Category: Richmond, VA

  • 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

  • Haiku 4 U

    Fours to Tapoan

    Fives to U of R Commons

    Sixes go-round lake

  • Going Balls Deep

    Gents – my apologies for a late post. The firewall at work blocks the F3 site. That coupled with running kids back and forth to practice after work led to the 8pm post. Better late than never.

    I digress…

    Wednesday, YHC was all pumped up and ready to try his hand at leading the workout following mixed reviews for the 9/11 workout. Unfortunately, YHC forgot how to read the sheet and Johnsville had grabbed the Q. But never fear cheerful readers, since YHC had a workout planned out and the Thursday Timberwolf spot sat open and merry match was made. With a taste of fall in the air, 9 battled tested men joined YHC for the Inappropriately titled “Balls Deep”.

    YHC brought a bucket of baseballs to the workout, everybody got a baseball. With ball in hand, we mosey’d for the WarmUp. Warmup consisted of…

    • Side Straddle Hops
    • Don Quixote’s
    • Windmills
    • Big arm circles (everyone who attended Johnsonville’s workout Wednesday had sore shoulders)
    • Russian Soldiers

    YHC’s troubles with the cadence are well documented. But he NAILED IT today. NAILED IT. Following the warm up and collective cheer from the PAX for the accurate cadence, the group mosey’d over to the field for balls deep.

    The Thang – The PAX lined up on the sideline for the following –

    • Inch Worm with pushup across the field. Toss baseball forward as you move across the field to your next spot.
    • On the way back across the field, lunge with squat in the middle, touch the baseball to the grass on the squat.
    • Partner up for 100 WWII’s passing the baseball back and forth at the top of the WWII.
    • Back to the sideline, for broad jump across the field, touch the baseball to the grass before your jump
    • Back on your six for Alabama Prom Dates, hold the ball over your man parts and wish things were bigger
    • On the sideline for Fast Paced Russian Soldiers, hold the ball out front and kick the ball straight legged style
    • Down to plank position, pass the baseball back and forth for a 30 count. This one was harder than expected. Back on your six for 25 hip dips per side
    • To the sideline for burpees across the field, toss the ball, do a burpee, broad jump, repeat
    • On your six, for full extension sit ups

    YHC was out ideas at this point. A two lap mozey was added to finish the day and then back to the flag for a quick ring of fire. Your choice of 10 push ups.

    Announcements:

    • Camp out this weekend. If you don’t know about this yet, get your act together
    • 5th anniversary Q Saturday at Dogwood. Join the running crew at 530am at ET prior to for a quick jaunt
    • IronPAX challenge tomorrow at Twin Team – Loose Goose with the Q

    NumberRama/NameaRama with Marmaduke taking out us.

    Men – a great day to be with you. I always enjoyed the banter and laughs that we have. OC

  • Chap’s VQ: The Hill is Your Friend

    6 intrepid F3 veterans braved the mean streets of Bon Air for the latest edition of The Forge. The mood could be described as jovial, as the PAX eagerly anticipated an epic beat down – Chaplain Style!

    The Pax trecked to the end of the main road and circled up for COP. YHC fumbled through the intro and was possibly a bit off on the cadence; however, we all made it through the following:

    Side Straddle Hops, Don Quixote’s, Arm Circles, LBC’s, Russian Soldiers (approximately 10 a piece)

    Mosey to the bottom of the big hill, stopping at every light and completing 5 incline merkins on the curb

    Exercise 1: Partner up
    One partner runs up the big hill to our primary parking area and back. In the interim, the other partner completes 20 squats, 20 flutter kicks, and 5 “reach out Merkins,” which apparently are not a thing! Moves are repeated until the runner returns.

    Repeat until everyone has done the hill 3x.

    DTH gave us a 10 count, then mosey to the next station.

    Exercise 2: Knollercoaster

    Bear Crawl up each hill
    10 jump squats at the summit
    Crabwalk down the hill
    10 WWII sit-ups at the bottom
    return to start with same.

    Exercise 3: Mount Chaplin
    Beginning at the bottom of Mt. Chaplin, run up each hill
    At the first tiered parking area: complete 2 burpees, 10 mountain climbers
    2nd parking area: 3 burpees, 10 mountain climbers
    3rd: 4 burpees, 10 mountain climbers
    4th: 5 burpees, 10 mountain climbers.

    Turn around at the summit and repeat the pattern on descent, starting with 2 burpees, 10 mountain climbers, and working your way up.

    Goal was to complete three trips up the mountain, but time constraints only allowed for 2 and change.

    Mosey back to the flag .

    COT:
    CounteramaNamearama
    Announcements:
    Camping trip this weekend
    Iron Pax at Twin Team tomorrow
    Convergence at Dog Pile on Saturday
    Got another VQ on Saturday (did not catch the location)
    Fresh Prince took us out in prayer

    It was a great honor the lead the group today! I have to admit, was a bit nervous coming in: will the Q be hard enough? will I forget all the exercises? will everything I have planned take 10 minutes? Definitely helped that my son and I did some recon the night before. In the end, everything worked out, and it was memorable experience for YHC. The hills are such an obvious and great metaphor for life: lots of peaks and valleys, but you have to power through. Definitely helps to have the support and encouragement of this group.