Author: Faceplant

  • Faceplant loves a good dice game

    The Thang:
    YHC rolled in right on time at 0530 to find Salt Lick and an FNG ready to roll. With just the three of us and no set Q, we decided to go with a hot potato.

    Salt Lick started things off strong by retrieving a multi-sided dice loaded with exercises—like the Wheel of Misfortune, but more unpredictable. We moseyed to the Tuckahoe Shopping Center, where the dice got rolling. Literally.

    Each roll brought something new: karaoke’s, bear crawls, crawl bears, slow moseys—and the crowd favorite (or least favorite?)—broad jump burpees, which Salt Lick apparently willed into existence with a prayer.

    YHC took the reins next and we moseyed over to Third Church for some timer-style work:

    • One ran a lap around the lot while the other two did core work.
    • Round 1: LBCs and WWIIs
    • Round 2: Leg Raises and Rosalitas
    • Round 3: Carolina Dry Docks and Squats

    From there, we headed back toward the flag, but added a twist—rolling the dice every time we passed an SUV. (Spoiler: there are a lot of SUVs in Tuckahoe.)

    Wrapped things up with 5 Minutes of Mary, including some solid stretching to finish strong.

    COT:

    • Welcomed our newest FNG—Plus One to the PAX!
    • Prayers for Salt Lick’s daughter.
    • Salt Lick took us out.

    Naked Moleskin:
    Small but mighty crew this morning. The dice didn’t disappoint, How did Salt Lick know that YHC’s favorite workouts are those with a game of chance. Great way to start the day. Welcome again to Plus One—hope to see you back out there soon!

  • Picklewashed ⛈️

    Conditions:

    Uninspiring rain. Just enough to ruin things, not enough to cancel life entirely.

    The Scene:

    YHC talked The Firm — a future brother-in-law and current F3 brother — into meeting at Forest Hill Park for a little early-morning pickleball. He agreed, likely trying to secure his spot at future holiday tables.

    The Plan:

    High-intensity pickleball. Friendly trash talk. Maybe some subtle flexing. The usual.

    The Reality:

    No one else showed up. Just the two of us, a stack of unused paddles, and a healthy amount of puddles. Turns out pickleballs don’t bounce in the rain. Physics wins again.

    The Pivot:

    Abandon the courts, hit the trails. Knocked out 3 miles through Forest Hill Park. Not fast, not slow — a classic “we’re doing this because we said we would” pace. Good conversation, no major injuries, minimal complaining. Success, by F3 standards.

    Notable Quote:

    The Firm, mid-run: “I’ll be back — I want to beat Oyster and Bodos at pickleball.”

    Revenge-based fitness. We support it.

    Moleskine:

    Sometimes the gloom gives you 2v0 court time. Sometimes it gives you 3 miles of muddy trail bonding with your future brother in law. Either way, you take what the morning gives you and call it a win.

    SYITG,

    —YHC

  • Country Club Calisthenics

    Possibly the highest turnout yet at SCCC, and the track was “closed for construction.”. Undeterred, we pivoted and found ourselves on a grass field so pristine it made Augusta look like a cow pasture. No divots were left behind—scout’s honor.

    The Thang:
    Improvised but effective. We kept it moving and made the most of the country club turf.

    • Warm-Up Lap (to admire the landscaping)
    • 6 Rounds of TABATA (20 sec on / 10 sec off)
      • Round 1: Stretching
      • Round 2: Curls & overhead press
      • Round 3: Triceps Extensions & Kettlebell Swings
      • Round 4: Lunges & squats
      • Round 5: I forgets
      • Round 6: Mary (Flutter Kicks, LBCs, American Hammers)
    • Lap between each round
    • 2 Victory Laps to close it out

    Mumble Chatter:
    The facilities at St. Christopher’s got rave reviews—manicured fields, and a general air of “we don’t belong here, but we’re not leaving.” Much discussion centered around the recent globe-trotting adventures of Mr. Water Bottle, who may or may not be scouting international AO expansions.

    Hitchhiker arrived exactly when expected, which is to say, right on time. Glad to have two new-comers to SCCC join us 1-800 and Garbage Plate!!

    COT:
    Gratitude for the good things we have to be thankful for and to pass on some good to others.

    Announcements:

    • Keep an eye on the track status. If it’s still “under construction” next week, we may need to bring sand wedges.
    • Mr. Water Bottle’s travel blog coming soon?

    SYITG,
    YHC

  • Foursome for SCCC

    A strong foursome posted at SCCC this morning. We came prepared—with weights, not clubs, though some swings were involved. The conversation quickly turned spiritual. Specifically, the kind of spiritual discipline where you give up desserts for 40 days, only to replace them with mild regret when YHC ate almost an entire coffee cake Easter morning.

    Hitch arrived right on time, which is to say, exactly when we expected him to. And with that, we began.

    The Thang:

    6 rounds of TABATA (20 sec on / 10 sec off)
    1 lap between each round, and 2 laps at the end because we apparently hate ourselves just enough.

    • Round 1: Stretching
    • Round 2: Curls & Squats
    • Round 3: Triceps & Kettlebell Swings
    • Round 4: Lunges & Overhead Presses
    • Round 5: Lawn Mowers (alternating arms)
    • Round 6: Mary

    Followed by two laps.

    Mumble Chatter:

    OBT and YHC discovered we go to the same church. We’ve never seen each other there, likely because we sit in our assigned seats. These are unofficial, yet strictly observed. Shuffling seats is frowned upon and potentially heretical.

    Also, in breaking news (to YHC at least), the Pope has passed away. YHC lives under a rock and doesn’t listen to the news.

    Announcements:

    📽️ “Join or Die” Film Screening
    OBT is moderating a discussion after a screening of Join or Die, which is not a lighthearted rom-com in case you were looking for a date night option.
    🗓️ April 28
    📍 Byrd Theatre
    🎟️ Info here: https://www.richmonder.org/join-us-for-a-movie-night-at-the-byrd/

    🪖 CSAUP – May 2/3
    Looking to ruin your weekend in the name of fitness? Great. Sign up.
    See EF Hutton if you want to join a WestHoe team. He’s accepting applications..

  • it’s all relative

    Age is relative, sometimes you’re feeling young and sometimes you’re feeling old, and sometimes you’re old and then TYA shows up and then you’re young again. The PAX was greeted by the local RAMM gears biker gang. The Bloods and Crips have red and blue respectively, while this particular gang had their hi-vis yellow. As the bikes circled ominously the pax stood their ground.

    when it came to routes, there was none, no one had picked up the Q, but YHC was feeling inspired and wanted to do the route of our grandfather’s as I believe Marv had put it. So it was out and back on Grove. Some rain, some walked some rain really fast some walked really fast and there was even a lone rucker out there.

    Moleskin: YHC enjoyed running for the first part with bootleg, and caught up on all things, travel and mental health related, including an in-depth conversation about coffee and caffeine. On the way back YHC was able to run part of the way with an old familiar face, LugNut. YHC got to catch up on all things car racing related, and learned why younger car racers are better than older car racers, my theory was that an older car racer would be better because they have more experience – but experience also comes with caution, so a younger car racer is more likely to be more daring, and that’s what may win the race.

    announcements:

    See OBT for information on a panel he’s moderating and the screening of an inspiring movie.

    Go to the bridge, check it out. It’s really worth it. Such an awesome experience.

    century classic is coming up the weekend of May 2nd. See EF Hutton if you want to join a team of reigning champions.

    YHC took us out

  • SCCC but make it more

    Conditions: Absolutely perfect

    This morning, the Saint Christopher’s Country Club was buzzing with action as we worked through a Tabata-heavy beatdown with plenty of Hot Laps to keep the heart rate up. It was great to see a strong turnout, including some returners, and even a couple of random runners who seemed harmless enough.

    The Thang:

    Tabata #1: Alternating squats & stretching ➡️Hot Lap #1

    Tabata #2: Alternating curls & overhead presses ➡️Hot Lap #2

    Tabata #3: Alternating kettlebell swings & triceps ➡️ Hot Lap #3

    Tabata #4: Alternating presses & rows ➡️Hot Lap #4

    Tabata #5: Burpees & guessing game ➡️ Hot Lap #5

    Tabata #6: 4 Minutes of Mary ➡️ Hot Laps #6 & 7

    Lots of discussion about the Valentines Day monthly challenge as we pushed through the work, and we were excited to welcome back SCOBY. Also in attendance was our friend Handshake, who brought the most unique weight of the morning a half cinderblock straight from his front yard.

    One of the highlights of the morning was an unexpected Christmas gift exchange between OBT and Hitchhiker. Hitchhiker had been patiently waiting for a free kettlebell to appear on Facebook Marketplace for over a month. The elves were generous, and OBT came through with a kettlebell delivery. There was much rejoicing.

    Side Note, Beyoncé did not pay for the SCCC track and field. Perhaps this is the Knowles of note for which the field is named after: https://hereditary.us/members_details?id=6207d0d950f6e33bc169fddd&utm_source=chatgpt.com

    COT:

    Prayers for the family of Sarah Crandall Bayliss Thompson and for OBT’s friend’s family.

    YHC took us out.

    Great work, fellas

  • Tabata Tales with Faceplant

    The Thang:

    The gloom greeted us at Saint Christopher’s track with surprisingly pleasant weather—YHC came prepared to sweat, though it was nowhere near cold enough to use that as an excuse. A mysterious huddle of folks on the field caught our attention as we warmed up. OBT, ever the observant one, suggested it might be Seal Team… though their half-hearted effort could’ve been mistaken for interpretive stretching.

    We launched into YHC’s favorite combo workout: Tabata and track laps. It’s part cardio, part strength, and all misery fun!

    • First Four Tabata Rounds:

    • Two alternating exercises in each round. YHC led with precision, and varying levels of grace.

    • In between rounds, a lap around the track kept us honest (for those of you that don’t know it Hitchhiker has been holding out on us for a while. He is a speed demon on the track. No one can keep up with him.).

    • Final Tabata Round:

    • A round of Mary with an ab-focused arsenal led by YHC and OBT. Planks, crunches, flutters—you name it, we groaned through it.

    • Grand Finale:

    • Two laps around the track to cap it off.

    Mumblechatter Highlights:

    No F3 workout is complete without some quality chatter. Today’s conversation topics included:

    • Music podcasts (OBT used to host one!).

    • LEGO robotics competitions and the national dominance of Mary Mumford’s team

    • Harrisburg, VA, and JMU lore.

    • Live music gigs and the best of Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach.

    • Cycling challenges—because apparently the track laps weren’t enough cardio talk.

    Announcements:

    • The Bridge this weekend: OBT and Upchuck are heading down Saturday. First-timers are encouraged to experience this impactful event. Don’t miss it.

    Final Thoughts:

    Thanks to OBT and Hitchhiker for showing up strong and making it a solid morning in the gloom. Until next time!

    SYITG,

    Faceplant

  • History, Pecan Pie, and Tabata Times

    The Scene:

    A crisp morning greeted the PAX at the St. Christoper’s Track, and spirits were high despite the cold. Hitchhiker, already in motion from Sunday Funday, was a man on a mission—faster, and fueled by an insatiable appetite for studying and, apparently, baking. Upchuck, recently recovered from a Thanksgiving cold , was a welcome sight, ready to sweat off our turkey hangover and chat about history, football, and, of course, pecan pie.

    The Thang:

    • Warm-up:

    A round of much-needed stretching to shake off the Thanksgiving lethargy. PAX unanimously agreed: the stretching was a highlight, proving once again that flexibility is key in life and workouts.

    • Tabata:

    Each round consisted of 8 sets of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, targeting arms, legs, and core.

    Between each round, we ran one lap around the track, because nothing warms the soul like a cold lap in the morning gloom. For the final round, we doubled the fun with two laps.

    Mumble Chatter Highlights:

    • History Class:

    We dove deep into U.S. and Korean history, pondering how on earth you distill 5,000 years of Korean history into an elementary school curriculum. YHC with homework: to figure out exactly what makes the cut in that timeline. Cliff notes welcome.

    Football Talk:

    • Division I vs. II vs. III: Why do only some teams get to go bowling?

    • The budding Virginia Tech vs. ODU rivalry: Who would’ve thought?

    • UVA’s loss to Virginia Tech: Predictable, but still lamentable.

    • The Hitchhiker Chronicles:

    Hitchhiker revealed his new hobby: baking. Yes, the same man running laps at warp speed is now whipping up pecan pies and artisan bread. But beware—pecan pie is practically 90% sugar. Delicious? Absolutely. Dangerous? Without question.

    COT:

    Grateful for the opportunity to lead this morning and for the company of two great men. Despite the cold, the camaraderie and conversation warmed the heart. Hitch, keep studying and baking—we’re expecting snacks next time. Upchuck, as always love the conversation!

    SYITG,

    Faceplant

  • Thankful for you Hitch

    Warm-up:

    YHC arrived early, full of hope and slightly overdressed for the chilly gloom. The parking lot was eerily quiet—no headlights, no chatter, no PAX. A solo workout loomed… until, like a hero emerging from the fog, Hitchhiker arrived! Together, we started with a mosey to the Carillon to shake off the cold and share the warmth of good company.

    The Thang:

    The workout was a masterpiece of repetition and geometry. It went something like this:

    • Mosey to the Carillon.

    • At the star: 5 exercises.

    • Run to the bottom of the steps: 5 more exercises.

    • Up the steps: 5 more of something different.

    • Mosey around the top to the far side: 5 more of yet another exercise.

    • Down the steps: 5 repeats of that same exercise.

    • Return to the star: 5 finale exercises.

    Rinse and repeat 5 times until your quads question your life choices and the stairs start looking more like an escalator you wish existed.

    Second Half:

    After completing the five circuits and running back to the flag, the real fun began: a quest for caffeine. With Libby Market sadly closed, we pivoted to Starbucks, where Hitchhiker and YHC celebrated victory with hot drinks and hotter mumblechatter. Topics ranged from Thanksgiving plans to the art of writing, because every workout needs a creative cooldown.

    COT:

    Big shoutout to Hitchhiker for showing up and saving YHC from a lonely gloom. Thankful for your friendship, the chatter, and the coffee run. For those PAX who ventured to the Bridge, hope it was epic. If you’re ever near the Carillon, give those steps a go—they’re humbling, but the fellowship is unmatched.

    Moleskin:

    Remember, showing up makes a difference—even if it’s just one other guy. The gloom is always better with a buddy. Over and out, friends!

    SYITG,

    YHC

  • Richmond is a small town

    YHC rolled into Richmond’s finest Country Club (okay, it’s a private school track, but it’s our version of luxury) rocking the classic polo uniform, joined by three other well-dressed gloom warriors. It was a pleasant morning, full of sweat, banter, and lots of laps.

    The beatdown? A familiar six rounds of Tabata, each followed by a lap around the track—with a bonus two laps on the last round for those overachievers among us. The first round was a delightful stretch session, which YHC would like to formally thank for being a gentle warm-up disguised as actual effort.

    Midway through the workout, YHC and Hitchhiker’s extremely subtle conversational volume attracted the attention of runners doing speed work. Turns out, they recognized our dulcet tones (or maybe just our loud mouths) and stopped by to say hello. These friends of ours were knocking out 8×400 at a blistering pace. Impressive? Sure. But let’s not overlook the fact that we were doing calisthenics and running laps. Clearly, the harder workout.

    As always, the mumble chatter was on point. OBT regaled us with tales from his recent Italian escapades, if you need travel tips or a trip planner, see OBT’s M for a schedule. Hitchhiker, meanwhile, announced his early return to work from paternity leave, officially cementing his assimilation into American culture by deciding that less time with his newborn was the way to go. There was also a spirited preview of the Thanksgiving family dinner drama we’re all pretending not to dread but secretly can’t wait for. And as always Bodos offered sage advice to YHC for all of life’s challenges – thank you Bodos!

    YHC took us out. It was an honor to lead this esteemed crowd this morning.