ONE pax looked left, right, and left again before crossing over the walking path to do a few minutes of Broga, solo-style. Temperatures remained a constant 70 and sunny. According to two bucks (6 point and 10 point, YHC guesses who watched YHC on the prior run), the following might have happened.
Stretch. Stretch right. Stretch left. Chest stretch. Back Stretch. Leg Stretch. Other Leg Stretch. And, so forth. No shivasavan today. YHC didn’t want anyone calling 911 when they saw a sweaty, slightly overweight guy laying down in the parking lot, alone.
YHC notes: If the PAX desire to increase their feelings of self-importance, do Broga in a mostly-deserted parking lot during daylight while others walk by. Bystanders will watch you.
Number, name, and YHC took himself out.
NMS: 6:30, and still…zero PAX. That’s a second AO left unguarded / unattended in one day. With a new Q. Who is a first-time PAX at the AO. And, with that, the right to Q anytime YHC shows up going forward has been invoked in perpetuity.
As YHC mentioned in the Morning Wood BB, YHC thinks maybe 2016/17 or super early ‘18 was the last time we left a PAX to Q a new-to-them AO alone. Heaven’s Gate!
ONE Pax lined up at the start of a steamy morning, Rockwood Park-style, for the latest edition of The Clinic Morning Wood. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the walkers sauntering counter-clockwise around the loop, the following might have happened.
Arrive 5:45, having scouted the AO on Friday. Proceed to the new meeting spot. Plant the flag.
5:50. Stretch.
5:55. Listen to the crickets. Stretch.
5:59. Really? Not one guy? No worries. The Clinic takeover has begun.
6:00. Run the loop. Start with the Solid White Dash loop (or, YHC thinks that’s the one).
Route: Head from the parking spot along the gravel driveway-ish thing to the second entrance gate. Stay on the asphalt path, dodging minor fallen branches. Eventually, arrive at the Nature Center. Continue on various permutations of the asphalt paths and / or the park look until 6:25.
6:26…arrive at the shovel flag.
Number, name, and YHC took himself out…
NMS: It’s the Homegrown Half day, but still…zero PAX? That’s an AO left unguarded. With a new Q. Who is a first-time PAX at the AO. And, with that, the right to Q anytime YHC shows up going forward has been invoked in perpetuity. This does not happen often (probably, it should never happen). But, given how often YHC hits Morning Wood (1st time), it’s a good little spot. That said, YHC thinks maybe 2016/17 or super early ‘18 was the last time we left a PAX to Q a new-to-them AO alone. YHC will look for the old BB. Heaven’s Gate or Green Acres in DaVille, if memory serves.
Two Pax, one runner and one very, very LIFO, joined up for the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to Nathan, a random guy in front of the hotel who clip boarded for the Pax, the following might have happened.
YHC ran the normal route. 4.5 or so, including stopping for Fudd.
Upon returning to the VSF, YHC chatted with Omar, YHC’s pal who is the handyman at the hotel. When YHC started doing Fudd’s wife, Omar said, “Oh, you are doing push-ups. Let’s do some.” Omar suggested a contest. YHC conceded that this was not necessary. YHC invites any PAX member who can win this contest to join – you drink free for the evening. We agreed to start with sets of 20, with YHC doing HRMs. But, form counts. You know it when you see it. YHC took about 30 seconds to do 20 HRMs. Same as any other set of 20. Omar took about 2 minutes. He did Swirly merkins, holding at the bottom on each one for 5 seconds or so. YHC is playing checkers; Omar plays chess.
Numbers, names, and Omar took us out. He’ll get a name at some point. Renaissance and a few others are options.
Seven strode onto the hard courts of south Richmond for the latest presentation of Batteau, Pickleball Edition. Conditions court side remained 70 and sunny. According to the neighbors calling 911 with reports of noise violations, the following might have happened.
Quick disclaimer. But, not THAT disclaimer. The other disclaimer – the one about “watch out for the ball catcher obstructions between courts.
Mosey around the courts while waiting for the sun to arrive.
Lap 1: jog around courts. Mutually assist in avoiding obstructions.
Lap 2: parking space tracers, sideways slides, Bernie Sanders, etc. YHC completely forgets Disclaimer and destroys one of the barriers. Cue the laugh track and lessons from the chapter of Freed to Lead on Clysdale’s Physics.
Circle up. Quick Disclaimer, so quick the Pax might have missed it.
COP:
1,000,000 SSHs Dead Man Hang Fudd’s Wife Right leg high, left leg high, various legs and arms high. Wilson’s Wife Pigeon right / left
Sufficient light present for white balls. Let’s go!
Round 1:
Court 1: NTB / Orange Crush vs. Whitesnake / YHC
Court 2: Sable, Tryhard, Hitchhiker round robin.
Round 2:
Court 1: Sable / Tryhard vs. Whitesnake / NTB (YHC thinks these were the pairings)
Court 2: Hitchhiker / Orange Crush vs. YHC
Time called at 06:15, at the end of the Hitch/OC vs. YHC match, or exactly when Tryhard dropped the hammer of a slam on Whitesnake & Co. Tryhard might have been in The Kitchen, but VAR did not overrule the point.
Numbers, names, and NTB took us out.
Announcements:
ONGOING – Summer Tour
7/29-8/4 – Westhoe Takeover
8/3 – Homegrown Half. Big debate on whether to meet at Betty Weaver or Robious Landing. Local guy says Betty Weaver. Rain location: Robious Landing. 06:00, or get there by 5:55 a.m. if you aren’t sure of the location.
8/4 – 6-8am Holy Water Bootcamp. Swim with your pals. Open to all men, always free.
8/6 – Ultimate Frisbee Tournament at NoToll. Sign up. Really. No Wildcatting. Ahem, Wildcat the guy is welcome. But, pre-registration is required.
8/11 – F3 Family Float on the James. Somewhere between the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.
8/17 – Pickleball Tourney. Forest Hill Park. Find a partner. Sign up in advance. Or, contact Oyster and make him do the work for you.
8/18 – 6-8am Holy Water Bootcamp.
8/21 – 100th Bday Q by Upchuck. First Watch. 05:00.
8/28 – New AO at Mosely Elementary.
More cool stuff throughout the fall…
NMS: Notable moments included NTB checking the strings on his paddle, the aforementioned Tryhard slam, and multiple Orange Crush shots between the legs (for real). He’s got skills.
9 guests, one worker, and one guest join in Personhood to celebrate the latest edition of Breaking Bread. Conditions were 70 and sunny. According to the sweet older lady who YHC has seen several times over the years, the following might have been served.
Baked ham, King’s Hawaiian rolls, Dad’s Mashed Potatoes (🥔 Upchuck’s version), and green beans (UpChuck’s version).
Many thank you’s were expressed for F3, whether lasagna or this evening’s dinner. Those folks love them some F3 (as does Sharon, the new Barbara).
No numbers, no names, but a gentleman, out of nowhere, said a wonderful blessing.
If you haven’t done Breaking Bread, grab a pal, whip up a menu, scratch together a couple of dishes, and insist on being part of serving the dinner (do not let Sharon tell you to just go home). Chat with the residents, learn a bit, and push yourself (don’t hurt yourself) in a non-workout context. It’s a reward to learn how much we are given in life.
YHC thanks his M., Carrie, for her help (though YHC candidly claims credit for the green beans, potatoes, and rolls).
Ten speed demons lined up for the shotgun start of the latest edition of Sunday Funday. Conditions remained constant at 70 and sunny. According to the startled, headphone wearing solo female runner, the following might happened:
Boulevard Bridge / Nickel Bridge / 50 Cent Bridge / Fiddy Cent Bridge to Buttermilk Trail, eastbound. Some took the “lariat” before most turned at Reedy Creek. Forest Hill loop, some went clockwise, some counter-clockwise (and do not expect YHC to know which way is clockwise). It’s Sunday; no thinking is recommended or required.
Some then headed BTTVSF for 7 miles.
Some headed to the T. Pottersfield Bridge and BTTVSF for 10.
Numbers, names, and YHC took us out.
NMS: Solid crew today for the First Inaugural, 7th or 8th Annual Tuckahoe / Westhoe Takeover. Hard to know how many of these we have done. Today was workout #1. More to follow this week.
Great to see Sippy Cup burning around Forest Hill. Whoosh. YHC estimates the Sippy/UpChuck closing speed to be in excess of 40MPH. Considering that YHC did 7 miles in 90 minutes, you do the math for Sippy’s speed. Also nice to have Phonics and his daughter, Better Half, out for the morning. They too lit the trails on fire.
Johnsonville and Chum Bucket, both of whom YHC believes to have almost 10 years with F3RVA, are prepping for another Richmond Marathon. Bib numbers, as always, are predicted to be in the low-mid teens for both of them. Let’s see if they can break the Top 10 this year.
The fabulous four-some of Hitch, Bootleg, Shakedown, and YHC filled out the field. At one point, Hitch was no longer present with us, and while Helix offered to search for him, YHC asked a passing runner whether she had seen him. Memo to self – random questions asked of single females can elicit startled responses. But, we knew that. Next time, YHC will have to put his shirt back on before asking.
Announcements: Solid work yesterday all around by the PAX. YHC had 5 true men join him for The Bridge, and Oyster led us with Breaking Bread last evening. Solid weekend of 3rd F gentlemen. Well darn done.
Tuckahoe / Westhoe Takeover this week.
Homegrown Half of 10 or 20 or 26.2 this coming Saturday. Starting point is either Betty Weaver or Robious Landing. YHC isn’t sure. So, the options are the either YHC does your homework for you, or you look it up. Finally, let’s be real – the two locations are so close, if you can’t find it, you weren’t that committed. Get out there and support these guys, their Ms, neighbors, and 2.0s. LG!
Eleven men turned the Struggle into Success at the latest edition of The Bridge. Conditions remained 70 and sunny. According to the abundant wildlife at Horsepen Lake State Park, the following might have happened:
Introductions among men. Shaking of hands. Providing of names. Verbal indications of Brotherhood. Setting the state for the Beat Down to follow.
Mosey around The Bridge Ministry campus before circling up at the basketball court. Disjointed disclaimer and other substandard recitations of purpose. IYAKYAK.
COP:
50 SSHs, 4 count Dead Man Hang Downward dog (it’s The Bridge, open only to men, so Ms and their exercises did not attend today) But, just between us, the Pax did Fudd’s wife. Then, the Pax did Wilson’s wife. (YHC just reports the news. Don’t shoot the messenger). Hand release merkins – 15x WWIIs – x10 LBCs – x20 Rosalitas – x20 Hillbillies – with flair, x10 Imperial Walkers – x10
By popular acclaimation, the PAX called for, and received, F3’s finest exercise, Touch-a-Tree (or Pole). Rounds of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. PAX were encouraged to plan strategically. Bro-code. Always wait for the Six.
Exercises were merkins, monkey humpers, something else, something else, and burpees.
Mosey to the back road for a Beast. Telephone poles mark the 25%, 50%, and 75% distances with the turn around at the line in the asphalt. Again, always return for The Six.
Exercises were merkins, SSHs, squats, (break for some stretching), squats, something else, and “Colorado” Dry Docks (know your audience). Red Rocks crushed it.
House Party picked up a slight tweak of his knee which limited his running. Self-imposed burpees for the duration. Stud. (If burpees are the alternative exercise, YHC hopes to never, ever have even a minor injury).
Mosey back to the shovel flag (thank you, Hardywood!) for 60 seconds of snow angels.
Numbers, names, and, despite his allergies, Hardywood took us out.
Announcements: Tank has 5 1/2 months to go in the program. He’s trying to change his life and his relationship with his son.
NMS: First, thank you to Mr. Davis and The Bridge Ministry for hosting us today. Coffee hit the spot, as always.
Second, the actual speed bumps at The Bridge are no joke.
Third, YHC continues to be massively impressed by the men of F3RVA and F3 Amelia and their willingness to give of their time and efforts. Thank you, gentlemen, for making today special. The enthusiasm from The Bridge pax is contagious. The students at The Bridge love the chance to spend time with men who believe in them and their efforts. And, YHC suspects that we each learned from them as well.
Fourth, Clown Cars are the only way to travel. Great fun with your mates, regardless of where they live or what nanoregion label is applied. Today, we had 5 guys from all over (Lakeshead, West End, Westham, RounTrey, City Proper) in a van for an hour each way…good times, fellas. YHC got a chance to catch up with good pals and make some new ones. That’s the F3 way. We are stronger together. Let’s put more Brotherhood (and less nonsensical division) on the menu. LG!
Coming up…F3RVAs efforts with The Bridge continue to rise. 6 guys turned out today, and we already have 3 guys who have picked up the torch for August 24. Thank you in advance to State Farm, Yeehaw, and Swoop for their efforts. Way to go!
F3RVA has more in store for The Bridge. Additional information coming soon, so continue to look for more opportunities to join throughout the fall.
5 appeared at the COP for the latest version of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the four Miami Dolphins wanna-be’s waiting for their ride to training camp, the following might have happened.
Usual route. North, parking lots, across Peters, parking lots, Fudd, parking lot, La Quinta (no police), north to Broward, and return by the same route, minus the Fudd.
Number, name, and YHC took himself out.
NMS: Turns out, the other four dudes who posted were not FNGs. Go figure. They were waiting for their ride to Training Camp. YHC guesstimates 2 cornerbacks/WRs, one linebacker, and definitely one OL (a truly massive human). Two were taller, but none were stronger, than Omar.
Announcements:
F3RVA has The Bridge this Saturday. 2 HCs, so far, and 3 more guys are HCs for next month. We have a simmering-commit for September. Let’s go!
Homegrown Half is coming up quickly. Note: the branding is weird on this one because the PAX can run (or walk) 5k, 10k, or 13.1 miles. Is the “half” because 5 is half of 10, or is “half” referring to the 13.1 being half a marathon, or is the whole thing a big play on words? YHC thinks the whole thing is suggesting that the 5k is half as hard as an UpChuck takeover Q. Or, maybe the takeover Q is half as hard as the half marathon? YHC digresses – Show up at 6:00 a.m. on August 3rd at Robious Landing. Bring your Ms and 2.0s (1.0 is half of 2.0?), and ask the organizers.
August 21: 05:00 First Watch at River Road Church, Baptist (really, that’s the name). 100th anniversary Q. Come celebrate YHC’s dad turning 100. Coffeeteria to follow.
F3RVA 10th Anniversary Extravapalooza is September 20/21. If your Fall Equinox plans are not yet set, here’s a great way to celebrate the most balanced day of the year.
There’s other stuff going on…Tryhard has a whole calendar of events in his BBs. Look there for more information.
Four started, but six finished, the latest edition of F3 RVA’s oldest continuously operating Sunday workout. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the super outgoing young lady who runs her dog each Sunday and rarely says hello, the following might have happened (but we have no way to know what she really thinks).
07:00 Shakedown says it’s 7.
07:00:10 UpChuck starts running. Follow if you wish.
Bridge, Buttermilk, Belle Isle, Undulating Bridge (don’t step in the condom pile!), North Bank, and BTTVSF. 6 plus, or as Big Rig might say, it’s just the warm up to his warm up. Along the way, the PAX picked up and dropped off Chippendale and later Sippy Cup.
Alternative route: Sippy, the PAX believes, ran up a hill, up a hill, up a hill, and then up a hill. How he never goes down a hill is another matter. He’s an unassuming scientist, so perhaps gravity is optional.
Prayer by Shakedown, then an interruption, then another part of the prayer, then numbers, then a prayer, then names, and eventually Shakedown took us out. Well done.
NMS:
Sunday Funday is full of unexpected learning. Suggestion from Helix: Read “Slow Productivity” by Cal Newport. Alternatively, continue to believe you operate effectively and efficiently. I mean, if you are already perfect, by all means, ignore the advice of others and don’t change.
Announcements:
Saturday, July 27, The Bridge.
Launch from RVA around 6 or 6:15. Clown Car to Buckingham. 7:30-8:15 Beat Down with a few men trying to improve themselves and turn around their lives. Coffeeteria to follow (Note: it’s truly terrible coffee, yet we smile and say, “Thank you.”) Home by 10 / 10:30.
For those who benefit from a Christian religious motivation, you’ll look to Matthew 25, 36. “For I was in prison, and you came to visit me.”
And, for the less religiously motivated, there’s always the motivation of knowing that your M will love a man who is kind and confident. What better way to show your kindness and confidence than helping another man get his life in order? Or, if you are single, start pulling together your response to that cute girl you meet who asks, “What did you do this weekend?”
Lastly, for those newer to the group, remember that F3RVA has a close link to prison – we have multiple Brothers who are serving or have served time. Two Can (187 posts!) is serving 12-80 years in prison. Or, had you not heard? #knowyourF3RVA
We have a handful of guys arranging their schedules to join already. DM YHC. LG!
One intrepid traveler ordered and consumed a bowl of delicious south of the James, the Pee Dee, the New, the Saint John’s, the Kissimmee, and so on aerial soup in the latest edition of The Clinic. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to night watchman at The Baptist Clinic, the following route might have happened:
North through parking lots and across Peters, east through parking lots, north to construction site, mall, and Broward. Unlike the fearful Three Wise Men, return home by the same route (with absolutely no negative consequences). 5 miles.
Number, name, and YHC took himself out.
NMS: No one out today, not even the dog walkers. Perhaps the pre-5:00 a.m. start time, but more likely the heavy soup. YHC estimates upper 70s/low 80s at game time, humidity off the charts. Delicious.
7 weeks to BRR. LG!
Omar says hello, and he reports all safe during Hurricane Beryl.
