Author: Upchuck

  • Chicken F3esta

    2 adult humans brought joy and a good meal to the Medical Respite Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the man awaiting the promised cookies, the following might have happened:

    The Thang: Lots going on this weekend, so we opted for a Chicken F3esta-inspired evening of Peruvian chicken, rice, beans, yucca fries, iced tea, lemonade, and chocolate chip cookies.

    Mmm, mmm, mmm.

    F3 needs good men to step up, take on the challenge of a 3rd F, and deliver goodness to people trying to get right.

    Bring your M. Get your 2.0 some volunteer hours. And, make a real impact.

  • Run + Ruck

    One hit The Clinic for a combo workout.

    Round 1: Run 4.1 miles

    Round 2: Ruck 2 miles with 40 pound pack.

    Number, name, and YHC took himself out.

    NMS: Good to catch up with Omar briefly. Congratulations to the hotel for a successful World Cup. Staff hosted Brazil, England, and England again. Everyone seems happy to be back to hosting just the Dolphins Training Camp.

  • A Little Water Never Hurt Anything

    6 veterans posted loyally amidst the tumultuous weather. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the gentleman biking through the neighborhood during said massive thunderstorm, the following might have happened:

    COP:

    30 SSHs (4 count)
    Dead Man Hang
    Left leg high, right leg high
    Wilson’s Wife
    Pigeon left / right
    Imperial Walkers

    Triple Touch a Pillar

    Partner up, touch 3 poles, mercans, WWIIs, something else.

    Elephant March…bear crawl in a line stopping to do various exercises while dodging the rain. Mercans, gas pumps, flutters, blah, blah, blah.

    Rain seems to have stopped…

    …Mosey to the back portico…which is closed for construction.

    Touch Some Construction Equipment. Rounds of 4, 6, 8. WWIIs, reverse crunches, and something else.

    Rain re-starts…mosey to the breezeway.

    Circle-of-Pick-‘Em.

    Rounds 1 and 2:

    7 Monkey Humpers
    60 seconds of People’s Chair
    10 Jazzercise
    20 LBCs
    Something from Handshake
    5 Burpees

    Slight adjustments for Round 3.

    BTTVSF.

    Numbers, names, and prayers for various people of importance.

  • Help a Brother

    6 men of principle launched in a variety of ways to take on the morning. Temperatures hovered steadily at 70 and sunny. According to the 911 dispatcher, the following might have happened.

    Four ran (6.5 miles)

    One rucked (4 miles x 40 pounds)

    One cycled (50 miles)

    Boom. That just happened.

    NMS: YHC received a text today. Go ahead – we will be late finishing. 2 of our guys stopped along the run to help a fellow human who was facing a life challenge. Total stranger. We are fortunate to have some good humans in our group. Guys who do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

  • Salty and Sweaty

    One launched early to beat the heat in the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the octogenarian power walkers on the boardwalk, the following might have happened.

    Run: House to beach, up / down length of Boardwalk, back to the virtual shovel flag.

    Workout: to round out the time, add cycles of mercans, SSHs, and LBCs.

    Number, name, and YHC took himself out.

    NMS: Bumped into a lady walking on the way back. Asked her out for dinner. She accepted. Nice to have a night out with the M. while traveling.

  • The Clinic Hosts Two for Two at the 10th

    Two posted just after 5 for the YHC’s 10th Anniversary. Temperatures remained 70 and sunny. According to @therealMr.WaterBottle, the following might have happened.

    40 pound pack, 2.3 miles, The Real Mr. Water Bottle, and YHC…not a terrible way to bring in YHC’s (roughly) 10th anniversary with F3. There will be a Beat Down Q to celebrate, but YHC has been feeling under the weather even while traveling a ton this week and weekend. Good to have a companion who knows friendship and loyalty like MWB.

    “Leave no man (err, Water Bottle) behind. Leave no man (err, Water Bottle) where you find him.”

    Numbers, names, and YHC took us out.

    NMS: 10 years ago, Honey Do brought YHC to F3. Thank you, Honey Do. YHC was a reluctant recruit…5:30 a.m. was a challenge. Just getting into Honey Do’s car was a challenge (the man carries at least 3,000 pounds of pocket change, eyeglasses, etc. in that car.) But, YHC is forever grateful for the invite.

    Unlike Faceplant with Mr. Water Bottle, a special thank you to Honey Do for picking YHC up. It’s made all the difference.

  • Squishy Back Noises

    Seven men of questionable judgment posted forth in The Gloom to experience the pre-dawn mist that is First Watch. Temperatures remained 70 and sunny. According to Handshake’s high school sex crush, the following might have happened:

    COP: mosey to the corner of Westam, South Ridge, and Cameron…50 SSHs, Dead Man Hang, downward dog, left leg high, right leg high, 10 hand-release merkins…

    …mosey to the corner of South Ridge and Country Squire (coincidentally, Country Squire was Handshake’s nickname at VMI, and it’s inscribed on his travel sized Confederate Flag, handy for trips to foreign destinations, such as West Point, NY, USA). Semper paratus. YHC digresses… exercises included monkey humpers, squats, WWIIs.

    …Mosey to South Ridge and Ross. Exercises included more hand release merkins, American Civil Wars (heels to Heaven plus a sit-up), and LBCs.

    …Mosey to South Ridge and Overlook…more exercises, including merkins, Hello Dolly’s, and some other stuff.

    …Mosey to the yellow sign most of the way down South Ridge for some other exercises…

    …Mosey to the first of 6 signs at The Bottom of South Ridge (and emerge from the fog)…

    Partner up for Partner Suicides.

    Round 1: merkins and run to the first sign.

    Round 1: WWIIs and run to the second sign.

    Round 1: LBCs and run to the third sign.

    Round 1: Monkey Humpers and run to the fourth sign.

    Round 5: SSHs and run to the fifth sign.

    Back up the hill…

    …stopping at the sign (10 HRMs), the first street (10 HRMs and 20 WWIIs), the second street (10 HRMs, 20 SSHs, and 30 LBCs), and the fourth street (10 HRMs, 20 SSHs, 30 American Civil Wars, 40 LBCs).

    BTTVSF.

    Numbers, names, and YHC took us out.

    Prayers for Charlotte, Fudd’s sister, and about 3 groups YHC didn’t catch.

    Announcements: need a Q for Breaking Bread this weekend. If you have not done this, you should. This is F3RVA’s volunteer event…it has been for 9 years…YHC encourages you to sign up.

    Update your emergency contact information on Slack.

    NMS: Coffeeteria a good time as always. Some VMI stories from the 1980s sometimes sound like they could have been VMI stories from the 1880s.

  • 4+2=75 minutes

    1 man ran 4 and hiked 2 in the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were actually 70 and (early enough that it was not yet) sunny. According to the ducks watching their young, the following might have happened:

    4 mile run.

    Upstairs, change shirt, grab coffee.

    2.15 mile ruck with 40 pounds.

    Quick hello to Omar, who was dealing with a water leak.

    Number, name, and YHC took himself out.

    NMS: stuff happens. This week, YHC’s house had a busted toilet, a helpful set of air conditioning guys, and an uninvited bat (oh, and a power outage). All solid interruptions to life…yet, none of them anywhere near the challenges friends are facing. Important to keep things in perspective.

  • Run or Ruck?

    One indecisive PAX member faced indecision head on and opted for The Hard Way at the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the people loading buses at 4:40 a.m., the following might have happened.

    Run or ruck? That was the question.

    Why not do both?

    4:40 a.m. Ran 4 miles.

    5:20 a.m. Quick change of shirt, grab some coffee.

    5:30 a.m. Ruck 2 miles.

    Number, name, and YHC took himself out.

    NMS: Choose to carry more.

    Announcements: YHC is wrapping up running The Bridge. If YHC can swing one more this month, he will do so. Otherwise, the leadership mantle is there for the Right Person to pick up. The Right Person is a dedicated human willing to organize this once a month to support men pulling their lives together.

    There are a lot of folks who carelessly banter about the title of “High Impact Male.” This is your opportunity to make an actual impact on other men. Commit yourself to making an impact, commit yourself to leadership for a couple of years, and then take on the opportunity to learn, to bring in others, and to lead.

  • Pre-Field Day, On the Blacktop

    Two studs, no duds, sprang to life and into the latest edition of The Hoedown. Temperatures remained 70 and sunny. According to the Espresso-to-Go-Go team setting up for Field Day, the following might have happened:

    COP: Mosey around the larger parking lot, run the circle, and end up on the blacktop.

    SSHs, Dead Man Hang, and various stretches. Work in some mercans, arm circles, helicopters, squats, and ab exercises, including all the wars (WWI, WWII, and American Civil War). Reminder: ACWs are a heels-to-Heaven rolling into a WWI.

    Mosey to the – oh, YHC’s weird knee issue flared, so mosey more slowly – wall for people’s chair.

    After a slight recovery, line up. Then, sprint to the first basketball hoop, do 5 mercans, and back to the start. 2nd hoop, 10 mercans. 3rd hoop, 15. 4th, 20.

    Second round, LBCs, but do 10, 20, 30, and 40.

    Third round, monkey humpers. 10, 20, 30, 40.

    Fourth round, side straddle hops, single count. 10, 20, 30, 40.

    Walk it off…then mosey to the school wall for a self-administered triple check, including touch-a-tree.

    People’s chair, run the loop, 25 LBCs, and touch three trees. Do this 3 times, OYO.

    Slow-sy to the smaller parking lot. Grab a parking space. 3 mercans, 3 WWIIs, and 3 squats per space. Go halfway around.

    Then, mosey to the bus circle, 4 loops, and BTTVSF.

    Finish with 3 burpees…and then add 2 burpees, and then add 1 burpee to wrap it up.

    Numbers, names, and YHC took us out.

    NMS: 2 person workouts are great for mumble chatter and a good excuse to avoid counting in cadence. All numbers are unaudited.

    Prayers for Charlotte and YHC’s grad school classmates (11 deceased in 25 years).