Category: Richmond, VA

  • Getting Lucky

    Four men escaped the clutches of the ravenous counteroffer and stepped fearlessly into the gloom on a cool day. Not all were so lucky… or were they?

    Route was the “regular” route: Raintree, Falconbridge, around DRP, north on Cox to Brookmont, around Crowncrest to Pump and return. 5.5 miles as depicted below. Some ran in other directions.

    Pinto took us out.

    NMS – some discussion about impact of covid and recent issues on our lives and those around us. We were glad to welcome Johnsonville to his first Currahee!

    For Christians, this is an important day of remembrance that in Jesus, God became a man and died for our original sin. Lets pray for forgiveness for ourselves and a world that needs some.

    Currahee!

  • Last breath of winter

    Three men posted for the April arctic blast at SH.

    Warmarama:

    SSH x 47 IC, Helicopters, DMH

    Rockpile for:

    20 military presses, 20 Curls for the Girls, 20 Skull crushers, 20 LBC, 10 ‘Murcans, Run to the top of SH or 5 sets of sprints (forward or backward) across the lot Rinse and Repeat a 5 or 6 times, some punches at focus mitts (sort of) thrown in for grins and giggles and back to the (non-existent) flag.

    Prayers in COT

    It was good to see Rosetta and Wilson again. If I never feel that arctic breeze running up SH I will be a happy man. You both did a great job getting the job done, a lot of mumble chatter, especially Wilson’s Child rearing advice (maybe you should be re-named Anne Landers?). Also a good number of quick punches were thrown, which is always fun even if Hermes isn’t around. There was no mercy in this dojo today!

  • Is this a late April Fool’s Prank?…coulda sworn it was spring

    Bullseye and Doozy joined YHC at Twin Team this morning for a chilly, windy, Good Friday hot potato. It’s always 70 and sunny somewhere…it was not at BWES. Here’s what went down.

    Tobit Q:

    Mosey to back circle for COP:

    SSHs, DQs, Russian Soldiers, Helicopters, Cherry Pickers, LBCs, Flutter Kicks

    Head towards the blacktop.

    Four Corners Ladder/Prostitute

    Corner 1: 10 Merkins

    Corner 2: 10 Merkins, 20 WWIIs, Back to corner 1

    Corner 3: 10 Merkins, 20 WWIIs, 30 Squats, back to corners 2 and 1

    Corner 4: Add 40 2-count American Hammers and replace WWIIs with LBCs cause that was just taking too long

    Bullseye Q:

    Mosey over to bus loop for…

    Curb Crawls

    Bear crawl, 5 jump squats, crawl bear, 5 inch worm merkins, repeato with 4 3, 2, 1 reps

    Mosey to front of BWES for dips and wall sits (2 rounds)

    Doozy Q:

    Staying on the wall, we did some horrible exercise that DTH introduced to Doozy (x25). Legs were jello afterwards.

    Triple Check

    Partner 1 runs the bus loop, while partner 2 does LBCs and partner 3 does squats.

    And it wouldn’t a Doozy Q without Man killers.

    BTTF for 1 Minute of Mary (Alabama Prom Dates and Hello Dollies).

    Names, numbers, announcements, prayer requests, YHC took us out.

    NMS: Feels like we got a lot done in 45 minutes. It seems strange that after only a week or so of more spring-like weather that our bodies just outright reject a return to the cold. YHC hung out in the warmth of the vehicle until 5:29:30. Knowing it was not gonna be quite 70 this morning prompted YHC to put his name on the Q sheet (needed some definite motivation to break out of the hold of the fartsack). By the time Doozy’s man killers rolled around, the PAX was definitely feeling warm. Some light mumble chatter this morning. We talked some about April Fool’s pranks. Yesterday, YHC and M tied our 2.0s shoes together (he wasn’t amused).

    Today is Good Friday. And for the second year in a row, YHC and family won’t be making it to church. While YHC prefers a spring like Holy Week, it seems fitting that the day we remember our Lord hanging and dying on a cross would be a little colder.

    Thanks to Bullseye and Doozy for joining YHC this morning and helping me lead.

    Enjoy the weekend fellas…and Happy Easter! Peace!

  • Prankster

    A fabulous 9 embraced winter’s last hurrah juxtaposed with spring’s flowers.

    4s head east on Grove and north on Malvern. 5s head west on Grove, a right on Lexington, a right on Patterson, and a left on Malvern.

    All turn right on Hamilton to Grove and back to the VSF.

    Bodos took us out.

    Have a great weekend everyone!

  • 2 Years Forging Greatness

    A dashingly handsome dozen gloom warrior vets posted in honor of the Forge 2 year anniversary, standing in the prow, cursing the storm, ready to embrace the windy wet suck. As accounted in the treasured Forge annals, here’s what greatness transpired:

    The THANG:

    COP #1:

    • Mosey down the Lot and Circle Up
    • Welcome & F3 Disclaimer
    • Lots of the usual DTH Warmerama Reps – all IC – and including a sloppy embrace with the soaked tarmac

    COP #2:

    • While awaiting Hardywood, the PAX lined up for 11’s on Opposing Curbs
    • Decline Werkins 1-10
    • Incline Diamond Merkins 10-1
    • Lunge between sides (half way through, Audibled to mosey between sides to save on time)

    COP #3:

    • Mosey to the base of Mt Chaplain
    • Burp Back Mountain – Partner 1 starts Burpees at bottom of the Grassy Slope while Partner 2 bear crawls to the top of the hill, completes x10 Heels to Heaven, then runs back down to switch with Partner 1 
    • Each partnered Team completed 104 Burpees, one for every week since the Forge’s inaugural beatdown on April 4th, 2019.

    COP #4:

    • Mosey around to the Amphitheater
    • Traverse steps 4x, alternating the following two routines each step:
    • Curb Crawl along the step with x3 incline merkins every 5 paces
    • Backwards Curb Crawl with x3 dips every 5 paces

    Mosey BTTF for Mary:

    • BONE RUBS x20 IC (ie, Side Straddle Pickle Pounders …like a plank jack followed by pickle pounder to each side, as a 4-count…)
    • WWII until Time

    COT:

    • Counterama # 12
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Comments)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:

    Fantastic work this morning for a dozen lucky gloom addicts sweating through the cold rain to knock out a ton-o-burpees and other fun stuff. Having missed last year’s first anniversary while abroad in missions, YHC could not have wished for a finer PAX to celebrate the 2 year mark – may there be MANY more! YHC remains absolutely in love with F3 and deeply thankful that God delivered me to such a fine band of brothers.  I am honored to serve alongside you. Humbly Yours, DTH

  • That 11 Was No Joke

    The perfect number for a PAX (6) on a not so perfect morning.  Seek cover and get after it.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • Hillbillies
      • DQ
      • Arm circles – forwards and backwards
      • Helicopters
      • Merkins
      • LBC
    • KB ladder – work your way up the ladder with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 reps (adding a new exercise at each interval and brief jog in between intervals)
      • Shoulder press
      • Curls
      • Swings
      • Squats
      • High pulls
    • 3x check with run, lawnmower pulls and flutter presses
    • 11 with sit ‘n press and KB hammers
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    The 11s finale was no April’s Fools joke.  That was a true burn-out finale.  You are welcome PAX!

    Great to see Offshore today, and 2 straight weeks of Chum Bucket.  Life is good at the Circus!

    To all the PAX, enjoy celebrating the resurrection over the coming weekend.  God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • Some People Feel the Rain. Others Just Get Wet.

    9 of Roger Miller’s closest friends ventured forth in the rain, wind, and Gloom, electing to spend 45 Minutes together at Mary. Temperatures and conditions were exactly 70 and sunny. According to the worms inching across the pavement, here’s what happened, more or less:

    With the normal Q (Wojo – get better soon) on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list, Saab took the Q to begin with:

    Mosey around the school north, west, south, and east to the playground.

    COP:
    Dead Man Hang
    Helicopters
    Imperial Walkers
    Mercans

    Mosey to the Tennis Courts for Suicides:

    Standard suicides
    Escalator suicides with mercans (5, 10, 15, 20) at the 25, 50, 75, and 100 percent lines

    Mosey to the School Wall of Inverted Pain for Chicken Peckers (10), then bear crawl to the blacktop, then run to the fence, Bernie Sanders back, and 20 WWIIs. Hold for the Six, and pitch it to TYA for:

    TYA Q:

    Mosey to the Pavilion. Partner up. Partner 1 does Heels to Heaven. Partner 2 runs to the corner of Commonwealth and Grove, then runs back. Swap. 3 rounds.

    HoneyDo Q:

    Mosey to the Blacktop for four corners.

    Round 1: 10 burpees, 20 mercans, 30 V-ups, 40 jump squats
    Round 2: 15 burpees, 25 mercans, 35 V-ups, 45 jump squats

    UpChuck Q:

    53 four-count flutter kicks
    10 snow angels
    5 or so inverted scorpion kicks

    Mosey back towards the flag. But, then an April Fool’s Audible, stop, do 5 mercans and 5 WWIIs, then continue BTTVSF.

    Numbers, names, Swirl-Y took us out.

    Announcements:

    Freed to Bleed on May 1 (Blood Drive). See BoBerry for details. (BoBerry – your Dad seemed to need more information on this event).

    Doublemint is pulling people together to help clean up Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, April 3. 9-10:30 or 10:30-12. Let’s get some fellas out there. YHC has been – it’s fun and a rewarding experience.

    Sometime in May (Saturday – date TBD) TYA will be leading a crew to build a handicap ramp and some stairs for a new children’s facility on the Southside. Express your interest to him.

    BRR – September 9-11. Filling up fast. Be there and experience the stories. Or, don’t be there and miss the opportunity of having YHC snore so loud he wakes Saab.

    NMS:
    Saab does not take kindly to Pavilions. Hates them. Like Indiana Jones hates snakes.

    YHC was accused of foot faulting on the tennis courts. Guilty.

    Welcome, Slim from Asheville. Apparently, if F3RVA can’t find a house for BRR, we can stay with him. Very kind.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • TOGA! TOGA!

    It was a typical morning pre-workout. Either white lightning or grey Hyundai were speeding to scoop up the PAX and on que a passenger asks “Who is Q?” Nancy Lopez said “some dude named Toga.” YHC perked up and was thankful he brought a towel, as a visit from the legend we know as Toga would not only whip us into shape, but require a towel at the end. But to YHC dissapointment, it would appear some ASSHAT put Togas name down on the sheetor we have named someone Toga (if that is the case – I submit a petition to rename). Oh well – at least I got to engage with him on text. Good to chat with the old fella.

    The three of us looked at each other and decided to get out of the car. Colder than normal, rain, wind AND not another PAX to be found except the three most weather concious PAX out of NM! We were here and in honor of a mention of Toga we were off. Did a hot potato and got in a good sweat! Not nearly as dirty as if Toga was here.

  • Not very lucky at card games

    YHC has never been lucky at cards, and YHC wanted the PAX to share in that lack of luck this morning. YHC was banking on it being a quiet Wdog morning but instead the numbers were high, and so were the spirits and YHC tempered those spirits with what came next.

    COP:

    YHC led the PAX in some light stretching

    stretch hands into the air, then touch your toes, then arm across chest and stretch, then do other arm, then helicopters, then Donny Q’s. All done at a very very slow pace.

    Then fun started, YHC pulled out a deck of cards and brief the PAX, the rules of the card game went like this –

    • Hearts = SSH
    • Diamonds = Merkins
    • Spades = WW2s
    • Clubs = Squats
    • Each face card had a different location written on it
      • Ace = Amphitheater
      • Kings = the Pump House
      • Queen = the Stage
      • Jack = the Flag
    • There were three jokers in the deck
      • Joker 1 = 45 burpees
      • Joker 2 = 20 dips @ the Rusty Cage
      • Joker 3 = 30 Pullups @ the Rusty Cage

    Using his magic skills Bodos shuffled the deck, Shiplap cut the deck and the PAX was off. YHC pulled a card from the top of the deck and did the exercise per the suit and the number of reps is the number on the card. When YHC pulled a face card the PAX would run to said location. As the PAX moved through the card deck it became apparent that YHC had overestimated the number of face cards relative to the distance of running, the PAX was not a fan so YHC made an audible on some of the running.

    The only other surprise was that when ‘the Stage’ card was drawn all of the following exercises would be done with Coupons!

    The PAX moved through the deck of cards moseying to spots and doing the exercises.

    Mosey back to the flag for the final round. Then for the last 30 seconds YHC led the PAX in YHC’s favorite, the have a nice day stretch.

    YHC took it out with a prayer for battle.

    Announcements: Tomato run Part II on April 24th, see the pre-blast for more info! Sign up for BRR too!

  • New Beginnings

    7 early risers including yours truly thought “5:30 is way too late, we need to start at 5” and showed up on a mild morning (not quite 70). Before we started we had a little difficulty finding the coupons which worried the Fireman. However, someone took the effort to neatly stack them for us.

    COP: Take coupon to normal COP space. DQs, CPs, ACs, SKs, and Merkins.

    Elevens with curb derkins and heels to heaven. During this exercise, Upchuck and Handshake were practicing poor social distancing by doing some sort of wrastlin’. The governor would be very disappointed in you two. For some related reason EF got into a detailed description of how hockey fights work.

    Four corners with 10 HRMs, 20 coupon benches, 30 2 count mountain climbers and 40 LBCs with block somewhere on top.

    More elevens with coupon shoulder presses and 2 count American hammers.

    Another four corners (I know, not very creative) with 10 burpees, 20 coupon squats, 30 coupon step ups total and 40 2 count flutter kicks

    Mosey back to home base and put the coupons away nicely.

    I title the backblast “New Beginnings” because I start a new job tomorrow. Also, after we sin we have the opportunity to repent and start anew.

    Announcement: This Saturday there will be a cleanup at Evergreen cemetery on the east part of town. See Doublemint for details or go to that backblast. Do great things gentlemen.