Author: Wojo

  • LABOR DAY 2026 COVERGENCE: BACK TO BATTEAU

    44 HIMs from near and far converged on one of RVA’s OG AOs for this year’s Labor Day Gathering. With many PAX jumping into the gloom of an unfamiliar AO, YHC brought in some experts of the craft to show everyone what this corner of the city has to offer.

    YHC arrived at 0615 only to shortly find Pigskin and House Party looking for a way in around the locked gates. Despite YHC’s best efforts to secure the AO ahead of time (a call was placed last week to confirm), RVA Parks & Rec’s finest slept in. Fortunately, our “hero” showed up at 0645 to allow the PAX park within spittin’ distance of the shelter.

    Top of the hour hit and the PAX forged over to Stone House Field.

    COT
    Welcome to Batteau, disclaimer, warm up with ascending burpee intervals:

    • SSHs (1 burpee)
    • DQs (2 burpees)
    • Imperial Walkers (3 burpees)
    • LBCs (4 burpees)

    Some broga, then split into 4 groups for stations (written in the order PAX rotated through with YHC):

    Wojo led — Mosey to Stone House Circle for a classic, completely plain Dora:

    • 100 Merkins
    • 200 LBCs
    • 300 Monkey Humpers
    • Pace car bear crawls (or walking lunges) to the stone beacon, mosey back NASCAR-style

    Mosey to the pickleball courts.

    Faceplant led — Popsicle Stick Scramble: one minute to explain the rules, then PAX paired up (encouraged to partner with someone new or from a different home AO) for nine one-minute rounds. One partner worked the called exercise while the other ran out, dropped a burpee, grabbed a stick, and returned — then switched. After three minutes, stealing opened up: 6 burpees bought you a stick off another team. Most sticks won — top team walked away with 11!

    Mosey to the endless steps

    Machismo led (will update later) — YHC only knows the whereabouts of Machismo’s station as “the stairs gauntlet and the gazebo.” Descriptions of “AWOL” have been thrown around.

    Mosey to the playground/roaming Mudslide station

    Mudslide led — working both the hills and the courts:

    1. Triple check: hand-released merkins, jump squats, run uphill
    2. Flutter kicks, Freddie Mercuries, run up and back
    3. 10 Lieutenant Dans, 25 tricep dips, 50 mountain climbers, 100 SSHs

    A final plank hold closed it out — ran out of time before a planned 4 corners on the tennis courts.

    BTTF with Faceplant leading the six: reverse crunches, flutters, and a dead man hang until time.

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Prayers lifted for Speakeasy on his battle, Hitchhiker on the loss of his father, and Pin Prick, and others unnamed. Lift them up as they lean into understanding.

    Announcements

    • 9/11 Ruck at the Alamo, 8pm — see Slack or Crabgrass for details
    • IronPAX Challenge this Month at Timberwolf….. on Wednesdays!
    • 2nd Tuesday, 2nd F: Lunch tomorrow (9/8) at Joey’s Hotdogs in Innsbrook — High Noon

    A note on convergences

    Getting 44 HIMs to circle the wagons, PAX driving in from other AOs, everybody showing up ready to suffer together on a holiday morning. That doesn’t happen by accident. Thank you to fellow Qs Faceplant, Mudslide, and Machismo for bringing the thunder, to those who brought beverages and snacks, and to every HIM who rolled out of bed for this one instead of fartsacking. This is why we convergence. Hope y’all enjoyed this taste of one of the OG F3RVA AOs.

    And a special shoutout to YHC’s M, who this morning put YHC on a timer…. forcing YHC to be F3’s version of a first out Q. YHC showed up swimming pool soaked at re+forme in the Fan to scoop up the 2.0…. no coffee welcome and several odd looks from the tomatoes in her Pilates class. Guess Somebody had to circle the wagons while they found their centers.

    Thank for letting me lead, y’all. SYITG.

  • PREBLAST: LABOR DAY 2026 CONVERGENCE

    When: Monday, 9/7 — 0700
    Where: Batteau —- Forest Hill Park, Richmond, VA
    Parking: Park in the parking lot before you get to the shelter off the New Kent Ave & 42nd St entrance. Get there a few minutes early.
    QIC: Wojo, Faceplant, Rosie, Mudslide
    The PAX: F3RVA and beyond — all AOs welcome

    PAX of F3RVA — come on out to Forest Hill Park at 0700 on Labor Day for our annual Labor Day Convergence. We’ll be bringing together men from across the region for a hard workout, good fellowship, and a strong start to the holiday.

    This one’s going to need a few hands on deck:

    Qs Booked!

    Park Opens at 6am for any Broga Partakers

    2nd F: After the workout we’ll be sticking around for coffee/breakfast. Looking for:

    • Volunteers to bring beverages (coffee, water, etc.)
    • Anyone willing to cook or bring snacks/breakfast for the group

    Reach out to me directly if you can help with any of the above.

    A little history while we’re at it: it’s been over a decade since F3RVA got its start at Gridiron back in 2014. If you’ve never been out to check out one of the OG AOs that built this region, this is a good excuse — consider making a visit on Labor Day. Worth remembering where this thing started as we keep growing.

    Bring it, Bring FNGs (always welcome), and let’s close out the summer right.

    “The only easy day was yesterday.”

    Get some.
    Wojo

  • Street with Minimal Mailboxes

    Perfect numbers for a triple check + 1 descended on the West End’s earliest AO for this week’s edition of First Watch. YHC was nearly late for his own Q and didn’t waste time once Splinter completed the 7. Quick mosey fake out towards the church and headed south down Ridge.

    Circle up for COP at the triangle for an additional 5-6 minutes of Broga + Arm Circles, mosey to the corner of Cameron and Culpepper for a triple check

    pace Car Bernies up the hill

    exercises included Hand release Merkins and monkey humpers

    recovery walk back up to Ridge and mosey south to the corner of Ridge and Country Squire for a bonus COP

    Imperial Walkers, LBCs. APDs, inverted scorpion kicks

    Traveling Brocode Lindsay

    LBCs and Plank Jacks

    YHC unknowingly picked the street in Henrico with the least amount of Mailboxes….. YHC clearly doesn’t qualify for that area’s tax bracket

    Lindsay Loop was completed back at Henrico’s most fertile, lush and exclusive parklet.

    Bonus Triple Check

    pace car moseys to to the corner of Westham/River and back

    reverse crunches and jump squats completed the triple

    steady, easy mosey back to the Flag

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Annoucements: Summer Tour in the later stages of the Summer, see slack for locations

    Labor Day Convergence Planning underway, Pre Blast arriving soon.

    Please keep Speakeasy and his family in your prayers.

    Always nice to traverse the ‘hood around First Watch. Strong mumble chatter including objects you pick up in Henrico’s most exclusive parklet, college move ins (and Pains), and the glorious fall/football weather. Thanks for letting YHC lead.

    SYITG

  • Excused Absences

    A Fünfer of Westhoe’s finest fought off the fartsack to explore the neighborhood around F3RVA’s earliest AO. With YHC presiding, mumble chatter started even before “go-time.” The PAX learned our resident yogi had a better offer than leading shavasana this morning. As the clock rounded the hour, YHC led the PAX down Ridge for a moving COT.

    Stops along the way:

    • First stop: more broga, LBCs
    • Second stop: imperial walkers, Ukrainian soldiers, etc.
    • Stop at the bottom of the hill for a rotating Fünfer:
      • 3 rounds of rotating exercises
      • Pace car runs to and from the “No Parking” signs
      • Hand-release merkins, monkey humpers, Carolina dry docks, and reverse crunches
    • Catch Me If You Can… back up the hill:
      • 10 hand-release merkin buy-in
      • Rotating bear crawls, walking Lt. Dan’s, broad jumps (no burpees)
    • Mosey to Overlook Rd.
    • Brocode Lindsay back to the Ridge Rd. triangle:
      • Monkey humpers and WWIIs
    • Quick 4 Corners in the parking lot:
      • 10 HR merkins
      • 20 Suzanne Somers (10 each leg)
      • 30 single-count SSHs
      • 40 MHs at the flag

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Heavier humidity this morning than expected. Way to push. Strong mumble chatter and oversharing, as always.

    Please keep Handshake and Charlotte’s family in your prayers as they live with loss. We pray for mercy in that family’s grief and peace as they lean into the understanding. Please also lift up Speakeasy and his family for his ongoing battle.

    Homegrown Half this Saturday

    Thanks for letting me lead…. SYITG

  • Ronnie and The Jumbo Athletes

    4 Clydesdales (3 current, 1 aspiring) fought off the fartsack for this week’s rendition of The First Watch Lounge. 3-4 minutes before kickoff it looked like a repeato of last week’s FW Clydesdale crew until Ronnie emerged. Ronnie seemed eager to learn the ways of F3’s husky division, where great momentum and force are achieved without ground speed record pace. As the clock hit the top of the hour, this quad set off toward the Church parking lot.

    2-burpee buy-in at the speed bumps and circle up

    Warm-up consisting of dead man hangs, some broga, imperial walkers, Ukrainian soldiers, 30 seconds of jazzercise

    The Thang
    Classic 4 Corners around the church parking lot
    20 hand release merkins
    50 LBCs
    50 Monkey Humpers
    100 single count SSH
    Walking lunge in between the corners
    Active recovery to the church steps

    Quad Check
    Pace car traverses the lot and back
    Exercises of WWIIs, People’s Chair, and bench dips

    Repeato and reverso of the Classic 4 Corners
    100 SSHs
    50 Monkey Humpers
    50 LBCs
    20 hand release merkins
    Choose your own adventure between corners: some lunged, some karaoke’d, some bernie’d


    Active recovery back to the flag; buy-out of 2 burpees and a loop around the lot
    1 minute of choose-your-own Mary adventure

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Lunch next Tuesday in the West End + Homegrown Half upcoming. See Slack for details.

    Strong mumble chatter for a lounge-influenced ground and pound. Topics included the usual overshare, beach house drama, the definition of a “Jumbo Athlete,” and Ronnie’s car color preferences. The PAX did eclipse the mile threshold with the loop around the overflow lot, which could make today’s bootcamp ineligible for Lounge status. Happy to debate and thankful to lead.

    SYITG
    Wojo out

  • Casual Stroll on the Grounds

    5 Redwoods from various corners of the Near West End converged at RVA’s most exclusive AO for this week’s rendition of SCCC.

    According to the fella doing wind sprints, and the other runner form training, here’s how it went down

    OBT did a solo 2 lap buy-in while Gumbo and YHC stretched out this past Saturday’s Murph.

    Once Offshore and 1-800 emerged it was go time

    The Thang

    Warm Up lap ’round the pristine 400 meter track

    Tabata Sets of:

    KBs ’round the worlds (and reverso).. run a lap

    KB Swings and Lt. Dans…. run a lap

    Lawnmowers … each arm…. run a lap

    American KB swings and LBCs…. run a lap

    OBT nearly intercepted the Q around 6:02am…. pushing for Mary. He was ready for Libbie Market Breakfast.

    monkey humpers and flutters…. run a lap

    4 minutes of Mary ….. closing lap

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Summer Tour Stops this Week: Heartbreak Ridge (Tuesday), Free Space (Wednesday), DaPile (Saturday)

    See slack for other announcements.

    Prayers to PAX members going through work, family and health challenges.

    Please lift up Van Winkle’s (F3 Charlotte) family and community following the tragic death of his daughter (hit by car while running).

    Every day is a gift, Gentlemen. SYITG

  • Mind. Body. Accountability. Spirit.

    11 Redwoods descended upon RVA’s most versatile AO for to celebrate YHC most recent trek around the sun. As Upchuck rucked away at the top of the hour the balance followed YHC for a themed birthday workout.

    COP

    Mosey to and circle up in front of the Carillon

    misc. warm up exercises with compounding burpees in between

    1 – 2 -3 -4 -5, running total 15

    quick and easy mosey down and back across the Carillon field to warm up the engineers

    6 burpees, running total 21

    misc stretching and some broga… mosey to the cage

    Mind: YHC hasn’t been able to do a proper pull up since his ‘ball playing days. That changes in this next year’s cycle.

    5 sets of your best pull up variation for each PAX member. pull ups, dead arm hangs, jerkins, assisted pull ups, declines all apply

    Body: As the PAX mosey to the Amphitheater, Hitch asked what YHC’s goals were for this next trip around the sun, a simple goal that YHC had for a while…. have YHC weight start with a “23” so to drop another 35-40 lbs. that progress will be made and achieved in gloom, gym, trails and most importantly, in the kitchen.

    partner up for a triple check

    burpee buy each round =>then pace car runs the perimeter of the amphitheater (5-5-6, running total 37)

    other exercises were people’s chair and any ab variation of your choosing… more ab exercises for the six

    Accountability: 37 will be the year YHC keeps his personal, professional and communal finances, commitments and engagements in check. Sometimes it’s as simple as counting correctly.

    50 incline merkins and 50 jump squats before getting out of the amphitheaters. break up as you choose, but get em’ done. algore for the six. mosey back to the field

    Spirit: A continuous commitment to keep the spirit alive, to continuously push to improve and to “leave it all on the field…” something fell out of habit too often in the last several years

    2 – 25% gassers across the field… continuously building up

    2 – 50% gassers across the field….building up more

    light mosey back across the field….

    All out gasser back to the Carillon… leave it all on the field

    3 minutes of mary BTTF

    merkin ring of fire to close things out.

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out

    Please lift up those continuously in our prayers.

    The Bridge needs a new local leader and Breaking Bread needs May covered

    The last few months of Thirty-six taught YHC that the body keeps the receipts. For me it was the drink not taken, The rep not skipped, The hard conversation not dodged. All of it gets logged somewhere in the marrow, and when YHC showed up yesterday to lead, surrounded by men who push him, those receipts cashed in.

    The mind quits first. Before the legs, before the lungs, before the hands. So you train it like a muscle — reps, discomfort, showing up on the days you’d rather not. Fatherhood has taught YHC that. The ruck and the bar keep reminding him.

    The body is the temple. Accountability is the foundation underneath it. You can pray in a temple with cracked walls, but it won’t hold a storm. Accountability is the daily concrete — to the M, to the 2.0s, to the PAX, to the future version of yourself who’s already counting on you. It’s saying you’ll be there and being there. It’s writing the check your mouth wrote.

    The spirit is what’s left when the noise quiets down. It’s why we drag ourselves out of warm beds before the sun with people we love. It’s the part of you that knows the difference between being alive and actually living.

    Thirty-six was the proof of concept. Thirty-seven is the scale-up.

    To the PAX who posted yesterday — thank you. If you’re reading this somewhere in your own fight, rebuilding the body or rebuilding the family — YHC sees you.

    Keep posting. Onward. Wojo out.

  • Active Recovery

    8 Redwoods from far and wide descended on a truly 70 and sunny April Saturday at DogPile. As the clock hit go-time YHC and an initial PAX of 7 mosey’d down Love Hill for a moonlight guided COP.

    Circle up for Imperial Walkers, Ukrainian Soldiers, Dead Man Hangs, mini Broga, a few merkins, LBCs and APDs

    The Thang

    Partner-ish up for a Catch Me If You Can toward the Pump House

    • walking Lt. Dans, bear crawl and broad jumps
    • hand release merkin buy ins then chase
    • briefly wave at the Pipe Loop
    • joined by Hitchhiker at some point along the way

    Using the traffic lights, Moving Lindsay up the hill towards James Falls Circle — monkey humpers and LBCs

    recovery mosey to Rugby Rd

    Partner up for Personal Doras up Pump House Drive

    • rotating 1 Merkin, 2 squats and 3 plank jacks (repeato)

    mosey to the amphitheater

    Triple Check of 4

    • pace car runs the perimeter of the Dogwood Dell (not the exterior)
    • box squats and step ups to round things out
    • 5 incline merkin per step buy out to get out of the gnats/bugs and the Amphitheater

    BTTF for some Broga and a merkin ring of fire.

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Please lift up Handshake’s M’s niece and her family.

    The Bridge needs a new F3RVA local lead. See Slack for details.

    Way to work today fellas on a swampy and buggy morning. Reports are the loop around Dogpile clocked the PAX in around 2.4–2.6 miles pending the watch of preference. Impressive that Hitch found the PAX by the pumphouse…. is there a feature in his app that tracks the Q?

    Active Recovery was the name of the game between stops in the Thang…. and a it should definitely get consideration for a future FNG.

    Happy Easter!

    Wojo out.

  • Teaching at St Chris

    A super trio fought off the fart sack for a hot potato at the West End’s most exclusive AO. YHC made his debut at this AO and was lucky to bump into a couple of experts of the St Chris grounds/track. With Upchuck and Hitch fresh off a warm up lap or two, the clock struck “5:30″go time” and Upchuck took the Opener Q

    tabata warm up of SSHs, select stretching/broga

    mosey for a lap

    rounds of skull crushers and squats

    mosey for lap II

    rounds of boats to canoe

    mosey for lap III

    Hitch Q

    rounds of curls and lawnmower rows

    mosey for lap IV

    rounds of curlsls and skullcrushers

    mosey for lap V

    Wojo Q

    rounds of squats and box cutters

    mosey for laps VI and VII

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Please be with Tin Man on his recovery and others named and not named. The Bridge needs a new local leader, see Upchuck for details.

    Good work this morning. Mumble chatter ranged from Hitch’s app, consulting firms, the organization known as T.E.A.C.H. (or cheat), to a thorough history of Duke Basketball’s successes over the last 3 decades and their incredible failure in the last 24 hours. Nothing says Generational Talent like a program full of it going a generation without a Final Four win. That’s how it’s done in Durham. Wojo out.

    SYITG

  • Choose Your Own (Taint) Adventure

    A super six fought off the fart sack for the latest rendition of First Watch. While YHC contemplated which-choose-the-PAX- adventure would be picked today, YHC realized a there was an area that was recently teased, but hadn’t gotten the full exposure in quite some time. The Super Six returned to the Taint. With 3 PAX already limber from Broga, the PAX worked their way southward at the top of the hour.

    (mostly) Brocode mosey with various exercises along the way. Senor Frog nearly traversed the full route down Ridge but the ever growing familiar scent led him back on the correct path. 15 full minutes of a descent down Ross Rd.

    Quick COP of a disclaimer and broga positions

    The Thang

    Partner up for 2 rounds of Catch-Me-If-You-Can

    rotating exercises bear crawls, walking lunges and broad jumps with 10 Hand Release Merkins buy in for the chase

    ab exercises for the six at Ross and Culpepper.

    A Moving Lindsey, a Mindsey as was told to YHC, traversed the Pax further uphill all the way back to the triangle of Ridge and Westham. Smart suggestion by the PAX to push YHC away from Mike Tysons to standard merkins and Monkey Humpers.

    more Ab exercises for the Six

    Quick mosey back to the parking lot for 2 rounds of a triple check aka Senor Frogs Choose-His-Own-Adventure before a recovery stroll/leap/mosey back to the flag.

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Lift up Roger Roger’s Father In Law and family, YHC (Mom’s surgery recovery) and Handshake M’s Cousin’s daughter who is nearing hospice. Please lift up the families and communities dealing with trying times.

    Reminders on Breaking Bread next month => Shouts to Salt Lick and Gumbo for spearheading March

    Thanks for letting YHC lead on a unseasonably warm morning. SYITG

    Wojo