Category: Richmond, VA

  • A Batteau Potato

    7 strong posted for a Monday morning beatdown and here is how it went down.

    Swirly :  SSH’s Helicopters, Windmills, IW’s,

    Monkey bars :  3 sets of 5 over hand pull ups – 10 incline merkins 15 dips   – 3sets 5 chin ups – 10 decline merkins – 15 sit ups .

    Hardywood: 4 corners : 5 burpees – 5 burpees 10 hand release merkins – 5 burpees 10 hand release merkins 15 WWII’s – 5 burpees 10 hand release merkins 15 WWII’s 20 squats.  3 sets of 10 partner incline situps.

    ABBA:  sprint up hill touch tree – 5 times – 1 round clock work merkins – 1 round clock work LBC’s

    Swirly : Indian run back to the flag.

    Goldberg : Curb crawl – 3 incline merkins 5 dips 3 times – Mary – LBC’s, APD’s, American Hammers.

    Hope I remembered this right fella’s – solid workout – great way to start the week.

    Things to remember : Labor day convergence – 7AM 3 lakes park – Sept 22nd 4 year anniversary @ dogpile 6am regular work out then a fun run after 🙂 teams of 4 I hear not sure if it’s by nano region or not see Phonics ..CSAP in October ..

    See y’all in the gloom…

  • Where’d Who Go

    The humidity came back for the start of the work week and the 5 men at River Run.  5 miles route for all, or so we thought.  The route is into Tarrington and up the hill to Robious, back down the hill and do the Ashwell loop.

    When YHC and Olivander decided to add an extra turn we thought we saw Singer starting around the loop, apparently this was not him.  Ran into Gumbo and Honeymoon who thought Singer was behind them so YHC and Olivander circled back to find Singer.  After a couple hills and no Singer we turned around and headed back to the AO.  Singer found us in his car and let us know that the man we saw was A) obviously not him and B) he had taken a different route back to the AO.  No worries, everyone got back safely and Olivander and YHC got a little extra mileage in, with a great push at the end too.

    This was Olivander’s first time at River Run and the hills of Tarrington.  It’s no BRR but it’s decent prep for the hills there. Hope you make it back out again soon. Due to the extra mileage the COT was missing a couple PAX, TClaps to Gumbo for sticking around and waiting for us, also for doing Freddie Mercuries as we rolled into the parking lot.

    Announcements:

    Labor Day Convergence – Three Lakes Park – 7am – See Pre-Blast or Spit for more info

    F3 RVA 4 year anniversary Convergence – Sept 22 at Dogwood Dell – 6 am workout, 7 am Race

    CSAUP – October 20 – plan to run a little or a lot – you against you

     

  • Offshore goes Off Road at Off the Books

    2 BRR preppers, 1 summer tourist hit Off the Books on a cool Sunday morning.  The route started as the typical Mines route but YHC wanted to check out a new path and we ended up finding a hidden path that led to the back of SOT.  At Honeymoon’s suggestion we headed into Salisbury and latched on to a route that Offshore found familiar from the Century Classic.  Although he didn’t run it Offshore remembered the stretch of the Twin Team to SOT route that Lab Rat and others ran.  He was also able to find the point where Lab Rat found the magic portal that skipped him to the end of the leg.

    A nice cool morning on the patio of Urban Farmhouse after the run.  Recovery beers for BRR, Honeymoon has some ideas.

    Great run, excellent fellowship, thanks for joining us Offshore.

  • Breaking Bread with 2.0s

    Gumbo and his 2.1 and 2.2 (Redbird and Snare) and two 2.0 friends filled up the Gumbo-mobile with Chicken Fiesta and headed to The Daily Planet to “break bread” with the folks there.  We dished out some delicious rotisserie chicken, rice, salad and, of course, some fried Yuca.  It was a great time.  The 2.0s all took orders, served plates of food, and engaged in great conversation.

    Just like the first time I Q’d Breaking Bread, this is a wonderful opportunity for 2nd F and 3rd F and to meet and share some food and fellowship with some great folks who have hit a rough patch.  One woman tonight got sick and had to have heart surgery.  Throughout the process she was hospitalized for about six weeks and ended up losing her apartment.  Talk about being kicked when you are down.

    It turns out that another couple from Grove Ave Baptist Church came tonight and brought Domino’s pizza, so there was a lot of food to go around, but the Chicken Fiesta was hit.  The patients were extremely thankful – it sounds like last Sunday was quite the opposite – not enough food to really make a meal.  But, they got creative.

    Certainly makes you feel grateful for all the many blessings we have been given.  I encourage any of you who have not posted to a Breaking Bread to look at your calendar and try to block out a few hours on the last Sunday of one of the upcoming months.  So worth it.  You will get more than you give.

    See you in the gloom, brothers.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Dirt Church, All Ages Edition…

    Five riders, from age eleven to sixty-two,  rocked out this morning’s singletrack-heavy Dirt Church ride.

    Profit was running a little late but the rest took the gravel warm up to meet him at the top of the trailhead.  In just a few minutes, we figured out that Crikey wasn’t gonna get dropped despite the 140mm cranks, and with all five of us together, it was time to get rad.

    Blue Jay Way is a downhill, super-jumpy, twisty trail second only to Corkscrew in technicality and sketchiness at speed, so naturally, we went that way.  Shakedown’s full-rigid Bianchi is about as old as Pullout, but he rocked it like a champ and his 2.0 definitely proved to “have a little rad in him” as advertised in the pre-ride group text.  BJW dumps into the head of Sunsetter and after casually clearing all of that flowy trail, we said our goodbyes to the time-constrained.

    Pullout, Profit and YHC scampered up Bell Return at a good clip.  In fact, we rode the whole rest of the ride at a good clip.  My Strava feed says four new PR’s.  After Bell Return, we bombed Blueberry Hill with Pullout picking out the lines.  Blueberry is a flow trail down and up, and in perfect shape (like it was today} can be taken at Mach two without worry.  So we did that.

    Once back to the top, Profit rolled to his convenient parking spot.  Pullout and YHC railed Blue Jay for a final quad workout and yep… another PR.  I was pretty much on the rivet for all of it, and this trail is straight up thrilling at speed.  Pretty sure the younger man had something left in the tank afterward, but I was toast.

    Can’t wait to ride this again.

     

  • Sunday BRR prep Run Day

    4 BRR aspirants gathered for a late summer training run.

    7mi trail run – Olivander, TYA

    Mayo Bridge / Forest Hills route:  9.5 mi Gomer Pyle. 12mi extra credit Saab.

    ETs for 2nd F

     

    NMS

    Beautiful day for a run and a preview of better weather to come.

    We all decided that with the BRR less than two weeks out we need to take advantage of the training opportunity.

    On the Mayo bridge route there are some detours. Over Saab’s mild objection YHC wanted to recon the blown out part of Riverside and see if it has improved yet. It’s still blown out and deep enough that it swallows a full size excavator. Saab did not want to add “construction equipment scramble” nor my other pastime of “lets explore the local population’s tolerance for runners on their property” to the run so we backtracked a bit. All apologies Saab, and thanks for the company. We split at Maymont and Saab did the loop around the perimeter of Byrd Park and some Love Hill repeats.  YHC likes the Mayo route as a prep for BRR, closer to the variation of the race without the stops and hazards on the trail.

    TYA and Olivander can comment on their route.

    Get your miles in boys!

  • A Kotter, an FNG, and nameless UAs

    YHC left Northside Richmond for Greater Short Pump this morning under a clear sky and with cool temperatures.  A PAX of four posted under these ideal conditions.  No F3 tourists this morning and several Unexcused Absences but fun was had nevertheless.

    The Thang:  Startup COP in the parking lot with 25 x SSHs, 15 x Imperial Walkers, 15 x Don Quixotes, 15 x Helicopters, 10 x Merkins, 25 x LBCs, and 15 x Arm Circles (big and small and forward and back).  We moseyed to the nearby bleachers for Lindsays – starting with 30 x Squats and 10 x Incline Merkins and working through changes of 5 reps each round to finish with 10 x Squats and 30 x Incline Merkins.

    Longer mosey over to the Middle School bus awning are for a rotation of 5 sets of Burpees, Donkey Kicks, and Pole Smokers.  Complete 5 to 10 Burpees on the grass or sidewalk, rest briefly while moving to the school wall for 15 to 20 Donkey Kicks, and rest briefly while moving to the bus pavilion for 15 to 20 Pole Smokers.

    In roughly the same place, we completed a Quadruple Check with People’s Chair, Box Cutters, Elbow Planks, and a run around the grassy triangle near the school.

    Head back to the parking lot with one PAX member running ahead about 8 seconds / 16 paces and completing 10 Carolina Dry Docks.  The remaining PAX members Lunge Walk towards the advancing member until the Dry Docks are completed and then the remaining members jog to the solo guy.  Rotate through twice.

    Brief stretching on the pavement.  COT with Namerama and Numberama and YHC took us out.

    NMS:  Good to see Krü in the parking lot when YHC arrived.  Hadn’t seen Krü in a while, but he’d headlocked his friend and fellow former Northsider Greg to attend this morning.  Greg got a shiny F3 name – see the heading.  Good to see my buddy J’ville, too.  Missed seeing our GridIron regulars and our tourists.

  • The Iron PAX Cinder Block Party

    16 Non PuppyPiler, arrived at another glorious sunny and 70 morning in RVA for a Saturday edition of the Iron PAX challenge.

    The coupons were dropped off, the Giant Weinke was written, and the shovel flag was planted in its normal hole.

    This is how it went down:

    Slaughter Start – 10 Burpees OYO

    Mosey down the road to the center on the opposite side of the Carillon

    COP (ALL IC)

    SSH, DQ, Helicopters, LBC’s, Merkins, Arm Circles

    Mosey to the field in front of the Carrillon. The PAX found coupons waiting for them

    THANG

    Week 3 Iron PAX Challenge (As many reps as possible in 30 mins)

    15 Burpees Block Jump Overs
    50 Hand Release Merkins
    Broad jump 10 yards out and 10 yards back

    14 Burpees BJO’s
    50 Goblet Squats
    Broad jump 10 yards out and 10 yards back

    13 Burpees BJO’s
    50 LegRaises w/Coupon in arms extended ChestPress position
    Broad jump 10 yards out and 10 yards back

    Rinse and Repeat sets until time is called but start with 12 Burpees BJO’s, then 11, and so on.

    Some More Coupon Fun

    25 Flutter Kick Press, run 25 yards out and 25 yards back, rinse and repeat till Q calls time (about 5 mins)

    25 Swings w/Coupon, run 25 yards out and 25 yards back, rinse and repeat till Q calls time (about 5 mins)

    25 Coupon Burpees (audible called around 20ish), Sprint 25 yards out and 25 yards back

    Mosey back to SF with Coupons in hand

    Numerama, Namerama, Announcements, YHC took us out

    MOLESKIN

    Wow what a morning! The Iron PAX challenge was a really doozy this week. YHC has been taking on this challenge week after week but really has been the only one in RVA to do. Not after today!

    YHC arrived early to step up then headed to normal meeting spot around 5:50 to find Swirly (of course) and Gomer Pyle the only two waiting. Since today was also Puppy Pile, YHC was expecting a lite PAX. Still a PAX of 16 is a solid number including a guest appearance by OBT. It’s always great to have him join us.

    The mumble chatter was it’s normal self during the COP but seem to drop off during the challenge. YHC wonders why? 🙂 This also will probably be the closest you will ever get to Saab participating in a kettle bell workout. Mission accomplishment.

    The Giant Weinke was a must today. YHC even had to check it from time to time.

    YHC enjoyed Bleeders version of a “Helix squat” but placing his coupon upright and sitting on it. The rest of the PAX seemed to get a good laugh from that as well.

    Welcome to our FNG Whatley! We got another dentist in the PAX. Hope to have you back again soon!

    TClaps go out to Hardywood, Goldberg, and Posh for double dipping today.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS
    • If you kept your reps counts and would like see you stand this week with F3 Nation on the challenge go https://f3greenwood.com/
    • Labor Day Convergence at Three Lakes Park – Sept 3rd at 7:00. See Pre-Blast
    • F3 RVA’s 4 Year Anniversary Convergence – Sept 22nd starting at 6:00. See Pre-Blast

    SPIT ON THAT!!

  • “As It Turns Out, I Can Keep up With a 4 Year Old”

    It is late in the month, it is 7:05am on a Saturday, and we were at Dogwood Dell…that can only mean one thing, it’s PUPPYPILE! We wake up our 2.0s a little earlier than normal (especially on a Saturday) and battle the gloom for a 55 minute beatdown, of a bunch of kids between 4 and 16. A total of 34 as it turns out.

    MARV had the Q, admittedly, his first Q in a long, long time. Between LockJaw scheduling Carrillon runs on a weekly basis on Friday and just general laziness, MARV has been pretty much freeloading on the PAX over the past few, um, years. But nothing motivates MARV like youth sports, so count me in to lead PUPPYPILE when needed.

    The Thang:

    It was good to see the 6am DOGPILE-ers show up with cinder blocks. The Q had a thought to grab the blocks and try his luck with the 2.0s and 15lb cement blocks…but decided against it. Meanwhile, a 7:05am tip of the hat to the guys who were up at 6 on a Saturday and got to carry bricks.

    Moseyed to the grass circle just east of the Carrilon.
    Twelve Side Straddle Hops
    Eight Donald Quixotes
    Ten Helicopters
    Ten Hillbillies
    Three Burpees
    15 arm circles forward
    15 arm circles backward
    Five Mercans
    Ten two count LBCs

    Off to a good start!

    Then we all went to the outer circle for “Hot Potato Animal Walks”

    Sippy–Bear Crawl to the Center
    Fudd – Crabwalk to the Center
    Vinnie — Lion Lunge to the Center
    Rosie — Alligator Walk (no fun)
    Unnamed — Snake Walk (equally no fun)

    Moseyed to the stage behind the Carrillon for a game of 2.0s vs OG Hide and Seek.
    2.0s do 15 Side Straddle Hops while the OGs go out and hide behind a tree. While hiding, the OGs have to do copper head squats. Shout out to Sippy…found a good spot behind a tree that eluded 2.0s Blue Collar and Tyson. We had to go as a group to find him. Switched it up to have the 2.0s go find dad.

    Moseyed to the front of the Carrillon for a little triple check. Not a big triple check, mind you, but a little one. First person ran around the fencing around the Carrillon (from Hardywood: “I’m looking forward to getting the Carrillon back.” Yes you, and all of RVA, Wood). 2nd person was spelling their last school attended with straight legs (overheard “how do you spell Hard Knocks?”) 3rd person does SSHops.

    Introduced our 2.0s to the Indigenous Person run around the Carrillon field.

    The broke the old standby “Bearcrawl/Crabwalk Sharks and Minnows”. For those scoring at home, it has been six months since the grass has been mowed at the Carrillon. We actually lost two 2.0s in the grass over the course of the workout, including the first round of Sharks and Minnows.

    Back to the flag for a three minute round of Burpee Shuffling. Shout out to The Wonderer for calling out the three burpee shuffle.

    Closing word from MARV then many off to Elwood Thompsons.

    It was fitting to do the 2.0 workouts as the Little League World Series is concluding this weekend. There are some fabulous sporting events throughout the year…from the Super Bowl to the Final Four to The Masters…every couple of years we get the Olympics. You can have all of those, I’ll take the Little League World Series any day. The MARVinsons are good for about 30 hours of Little League baseball watching for the 10 or so days that it is on. I can’t tell you how flat out good these 12 & 13 year olds are. Maybe it is because it comes at the end of a baseball filled summer, maybe because I have an 11 & 8yo, or maybe because there’s so much junk you have to sift through these days in the world of sports…but my eyes get consistently sweaty through the tournament in Williamsport. I encourage you to take your afternoon tomorrow to watch the final game.

    We’ll pinpoint a September date for the next PUPPYPILE sometime soon. No matter when it is, count me in.

  • Finally, P-trap found at CM AO – Sewer Gas problem solved

    Five strong bucks followed White deer to the CM parking lot
    A gentle warm up included  25 Side straddle hops, 20 helicopters,  10arm circles, 20 don  Quixote’s, 20 merkins, 10 crab cakes, 10 burpees, series of boat & canoe,
    WD kept it right on the tarmac for the following:
    20 Two arm swings
    20 Single arm swings then alternate
    20 right hand snatches then alternate
    10 right hand lateral swings then alternate
    10 Windmills both arms
    20 High pulls
    10 halos each direction
    10 Plank pull through both sides
    20 Over head pulls
    20 KB heels to heaven
    KB carry over school bus canopy for KB triple check
    First man ran to end of bus canopy and back
    Second – sit and presses, Third – alternating lawn mower pulls
    Carry KB back over to start point for 10 burpees
    Chum Bucket gave us a  good 5 minutes of cool down stretches
    COT with YHC took  us out
    Welcome  Swiper, for your first time at Circus Maximus  and welcome back Ponch.  Thanks for bringing  our new FNG P-trap to the circus. P-trap is in the plumbing business, we can surely put a good P-trap to use on Thursday mornings.
    As always, good to see some new faces join the circus loop  over this summer.  Solid work by all, hope the old WD got your blood pumping.
    Just remember  this joyfully  “pronking” white deer is guaranteed to make you smile and your day better!