Author: Phonics

  • Over 5 miles

    2 runners and 4 ruckers gathered at Atlee High School on this cold and windy yet sunny and 70 morning.

    The Route

    The runners ran into Taylor Farm, Honey Meadows, Kings Charter, Madison Springs, Chickahominy Oaks, Summer Duck, back into Taylor Farm, and back to the VSF for a little over 5 miles. It’s rare that DaVille runners break the 5 mile barrier. The ruckers walked somewhere for likely a little more than 2 miles.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Annoucements, Yard Sale took us out.

    NMS

    It was great running with BAM! this morning. The wind definitely woke us up but we kept a fairly strong pace througout the run. Well done ruckers again with 4 of you posting.

    Announcements

    • Thanksgiving workout – 7 AM at Mary Mumford
    • DaVille 2nd F – This Thursday at PBR. Time TBD

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • I did not see that coming!

    Four gathered on this All Saints Day to get some general exercise to work off some of the Halloween delights. The 5th had already taken off for a long run, so this is what occurred in the bootcamp hot potato.

    Opus’s Q

    COP: Copperhead Squats, Helicopters, Don Quixotes, 30 second plank, Arm Circles, Reverso, 10 AST, 10 Hand Released Merkins, flutter kicks, Freddie Mercuries, APD, 1 legged APD, other leg, hello dollies, rosalitas, imperial walkers

    Mini-Dora – Partern up – Do 50 dips/100 squats/150 SSHs while the partner ran around the parking lot islands.

    Lab Rat’s Q

    Mosey to the tennis courts

    Elevens – Run to the end of the courts and back doing these exercises: Merkins and Squats

    Phonics’s Q

    Go back to the VSH and get weights.

    Do the following 4 times: Powercleans with 20 pound dumbbells, Bent over Rows with 25 pound plate, Ab exercises of choice, run around island in parking lot.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Spit took us out.

    NMS:

    Great group today. Spit is training for the Richmond 1/2, so he did a long solo run. The DaPile bootcamp recently has done a good job of keeping the PAX together which has created good mumblechatter. Today, movie quotes were an important part of this. Bulkhead, Corned Beef, and Surf n Turf joined us for coffee.

    Announcements: Many prayers were needed today.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • The morning after

    Seven guys show up to Atlee High School to enjoy the perfect weather again on a ruck or run. The 3 runners jogged into Taylor Farm, Honey Meadows, back to Taylor Farm, and back to Atlee for 4.7 miles. The ruckers rucked for about 2 miles.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, BAM! took us out.

    NMS: Its not easy when your team is playing Monday night football to rise up for a 5:30 AM workout the next morning. It was 7 – 7 at halftime. Why didn’t I go to bed at that time? I knew what was going to happen in the 2nd half. I should have taken the 7 – 7 victory and gone to bed happy. Well, at least I’m not a hard core baseball fan and stayed up until 2:30 AM to watch all 18 innings.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • And then there were two.

    YHC pulled into a dark parking lot at Atlee High School on this perfect Saturday morning to find himself all alone. A minute late, Trail Mix joined him and off they went. This is what possibly occurred in this hot potato Q.

    Phonics’s Q

    Parking Lot Tracers

    COP – SSH, Helicopters, Arm Circles, Don Quixotes, One legged lunges, other leg, Merkins, Angled Knee Jumps, LBCs, Freddie Mercuries, Flutter Kicks

    Partner Up for 3 rounds in Tennis Courts

    • Round 1 – One partner runs to end of each court and back and does 5 Merkins at end for total of 15 merkins while other partner does The People’s Chair. Alternate
    • Round 2 – One partner runs to end of each court and back and does 5 jump squats for total of 15 while other partner holds 6 inches. Alternate
    • Round 3 – One partner runs to end of each court and back and does 3 burpees for total of 9 while other partner does APDs. Alternate

    Lat Hangs/Merkins

    Alternate 3 times for this exercise. Hold Pull-up for 10 seconds and then lower for 5. Then do Merkins In Cadence. Merkin Exercises were: Regular, Hand Releaded, Diamond, Wide Grip, Incline, Regular

    Trail Mix’s Q

    Mosey to bus loop.

    Run in opposite directions around inner bus loop. When meet up, alternate between 20 LBCs and 20 Flutter Kicks. Did 5 laps.

    Do Dips while timer runs to bus loop and back. Did 5 times.

    Mosey back to VSF

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

    NMS

    Great to be out this morning working out with Trail Mix. It felt like we were in constant motion and got in a fair amount of steps. YHC headed home after the bootcamp but Trail Mix joined others including BAM! and Opus at The Local Cup for the 2nd F.

    Announcements:

    Sign up for Breaking Bread and The Bridge

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Partner Up

    Six men met up in Rutland for Rucking and Running on this perfect Thursday. As they took off, the ended up partnering up in 3 groups. Conversations ranged from politics to school closings. For BAM! and YHC, the route took them into Rutland, Cool Spring Forest, Cool Spring West, and Knollwood for about 4.7 miles. The Ruckers rucked around Rutland and possibly Cool Spring Forest. The other runners ran various locations before one runner had to exit.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, No Idea took us out.

    NMS

    Enjoyed the run this morning. As we were gathering for the COT, Lab Rat reminded us that we are more alike than we are different referring to the current political environment. Well said Lab Rat.

    Announcements

    F3 11th year convergence – Saturday at 6:30 AM at Dogpile

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Chased down by Opus

    YHC started off his Thursday the right way by getting in his car and heading towards the Rutland neighborhood for an enjoyable jog. He did have the heads up that the parking lot might be closed but at 5:28 AM, you forget small details like that. That parking lot was closed. So YHC parked on the next street which was about 200 meters from the AO. He then met up with Yardsale who was the lone rucker and BAM! who was ready for a jog. So off the 3 of us went. Yardsale soon after met up with Bulkhead. They rucked into Rutland and possibly Cool Spring Forest. Only they know.

    For BAM! and YHC, we went over the Atlee train bridge, past Atlee High School, and into Taylor Farm. Soon after entering the neighborhood, BAM! and YHC heard some footsteps coming behind them and saw a flashlight. When we turned around, to our surprise, Opus had chased us down. Opus had a late start for the same reason that YHC had a parking issue. Opus parked on the next street but parked further down the street. He was far behind us and had been chasing us for quite a while. Once he caught us, he continued with the strong pace. Great job Opus!

    As we returned to Rutland, YHC took a detour through the retirement community just past the Atlee train bridge. He then came down Cool Spring Road and turned into Rutland. This likely added some distance, but runners were all around 4.5 miles which is likely another continuous running record for BAM! Well done again!

    We had left as 3 but returned as 5.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Opus took us out.

    NMS: Enjoyed the run with BAM! and Opus today. Great weather again.

    Announcements: 11 year Convergence at Dogpile at 7 AM on 9/20/25. (I think that is the correct date.)

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • A Personal Best for BAM!

    Two Runners and Three Ruckers started from Atlee High School on this amazing Tuesday with temperatures in the lower 50s. With this perfect weather, these were the routes.

    Ruckers – Went somewhere into Giles and possibly other locations.

    Runners – Did the Giles/Craney Island route. Total Distance was about 4.2 miles.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, BAM! took us out.

    NMS:

    It was a pleasure running with BAM! today. The pace seemed faster than normal today. The route we took into Giles is about as hilly as a DaVille route can be. In saying that, BAM! said as we approached the AO that this was the first time he has ever jogged 4 miles without walking. Well done! YHC has seem many over the years increase both their running distances and pace after joining F3. As BAM! said, running with others can help with this. Its always great to see this type of growth.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Has that guy been EHed?

    2 Ruckers and 5 Runners posted to Atlee High School on this perfect and once again humid Tuesday for the Raider Run/Ruck. These were the routes.

    Ruckers – Went somewhere around Atlee.

    Runners – Did the farmhouse loop into Kings Charter and back for somewhere between 4 and 4.5 miles.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Opus took us out.

    NMS

    It was great having other runners today. Last week, YHC decided to walk with the ruckers since he was the solo runner posting. (YHC was okay with that idea last week.) Much of the conversation centered around Sunday’s storm and damage that was caused by it. Atlee High School still has quite a bit of cleanup to do because of that storm.

    As the PAX was beginning to gather for the COT, a car pulls up and out comes a guy who is getting ready to go for a jog. At least 3 of us knew him and were fairly positive that he had been EHed many times in the past. Maybe one day Bryan will join us, but it does not appear it will happen anytime soon. YHC has tried to EH several people in the past who are early risers and are in fairly good shape but has for years been unsuccessful in getting them to post. Why some are easy to try and commit to F3 and others stay away from it will remain a mystery to YHC for now.

    Announcements

    • DaVille 2nd F – Opus is organizing a trivia night at a local restaurant for tonight, this week, or next week. Be on the lookout for more information.
    • Breaking Bread – Need volunteers for August.
    • Homegrown Half/10K – August 16 at Robious Landing Park. – 7 AM

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Rallying after the storm

    Two Davillians posted to Atlee High School on this Monday morning after the storm that knocked out power to much of the Richmond Metro Area including YHC’s house. With little sleep, YHC took the Q and this is what occurred.

    COP

    SSH, Helicopters, Don Quixotes, Arm Circles, One Legged Lunges, other leg, Imperial Walkers, Merkins

    Dora 1,2,3 version #1 – 100 Merkins, 200 Donkey Kicks, 300 2-count flutter kicks while other partner touches 3 trees.

    Dora 1,2,3 version #2 – 50 Pull-ups, 100 Skull Crushers, 150 Freddie Mercuries while partner runs does a modified suicide on basketball court.

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

    NMS

    It was great working out today with Surf n Turf. YHC is not sure if the others travelled to play pickleball or stayed at home after the storm. The PAX today did have to watch closely as we moseyed around Atlee’s campus with a number of trees down.

    Announcements

    • Homegrown Half/10K – Robious Landing on August 16 at 7 AM.
    • 2nd DaVllle F – The date, time, and location will be announced soon.

    Sign up for Breaking Bread

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • The Corporate Challenge – 2016 vs. 2025

    Ten runners posted on Sunday at the Pump House for preseason training to prepare for the fall when temperatures and humidity should feel drastically different.

    The Route

    Most runners did the Buttermilk to North Bank loop for somewhere close to 7 miles. They forgot to do weigh-ins before and after the run.

    COT: Numberarama, Name-O-Rama, Announcements, Helix took us out.

    NMS

    Back in 2016 when YHC first posted with F3 RVA, the Corporate Challenge had been established. The Corporate Challenge was to post at the following locations in one week:

    • Monday – Punisher
    • Tuesday – No Toll
    • Wednesday – Source of Truth
    • Thursday – 45 Minutes of Mary
    • Friday – RAMM
    • Saturday – Dogpile (6 AM), then get head out to Gridiron (7AM)
    • Sunday – Sunday Funday

    Travelling is what made the Corporate Challenge challenging. By the time that YHC started F3, Spider Run, DaVille, Circus Maximus, and WDog had started meaning there were now multiple options on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to post everyday. Within a few years, other workouts had started. Now, less travel was needed to complete the Corporate Challenge.

    Fast forward to today, there are as many as 8 workouts per day in F3 RVA and three 7 AM bootcamps on Saturday. This potentially makes it much easier to complete Corporate Challenge.

    Can the Corporate Challenge still exist today with so many options of workouts and little travel required to complete it? YHC asks this because he did the following this week.

    • Monday – DaVille (3 miles from YHC’s house)
    • Tuesday – Raider Run (3 miles from YHC’s house)
    • Wednesday- Manndate (1.5 miles from YHC’s house)
    • Thursday – Tomato Run (3 miles from YHC’s house)
    • Friday – The Creek (1.5 miles from YHC’s house)
    • Saturday – Dogpile (6 AM), then DaPile which ordinarily starts at 6:30 AM but started at 7 AM on 7/26 due to a Puppy DaPile workout. (DaPIle is 3 miles from YHC’s house.)
    • Sunday – Sunday Funday

    Does almost an entire Nano-Region Corporate Challenge meet the requirements? Is it completed as long as the following are met?

    1. Post 7 straight day
    2. Post at Dogpile then head to another AO for a 7 AM bootcamp.
    3. Post at Sunday Funday either to start or finish the week.

    Announcements

    • Interested in running the Richmond Marathon? See Gecko. After much discussion during the COT, we believe the date of the marathon is close to November 12.
    • Homegrown Half/10K – August 16 at 7 AM at Robious Landing.
    • Breaking Bread – Sign up for August

    YHC really enjoyed his annual journey to Sunday Funday today. It was great meeting and running with Gecko and Big Wheel. You guys had already run 4 miles before YHC got out of the car. Well done Gentlemen! Much respect today as well today with 7 of the 10 PAX members in their 50s.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics