Category: Richmond, VA

  • Merkins and other fun at WDog

    COP

    YHC was excited for a Hump Day morning workout to get the day off right being back from Venice Beach/Marina Del Ray, CA, getting back to work, and quality time with the F3 gents. We mosey down to the Pipe loop entrance (too dark now for this cardio fun) we warmed up with:

    20 merkins, 20 SSH, 10 merkins, 15 Russian Soldiers, 10 merkins, 11 Imperial Walkers, 10 merkins, 25 2ct flutter kicks, 11 2ct american Hammers, 10 reverse scorpions, 10 merkins(you see a pattern right? it’s a merkin morning with CB).

    THANG

    YHC was ready to mosey back up the hill but we have lonley light poles that need to be recognized so we perfromed 10 merkins, lunge to next light pole, 10 merkins, slow jog to next light pole, 10 merkins and repeato until we reache the bottom of the Triangle road route. Bernie Saunders to top of hill, 10 merkins, lunge to other road, jog to bottom and 20 LBC’s and repeato until 6:40, mosey to flag, 1 minute of cool down stretching, namerama, numberama. YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    This morning’s work out was to concentrate on quality merkins and get some steady cardio in during this effort working on the endurance side of fitness. Accordingly to my app we burned a total of 700 calories, Ran a total of 2 miles and performed 200 merkins(thank you to Choppa for being responsible for the count and it was good to meet you this morning and talk about VMI! )<he will be matriculating in a few weeks>.

    It was a pleasure to lead this morning and have a great week! Cheers…CB

  • OC IPA

    Upon arriving at SOT, YHC found a single car in the parking lot. Do YHC’s eyes deceive him or is that OC?! While dealing with the surprise of seeing OC after a number of months, DK rolls up…another pleasant surprise! Only 5:30 and it’s already a good day.

    Looks like a PAX of three and with no Q on the Q sheet, a hot potato was called. Here’s what went down.

    Tobit Q:

    Mosey to front of MMS for COP.

    SSHs, DQs, Russian Soldiers, Helicopters, LBCs, and Flutter Kicks (aka Sugar Sticks)

    Triple Check: Merkins, Dips, and running around parking lot

    DK Q:

    Mosey to behind MMS.

    Bear crawl, lunge, bear crawl, lunge around parking lot.

    Head down to track for 1 lap Bernie Sanders style.

    OC Q:

    Back up the hill for door exercises.

    Starting at 29 and finishing at 19, exercises included squats, merkins, American Hammers, plank, WWIIs, sugar sticks, and other exercises YHC can’t remember.

    BTTF for Yoga stretching.

    Numbers, Names.

    NMS:

    The usual SOT crowd was missing this morning….New Market most noticeably absent. YHC was thrilled to be joined this morning by OC and DK.

    OC said he was motivated to hit SOT this morning after a text came from Bullseye (who is on vacation) with an image of an Orange Crush IPA. YHC guesses that the simple mention of OCs nickname was enough to get him back out in the gloom. Can’t remember if the same text also inspired DK to get out this morning.

    Mumblechatter was pretty heavy this morning as the PAX caught up. Typical topics this morning…summer, family, school, coronavirus. COP was interesting with cadence but no count (all chatter…no counting). While running backwards on the track, DK struck up a conversation with one of the regular walkers. Turns out the dude is from England…giving DK more fuel for discussion.

    That’s it from me…peace!

  • Butterfly workout, prison yard style

    A Band of 7 warriors (and one pup) spent 45 minutes in the Prison Yard. This is what (vaguely) transpired.

    COP – handful of the usual suspects

    Four Corners – or really two corners, squared with a 1/2 run around the parking lot each time

    Bear Crawl between spaces and 1 Merkin x 26 Parking Spaces (DTH pointed out it was essentially just a Polar Bears through the parking lot)

    2 laps around the parking lot

    Jump Squats x 5 x 26 spaces

    1 lap around Parking Lot

    50 WWII’s OYO

    Run Lap?

    100 LBC’s

    1 Burpee per parking spot x 26 spots

    3 Sprints to pay homage to Last Calls’ Q to finish up.

    Announcements:

    • Bone Thugs VQ next Thursday, August 13th at The Forge
    • Puppy Pile sometime soon?
    • Bone Thugs 10k at RAMM on Friday, August 21st (Bone Thugs launches at 0500 and everyone else will launch at 0515)
    • was there something else?

    Prayer requests:

    • Doozy, as he gets over his Kidney Stone
    • Florence’s In-Laws battling lung cancer
    • Upchucks MIL with Lung Cancer as well

    NMS:

    Its no secret that Handshake doesn’t Q often. But YHC was challenged by the regular First Watchers to lead a Q, so YHC obliged. YHC called this the Butterfly workout because there was just enough rhythm to assume what was coming next, but without truly knowing. Staying in the small parking lot was only slightly claustrophobic. It was good to see some different faces, and with the addition of Cooper this may have broken the First Watch attendance record.

  • Slightly slick stones

    Route was North Bank, then Buttermilk. Some did Potterfield v. Some Belle Isle. Some ran the hardstand. Some ran 10. All strengthened.

    Pavarotti took us out

    NMS – quiet day enjoying the humidity and slight cool down. Slightly slick stones.

    Get some!

  • Insert clever title here

    The 5 core principles of F3 on display across the RVA region today as #HIMs decided to wake up and take the DRP. It was one of those mornings as a Q that you know there is a VERY real possibility that not a single pax may show up as driving rains from a named tropical storm passing right over the area at launch time. Yet on the other hand, it is one of the those mornings as a Q that you know the mission of F3 is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership. Therefore, it is understood that as the Q, there is also a VERY real possibility that there will be pax at the AO needing that extra support and I for one am not going to miss my opportunity to be there for them, even if the Great Sky Q is blessing us with ample hydration.

    3rd F:

    • TAP for F3 MECA member Fafegugen as he recovers from being hit by a police car while running in the Gloom
    • Tobit on Q this evening for Tuesday virtual 3rd F

    2nd F:

    • October 3rd is the 2nd Annual retreat. See Vinny for details. PreBlast to be out soon
    • Due to all the road races being closed down: Socializing the idea of a 10k / Half Marathon Beer run. Hitting 6 breweries in late October early November. 1/2 Marathon will hit all 6 and meet the 10Kers at stop 4 along the way. Will be one fixed price that includes a pint at each stop, plus a little extra for a local charity. Preblast to come out soon with stop locations

    1st F:

    The Thang:
    Like Mike Tyson once said.. Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the mouth. Welp, YHC had the weinke planned out for a good ole’ fashion WIB called Cage Fight. But when its literally raining so hard that the parking lot is a minor lake, its time to Improvise, Adapt, and Over Come. So move on to plan B.

    05:30
    Flanked on either side by VMI; with one being an alumni and one entering in 11 days, YHC didn’t really think rain was a valid excuse to back out of this one. Modifications are called for, but its time to launch this party.

    Time to mosey:
    Move to the far side the school to a covered breeze way. ( although it did not matter if it was covered. we were already soaked when we got there.)

    1st Exercise: BLIMPS

    • 5 Burpees
    • 10 Lunges each leg
    • 15 Imperial Walkers
    • 20 Merkins
    • 25 Plank Jakes
    • 30 Squats

    2nd Exercise: 4 corners (Modified to a breezeway)

    1st round: 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Merkins and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 diamond and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Wide Arm and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Carolina Dry-Docks and return to start and 2 Burpees

    2nd round: 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Squats and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Summo Squats and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Lunges and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Reverse Lunges and return to start and 2 Burpees

    3rd round: 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 WW2s and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 LBCs and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 American Hammers and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Hells to heaven and return to start and 2 Burpees

    4th round: 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Merkins and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Squats and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 WW2s and return to start. 2 Burpees run to far side of breeze way 10 Burpees.

    Time to Mosey: To the Basketball court

    3rd Exercise: 7s
    One side of court is Merkins other side is Bomb Jacks
    Count down was 1 Merkin/6 Bomb Jacks, 2 Merkin/5 Bomb Jacks, 3 Merkin/4 Bomb Jacks… 6 Merkin/1 Bomb Jacks.

    4th Exercise: Modified burn-out (3 cycles)
    Pax 1 in peoples chair doing air press, Pax 2 LBCs, Pax 3 is timer running to far side of basketball courts and back.
    Rotate
    Pax 1 running, Pax 2 peoples chair, Pax 3 LBCs
    Rotate
    Pax 1 LBCs, Pax 2 running, Pax 3 Peoples chair.
    Time for one more cycle
    Pax one Donkey kicks, Pax 2 American hammers , Pax 3 running (same rotation as before.)

    Time to mosey back to AO launch

    5th Exercise: BLIMPS
    Just enough time for one round of BLIMPS.

    and DONE!! Time to go home and dry off.

    Thank you all for the opportunity to lead this morning.
    SYITG on Thursday at Circus Maximus!!

    v/r
    Gypsy

  • You say Tabayta, I say Tabata…

    You say Tabayta, I say Tabata…

    Four stormchasers braved the remnants of TS Isaias to see what Dr. Tabata, inventor of the beer bong and a gnarly HIIT protocol, had cooked up in his lab for them. Here’s the post mortem:

    Warmarama: mosey to the parking lot for IW x 20, DQ x 10, Russian Soldiers x 20, WWIIs x 20, Freddy Mercuries x 20

    The Thang:

    • Tabata workout: 20 seconds AMRAP, 10 seconds off x 8 for each:
    1. merkins
    2. squats
    3. american hammers
    4. dips
    5. MOSEY ‘ROUND THE FIELDS — DRIVING RAIN NEVER FELT SO GOOD
    6. flutter kicks
    7. mountain climbers
    • Happy Ending: 10 burpees OYO

    BTTF for 60 Seconds of Mary, numbers, names. Announcements: 3rdF tonight on Zoom; Tobit has the Q. Prayers for Doozy’s swift recovery. Strong work in the elements, gents!

    NMMS: Two notes about the mumblechatter this morning: (1) Some people think variety is the spice of life; YHC is not among them (2) nothing silences mumblechatter like Tabata rounds 6 and above ….

  • Hydroplaning

    Three fearsome fellows, and one knucklehead, decided to run in the midst of a tropical storm.

    NMS

    In the interest of safety YHC abandoned his original plans and chose a safer “figure 8” loop that remained on the well-lit – yet flooded campus….

    All finished Safe, Sound, and Saturated.

    Saab abides

  • Why isnt there a 60 min run AO?

    4 horseman got together for a light run.

    6 mile run – Bro Code. Pump, Burnside, Glen Eagles, Shire, Church, Waterford West, Rutgers, Park Terrace, Three Chopt, Pump.

    Roger Roger took us out.

    NMS – After meeting up with Gypsy we started on a run. For the first few minutes we talked about whether folks were up for 5.5 or so. 5.5 sounded good. Then Gypsy said, I am surprised that all these AOs are 45 minutes I know a place where they are all 60 minutes (Roger Roger didnt hear him). Looking at the crew, we were solid horsemen so I decided we would run a little long. To make it a full 6, I knew we had to go the “fat way” around to Waterford West to add another 1/2 mile. (map above is the planned round)

    Announcements-

    Second annual inaugural retreat coming together Oct 3 outside of Amelia CH. Plan to camp overnight.

    Gypsy has some ideas for 2.0 workouts and also bringing Speed for Need to 2.0 workouts. Gypsy is also working on a “retreat site” at Lake Anna for the future – TBD.

  • Satan’s Hill strikes again

    Warm up

    Triple Check- One person runs to top of Satan’s Hill and back. One alternating 10 curls and 10 squats with rock. One alternating 10 Jerkins and 10 LBCs.

    Run up Hill and do 1 Burpee at first mailbox, 2 at the second, 3 at the third-up to the 5th mailbox. Back down the hill.

    Run up Hill and do 6 WWII’s at the 6th mailbox, up to the 10th.

    With Rocks 2 rounds of 10 curls, 10 tricep extensions, 10 shoulder press, 10 squats, run to the stop sign and back.

    Finish with 6 minutes of Mary.

    Great to have Chaingang from Atlanta come out with his nephew FNG (On the Rocks).

    Strong Work!!!

  • Aids to Navigation

    Apparently in search of a little heat and humidity, eleven posted for Saturday’s GridIron. Warmup at the empty end of the parking lot with Invisible Jump Ropes x 25, Don Quixotes x 15, Hillbillies x 15, Helicopters x 15, Suzanne Somers x 10 (each side), Alabama Prom Dates x 25, and….Arm Circles.

    PAX divides into three groups – two with four guys and one with three. Each group picks an animal name – on this day, these were Honey Badger, Rabbit, and Dog. One guy from each group completes two burpees and then jogs towards the main park entrance finishing 20 two count paces, calls out the group’s animal name, then hits the ground for Little Baby Crunches. A second guy completes American Hammers until the first guy calls out the animal name, then hops up and jogs to join the first guy in LBCs. The other guy/guys choose between Walking Imperial Walkers and Walking Russian Soldiers, continuing these movements to the spot where the other team members are completing LBCs. Rotate. We continued this sequence around the AO during the morning’s workout. YHC admits initial instructions for this were poor, but somehow the PAX figured it out or at least appeared to do so.

    At our first stop – the bus entrance for Short Pump Middle School at the southwestern edge of Pouncey Tract park – we completed a Lindsay (always 40 reps) including Wide Grip Merkins and Reverse Crunches. Started with 30 WGMs and 10 Reverse Crunches and adjusted our rep count by five reps until we completed 10 and 40 after five rounds.

    Second stop at the southwestern entrance to the Middle School. Completed a 21-15-9 sequence with Plank Rows (two count), Plank Jacks, and Crab Cakes (two count). Complete 21 reps of each for round one, 15 for two, and nine for the final round.

    Third stop at the front of the school for 11s with Donkey Kicks and Curtsey Lunges (two count and with a hand flourish if desired).

    Abandonment of rotating PAX movement method for true mosey back to the start. Finish with Ring of Fire with picnic table dips. COT and Attila took us out.

    2nd F – Parking lot coffee at Einstein’s followed.