Author: Mr Holland

  • Rolling Rocks Up A Hill

    Six brave souls tested positive for Sisyphus this morning, after nearly a year of dormancy (March 29, 2019 to be exact). Here’s how it goes:

    Mosey to the top of Twin Team, dropping a few flower pots and cones along the way. COP at the summit: SSH, Imperial Walkers, helicopters, DQ, Russian Soldiers.

    Sisyphus: PAX runs downhill to each of five markers, performs an exercise, then returns to the summit.
    1 – bear crawl back to summit
    2 – 30 derkins
    3 – 30 uphill facing WWIIs
    4 – 2-man triple check: one runs up to #3 and back, while the other alternates 5 merkins and 5-count plank
    5 – 15 burpees

    After returning to the top following round 5, collect cones & pots, mosey back to Bettie for numbers, names, ‘nouncements.

    It was great to be back at my favorite AO. Moving farther north has made it a bit too long a drive on a normal work day, but work days are anything but normal these days, so YHC made the most of it! As always, Sisyphus is a real mental beatdown as well as a physical one. And, having to listen to YHC spout out Greek mythology on the downhill trips.

    ANNOUNCEMENT: Mr. Holland is opening a new AO in Glen Allen next week! Come check out The Last Resort this coming Monday morning at Longdale Elementary School. Check out the pre-blast for more info. SYTIG!

    YNWA,
    -Mr. Holland

  • Introducing a New AO: The Last Resort

    Introducing a New AO: The Last Resort

    Gentlemen,

    In the midst of gyms closing, sheltering in place, work from home, and a sense of the unknown, the 2nd F we get from working out together in The Gloom becomes even more important. And there are lots more men around us who don’t yet realize that they need what F3 offers!

    YHC has decided to start a new AO centered in his own neighborhood and focused on inviting neighbors into the PAX. Flyers have gone in mailboxes and I’ve gotten the blessing of the Longdale Elementary School principal.

    Monday morning at 5:30 (March 23), come check out The Last Resort at Longdale Elementary School, 9500 Norfolk St in Glen Allen. It’s about 15 minutes or less from DaVille, Dogpile, and Hoedown, right off of Brook Rd & 295. We will need some seasoned Redwoods to show these FNGs what it is we do. I’ll take the first Q – If it turns out there are more than the recommended 10 who gather, we might split into two groups.

    “The Last Resort” is both a reference to the community of F3 being one of the only places for fitness and fellowship these days, as well as the 1,000 accre resort and six-story hotel from the 1880s called Forest Lodge, located just up the road from the AO.

    YNWA,
    -Mr. Holland

  • Poker on the Western Front

    Poker on the Western Front

    Dr. Tryhard has passed the F3 Poker torch, and YHC cordially invites you to take his money in his own home. Saturday, October 19, from 8pm!

    Texas Hold ‘Em, $10 buy-in, with one re-buy option.

    Interested parties, comment below or contact Mr. Holland for the address.

    YNWA

  • Y’all Know What Happens!

    11pm Thursday, Twin Team has no Q. Y’all know the rest of the story…

    Mosey to the summit of Twin Team (dropping flower pots and cones along the way) for a quick COP: DQ, Russian Soldiers, Helicopters, Cotton Pickers. Then run to each successive cone, do an exercise, and return to the summit.

    1 – Bear Crawl back to summit
    2 – 30 derkins
    3 – 30 uphill WWIIs
    4 – partner relay: one run to previous cone & back while other alternates hand-release merkin and 5-count plank
    5 – 20 burpees

    As YHC has moved farther from the AO, this is likely the last time Sisyphus shows up during the school year. Thanks for putting up with it one more time, and for tolerating my late blackblast!

    YNWA

  • It’s just a flower pot, what harm could it do?

    Y’all know what happens when the Q sheet has a blank next to Twin Team on a Thursday night!

    A PAX of six had absolutely perfect weather for a good old beatdown from Sisyphus himself. Here’s how it went:

    Mosey to the summit of Twin Team (dropping flower pots and cones along the way) for a quick COP: DQ, Russian Soldiers, Helicopters, Cotton Pickers. Then run to each successive cone, do an exercise, and return to the summit.

    1 – Bear Crawl back to summit
    2 – 30 derkins
    3 – 30 uphill WWIIs
    4 – partner relay: one run to previous cone & back while other alternates hand-release merkin and 5-count plank
    5 – 20 burpees

    Per usual, PAX returned to Bettie at 6:15 on the dot, proving once again that this is the perfect plan for this AO. YHC found himself pushed mentally & physically, all while getting to ramble on about Greek mythology.

    YNWA

  • Managing the Clock

    YHC arrived at Heartbreak with a full 10 seconds to spare, and lots to do: time for a Track Beast – The Hard Way!

    Mosey to the track, dispense with COP and formalities, and get to it: six stops along each lap, perform six of each given exercise. Since it’s The Hard Way, exercises stick around and compound on one another instead of being replaced.

    1 – merkins
    2 – mountain climbers
    3 – WWIIs
    4 – squats
    5 – American hammers
    6 – burpees

    PAX finished with enough time for a victory lap before going back to the flag for numbers, names, ‘nouncements.

    YHC was a late swap for the Q this morning, but it was good to bring back the Track Beast! Love a plan that takes the whole 45 and works lots of muscle groups in manageable but challenging chunks. Wish we’d had another minute or two for one more lap, rounding out to an even two miles…maybe next time.

    YNWA

  • Sisyphus Returns

    Seven men saw Mr. Holland on the Q sheet and decided to show up anyway, knowing that when it’s been a while since YHC was the Q at Twin Team, he’s bringing his death-defying, rock, pushing buddy with him.

    Mosey to the top of Twin Team (dropping cones and flower pots along the way) for a brief COP, including DQ, Russian Soldiers, & Cotton Pickers. Then time for the Sisyphus: run to a cone/pot, perform an exercise, go back to the top. Go to next one, etc until all five are done:

    -bear crawl back to top
    -30 uphill WWIIs
    -30 derkins
    -partners: one run to cone #3 while other alternates merkin w/5-count plank. repeat 3x
    -20 burpees

    As always, this event is equal parts physical and mental challenge. During phase 4, YHC always starts to hear the internal voices trying to convince him to call an audible, saying we won’t finish in time, that one PAX member is nursing an injury…anything to avoid doing the hard work of completing the task. By now it’s expected, and pushing through the excuses is part of why this routine has come out so often. But it’s a real beast, one that the PAX loves to hate, and it takes almost exactly 45 minutes.

    Apologies for the late backblast – worked most of this weekend!

    YNWA

  • Walled Into The Parking Lot

    A PAX of 3 dutifully exited the warmth of the fartsack, diligently scraped their windshields, and showed up in the cold and gloom that was Heartbreak Ridge. Conspicuously absent, however, was the Q.

    PAX took a few laps around the surprisingly large parking lot to give the Q time to arrive, and also took note of how tall the snowbanks around the perimeter are. PAX then decided on a hot potato:

    EF Hutton:
    COP: SSH, helicopters, arm circles, copperhead squats
    Triple Check #1: squats, LBCs, run the lot & back

    Mr. Holland:
    Burpee march across the lot, stopping for one in each of the 19 parking spaces. Repeat for return trip.
    Triple Check #2: American Hammers, Merkin-and-5-sec-plank, run the lot & back

    Attila:
    Mosey to front of school for Triple Check #3: reverse crunches, storm squats, bear crawl across lot & back
    People’s Chair
    Elbow Plank
    Triangle of Fire

    Numbers, Names, ‘Nouncements (none to speak of).

    YHC was glad to get out of the house amidst all the snow days! Given the restricted area of the AO we used today, glad to still build a head of steam by the end, and couldn’t help but consider how we may well be burning more calories in the cold, as bodies are working both to stay warm as well as exert energy for exercises.

    Two no-show Qs in two days though…starting to take it personally. Flange, you good for WDog?

    YNWA

  • Stille Morgen, und ich bin allein!

    Rumours of River Run becoming a boot camp for this morning drove YHC to test run the neighborhood drive last night, set the alarm a few minutes early, and brave the river crossing. Through the precarious and ever-present road construction, YHC deftly maneuvered and muscled for rank, finally reaching the unplowed tundra of James River Rd…

    Only to find the entrance to Bettie Weaver undisturbed. Pure, as they say, as the driven snow. No PAX, no Q.

    Set back, but unbowed, YHC took to the roads once again, including an extended session behind a plow caravan on Patterson. When the weather drives the SOJ’ers back indoors, YHC knew it would only spur the men of Tuckahoe onto greater bouts of silliness. They did not disappoint, with Hoedown highlights including a fishtail parking job, two PAX members in shorts, and a mini Nerf football. And according to consensus at Hoedown, this morning definitely counts as a double-dip in Big Data.

    Next time, it’s sledding down Twin Team!

    YNWA

  • Controlling the Narrative

    0530 Thursday: Mr. Holland finds himself victim of Lockjaw’s full-on Merkin 5K assault at 45MOM.
    2230 Thursday: Mr. Holland checks the Q signup Twin Team is empty.
    0530 Friday: Mr. Holland takes charge of the narrative, preventing any excessive merkin activity.

    Six men fought the fartsack and took a lap at Twin Team. After a stretching-heavy COP (SSH, helicopters, Russian soldiers, cotton pickers), the plan was in 5-minute intervals:

    • Run for five minutes
    • At the timer, complete 10 merkins, 20 mountain climbers, 30 American Hammers
    • Repeat until 0615

    PAX ran up Twin Team Hill, through Tarrington, and around James River HS, covering just shy of four miles in addition to seven stops along the way. Back to Bettie for numbers, names, ‘nouncements.

    MOLESKIN

    Twin Team is in need of fresh blood for the Q!

    YHC has had seven Q’s since mid-August, mostly in the form of signing up the night before. YHC loves a good Sisyphean beatdown, and can also use the run on the 5-minute cycle, but it’s great to get variety from a wider range of PAX members taking the Q.

    Until next time…YNWA