Author: Upchuck

  • TYA Loves My Stuff

    Seven or so stuck their heads into the oven of life, Hillcrest-style, for the latest edition of The Roller Coaster. Temps were sunny and 70. According to the retirees observing our every move, this is more or less what happened:

    Route: Hill repeats. 2 or 3 times per hill. Hillwood x2 or 3, Old Orchard x2 or 3, Charmian x2, Pocahontas x2, and THEN the big ones. 2 times up and down West Hillcrest. 2 times up and down East Hillcrest. Pick one of the Hillcrest downhill legs and run full speed downhill as well.

    The mileage doesn’t matter, but YHC thinks 5.

    Announcements:

    BRR, Field Day, Retreat.

    NMS:

    First, YHC has mentioned lately that it’s been hot. Again, it was hot.

    Second, when someone says, “I nearly threw up the last time we did this. Let’s do it again,” that prompts YHC to recall the common refrain of all of our M’s: “You guys are idiots.”

    Correct.

    Third, as TYA noted, the total uphill climb, while brutal, was similar to a modest BRR leg. Inspiring.

    YHC has done many a workout while traveling over the years. With respect to today’s run, no way YHC does that without you all. You guys are idiots.

    Ping me if I’ve missed anyone.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Trauma Is In My Background

    13 enlisted today for the latest edition of Sunday Funday. Temps continued to stay steady at 70 and sunny. According to the (perhaps nonexistent) people who snagged Shakedown’s keys, this is more or less what happened:

    Long Range Recon Patrol (TYA): 28 miles on the bike.
    Road Patrol (Saab, Faceplant): ~10 miles
    Advanced Dismounted Element (Sippy Cup, Helix): ~6.8 on trails, including War Memorial Hills.
    Main Body – Element 1 (Rip Cord, Shakedown, Flatline, Anthrax, YHC): Buttermilk, T-Pot, North Bank, BTTVSF. Just under 6.8.
    Main Body – Element 2 (EF Hutton, Offshore): Same distance.
    Independent Action (Pigskin): 30 minutes out and back.

    Numbers, Names, Faceplant took us out with a one-sentence reminder of our mission.

    Announcements:

    BRR is still recruiting. No way, you say? YHC says it’s 50/50 whether the team will have a new member after the discussion at ET’s today. Here’s hoping.

    Field Day: September 18, 7:00 a.m. Team captains are in place for each region. Time to start working on your team uniform. See Honeydo, Snuff, TYA, and Corned Beef for more information, depending upon where you reside.

    3rd Annual First Inaugural Retreat is September 25. Sign up for Cornhole. (Look for Hutton’s post on Slack.)

    Swirly is trying to give away two tickets to the Duke vs. Kansas FOOTBALL game on September 25 (no, this isn’t hoops). See him for details.

  • On Columbia!

    One PAX awoke with the dawn and set the tone: wet, stinky, and sweaty. Temps were 70 and sunny, with a touch of Columbia River windy. According to Harry, a trained killer mutt with 4 inch legs, the following might have happened:

    Mosey to the patio for The COP:

    Imperial Walkers
    Side Straddle Hops
    Hillbillies
    Swirly’s Dead Man Hang
    Mercans
    WWIIs
    Reverse Crunches

    Mosey to the 7th Hole (green) of the Frisbee Golf Course for a Beast:

    Mercans
    box cutters
    WWIIs
    4-count flutter kicks
    Hello Dolly (Harry joined YHC for this round)
    burpees

    Al Gore between each round for The Six.

    Mosey to the 7th Tee for three rounds of stuff:

    Derkins x5
    Dips x20
    Abs x20

    Bear Crawl to the 8th Tee, about 75 meters.

    UniTriple (one PAX, three rounds):

    WWII X10
    FKs 4 count x20
    Rosalita x20

    BTTVSF

    NMS: YHC is taken a little R&R with the family along the Columbia River, straddling the border of Washington and Oregon. Harry, perhaps the smallest dog YHC has ever seen, decided to break from his owner’s grip to work out with YHC. Nicely done. Harry put in some serious running, probably 200 steps to cover 20 yards. He then sat down in the grass. It’s you against you, brother.

    Name, number, Mumble to self. Try not to wake the dude meditating on the patio.

  • Sign Up – Breaking Bread, Fall 2021

    Sign Up – Breaking Bread, Fall 2021

    It’s that time, fellas. It’s time to show that we have the metal to match words with actions. Who will help carry the load?

    This message is about asking for your help to make a real-life Impact – both in time and effort – on behalf of a group of people who F3RVA has sponsored for the last ~5 years. 

    Most of you are aware that F3RVA helps by feeding residents in the Medical Respite facility at the Southside Health Center. This is on the Q sign-up sheet as, “Breaking Bread.” F3RVA chose to expand in 2020 to help out TWO nights per month. We need your help to meet this commitment.

    Many guys took up this charge in the past quarter – YHC thanks you. Great work.

    We are now taking sign-ups for this fall (sign-up on the Q sheet). Pick an evening. Grab an F3 buddy, or your spouse / significant other, or your kids, or all of the above, make a meal for some folks going through a challenging time, and change their lives (and YOUR life) for the better. We usually feed 7-13 people per evening. It’s pretty easy – make some good food (or buy some good food), bring it to 180 Belt Blvd., drop it off, and experience the thankfulness of a room full of good people. If COVID calms down, you might even be able to cook on-site in their kitchen.

    Many of you all have done this in the past. We cover 24 nights per year, so YHC encourages you to sign up again. And, YHC thanks you.

    Here are the dates (again, sign up on the Google Sheet – link below).

    September 25 (Saturday)
    September 26 (Sunday)

    October 23 (Saturday)
    October 24 (Sunday)

    November 27 (Saturday – Thanksgiving weekend)
    November 28 (Sunday – Thanksgiving weekend)

    One final note, which YHC hopes is inspiring. YHC was recently on the west coast and had the opportunity to roll by NAB Coronado. Over one of the doors, the following was posted: “Choose to Carry More.” That’s what each man and each family does when they help at Breaking Bread. Please, sign up. And, YHC thanks you in advance.

    Here is the link to sign-up: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Dx2qsu9vXun_NFgeD0GDKwQ6G2f5a-AKQq4IYk2eAJY/edit#gid=1389235370

  • Soup of the Day

    One PAX took to the mean (deserted) streets of Plantation to indulge in the latest edition of The Shopping Trip. Temps were sunny and 70. According to the construction worker attempting to nap on his truck bed (this is Florida, so easily the least weird thing that YHC has seen), this is more or less what happened:

    Route: hotel to DHL building, across Peters to office park to La Quinta to Westfield Mall. Reverso at Broward Blvd. 4.1 miles. Not bad for YHCs second rehab run.

    Number, name, YHC talked to himself.

    Quick Coffeeteria, minus the coffee, with Omar, the maintenance guy, in the parking lot. His kids are now in Davie from Jamaica, hoping to stay.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Like and Subscribe

    Like and Subscribe

    8 men of steel linked arms and pounded the pavement and paths of RVA in the latest edition of Sunday Funday. Conditions were remarkably close to sunny and 70. According to the lone boxer at the trailhead, the following are likely to have happened:

    Cross the river to Riverside Drive (east), up and down to Belle Isle, and back along the access road, studiously avoiding soiling our “Sunday Best” shoes.

    Distances were anywhere from 4.4 for YHC doing a rehab gig to something in the 6-7 range for the more traditional runners. Saab may have done 10.

    Announcements:

    Vinny’s Field Day is September 18, 7:00 a.m. at Dogpile. Team captains are:

    City Proper (if you live in The City of Richmond): TYA
    DaVille: Corned Beef
    Tuckahoe: Checking on schedule of a potential captain
    Southside: TBD

    Resumes and cover letters due for the remaining openings. YHC will draft captains, if necessary. YHC finds this to be an appropriate time to recall that the purpose of F3 is reinvigorate male community leadership.

    Captain’s Roles:

    1. Recruit a team of men who live in the appropriate geography
    2. Decide on a dress code for that team and organize your team to wear same
    3. Rally your team to attend Dogpile at 7:00 a.m. (special time) on September 18

    Sit and Sip, F3RVA’s Retreat that is not like any Church Retreat is September 25. Food (bring and share), booze (same), baseball gloves, football, that golf thing Vinny has, Corn Hole, and the optional tent are in order. WAGS and other camp followers are out of order. Come spend an afternoon / evening with your pals on a farm. It’s the 2021 answer to the challenge,”Show that you can live like the Hardywood’s without actually showing that you can live like the Hardywood’s.”

    NMS:

    TYA organized and led today’s run, but YHC knows that history is written by the victors. Having finished the run “first” today, YHC has declared himself the winner (possibly in a one-man race, and surely because rehabbing a knee (pun intended) injury is a good excuse for running several miles less than the rest of the PAX). Nonetheless, like golf, today’s run was not about how far, but about how few.

    Also, writing the Backblast precludes TYA from picking on YHC’s shoe choice (new white running shoes, in honor of Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, the only man on the NFL’s 75-year anniversary team to NOT be in the Hall of Fame). TYA was determined to force YHC to run through the bacteria-infested waters of the James River, and in the interest of public health during a pandemic, YHC preferred to remain dry. Safety first, or at least that’s YHC’s story, and he’s sticking to it.

    31 shopping days until the BRR.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • 2-3 Easy Miles

    Eight gluttons hurled forth into The Soup for the latest edition of the Roller Coaster. Temps were 70 and sunny. According to the 40-something mom zipping down West Hillcrest on a scooter, the following may or may not have happened:

    Route: Smorgasbord …one large, one medium, and one small. About 5 miles total.

    Announcements:
    Bone Thugs leading us to the Squirrels game on Saturday.
    August 10 – HDHH at Casa de HoneyDo. Hombres run at 5:00 p.m., then happy hour to follow. Those appearing at 6:00 p.m., wear your Wednesday “Vinny’s Best” seersucker suit, bow tie, and flip flops.
    BRR Prep day on August 28 – Charlottesville
    BRR – Sept 9-12
    Field Day – September 18 at Dogpile (check the time…we might start late due to the need for sunlight)
    Sit and Sip, F3RVA’s Retreat, September 25. If you are looking for the best Bible retreat of the year, this ain’t it. Bring your favorite meats, libations, snack food, and a willingness to listen to Gumbo and Vinny ad nauseam about their corn hole exploits (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

    NMS: Burnout posted for the 3rd time in 5 days. Solid first week in F3RVA. He was expecting an easy 2-3 miles. His quote: “You guys are in better shape than you look.” Keep posting – it never gets easier, but it does become more manageable.

    Hot out today. Swirly and Burnout crushed round 1.
    YHC was cruising through Round 2 when a stallion pounded past him on the last 1/4 mile. Saab. Boom!
    Round 3 was a challenge.

    Studs all around. Well done, fellas.

  • 6 Hills

    6 dudes showed up. Temps were 70 and sunny. Here’s what happened:

    Hutton, Anthrax, TYA, and YHC set out on the Extra Long Loop. About 2/3rds through, Hutton and YHC picked up Swiper. Saab was around as well. Most did 5, some did about 5.5.

    Numbers, names, keeping Anthrax’s family in our prayers.

    Thugs arrived late; YHC knows Thugs pushed hard.

    NMS: Sweat flowed today. Way to work hard, fellas. Good to run with Hutton. Also, poison ivy is real.

  • Shirts or Skins?

    EIGHT studs threw off the lure of the Nap Sack for the dripping sweaty goodness that was the latest edition of the Roller Coaster. Conditions were 70 and sunny. According to the old guys mowing lawns, the following quite possibly could have happened:

    Reverse extra large, then reverse medium. Total distance 5.8 miles. 7,000,000 vertical feet. Some guys did a smidge less. All were soaked and earned it today.

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out with a message about the value of this Brotherhood.

    NMS:

    The thermometer clocked at 96 when YHC left home. Unclear what the true temps were among the trees, but regardless, it was hot. Humid too. Great to catch up with Shiplap who may have a pair of new shows to trade out. DM him if you have interest in a pair of New Balance 680, 860, or 880s (unclear which). Swiper was fresh back from Colorado, still getting his legs under him, but pushing hard.

    Great to see Bone Thugs and Big Tennessee out there. All the BTs in one place.

    Anthrax is threatening to appear at a BeatDown.

    Announcements:

    Lots going on…highlights:

    Hitch hosting on Saturday at 6. 303 or 330 Marston over in Windsor Farms. Dudes only.

    Squirrels Baseball July 31. Get in touch with Bone Thugs ASAP. 6-ish game. Family event.

  • The Shopping Trip

    One PAX returned to the pre-COVID AO for the most recent edition of The Shopping Trip (not to be confused with The Field, which is a beat down). Conditions were sunny and 70 (with a side order of humidity). According to the series of business park Security Guards, this was the route:

    north on Pine Island, east to 8150, then through 8151, past the LaQuinta (no police / obvious arrests today), left on SW 10th, left on SW 78th, left on Federated to Broward. Reverso and BTTVSF.

    Name, number, YHC took us out with a quick RIP for Omar’s (see below) father and grandfather who both passed recently.

    NMS:

    You can always go home. YHC has become solid pals with Omar, who runs the building operations where YHC stays on business. He’s a Jamaican, solid human (he’s F3 without ever having posted to F3), and only hasn’t posted because his work hours are 10-7. Safe travels to Omar as he heads home to Jamaica to pick up his kids, who will move to the USA. Great to catch up with a friend YHC hadn’t seen in a while.

    YHC spits the bit.