Author: Phonics

  • Alternating Partner 400s

    19 men and a 2.0 gathered on a perfect Tuesday morning by the lake of the University of Richmond expecting a casual jog through campus and beyond. What they got was a DaVille Takeover with Alternating Partner 400s on the turf fields. The PAX started with a Brocode run to the fields and then took a lap around them. The Pax then partnered up with runner of similar ability and for 28 minutes rotated running 400s around one of the fields. At the end, the PAX moseyed back to the VSF.

    COT – Name-O-Rama, Numberarama, Announcements, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    It was a pleasure for YHC to be at Spider Run again today and seeing so many PAX members that he has not seen for over 2 years. Today was the first of 7 monthly DaVille takeovers. The idea of the alternating 400s was borrowed from the Richmond Road Runners Club as part of their summer track series which begins next Tuesday. The website is https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Richmond/SummerTrackSeries and the cost is $0. As challenging as this run can be, half the PAX was together at all times waiting for their partner to complete the lap which led to some good mumblechatter while trying to catch your breath. The turf fields were also great to run on.

    Welcome FNG Globetrotter. Globetrotter is BT’s 2.0 who is already a world traveler. Great job today!

    Announcements:

    • The Bridge will be held the 4th Saturday of every month. TYA asks that we all go at least once.
    • Breaking Bread needs a Q for the 4th Saturday.

    Well done today everybody!

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • DaPile DaFive

    Five gentlemen gathered on the grounds of Atlee High School for a Saturday 6:30 AM beatdown that went something like this.

    COP

    All IC – SSH, Helicopters, Arm Circles, Reverso, Don Quixotes, One legged lunges, switch legs, Merkins, Foot to Hand Mountain Climbers, LBCs, Heals To Heaven, One Leg APDs, switch legs. Rosales’s.

    The Thang

    • Shutes and Ladders – Run to 2nd median, do exercise, run back one, run to 2nd median, do this until you come to the end.
      • Round 1 – 10 Merkins
      • Round 2 – 3 Burpees
    • Four Corners (Run the bases) – All PAX except Q goes to four corners of the basketball court. Q runs to first corner and calls out an exercise. Each PAX member then runs to the next corner and calls out the same exercise. Once it gets back to the Q, the Q will then call out a different exercise – Exercises were: LBCs, Hand Released Merkins, Mountain Climbers, APD, Monkey Humpers, XC Skier, Burpees
    • Bulkhead Special – Do 1 pullup followed by 2 Merkins. Do 2 pullups followed by 4 Merkins. Do 3 followed by 6 and so on until you reach 11 Pullups and 22 Merkins.
    • Plank-O-Rama – All IC – 10 Carolina Dry Docks/Merkins, Rotate to side plank – Raise and lower hip, Rotate to Back Plank – Raise and lower butt, Rotate to side plank – Raise and lower hip, rotate to plank – rotating elbow planks, mountain climbers. Freddie Mercuries, Count down from 30 to hold 6 inches.

    COT – Number-O-Rama, Name-O-Roma, Announcements, YHC took us out.

    NMS – Great job today everybody! The weather was perfect. This was a challenging beatdown but all PAX members performed beyond expectations. Congratulations Piggy Bank on completing your first hour workout!

    Announcements

    Memorial Day Convergence – 7 AM – Tredegar Iron Works

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • After 6 years, I still can’t say “Move!”

    It was a glorious Monday morning at Atlee High School when YHC signed up to Q at 5:25 AM. As the 3 generations of F3 pax members (Phonics EHed Corned Beef who EHed Trout) circled up for the COP, YHC started into the count of SSH by saying, “1) The first exercise is SSH, 2) Starting Position 3) Moo Moo Moo.” After 6 years, YHC still can’t say “Move” but he did complete it with “In cadence, exercise.” The rest of the beatdown went like this.

    COT

    SSH, Arm Circles (10 small, 5 big, reverso), Helicopters, Don Quixotes, One legged backwards lunges, switch legs, Merkins, Angled Knee Jumps, LBCs, Freddie Mercuries, Heels to Heaven, One legged APDs, switch legs, Roselias.

    The Thang

    Triple Sprints – Standing 50 yards apart, the 1st Pax member ran 50 yards and tagged the member to return to the 3rd member. Each did 5 burpees until they ran again. Do this 5 times and then bear crawl to meet in middle and then do 10 IC Merkins.

    Lat Hangs/Merkins – While holding your chin above the pull-up bar, count from 15 to 1. Then lead 10 Merkins IC. Each Pax member led twice for total of 6 rounds with a 400 slow mosey 1/2 way through.

    At basketball court, hold elbow plank for 30 count then do 10 IC rotating elbow planks. Mosey to other corner and hold side plank for 30 count with last 10 seconds moving hip up and down. Then mosey to other corner and hold the other side plank with moving hop up and down for 30 count.

    Mosey to SF for 2 MOM. Hold back plank for 30 seconds then move butt up and down for last 10 seconds. Then hold six inches for 30 count.

    Numberaroma, Name-O-Roma, Announcements, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    YHC is thankful for all of the friendships and experiences he has had over his 6 years of being Phonics. Thank you to Lab Rat for your determined effort to EH me. As we started into our first mosey, Corned Beef pointed out the 3 generations that were represented. That was an awesome observation.

    It was a pleasure to lead this outstanding Pax today!!

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • It’s time to audit that clock.

    Five Six men arrived in the parking lot of Atlee High School on this November voting day 2021 with perfect weather for a beatdown that went something like this.

    Five of us mosey into the neighborhood of Giles to the recreation center parking lot.

    COP – All IC

    • 20 SSH
    • 10 Helicopters
    • Lunges – 10 with left then 10 with right
    • 10 Small, 5 Big Arm Circles, Reverso
    • 10 Don Quixotes
    • 10 Merkins
    • 10 Hand to Foot Mountain Climbers
    • 20 LBCs
    • 10 Heels to Heaven
    • 10 one legged APD, reverse

    The Thing

    Four Corners – With us still only having 5 PAX members, 4 Pax members went to the corners of the parking lot. The 5th PAX member (YHC) then ran to a corner and called out an exercise. Once arriving, the PAX member then ran to the next corner and did that exercise. Everytime YHC ran to a corner, he changed the exercise. The exercises were the following:

    • Merkins
    • Freddie Mercuries
    • Burpees
    • Hold 6 inches
    • Jump Squats

    Five Mosey to the bottom of the hill

    Bear Crawl/Run/Bernie/Run – Bear Crawl to the turn, 10 Merkins, run to the bottom of the hill, 10 merkins, Bernie Sanders to the top of the hill, 10 merkins, run back to the start, 10 merkins. Repeat this until the top of the hill.

    Mosey back to the VSF

    Plank-O-Rama (Opus joined us)

    • Hold Plank then Merkins/Carolina Dry Docks 10 IC
    • Rotate to Right Elbow then lower hip and raise hip 10 IC
    • Rotate to back plank then lower waist and raise waist 10 IC
    • Rotate to Left Elbow then lower hip and raise hip 10 IC
    • Rotate back to front plank then rotating elbow planks 10 IC
    • 20 Mountain Climbers IC
    • 20 Squats IC

    COT – Name-O-Rama, Number-O-Rama, Announcements, YHC took us out

    NMS

    It was great to be back to DaVille on this voting morning. YHC had not posted at DaVille since he suffered an injury in the middle of August. His Q was slightly rusty, calling Bernie Sanders the Barry Sanders at one point. (Not sure what a Barry Sanders exercise would look like. Any ideas?) As the PAX arrived back at the VSF around 6:10 AM, Opus came running up. Opus then told the PAX that he arrived in the parking lot at 5:28 AM and didn’t see any PAX members. Spike, who was in the parking lot when YHC arrived, said he arrived at 5:28 AM. The rental car clock might not be completely accurate Opus. It’s always fun to go off campus but for those late arrivals, they are never finding the PAX until close to 6:15 AM when we return to the SF. After COT, 4 of the 6 PAX members went to vote at Atlee High School. It appeared only Trout and YHC had a polling place elsewhere. Have a great voting day everybody!

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • It’s Great to be Back

    Six early risers stepped onto the grounds of Atlee High School unsure of what the Q had in mind. As the Q accessed who had posted, it appeared that a simple but active workout would occur. This is what might have happened.

    Mosey to practice football field

    COP – All IC

    • 20 SSH
    • 10 Don Quixotes
    • 10 Helicopters
    • 10 Small, 5 Big Arm Circles, Reverso
    • Lunges – 10 with left then 10 with right
    • 5 Merkins, then lower to 2 inches with 5 Merkins, then back to plank with 5 Merkins
    • 20 LBCs
    • 10 Heels to Heaven
    • 10 Rosaletas
    • 10 one legged APD, reverse

    Mosey to middle school basketball court

    21s, 15s, 9s

    • Run to endline and back 21 times, then do 21 squats and 21 merkins
    • Run to endline and back 15 times, then do 15 squats and 15 merkins
    • Run to endline and back 9 times, then do 9 squats and 9 merkins

    Bulkhead Special

    Do 1 pullup followed by 2 merkins, then 2 pullups and 4 merkins, 3 pullups and 6 merkins. Keep going until 11 pullups and 22 merkins have been completed

    Mosey to VSF

    6 Inches – Hold 6 inches while Q counts backwards from 30 to 0.

    COT – Name-O-Rama, Number-O-Rama, Announcements, YHC took us out

    NMS

    Its been 2 months since YHC has posted at DaVille due to an ankle injury along with a few conflicts. It was great being back. YHC considered taking the PAX off campus since so many runners posted but decided to keep things simple and try the 21, 15, 9 exercise that he learned about a few weeks before during a non-F3 bootcamp. As usual, Fannie Mae crushed this exercise after running prior to the workout. His pace picks up as he gets further into the workout. The PAX as always did a terrific job with every challenge. Well done! The Bulkhead Special was tough for everybody. Bulkhead introduced this to YHC a few years ago. YHC has used it a few times sense. Opus led the Pax for this exercise.

    Announcements

    • A trip to Dirty Jersey is in the works for Aug 28th for a F3 workout with The Carpenter. More details to come
    • It might be time for a DaVille takeover. More on this to come.

    It was an honor to lead this morning Gentlemen!

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Triathlon Training Taper Run

    Two men gathered at the clubhouse of Rutland for an easy run as Spike tapers before Saturday’s Lake Anna Olympic Triathlon.

    The Route – Right on Atlee, around Atlee High School into Honey Meadows, left into the new development and into Taylor Farm, left on Atlee, left at Bojangles, left on Rutland Shire and back to the clubhouse. 4.75 miles

    NMS

    Good luck to Fannie Mae and Spike in Saturday’s triathlon. This is Spike’s first triathlon. He had planned on doing this a year earlier but it was delayed for a year due to the lockdown. Weather was great this morning with lower 50s and low humidity. It will be close to 40 degrees when Spike and Fannie Mae start their 1500 meter swim in Lake Anna. He believes water temperature will be in the 60s.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • May the 4th, or 5, or 6

    Six men, several of whom were still sore from the Helix beatdown at DaPile on Saturday, gathered on the grounds of Atlee High School for a May the 4th be with you beatdown that went like this:

    COP

    All IC – SSH, Don Quixotes, Helicopters, Arm Circles, Reverso, Step-Back Lunges, Merkins, Angled Knee Jumps, Hand-to-Foot Mountain Climbers, Freddie Mercuries, LBCs, APDs, American Hammers, Heals-to-Heaven

    The Thang

    Mosey to Chickahominy Field

    Triple Sprints – In groups of 3, one person sprints to a partner and then does 5 burpees as the partner sprints back to the 3rd person and does 5 burpees. This continues until all group members to 5 rounds of sprints and 5 burpees. The group members then bear crawl to the middle and do 20 merkins.

    Mosey to Cool Spring Playground

    Lat Hangs/Merkins – 6 rounds with each PAX member leading a round. Hang for a count of 15 lowering once the count reaches 5 – 0. Once completed, 10 Merkins IC. PAX members selected normal Merkins, Werkins, Diamond Merkins, Knee Merkins, Derkins, and Hand-Released Merkins.

    Mosey to Atlee field

    Elevens – APD Dips, WW2s (Time was called before any PAX members completed the exercise.)

    Mosey to VSF

    Circle up and hold 6 inches as YHC counted from 30 – 0.

    COT – Name-O-Rama, Number-O-Rama, Announcements, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    Five years ago yesterday on May 3, 2016, YHC finally decided to check out F3. Lab Rat had invited him several times over a period of 6 – 9 months. YHC felt like nobody would be at Atlee High School that morning since it was thundering outside. YHC did not know F3. Three PAX members including Lab Rat and TYA had already started into the COP that morning. After that workout, YHC was all in.

    As YHC reflects on his time with F3, several things stand out. The first thing is the friendships he has formed with many of the PAX members. My oldest daughter will be graduating this year with The Carpenter’s daughter, Opus’s daughter, and Yard Sale’s son. My son ran track with Helix’s son. YHC has seen many members of F3 RVA at track and cross country meets, at chorus concerts, at swim meets, and Kroger. Without DaVille, it is possible YHC would not have met some of you which would have been a shame. In addition to this, YHC used to organize a children cancer fundraiser called the ReeseStrong 5K. During my 1st summer with F3RVA, I mentioned this September event during the COT. Soon after this, Swirly was telling the PAX that F3RVA was going to participate. Many F3 members participated the 1st year. By 2017, the number including family members of F3 members participating was over 50. This included members of the Virginia Beach PAX. Although I have not organized he event since 2017, I am still so grateful to Swirly, Lab Rat, and so many of the other PAX members for promoting and participating in my event.

    About today’s workout, YHC tried to theme it with Star Wars but after looking at numbers associated with Star Wars, many were extremely high like 1,000,000. For that reason, YHC went in another direction. At first, YHC thought there were 5 PAX members as he went to organize the first exercise. Once it was pointed out to him that it was 6 PAX members, he did an audible before even beginning the 1st exercise and changed it to Triple Sprints. He then miscounted who the 6th man was as well during the COT. Last week, Yard Sale considered himself the only non-runner. Why YHC thinks this is amusing is because Yard Sale was talking with ease the entire time he was running back and forth during the Elevens. I believe Yard Sale is a much stronger runner than he thinks he is.

    Thank you PAX for letting me lead today.

    Announcements: See Dr. Try Hard’s pre-blast concerning ordering Mudgear shirts. https://backblasts.f3rva.org/2021/04/30/f3rva-shirts/

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • A Sabb approved COP

    After the Q was unable to post due to injury, seven brave men still gathered on the grounds of Atlee High School. With no leader, a hot potato Q was called and Helix took charge.

    Helix Q

    COP – All IC

    • SSH, Arm Circles, Copperhead Squats, Merkins, Werkins, Diamond Merkins, Crab Cakes, WW2s, Helicopters, Don Quixotes

    Phonics’s Q

    Mosey to parking lot

    Shoots and Ladders

    The parking lot has 5 light posts. The idea is to run 2 lightpost, do an exercise, then run back one. You then repeat this until you are at the end of the parking lot where you finish by doing the exercise.

    • Round 1 – 10 Merkins
    • Round 2 – 10 Squats
    • Round 3 – 5 Burpees

    Spike’s Q

    Mosey to practice football field

    Partner Up – One partner run the field and back while the other does an exercise. Do this until the one doing the exercise reaches the end of the field.

    • Round 1 – Polar Bear
    • Round 2 – Crab Walk

    Triple Check

    • Push the football sled
    • LBCs
    • Run to the sideline and back

    COT – Number-a-Rama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Spike took us out.

    NMS

    Weather was terrific this morning with the temperature somewhere close to 45 degrees. We always say sunny and 70 in F3RVA but at 5:30 AM, 45 – 55 degrees generally feels much better to YHC than a humid 70 degrees in the summer.

    During the COP as Helix was leading the Don Quixotes, he instructed the group to pause at the bottom for about 5 seconds. YHC believes this is what Sabb has been wanting all of this time. We should not just slow the pace of Don Quixotes but should actually pause at the bottom. Brilliant Helix!

    YHC does enjoy leading ground-and-pound exercises, but with only runners posting today, it was time to move. Spike was thinking the same thing with the exercises he led. I haven’t pushed a football sled for 30 years. Nice call today Spike!

    The PAX stayed close together throughout the workout today with one exception. While doing crabwalks across the football field, Fabio was crab walking at a fast jogging pace. He was entering the end zone while YHC’s group was approaching center field. Well done Fabio! Oh, to be young again.

    Announcements:

    • TYA is recruiting for the BRR. Contact TYA for more information.
    • The 2nd annual DaVille relay is a month away. See Spit for more information.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • 3 for 22 on the 26th

    When YHC arrived to the parking lot of Atlee High School, there was one car with nobody in it. Was YHC going to post solo on this 22 degree morning? With about 2 minutes to go, Helix arrived in short sleeves and shorts. Well done Helix! Soon after, Fabio returned from a run. Three runners had arrived and off we went for a beatdown that went something like this:

    COP

    1 burbee, 2 merkins

    10 Don Quixotes IC

    2 burbee, 4 merkins

    10 Helicopters IC

    3 burbee, 6 merkins

    Arm Circles – 10 small, 5 big IC

    4 burbee, 8 merkins

    Reverso Arm Circles – 10 small, 5 big IC

    5 burbee, 10 merkins

    Right Leg Lunges – 10 IC

    6 burbee, 12 merkins

    Left Leg Lunges – 10 IC

    7 burbee, 14 merkins

    20 LBCs – IC

    8 burbee, 16 merkins

    20 APDs – IC

    9 burbee, 18 merkins

    20 Rosalitas – IC

    10 burbee, 20 merkins

    The Thang

    Triple Sprints – One runner sprints to the 2nd runner who was about 50 yards away. The 2nd runner sprints to the 3rd runner. The 3rd runner sprints back to the 1st runner. As each runner completes a sprint, he does 5 burpees. Keep doing this until each runner has completed 5 sprints and 25 burpees. Then bearcrawl to meet in the middle for 10 merkins IC.

    Hangs and Merkins – Hang from the pullup bar as a pax member counts down from 15. Once the pax member gets to 5, slowly lower yourself. After this, the pax member will then do a variation of 10 merkins IC. Each pax member led this twice for a total of 6 rounds.

    Honey Meadows Trail challenge – Each PAX member was asked to select an exercise. Squats, Lunges, and Carolina Dry Docks were selected. Run the trail and do 5 squats, 5 2-count lunges, and 5 Carolina Try Docks at each intersection or street crossing until you reach the Atlee hill.

    Mosey back to the VSF.

    With 1 minute left, the PAX circled up for a 30 count of 6 inches.

    COT – Number-a-Rama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    As we are coming closer to the end of the year and as YHC gets closer to his next birthday, YHC is thankful for the good health that God has blessed him and his family with and the many good friends he has met as being part of F3RVA. Well done today Fabio and Helix! This was a challenging beatdown and both of you had an outstanding performance. With the small PAX today, it allowed time to talk about cadence count which can be challenging to teach with a larger PAX. One thing YHC loves about Da-Pile is it allows the PAX to explore the back of the Atlee campus year round which is difficult with the earlier start of DaVille during most of the year.

    Announcements

    Jan 1st Convergence at Satan’s Hill starting at 7am – see Slack Post: https://f3-rva-workspace.slack.com/archives/CSB9XKKBR/p1608304605301600

    It was an honor to lead such a fine group of men this morning.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Time to cut the grass

    It was a beautiful Monday as five men converged onto the grounds of Dogwood dell for a workout. Well, it was hot, humid, so what, let’s mosey to start the beatdown that went something like this.

    COP:

    • 1 burpee followed by 2 merkins OYO
    • SSH – 20 IC
    • 2 burpees followed by 4 merkins
    • Don Quixotes – 10 IC
    • 3 burpees followed by 6 merkins
    • Helicopters – 10 IC
    • 4 burpees followed by 8 merkins
    • Arm Circles – 10 big, 5 small IC
    • 5 burpees followed by 10 merkins
    • Arm Circles – Reverso – 10 big, 5 small IC
    • 6 burpees followed by 12 merkins
    • Imperial Walkers – 15 IC
    • 7 burpees followed by 14 merkins
    • LBCs – 20 IC
    • 8 burpees followed by 16 merkins
    • Freddie Mercuries – 15 IC
    • 9 burpees followed by 18 merkins
    • Rosalitas – 20 IC
    • 10 burpees followed by 20 merkins

    Mosey to Rusty Cage

    Lat Hangs/Merkins

    For a 15 count, PAX hangs from the pull-up bar. The last 5 seconds, PAX members would lower themselves slowly. The PAX members would do 10 merkins IC. Each PAX member led the count which meant we did 5 sets of Lat Hangs and Merkins.

    Mosey to Amphitheater

    At every step, do 5 one legged lunges, then switch to other leg. Once the PAX reached the top, they circled up in plank position. In Fudd’s wife position, the PAX dropped to the elbows then raised back up onto hands on YHC’s count. Did this 5 times.

    Elevens

    In the circle, did elevens with heels-to-heaven and mountain climbers.

    Mosey to VSF

    Hold six inches for 30 count.

    COT

    Number-a-Rama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    What YHC loves about F3 Dogwood Dell bootcamps are the amount of choices the Q has. What he doesn’t like is when the grass has not been cut in the amphitheater. That was the case today. The grass was at least a foot tall along the top 1/2 of the steps. This led to a change in plans which led to the elevens.

    After YHC took us out today, the PAX had a 2nd F with discussions mostly about Covid and schools. YHC really enjoyed discussing this topic with the PAX. Most AOs in RVA clear out soon after the COT. This is never the case with WDOG and RAMM. Thank you PAX for hanging around for this time of fellowship.

    Great efforts today PAX. We did not travel much distance but had quite a beatdown in mile we went.

    Announcements

    • The Ultimate Frisbee tour continues next Tuesday, July 28 at Daville. Please bring a white and black shirt. There will be no COP. Once the mosey begins, the PAX is going straight to the field.
    • Bone Thugs is running a 10K at RAMM the last Friday of August. He will likely start around 5 AM. Please come and support him in his effort.
    • There will be a CSAUP that includes biking and running in September along the Capital Trail. More information to come.

    It was an honor to lead such a fine group of men this morning.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics