Author: Johnsonville

  • #SOT, the Funhouse of Distractions

    Six of the faithful posted at #SOT this morning. Discussions, of course, centered around Hurricane Matthew, its current track, and its potential impact on F3Richmond’s 2-year anniversary. Johnsonville cut those off, planting a VSF and seizing the Q role. This is what went down, more or less:

    Mosey to bus loop by school to escape the roar of the single school bus warming up in our parking lot.

    Robust warmup, including SSH, crab cakes, don quiotes, scap merkins, LBCs, imperial walkers, hillbillies, etc.

    Run lap around bus loop.

    Line up along sidewalk for ascending curb crawls to 10.

    Run lap around bus loop.

    Group up in grass for ascending burpee / wall planks (do 5 burpees, then 1 wall plank; do 5 burpees, then 2 wall planks; do 5 burpees, then 3 wall planks, etc. to 10).

    Plank sequence. Mosey to basketball court.

    COP with Alabama Prom Dates

    Plank on line along basketball court lane for ascending plank walk / jump squats (do plank walk along lane, then 1 jump squat; do plank walk along lane, then 2 jump squats; do plank walk along lane, then 3 jump squats; etc. to 10).

    Line up on end line. Crabwalk to center of court. Feet-first crab walk back. Flip and bear crawl to center of court.

    COP with var. Mary

    Moleskin:

    The temperature was perfect this morning, and men showed up mentally and physically ready for some honest work. It was a good day, but the AO brought out a series of rather puzzling distractions.

    First, there was the normal bus roaring in the parking lot by the track (OUR parking lot). The school must have dozens of buses. Why does that one always warm up in our parking lot? Why does it need to be so smelly and loud? I thought most government officials actually bought into the idea of man-made global warming.

    Second, commencing during our very first short mosey (to escape the roaring, smelly school bus), the school’s fire alarm tripped and was steadily droning away for most of the remaining 44.5 minutes of the workout. A firetruck arrived around back with bright lights flashing but, stayed a while, and (inexplicably) departed without turning off the obnoxious alarm.

    Third, after our first run around the bus loop, a Chesterfield Couty police officer pulled up into the bus loop and started eyeing Rosie very suspiciously. I thought for sure that we were about to get cuffed and taken to the station for questioning. Thankfully, the deputy did not seem very interested in a bunch of middle-aged men demeaning themselves by crawling around on the ground.

    Distractions aside, we were very glad to have FNG Tesla out. Tesla says that he was previously involved in regular cross-fit, but that he has fallen out of shape. There was a lot of planking and crawling around today, and those things are not easy even for the regulars. Tesla did a good job modifying and stopping when he had had enough. I look forward to seeing him grow stronger.

    Great job this morning, southsiders!

    Jville

  • Perfect Weather for Trails, but Very Few Takers

    Two of the faithful joined a headlockee and his LOML for spin around the river trails. The weather could not have been more perfect, and the four of us kept a slow but very steady pace taking on the trails in counter-clockwise rotation. We had great conversation.

    The headlockee is a 9 year veteran of seal team. I sent him plenty of info on F3 and am trying to pull him to the convergence this weekend. Hopefully the weather will not wreck that.

    The headlockee and his LOML are training for a trail marathon in a few weeks, so they continued on for another loop. The LOML was the fastest runner among us by far, and circled back for us a number of times. She seemed very interested in FIA.

    It is perplexing to YHC that we can get 14-15 out one week, and then only 2 the next. Oh well — more elbow room for us!

    Jville

  • Shelter from the Storm, but not from the Gloom

    Three of the faithful, including YHC, posted at Mills Godwin High School, also known as F3Richmond’s #CircusMaxims AO, with kettlebells in hand. The rain had been falling by the bucket-full and lightning periodically streaked across the pre-dawn sky. Johnsonville (YHC) planted a virtual shovel flag in the soggy soil, and this is how the beatdown progressed, more or less:

    Mosey beneath the flat metal roof in the school’s bus loading area. No more mosies.

    Warmup including ssh, helicopter, merkins, don quiotes, arm circles.

    Elevens consisting of single arm kettlebell swings (1/2 count per arm) and crabcakes

    plank-o-rama

    Elevens consisting of cleans & presses (1/2 count per arm) and pole smokers

    protractor

    Elevens consisting of electric slide and (1/2 count per side lunge) and wall planks

    plank-o-rama

    COP with sit & presses in cadence

    COT with Atilla taking us out.

    Moleskin: It was a mess out there this morning, and YHC has been under the weather this week. YHC thus had a very hard time getting out of bed. But, once the gloom began, and once I became completely wet from laying in standing water, and once White Deer starting getting competitive, things became down-right fun. It felt to me like this workout was over in 20 minutes.

    We have a number of regulars out for health reason, and we pray for their speedy recovery.

    Great job, men! Jville

  • Flip Phone Turns 34 after Forties, Ascending Curb Crawl, Dora and More

    Five of the faithful posted to #GridIron on a comfortable fall morning to sharpen steel. Johnsonville (YHC) planted a virtual shovel flag, and moseyed the PAX over to the paved are inside the track. This is how thinks progressed from there, more or less:

    Warmup, including SSH, merkins, LBCs, arm circles, don quiotes, and box cutters.

    Forties with 2-count mountain climbers and 2-count hillbillies

    Mosey south to the south entrance road. Line up on curb for ascending curb crawls to 13.

    Mosey north across the southern parking lot onto the soccer field.

    Forties with dips and pole smokers.

    Mosey counterclockwise around school near basketball courts.

    Line up on road in 2 groups for a Dora 1-2-3 consisting of 100 merkins, 200 LBCs, and 300 air squats.

    Mosey back in front of school onto grass.

    Circle up for ring of fire (2 rounds). Do modified ring of fire with 5 burpees each while pax holds Al Gores.

    COT

    Moleskin:

    We had become somewhat accustomed to huge activity around this AO arising from football games. This weeks, the games were apparently away. So, the AO seemed a bit too quiet.

    The forties with mountain climbers and hillbillies was harder than I thought it would be and dragged on for a very long time. We pushed through…

    Ascending curb crawls up to 13 is also a challenge. Every member of the PAX completed them.

    During the Dora, Atilla spurred on a foot race between him and Flip Phone. The two of them were rolling, with Flip Phone barely edging Atilla out (at least this time).

    Flip Phone was a little out of it after the workout, announcing repeatedly, even after correction, that he was 34 years old. Apparently the foot race vs. Atilla took its toll (or took 20 years from Flip Phone’s life).

    Many enjoyed a coffeeteria after the workout, and Dreamliner paid us a visit after his Dogpile workout.

    Great job, men! JVille

    Announcements (some copied from Saab):

    > Earthworm (who is currently benched for medical reasons) is going to lead a 15 minute 3rd-F bible study before GridIron this coming Saturday on Mark 10:35-45 (servanthood). It will start at 0645.
    > After the convergence the following week, he will start a bible study series at 0645 on Saturdays (immediately prior to GridIron). The series theme(s) are currently TBD.
    > Bear Creek 10 miler (great trail run and post-run tailgate planned)
    > Those new to F3: Text F3RVA to 97000 to gain info and get setup on-line. (Doesn’t mean you can’t still see Wilson about “the App”)
    > Winstons is soliciting some volunteers to come up to Hanover on 10/15 and lead an F3 style workout for a church retreat. Please see Winstons if interested…have no doubt this will help with F3 recruitment in the area.
    > Workout and Happy Hour on Wednesday. See back blast from Hardywood (all meet at Crossroads at 6:00pm)
    > Mechanicsville has a new AO on Fridays…that makes 3 total for the week. Way to go guys. (YHC heard we were up to something like 18 AO’s in RVA…nice!)
    > Convergence on Oct 8 … please reach out to FNG’s and those who haven’t attended for some time.
    > F3Tidewater is launching on 11/5 at Mt. Trashmore in VA Beach. Johnsonville is assembling teams and team leaders to cover certain Saturdays on and after 11/5. THINK OF CONTACTS IN TIDEWATER TO HEADLOCK. More to come ….

  • Pre-Blast: Upcoming 3rd F at #GridIron

    Earthworm (who is currently benched for medical reasons) is going to lead a 15 minute 3rd-F bible study before GridIron this coming Saturday on Mark 10:35-45 (servanthood). It will start at 0645.

    After the convergence the following week, he will start a bible study series at 0645 on Saturdays (immediately prior to GridIron). The series theme(s) are currently TBD.

    If convenient, please announce that at workouts this week so those who seek more 3rd F will know that the option exists.

    Thanks! Jville

  • Old Glory Flies again at #NoToll

    Nine of the faithful posted on a dark, damp morning at #NoToll, following a hard rain the day before. Johnsonville unfurled The Stars and Stripes and told the pax that they could put away their gloves. The PAX initially responded with delight until it became clear why the SF was in hand rather than planted over by this basketball court. At 0530, the PAX mosied to the soccer field complex and, without pause, ran 2 loops around it (~ 1 mi.) with Old Glory leading the way.

    Upon completion, Hardywood planted the shovel flag, and the PAX planked while YHC explained how Old Glory would go from there, viz. for 22 minutes, the each member of the pax would continue to run counterclockwise around the soccer complex stopping at each corner to perform the appointed exercises. The pax would continue without stopping until YHC instructed otherwise. The exercises were as follows: corner 1 — 20 merkins; corner 2 — 20 jump squats; corner 3 — 10 burpees; and corner 4 — 20 WWII situps.

    From plank, YHC instructed the PAX to begin. Rosie and Hardywood took an immediate lead and did not relinquish that lead. Behind them were Gumbo, YHC, Doner Kebab, and EF Hutton. Others followed in groupings unknown to YHC.

    At the end of the 22 minutes, YHC called “time,” the PAX returned to the SF. YHC grabbed the SF and commenced the final 2 laps around the soccer complex, several members of the PAX taking turns carrying Old Glory. YHC is not able to catalog all of the SF carriers because YHC was dragging a** at that point.

    COT with YHC taking us out.

    MOLESKIN:

    There was not a lot of mumble chatter in the field this morning, but good fellowship followed the COT. Results were: Flipper 3.5; Rosie 4.5 (!); Mr. Roper 3.5; Gumbo 4.0; Hardywood 4.5 (!); Doner Kebab 3.75; EF Hutton 3.75; Viral 3.0; and YHC 4.0. Hardywood and Mr. Roper were Old Glory virgins until this morning. Both showed considerable strength. Great job, men!

    I apologize for running a few minutes over this morning. For future reference, 21 minutes is probably the limit for a weekday Old Glory.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS:

    ~ New Mechanicsville AO kicking off this Friday at 0530. New Highland Baptist Church on New Ashcake Rd. (Abacus is leading; preblast ??)
    ~ Spartan Run this weekend (talk to Toga or BT for details).
    ~ Signup soon if interested in Bear Creek 10 miler on 12/4.
    ~ Wednesday HH Next Week: At the Crossroads post-workout at Batteau (see preblast).
    ~ 10/1 Rugged Maniac, see EF Hutton.
    ~ 10/8 Shane’s Shuffle 5K October 8 at 8:30. (talk to Anchovy for details)
    ~ 11/5 launch F3Tidewater at Mount Trashmore in VA Beach. Preblast to come.
    ~ Monday #RiverRun is not a run anymore (see preblast).
    ~ Sunday Trail Run is adding a short option for any and all fitness levels.

    REFLECTION:

    Mark 9:35: “And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said to them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.”

  • Notice re the #RiverRun AO

    Commencing on Monday, September 19, 2016, RiverRun will be operated as a classic bootcamp. The foregoing change is, of course, subject to modification by future notice and/or the whims of each week’s Q. The AO’s name will remain the same.

    Could someone please request a change on the F3Richmond web site to accurately describe this AO’s focus?

    Jville

  • Dora 1-2-3 with Kettlebells

    Three of the faithful posted in the dark on a Thursday morning with kettlebells in hand. Johnsonville took the q, first leading the men through numerous warmup exercises (ssh, merkins, don quiotes, LBCs, etc.). Then the PAX mosey-ed around the front of the school and commenced a fairly long Dora sequence consisting of 100 merkin rows (OUCH), 200 halos, and 300 goblet squats. This sequence occupied much of the 45 minutes. The PAX continued around the perimeter of the school counter-clockwise, stopping about 3/4 of the way for some Mary.

    YHC took us out with a COT. Great job #CM Pax!g

    Johnsonville

  • Siren, Mermaid, or Hallucination?

    Two of the faithful posted at the pumphouse for a leisurely stroll around the the main Northbank/Buttermilk loop clockwise. The pace was very gentle since YHC has been on a (too) long hiatus from running and since the speedy guys are away for the BRR. About 10 minutes into the run, Conspiracy caught us from behind. He ran with us for 5-10 minutes, chatted, and then turned around and disappeared as suddenly as he appeared. I know it was real, but as I sit here I cannot help but wonder if my mind is playing tricks on me.

    Similarly, on the Buttermilk side, a radiant mermaid passed us heading in the other direction. Offshore remained cool as always. I nearly ran off the side of trail into the abyss. Perhaps she was a mythological siren rather than a mermaid. Perhaps she also was a hallucination.

    It was great morning out on the trail. I am looking forward to cooler weather and to building some running stamina back up this fall and winter. Congrats to the 2 amazing BRR teams from F3Richmond! Way to represent, guys.

    Offshore suggested that we start offering a shorter, slower option on Sundays to get more people out trail running. I could certainly lead that for a while since I am in rebuilding mode. What do you all think????

    Safe travels back home to the BRR guys. Jville

  • Crawling Around GridIron (and Laying Plans for a Tidewater Launch)

    Six of the faithful posted at Gridiron on a relatively cool, late-summer morning. Johnsonville planted a VSF and took the Q. This is how it went down, more or less.

    Warmup with 50x SSH, merkins, don quiotes, mountain climbers, etc.

    Mosey to far side of parking area and get right down to business with curb crawls up to 5 merks and back down. Dreamliner rocked these…

    Mosey around football fields (as they filled up with kids, parents, cheer leaders, etc.) to grassy area near school.
    COP crab cakes
    COP box cutters.

    Mosey onto soccer field in front of school.
    ciabatta crab walk alternating between feet first and back first.

    COP single leg Alabama prom dates
    COP LBCs
    Mosey around soccer field OYO

    Mosey behind school.
    ciabatta plank walks along bus road curb (alternating direction).

    Mosey to pullup bars.
    2-3 rounds of 10x pullups OYO

    Mosey in front of school
    merkin countdown (9 wide grip, 8 regular, 7 diamond, 6 wide, 5 regular, 4 diamond, 3 wide, 2 regular, 1 diamond)

    Triple Play (classic)

    Mary

    Mosey back to VSF, stopping to honor the flag as the football PA played “The Star Spangled Banner.”

    COT with Atilla taking us out.

    Moleskin —

    This is the best time of year at GridIron because the football games generate much fanfare and activity. “The Star Spangled Banner” was timed perfectly at the end of our workout, and the version played was beautiful. It gave us a chance to stop moving, to reflect, and to honor our flag.

    Earthworm remains out and is missed. White deer pulled something in his back trying to catch YHC in the plank walk. I am grateful for a bit of competition, but we need to keep the war daddies healthy….

    Atilla continues to get faster and stronger. He has come a long way over the last year.

    Night crawler posted to his third workout at F3Richmond. He made it through 1/3 of the first one and 2/3 of the second. Night crawler started and finished this one with us and joined us for coffeeteria.

    We were very happy to have PaperBoy join us for the first time. He is a west ender, and we hope PaperBoy becomes are regular a GridIron and/or other F3Richmond workouts.

    We were also happy to have Dremliner back. Dreamliner hails from Suffolk, and has driven 2 weeks in a row to join us at GridIron. That is a great and amazing thing, especially since I have trouble getting guys from my neighborhood out. AND… Dreamliner volunteered to Q at GridIron next Saturday.

    Admittedly, Dreamliner has an ulterior motive. He wants to launch an F3 group in Hampton this fall. We have tentatively set an October 15 start date for F3Tidwater (or F3EasternVirginia, or whatever it will become). This will require F3Richmond support for 4 or more weeks, and I will be talking this up as soon as BRR is over. Please step up help with these efforts. I would like to get at least 1 carload down for 4-5 weeks.

    Have a great Labor Day!

    Jville