Author: Upchuck

  • Philosophical Punisher

    3 hit it hard on a perfect evening for another version of The Punisher. Conditions for F3RVA’s oldest and largest evening workout were 70 and sunny. According to the concerned moms walking through the school fields, the following likely happened:

    Mosey to the shade for the COP:

    SSHs x 20
    LBCs
    Flutter Kicks
    Imperial Walkers
    Dead Man Hang
    Reach for the Sky
    Hand-release merkins
    Stretching

    Mosey to the Bus Loop

    Curb crawls. Bear crawl, 1 merkin, crawl bear, 2 merkins, bear crawl, 3, CB, 4, BC, 5

    Mosey back to the shade. Touch-a-Tree. 10, 8, 6, 4. Flutter kicks and squats. Then, burpees for the Round of 2.

    Run to the Picnic Tables under Cover.

    Three-parts…10 incline merkins, 20 dips, bro-code run around. 3 rounds.

    5 Corners. Kubota & Co. asked for this last week. Punisher delivers.

    Round 1: LBCs, hello Dolly, Rosalita, flutter kicks, WWIIs. 20 each.

    Round 2: WWIs (rare, but real), box cutters, reverse crunches, heels to Heaven, American Hammers

    Mosey over to the Road. No go on the monkey humpers, but yes go on the three-part saunter down the street.

    Freddie Mercuries, box cutters, flutter kicks. 10 each, then mosey 3 squares down to the next open square. Do this until the group reaches the parking lot.

    Mosey BTTVSF for some stretching and fellowship.

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out with a reminder to watch our language and forgive others.

    Announcements:

    Let’s keep our brothers who have some challenges in our thoughts. Lab Rat, Gypsy, Tryhard, Pinto.

    Memorial Day Convergence – 7 a.m., Gomer Pyle has the Q.

    June 4: 7:00 a.m. circle up for a Beat Down with the boys from Charlottesville and Buckingham.

    10-3 give your blood at Epiphany Lutheran. Pigskin has done the organizing.

    By noon, you can tell your M that you have visited the imprisoned and helped take care of the sick. Not even Handshake can fall asleep fast enough to botch that set-up.

    FYI – Punisher is going old school, back to Monday workouts (without happy hour) for a while. Chum will post the next happy hour, but likely not in June.

    NMS: These guys rock. Nothing better than some exercise with good pals.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • The Q Needs to Get…

    The Q Needs to Get…

    10, well, then 11, came, saw, and conquered today’s latest edition of The Dogpile. Conditions were 70 and sunny. According to the dude who popped out of a Big Blue pickup, the following most definitely likely happened:

    Mosey to the Ha’ Penny Stage for the COP:

    SSH – 30
    LBCs – 20
    Don Quixote, Wilson-style – 10 (good Heavens: that takes forever)
    Dead Man Hang
    Right over left
    Left over right
    Flutter kicks
    Hand-Release Merkins

    Mosey to grab a block.

    Partner up. 3 rounds of Partner 1 does Murder Bunnies to the lamppost and Partner 2 does chest presses with the block.

    Circle up for some stretching. Arm circles, in cadence. Small, big, backward. Get ready to use those arms.

    Mosey to the Valley of Ill Repute. Deconstructed block burpees. 1 merkin at the top of the hill. One overhead press in the Valley. One block burpee at the top of the other hill. Continue progression from 1-5. OYO. At some point, Mr. Rogers appears, sees what the PAX are doing, attempts to run away, and then gives in, grabs a block, and makes an impact. Good to have you, sir.

    Assemble on Love Hill Road. Stick with YHC on this. Partner up. Partner 1 puts his block down and runs “down” Love Hill to a designated bend in the road. Simultaneously, Partner 2 grabs his own block and starts to lunge “up” Love Hill towards the Amphitheater gate. When the runner returns, he grabs his own block and carries it to wherever his partner has advanced. The men swap roles. Partner 2 puts down his block and runs to the designated bend in the road, and Partner 1 lunges with his block towards the gate. Continue this progression until either Partner reaches the gate. The run only gets longer each time.

    Hold the block for the 6. Then, LBCs with block on chest. Rosalitas next.

    Mosey into the Amphitheater to the top step for another nutty exercise.

    Starting at the top step, each man does 5 block curls. Then, put the block down, and run to the bottom of the Amphitheater. Do one incline merkin. Run to the top. Do 5 more block curls. Put the block down. Run to the 2nd step from the bottom. Do 2 WWIIs. Run to the top, and do 5 block curls. Put the block down. Run to the 3rd step from the bottom. Do 3 squats.

    Get it? 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8….and so forth. Rotation is incline merkins, WWIIs, and squats as you ascend the amphitheater. Get through as many rounds as possible.

    Mosey to the Amphitheater to drop the blocks. Then, mosey back towards the VSF, but stop for some Pole Smokers along the way. PAX hold 6 inches while one PAX member does 10 four-count flutter kicks.

    BTTVSF for some stretching.

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    May 30, Convergence at Tredegar Iron Works. This will involve brotherhood, exercise in the sun (yeah, it’s weird), and coffeeteria. Starts at 7. YHC thinks Gomer has the Q.

    June 4th – big day. You are busy from 6 until 11. Just book it. The Bridge, 7:00 a.m. (leave by 6 cause you will get lost), Buckingham, VA for a convergence with Charlottesville . Stay for food after (and sign up so Vinny can get a rough headcount). 

    Also, June 4th, give your blood starting at 10 a.m. You can be done by 10:30 if you don’t pass out. Location is Epiphany Lutheran (Methodists, Baptists, and Pentacostals can still come – I’m told Lutherans don’t bite, hard) at the corner of Horsepen and Monument. Pigskin has a sign up sheet, but your name is likely not on it yet, so get yourself together, make a commitment to someone other than you, and donate. YHC is also not on the list, and needs to get himself together.

    Breaking Bread – This is our volunteer event. YHC asks that you do this 1 time per year (F3 has 24 nights annually). Make dinner for 8-12 people, drop it off on Belt Blvd. at 5:30, and make some people in need very happy. You know how excited your M and your kids and everyone you talk to get when you share a story about a Beat Down? Yeah – not that excited. Sharing a story about Breaking Bread? THAT will get them excited. We need 2 people for June and 2 for August. You can do this. Drop YHC a line with any questions. Sign up on the Q sheet (it’s on the far right – really, it’s there.)

    NMS: Great to have some of the old band back together at The Dogpile. Swirly and Big Blue were back and in business. Great to have you, pal. Bunch of guys made the trip from far south of the James. Good crew.

    Wilson’s suggestions on YHC’s life needs were noted. YHC is glad to know someone in the restaurant business. If YHC ever meets Wilson’s actual wife,…, oh, boy.

    YHC notes an update to the Stud List. YHC is not sure where “Stud” starts, but certainly 1,000 posts counts. Nice work today, EF Hutton, who joins as the third F3 RVA member to hit 1,000 posts on Big Data. Honorable mention to anyone who joined F3 in another city, has posted for 11 years, and probably has 1,000 total. Big Data probably knows that too.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Let’s Run It Back

    Second verse, same as the first, as same two runners launched in the Gloom for a May morning run this week as last week. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the ladies walking the VITA Trail, the following might have happened:

    Route: Robinson to Floyd to Mulberry to Main (is that Handshake’s truck? Oh, sh…he’s supposed to be in SC! Whoa! Scandal?) to Sheppard to Police Memorial Way to VITA Trail. One loop, then east on PMW to Spottswood to the AO. Use Big Blue as the finish.

    Return route: The usual. Spottswood to N. Robinson to the VSF.

    Numbers, Names, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    May 30, Convergence at Tredegar Iron Works. This will involve brotherhood, exercise in the sun (yeah, it’s weird), and coffeeteria. Starts at 7. YHC thinks Gomer has the Q.

    June 4th – big day. You are busy from 6 until 11. Just book it. The Bridge, 7:00 a.m. (leave by 6 cause you will get lost), Buckingham, VA for a convergence with Charlottesville . Stay for food after (and sign up so Vinny can get a rough headcount). 

    Also, June 4th, give your blood starting at 10 a.m. You can be done by 10:30 if you don’t pass out. Location is Epiphany Lutheran (Methodists, Baptists, and Pentacostals can still come – I’m told Lutherans don’t bite, hard) at the corner of Horsepen and Monument. Pigskin has a sign up sheet, but your name is likely not on it yet, so get yourself together, make a commitment to someone other than you, and donate. YHC is also not on the list, and needs to get himself together.

    Breaking Bread – This is our volunteer event. YHC asks that you do this 1 time per year (F3 has 24 nights annually). Make dinner for 8-12 people, drop it off on Belt Blvd. at 5:30, and make some people in need very happy. You know how excited your M and your kids and everyone you talk to get when you share a story about a Beat Down? Yeah – not that excited. Sharing a story about Breaking Bread? THAT will get them excited. We need 2 people for June and 2 for August. You can do this. Drop YHC a line with any questions. Sign up on the Q sheet (it’s on the far right – really, it’s there.)

    NMS: Great to run again with Shiplap. We swapped talk about couches, marital infidelity, and Southern accents. Only those who post know.

    Also, currently 100% of May Breakfast Club has had the same Pax and the same Q. F3 is led by a rotating Q, who also participates in the workout.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Almost a Mutiny

    15, yeah 15, men of purpose gathered on the shores of Lake Sultree for the latest edition of The Clinic Satan’s Hill. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to Marmaduke, sleeping soundly barely 150 yards away, the following quite likely happened:

    COP: Quick run up and down the hill, returning to the NM clubhouse. Circle up.

    SSHs – 30
    IWs – 10
    Dead Man Hang – AYG
    LBCs – 25
    Flutter Kicks – 20
    Reverse Crunches – 10
    Hand Release Merkins – 10
    Scorpion Kicks* – 10 (* Clearly, a Satan’s Hill favorite)

    Mosey Up the Hill for a Triple Check:

    1st Man: Run down the hill to the parking lot; Bernie Sanders up
    2nd Man: squats
    3rd Man: Flutter kicks

    Mosey down the Hill for a New Triple Check:

    1st Man: Bear crawl to the silver car
    2nd Man: hold 6 inches
    3rd Man: monkey humpers

    Traveling COP, bro-code:

    Mailbox on the right: 5 HRMs
    Mailbox on the left: 10 LBCs

    After 1st intersection, add 5 more HRMs for an over-road vehicle or pick-up truck. SUV means nothing.

    2nd Intersection: LBCs
    3rd Intersection: reverse crunches
    4th Intersection: SSHs

    Mosey back to the Clubhouse:

    Freddie Mercury and American Hammers until time.

    Numbers, names, Wilson took us out with a message about peace, love,…yadda, yadda, yadda (no really, he said,”Yadda, yadda, yadda”) and brotherhood.

    Announcements:

    Hump Day Happy Hour – The Answer, Wednesday, let’s call it 6:00 p.m. But, YHC’s time may be off. Be there, grab a beverage, and your friends will appear.

    Tuckahoe Takeover this week. Basically, someone who may not post at your AO very often will appear as the Q, but it won’t be Corned Beef.

    May 30, Convergence at Tredegar Iron Works. This will involve brotherhood, getting your butt kicked off the steps, and getting your butt kick on the big hill. Starts at 7. YHC thinks Gomer has the Q.

    June 4th – big day. Cancel your other plans and kid’s sporting events, recitals, graduations, etc. The Bridge, 7:00 a.m., Buckingham, VA for a convergence with Charlottesville (those dudes brew their own beer professionally). Stay for food after (and sign up so Vinny can get a rough headcount).

    Also, June 4th, give your blood starting at 10 a.m. Location is that church at the corner of Horsepen and Monument where YHCs nephew went to pre-school, but whose name YHC cannot remember even though YHC drives past it every day. YHC is getting older and takes statins. Pigskin has a sign up sheet.

    Breaking Bread – This is our volunteer event. YHC asks that you do this 1 time per year (F3 has 24 nights annually). Make dinner for 8-12 people, drop it off on Belt Blvd. at 5:30, and make some people in need very happy. Heck, learn a little about how happy this makes you (and your M and your kids and everyone you brag about this to). We need 2 people for June and 2 for August. You can do this. Drop YHC a line with any questions. Sign up on the Q sheet (it’s on the far right).

    NMS:

    Rockin’ good turnout today. 15 is exceptional. Way to go. As part of Tuckahoe Takeover this week, YHC switched to take Satan’s Hill at the last minute and broke a Cardinal rule of Q’ing: don’t Q somewhere unless you know the AO in advance. By “advance,” YHC’s newly created, super-selfish definition is 5:12 a.m. for a 5:30 start. This resulted in YHC casing the neighborhood pre-dawn to find beautiful properties and abundant construction (thanks to whoever left a port-a-potty conveniently in the road – super helpful). YHC found that:

    1. Parker runs to the AO,
    2. Men in New Market do, in fact, ride their Huffy’s to the AO,
    3. Southside Costco had a deal on white mailboxes and black lampposts,
    4. There is genuine concern about waking the neighbors (YHC thinks we escaped without disturbing the peace),
    5. PAX who skip in order to walk the dog will be noticed, and,
    6. It’s great to meet some fresh faces.

    Well done today, fellas.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Circle Up

    One PAX launched early and stayed late for the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to Handshake’s whining about The Clinic, the following most definitely happened:

    COP: run 1/2 mile, SSHs (x94), ab exercises (20 of the following: WWIIs, asphalt angels, rosalitas, 4-count flutter kicks) and 14 reverse crunches.

    Four corners: 3 rounds, 10 merkins, 20 WWIIs, 30 squats, 40 SSH (4 count)

    mosey to the DHL building: 6 driveway lamps, do 20 of an ab exercise (WWII, hello dolly, flutters, reverse crunches), then run the loop…after 4 rounds, interrupted by security approaching, so a quick mosey to…

    Lake Florida: 2 loops with the following stations:

    WWIIs, dips, derkins, squats, rosalitas, flutters – 20 per stop.

    mosey BTTVSF.

    number, name, mumble to self.

    NMS: Long week, longer trip. Spent the time thinking about my aunt and the honest, selfless devotion she made to setting an example for others. Her words at her birthday party last December: ”I pray each morning to my God that I can do what’s right and set a humble example.”

  • Make It Happen

    Two linked up to hit the pavement before this morning’s version of the Dogpile. Conditions remained sunny and 70. According to the man in the yellow shirt, the following quite possibly happened:

    Robinson, lake loop to Park. 2.x miles

    Return route after the Beatdown of 1.x Just about 4 (aka, good minimum to call it a run).

    NMS:

    Shiplap is moving soon, having a kid this summer, and is helping raise a teenager. if you need more of an explanation….

    YHC asks for your prayers. My 94 year old aunt is in the hospital, caught COVID there, and likely has a few hours. Single most generous and positive person YHC has ever met.

    Announcements:

    Convergence, Memorial Day Tredegar

    The Bridge, June 4, Buckingham. Great place to make an impact and to be impactEd.

    The Blood Drive, later in the morning, June 4. Great way to continue to make an impact.

    Breaking Bread, please sign up for June, July, and August. And, make an impact.

    Being HIM is not a title; its an outcome. Let’s make it happen.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Selfies by the Sea

    One PAX pulled off the covers of The Fartsack and hit the surf for the latest edition of The Clinic (on tour). Air temperatures were 70 and sunny. Water temperatures were 59 and high tide. According to the walker taking selfies in the dark, the following might have happened:

    Mosey on Niguel Road to Ritz Carlton Drive to Beach Access Road.

    COP:

    SSHs x 50 (in honor of The Carpenter starting a new AO)
    WWIIs x 20
    FKs x 20
    LBCs x20
    Merkins x10
    HRMs x10

    Mosey to the Surf (noting the walker on his way across the sand)

    Down the hill, left (south) at the sand towards the jetty. 1/4 mile run on the soft sand.

    Derkins x20 on the rocks. Squats x20.

    Run north on the beach. Highest tide. Soft sand and dry or hard sand and wet. YHC choose a mix, then gave up on the soft sand and took the wetness.

    At the 1 mile point, surprise the dude taking selfies at the water’s edge with a solid “Good morning.” Reminder: Taking selfies in the dark on the edge of the ocean is not a risk-free venture. No iPhones were injured in the making of this Beatdown.

    Continue north, alternative merkins, squats, and ab exercises. Turn at the cliffs. Run back, mixing running in ocean and hard sand. Conditions were cold, wet, and eventually sandy (in the shoes).

    At the jetty, revers-o, then north to access road, up the monster hill (short, but ~15% grade?), and back up the stairs to RC Drive, Niguel Drive, and BTTVSF.

    Announcements:

    YHC reminded himself of the Sad Clowns running alone in Charlotte, the blood drive, PAX members families in need, and the awesome guys (Hutton, Bootleg) who conducted Breaking Bread this weekend.

    June 4th, let’s head to Buckingham.

    NMS: The Clinic is on the road this week, doing a little West Coast / East Coast comparison.

  • That Went Quickly. Let’s Do It Again.

    A nefarious nine assembled in The Gloom for the latest edition of Hoedown. Weather conditions remained 70 and sunny. According to the two guys chatting at the edge of the Hoedown parking lot, the following quite possibly happened:

    Mosey along Forest to the 3rd Church Parking lot for The COP:

    Side Straddle Hops
    Don Quixotes
    Dead Man Hang
    Stretch to the Sky (there’s some yoga name that YHC forgets)
    Arm Circles (only big ones – none of this small stuff). Backwards, too.
    Hand Release Merkins
    Reverse Crunches
    Rosalitas

    Mosey to the Walgreen’s Parking Lot for a Triple Check

    Pax 1: Run the perimeter of the lot
    Pax 2: Monkey bumpers or squats (Dealer’s choice)
    Pax 3: Flutter kicks

    Mosey to the exact same spot for 11’s

    Decline merkins on the grassy knoll
    WWIIs along the sidewalk
    Mosey back and forth

    Mosey to the 3rd Church Alternate Lot

    Dora 50-100-150 (and run the loop CLOCKWISE)

    50 Squat Thrusters
    100 curls
    150 snow angels

    There were 9 PAX, so this went, according to Gomer, quickly. No worries, let’s run it back.

    2nd Round (Run the loop counter-clockwise)

    150 Squat Thrusters
    100 curls
    50 snow angels

    More squat thrusters meant more harder.

    Mosey back to the VSF. Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

    Announcements and Requests:

    Prayers for YHC’s buddy Greg who lost him mom to ALS last week.
    Prayers for Handshake and his grandmother, who is in hospice. May she be welcomed home peacefully.

    Breaking Bread sign ups are ready for May – October. This is a great opportunity to show how F3 men help in the community. Sign up, make a meal for some folks in need (maybe enlist your M and 2.0s to help!), deliver the meal, and reap the rewards of knowing you helped several humans. Sign up on the Q sheet.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Gomer Doesn’t Like My Cadence

    8 pack animals blocked off their Saturday morning and picked up the challenge of the day. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the bhikkhuni demonstrating perfect form in the amphitheater, the following was accomplished:

    THE Circle of Pain:

    Mosey around the parking lot. Circle up on the far side of Faceplant’s car for:

    SSH’s x40 (too fast for Gomer)
    5 burpees
    Imperial Walkers x9 (too slow for Gomer)
    LBCs
    HRMs
    Box cutters
    Flutter kicks

    Mosey to the wooden posts along the road for Pole Smokers:

    One PAX performs 10 heels-to-Heaven
    Rest of PAX rotates through different exercises, which were:
    Hold 6 inches
    90 degrees
    Rosalita’s
    Hello Dolly
    Flutter kicks
    Probably a few others

    Mosey to the Traffic Circle, then onto the field between the Amphitheater and the Carillon. Find a light post. Find a green electrical device in the field. Run between them. Do 1 merkin at the start, and 10 WWIIs at the finish. Repeato until the PAX has done what we all call 11’s.

    Mosey to the Ha’ Penny Stage, grab a block, and get ready to rumble.

    Partner up.
    Pax 1: Murder bunnies
    Pax 2: 10 overhead presses, 10 block presses. Repeato until partner 1 returns.
    3 rounds

    Keep hold of that there block. Mosey about 100 feet. If YHC is queuin’, then Touch-a-Tree is likely brewin’. Surprisingly, very few questions.

    Partner 1: carry the block to 10 different trees.
    Partner 2: exercise-o-rama.

    Round 1: 10 trees, block presses
    Round 2: 8 trees, WWIIs with the block
    Round 3: 6 trees, who knows
    Round 4: 4 trees, curls 4 da girls
    Round 5: 2 tree, Burpees

    Replace the blocks.

    Mosey to the Amphitheater for 18’s

    17 squats
    1 incline merkin

    Up all 18 steps, or until time is called.

    Mosey back to the flag for 1 minute of Mary. Snow angels until time.

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:
    Friday is the Bone Thugs 6, 8, or 9 miler, an Instant Classic. If you run on Fridays (Currahee, this means you), take a break from the normal and come on out to RAMM. Start whenever you need to finish your chosen distance at 6:15.
    Breaking Bread sign-ups for May-end of summer are now open.

    NMS:

    Today, YHC started with a tour of the parking lot. Faceplant, widely known for his solo land navigation skills already, noted that he has never been in this part of the AO. YHC is happy to show the PAX some new sights.

    Welcome back to Rounders, who recently returned to his family and F3RVA from a 9 month tour in Kuwait. YHC is always thankful for those who serve our country, and even more so when they leave their families for an extended period for the sun, surf, and humidity that is the Persian Gulf. Thank you and your family for your dedication – surely not an easy lift. The PAX offered to buy all-you-care-to-eat KFC and Taco Bell all week, but for some reason, Rounders declined. Hope to see you back soon!

    The PAX arrived at The Amphitheater today to find a human, a very physically fit female human wearing some sort of cloaking hoodie thing, doing easily the best form exercises YHC has seen in his almost 6 years with F3. Only those who post know.

    Happy birthday to Florence, whose birthday wish of a National Championship for FSU came true last year. Albeit, in women’s soccer. Chin up, my friend: Tom Brady un-retired. There is hope in central Florida.

    Find someone who needs help. Do something for that person.

    UpChuck spits the bit.


  • Not Your Normal Breakfast Club

    Tupacs showed for Breakfast Club. Temps were 70 and sunny, albeit surprisingly windy and chilly. According to the Lime Riders who apparently checked into the hospital en masse, the following quite possibly happened:

    Route: not the normal route. 1.6 miles or so. Only those who post know. No lakes or geese were harmed in the process.

    Return route: Not a secret. Park to lake across bridge to biscuity goodness.

    Numbers, names, brief convocation.

    No announcements because we just spend almost 2 hours together, and if we had something to share, the time to speak up has passed.

    NMS: Handshake is playing with the Pigeons and Hitchhiker will did not meet us at Dogpile.

    Good luck to the guys running today in Petersburg. YHC knows Doozy is in (not sure who else). Crush it, fellas.