Author: Gumbo

  • Gumbo Week – Part DEUX — Adding the Spices – Nicole Style

    9 stalwarts, including a NoToll reunion for Swirly, broke the hold of fartsack and posted at NoToll for a beautiful Tuesday morning with a bit of a deceptive chill in the air.  Gumbo planted the flag, pronounced this his 365th day with F3 and off we moseyed to tackle the day:

    Mosey to the back parking lot for COP, all IC including:

    • SSHs x25
    • DQ x10
    • Copperhead Squats x12
    • Arm Circles x10 small and x5 big – forward and backwards
    • LBCx x25
    • Merkins x10

    Mosey to the pavilion for the main event — The Nicole as a reprise of YHC’s first ever F3 workout.  Put 20 minutes on the clock and begin with 1 lap around the field, then Derkins, 1 lap, then Dips, 1 lap, then Ball Dippers, repeat until the buzzer sounds.  Instead of doing the exercises AMRAP today, YHC wanted to keep everybody moving and PAX members were encouraged to pick a goal of 20-25 reps for each exercise and see how many laps they could complete.

    Plank-o-rama for the six, then mosey to the basketball courts for Triple Check – 3 rounds of box cutters, jump squats and bear crawl to half-court and back.

    Circle up for Ring of Fire – PAX began in Touchdown Al Gore and each dropped for 10 merkins then held plank until the rotation came around again, then 10 more merkins and return to Al Gore.

    Mosey back to the flag for COT, number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements –

    • HDHH at Casa de Splinter – fill out the RSVP spreadsheet and figure out directions but keep it on the DL.
    • May 19 – Fore the Cause golf tournament for Galactosemia Foundation — see Wilson

    NMS:

    So, we build the roux yesterday at River Run with the suck, so it was time to add some spices to the Gumbo in day two of Gumbo-Week.  Nicole was just the spice we needed.  YHC has been waiting to rekindle Nicole from his first workout.  Even though Rosie was on a plane to the DR for some QT with M, his presence was felt in the form of one of his fickle mistresses.

    It was great to see the Swirly-mobile and know the AO was secure when YHC pulled into NoToll.  Way to be smart but still push it today Swirly.

    HoneyDo ate his Wheaties this morning.  This man was on a mission to destroy Nicole and he did.  Way to roll HD.

    Strong work men.  It was a pleasure to lead.

    No more Gumbo for you…until tomorrow!

  • The Week of Gumbo – Part I: The Suck at the Swamp

    6 regulars and 1 Kotters broke the seal for the week and started it off right with a posting at River Run and to see what the hell Gumbo could have in store to begin a string of 5 straight Qs.  With no McRib coming in hot at 5:29, YHC almost didn’t know when to start, but we managed and it went something like this:

    Mosey behind the elementary school to the blacktop for COP:

    • SSHs x25IC
    • DQs x10 IC (super slow)
    • Imperial Walkers x15 IC
    • LBCs x25 IC
    • Flutter Kicks x25 IC

    Mosey to the monkey bars for a quick lazy triple check with only 2 rounds (HUH?), consisting of 5 Burp-Ups, AMRAP Monkey Humpers and AMRAP Merkins.  For the Burp-Ups you perform a burpee and at the end with the jump, instead of clapping you jump up to the monkey bars and perform a pull-up.  The PAX member performing the Burp-Ups was the trigger for switching.

    Mosey to the hill by the dugout for a modified Jacob’s Ladder – run down the hill and do 1 donkey kick on the dugout wall, run back up the hill and do 1 jump squat.  Repeato up to 5.

    Mosey to the track for the main event – the SUCK.  Six cones were spaced out along the track straight away about 10 yards apart.  Each PAX member picked a cone and the odd man out became the 1st rabbit.  PAX members perform a specific exercise at their cone until the rabbit completes a lap around the track, then bear crawl forward to the next cone (new exercise) and the PAX member at the first cone takes off running.  Exercises included, SSHs, box cutters, werkins, mountain climbers, flutter kicks and squats.  For the second round, instead of running a lap, the rabbit sprinted to the end of the straight away and back to the first cone.

    Mosey to poles at the base of the hill for another modified Jacob’s Ladder with pole smokers, run up the hill and merkins, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3…. up to 7.

    Mosey back to the Flag for Mary – American Hammers and Freddy Mercuries

    COT, number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • HDHH at casa de Splinter.  see the pre-blast and RSVP per the spreadsheet.
    • Wilson’s charity golf outing (Fore the Cause – Galactosemia Foundation) is coming up on May 19.  See Wilson for details

    NMS:

    Welcome back to Monkey Wrench (that man and fly) and welcome to River Run to Monkey Wrench and Loose Goose.  Great to have some new blood at RR.  It is a fine AO with lots of possibilities.  Mumblechatter was moderate today with the PAX talking about hitting the hills surrounding RR in the coming weeks to catch a sunrise.  Ask and you shall receive!

    Great work today fellas.  We packed a lot in and everyone pushed hard.  It was a pleasure to lead.

    No more Gumbo for you…for today…but I’ll be here all week, so don’t forget to tip your waitress!

  • Saying Good-Bye to February with an Old Glory

    14 F3 giants and 1 eager FNG posted to NoToll this last day of February 2017, maybe expecting a little rain but certainly expecting a beatdown and YHC tried to deliver with the tried and true Old Glory.

    After a quick disclaimer and brief explanation for the FNG, the PAX was off and running to the back of NoToll and for 2 laps (1 mile) around the fields with OG leading the way. After a brief moment to plant the SF, YHC set the timer for 20 minutes and the PAX went to work with Hardywood and Rosie taking the lead that they would not relinquish.  As always, the exercises at each corner included:

    • 20 Merkins
    • 20 Jump Squats
    • 10 Burpees
    • 20 WWII situps

    Complete as many laps as you can in 20 minutes.

    2 MOM with Flutter Kicks x28 IC and Box Cutters X10 IC and then mosey with OG back to the cars for COT, number-rama and name-a-rama, then YHC took us out.

    NMS:

    Rosie and Hardywood crushed it, leading the way with 4.5/4.75? laps completed.  McRib was right on their heels keeping them honest.  For tracking and future comparison, post your name and laps in the Old Glory tab of the Q spreadsheet.

    The whole PAX pushed it hard today.  Way to work men!

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Sandbag B.O.M.B.S. at W-Dog

    14 determined veterans posted to W-Dog to get their Hump Day (what, what) started off right.  YHC planted the shovel flag, knocked out his mile for the day and then kicked off the festivities.  This is what transpired:

    Mosey to the bricks in front of the Carillon for COP, as follows:

    • SSHs x50 IC
    • Slow Donnie Qs x12 IC
    • Arm Circles x10 IC forward and reverse
    • Imperial Walkers x15 IC
    • Box Cutters x15 IC
    • Flutter Kicks x15 IC

    Short mosey to the field for some human centipede (2 lines in elbow plank head to toe and the last man performs a broad jump then a side hop over the planking PAX member, then a broad jump forward — all the way to the front of the line – Indigenous People Run style).  Each PAX completes 3 rotations.

    Mosey to the Rusty Cage to partner up and retrieve one sandbag coupon per pair.  Mosey to the amphitheater stage for Sandbag B.O.M.B.S.:

    Partner 1 box jumps each step up to the top of the amphitheater then runs back down to the stage to switch with Partner 2.  Together, each pair completes the following:

    • 50 Burpees
    • 100 Overhead Presses with the Sandbags
    • 150 Merkins
    • 200 Big Boy (WWII) Sit Ups with a Sandbag press at the top — audibled to 100…second audible (Omaha, Omaha)  to “just do 20 more then move on”.
    • 250 Squats with the Sandbag

    Mosey back to the Rusty Cage to put the sandbags away and perform 5 pull-ups to make sure the RC knows we still love it.

    Double-time Mosey back to the Shovelflag

    COT, name-a-rama, number-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • HDHH tonight 5:30 at Ardent – 3200 W. Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23230
    • For upcoming charity golf outings, see Fudd and Wilson and look for pre-blasts
    • For upcoming races, see Toga, Swirly, TYA and Spit

    NMS:
    YHC wanted to bring the B.O.M.B.S. that he dropped last month at NoToll to W-Dog and couldn’t resist working in the sandbags.  Due to time constraints in our broadcast, we had to speed ahead in the scheduled program and cut the Big Boy Sit N Press short…I know the PAX was disappointed.  We will skip the centipede next time and leave enough time to reach our intended goal.

    I hope the inaugural KB workout in DaVille went well this morning.

    Great job by the PAX in pushing through the BOMBS this morning.  A bit of a ground and pound and heavy on the upper body — though YHC is feeling the squats and box jumps right about now.

    Strong work men and thanks again to HoneyDo for giving us the great gift of the Sandbags!  Definitely felt and heard some LEAKAGE this morning though — we may need to perform some maintenance on our bags?

    As I recited from the song in the closing prayer “There’s no better life than the life we’re living” so let’s each go out and make the most of our day and enjoy the hell out of this life.

    As always, it was a pleasure to lead such a strong group this morning, thank you.

    No more GUMBO for you!

  • The PAX Gets Flatlined at NoToll

    An atypical NO TOLL morning of no cold temps and no rain lead to a STRONG presence as 17 members showed up to No Toll with a majority bum rush within the last 7 minutes. Leading my second Q, I wanted to work on 6 workout commands and counting. I accomplished one…

     C.O.P- x12 Merkins, x24 Leg Kicks, x36 S.S.H, x24 Don Quixote’s (poor counting), x12 Arm                     Circles

     Mosey to soccer field and partner up:

    • x1 field run while partner dips, switch
    • X1 field run and partner mountain climbs, switch
    • x1 field run with partner on his back, legs 6 inches of the ground

     Time to mosey to basketball court….Suicide runs with partner…4 Evolutions

    • Forward suicide and switch, completing 100 squat jumps
    • Backward suicide and switch, completing 150 Merkins
    • Forward suicide and switch, completing 200 Freddie Mercuries
    • Bear Crawl suicide and switch, completing 250 LBC’s

     Mosey back to soccer field….Catch Me if You Can with partner….x30 Imperial Walkers while partners lundges across the soccer field and back…..toward the finish, PAX was reaching E on the tank so Q called one more exercise.. 

     The Q and PAX finished with modified ROF-x5 Diamond Merkins together to finish a gratifying morning workout!!

     Numberama, Namerama

    Announcements:

    • Several charity golf tournaments in the spring-see Wilson (May tourney) or Fudd (April tourney)
    • April-many opportunities to run – see TYA, Swirly, TOGA
    • Johnsville has Q at SOT on 2/8 and promised less running!!

    Great show of force this am!! I am proud to be part of this group and one day, I will have this 3 count figured out!!

    No Limit on What You Can Achieve Today!!

    Flatline

     

  • Overtime Baby

    7 veterans broke free from the guacamole coma and laced them up (or, in Wilson’s case, layered it up) and posted to River Run for a post Super Bowl beatdown and it went something like this:

    Daily mile challenge completed with a mosey to the track and a couple laps around the track.

    Circle up for COP – SSHs x34 IC, DQ x10 IC, Imperial Walkers x28 IC, LBCs x34 IC, Flutter Kicks x28 IC (counts in honor of the final score from last night)

    Team up for Triple Check with a 4th round to signify our Overtime — BTTW, jump-squats and a sprint down the track straight away and back.

    Mosey to the parking lot for another “overtime” exercise — 5 Corners

    • Corner 1 = 10 2-count mountain climbers
    • Corner 2 = 20 Merkins
    • Corner 3 = 30 1-count ball dippers
    • Corner 4 = 40 1-count Freddy Mercuries
    • Corner 5 (middle of the parking Lot) = 10 Burpees

    PAX was so efficient, we had time for a second round of 5 Corners — all exercise counts doubled…OUCH!

    Mosey to poles for 20 pole smokers OYO, then run across field back to parking lot for plank-o-rama and 34 Hello Dolly IC.

    COT, number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • HDHH 2/15 at Ardent Brewery 5:30 p.m.- see Lockjaw’s pre-blast.  Treat your M right on 2/14 and early a hall pass for the HDHH.
    • Several races coming up – Belmonte, Smoky Mountain, BRR, Ash Creek 5K
    • Charity golf outings – Suicide Prevention, April 24 (Fudd), Galactocemia, May ?? (Wilson)

    Great work today gentlemen. Great to have Rosie back leading the PAX (or catching us from behind as the case may be).  Strong work on a post Super Bowl beatdown.

    Have a great day men.  Make the most of it.

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Super Bowl Pre-game

    21 hungry competitors suited up for the chilly weather and stormed into our favorite F3 RVA AO for a little Super Bowl weekend beatdown.  It went a little something like this:

    Circle up around the SF for some quick COP – SSHs x25 IC, DQ x10 IC, Cherry Pickers x10 IC, Merkins x10 IC

    Mosey/Run down to the pump station and around the back side of the AO up to the Carillon to knock out our 1-mile for the mile-a-day challenge.  Plank-o-rama for the six, including a little reach around and tickle special for Flashdance and Swirly.

    Football-style pre-game warmups on the bricks in front of the Carillon, including high knees, side shuffle, karaoke, backwards run, sprints from a 3-point stance and bear crawl (chop blocks) followed by a sprint.

    Mosey over to the Amphitheater for some “stadium” stairs.  Two columns – run down the middle stairs to the base, 5 merkins, run up the outer steps and back to the middle, 5 merkins — repeato.

    Circle up in the grass circle in front of the Amphitheater – Al Gore for the six.

    Burpee Shuffle — called by YHC.  10 Burpees total.

    Mosey to the field for some modified 4-corner agility drills.  PAX waiting to start performed SSHs and Squats.  4-corners consisted of a sprint to the first corner (cone) and perform 1 burpee, side shuffle to the left cone and perform 1 burpee, back pedal to the next cone and perform 1 burpee, then bear crawl to the cone in the center and perform 1 burpee.  For the 3rd and final round, skip the burpees at each corner and instead complete the agility drills as fast as you can and perform 5 burpees in the middle at the end.

    Mosey to the other end of the field for some QB drills with a little risk/reward decision.  QBs (Swirly, Upchuck and YHC) chose to throw football to a 12-yard out (garden bucket) or 20-yard seam (trash can).  If target was hit in the air, PAX performed easier exercise.  If target was missed PAX performed burpees (10 if you missed the check-down target; 5 if you missed the deep route).  All 6 passes were to the deep route and all 6 were incomplete, so the PAX performed 30 burpees.  Of course, Swirly promptly nailed the trash can after the last round.

    Split up into two teams (we will call them Patriots and Falcons) for relays races that included a pass and catch component.  If the ball hits the ground, the entire team does 5 merkins and then continues with the relay.  1 practice round, then the Falcons beat the Patriots in the 2 that counted.  Falcons picked 2 exercises — pickle-pounders (Wilson special) and Mariah Carey’s (Hardywood’s contribution — I thought he should have just stomped around complaining about the sound system malfunctions instead of calling cadence but he kept the DIVA locked away and soldiered through the cadence).

    Mosey back to the flag (including several pass attempts on the way back, Hardywood and Loose Good carrying our “pass targets” and YHC carrying my mini boom-box — should have had that on TYA’s Drone Cam.

    Quick merkin ROF and then COT, name-a-rama, number-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    HDHH – 2/15 at Ardent – Lockjaw has the Q and Swirly has pre-ordered some fruity beer in a dainty glass.

    Several races coming up – Smoky Mountain, Ragnar, Ash Creek 5K, BRR training/teams getting organized.  See Swirly, Toga, ?? and TYA for details.

    Fudd is again organizing a golf outing for Suicide Prevention — April 24 at Willow Oaks – let’s show some F3 support.

    Moleskin:

    Super strong work by the PAX this morning.  Thanks for indulging YHC with some different themed exercises and making the best of a little “dead air” in the 4-corners, relay and QB drills.  Good fun and competitive spirit in the relays.  I thought Spit was going to go all Dick Butkus and close-line Helix.  They play rough in DaVille!  Gotta keep your head on a swivel – you never know when Terry Tate office linebacker may be lurking — the pain train is coming, WOO-WOO.

    Decent mumble-chatter on the mile run, but it seemed to quiet down once we got down to business.

    Way push through the cold this morning and thanks for playing along.  I may have to Q an “F3 Spring Game” in the warmer weather…complete, of course, with a post-game Tailgate!!

    Have a great Super Bowl weekend men.

    No more Gumbo for you.

  • Suck Relays at the Circus

    A sold out show at the Circus, as 16 brave men embraced the spring-like morning and jumped at the opportunity for fitness, fellowship and faith while swinging some weighted bells around.  It went a little something like this:

    COP –

    • SSHs x25 IC
    • LBCs x25 IC
    • Helicopters x10 IC
    • LBCs x25 IC
    • Halos x10 clockwise then x10 counter-clockwise IC
    • LBCs x25 IC
    • Slow Goblet Squats x20 IC
    • LBCs x25 IC

    Mosey to the circle for Catch your Partner – Partner 1 takes both bells and lunges around the circle, Partner 2 performs 3 burpees and catches Partner 1 for the flapjack.  Lunges audibled to waiter carry for second half of the loop.

    Mosey to covered columns for the main even, the Suck Relays.  Form two lines of 8 and spread out 2 men at each column down the line.  While one duo ran the loop, the PAX stationed at the columns performed various exercises, then bear-crawled to the next station when the rabbits completed their lap.  During the second relay, the rabbits performed 50 LBCs instead of running the loop and the transition between stations was lunges.  Exercises at the columns included: two-handed swings, clean and press, squat and press, snatch, WWII situps and press and something else that completely escapes YHC at the moment and wasn’t on the weinke because frankly YHC didn’t expect so many patrons at the Circus today.

    Once the Suck Relays were completed, the PAX moseyed back to the parking lot for a ROF – PAX held six inches with bells held high and each PAX took turns completing 10 WWII situps and presses.

    LBCs x 25 IC

    2 minutes of swings to take us out.

    COT – number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Listen to the podcasts and for Godsake, someone get Saab a kettlebell!
    • Ragnar – trail run and camping – see Toga
    • Mountain Relays (Smoky and BRR) – see TYA
    • The Shining every Thursday in DAVILLE – show up for some great 3rd F and Food (the other, more pleasant 4th F; not the one often produced by Wilson)

    Moleskin:

    What a morning at the Circus.  First, the gloom was hardly gloomy.  Second, the cars just kept rolling in.  Great turn out this morning fellas. And, thanks for indulging the Suck Relays.  Heavy on the swings and upper-body today, but all PAX members pushed through.  Kudos to Mud Face for sucking up the heavier bells at each station to keep Emoji from blowing out the other shoulder.  I thought it was odd that all the 30 and 35 lb KBs ended up on the same side of the columns — MEN TO THE RIGHT!

    Strong work men.  A pleasure as always to step out front.

    Make the most of Today.  No more Gumbo for you!

  • The B.O.M.B.S. Make Us Stronger…

    13 strong, fearless and determined PAX stormed into NoToll this morning ready to make the most of their day by starting it off right, this is how we did it:

    Mosey to the back parking lot for COP, which included:

    • SSHs x30 IC
    • Copperhead Squats x12 IC
    • Imperial Walkers x15 IC
    • Merkins x10 IC
    • Arm Circles – 10 small and 5 large, forward and backwards
    • 5 minutes of LBCs – 1 minute to do AMRAP LBCs and 10 seconds of rest in between – some mumblechatter during the first two rounds but the last 3 rounds were quiet

    Mosey around the field to the pavilion to partner up for some B.O.M.B.S.  One partner exercises while the other partner runs a lap around the field, then flapjack.  All in an effort to complete the following:

    Burpees x50

    Overhead claps x 100

    Merkins x 150

    Big-boy situps (WWII sit-ups) x 200

    Squats with a jump x 250

    Slow-mosey back to the  basketball courts for a merkin ROF, followed by 10 merkins together IC. Back to the flag for COT and BOM.

    Name-a-rama, number-rama, and YHC took us out.

    NMS:

    This weekend and yesterday were difficult for YHC.  My mother has taken a turn for the worse and her disease appears to be taking over.  Just another example of a real-life bomb being dropped on us.  As you all know, being out there in the gloom with my F3 brothers was the best place I could have been this morning, and stepping out front and leading such a strong and determined group this morning.  You guys took that BOMB and kicked its ass.  Coming together at the end to crush those remaining 75 squat-jumps was awesome.  Way to crush it men.

    A big thanks to Hardywood for crushing the exercises and making YHC’s work today easier.  I know there were others crushing those BOMBS too.  Way to work.

    We all have bombs dropped on our lives from time to time, but YHC thinks that is when our faith and inner-strength is tested, when our community and support system shows its power and when we come through those tough times, we are stronger, our faith builds and our community is tighter.  As I mentioned in my prayer, our days on this earth may be numbered, but there is no limit to what we can do with those days.  Make the most of your day today men!

    No more Gumbo for you!

     

  • A Circus at SOT…

    3 brave souls escaped the fartsack and showed up at SOT for some light calisthenics all gear toward avoiding the remaining ice at SOT and crushing some LBCs.  At least we crushed some LBCs…  Here is how it went down:

    Mosey to the adjacent parking lot for COP:

    • SSHs x20 IC
    • DQs (Swirly style) x10 IC
    • Imperial Walkers x20 IC
    • Copperhead Squats x10 IC
    • Arm Circles – just small x10 IC forward then reverse

    Slaughter Starter – 20 Burpees OYO

    5 Minutes of LBCs – 1 minute of LBCs followed by 15 seconds of rest repeato x5

    Mosey with kettle bells to the front of the school for some kettle bell, Circus Maximus inspired triple checks

    First Triple Check included, run around the bus loop (and slip and bust your ass if you are YHC), two-handed KB Swings with 25 lb KB and Goblet Squats with YHC’s shiny new toy (a 35 lb KB).

    Second Triple Check, included one PAX performing 100 LBCs as the trigger-man for the switches, upright rows with the 25 lb KB and shoulder presses with the 35 lb KB.

    Mosey back to the flag for COT, number-rama and name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements — CSAUP Frozen Triangle Jan 21 – be there for some or all…just be there.

    Moleskin:

    YHC has been fart (smart) sacking Monday and Tuesday given the icy conditions fearing that I would certainly find the icy patch and bust my ass.  Karma is a bitch as I found the only dangerous icy patch on our run today and hit the deck.  Point taken, Karma.  You win.

    Also, YHC couldn’t resist the chance to take his shiny new 35 lb Kettle Bell out for a whirl.  Thanks to Amazon for delivering it last night…I know McRib and Carmen certainly thank you.

    Way to work this morning men.  A pleasure to lead as always.

    No more Gumbo for you!