go, and we didn’t travel far before collecting all four 8’ logs plus other cindies. Here’s how the PAX carried ‘em:

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA:

    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Shoulder Yoko & Sandy
    • Ruck 200 yards to Casa De DTH
    • Collect x4 eight foot telephone poles and a number of cinder blocks
    • Ruck the woods loop behind DTH’s house
    • Circle up at the Shed & stretch

    TRIPLE CHECK:

    • Get into groups of four
    • 2-man log carry the woods loop
    • Overhead press using either ruck or Cindy
    • Squats +/- holding Cindy
    • Stop once all PAX have carried the logs for three loops
    • Return all coupons

    LOVE HILL:

    • Speed Ruck out onto Stratford and to the bottom of Love Hill
    • Lunge half way up, then ruck backwards the rest of the way, then hug a tree for the Six

    RUCK BTTF:

    • Speed Ruck back up to Forrest Hill Ave
    • Plank at the top awaiting the Six
    • In plank, review F3 Mission, Core Principles, and Credo
    • Speed Ruck BTTF

    COT:

    • Counterama # 15
    • Namerama *will wait to name the FNG’s until they post to a legit AO
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Solid crowd for the OTB ruck today! Congrats to LWOODS breaking the seal on his first of many rucks! Welcome back to SABLE who’s already becoming a regular within just a week of his first post! And Tclaps to all the PAX who have Registered for GTE#47. Let’s get you other guys signed up! 💪 Also, great to meet Ian & James. Ian is in the military and currently visiting RVA – he’s invited everyone to the upcoming “Monumental Honor” 3/30 (details below). James is from NTB’s church and has the best Australian Irish accent you’ll ever hear. Hoping these two fine men return to earn their F3 nicknames at an AO real soon! Your Humble Ruckateer, DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • CHAPLAIN on deck at The Crossing tonight! Mummy Kick-Off at 6pm…
    • DEALER making his Q re-debut tomorrow at The Forge!
    • NTB swing Kettlebells Friday at TwinTeam!
    • Saturday 6-7am Ruck at Rockwood before the 7-8am MUDSLIDE slaughtefest
    • GTE RUCK TRAINING SUNDAY 6-8AM – all registered and interested PAX should come! Meet at the Stone House. 
    • 3/30 Monumental Honor Ruck – https://www.monumentalhonor.org/

  • She’s So Heavy

    9 members of the fabled Rock&Roll band tuned their instruments for an album of pain rarely appreciated by the common palate. An additional member join the PAX today, endearingly named YOKO, bringing with her an invitation to physical transcendence. Here is how these SOJ HIM’s threw caution to the wind and cried out in one voice “I want you!” 

    The THANG:

    INTRO YOKO:

    • Circle up in front of the DTH coupon wagon where the PAX meet“Yoko”, a 75 pound full size punching bag (State Farm lunged at the opportunity to wrap his arms around her)
    • GOAL – Yoko remains held by the PAX for the duration of the 1 hour workout – added steps or squats encouraged by whomever has the honor of holding her
    • HAND OFFS – Yoko may be passed to another PAX at any interval needed by shouting “She’s So Heavy!” The recipient PAX shouts back “I want you!” then assumes the honor of carrying Yoko. 
    • PENALTY – x10 Burpees awarded for the entire PAX should Yoko touch the ground (or put down in any way)

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Mosey onto the basketball court and circle up
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
    • Yoko was passed around during the warmup, the holder doing squats/etc

    COP #1: 

    • INDIGENOUS YOKO MOSEY
    • Front man carrying Yoko, last man completes x3 Burpees then sprints to the front to take over carrying Yoko
    • Make it around the outer loop to the annex parking lot

    COP #2:

    • Circle up for “I WANT YOU”
    • While the Beatles 7:48 (very long) song plays, the PAX is led through a variety of painful exercise combos
    • Plank Jacks, Merican with “I want you”
    • SSH’s, Burpee with “I want you”
    • Flutters, WWII with “She’s so… & Heavy”
    • Lunges, Squats with “I want you”, and then continued leg burnout through the end of the extremely long instrumental ending

    COP #3:

    • Mosey to the Snack Pavilion
    • WALLORAMA
    • Hoedowns x10 IC
    • Donkey Kickoffs – up to 20
    • Hip Slappers x10 IC

    COP #4:

    • Mosey nearby for some HILLORAMA
    • x3 Rounds of backwards bearcrawl down, then bear crawl back up, and do x5 mericans at the top
    • x3 Rounds of forward crabwalk down, then reverse back up the hill, and do x10 crabcakes at the top (single count)

    COP #5:

    • Mosey across to the baseball field and circle up
    • RING AROUND THE YOKO
    • PAX do squats while passing Yoko around the circle, x3 circuits
    • PAX complete a variety of exercises while each PAX runs Yoko around the outside of the circle

    COP #6:

    • PAX line up on one end of the outfield
    • THE YOKO WAVE
    • PAX completed WWII’s while last man passed Yoko down the line then runs to front of line
    • Traverse the Field

    COP #7:

    • Mosey back out to the big lot and partner up
    • WHEELBARROW
    • Partners wheelbarrow across the lot and back

    COP #8:

    • FOUR CORNERS, ADDITIVE
    • C1 – x10 Burpees
    • C2 – B’s + x20 WWII’s
    • C3 – B’s + W’s, +30 Jump Squats
    • C4 – B’s + W’s + J’s + x40 Smurf Jacks

    Mosey BTTF for COT:

    • Counterama # 9
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BROADWAY took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  There was a wholelotta nasty cold wet reason to fartsack today, so YHC was very thankful to have a solid band of brothers to conquer the jester this morning, especially with the FNG no-show. But that’s OK, cause we all felt a little warmer holding Yoko close this morning. She was indeed heavy, and we did indeed all want her (though maybe Mudslide wanted her the most). Also, YHC is proud to report there were NO PENALTY BURPEES awarded for dropping Yoko today! Yoko will have a surprise return to a DTH sweat fest sometime again soon, so if you missed her today, just keep posting to the pain train and you’ll have a chance to wrap your loving arms around her. Next time she’ll have some better love handles to grab ahold of. Let’s GO! Yours, DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    Prayer Requests:

    • Broadway’s daughter with Migraines
    • Big Rig coworker death in family
    • DTH father in law with possible cancer

  • New Guy, New Glory

    Nine PAX, including the latest FNG from the DTH Practice pipeline, posted to the Forge for something challenging – they were presented with the NEW GLORY, a more than sufficient challenge for all comers. This periodic routine, similar to the Old Glory enjoyed by NoTollers earlier this week, provides a measure of physical fitness. The goal would be to outdo prior scores/times. Since almost all of our PAX today completed this for the first time – they have established a baseline. Here follows what these SOJ heroes accomplished this morning:

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA:

    • Brief running tour around the NG circuit highlighting each of the 14 COP’s
    • Circle up for Disclaimer and a few Warmerama reps IC
    • Stretch awaiting the 05:40 kickoff time

    NEW GLORY

    • Complete as many rounds as possible within the 30 minute timeframe, ideally maintaining good form
    • Starting point at the Shovel Flag
    • #1:  Complete x10 Burpees at the flag
    • #2-5:  Run down S.Coleman Rd to the Handicap Ramp, stopping at each light pole (x4 poles total on the right side) to complete x5 Hand-release Merkins
    • #6:  Bear Crawl halfway up the Ramp
    • #7:  Lunge walk to the end gate
    • #8:  Complete x20 Jerkins on the Rails
    • Run up Mount Chaplain, stopping at each new paved landing to complete assigned exercise…
    • #9 (Level 1):  x5 Burpees
    • #10 (Level 2): x10 Ball Dippers (2-ct)
    • #11 (Level 3): x15 Heels-2-Heaven
    • #12 (Level 4): x20 Squats
    • #13 (Level 5:) x25 Mtn Climbers (2-ct)
    • #14:  At the top of Mt Chaplain, complete x30 WWII’s, then run BTTF to begin next Circuit 

    NEW GLORY completion points have been posted on the F3RVA Challenge Spreadsheet, where PAX can review progress over the years!

    Mosey BTTF for COT:

    • Counterama # 9
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • HP took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  A big welcome to Alex, renamed SABLE today after his home-country of Zimbabwe’s Rugby Team – he joined us yesterday for the H.Flatwater ruck, and also did very well with the NG course today. Also GREAT work from many others who tackled the New Glory for the first time today. YHC will look to Q this again in the Summer so you all can make an attempt to improve your time, though that may be challenging for NTB and State Farm who absolutely crushed three full rounds today! 🙌💪 Keep posting fellas! YHC, DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    Prayer Requests:

    • Family illnesses and challenges