Author: Upchuck

  • Pre-Blast: Who Q? (Next Puppy Pile)

    Pre-Blast: Who Q? (Next Puppy Pile)

    “But he’ll remember with advantages
    What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
    Familiar in his mouth as household words,…
    …Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
    This story shall the good man teach his son,…”
      — Shakespeare, Henry V
    July needs a Puppy Pile, and Puppy Pile needs a Q.  Teach your son (or daughter, or sons, or daughters, or sons and daughters…).
    I’ll be out of town for a couple of weeks.  Need a H.I.M. to step up.  Who shall pick up the Gauntlet and lead?  (He’ll also need to pick a date and talk it up at workouts and to the up-coming Q’s).  Easy-peasy.

  • Four Men, Three Routes, One Great Idea

    4 PAX emerged from the Sunday Fart Sack to pound out some trail miles.  Just prior to 7 a.m., appropriate greetings were exchanged, goals for the day shared, and off we went.  Temps were sunny, 70, and a touch of humidity.

    Routes:

    TYA…North Bank, perhaps Texas Beach, at a walker’s pace (mileage unclear…goal: be pain free)

    Saab…South Bank, Forest Hill Loop, North Bank…at a runner’s pace (10 miles)

    Olivander and YHC…South Bank, North Bank…at (ahem) an UpChuck pace (7 miles).  Olivander was running with a restrictor plate.

    NMS:

    Good to catch up with Olivander today as it was YHC’s first time running with him.  Strong performance and thanks for dragging YHC through the humidity.

    Pre-notice to the PAX…TYA was hip-pain free after today’s walk.  This left his brain free to concentrate on diabolical ways to challenge the PAX, a core skill of his.  Good stuff coming…stay tuned.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • No Excuses. I’m Just Going to Have to Find Myself Another Giant.

    BLUF (it’s in the Lexicon): Shakedown is COOP Strong.  Consumes the Daily Red Pill.  Brother has EH’d like a million FNGs.  YHC takes his hat off.

    First, a history lesson…

    Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz.
    When in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was untamed and shapeless.  (God created man to shape it, and gave Men F3 to help other Men shape each other.)
    Later that week, a serpent (F3: Salazar) slithered up to his FNG buddy Adam (F3: Steve Jobs) and EH’d him.  Both men posted to AO Hothouse, where Salazar encouraged Steve Jobs through his first workout.  Turns out it was some lady’s garden, she over-reacted, and they were BLACK MIATA’D (it’s also in the Lexicon, look it up) out of the first AO.  “Campos Cerrados,” or in Hebrew סגורים שדשדות
    A Few Years Later: Steve Jobs hosts first 2.0 workout. Cain (F3: Brother’s Keeper) and his younger bro’, Abel (F3: Gullible) both invited and both post.  Steve Jobs guides FNG sons through workout. Cain posts once, returns to being Sad Clown, F3 name taken away.
    753 BC or 1 A.U.C. – Rome founded by two brothers, Romulus and Remus, born of a She-Wolf. Romulus encourages Remus to get his tail out of the Fart-Wolf-Lair and post to F3 Palatine Hill.  Romulus staves off fight with local Etruscans by explaining Starfish Model, encourages peace via a rotating Q, and plants shovel flag at AO Capitoline Hill.  Etruscans start tradition of riding their donkeys to FNG’s farm, picking up FNG, and guiding each FNG through first workout.
    0 AD or 753 AUC – Jesus born (F3: Hey-Zeus).  Hey-Zeus’ dad, Joseph (F3: Hands Free) EH’s 3 out of town friends (F3: Manny, Moe, and Jack).  Despite the danger, Hands Free posts with FNGs; uses light from the Star in the East to wake self and FNGs.  Despite Gloom, star points the way to the time and place of the workout.  Tradition of starting on time begins.
    1439 AD – Gutenberg (F3: Oral Tradition) invents printing press; creates first written Back Blast.  EH’s his boss, Holy Roman Emperor, previously a Sad Clown.  And, posts with him.
    1908 AD – Kaiser Wilhelm (F3: Cousin Billy) builds Glockenspiel, world’s largest alarm clock, beginning 110 year streak of not a single Munchenlander over-sleeping a workout.
    2016 AD – Honey Do EH’s YHC.  Appears at YHC’s house at 5:15 a.m., picks up YHC, ensuring YHC’s presence at AO, on-time, emotionally supports YHC through first workout.
    This Year:  Shakedown, most prolific EH’er of Modern Times, secures like 200 FNG’s.  Friends, family, co-workers, dudes he met at cross-fit, etc.
    Last night: Shakedown texts 2 FNGs to remind them of today’s workout. “NO EXCUSES” for not posting.

    Today, at the AO:
    pre-5:31 a.m. to 5:46 a.m.     FNG Adam (different guy, same name) drives alone endlessly around the AO in an unmarked white sedan.
    5:32 a.m.  YHC arrives.  Secures AO.  Wonders who is in the unmarked white sedan creeping around the AO.
    5:37 a.m. YHC: Seriously, who is the dude creeping around in the unmarked white sedan?
    5:40 a.m. YHC: Seriously, who is the dude creeping around in the unmarked white sedan?
    5:44 a.m.  FNG Ed (F3: Lorax, today’s War Daddy) arrives. Asks Q,”Is this where the workout group meets?  Do you know Joe Parfitt?”
    5:44 a.m. YHC responds,”Joe Parfitt?  Oh, Shakedown!  Love that guy.”
    5:45 a.m. YHC: Seriously, who is the dude creeping around in the unmarked white sedan?
    5:46 a.m. FNG Adam (F3 La Fonda) returns (again) in unmarked white sedan. Asks Q,”Is this where the workout group meets?  Do you know Joe Parfitt?”  Adam runs out of gas.
    5:46 a.m. – YHC responds,”Joe Parfitt?  Oh, Shakedown!  Love that guy.”
    5:47 a.m. – 5:59 a.m.     – various PAX arrive.  Each PAX, upon appearing, utters the same phrase,”What’s going on?  This has to be the smallest Dog Pile group we have ever had.  Maybe everyone is going to Puppy Pile?”
    6:00:01 a.m. – Hardywood and Phonics arrive.
    6:00:05 a.m. – Let’s mosey.
    Meanwhile, at The Fart Sack – 6:01 a.m.     – Shakedown wakes up.
    Meanwhile, Back at the AO – 6:02 a.m. – Goldberg arrives.

    11 PAX, including 2 FNG’s, having checked the back-up batteries in their alarm clocks, set their alarms, and resisted the lure of the Fartsack, post to the smallest Dog Pile in recent memory.

    Mosey to Never Used Grassy Area:
    Arm circles, IW’s, SSH’s, LBC’s, Freddie Mercury’s, HRMs

    Mosey to Traffic Circle beyond the Carillon for Up-and-Downs
    Run down hill, perform LBCs at bottom, run backwards up hill to the traffic circle.  5 rounds.
    First round, 1 set of 40
    Second round, 2 sets of 20
    Third round, 8 sets of 5
    Fourth round, 5 sets of 8
    Fifth round, 4 sets of 10
    Plank for the 6.

    Mosey to Great Lawn
    Authentic Crab Walk (think “bear crawl, sideways”).  Partner Up.
    First Round: Each partner individually ACWs across small width of Great Lawn.  Q realizes being a crab would be  awful.
    Second Round: Start at end of GL.  Partner 1 runs to center of GL and back.  Partner 2 ACWs towards center of GL.  When partners meet, partners swap.  Continue until team reaches mid-field.
    Al Gore.

    Mosey to corner of Blanton and Park for Burpee Road
    3 burpees at each light post.  EC: 3 burpees at EVERY post – lamp or no lamp!
    Al Gore, or Plank, or just pass out.

    Mosey to VITA Trail
    10 reverse crunches at every VITA Trail stop.  Circle up at south end of trail.

    Elevens in the Lake of Pain
    LBCs and mercans.  Run through the lake.

    Mosey back to the Flag
    Shakedown (LIFO) appears.  6:59 a.m. counts.  Push yourself, don’t hurt yourself.
    Quick round of rosalitas.

    Number-a-ma, Name-a-ram-a, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:
    Puppy Pile starts in 3 minutes.
    Home Run Derby, Tuesday, Robious Elementary School.  PAX appearing at No Toll should bring own tee, balls, and pitching machine.
    Look for details on yet another HDHH Going Away Event for Fudd.  Every month until the move.
    July 4 Convergence, 7:00 a.m. at Tredegar.
    BRR…sign up now, start training now.

    NMS:

    Great to see a strong showing by FNGs Lorax and La Fonda on a day modest on heat, heavy on humidity.  Well done, gentlemen. Hope to see you both again soon.

    Hardywood and Phonics crushed the Summer of Stickiness today, making quick work of the backwards run up the hill.  Hardywood then invented the Curb Assisted Plank.  See him for a demonstration.

    YHC’s math skills befuddled some of the PAX today.  YHC appreciates the PAX tolerating his sense of humor.

    Speaking of math, and all kidding aside, YHC encourages the PAX to take the time to count how many FNGs Shakedown has EH’d this year.  Wow.  One man EH’ing machine.  YHC counts 5 (at least) over YHC’s last 2 Saturday Q’s and at least a few more on other days.  Hats off, brother.  Apologies for pulling a Canseco (yep, it’s in the Lexicon).

    And, thank you to the Sky-Q for another Friday night of heavy rain.  YHC loves the Lake (and antibiotics).

    UpChuck spits the bit.

     

  • My Tits Are Still Sore, Hardywood.

    Twenty three skaters (no healthy scratches) and 4 men of gears came forth from The Fart Sack to celebrate Lord Stanley’s version of the morning after party.  While what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, what happens at RAMM the morning after a CAPS victory in Vegas goes into the backblast.

    The Thang:

    Hockey Stick Route…Grove (the blade) to Malvern (the shaft).  Continue as Malvern becomes Westwood which in turn becomes Saunders.

    Forwards (4 milers) turn around at top of railroad bridge
    Defensemen (5 milers) turn around at Saunders and Laburnum
    Long-shifters for the 6 milers…right on Laburnum to Hermitage (site of The Punisher).
    Double shifters… (TYA, Swirly, any others?) put in eight on another route.  Well done.

    Reverso back to the Flag.

    COT: Number-ram-a, Name-a-rama, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    June is TYA Clothing Drive Month.  No better way to give back than to help a brother in need.  Special focus on size-large shirts and shorts/cover-ups (NO NUT-HUGGERS).

    June 15 at RAMM: Huffy Gears…bring your poor, tired, huddle mass of a bike…Huffy, Schwinn, Big Wheel…have an orange flag on a bike?  Bring it.  Have a playing card clothes-pinned to the spokes?  Bring it.

    June 16 at Dogpile.  Field Day workout.  Wear a shirt relevant to your elementary school experience.  See Vinny for details (or see the Pre-Blast).

    June 23 Puppy Pile, Part Deaux…BYO 2.0s.  Sippy Cup has the Q.

    July 4 Convergence at Tredegar at 7 a.m.  Kubota leading…

    Summer Challenge…visit every AO between the Saturday prior to Memorial Day and Labor Day.  Bonus points for hitting the Convergences.  Double-bonus points for posting to an out of town AO.  Triple bonus points for Nomad / Down Range with at least one non-family member.  Note: there are no official Bonus Points.

    Get your BRR training started…hit a running workout.  Sunday Funday, Wednesday Hill Run, RAMM, or any workout with the words “Twin Team” in the title…

    Moleskin:

    Great morning for a run.  Perfect weather, with even the humidity mildly cooperative for YHC’s Second Anniversary with F3.  YHC has been with F3 so long and he’s now so old that he even botched the facts of his own first post today during the COT.  Why wait to get old to tell stories incorrectly when YHC can start now?  For the record, first post was a W-Dog with Bleeder having the Q, and Hardywood nursing YHC back to the Flag with the age-old question,”How you doing, pal?” on the run back….  With apologies to both Virginia Slims and Fatboy Slims, YHC has come a long way, baby.  Thank you, fellas, for pushing my mind, body, and spirit.  It’s been a pleasure to have you all as role models.

    As for the route, rumor had it that YHC’s beloved Washington Capitals exorcised their demons and won Lord Stanley’s Mug last night.  YHC is not creative enough to design a Stanley Cup Route, so the Hockey Stick Route will have to do.

    As many are aware, YHC basically gave up watching CAPS hockey on TV due to stress, anger issues, superstition, hair loss, and biting of finger nails.  Other than that, YHC loves the CAPS.  Some of YHC’s fondest memories of growing up are of listening to the CAPS on AM radio with his brother, who introduced him to the team when the family moved to the DC area in 1982.  Don’t get YHC wrong, he is happy to have a full Capitals Bandwagon…but here are a few things YHC remembers from the days of old…why Yvon Labre’s jersey is retired, #5, Bobby Carpenter getting pummeled while covering his head on the ice like a baby, Mike Gartner’s mustache, Dale Hunter trying to kill another player well after the game ended, losing to the Islanders in like 27 overtimes, thinking Jagr was the savior, watching three of the best players on the team get shipped out for sexual misconduct (then watching some of them win the Cup elsewhere), Ron Hextall, Pittsburgh, the Rangers, Martin St. Louis (think: Bucky F-ing Dent), Filip Forsberg, being up 3-0 or 3-1 in the playoffs, owning the President’s Trophy, losing every overtime playoff game ever, and, of course, being tweaked by Kubota and Vinny this year for being a Nervous Nelly.

    Prior to last night, there was exactly ONE stellar Washington Capitals moment…YHC’s first real date with his M was to a CAPS playoff game.  Because the CAPS have been able to foul up any situation, why stop on that evening?  The Penguins eliminated the CAPS from the playoffs that night with Darius Kasperitis even returning to the ice to give the whole stadium the bird.  YHC’s M is not a big hockey follower, yet considers herself a Pittsburgh fan because of the civic spirit of the community and how good a guy Mario Lemieux is.  Seriously.  It’s been a living penance.

    YHC has managed three times to watch games, or portions of games, alone, usually in a hotel, often with a piece of plexiglass installed between the TV screen and YHC.  (No actual screens were harmed in the creation of this back blast).

    So, with that, YHC is really darn happy today.  And, YHC hopes BT’s tits feel better.

    And, Big Data wants to know if 6 milers get to count today as visiting The Punisher.

  • We Must Build Dikes of Courage to Hold Back the Fear of Flood

    Four squeegees emerged from the Fart Sack to squeeze out a Dry Foot / Wet Foot Sunday Funday run.  The morning went something like this…

    6:40 YHC arrived at Pump House Parking Lot.

    6:41 YHC alone.

    6:42 Same.

    6:43 Same.

    …fast forward to…

    6:58 YHC still alone.

    6:59 YHC considering whether to run alone.

    6:59:22 Three cars pull up.  TYA, Vinny, and a player to be named later (YHC would say “No Idea who the other guy was,” but No Idea is a real guy.  YHC still does not know who the third car guy was.)

    7:00 Chatting…

    7:01 Chatting…

    7:02 Chatting…

    7:03 Start walking.  TYA ran 21 on Saturday, and he wants to walk up Pump House Hill.

    7:04 Walking / chatting…

    7:05 Walking / chatting…

    7:06 …same…

    7:07 …same…

    7:08 …same…

    …fast forward to…

    Trio makes it to top of hill by Maymont.  By now, 7:45. (This is poetic license – Suspend your disbelief).  Trio starts jogging.

    River running very high today, so the route went through Byrd Park and Randolph Neighborhoods.  TYA peeled off at Belvidere.  Vinny and YHC continued through Gambles Hill to Pottersfield Bridge to Riverside.  Reconnected with TYA and Saab in the 2000 Block of Riverside Drive.  Then, in the spirit of Brotherhood, the foursome split into 3 groups for the return trip.

    YHC and Vinny took Riverside to a detour back to Riverside to Reedy Creek.  Then, the Access Road through the James River (flooding) to the Access Road to 42nd Street Bridge to Riverside to Boulevard Bridge and back to the VSF.  About 7.5 miles.

    TYA and Saab, being wiser men, went home by other routes.

    NMS

    YHC was thrilled with the slow pace today.  After missing several Sundays, moseying seven plus was perfect.  YHC would have been happy to run all day at this pace.  Shout out to Vinny for good company and conversation.

    ETs was a blast as always.  Shout out to TYA for merely threatening to take his socks off.  Always good to catch up with Snowden.  Also, ETs crowd included EHing “Jeff with family who does F3 in Greensboro.”  He looks like he needs an F3 workout about as much as Usain Bolt does.  BOLO for him this week…

    Footnote: if you find your adult child(ren) sexting with TYA, there is a hotline you can call for help.  673-SAAB.  Trained volunteers are standing by.

  • Open Wounds, Hot Wires, Malarial Ponds, and Poison Ivy

    23 water-logged warriors threw off the covers of their Fartsacks, resurrected the mud-filled dreams of their youth, and created a PuppyPile for the ages.  On Monday, the kids in the cafeteria will tell a tale that sounds something like this:

    COP:
    Mosey to the Amphitheater Circle.  COP Q’d by YHC and escorted by two of Richmond’s finest officers of the law.
    SSH’s
    IW’s
    DQ’s
    Invisible Jump Rope, with flair.
    Mercans
    LBC’s

    Curb Crawls:
    Start on inner curb.  1 mercan.  Crawl bear to outer curb.  2 mercans.  Bear crawl to inner curb.  3 mercans…continue progression up to 5 mercans.

    Hot potato Q Tossed to Vinny

    Mosey to side of Carillon for Touch-a-Tree:
    Partner up.  10, 8, 6, 4 tree touches.  WWII sit-ups in between.  Al Gore for the six.

    Tunnel of Love:
    Pax lines up hip-to-hip in plank position.  One after the other, Pax army crawls under the other Pax members holding plank.  Scrapes, cuts, and bruises encouraged.

    Q Passed to HoneyDo

    Mosey to Great Lawn for Animal Crawls:
    Line up on the sidelines.
    Round 1: Crab Walk
    Round 2: Broad Jump Burpees
    Round 3: Bear Crawl

    Q Passed to OffShore

    Team Based, Can-Can Lunges:
    2.0s assemble on the end line of the Great Lawn.  Dads line up 20 yards from end line facing the 2.0s.  Within each group, Pax members put their arms around the others, staying in a straight line (like a can-can line).  In cadence, the lines perform lunges (2.0s) or backwards lunges (1.0s).  Any breaking of the lines results in entire Pax performing 5 mercans.  10 forward, 10 backwards.  Only 5 mercans had to be performed.

    Q Passed to Sippy Cup

    Mosey to VITA Trail (watch for cars).  Avoid the downed power line.

    Burpee Lake:
    Burpee ladder starting at one side of the VITA Trail.  Run to other side of trail.  Ford the lake in between (YHC guestimates lake at 100 feet wide and 3-5 inches deep).  Once across, perform one burpee.  Return.  During return, an audible was called.  Perform one extra “in-swamp” burpee.  Upon reaching other side, conduct 2 burpees.  Escalate to 6 burpees, continuing additional one “in-swamp” burpee.  Plank for the six.

    Wet COP:
    Circle up for Bidet Squats.  Squat in Lake VITA.  Lower hiney into the water.  That’s one.
    Wet SSHs, increasing in speed.

    Q Passed to Bootleg

    Triple Check (for Poison Ivy):
    First round: Plank while partner runs to tree.
    Second round: Bridge (up-side down) while partner runs to tree.
    Third round: LBCs while partner runs.

    Mosey Back to Shovel Flags.

    Number-ram-a, Name-a-ram-a, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:
    Summer Challenge: Post to every AO between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
    Mr. Holland is raising funds for St. Baldrick’s.  Shakedown is all set to shave his head and most of beard mid-June.  Shakedown taking suggestions for remaining facial hair.  “Tom Selleck” Look leads in early polling, amid allegations of Russian meddling in the campaign.

    NMS:
    What a group this morning!  YHC is thrilled with the turn out.  Those 2.0s put in some serious work – well done to everyone.

    YHC would like to thank all of the PAX for their Q’s this morning.  You all brought it big time.  Our 2.0s certainly received the FULL F3 experience today – bloody, muddy, and wet.  And, they made new friends – all the elements of a solid first and second F, all in one.

    Offshore noted the sequence of experiences…scrape our legs in the Tunnel of Love, electrocute ourselves after crossing the road, then submerge our open wounds in the VITA Lake.  Top it off with some poison ivy exposure.  Dr. (ahem, Inspector) Flipper, Seymour, Flatline, Flashdance, & Co. take good care of the Pax’s muscles and teeth, but on this one the Pax are headed to Lola for radiological detox.  YHC needs more than Ivory Soap today.

    Also, YHC hereby files and official objection to HoneyDo’s definition of an “animal crawl,” which apparently includes broad-jump burpees.  Homo sapiens stopped being knuckle draggers about a few millenia back…

    Last note: YHC has thoroughly enjoyed almost 2 years of F3.  YHC’s 2.0 (Westminster, after the Dog Show) asked me, “Daddy, what has been your favorite F3 workout?”  YHC told her that all of his favorite workouts have been on the messiest, nastiest sunny and 70 degree days.  Today added to that list. YHC would like to thank Sippy Cup for coming up with fording the VITA Lake.  Icing on the cake today, brother, and right there at the top of YHC’s F3 experiences.

    Welcome to all of the 2.0 FNGs.  FYI, Handshake’s son did not get a nickname as he had a hard stop for an 8:00 a.m. meeting, but as the littlest guy out there, he pushed hard.  Welcome, Hard Stop (for now).  Great to meet NOx as well – enjoyed the 2nd F at ETs.  Come back soon.

     

  • 70s

    16 youngsters appeared in The Gloom for the 70th Anniversary School House Edition of the (Tucka)Hoedown. It’s very possible that the following happened.

    Neighborhood lap

    COP (in Factors of 7)

    Hillbillies (7)
    SSH (14)
    Mountain climbers (21)
    Imperial walkers (21)
    LBCs (14)
    HR mercans (7…save these for later, eh?)

    Run to School Day

    Partner up
    Both partners polar bear crawl to first SUV. Mercans every so often along the way.

    SUV Shuffle (Omage to All the Mom’s)

    Stay with your partner.  Or, apparently, don’t.
    10 mercans at first SUV, then Bernie Sanders to top of hill.
    Run back down to second SUV. Repeat mercans, and repeat BS to top of hill.
    Repeato at each SUV on the street, or until Q decides on the definition of an SUV and the definition of “on the street,” and whether the PAX has done sufficient mercans.

    Al Gore for the six

    Parking Lot Arrows

    Line up on first painted arrow in the parking lot.  Partner up.  (Note: this version of partnering up is purely social, and is in no way related to any exercise.  Just trying to keep it social).

    First Round:

    7 of an exercise at each arrow. Saab selected hand release mercans.  YHC says there are 10 arrows. This may or may not be true. But, if the Q says it, the PAX does it. 70 HR mercans.  That slowed the Mumblechatter for a while.

    Bear crawl between arrows.

    Al Gore for the six.

    Second Round:

    LBCs. PAX did 14 at each arrow. Side straddle hop in between. (Wait for the running moms to pass before starting.)

    LBCs for the six.

    Mosey to the SF.

    4 Minutes of Phys Ed. (aka Mary)

    Rosalitas
    APDs
    Reverse crunches
    LBCs
    Hello Dolly
    Possible the PAX did other ab exercises as well.

    Number-am-a, Name-a-ram-a, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    HDHH Wednesday.  Gumbo is providing golf lessons, or golf balls, or some such fun.  You buy your own beer / wings / food after.  See him.

    Golf Friday For the Cause.  See Wilson.

    Puppy Pile Saturday at 7:05 a.m.

    Breaking Bread…May 27…would love to have one more family join YHC’s.  Hard to market “Food by UpChuck,” even to the homeless.

    NMS:

    YHC had quite a night.  Mother’s Day with in-laws ran late, CAPS, CAPS, CAPS, and then a client issue.  Thus, no preparation today.  According to Inspector Flipper, it was apparent.  Perhaps YHC saying,”Man, I really don’t have anything planned” gave it away.  Well done, Inspector.

    Hats off today to the PAX for putting up with some disorganization.  What can be said?  Sometimes you just need to grab a partner.  2nd F during the 1st F.

    That said, the PAX did reach some milestones.

    HoneyDo did not puke.
    Saab called for an audible.
    Gomer Pyle learned that YHC cannot (or does not) bother to count.
    Fudd is still counting SUV’s on Lindsey.

    Footnote: An SUV is whatever the Q says an SUV is.

    Side note: Was it Kubota who pointed out the need to respect the Rural SUV (aka pickup)?  YHC thanks him kindly for his support.

    Endnote: YHC continues to be impressed that Fudd shows up on days he is traveling.  This is not easy given the commuting pressures, tightness from sitting in the car, etc.  Great to have him out there.

    Way to push it, Hand Shake. Hope that ankle keeps coming along.

    Thanks to Mr. Holland for pushing YHC up the hill, backwards.  Well done.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Pre-Blast: Puppy Pile, May 19, 7:00 a.m.

    Pre-Blast: Puppy Pile, May 19, 7:00 a.m.

    Mission: Share the F3 experience with your 2.0s

    Date: May 19

    Time: 7:05 a.m.

    Place: Dogwood Dell

    What: Puppy Pile, F3RVA’s warmish weather workout for Dad’s and 2.0s (open to all 2.0s).

    QIC: Hot Potato.  UpChuck will start us off, then pass the baton.

    Next Step: If you are Q-ing over the next 3 weeks, pass the word to the Pax.

    Next, Next Step: Bring your 2.0s (or, better yet, post for Dogpile and coax your M into bringing your 2.0s for the 7:05 a.m. start).  See you there.

  • Pre-Blast: 2.0 Friendly Workout … Testing the Waters

    With the very brief return of Spring, my 2.0 has increased the frequency of her “Daddy, when is the next 2.0 Friendly Workout?”  In chatting with the PAX, a number of you have given soft commits.

    YHC is requesting anyone with interest to drop a quick reply to this post.  Last year, 7:00 a.m. after Dogpile (PuppyPile!) seemed to get a good response…who’s interested?  Who’s ready to HC for April 21 or April 28?

  • Rubbin’ is Racin’

    12 stalwarts saddled up for today’s edition of W-Dog.  The horse-mounted police in Byrd Park tell the story this way.

    COP:
    Mosey to the first traffic circle.  Russian soldiers, SSHs, DQs, Johnsonville Hillbillies (flair required), LBCs, flutter kicks, and t-release mercans.  Quick stretch of the belly…mosey to the Great Lawn.

    Elevens:
    Snow angels and squats

    Short mosey to the Pull Off at the end of the Great Lawn

    Curb Crawls…1 mercan at the first curb…up to 5 mercans

    Mosey to the Triangular or Quadrangular Shaped Roads (recently the site of The Cooper) for Wild Pony Races:
    First rider jumps on back of partner, who runs the clockwise through the warm up circle loop and back to the end of the access road.  (This is easier to understand in person than on paper).  Partners switch at their leisure.   Each does 5 boo-yah mercans at each switch.  Repeato 3 times, changing directions every now and again.

    Mosey to the side of the Bell Tower for Touch-a-Tree
    10-8-6-4-2…partner one touches trees while partner two exercises…first two rounds…LBCs…3rd and 4th rounds…flutter kicks…5th round…burpees.

    Mosey back to the flag.  Number-am-a, Name-a-ram-a, Vinny took us out.

    Announcements:
    YHC’s friend and neighbor 2-Can has crushed his personal goals for fitness and dietary improvement.  This is a BIG personal accomplishment – nothing easy about this.  Every one of the PAX should pat our brother on the back when you next see him.  Well done, my friend!

    Last week of The Healing Place…YHC would like to see a few new guys out there on Saturday.  What’s easier after a Hardywood Q at Dogpile than running a few miles to support some guys working to address their personal demons?  YHC is looking for a few good men to make it out one more week…if you have not been, plan for it, run it, and join us at ET’s afterward.

    CSAUP…if you are not running, please volunteer to staff a Party Stop along the route, drive a van, etc.  You don’t want to be “that guy” who misses this event and does not understand the inside jokes for the next several months…no, you do not want to be that guy.  Come join the PAX, even for a short while.  If you can’t make it, Mr. Holland is hosting an event at 6:00 a.m. Saturday, April 14, for those with a guilty conscience…it’s called Dogpile.  Come out and help him through his first Dogpile Q!!

    NMS
    YHC arrived early to find Old Reliable / Big Blue in place.  This gave YHC a chance to catch up with Swirly on baseball, hockey, and other matters.  YHC and Swirly also discussed the re-emergence of Seal Team at Spider Run.  A new boot camp has started for them.  On the one hand, YHC continues to marvel at the financial success that comes from indoctrinating new fitness enthusiasts.  On the other hand, YHC continues to marvel at the financial success that comes from indoctrinating new fitness enthusiasts.  There is a dark part of YHC’s personality that wants to post large “Why are you paying for something that we do for free?” signs at each Seal Team workout.  Perhaps that is why YHC has not been invited to Seal Team.  C’est la vie…before we knew it, the parking lot starting filling and it was time for a free workout.

    Always good to start the Q with a special request…Ronnie has been easing back into F3, and he asked that the Q go easy on him.  Ever eager to please, YHC offered to let Swirly Q in order to accommodate this request.  Ronnie opted to keep YHC as the Q.

    Nice work on the Wild Pony Races this morning.  YHC can’t quite determine whether the PAX love this, hate this, or generally have a love-hate relationship with this.  Offshore was heard to say “rubbin’ is racing’” while carrying (Kubota????)…that’s the spirit.  And, glad to find YHC didn’t destroy Oyster’s back on this one.  Way to dig deep…210 pounds of Chatterbox on your back is no joke.

    Nice to have Paddy Mayo visiting again…good to partner with you on the Touch-a-Tree, and YHC will welcome you back anytime…YHC has also contracted to publish a horticultural study of the park for any future guests from NC.  Dang, brother, where DID YOU RUN TO in order to find 8 and 6 trees?  Brother did some CSAUP training in there somewhere.  Nice work!

    Lastly, great effort this morning, fellas. Always a pleasure to lead this group.