Author: Gomer Pyle

  • … and the horse you rode in on

    Six fully erect redwoods gathered on a rainy morning to put in the work rather than lounging on a beach and trying for a cameo on MTV spring break.

    Since we saw NO One out in Byrd park, only the birds singing their renditions of Barry White and preparing for spring can corroborate that this is what happened, more or less:

    6 Success Burpees. Short mosey to a nice size Success Puddle. 10x Success HRM IC; 10x Success APD in cadence. Now properly marinated, we moved on the the real event with a short mosey to the first circle for a COP, welcome, disclaimer, and f3 core principles.

    COP is all IC: 10x Side Straddle Hop, 10x Merican, 10x Don Quixote, 10x Helicopter, 10x small circle + 5x big circle, reverso, keep them arms up for a time, 5x overhead claps, 5x SEAL claps, 10x Merican, Plank, Elbow Plank, 10x Peter Parker, 10x Diamond Merican, 10x Wide Arm Merican, flip it over for 10x WW2 Situps, 10x Flutter Kicks, 10x Hello Dolly, 10x Rosalita, 10x Box Cutter, 10x Heels to Heaven, 10x Bohemian Rhapsody, 10x Freddie Mercury, 10x Alabama Prom Date, 10x Tuscaloosa Trailer Park Twister, 10x Merican. 25 minutes elapsed. Get Some. Mosey to the amphitheater waterfall feature.

    Descending dips, starting with 18 and decreasing each step. Mosey to the rusty cage.

    Partner up. 3 sets of 10x pullups. 3 sets of 8x jerkins. Jelly arms complete. Mosey to the stage – that large puddle sure looks inviting….

    Triple check, Touch a tree, spreading the love uniquely in sets of 9, 6, and 3. Voyeurs perform Monkey Humper and Squats. Handshake picks the furthest trees to warm up since it is still pouring.

    Mosey back to the waterfall feature (amphitheater), starting at the bottom, descending Incline Mericans (though thought strongly about everyone’s favorite Vee up but wanted to finish out the arms). Arms of Jelly again.

    Quick circle up: 10x Monkey Humper, 10x Gorilla Humper, Mosey BTTF.

    Upchuck took us out. Prayers for Upchucks nephew Chance who is leaving the Corps. Prayers to work on Integrity in ourselves and tactfully help others with the same. Cafeteria at Libbie Market.

    NMS – It was good to get back out and Q after some debilitating painful injury and heavy travel starting in December. Somehow the knee held up – PT working? Or stopping the statins?

    Appreciation to my hardcore brothers for making it out on such a terrible weather day for a little success building.

    Did you know MTV Spring Break has 28 seasons? YHC was shocked, shocked because MTV became difficult to watch when Kurt Loder left and the music videos stopped – and also, in Germany only Eurovision Song Contest was available, but you all knew that – still thinking that was a fair trade for great croissants and beer.

    Also, whilst writing this WNRN Grateful Dead and Phriends in the background played ALL of Phish’s WILLLLLLLSSSOOOONNNNNN, and YHC realized I was missing my good buddy in the rain… Next time.

    Todays weather represent the best conditions to melt the muffin revealing the character, strength, and resiliency of the man underneath. The best part is that warming feeling you get after a warm drink and a hot shower and knowing you pushed yourself successfully to another level – especially after making that decision at 5ish to push the covers off, kiss the M, and get after it in sporting weather. Makes YHC fully appreciate life, family, my brothers, and the leisure to enjoy it all. Grateful. Truly.

    These are only the building blocks for each of us. Our mission is to help each other and then get more men on a path to this same place.

    Get Some!

  • Coliseum Downrange – early 12 days of Christmas

    Mosey. COP.  SSH, DQ, Arm Circles, seal claps, markins, WW2. Mosey to thang

    The thang
    12 days of Christmas. Accumulating

    1. Sprint
    2. Burpees
    3. Pull up
    4. Big Boy crunch
    5. Merkin
    6. Iron mike
    7. hanging knee up
    8. LT Dan
    9. flutter kicks
    10. Lunge walk
    11. Jump squat
    12. Side straddle hop

    NMS – great to hang out with the boys in Boston. They keep coffee warm in a pot outside while we workout.  Thanks for the ride Alka Seltzer!

  • Heartbreak for the holidays – complete with lights

    Eight warriors emerged from the gloom to see what Gomer was cooking after over 2 weeks away.

    Thang: 5x burpee start. Bernie run through parking lot. 5x burpee so that Offshore could catch up. Mosey through Henrico Fires holiday light display. 5x burpee to wait for traffic. 5x burpee because why not. 5x again to discourage any further insurrection musing.

    Welcome, disclaimer, COP all IC: 10x SSH, 10x DQ, 10x IW, 15x arm circles + 15x reverso, 10x merkin, 20x shoulder taps, 10x SHAZZAM!, 10x WW2, 10x WW1, 10x LBC, 10x one leg out LBC + 10x reverso, 10x both legs at 6 inches, 10x American Hammer, 10x Hello Dolly, 10x Rosalita, 10x HTH, 10x FK, 10x APD, 10x Tuscaloosa Trailer Park Twister, 10x asphalt angels, 10x Freddy Mercury. 20 min elapsed. Gitty up!

    Quad check in groups of 4, merkins, flutters, jumpsquats, timer runs the short loop. Yes quad check means 4 times. Yes this ate up most of the time.

    Mosey to bus loop poles for a pole smoker

    Mosey BTTF, ring of fire.

    Atilla took us out. Prayers for healing and safe travels.

    NMS – Offshore exhibiting excellent form is a sight to see. Great to be back with the crew after a few weeks of solid travel and limited time for anything non work.
    Have a great TDay holiday!

    Gitty up!

  • Westbrocode

    5 Currahee stalwarts gathered for another Brocode run in reverse order on a warm day.


    Pigskin took us out.  Prayers for healing.

  • No intervals today

    Five super studs met on a warm fall morning to avoid Gypsys threat of interval training, and see what Gomer Pyle had in store.

    The route was the reverse brookmont, which caused some consternation as it’s never been named before.

    PAX quickly understood the route and we were on the go. Some rabbits forgot the name of some critical streets (which happens often among the twisty streets in the West End). We accomplished the route with minimal difficulty. Our fast runners actually found time to put on a lot of extra distance which set Lighthouse up for a very fast run on Saturday. Lighthouse is now one of our second 6 mile runners (during a work out).

    Pigskin took us out. Coffeeteria at Dunkin’.

  • Hawt Potat-Hoe

    12 Hoedown regulars and one FNG gathered in gloom. After some amateur stargazing and astrophysics lessons from Prof Pigskin,

    Bodo’s took the Q

    Mosey to COP. Stretching, Don Quixote x10, Helicopter x10, HRM x10, LBC x 10, Hello Dolly x10, one legged APD x 10, pickle pounder x10, SSH x20. Mosey to soccer field

    COP. Stretching, Don Quixote x10, Helicopter x10, Ukrainian Soldiers x10, Imperial Walkers x10, Hand Release ‘Merican x10, LBC x 10, Hello Dolly x10, one legged APD x 10, pickle pounder x10, SSH x20. Mosey to soccer field.

    Triple check #1, runner does 5 pullups and returns, dips, donkey kicks

    Triple check #2, Bear Crawl to soccer goal and Bernie back, swing pumps, WW2

    Gomer Q. Mosey to the parking lot, burpee every 20 meters or so.

    Round 1. Bear crawl & 5 ‘mericans on each arrow. Change over to crab Walk and WW2

    Round 2. Lunge with 5 squats on each arrow (too easy). Finish strong with 5 burpees for the last 3 stops.

    Mosey to BTTVF. Hello Dolly to completion.

    COT: Senor Frog took us out.

    Announcements: WestHoe 2nd F at Firehouse subs noon 10/10.

    NMS – Welcome to Iron Maiden fka Daniel. Ahh the naming during a hot potato, when no one wanted to be Q for the day. Originally we were working with Belshazzar, which is another name for Daniel and also the name of an Iron Maiden song with a reference to the writing on the wall dream from the Old Testament. Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego were also mentioned but that super great idea was met with groans, even though Shadrach is a Beastie Boys song. Daniels first concert with the USAF band was less than inspiring (for obvious reasons) and while his most memorable concert with the Foo Fighters and some promise with potential monikers Monkey Wrench, Everlong and My Hero but our musical depth was rather shallow today. Daniel likes Star Wars, and Chewbacca was offered, and we failed to come up with any good Star Trek names, even though Viger or Ferengi might have worked. Honey Roger seemed to have some interest from the PAX but is just dang strange – we are at our Rogers quota already.

    Iron Maiden it is.

    Get some!

  • That Rain almost didn’t count – 9th year anniversary

    While many were hoping it would rain harder, the truly hard rain held off while 20 of the core team represented for f3 RVA’s 9 Year anniversary convergence.

    5 Burpee start, Mosey around the school with a bonus 20 dips on the picnic benches

    COT, Welcome, disclaimer. All IC: 25 SSH, 10x Don Quixote, 10x Helicopter, 10x Merican, 10x diamond, 10x Wide Arm, 10x arm circles, 10x LBC, 15x Hello Dolly, 15x Rosalita, 20x Heels to Heaven, 15x Flutter Kick, 10x Asphalt Angels, 10x Australian, 10 x Alabama Prom Date. Mosey to football field.

    Bonus run across the nicest basketball courts in Richmond, 20x bonus dips.

    Hardway Beast / Build a Beast / Beast Ladder. Stop at 25, exercise, 50 exercise, 75 exercise, run to end line and return at 75, 50, and 25.:

    • Round 1 6x Hand Release Merican
    • Round 2 6x HRM, 6x WW2 Situp
    • Round 3 6x HRM, 6x WW2, 12x Squat
    • Round 4 6x HRM, 6x WW2, 12x Squat, 12x Mountain Climber
    • Round 5 6x HRM, 6x WW2, 12x Squat, 12x MC, 12x Flutter Kick
    • Round 6 6x HRM, 6x WW2, 12x Squat, 12x MC, 12x Flutter Kick, 6x Burpee

    One burpee for the Ranger in the sky.

    Train to standard not to time. Mosey BTTF Hitting original time hack of 60 min

    Fudd took us out. 2nd F at Relay Shoes Galactic Headquarters. Thanks to Hardywood, Honeydo, Meatball, Mister Rogers, Try Hard. Venmo Honeydo for bagels / coffee – its expensive these days.

    Announcements

    • Sit N Sip cancelled. Meet at Hardywood West Creek Oktoberfest – see slack for changes
    • Annual Gloomy awards – see slack for our esteemed winners.

    NMS – This group means so much to all of us. Lets give it away. Recruiting FNG is a major focus for year 10. And shovel flags.

    Get Some!

  • Better with the lights on

    8 Redwoods gathered in the gloom for a dark run in the park for the Brookmont run: .
    5 milers head out or the batcave, Left on Raintree, right on Falconbridge, around the park to the right, exit thru turtlecreek, right on Cox, left on Brookmont, right at crowncrest and left on pump. 4 milers go left on Cox, right on ridgefield, and back thru the batcave.

    EF Hutton took us out. Prayers for healing and reminder to reach out to check on your brothers.   Coffeeteria at Dunkin’

    9 year convergence Sat at Crucible  Sit N Sip cancelled

    NMS – what a great route – with a headlamp, tough to keep your speed up when you cannot see.  Pigskin regained us in what the world looked like in black and white. Handshake realized that everyone older than him is not a Boomer.

  • O O Susanna!

    10 Redwoods met to run the mean streets of the West End on a beautiful cool morning.  The route was one of our best:  5 milers Pump, Church, across Gayton ES, to Poplar Forest and return on Ridgefield.  4 mi, peel off at Copperas.

    YHC took us out.  Prayers for Gypsy’s 2.0, those that litter the earth, those that need a helping hand.

    2nd F Coffeeteria at Dunkin.

    Announcements:

    • Workout for Liv 6/16 7a @ Alamo
    • 5k in Westham, 6/16 8:30, see slack
    • Convergence at Crucible 7:30 6/23 – come celebrate the 9th anniversary of F3 RVA!
    • Sit N Sip 6/23 2p in Amelia. DM Gomer on slack for details.

    NMS – Interesting how times have changed.  Eons ago boys would be boys (and that was not great for anyone, really).  in our lifetimes we kicked people out of their jobs for being over friendly (and worse, justifiably).  Soon it will be strange for candidates to have missed out on getting their youthful pics and acts on paid sites for Fans.  All for a good cause -or- senseless/demeaning – depending on who your friends are.

    Get some!

  • PreBlast: 9th Anniversary Convergence – Crucible @730

    PreBlast: 9th Anniversary Convergence – Crucible @730

    Lets celebrate F3RVA’s ninth anniversary F3 style with a bootcamp followed by 2nd F!

    We are starting at 730 so the men from the healing place can join us.

    Location is at the Crucible AO aka Blackwell Elementary in Old Manchester: https://goo.gl/maps/19A1pu5S9uC3eHSA9

    2nd F to follow in the parking lot.

    Get Some!