Category: Richmond, VA

  • Fartlek Hills

    A long weekend away and YHC was ready to get back in the swing of things. Not being able to decide between doing hills or speed work today, I decided we could do both and make everyone happy. The PAX was excited to hear the plan and took off as a group of 10, leaving Hermie on his own to hide in his burrow at the bottom of Twin Team. We stayed as a pack into Tarrington and went up and down some hills with varying effort, lengths of time, pickups, and hills. Note to the PAX don’t let Marmaduke lead the pace on downhill cool down sections. Also, don’t leave your front door open so your dog can see 10 men running by at 0530, the dog might go nuts and wake up the whole house, just an observation.

    Prayers for various friends and family of the PAX , including Marmaduke’s mother, that are going through treatments, illnesses and hard times.

    YHC, POG and Honeymoon are heading to Smith Mountain Lake for a weekend in April to run the Blue Ridge Half Marathon. If anyone wants to join, let me know. Races with lengths from 1 mile to 2x marathon available on the trip as well.

  • Batteau Trifecta

    Three studs arose to greet the dawn of a new day. According to legend, it went a little something like this.

    Swirly started us off with the COP:

    SSH X 20, DQ X 10, Helicopter X 10, Merkin X 10, Flutter Kick, 10

    Rock Show – Swirly; grab a batteau coupon

    • Round 1 – 20 curls, 10 overhead press, down stairs with coupon, 15 dips.
    • Round 2 – Round 1, plus 15 bench press.
    • Round 3 – Round 2, plus 20 squats.

    Triple Check – Offshore

    • One person runs up hill to light pole, exercises are decline merkins and flutter kicks.

    Team Jerkins – Offshore

    • 10 jerkins completed by pax holding the hand of the two other pax. 2 rounds.

    Hardywood Special – Hardywood; mosey to tennis courts

    • Run to 1st corner for 10 merkins and back to start.
    • Corner 1 10 merkins, Corner 2 10 merkins, 10 WWII, corner 1 10 merkins, back to start.
    • Corner 1 10 merkins, Corner 2 10 merkins, 10 WWII, Corner 3 20 ball dippers, 10 merkins, 10 WWII, Corner 2 10 WWII, 10 merkins, corner 1 10 merkins, back to start.

    3 Min of Mary – Hardywood

    • 20 American Hammer
    • 20 Cat Killers (in American Hammer position, except doing arm circles)

    Numberma, namerama and YHC took us out.

    Keep Double Mint in your thoughts are prayers. His dad has been placed on hospice. Kudos to Hitchhiker for 100 days in a row of working out and eating clean! Way to set the bar for the rest of us.

    Bone Thug 5k – 4/24 at 45MOM.

  • 4 Count WorkOut

    While our bodies were wondering what we were doing up at 4:30am, eight men gathered in the near west end under a brilliantly bright moon to tell daylight savings where to go and how to get there. And to do a 45 minute workout.

    The Thang:

    Two laps around the traffic circle and then the COT up on the blacktop.

    10 Helicopters. 10 Don Quixiotes. 25 Side Straddle Hops. 10 arm circles (forward and reverso) 10 Mercans. 15 LBCs. 10 four count Freddie Mercury’s. 5 burpees.

    Mosey to the west end of the black top for “full blacktop agilities”. Start at the west end, agilitize to the east end, do an exercise, agilitize back. The agilities:

    Kareoke–5 mercans High Knees–3 burpees Ballerinas–10 LBCs Leaps and Bounds/Butt Kicks–10 2 count side straddle hops. Sprint–10 Hand release mercans.

    Mosey to the field for “Make them Up as You Go 4 Corners”.

    Three sets for four corners for the group:

    Corner 1: 10 Mercans. Corner 2: 10 Mercans. 10 LBCs. Corner 3: 10 Mercans. 10 LBCs. 5 Burpees Corner 4: 10 Mercans. 10 LBCs. 5 Burpees. 10 Freddie Mercurys

    Corner 1: 10 LBCs Corner 2: 10 LBCs, 10 four count Freddie’s Corner 3: 10 LBCs, 10 four count Freddie’s, 5 Burpees Corner 4: 10 LBCs, 10 four count Freddie’s, 5 Burpees, 10 2 count SSHops

    Corner 1: 10 Four Count SS Hops Corner 2: 10 Four Count SS Hops Corner 3: 10 Four Count SS Hops Corner 4: 10 Four Count SS Hops

    Mosey to the Triple Check wall…yet we did double checks. Partner would circle the traffic drop off circle while the other partner would do the following…

    Balls to the Wall Mercans LBCs Arm Circles People’s Chair Monkey Squats

    It was a continuous motion type of thing with the QIC more or less making it up as he went. It wasn’t ideal, but did keep the motion going constantly with no rest.

    COT– 20 American Hammers. Spell “Mister Holland” with your legs, 20 American Hammers.

    Congratulations to Handshake, it’s been almost 2 years since he showed up at Hoedown…well done sir.

    Also, for much of the Q I called Mr. Holland, Don Draper. Both are male characters in motion picture and TV dated dramas respectively, so it’s easy to get them confused. I apologize to Mr. Holland and, in some respects, Don Draper as well.

  • Friday Windsor Jaunt

    A solid double dozen men showed up on a just warm enough to wear gloves but not cold enough to wear long pants morning for a run around the southside of Cary Street.

    The Thang…

    Everyone:

    East across Commonwealth to Willetta which winds east to Kingscrest (one of the two “crests” that were run today). Kingscrest deadheads into Malvern.

    Go South on Malvern, across Cary into the wonderful Windsor Farm community. From there, you are on Canterbury and you bear to the left on Canterbury to start running towards the back of the community.

    In the early 1960s, the Canterbury family and the Sulgrave family got into a pretty large brouhaha about land, liquor and the respect of their women. The Sulgraves won. Thus, about halfway down your route on Canterbury, it turns into Sulgrave. Long live Sulgrave.

    The Sulgraves, however, just couldn’t keep it together in the 1970s and the Berkshire family took over that part of the neighborhood around 1976. While the Sulgraves fought hard, mainly over cattle and a few llamas…the Berkshires succeeded to grab that land and that part of the road.

    Take Berkshire to Dover, right on Dover. Dover runs into Locke. Take a right on Locke and immediately go through the natural area to get yourself on Pocahontas. Make sure you take the 2nd opening of the natural area, the first can be a bit prickly, as found out by the YHC and FacePlant (but avoided by Hardywood and Splinter).

    Pocahontas to Kingscrest. Right on Kingscrest.

    The 4s get out of the Kingscrest loop at Cary. Across the street to Oak. Oak to Grove, Grove back to the Shovel Flag. A bit heavy on the final number (4.3 miles).

    The 5s take the Kingscrest loop all the way around. Take the steepest part for the 2nd time and then to Oak to Grove and the back to the Shovel Flag.

    The 6s take the Kingscrest loop all the way around but continue going another 1/2 lap. They take the first Charmain right (not the 2nd) which eventually, somehow turns into West Moreland. (Have you ever looked at a map and seen what Charmain, the road, really looks like. It is bizarre and very unorthodox).

    Anyhoo, take a hairpin turn from West Moreland back to Locke. South on Locke. Left on Dover, that runs you to back to the Berkshire Family’s road. Left there, which takes you to Cary. Cross Cary to Commonwealth and Back to the Flag. (For the 6.5’s, take your first left off Dover onto Nottingham, take Nottingham to Coventry, to Calycanthus, to Lilac to Nottingham to Dover to freakin’ Locke to Cary to Commonwealth to back to the flag. I can’t get a run done in this neighborhood without getting lost.

    Dueces.

  • 4 at Tomato Run

    We formed up to split into two man teams, Mud Face and No Idea did the route around the School Campus and Trout and Corned Beef did a four mile route through King’s Charter posting a fast sub 8:30/mile pace.

    Great workout and Trout took us out.

    Brief BB as there was little to report from Monday.

    SYITG … CB

  • Against the Wind

    7 able bodied warriors including yours truly set out on a great adventure in the howling winds of Short Pump, VA.

    COP: Mosey two times around the football field, Don Quixotes, Side Straddle hops, Freddie Mercuries, Merkins and Arm Circles.

    E1: Mosey to front of school. Do each exercise 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off. Balls to the wall, Donkey kicks, Wall sits, plank and mountain climbers. Repeated balls to the wall and donkey kicks.

    E2: Mosey to football field. 10 burpees at the 10 yard line, 20 WWIIs at the 20, 30 merkins, 40 jump squats, 50 2 count flutter kicks. Reverso after a quick rest.

    E3: Mosey to school courtyard and use cards to determine exercises. These include crabcakes, diamond merkins, heels to heaven and LBCs. The cards kept blowing around making this difficult to sustain.

    E4: Mosey to pickleball court. First bear crawl halfway down and back. Second, lunge 3/4 way and back. Lastly wheelbarrow all the way and back.

    E5/6: Go to little pavilion. Do 3 sets of 40 seconds on and 20 seconds off of dips. Mosey to parking lot and finish with round of American hammers and merkins.

    Closed in prayer. This is my first Q since before I broke my ankle on 12/26. It is good to be back and let’s put those with health issues in our prayers. Have a productive and enjoyable weekend.

    Peace out.

    Fireman Ed

  • Tailwind = Good; Headwind = Bad

    7 men needed a few appetizer and dessert miles today. The tailwinds on the way to Dogpile were great. The reverse not so much. Great job guys.

  • 48 Months, 1461 Days – all 1 day at a Time

    28 gloom warriors fought the blustery winds and dominated Dogpile this morning. Gumbo had been missing from the Dogpile menu for quite some time, but it came back with a vengeance today. Today’s flavor was:

    Mosey around the normal COP circle and down into the amphitheater for COP, including:

    • SSHs x48 (one for each month Gumbo has been with F3)
    • DQs x14
    • LBCx x61 – 1461 days with F3
    • 1 Burpee OYO – 1 day at a time baby
    • Jazzercisers x10
    • Tempo Merkins x10
    • Hold Plank, down to Elbow Plank, then Alternating Shoulder Taps x10
    • Freddie Mercuries x10

    Meal Time (The THANG)…

    Step Aerobics –

    • On the way up 4 box jumps on each step
    • Coming down 4 Derkins on each step
    • Plank-o-rama for the SIX

    Rosie’s Rapid Fire Rando-rama

    Mosey behind the amphitheater to the fire hydrant area for some Rosie’s Rapid Fire Rando-rama exercises, all IC x10 and fast pace, including:

    • Hello Dollies
    • Rosalitas
    • Flutter Kicks
    • APDs
    • American Hammers

    Triple Check #1

    PAX 1 – run from fire hydrant to the rusty cage and do Burp-Ups (3 first round, 2 second round and 1 third round)

    PAX 2 – jump squats

    PAX 3 – box cutters

    Triple Check #2

    Mosey down to the pipe loop for the next triple check. Hold six inches, then 90 degrees, then 45 degrees for the SIX. Triple Check was:

    PAX 1 – run pipe loop

    PAX 2 – mountain climbers

    PAX 3 – Freddie mercuries

    Mosey BTTF via Love Hill

    COT, Number-Rama, Name-A-Rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • HDHH March 18 with rollercoaster run launching from ETs and returning for beers. See Oyster for details
    • Bone Thugs is going to do his first 5K the last week of April – way to go BT. We are hear to help and support you along the way. Keep showing up and getting 1 step better every day.
    • Hitchhiker completed his 100-day workout challenge. Congrats Bro! He is 25 lbs lighter, has a six pack and reports that his M is pleased!
    • Let’s keep our brother DTH and his family in our thoughts and prayers while he is on his mission trip.
    • Let’s keep Doublemint’s father and family in our prayers as his father has entered Hospice care.
    • Let’s keep Upchuck’s mother and MIL in our thoughts along with any others who have compromised or weakened immune systems during this COVID-19 scare. Be safe. Be Smart. Wash hands.

    NMS:

    It has been a minute or two since Gumbo attended Dogpile, much less took the Q and served up some spicy goodness. It was great to be back. Everyone pushed hard today. That wind was no joke, but we got our miles in and even put in a few minutes of EC (my bad).

    Well done guys. Thanks for letting me lead.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Damn Seal Team — I fart in your general direction!

    6 guys showed up for an epic 21st wedding anniversary beatdown

    COP — Marriage is a union, so in honor of that we did combo exercises
    arm circle squats, alternating shoulder tap merkins, plank jack rotators and american hammer pull ins

    it takes two to tango — 21 bowing cockroaches, 21 jumpovers, 21 PLT’s

    Ascending 4 corners — 21 butt kickers, 21 mountain climbers and 21 bk’s, 21 ww2’s 21 mountain climbers and 21 bk’s, 21 dirty dogs 21 ww2’s 21 mountain climbers and 21 bk’s

    Lazy Dora —
    99 merkins while other one does plank
    99 squats while other one does Al Gore
    99 american hammers while other one does 6 inches

    The beast
    merkins
    jump squats
    smurf jacks
    heels to heaven

    Times up! Back to flag for Numbers, Names, Announcements

    So, Corned Beef relayed a story this morning about Wednesday’s WDog about going to retrieve the coupons from under the stage and how they had mostly all been smashed and Corned Beef mentioned how it was probably Seal Team that had done it. So that was basically the joke the rest of the day. “No it couldn’t have been any of the other teenage hoodlums that might hang around the city park any time of day — had to be Seal Team.” or “Hey there’s litter on the ground over there, Seal Team did it.” or “There is a big hole in this field — I bet that was Seal Team.” There was also an awful lot of the 4th F this morning, hence the title of the backblast. There was so much mumblechatter this morning, there could have been ten backblast titles from the crap that was said today. The PAX loved the combo exercises at the beginning and ruthlessly made fun of YHC’s creativity asking if this was a DTH workout. Well played. Love the camaraderie of this group — it is always a pleasure to lead!

    Opus



  • A Deck of Dora

    4 Davillians arrived on mild morning in the Ville for some deck of cards fun

    This is how it went down

    Mosey around to a grassy in front of the school

    COP (ALL IC) – Nancy Kerrigans, DQ, Hillbillies, HRM’s, AL Prom Date, Rosalita, Arm Circles

    THANG

    Mosey to the courtyard

    A Deck of Dora – Partner up complete 5 exerices chosen from the F3 Deck of Cards. One partner runs the loop around the courtyard backwards

    Round 1 – 50 Weight Arm Merkins, 100 SSH, 150 2 ct Flutter Kicks, 200 , 250 Squats

    Round 2 – 50 Incline Merkins, 100 WWII Sit ups, 150 , 200 Monkey Humpers, 250 Plank Jacks

    Mosey back to the SF for 5 Hitchhikers OYO

    Numberama, Namerama, Announcements, YHC took us out

    MOLESKIN

    Great time this morning. The backward running was tough once YHC switch it a uphill way

    SPIT ON THAT!!