Author: Ollivander

  • Dora meets Beast

    4 gloom warriors made it out this morning to the plush fields of No Toll for a high volume beatdown, Ollivander style. According to eye witness reports that can neither be confirmed nor denied, here’s what went down:

    COP: 9 Don Quixote, 10 Cherry Pickers, 25 SSH, 10 Burpees OYO

    Mosey to field #1 and partner up for a Dora – 100 merkins, 200 LBCs, 300 squats. Finish with a shakeout jog around the field.

    Mosey to field #2 for a proper 6 set Beast – Merkins, 2 count Mountain Climbers, Jump Squats, Carolina Dry Docks, 2 count Flutter kicks, and Burpees to finish.

    Mosey along the trail to the pull-up bar for a ‘do as many pull-ups as you can’ challenge

    Mosey back to parking lot for Numbers / Names. YHC took us out.

    NMS: This was YHC’s first time back in the Q saddle since COVID. It was also the most proud I’ve been of a group of men. These 3 warriors pushed themselves to the limit and then took a step over that. When it’s a small crew you can’t hide among folks. And I saw Crash Test Dummy, Bullseye, and Last Call rise to the challenge and dig deep into that well of strength and endurance because they wanted to better themselves. Hats off to you guys. So grateful for the chance to lead. Until next time, be dareful out there!

  • Puppypile Adventure

    11 Warriors and 18 of RVA’s finest 2.0’s (including 5 FNG’s) posted for a cooler than expected Puppypile adventure. With everyone’s Garmin watches hitting 7:05am, we headed off into the unknown. According to eye witness reports, it went something like this:

    COP (all x10): SSH, Arm Circles, Don Quixote’s, Helicopters, LBC’s, Merkins, Copperhead Squats, Flutter kicks. 5 Burpees OYO.

    Thang 1. On the Carillon field: Bear Crawl to the 25 yd line, Bunny Hop to the 50 yd line, Lunge to the 75 yd line, run to the end, then turn around and Partner Carry all the way back. Props to the Dads who had 2 Kids and carried both on the way back!

    Thang 2. Still on the Carillon field we played a game of Sharks and Minnows. Round 1, Kids are Bear Crawling across the field as the Minnows without getting caught by the Dads who are Crab Walking as the Sharks. Round 2 we switched. Lots of fun here!

    Thang 3: Tree Touch (3 rounds). Dads do SSH while the Kids run to touch 2 trees and then back. Switch and repeato. That’s round 1. Repeat for round 2, except touching 3 new trees. Repeat for round 3, except touching 4 new trees.

    Thang 4: Mosey to the Amphitheater and under the watchful eye of several security guards, Kids run from the bottom to the top of the Amphitheater and back down again while Dads do Step jumps. Switch and repeato. That’s round 1. Do again for another 2 rounds for a total of 3 rounds.

    Thang 5: Mosey to the Rusty Cage. Dads and Kids do 5 pull-ups then run to the fire hydrant and do 10 LBC’s / WWII’s. That’s round 1. Do again for another 2 rounds for a total of 3 rounds.

    Thang 5: E.F. Hutton takes the Q and we mosey back to the traffic circle. The group did a variety of exercises while each of the PAX took turns running around the traffic circle.

    Head back to the flag. Number-a-rama. Name-a-rama. YHC took us out in prayer. Group picture at the end.

    NMS. What a great morning! A chance to push our bodies and workout, yes, but more importantly a chance to do that with our kids. As a Dad, I’m always searching for ways to bond with my kids and spend quality time with them. A chance to face obstacles and overcome, together. A chance to challenge our minds and our bodies, together. A chance to practice teamwork and fortitude, together. I’m thankful Puppypile gives us that opportunity.

    In that we welcomed 5 new 2.0 FNG’s: Llama and BB-8 (E.F. Hutton’s 2.0s), Macho Man (Sugar Sock’s 2.0), Creeper (Shakedown’s 2.0), and Preakness (Flange’s 2.0 FNG). Great showing!

    Thanks for letting me lead such an amazing group! See ya in the gloom.

    Ollivander

  • Doralicious

    YHC woke up this morning with a need for some big ground-n-pound and so joined up with 7 other warriors for a No Toll beatdown. According to legend, it went down like this (more or less):

    COP: Don Quixote x 10 IC, Imperial Walker x 10 IC, Russian Soliders x 10 IC, 10 Burpees OYO.

    Thang 1: Mosey to the field for a Dora: 100 Merkins, 200 Squats, 300 LBC’s. Plank when done.

    Thang 2: Mosey to the other field for another Dora. 100 Dips, 200 Monkey Humpers, 300 Flutter Kicks (single count). Plank when done.

    Thang 3: Mosey to another field for…wait for it…a Dora. 100 Plank Jacks, 200 Alabama Prom Dates, 300 SSH. Plank when done.

    We wrapped up with a shakeout jog through the trail in Huguenot woods, ending with some Mary (Freddie Mercury x 30 IC, WWII’s x 25 OYO)

    Number-rama. Name-a-rama. Mouse Trap took us out. Thanks to everyone for giving my day of Dora a shot and grinding through some big numbers. Honored to lead you men today!

    Ollivander

  • Going Forward In Reverse

    With expectations running high for some big mileage and heavy ground-n-pound today, 17 gloom warriors emerged from their cars to a beautiful No Toll morning beat down that went something like this (according to legend):

    COP. Mosey to the Tennis Courts for: Imperial Squat Walkers (IC x 10), Russian Soldiers (IC x 10), Cherry Pickers (IC x 10), 10 Burpees OYO.

    Thang 1. Mosey to the outhouse for a Triple Check of Donkey Kicks, Squats, and Running. Al Gore when done.

    Thang 2: Mosey to the plush turf of No Toll and complete the following: 10 Box jumps + 10 dips + 10 Merkins + 10 LBC’s + run across the soccer field and back. That is 1 set. We did 10 sets total. Plank when done.

    Thang 3: Staying on the fields, complete a Burp-n-Merk pyramid. 1 Burpee with 1 traditional push-up at the bottom. Then 1 Burpee with 2 push-ups at the bottom. Then 1 Burpee with 3 push-ups at the bottom. Pyramid up to 5 and then back down to 1. Doozy then rightfully called out that a proper Burp-n-Merk pyramid should go up to 10 and back down. So YHC took his advice and we completed the rest of the pyramid with 1 Burpee with 6 push-ups at the bottom. Pyramid up to 10 and then back down to 6. Proper Burp-n-Merk pyramid of 10 complete!

    Mosey back to flag for 40 seconds of LBC’s OYO. Number-a-rama. Name-a-rama. Dr. Tryhard took us out. There were some announcements, but I forgot them, so put them in the comments section below.

    NMS. It was an honor to lead you men today. Thanks for sticking with me on the 4x10x10’s. I love it when Q’s ask you to do some crazy number of exercises that at first glance you say is impossible. But then you settle in to the grind and suddenly realize you are way more capable than what you give yourself credit for. Respect to all the grinders today.

    We also welcomed Soul Glow (FNG Mike). Based on his work in the Nuclear Power industry and YHC’s love for any reference from the movie “Coming to America” this name was a rare double win. Naming always stresses YHC out, so any complaints can be sent to TYA in writing on the 6th Thursday of the month from 9:00-9:01am. In triplicate please.

    See ya in the gloom!

    Ollivander

  • Type 2 fun

    With most of F3’s faithful unable to shake off the fart sack from too much basketball and beer, 3 noble warriors bucked the trend for some punishment on RVA’s finest trails.

    With no one sure who had the Q and the clock hitting 7am, the PAX took off across the Boulevard Bridge for a 6-7 mile route following the Buttermilk and North Bank trails.

    Name-a-rama. YHC took us out in prayer.

    NMS. It was great running with Tonka and Flipper as I got to know these 2 great dudes much better. Our conversation ran the gamut from the differences between road running and trail running, how our wives balance us out, the the beauty of crossing Potterfield bridge at sunrise, and how you can’t out-exercise poor eating. We also discussed the concept of Type 1 vs. Type 2 fun. Type 1 fun is enjoyable while it’s happening (cornhole on the beach, happy hour, a boys weekend away, watching UVA win). Type 2 fun sucks while it’s happening, but fun in retrospect (BRR, running a marathon, almost any F3 workout, Rucking, the Murph, The Barkley Marathons).

    Today was Type 2 fun and at each challenge these studs soldiered through. Tonka embodied the F3 spirit that I have come to love, stating We started as a group and we’re going to finish as a group. Even when it costs you. Even when it means you take the longer route. Even when it means you run at a faster pace than normal. Bro Code.

    See ya in the gloom for some more Type 2 fun!

    Ollivander

  • What’s In A Name

    With the time change firmly in our past, 34 warriors and 1 FNG were greeted with sunny skies and 70 degree weather. With 3 minutes to spare before go time, YHC hastily arrived and we headed out in the gloom for a beatdown that went something like this:

    COP / Warmup: Imperial Walkers x10 IC (which I mistakenly started out doing Imperial Squat Walkers until corrected). Cherry Pickers x10 IC. Russian Soldiers x10 IC. 10 Burpees OYO.

    4×50’s. Run 1 loop, do 50 merkins. Run a 2nd loop, do 50 squats, Run a 3rd loop, do 50 LBC’s. Run a 4th loop, do 50 Monkey Humpers. Plank until done with Swirly leading.

    Burp-n-Pull at the Rusty Cage. Mosey to the Rusty cage where it was a little darker than I considered. Yet like brave warriors, we pushed through. Do 1 pull-up, run to the fire hydrant, do 1 Burpee. Run back. Do 2 pull-ups, run to the fire hydrant, do 2 Burpees. Pyramid up until you reach 5 and then pyramid back down. Hardywood led us in some Mary as we waited for the PAX to finish.

    Dora at the Amphitheater. After a lot of mumble chatter from Wilson about the amount of running, we went to the Amphitheater for a Dora. The running part was up and down the Amphitheater, with the exercises being 100 Merkins, 200 Squats, and 300 LBC’s. Plank until done with Swirly leading.

    Burp-n-Merk at the Carillon. We wrapped up our time at the Carillon where we ran across the field and did 1 traditional Burpee with 1 push-up at the bottom. Run back and a do 1 Burpee with 2 push-ups at the bottom. Pyramid up until 5. Plank when done.

    Mosey back to the flag for 60 seconds of Burpees OYO. Number-a-rama. Name-a-rama. Gomer Pyle took us out. SOJ won the Ghost flag.

    Announcements. This coming Saturday’s DogPile workout will start 1 hour later at 7am. There is talk of a pre-workout launching from ET’s. Look for a preblast for details. I think there were other announcements, but I forgot. So add them in the comments section.

    NMS. This was my first DogPile queue and I was grateful to lead you fine men on a running heavy beatdown. I like to keep my queue’s simple: Run, ground-n-pound, repeat. I appreciated the friendly mumble chatter, especially from Wilson. So I partnered with him on the Dora so we could suffer together. Thanks to Swirly and Hardywood for helping me out at the end with Planks and Mary while we waited for the PAX. You guys are great leaders. It was great seeing Greenbow back after the birth of his son.

    We also welcomed an FNG from New Market, also named Wilson (real name). I apologize to all as my naming leadership is pretty poor and today was no exception. It didn’t help that Wilson kept yelling at me to hurry up and choose. With no good names flowing out, I postponed the decision until we had a more fruitful discussion at ET’s, where we discovered that FNG is a dancer. This led to proposals like Swayze (Dirty Dancing), Carlton (Fresh Prince of Bel Air), Danny Kaye (Christmas Vacation). Hardywood lobbied for Carpetbagger (Northerners who come to the South). As a fan of Christmas vacation, I’m going with Danny Kaye.

    The time at ET’s was full of laughs, hot coffee, and tasty (albeit slightly overpriced) food. The new CSAUP challenge was also issued at TYA’s table to anyone who could row 2000 meters in 7 minutes. Circle K is 0 for 5, but Swirly is ready to step up to the batter’s box (in more than one way) next.

    Have a great weekend and see ya in the gloom!

    Ollivander

  • Semi-Charmed kind of life

    With the temperatures topping a balmy 31F, 23 of RVA’s finest gloom warriors showed up for a 45MOM beatdown.  According to legend it went something like this (more or less):

    COP:  11 Imperial Walkers IC, 9 Don Quixote IC, 10 Russian Soldiers IC, 10 Burpees OYO

    4 Corners.  Using the block around the school and field run to corner 1 and do 10 Burpees.  Run to corner 2 and do 10 Burpees + 20 Merkins.  Run to corner 3 and do 10 Burpees + 20 Merkins + 30 Squats.  Run to corner 4 and do 10 Burpees + 20 Merkins + 30 Squats + 40 LBC’s.  Plank until done.

    4 x 50.  Run to the other side of the field, do 50 Plank Jacks.  Run back, do 50 2-count American Hammers.  Run across, do 50 2-count Mountain Climbers.  Run back, do 50 Monkey Humpers.  Plank until done.

    Dora. Mosey to the tennis courts for a Dora: 100 Merkins, 200 Squats, 300 LBC’s, 400 2-count Flutterkicks. Plank until done.

    Name-a-rama.  Number-rama.  Greenbow took us out in prayer with some great words to ensure we are nourishing our wives with our love, service, and words of affirmation.

    NMS.  What a great time this was!  We did some big numbers today and everyone stayed warm.  Great seeing Twocan back after a long break.  We welcomed FNG Semi-Charmed, although I’m a believer that no name is final on the first day and is subject to change after some more group input at ET’s on Saturday.

    Happy Valentine’s day, stay warm, love your wives and kids, and see ya in the gloom!

    Ollivander

  • Run. Exercise. Repeat

    As the polar vortex moves in, a rare pocket of warm weather encircled No Toll giving 16 warriors a balmy 70 and sunny beatdown.  According to legend, it went something like this:
    COP:  10 Imperial Squat Walkers IC, 10 Russian Soldiers IC, 10 Burpees OYO
    Mosey to field.  Run to the other side of the field, do 50 Merkins.  Run back, do 50 Squats.  Run across, do 50 2-count Flutterkicks.  Run back, do 50 Monkey Humpers.  Plank until done.
    At the Hut. Partner up.  Partner 1 does 10 box jumps + 10 decline merkins + 10 dips while Partner 2 does Invisible Jump Ropes.  Switch when complete….with Partner 2 doing 10 box jumps + 10 decline merkins + 10 dips while Partner 1 does Invisible Jump Ropes.  That is 1 set.  Repeat for a total of 2 sets.  Plank when done.
    Mosey to other field (the long way around). Run to 25 yard line, do 25 Plank Jacks, run back.  Run to 50 yard line, do 50 2-count Mountain Climbers, run back.  Run to 75 yard line, do 75 SSH, run back.  Run to 100 yard line, do 100 LBC’s, run back.  Plank when done.
    Dora.  Mosey to the bleacher side of the field for a Dora: 100 Merkins, 200 Squats, 300 single count Flutterkicks.
    Burpee Ladder.  Mosey to basketball court for a descending Burpee ladder.  Run across the court, do 5 burpees.  Run back, do 4 burpees.  Run across, do 3 burpees.  Run back, do 2 burpees.  Run across, do 1 burpee.  Run back.  Plank when done.
    We wrapped up with some Mary:  10 Alabama Prom Dates IC, 20 single leg Alabama Prom Dates IC (10 right leg and 10 left leg).
    Name-a-rama.  Number-rama.  Don Draper took us out, including a prayer for Rosie and his family this weekend at their race in Georgia.
    It was great getting back in the Q’ing saddle again, especially in my backyard of No Toll.  Thanks gentlemen for letting me lead.  It’s an honor to serve you!
    Ollivander

  • PreBlast – PuppyPile CANCELLED

    PuppyPile is cancelled for tomorrow.  The weather is supposed to be in the low 20’s and I don’t think that’s great for young kids.  It’s super disappointing because my 2.0 (Churchill) has been talking about it all week and even practicing some of the exercises (PLT’s and Wheelbarrows are his favorites).

    I’ll keep an eye on the weather and will get something on the books soon when it gets more tenable.  See ya in the (cold) gloom.

    Ollivander

  • Preblast – PuppyPile Jan 26

    Since I’ve messed up the date a few times, I want to confirm PuppyPile will be on Saturday January 26 at 7:05am following Dogpile.  It’s a great time for Dad’s and their kids to bond over some fun, exercise, and ET’s breakfast afterwards.  It will be my first PuppyPile Q, so suggestions are welcome!