Category: Richmond, VA

  • Cool Air and Rucking

    6 made it through the storm and could make it out of their neighborhood to post for a cool autumn morning in the gloom of TwinTeam.  It was especially gloomy in the parking lot since none of the lights were on.  The Q had no power and trees down in the neighborhood and asked YHC to take over.  YHC was happy to fill in since I was on standby yesterday but didn’t get the call.

    3 ruckers headed out early for some hills with some extra weight.  The remaining 3 did the following:

    Mosey to the bus loop for a warm up then slide over to the blacktop behind the school for 4 corners, prostitute style.

    Corner 1 – 10 Diamond merkins, Run to Corner 2 – 20 Monkey Humpers, back to 1 for 10 Diamonds. Corner 3 – 30 Freddie Mercuries, Corner 4 – 40 Mountain Climbers.

    Back to the bus loop for a triple check – Run the loop, Alternating shoulder taps, flutter kicks.

    Pass to Tobit – Head to the high school where there are some lights on.  Since they are on, might as well use them.  Light pole 1 – 1 burpee.  1 burpee – Run to light pole 2 – 2 WWII back to 1 for 1 burpee.  1 burpee – 2 WWII – Light Pole 3 – 3 merkins – 2 WWI – 1 burpee.  Continue with 4 American Hammers.  5 Rosalitas.  6 Plank Jacks and finally 7 burpees.  Mosey back to the flag to meet the ruckers (Not Darius’s family).

    Numbers/Names/COT – Marmaduke took us out with prayers for those affected by the storm here and throughout its path.

    Marmaduke, Wilson and Honeymoon showed up early and hit the roads, including Twin Team with their ruck sacks on.  Honeymoon and Marmaduke are the instigators of this and Wilson is game for anything that doesn’t involve running.  Which is good since that seemed to be the theme of the beatdown today.  Reasonable to small exercise counts with lots of running in between.  Tobit continues to fly around at blazing speeds and Doozy is becoming a consistent SOJer.  He also learned that we really mean it when we say rain or shine.

    I hope everyone made it out of the storm without too much damage or trouble.  If you need help, do not hesitate to reach out.  Michael brought plenty of rain, wind and damage but left behind some nice cool air.  Seems like that might be here to stay for at least a week or so.  It was nice to be able to breathe and not be sweating before we start.

    Have a great day men, help a neighbor in need if you can.

     

  • Honking At The Tree Won’t Move It

    17 Hurricane Warriors decided to hit the streets post storm.  Temperature was great for running.  Just perfect.

    The Route

    North on Commonwealth and east on Monument.  4s turn on Boulevard, 5s on Meadow, and 6s on Harrison heading back south to Grove.  West bound on Grove to the VSF.

    YHC took us out.

    The Moleskin

    With rumors of a final Fudd sighting before he heads West, YHC called a Fudd friendly route with only a couple of turns.  Only slightly more complicated than an out and back.  Unfortunately, there was no Fudd.  Saab and YHC took a tour down Fudd’s road on the way to the AO this am to dodge a downed tree and his car was there, but no Fudd today.  Interesting.

    The backblast title originates from a motorist who came upon a tree down across Grove in the front of the AO and came to a complete stop and then hit the horn during COT.  Eventually he yielded to the tree and made a prudent detour.

    Our thoughts go out to those who did not weather the storm without issue.  Let the Pax know if you need assistance in any way.

    Announcements:

    • CSAUP – 10/20 – See TYA
    • Puppy Pile – 10/27 – See Marv

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • Never Hurts to have Rosie & Swirly Deployed as Backup

    With the remnants of Hurricane Michael promising to clear the summer humidity and bring a cold front for the foreseeable, 28 regulars and 1 FNG enjoyed the last humid morning of 2018 at 45MOMM.

    YHC has been experiencing pain since tweaking his back throwing around some kettlebells at SOT last week…and had secured Q backup from both Rosie & Swirly. It was a last minute call, but YHC took the lead and the beatdown went something like this:

    Mosey 3/4 of the AO perimeter. treehug Al Gore waiting for 6

    COP: 28 SSHs, DQs, Copperhead Squats, Imperial Walkers, Tempo Merkins, Hello Dollies, Crab Cakes

    Mosey to tennis courts: Bear Crawl across 4 tennis courts, plank-o-rama, Forward lunge across 4 tennis courts, plank-o-rama, Plank Shoulder Taps in cadence, Polar Bear across 2 tennis courts, Backwards lunge across 2 tennis courts, plank-o-rama

    Mosey to main field: 11s Variation – run to 1st tree, perform 1 monkey humper, run back to start, perform 1 burpee, run to 2nd tree, perform 2 monkey humpers, run back to start, perform 1 burpee, repeat-o through all 10 trees

    Audible to all run back to starting line

    Traditional 11s: merkins + sshs

    Mosey back to flag for 3.5 minutes of Mary: Crunchy Frogs, LBCs, Freddie Mercuries (slowed down), Boxcutters 1 way, Boxcutters the other way, American Hammers

    COT, Olivander took us out

    Naked Moleskin:

    It was great returning to 45MOMM after a 6+ month hiatus. Good to see so many familiar faces.

    YHC did not explain several exercises effectively (polar bears, boxcutters)…and for that he apologizes. The first set of 11s was also a bit disorganized.

    Welcome to Slumlord! Thanks for the excuse to organize a Clown Car from Midlothian, VA!

    Announcements:

    CSAUP next Saturday, 7am, Forest Hill Park

    Bring coats to Marmaduke

    Root for a tie in tonight’s Giants/Eagles game

  • TYA, Kubota, Wheelbarrow, Husky

    Four converged on Hillcrest this evening for the following:

    Husky – Some running on the medium loop but mostly walking and playing.  Hillcrest has some nice crunchy leaves in the road that are very enticing for a 6 year old to stomp on.

    Kubota – Mostly running, turning back for Husky (no 2.0 left behind) and then some much needed hill repeats.

    Wheelbarrow – Several different loops.  He’s glad to be back out at it this week!

    TYA – On the bike again, killing it!  Went somewhere for 45-60 minutes.  YHC is hopeful he made it back home!  Lots of traffic and wrecks around the Cary Street corridor this evening.

    Swirly – Bleeder must have called a late afternoon meeting in order to slow Swirly down and get him some rest!

    Daylight is fading quickly on the Wednesday Hill Run.  Come out while you can before headlamps are needed!

    See you in the gloom!

    Kubota

     

     

  • Spring Break 1997: Cancun

    18 Pauly Shore look-a-likes posted for Spring Break 1997: Cancun. It was so hot, it took four to make a thing go right. Here’s how it went:

    Vinny Q: Invisible Jump Ropes IC / Helicopters IC / SSHs IC / LBCs IC / Scorpion Kicks IC. Mosey to boulders lining road near toll booth. Hot sand Indian run: PAX works beach body incline merkins while lead beach goer squeezes out 10 decline merkins then runs to the front of the stage (head of the line). Repeato through the PAX. Everyone’s gotta get swole.

    Handshake Q: Mosey from the beach for GTL at the rusty cage. 5 pull-ups / 10 dips / 15 WWIIs x 5.

    EF Hutton Q: Mosey to the board walk for memories of Spring Break 1997. Pauly Shore – Jenny McCarthy’s AKA dying cockroach hand taps – 25 each x 3. Body By Jake doesn’t happen on its own. Monkey humpers in cadence … In Living Color.

    BT Q: Mosey to the mosh pit (amphitheater) for ascending squats. Downtown Julie Brown style. Ascending curb crawls – to 5 – boot and rally style.

    Back to the flag: Sugar Sock took us out.

    Announcements: CSAUP 10/20. See Pre-Blast.

    NMS: YHC saw the open Q sheet last night and jumped at the chance for a rare WDog hot potato. As always, it did not fail to deliver. During EF Hutton’s Q, one of our brethren PAX – name to be protected in case his M is reading – took one look at Pauly Shore – Jenny McCarthy’s and proclaimed: that’s more like Spring Break 1997 Cancun. Thus, a theme was born. If you know, you know.

    Enjoyed the day as always men.

     

  • this one is good for your spleen!

    5 brave souls came out once again in the mist to throw some kettlebells around.

    Here is what transpired…
    Pump kettlebell while walking the bus loop to COP spot

    COP —
    Hillbillies (a helix favorite)
    SSH
    KB Windmills each side
    Overhead Rotational Squats (known from now on as corkscrews) — each side
    renegade rows each side
    figure 8’s
    figure 8’s with a hold in the middle
    sidestepping kb swings

    KB Tabatas
    Bob and Weave, Goblet Squats
    Demon Crushers, Sit up Presses
    Halos, Standing presses

    Don’t Drop the Soap
    Hold KB as long as possible, when dropped get down and do 14 merkins, then run lap.
    Rinse and repeat for a total of three times

    A little Mary
    combo exercise — squat, squat and press, squat press and tricep press repeato until tiredo
    boat canoes — a total of 10 (2 each PAX member)

    Numbers, Names, Announcements

    NMS —
    What a great group of guys today.  Mumblechatter came mostly from Emoji (big surprise), but Helix and No Idea also had some stuff to say today as well.  Yardsale was rather quiet today.  YHC was too busy trying to not die to talk.
    Thank Emoji for the backblast title.  While doing the corkscrews, he shouted out “These are great for the spleen!”  YHC immediately thought that he knew nothing about the spleen and subsequently found the very informative video in the backblast.  Now YHC wants to be a splenologist upon retiring from teaching.  Watch the video if you can.

    Peace out
    Opus

  • Too many doors

    3 SOJ regulars parked in the streetlights of the Turnpike to get some early morning work done, hot potato style.

    Mosey down to the track and around a few times to get a mile plus.  Stop near the bleachers for Peter Parkers, Alternating Shoulder Taps and Flutter Kicks.

    Pass to Tobit, who does a quick pass to DK since he wants to stay at the bleachers.  Ciabatta with Step-ups, repeato w/ Dips.

    Now it’s Tobit’s turn.  Mosey to the front of the school to Door #1.  Doors 1-10 – Burpees corresponding to door #.  Doors 11-15 – American Hammers, Doors 16-20 – LBCs.  Bonus, there is a 20A and 20B so double up on 20.  With at least 13 more doors to go and not much time Tobit passes it back to YHC.

    Random assortment of exercises and counts – Imperial Walkers, Parker Peters, HRM, FM + others

    Numbers/Names/COT

    The initial mile was a good way to catch DK up on the Conspiracy takeover at NoToll.  The rest of the workout was no different with near constant discussions ranging from high school bands to DK’s impending M-in-law visit.  A brief lull in the mumblechatter between Door #4 and Door #10 while we slogged through the burpees.  Great workout, better fellowship.  Enjoyed it this morning men.  Have a great day.

    Bring Coats to Dogpile – Marmaduke

    CSAUP 10/20 – see pre-blast, lots of options – TYA

    Toolbank fundrasier 11/10? – see Viral

    New one – Oyster and Pig Roast at the Boat Club on Old Gun for Tad Dupriest Foundation 11/3 – Le Tigre is your man for this one

  • You got to know when to hold ’em, Know when to fold ’em

    8 Davillians found their way through the gloom and fog to Atlee HS to experience the F3 Workout Deck for the first time. The shovel was planted, the cards were shuffled and the PAX got to work.

    This how it went down:

    Mosey behind the HS to the basketball court

    COP (ALL IC) – DQ, Imperial Walkers, Helicopters, Merkins, LBC’s, Arm Circles

    THANG

    Mosey to the parking lot

    The Workout Deck

    Rules: 

    1. Per the official F3 Workout Deck rules card, the first rule is, THERE ARE NO RULES. Do your own thang!
    2. The way it was play today:
      • Pull a card, perform the exercise and reps = Card # +10; Face Cards 25, Ace 100
      • If a running card is selected complete that exercise between each card
      • If a plank is chosen the Q will decide when to complete that
      • Discard any cards that none of the PAX knew the exercise

    1st Draw 

    • 9 of hearts (19 High Knees)
    • Queen of clubs (25 2ct Freddie Mercurys)
    • 3 of spades (13 WOJO Squats or just Squats)
    • 4 of  diamonds (14 Carolina Dry Docks)

    Lunging card was pulled so PAX lunged between exercises

    Mosey to the HS tennis courts 

    2nd Draw (4 corners style)

    • 7 of clubs (17 LBC’s)
    • 10 of hearts (10 Butt Kickers)
    • 8 of hearts (18 Squats)
    • Ace of spades! (100 Calf Raises)

    A plank card was also pulled so 90 sec plank (30 sec high, 30 sec elbow, 30 sec high)

    Mosey to the MS Basketball Court

    3rd Draw

    • Jack of clubs (25 2ct Shoulder taps)
    • Jack of spades (25 Smurf Jacks)
    • Ace of clubs! (100 2ct Flutter Kicks)
    • King of diamonds (25 Merkins)

    Run forward then backwards across the court in between

    Mosey to the MS tennis courts

    4th Draw

    • Ace of hearts! (100 SSH’s)
    • Queen of hearts (25 Burpees)
    • King of clubs (25 2ct American Hammers)
    • Ace of diamonds! (100 Arm Circles)

    Mosey back to the SF for Numberama, Namerama, Announcements, YHC took us out

    MOLESKIN

    So it was Sunday night and YHC noticed that the Q sheet was open for DaVille this week. YHC advise Carpenter of this as part of EHing get back into the mix. He decided to passed so YHC took the lead.

    YHC had planned to use this newly acquired deck this coming Friday but decided to give it a ‘test run”. A couple of things were learned today.

    1. Come prepared (which YHC was) with a headlamp to be able to see the cards
    2. Review all the cards before had so if an exercise comes up that the PAX doesn’t know, teach them
    3. Plank should only be completed in the time noted on the card (don’t at 10). That seemed to confuse the PAX
    4. Don’t let Opus choice since he has the hot hand pulled all face cards including Smurf Jacks of course
    5. Be sure always to “stack the deck” and put your favorites at the bottom. Then pull those at the end to keep the PAX on their toes (Your welcome Carpenter for the SSH’s)

    Glad to see a good size PAX today. Everyone stayed together mostly (except Helix who crushed some burpees) and push hard. Glad to see Carpenter and Bulkhead back out

    ANNOUNCEMENTS
    • October CSAUP on Saturday the 20th – See TYA’s Preblast

    SPIT ON THAT!!

  • Hunter spirit is simmering

    16 warriors heard the call today to further their personal development goals and improve their innate night vision on a temperate humid and foggy morning.

     

    THANG

    This is how it went, more or less.  The Cardinal route has something for everyone.

    All, head up snake road: Around the Robins Center and up Boatwright.  Take Honaker to Patterson and take a right followed by an immediate left on Roxbury.  Roxbury to West Franklin and head west.

    At the intersection of Charles, 5s/6s take a right and take an out and back detour to Crestview Elementary (home of the Cardinals).  All routes then continue west on W. Franklin to Donald. Take a left and Donald turns into Register Pkwy.

    At Patterson and Three Chopt, 6s continue west on Patterson to Westham Pkwy and a left on University Dr to come through the trails to the lake.

    4s and 5s head south on Three Chopt and take a right on the access road just beyond Bandy Field.  Drop down the hill on the trail and pick up the road.  Take the cut through back to the main UR entrance and come down around the Robins Center to the lake.

    Splinter took us out.

     

    NMS

    Q intent is to stay together and leave no one behind and the team excelled.  The 4s ACTUALLY ran Westham to Three Chopt.  The 5’s went up College to St Christopher’s and back.  We will just have to run Cardinal again soon – it is a really nice route once you get past snake road.

    Minimal mumble chatter as we got right to it.  Will let PAX highlight their running conversations.

    There was a little combat arms elbow rubbing at the start when someone said something about range day and someone else said “now that the leaves are falling its time to blow {things} up”, followed by a typically too lengthy description of a National Guard training schedule, followed by another saying oh I am a 18C ( SF Engineer Expert – That means Green Beret, Fudd ), and then sounds of respect all around.

    October does have a certain feel that gets the hunter spirit simmering.  YHC feels for his brothers still wearing the funny colored clothing.  While its tough as an individual when you have 2 personal assigned weapons and 3 in your vehicle to qualify on everything when then are only 12 training opportunities a year.  Its even tougher as a battalion of 350 – 800 swinging Richards to run through it all TWICE a year in 12 training opportunities.  Thats a lot of ammo. And a lot of time inspecting range safety books when we would all rather be waist deep in mud.  And that is why we need to to get as much done as possible with weapons in October / November to make room for the good stuff.  Hoo-AHH.

     

    Announcements:

    CSAUP 20 October.  See Pre Blast.

    Nov 3.   F3 Hampton Roads convergence.  See Pre Blast.

     

    Gomer Pyle,  out

    Git some!

  • Something Old, Something New…Might Need A Redo

    17 men rose up and met the challenge of the audible and didn’t really know what to make of it, or were just flat out pissed.

    A bit of history:  YHC’s last post was (sadly) August 30, 2017 and last Q was (even sadder) January 24, 2015.  So when YHC saw his name on the Q list for today’s No Toll, it seemed like a good opportunity to break free from the fartsack and get back into working out.

    Back on September 4, 2018 at 2:09 pm, BT signed up to Q today’s No Toll under the name “Conspiracy” in an effort to disguise an “Old Glory” workout.  This is not unprecedented, as Loose Goose similarly disguised his “Lucky Horseshoe” workout on October 29, 2015.  It just happened to be a coincidence that YHC was planning on posting today to Heartbreak Ridge, but called an audible when seeing the Q sheet (#YearOfBalance).  Hence, the illusive Conspiracy Q.  And with a non-traditional F3 workout in store for today, it rightly left some stank in the air.

    The workout was inspired by the F.B.I.’s release of a fitness app to help applicants practice the fitness test.  It’s a true you-vs-you workout against the clock, in camaraderie with fellow F3 brethren to help push to maximum potential, and with an option to see how your scores match up with fitness standards across the world. And while we do have workouts that serve as benchmarks (ie Old Glory and Lucky Horseshoe), the hope was this workout would allow us to benchmark our performance against ourselves and others (if desired), something that we can’t easily do with Old Glory and Lucky Horseshoe.

    The PAX grabbed hold, somewhat reluctantly, but pushed through the challenging workout.

    Here was the good work for the morning:

    • 1 minute of sit-ups
    • 300m run (which was closer to 500m)
    • Continuous push-ups
    • 1.5 mile run

    Form for the sit-ups and push-ups were essential if you want to compare performance on the scoring scale.  Otherwise, you’re comparing apples to oranges.  Well, and good form is just….a good thing.

    YHC was in the back of the pack.  Why?  Because there’s something about crossing over 40, raising an 1.5 yr old, and a demanding, high-intensity job that caused F3 (and any other workout) seem to be too far a stretch for the last 2 years. Therefore, YHC is working towards #YearOfBalance, where the focus shifts back to taking care of myself so I can best take care of my family.  A key component of that is working out.

    And while the mutiny was held off after the 2nd event, it was not unwarranted.  Being called out for not running the 300m with the group was a violation of F3 principles (#Clipboarding), even if it was to help the group.  YHC did stay late to finish the 300m with a paltry time of 71 seconds.  I’m sure with the push of the group, that would have been a little faster.

    So let’s sum up today:

    • Good intentions ✅
    • Hard Workout (as hard as you made it) ✅
    • Change is hard ✅
    • Mistakes were made  ✅
    • Sinner ✅

    I leave you with these questions:  What’s good enough?  Are you happy with your efforts in life?  Are you where you want to be?  And what is your measure of success in fitness and in life?

    See you tomorrow at WDog.  And for anyone who still tastes the lingering stench, come join me for a cup o’ joe afterwards and we can talk it through…my treat.

    Conspiracy

    #YearOfBalance