Category: Richmond, VA

  • PRE-BLAST: Grow For Raise – Inaugural Stache Challenge

    PRE-BLAST: Grow For Raise – Inaugural Stache Challenge

    The Stache Bros (Vinny and Gumbo) issued a challenge to the PAX at the Inaugural 1st Inaugural Retreat. What rhymes with Stache?…CASH baby.

    Vinny and YHC of course love locking the razor away for a month and love celebrating the greatness of Magnum P.I. and his stache, so we thought of a way to play off of that and challenge the PAX to raise some cash for a good cause. For the first year of the Stache Challenge, we would like to raise some cash for a very worthy cause, and not just because it is run by one of our very own (LabRat’s M). We will be raising money for Raise Coffee Co. of Hanover, VA https://www.raisewithus.org/

    Raise is doing great work and while many of us have supported Raise individually, we thought an organized F3RVA fundraising effort would be great.

    We are open to additional and/or different beneficiaries for future years of the Stache Challenge, so let Vinny and Gumbo hear of other worth local organizations for future consideration.

    Here are the details of the challenge –

    • If we as a PAX can raise at least $3,000 for Raise Coffee, Vinny and Gumbo will grow their glorious staches from November 1 through December 7 (2nd Annual Magnum P.I. Day at Dogpile).
    • Even better, we encourage PAX members to Donate AND Grow with us.

    Details about how/where to send your donation will be forthcoming.

    Let’s see how much money we can raise and how many staches we can sport on 12/7/19. I for one think we can blow this goal out of the water, and I’d love to see 50 guys with muddy Hawaiian shirts and staches on 12/7/19.

    Let’s do it.

    The Stache Bros (reigning 1st Inaugural Retreat Cornhole Champs)

  • Just 2 Men and a Sidewalk…

    Speed was on display this morning at River Run as LugNut and Gumbo held down the fort and crushed the sidewalk…well, at least downhill we did. The route shall be known either as “The Sidewalk Route” or “The Doozy Killer”. Today, we’ll call it the Sidewalk Route – left out of BWES and around the high school and across Robious to the dark side of the sidewalk. Turn right on the sidewalk and head West and slightly downhill as far as you can until 22/23 minutes. Lug and I turned back just before 288 at the 2.5 mile mark and trekked it back uphill to the Flag. The slow burn was real and it slowed our pace too. But it was a great run. Thanks for posting LugNut and for letting me draft on the LugNut Express for the first 2 miles out.

    COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and a quick prayer for a great day. No announcements.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Who’s the Q? Are you the Q? AM I? Hot Potato!

    5 able bodied soldiers showed up at Batteau in the early morning light or non-Light wondering who was the Q. DTH was on the list but its 5:30 and he is not here, Swirly do you want to take the COP? Absolutely, lets mosey.

    COP – Swirly

    YHC was not awake yet and didn’t think he would be writing the BB so I may be missing some exercises or they may be out of order. SSH, Helicopters, DQ’s, Scorpions, Imperial Walkers, LBC’s, flutter kicks and merkins.

    Mosey – Face Plant

    Stone landing area – 10 Merkins, 10 Derkins, 20 Dips

    Mosey to the lake – hit all the light poles with 5 Burpees at each all around the lake

    Lung up hill to first light 10 WWII, Run to second light 20 WWII, Lung to third light 30 WWII, run to last light 40 WWII

    Back to stone landing – 10 Merkins, 10 Derkins, 20 Dips

    Mosey – Doozy

    Back up past the flag to the field with hills, down to the bottom of Death valley. 11’s – Bottom of the hill 1 squat top of hill 10 Plank Jacks, repeat and increase decrease as required.

    Mosey to the pickle ball courts, circle up for a Merkin Mary – Merkins of your choice while everyone else waits in Merkin position. 20 LBC’s just to get us to a ful 45 minutes. Mosey to the flag.

    Numbers and names / YHC took us out

    NMS:

    YHC had taken a week off to hopefully heal a bum hip but with no real change decided a DTH beat down would be a great way to get back into it. With no Q at the helm, Swirly took control and declared a Hot Potato if DTH didn’t show up during the COP. Welcome to Richmond GLOW (from Greensboro), it was good to get to know you a bit this morning; YHC looks forward to catching up with you throughout the week.

  • Breaking Hard Shells

    3 PAX plus an FNG (Friendly New Gal) labored over a hot stove and a pair of hot slow cookers on Sunday. Temps were sunny and 72 (hey, the kitchen is a temperature controlled environment).

    6 residents plus the center manager joined us for dinner. Beef or chicken? Hard or soft shell? Guac, salsa, sour cream, cheese? Good stuff, and YHC sends his thanks to Vers, Westminster, and Pencil (FNG) for doing the overwhelming portion of the prep. And to his M for doing most of the shopping.

    Good chatter all around with the 3 kiddos making some new friends and sharing a bit about middle school with the residents. YHC chatted with a pair of guys, one from Gloucester and another from Washington (albeit a Cowboys fan). Topics included the Cowboys, old movies, and how the Redskins could somehow lose on Sunday despite not playing.

    For those PAX who are considering doing this, but aren’t quite sure what’s involved, it’s a piece of cake.

  • Inaugural 1st Inaugural Retreat

    Inaugural 1st Inaugural Retreat

    What can be said about a group of brothers that wasn’t said last night around the ole camp fire?! The brotherhood we share was in full force this weekend at the Inaugural 1st Inaugural Retreat in Amelia.

    After Dogpile, we headed out to Amelia to begin the festivities. Wiffle ball, Birdie Ball, Frisbee, Lassoing, and an organized Corn Hole tournament were among the many field games available. Food and beverages were a plenty, and awaited all on arrival. But before the games commenced, a service project ensued.

    Our gracious host Charlie, AKA Woodstock (FNG), needed some azaleas pulled and a sewer line unearthed. No problem, with Swirly, Circle K and Gomer Pyle digging in deep, and Kubota at the wheel of the excavator he brought in – yes, he had one shipped in – the project was completed in a few hours.

    Let the games begin. Corn Hole tournament time. Double elimination, with a sweet prize for the champions. After many heated battles and cold beers consumed, Stache Brothers (YHC and Gumbo) came out on top! Looking forward to defending the “crown” next year Gumbo!

    After the official games ended, the grills were fired up for round 2 and the oysters – courtesy of Rosie – came out. Man, were they good! You need to be there next year Rosie, to enjoy them with us. The PAX over delivered on sides to share, with DTH’s M sending a 7-layer dip that took grand prize in the Amelia County Fair 2018. Sugar Sock and Shakedown had a smoker that produced some incredible brisket. As always, Chef Circle K had the kitchen in order. The man can grill.

    The festivities then moved to the fire pit where things got real. Each brother, lead by Swirly, stood up and shared what F3 RVA and this brotherhood means to them. It wasn’t planned, but it was really inspiring hearing from everyone and reconfirming commitment to ourselves and this group.

    It was also at the fire that, in true form, Swirly lead an actual Merkin Ring of Fire. Why not? I mean, it was there.

    Then, to bed for most. Swirly and EF Hutton closed it down about 2 a.m.

    All the T-Caps to Woodstock for letting us use his property. It’s entirely possible he thinks we are a cult, but he was a great sport about all of this. He noted this A.M. how impressed he was that some of us were able to get up this morning! That said, we are invited back for next year.

    The 2nd Annual 1st Inaugural Retreat is tentatively scheduled for October 3/4 2020. Mark your calendars now and don’t come to me the week or days before with “family plans came up.” This is your heads up. Seriously, I think those who were there will agree that this is must see TV.

    To those that were there this weekend, thanks for making it such an awesome retreat. It played out even better than I had envisioned. Without each and everyone of you there, it would not have been as memorable as it was. I, for one, had a great time, and can’t wait to run it back in 2020.

    HOOOOOOOOLD IT!!!

    (P.S. Gumbo and I issued a Movember fundraiser challenge that culminates with Mangnum PI Day at Dogpile on Saturday, Dec. 7th. Of course, mustaches are involved. See his PreBlast for details).

  • Tater’s VQ

    Beautiful Fall morning when 7 brave lads joined YHC for his VQ.
    After initial false start by announcing first exercise as Merkin but performing Side Straddle Hops, a good laugh was had, and we got the morning underway.

    Warm-ups: 20 side straddle hops, 15 cherry pickers, 10 Don Quixote’s, 30 count arm circles forward/backwards, 20 APD and 10 LBCs. Q broke out the iPod for toe-taps, jump rope, and air punches to the Rocky theme song.

    Mosey to lower Football Field for Exercise 1: (Elevens- Burpees and Mountain Climbers). 55 Burpees may not have been a crowd pleaser to start the day, but the PAX stepped up to the challenge.

    Mosey to Pillars of Pain for:
    Exercise 2- 30 Boxing Cockroaches, 20 Partner Leg Toss, and 10 Pull-up (partner assisted).
    Exercise 3- Q broke out the iPod again for a 3 min 12 second extended plank session to the Police’s Roxanne, with Merkins to every “Roxanne” and Plank Jacks for every “Red Light”.

    Mosey back to football field for:
    Exercise 4- Quarter Pounder (mosey to 25 yrd line for 25 WWII’s, back to end line, mosey to 50 yrd line for 50 LBCs, back to end line, mosey 75 yrds for 75 Flutter Kicks, back to end line, and final mosey to end of field for 100 American Hammers).

    After a well needed 20 count, Q added a little levity for Exercise 5- Crab vs Bear Soccer Game. Finished off the morning with Exercise 6- Ring of Fire Merkins, followed by 10 pull-ups on football goal posts.

    Appreciate the opportunity to lead such a great group of men.

  • Miles and Smiles

    3 departed the pump house for varying routes and distances, encountering pleasant scenery along the way.

    Announcements:

    • Bear Creek 10m (December)
    • Bel Monte Ultra(s) – (March)

    Saab out

  • TYA sends his regards

    33 hardwoods posted this morning for a 5 year celebration of F3 in ol’RVA. The weather was ,most definitely , 70 and Sunny.

    THE THANG

    Mosey to the amphitheater for a semi-COP

    25X SSH,10X Merkins, 25X LBC, 15X Arm Circles, 10X Don Quixote, 15X Arm Circles

    Go up the amphitheater 5 incline Merkins alternating to 5 dips on the next step

    Mosey to the Feild

    5X Bear Crawls & Crab walks across field with Merkins, Knee bends(the Deep Kind) Box cutters, and LBC’s

    Hand off to Swirly

    THE BEAST – with Chuck Norris Merkins & Burpees

    Mosey back to the Flag

    Bodos took us out.

    MOLESKIN

    Yes, it’s been 5 years of F3 in RVA.

    The celebrations this week ranged from an email from Toga(now F3 Nashville) to J’ville and Loose Goose leading the workouts almost on the actual launch dates (9/19/14) and a Conspiracy siting at 45 Minutes of Mary, DK & YHC were the two attending today’s convergence that were at the first week.

    The impact that F3 has had on life here in RVA extensive, more folks are in shape( or on the way there) , guys have a new network of friends that they didn’t have before & the many adventures that some of us have been on; the were epic; from several GORUCK events & BRR trips and the training that those required & an odd trip the NYC or the farm. At coffeeteria, Bodo’s asked YHC “who I knew before from the first group that worked out?” I didn’t know anyone from RVA that first day five years ago. It’s been an honor and pleasure to be with you guys.

    The next 5 years… where do we go from here?

    Bleeder Out

  • Iron Pax with a FNG??

    9 Davillians arrived for one last time at New Highland Baptist for this weeks Iron PAX Challenge

    This how it went down

    YHC directly everyone to the picnic area. No time for disclaimer or COP.

    THANG

    Meter 43 – 10 Low Dips, 15 Burpee Coupon Jump Overs, 20 Coupon Curls, 25 Coupon Squat Thrusters, 30 Gas Pump

    Rinse and Repeat for 43 minutes

    Numberrama, Namerama, YHC took us out

    MOLESKIN

    Glad to have Mail Sack back in the mix and welcome to is 2.0 Iron Eagle. The name came from the fact he is currently in ROTC – Air Force so always good to reference a 80’s movie. Also the fact is first workout was during the Iron back challenge

    Surprisingly the “4th F” was nonexistent during the Gas Pump. The came to as a shock to YHC knowing the history of the PAX present

    Opus was crushing the workout finishing somewhere in the 800+ reps range. YHC tried to keep up

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    • The Creek to move to Pearson’s Corner next week. Official announcement/pre blast coming soon
    • Opus’ band plays Saturday night at Castleburg Brewery from 7-10. All are invited if not at the retreat.

    SPIT ON THAT!!

  • Week 3

    And then there were 8 (plus Wojo in spirit) continuing to tackle the Iron PAX challenge… Here’s how it went:

    ANNOUNCEMENTS:

    F3RVA 5-yr anniversary workout tomorrow at Dogpile

    F3 retreat this weekend, talk to Dr. Tryhard for details if you’d like to slide in at the last minute.

    Iron PAX final workout next Friday back here at the same bat time and the same bat place. Plan on some more quality time with coupons.

    Great balls of Fire!

    -Loose Goose