Author: Faceplant

  • Groveeeeeeeeee

    11 greats showed up this morning to battle the dropping temps and this is what ensued.

    YHC missed the days of yore when all the PAX did was run Grove, so Grove it was, this time we did the Oyster Grove. This Oyster Grove variation takes us west on Grove, then a left on to Three Chopt, and an immediate right past CCV and all the way down to the culdesac and back up again. The turn around point is 2 miles so the 6’s added on some extra hills on Tempsford Lane – that was brutal. Everyone met back at the school, and YHC took us out.

    Prayers for all the dads out there who’s kids love them but express their love in many different ways.

  • *** PRE BLAST – 12th Annual Shawn G. Hogan Memorial Beer Mile

    *** PRE BLAST – 12th Annual Shawn G. Hogan Memorial Beer Mile

    I invite the PAX to come out to the 12th Annual Shawn G. Hogan Memorial Beer Mile. For those that have not heard, Shawn was a very dear friend of mine and former college roommate of Handshake’s. Shawn lived a life of adventure and sadly he was killed in an Army training incident 12 years ago. Shawn and I ran cross country in college and enjoyed beer. We always joked about running a beer mile one day, but sadly Shawn and I never got the opportunity to run one together. So every year around the time of his passing friends and family of Shawn get together to commemorate him with a beer mile.

    I would have liked to think that Shawn would have enjoyed F3, so it is one of the reasons why I like to bring this group into the fold of the beer mile. Shawn liked adventures and crazy workouts. He has his own CrossFit Hero WOD which is crazy hard (Link to workout). When he was young in his Army career he won the Army’s Best Sapper contest, and here’s what the events entailed:

    The six events covered more than 40 miles of wooded terrain and started with a nonstandard physical fitness test of five minutes of push-ups, five minutes of sit-ups and three minutes of pull-ups and ended with a three-mile run in interceptor body armor and small-arms protective-insert plates that began the process of weeding out the teams.

    After a helocast and poncho raft swim, competitors entered the round-robin phase faced with challenges that included a stress shoot, timber-cutting charge, counter-force charge, Military Operations on Urban Terrain breach and an urban challenge.

    Other events during the competition included a 15-mile road march, and a series of Sapper stakes with tests that ranged from weapons and knot identification to patient airlift operations, locating explosive charges, combat-life-saving techniques and an obstacle course.

    So this October 14th at 7 PM, I invite you to participate or spectate, whatever you wish. Race check in starts at 7:00 PM, and the race kicking off shortly thereafter. The race consists of 4 quarter mile segments and drinking one beer before each segment, 4 beers total & 1 mile total. Even if you don’t drink you can do like Greenbow one year where he drank 4 non-alcoholic ginger beers – gross. This event is M friendly. Also if you just want to see me beat Handshake and cheer us on, that is totally cool too, spectators, walkers, and sideline drinkers are all the more welcome!

    Race Details:

    Address: 3423 Noble Ave, RVA

    What to bring: 4 frosty beverages of your choosing

    Post race party to follow at my house with pizza and more frosty beverages.

  • Oyster – I didn’t forget the BB

    Three Wdog regulars met for a bit of mileage at the best AO in all of RVA. For fear of being ostracized for missing a BB YHC wanted to make sure that Oyster’s big data numbers are not impacted. It went down like this:

    YHC has been into stretching before all workouts lately so YHC started with some easy stretching to get into the groove. After stretches the three of us moseyed over to the most picturesque and spider infested bridge in all of Richmond. Once to the nickle bridge, it was three burpees at each light pole on the way out and on the way back it was five air squats. Oyster and Hitchhiker were quick to point out that only fully functioning and lit light poles counted.

    Once back to the other side it was more moseying to the pump house where we alternated lunging, running, and Bernie Sanders-ing between each light pole. At each light pole it was 10 WW2’s for half of the poles at then 20 single count flutters. Back at the top mosey back to the flag with a stop at the Carillon to inspect construction progress and do a few more merkins.

    Back to the flag for numbers, names and announcements.

    YHC out.

  • WDog Solo Dog – and solo bird poop

    It was just one for a nice cool morning at WDog – plus all the construction works for the Carillon.

    It went like this:

    Run down to the Nickle bridge, 3 merkins at each light pole on the way out, then 5 air squats at each light pole on the way back.

    10 burpees to round out the Nickle bridge.

    Head down to pump house park and 10 LBCs and 5 WW2s alternating at each light pole all the way to the top of the hill.

    At the top then it was lunges alternating with running between each tree up to the top of the triangle hill.

    On to the rusty cage for descending 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 pull ups with 5 air squats between each set.

    Last stop the amphitheater for 5 dips on each step.

    Slow walk and stretch back to the flag – WHEN IT HAPPENED!

    A bird pooped on my arm!

    quiet reflection this morning and partial disgust when the bird pooped on my arm. I think some people say it is good luck, we’ll see how that pans out for my day today. Miss my Wdog regulars 🙁

  • My cup is full and my tank is empty

    With no Q on deck, YHC took the torch and planned the route. YHC was introduced to this route by Oyster and YHC has wanted to do it again for a while now – so perfect opportunity. The route is simple head down Grove, take a left on Three Chopt, then an immediate right and run down to the end of the cul-de-sac and back. I think the PAX was a little worried at first given YHC’s directional challenges however everyone made it back and no one got lost. For the 6s you have to do a bit extra, for everyone else it was out and back.

    The mumble chatter was very welcomed for the 4/5ish group – very entertaining mix of conversation covering everything from the demands of church leadership to PG-13 jokes about potatoes (ask Saab for the joke). No word on the 6s mumble chatter, likely they were just huffing and puffing because they were so fast.

    Announcements

    • Don’t forget to check signup for Breaking Bread – there are openings.
    • Check Slack for summer tour rules
    • Shotgun shared with us his positive sentencing news

    YHC took us out, thank you for the opportunity to lead this morning – you all fill my cup every morning! Great Run

  • Two Dogs

    Party of two WDog regulars emerged from the pouring rain of last night to take on the morning. At first it was just YHC and then with not a minute to spare Hitch arrived. YHC was grateful to have a partner to talk with this morning.

    It was a light workout day but a good conversation day. Mosey on out to the nickel bridge, light exercises at each post, then mosey back up behind the park, more light stretching at each light pole, then on back to the flag for some continuation of stretching.

    Good morning to reflect on careers and future plans, and discuss the world as we know it. Good time this morning.

  • 11th Annual Shawn G. Hogan Memorial Beer Mile

    11th Annual Shawn G. Hogan Memorial Beer Mile

    *****Pre-Blast*****

    I invite the PAX to come out to the 11th Annual Shawn G. Hogan Memorial Beer Mile. For those that have not heard, Shawn was a very dear friend of mine and former college roommate of Handshake’s. Shawn lived a life of adventure and sadly he was killed in an Army training incident 11 years ago Shawn and I ran cross country in college and enjoyed beer. We always joked about running a beer mile one day, but sadly Shawn and I never got the opportunity to run one together. So every year around the time of his passing friends and family of Shawn get together to commemorate him with a beer mile.

    I would have liked to think that Shawn would have enjoyed F3, so it is one of the reasons why I like to bring this group into the fold of the beer mile. Shawn liked adventures and crazy workouts. He has his own CrossFit Hero WOD which is nuts stupid hard (Link to workout). When he was young in his Army career he won the Army’s Best Sapper contest, and here’s what the events entailed:

    The six events covered more than 40 miles of wooded terrain and started with a nonstandard physical fitness test of five minutes of push-ups, five minutes of sit-ups and three minutes of pull-ups and ended with a three-mile run in interceptor body armor and small-arms protective-insert plates that began the process of weeding out the teams.

    After a helocast and poncho raft swim, competitors entered the round-robin phase faced with challenges that included a stress shoot, timber-cutting charge, counter-force charge, Military Operations on Urban Terrain breach and an urban challenge.

    Other events during the competition included a 15-mile road march, and a series of Sapper stakes with tests that ranged from weapons and knot identification to patient airlift operations, locating explosive charges, combat-life-saving techniques and an obstacle course.

    So this October 29th at 7 PM, I invite you to participate or spectate, whatever you wish. Race check in starts at 7:00 PM, and the race kicking off shortly thereafter. The race consists of 4 quarter mile segments and drinking one beer before each segment, 4 beers total & 1 mile total. Even if you don’t drink you can do like Greenbow one year where he drank 4 non-alcoholic ginger beers – gross. This event is M and 2.0 friendly, as I will have mine there too. Also if you just want to see me beat Handshake and cheer us on, that is totally cool too, spectators and sideline drinkers are all the more welcome!

    Race Details:

    Address: 3423 Noble Ave, RVA

    What to bring: 4 frosty beverages of your choosing

    Post race party to follow at my house with pizza and more frosty beverages.

  • Lucky F3-versary

    Four years ago after much prodding from Handshake YHC showed up for Thursday’s 45 Minutes of Mary. YHC is thankful for that invite and for sticking with it, so many fond memories and relationships that have been built, and it makes this YHC very thankful. Thankful for YHC’s F3-versay twin Lockjaw who ironically enough also shares the same F3-versary and was the Q on that first day at Mary. F3 impacts everyone just a little bit differently, for this YHC there is something primal and necessary for one to get up early exert energy in a pack, and forge social bonds. Saab should know, the social aspect of this group is an important component to YHC, as many an unsolicited stories are told on 6 mile runs throughout the greater Richmond area. You can get a lot of storytelling in for 45 minutes.

    In honor of YHC’s F3-versary a luck/unlucky favorite workout made its appearance for SpiderRun. With chalk and dice in hand YHC got up extra early to mark out six lines on Ridgeway Rd and Robin Rd of varying distances up the hill. At the bottom of the hill was the Roll line. At 5:30 YHC announced to the PAX to pair up with someone of equal running abilities, dice were handed out and we mosey’ed over to the Roll line at the bottom of the hill.

    Once at the bottom of the hill each pair rolls their dice, whatever number shows up is the number you run up to on the hill then turn back around and roll again – repeato until the clock strikes 6:08 AM. At precisely 6:08 the PAX mosey’s back to the flag (provided by YHC’s F3 grandfather Flatline). In honor of being one F3 year older YHC thought it appropriate to do some light stretching as a group before the bell tolled. Stretching seemed to be very welcomed by all the Spider-runners this morning.

    Numbers, Names, and Announcements

    Sit and sip, this saturday, 8th anniversary for F3RVA – 7:30 AM convergence start time.

    Prayers for Flatlines family member that is sick.

    YHC took us out.

    Thank you all for being a part of my everyday.

  • Inventory Time

    Eight, no wait seven dudes descended upon the best AO in town for an invigorating morning workout. There was one guest named Cappuccino from F3 Tallahassee. The lucky seven started with some stretching because it’s always important to do that. Then it was off on a mosey to one of the first circles.

    At the circle everyone lined up in the merkin position on the curb around the circle and did one merkin then crawled with hands on the curb to the next curb cut, we did this as a team shuffling around the circle clockwise until some of the PAX hit the trash cans. Enough of that, then it was on to the stage.

    YHC had been eyeing the coupons over the past few months and noticed their numbers have been dwindling down. Last inventory counted 37 coupons on January 19, 2022. So we’ve lost a few in that time span. It went like this, each person shuttled the coupons into the light near the fence over head carry. Then when all coupons were out it was a series of exercises based on the magic number of 12 coupons that were counted. So 12 overhead presses, 12 curls, 12 merkins, and 12 dips.

    Put all the coupons back one by one by doing 10 lunges with a coupon then run them back to their hiding place under the stage.

    Next it was on to death valley, behind the amphitheater for a variation of brokeback mountain. Partner up 5 rounds total, timer runs down and up the hill and does 5 burpees on the opposite side, while the partner alternates rounds between WW2s and flutters. It took a while but the work felt good. Next mosey on over to the amphitheater.

    You dip, I dip, we dip. Two dips on each step up to the top of the amphitheater. No fancy counting, no escalating or descending numbers to remember, just 2 plain ole dips. Hopefully in the next 9 months we will not be down to zero coupons…

    It was great having a guest in town, and we were all excited to see Shiplap emerge from parenting a newborn.

    Then mosey back to the flag for some mary, and YHC took us out.

    Prayers for Hitchhikers coworker for the loss of their parent.

  • Earth, Wind, and Fire

    YHC has been away for a bit traveling with the family, but now that YHC is back in town for a week it felt appropriate to get out there and Q it up a bit. YHC picked the Q but YHC’s daughter decided that she would feel sick the night before and stay up and make it a trip to the urgent care around 1 AM. All is fine now and my 2.0 is feeling great, but YHC was a slight bit tired Wednesday morning. But a trio of reliable Wdog regulars were there to greet YHC with smiles.

    5:30 hit and a familiar silver Honda Odyssey came around the corner on 3 wheels, got a bit of air, and kicked up some dust then parked in a flash to make it for the start of some stretching.

    Lots of mumble chatter and some stretching ensued. Me thinks a lot of the PAX went hard at 4th of July both during the workout and afterwards, so it was good to do an extended stretching session. Then it was a mosey on over to the rusty cage for a MINI MURPH!

    Mini Murph is a great way to start things off, 5 rounds total, each round: 5 pull-ups, 10 merkins, and 15 air squats. to get it rolling, quick run to the fire hydrant and back, then it was go time. After the 6 finished up with that it was back to moseying on over to the nickel bridge. The sky and clouds that morning were looking extra pink and blue and cool, and YHC was hoping to catch a beautiful Richmond city view while getting some sweat in across the bridge. Once we all got to the start, it was 5 WW2s at each light pole over to the other side, turn around and then 3 burpees at each light pole on the way back. The views were great.

    Wanting to fit in some extra stretching it was mosey on back to the flag to round it all out with some stretching.

    Names and numbers

    YHC took us out.

    It was great to see the regulars at Wdog even after a night of lost sleep. However the morning’s talk, workout and, camaraderie was better than any caffeine to get YHC moving this morning. Thank you for the opportunity to lead gentleman.