Category: Richmond, VA

  • Pre Blast: Breaking Bread, This Sunday, November 25

    Thanksgiving Quiz

    Question 1: Where was the first Thanksgiving in America held?

    Answer: Virginia.  That’s easy.  As early as 1610.  9 years before some Massachusetts Pilgrims scraped up their new Plymouth by crashing into a rock on their way home from a baahhhh.

    Question 2: What is a HIM?

    Answer: High Impact Man.  This weekend, it’s YOU!

    Question 3: Who will be a HIM for 2.5 hours on Sunday, November 25, 2018.

    Answer: You

    Question 4: What is needed?

    Answer: F3 RVA sponsors Breaking Bread one Sunday evening each month.  This month, it falls on Thanksgiving weekend. As of Tuesday, no one had signed up, so I jumped at the opportunity.

    Isn’t this a hassle on a Sunday?  Only if you let yourself think that way.

    If you have not done this, it’s not a burden – it’s a reward.  You will have the opportunity to serve dinner to roughly 12-15 people.  These are folks who incurred injuries or other medical conditions in their lives.  They found themselves homeless in the process.  The Daily Planet is their chance to recover safely and, at this time of year, in a warm, welcoming environment.  Your help pulls them through.  And, having done this 2 times already this year, I can tell you there will be no one at your family Thanksgiving tomorrow more thankful than these folks will be for your help on Sunday.

    Also, for anyone who is thinking, “But, I like to watch football on Sundays,” your prayers have been answered.  They almost ALWAYS have football going on Sundays in the fall.  EVERYONE watches.  No burdensome M’s or 2.0s to ask you to be a husband or Dad** – just you, football, and helping the homeless.

    I need ONE brother (two would be fine, but I NEED one), one HIM, to step up for Sunday.  I’ll do most of the cooking.

    Who’s in?

    Respond to the Pre-Blast or text me (804 307 6765).  Help a brother, help some homeless folks, but most of all, help yourself, F3RVA Thanksgiving-style, by lending a hand.

    **Bring your kids, if you wish.  Daily Planet recommends that they be 10 years old to attend.

  • If Only a Pax of ONE Posts…

    The length of the (PROMPT) backblast is commensurate…

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

  • At least I am faster than Marv

    Three studs posted on a cold Wednesday evening for a hill run.  Husky and Kubota rocked out two laps in the cold and learned a valuable lesson: gloves and face coverage in the cold is important at night in the winter.  TYA posted and an hour later and hit two long plus a short loop.  Fun was had by all.

    Ok, a week is far too long for a backblast posting, but there is always an upside to everything.  Marv would have not even had an inkling to post a backlblast a mere week late.

    TYA OUT

  • Brother, meet my brothers

    8 regulars and 1 FNG posted on a chilly morning to hoist some iron and kickstart the holiday vacation (for most of us).  Here’s how it went down.

    COP, start by running the bus loop, then circle up for 15 each of the following: SSH, merkins, arm circles (small, big, reverso), HRM, helicopters, Imperial Walkers, HRM.

    Mosey to bus loop for four corners on an oval.  Ascending 4 corners with demon crushers, figure 8’s, American Hammers with KB, and lawnmowers, sets of 10, 20, 30 and 40, walk b/t corners while doing slingshots.  Al Gore for the six.

    Find a patch of grass, circle up facing outward for pass the KB.  Do this clockwise, then counterclockwise, at which point due to backups etc. all the KB’s were mixed up, time to stop.

    Triple check, partner up (this confused the PAX), exercises were flutter kick presses, LBC’s with KB, final partner runs the loop.

    Mosey to flag for 15 halos, 15 diamond merkins on KB, 15 swings.

    Numberama, namerama, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    YHC’s brother is in town for Thanksgiving, and he’s a runner, so YHC agreed to run the 10K tomorrow in exchange for said brother coming to MANNdate for a KB workout.  YHC has been talking up F3 for a while, and was excited for YHC’s biological brother (now known as Everlast) to meet my F3 brothers.  The temp was a bit chilly at 29 degrees, but Helix and Opus both opted for shorts.  Helix also went up in weight (at least for today) to 40 pounds–nice job!  Spit led the four corners throughout while being pushed by The Carpenter.  It was great to see a few more people out this morning, and especially glad to welcome Bulkhead to MANNdate!  Come again!  For those doing the challenge, that’s 60 merkins to start.

    Announcements:  There is the 6 AM workout tomorrow at Mary Munford led by TYA, with coffee afterwards (bring your own mug).  YHC, Mudface and Chewy are doing the Rugged Maniac in May, would love for more F3 to join our team.

    Hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

    As usual I have No Idea what I’m doing.

  • Those Are Mighty Fine Poles You Have

    Image result for line of poles

    Seven south of the river stallions gathered at SoT for a much anticipated (by the Q) visitor Q.  YHC was looking forward to the expedition for a few weeks and it didn’t disappoint.  Mosey down the hill to the middle of the football field for:

    COP
    SSH – 25
    Donald J Quixote – 15
    Russian Soliders – 15
    Arm Circles – 10x & 5x both ways

    The Thang
    Continue to the end of the football field and line up on the goal line for something YHC called Fun on the Football Field. Work down the field to the goal post, completing 100 yards and 100 of the exercise.  Run back to the start and plank for the 6.  Multiple rounds were:

    Round 1 – Stop every 10 yards and complete 10 merkins
    Round 2 – Stop every 25 yards and complete 25 WWIIs
    Round 3 – Stop every 50 yards and complete 50 2-count flutter kicks
    Round 4 – Run 100 yards and complete 100 SSHs

    Saunter back up the hill with an impromptu stop at the nicely spaced poles along the road.  Pole smoker indian run with 5 pole smokers while the rest hold 6 inches.  Complete three rounds.

    Meander towards the back of the school, thinking about the stairs but then calling an audible.  Lindsays (a.k.a Johnsonville’s wife).  Run the length of the parking lot and complete 30 merkins and 10 squats.  Run back then 25 / 15.  20/20, 15/25, 10/30.  Plankorama for the six.

    Quick sidewinder run towards the corner of the school for triple check.  BTTW, mountain climbers and run half-way down the hill to the random school crossing sign.  Why do you need a school crossing sign when  you are smack dab in the middle of school property?  Anyway, that was fun.  Someone was squeaky on the wall.

    Short ROF without singing then back to the flag.

    Numberarma, names then YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    Thanks to the SoJ regulars for welcoming me this morning.  Always great to see those you haven’t run into in a while.  Also great to see some fresh blood keeping DK honest.  Rooster banter was continued from NoToll yesterday.

    It’s hard to believe no one had found the poles previously.  They are in clear sight and you actually have to try to miss them when running to/from the football field.  Glad I could point out something that hasn’t been done at SoJ before.  Can’t wait for another sub-freezing day to try something else new.

    For those that haven’t made the expedition to SoJ on a Wednesday it’s a great AO.  Small groups will push you even harder.  YHC highly recommends it.

    Announcements
    6:00 Turkey workout at Mary Munford tomorrow
    Someone won DKs survivor pool and it wasn’t me

    Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.

    Big Data is watching.

  • 70 and Sunny

    18 of RVA’s finest conquered the fartsack and enjoyed a balmy morning saunter through the park at WDOG.  Here is how it went down:

    Mosey to the circle in front of the Carillon, warm up running the circle with some inside and outside shuffles and some straight forward running.  Circle up, all IC: Don Quixote x 10, Helicopter x 10, SSH x 20, Merkin 1.5’s x 10, LBC x 20.

    Worlds’s Longest Triple Check: on the long triangle, partner 1 bear crawls the short road, runs down the hill, and runs backwards up the hill.  Partner 2: Copperhead squats, and Partner 3: LBC.  Three times through.  Plank-o-rama for the six.

    Winner’s Circle:  In the circle by the Carillon, with one hand on inside curb, one on ground, do one merkin.  Sideways bear crawl to outer curb, 2 merkins with other hand on curb, sideways bear crawl back to inner curb for 3 merkins…up to 4, repeat and back down.  Al Gore’s for the six.

    Mosey past the flag and partner up for 50 x PLT each man.

    Back to the flag, AYG.

    Number-ama, Name-arama, Announcements and YHC took us out.

     

    Announcements:

    TYA has the Thanksgiving Q at Mary Mumford tomorrow, starts at 6am. Coffeeteria to follow.  Come out and earn some extra pie.

    Upchuck has the Breaking Bread Q Sunday and needs another man.  See him if you would like to help out.

    …I feel like I am missing one here, help a brother out?

     

    NMS:

    Great work this morning, men.  The Triple Check was a lot longer than expected, because that triangle was bigger than I remembered.  Way to push through anyway.  Which brings me to my thoughts on how Thankful I am for this group of men.  We show up in the heat and humidity of summer, in the cold of winter, in the rain, in the snow.  It was 29 by my car, with frost on the ground, and yet 18 men stood tall and challenged themselves out there today.  We face adversity like that, in a place where its OK to fail.  We learn to push through adversity, together in the gloom, and each become better men for it.  It’s exactly what “70 and Sunny” is about.  I give thanks to that every time I post.  It was an honor to lead you today!

    Sugar Sock out.

     

     

  • Wonderwall

    2 warriors came out to dominate the trails.  It was foggy and there was some chaffing.  How bout that for a BB.

     

  • Draw A Line In The Sand And Burn Your White Flag

    10 warriors rose to greet the dawn of a new day in what was first thought to be Union territory because it is practically the last outpost before Wisconsin, but alas it was in fact a fair burg from the fine southern Commonwealth of Virginia.  According to legend it went a little something like this.

    COP SSH X 10, SSH RL X 10, SSH LL X 10, WWII X 20, FC X 20, HRM X 10, MRL X 10, MLL X 10, Arm Circle X 1

    Super Four Corners:

    Round 1) Run to  Corner #1 5 burpees, run back to start.

    Round 2) Run to Corner #1 5 burpees, run to corner #2 for 5 burpees and 10 merkins, back to corner #1 for 5 burpees, back to start.

    Round 3) Run to Corner #1 5 burpees, run to corner #2 for 5 burpees and 10 merkins, run to corner 3 for5 burpees, 10 merkins, 20 (two count strict) Flutter kicks, then run to corner #2 for 5 burpees and 10 merkins,back to corner #1 for 5 burpees, back to start.

    Round 4) Run to Corner #1 5 burpees, run to corner #2 for 5 burpees and 10 merkins, run to corner 3 for5 burpees, 10 merkins, 20 (two count strict) Flutter kicks, on to corner #4 for 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 20 flutter kicks, 40 squats, back to corner 3 for5 burpees, 10 merkins, 20 (two count strict) Flutter kicks, hen run to corner #2 for 5 burpees and 10 merkins,back to corner #1 for 5 burpees, back to start.

    Catch Me If You Can: Mosey to the bus loop and partner up.  One partner runs the look and the other bear crawls.  Switcheroo when caught.  The next exercise is lunges.  Run and switch until complete.

    Mosey to front of school for 3 rounds of the following: 10 chicken peckers, 10 WWI, 10 incline merkins.

    Back to start for numberama, namerama and The Carpenter led us out.

    Moleskin:  Way to bring the monster effort men!!  Of particular note was the solid high RPM workout of Bulkhead and Wheelie. Way to work fellas.  Honorable mention goes to Spike who despite the considerable head start of YHC ran me down like a cheetah does an antelope. It is the closest that YHC has come to spilling the merlot in quite some time.

    The title of the backblast came from some thoughts over the past few days.  Way too often we hear “I’ll just get through the holidays” or “I’m just trying to survive until the New Year”.  This is horse crap, period. YHC wants no part of the sad clown feeding tube.  YHC does not participate in and hold the men of F3 to a higher standard because of an interest in simply surviving.  YHC and the excellent men of F3 are committed to thriving.

    DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND AND BURN YOUR WHITE FLAG.

    As the year winds down, DO NOT COAST.  You have worked too hard to get the momentum necessary to get to this point.  This is the easiest time of year to justify taking your foot off the pedal.  Your work, workouts, diet and family time can all suffer.  Apply the gas and finish off this year. Commit to yourself, your family and your F3 Brothers that you’ll finish the year so strong that 2018 will ask for mercy. Your next worthy opponent will be 2019.  Believe this fun fact, 2019 is training under the radar and getting ready to kick your butt.

    I’m in.  Who is with me?

    Hardywood

  • How do you service a hen?

    Ten solid men showed up on an unusually warm November morning to see what was in store.

    COP – Tricep Push ups, Squat, Imperial Walker,  Arm Circles, SSH, Merkin & LBC.

    Grab the coupon and head over to the front field (usually the dryest) for……….

    The BEAST – Monkey Humpers, Merkins, Alabama Prom Date, Carolina Dry Docks, Imperial Walker & Burpees.

    Head back to parking lot for something new with a coupon (no one ever guessed the contents). Circle up back to back with your partner creating a circle. Pass the coupon around the inner circle.

    Time for some parking lot tracers. Just a simple up and back on both sections of the parking lot until it ended.

    Back to the coupon! Rotating Ring of Fire! Total of ten merkins with one hand on coupon (5 each side). Rotate directions for second round.

    Back to the flag!

    NMS – YHC has not Q’d in some time. And this was not my original plan, but thanks to Marmaduke & Honeymoon, it was passed to me. Thankfully Marmaduke is a solid Q and shared his ideas. The Beast is always a crowd pleaser and could not be complete without burpees. Not quite sure the coupon exercise worked out how I had it in my head, but after further discussion with Beaker on ride home, I will bring back with a minor adjustment. At one point Doner Kebob was discussing with someone how to service a hen. That got everyone’s attention it went downhill from there. Funny what you can find on the internet and that is some time I will never get back. After spending way to much time watching Hens getting serviced, I chose to share how to prepare a chicken. Enjoy.

    Announcements – TYA is leading his annual Thanksgiving beating Thursday at 6am @ Mary Mumford. Marmaduke is still accepting coats/jackets/gloves. If i missed anything please add.

    Great job today men!

  • And then there was light….

    18 men from various parts of the RVA lept out of their fartsack to take part in a Handshake VQ.

    COP:

    SSH, Don Quioxte’s, Merkins, Freddie Mercuries

    The Thang:

    Curb Crawls – Bear Crawl 10 ascending Merkins, Crawl Bear 1 descending Merkin, Bear Crawl 9 Merkins, Crawl Bear 2 Merkins all the back to 1 and 10

    Mosey to the lit upper field – Four Corners (escalating) – First Corner 10 WWII’s, Second Corner 10 WWII’s, 15 Merkins, Third Corner 10 WWII’s, 15 Merkins, 20 Jump Squats, Fourth Corner 10 WWII’s, 15 Merkins, 20 Jump Squats, 25 SSH’s.  Rinse and repeat in reverse (deescalating)

    Mosey to the Jerkin Gym – Partner Up – Round (1) 10 Jerkins and switch with Partner, Round (2) 9 Jerkins and switch with Partner down to 1 Jerkin.

    Indigenous Peoples run: – 2 laps around track and back to flag

    Ring of Fire – Guys on opposite side of circle pick a Merkin and complete (1) set of 10.

    Wilson’ Dying Cockroaches – a single set of 25 Dying Cockroaches to finish up

    Numberama, Namerama, COT

    Moleskin – 

    It was a beautiful morning for a VQ with weather warmer than we will probably see for a few month’s.  The lights were left on the baseball field and when YHC arrived early he scouted the space and decided to call an audible from original plans and move the four corners to the upper field (the non swamped section).  It was great to see so many people come out to Heartbreak Ridge and we even had an FNG (Roger Roger) who is an airline pilot and friend of Dr. Try Hard’s.  We hope to see you back at Heartbreak again soon.

    By YHC’s count we did 230 Merkin’s today, from the COP, Curb Crawls, Four Corners, and Ring of Fire.  We also completed 55 Jerkin’s.

    A couple of announcements: Kubota texted YHC to lend his support and let him know that his daughter is having surgery this morning (prayers for them) and Seymore announced that his brother, Malpractice, is doing his Medical Board re-certification today as well (we wish him success).

    Thank you all for your support of YHC’s VQ, it was an honor to lead today.  This group means a great deal to me. I had a hole in my life and was off-center and I needed something positive to help balance me out and I found it in F3.  I have made a bunch of new friends and rekindled old friendships.  The members of the PAX are inspiring and positive role models for this 34 year old. Thank you all for your kindness and support, see y’all in The Gloom!