Category: Richmond, VA

  • Puddles

    5 brave souls ignored the forecast and hit the roads this morning for Sunday Funday. Rosie and Shakedown started early and ran across the bridge, down Riverside, across the flood wall, down to Great Shiplock park and then worked their way back to Pumphouse Parking lot where they had their spirits lifted by seeing Saab, Hardywood, and OffShore who had done about an hour of shirtless road running. Rosie and Shakedown had some more to do so they pounded out three more for an even 15 – just under half of what they are gonna do at the NightTrain 50k at the end of the month. Slower hopefully ?

    Great to see all you guys this morning if only for a second. Have a great Sunday!

  • Clearly we are having TOO MUCH FUN in AZ ….

    Written by QIC – Moses
    16 pax gathered at the park for some fun before the blistering dry heat of PHX early summer.  Ironically, Turnpike got lost and posted about 15 minutes late, making our number 17.  My apologies for the delay in getting this documented and posted.  You’ll note that some of the details of our workout escape me…but i never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

    Thang:
    Warmorama – burpee progression, with 1 burpee and an exercise, followed by 2 burpees and an exercise…up to 5 burpees and a final warm up exercises.  Warm up exercises included SSH, IST, windmills and a couple others.

    Mosey to the field for partner-push / partner-pull.  This was the slip & slide version in the mud.  Note, it’s important to offer some resistance, let your partner doesn’t get a good workout.  For you flat-landers in the PHX area, this is how you can simulate the hills you’re missing.

    We mixed in some ab exercises on the field, to soak up some of the standing water…it’s what we do!  We take care of the parks that take care of us.  Knee-ups, mason twists, and…  At this point, Spaetzel demonstrated advanced F3 knowledge with 3 of the 5 characteristics of an F3 workout.  All 5 being:
    * free, open to all men, peer-led, always outdoors, ends in a COT

    Mosey to the park corner…I’d say hill, but that might be misleading to anyone not from PHX reading this backblast.  In a nod to my friend, Gnarly Goat, we dialed the plank clock with exercises at 12, 3, 6, and 9 (or 1200, 1500, 1800, and 2100 hours).  Exercises included Peter Parker, Parker Peter, Makhtar N’Diaye…arrive Turnpike!  Good to have your join us, brother.  Try the GPS next time.

    From the edge of the park, YHC noted the beautiful parking lot of the middle school next door – which just so happens to have been TH3’s middle school!  I found that out after the workout.

    After warming up the calf muscles with 3 sets, at 15 reps, in-cadence, we ran the parking lot.  50% speed to the halfway point and 75% to the end.  Repeato.  Then 75% to the half way point and 100% to the end.  Repeato.  Curtain Call was out in front every time, daring the pax to step up and challenge him.  Well done.  He even directed the middle school teachers to steer clear of our runway!

    We then split up into groups of 3 for back and bicep work.  With one of the 3 laying prone, face-up on the ground and the other 2 using the lawnmower pull to lift him while his arms were at a static curl 90 degrees.  All 3 cycled through.  Then the person on the ground did the work while the 2 guys standing held their arms at a static 90 degrees.

    We stretched our legs for a few minutes in the parking lot before returning to the starting point for a series of 7s…6 step-ups and 1 dip, followed by 5 step-ups and 2 dips…until finally, 1 step-up and 6 dips.  6 mins of Mary ensued, with low flutters, left leg flutter, right leg flutter and Rosalita.

    We then exercised our brains for the last 2 minutes of the workout and YHC shared OBT’s story of the 3rd 500.  You can read about it in Freed to Lead…or come to an F3 workout and ask one of the pax who was there last Wednesday.

    Moleskin:
    1) T-Claps to our FNGs, Hearsay (FKA Robert) and Digger (FKA Chet).  Special recognition to Digger, who bore the pain and suffering of getting is sneakers a little grassy and wet.  Your sacrifice didn’t go unnoticed.
    2) Welcome back to our Kotter, Thurston Howell, III (TH3), whose last workout was about 6-month ago in Charleston, SC. It was great to see you in the gloom and for drinks/dinner after all these years.  You’ll always be Isotope OG to me.
    3) Good to see another East Coast Time Zone guy, Spit from Richmond, VA.
    4) PHX – you have something special in this F3 thing.  Keep it growing.  If you’re not growing, you’re dying…which is true in relationships as well as F3.  I’ll be back to PHX before the end of the year.  I can’t wait to see the changes and growth.
    5) MiniMe – thanks for getting me on the Q list on short notice.
    6) Longboard – thanks for the honor of leading this fine group of men.

    YHC thanked the men of PHX F3 in prayer for the motivation to defy the FS this morning and take the DRP.

    Forgive me if i missed an exercise in the bblast.

  • F3 Arlington Va – A Beatdown Launch!

    Written by QIC Maj. Payne

    After a long wait and many arduous hours of blood, sweat and tears, and a few beers, the men of Arlington finally planted a F3 shovel flag into the soil of Yorktown High School! Coming in strong with 24 PAX and a co-Q with YHC and one of F3 Churham’s best, Homes!

    Warm Up:

    15 x SSH
    15 x IW
    10 x WMH
    10 x small arm circles forward, 10 x Seal Claps, then 10 x small arm circles rearward
    25 x Merkins

    The Thang:

    Homes took over and immediately invigorated the pax with his version of the escalator, starting right off the bat with some pure fun:

    10 x Burpees, run 200m.
    10 x Merkins IC, 10 x Burpees, run 200m.
    10 x Flutter Kicks, 10 x Merkins IC, 10 x Burpees, run 200m.
    10 x BWS, 10 x Flutter Kicks, 10 x Merkins IC, 10 x Burpees.

    Mosey down under (to the southwest side of the school) where YHC led the pax through an Australian pushup / Derkin pyramid. 5 / 10 / 15 / 10 / 5 reps. Then per suggestion from Hightower, who often encourages such male bonding opportunities, a bearcrawl tunnel of love (it’s cool… it’s just dudes).

    Back to the turf field for a round of catch me if you can. Partner up, pax 1 backwards run while pax 2 knocks out 3 burpees and then forwards run to try to catch pax 1. Once caught, each pax knocks out 5 additional burpees. Rinse and repeat.

    Finish out with some Mary: 20 x LBC, 15 x American twists.

    COT:

    All F3 Arlington FNGs from this point forward, will be named on their second post. Today we named 11 pax and welcomed 9 true FNGs. Homes then provided a truly motivating story about his first F3 experience. Exasperated and not able to keep up, he fell out of his first F3 beatdown. The PAX that fateful first day noticed he had disappeared and they retraced their Indian run to find him, but to no avail. Only at the end did they find him, and when they did, to a man, offered him encouragement and camaraderie that motivated him to return again and again. That’s what F3 is all about. Sure, it’s a solid workout, but it’s so much more. Homes said he’s gotten back 100x what he’s put into it (and he’s put a lot into it).

    TClaps to F3 RVA’s Vinny and Spit who roadtripped up for the launch!!

  • Deca Dogpile

    30, yes you read that right 30 warriors rose to greet the dawn of a new day. Today was an F3 olympiad of leadership.  According to legend, it went a little something like this.

    Today there would be 10 Qs each with a 5 minute punishment session with a one minute transition between.

    Round #1 Hardywood (YHC)

    COP: Mosey to field IC SSH, DQ, Merkins regular, merkins right foot in the air, merkins left foot in the air

    Transition #1 10 burpees

    Round #2 Kubota – All pax plank and man at the end begins agility drills between the planking pax. First time was on foot, second time was bear crawl.

    Transition#2 10 burpees

    Round #3 Wilson – Triple check.  One pax hang (or shamefully watch Rosie do toes to bar), one pax run to hydrant for 10 merkins, one pax do pull ups on the dips bar.

    Transition #3 20 merkins

    Round #4 Bodos – Trail Run to the bottom of pipe line.

    Transtion #4 10 merkins

    Round #5 Shakedown – The Magoosh! Pax line up in two lines.  Pax on the end yells drop and on command the remainder of the pax drops to the ground, completes one merkin and moves three paces to the right (or left) completes another merkin and gets up.

    Transition #5 10 Hand Release Merkins

    Round #6 Upchuck – Five Minutes of Fury.  The ground and pound round included IC Flutter Kicks, Dips, Rosalitas, and an ungodly amount of Reverse Crunches.

    Transition #6 10 burpees

    Round #7 – Lab Rat.  Run up Love Hill to the Amphitheatre.

    Transition #7 10 Merkins

    Round #8 – Posh. Ascending WWII Situps.  Complete 1 on the first step, 2 on the second step….you get the idea.

    Transition #8 10 Merkins

    Round #9 – Hitchhiker.  Sprints.   Perhaps the most painful thing to do at the end of the exercise and this is what he chose.  There’s really not much more to say here. The brain of YHC shutoff after the 3rd round and we could have done 4 or 400, no one can really be sure.

    Transition#9 10 Merkins

    Round #10 Seymour. Skip, shoot and look shameful for the length of the field, then upon his call sit on the ground and look bewildered.  In addition to describing all of YHC’s family vacations, this is also what transpired for the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of the finals. Mosey back to the flag.

    Transition #10 Six inches

    Numberama, namerama, Shakedown took us out.

    News: July 4th Convergence.  See Kubota.  This will be at Tredegar for an hour long sufferfest with a post workout coffeteria on site.  In the immortal words of our founding fathers on the day Jefferson signed the Delcaration of Independence “Hey Ben Franklin I know this place in little Philly with some baller breakfast tacos and super hot waitresses, are you in? And don’t invite Sam Adams.  He keep going on and on about this British girl he was dating, then he shot her brother and he won’t shut up about how complicated it is now. Oh god, and don’t even get him started talking about Harvard.”.

    Puppy Pile: June 23rd 7:05am.  Sippy Cup has the Q.

    Moleskin:  Thanks a ton fellas for absolutely bringing it.  We covered a ton of ground and it was awesome to have 4 first time Qs.  Wilson said it best, “If you can count to 3 then you can Q”.

    A great time at ETs as always.  With this disgusting and rambunctious bunch, outside was a excellent option.  Discussed at ETs was how much Lab Rat loves and I mean LOVES The Creek as an AO.  He asked us if we would be interested in moving all Richmond F3 workouts to that location.  This has been tabled for Corporate.  Fingers crossed.

    YHC has made the call to upgrade Trabek to Moops.  All credit for this genius F3 name goes to Lab Rat.  Here’s the dissection.  “Trabek” was said to be good at trivia -> In the 7th episod of the 4th Season of Seinfeld George plays Trivial Pursuit with Bubble Boy -> George asks the question “Who invaded Spain in the 8th century?” Bubble Boy answers “the Moors,”. -> George replies ” the question card says that the answer is “the Moops.”.  Clearly it was a misprint and the Moors wreaked more havoc on Spain that all of our sweaty asses combined do at ETs.-> Welcome Moops.

     

  • Merkins and Squats Oh My…

    11 Davilians (including 4 2.0’s) and one guys that must have gotten lost on his way to RAMM, arrived at New Highlander to get this month started with a BANG!

    This is how it went down:

    Mosey around the church then pick up any LIFO (none yet)

    COP (ALL IC)
    • SSH
      • 5 Merkins
    • Helicopter
      • 5 Merkins
    • Copperhead Squats
      • 5 Merkins
    • LBC’s
      • 10 Merkins
    • Flutter Kicks
      • 5 Merkins
    • Arm Circles (The Carpenter has arrived)
      • 10 Merkins
    THANG

    Mosey to the side parking lot

    11’s – Bear Crawl to the opposite side start with 10 (2ct) American Hammers, run back to the other side complete 1 Heels to Heaven. Rinse and Repeat till reps are reversed

    Church Corner’s – While running a lap around the church complete the following: (1st) 25 Squats, (2nd)  50 Merkins, (3rd) 25 Squats, (4th) 50 Merkins

    Mosey to the pavilion

    Triple Check – Dips, Box Jumps, Run down the gravel road and back

    The Human Jerkin – Get into groups of 3. With one of the 3 laying prone, face-up on the ground and the other 2 using the lawnmower pull to lift him while his arms were at a static curl 90 degrees.  All 3 cycled through.  Then the person on the ground did the work while the 2 guys standing held their arms at a static 90 degrees.

    Mosey to the SF for Numerama, Namerama, Announcements, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    What a great day to be at The Creek. YHC didn’t have a true theme other than working on F3 Swamp Rabbits’ June Challenge. For those who are Twitter followers of F3 Richmond (aka Lab Rat), would have noticed a tweet yesterday regarding join another F3 Region’s monthly challenge. The challenge (per Lab Rat) is the following: 5000 Merkins, 5000 Squats, 50 miles. Since YHC knows he wouldn’t be able to complete the summer tour, this seem to be a good alternative.

    Speaking of Lab Rat, as one of the founding members of DaVille he finally made his first post at The Creek (yes this is true YHC looked it up!). The mumble chatter will never be the same.

    The Carpenter clearing thought we were on CST by setting his alarm for 6. YHC received a text around 5:23 (did read till after the workout) from him saying he was on his way. Give the approximate time of 10 minutes it took for the PAX to complete the COP, The Carpenter basically got out of the fart sack and to the AO in about 15 to 17 minutes. Knowing its about a 10 minutes YHC would have to say that was pretty impressive.

    The Human Jerkin (Which YHC  has just named) seemed to be a hit. That’s again to Moses from F3 Charlotte for introducing this and the Partner push/pulls to YHC at F3 Phoenix last week.

    Apologies (taking a play out of Lab Rat’s book) goes out to those that decided to sign up for this June challenge after the workout. Turn out Lab Rat and YHC were mistake. The challenege is actually 5000 WWII sit-ups instead of squats. Oh well atleast it’s only day 1.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    • F3 Arlington/DC launches tomorrow. Vinny and YHC will be attending. See Twitter post
    • F3RVA Summer Tour has begun! Who will be the first to post at every AO this summer?
    • Next PuppyPile 6/23 at 7:05. Sippy Cup will get things started
    • July 4th Convergence at Tredegar. See Pre-Blast

    SPIT ON THAT!!

  • Horseshoe from a handoff

    Nine men assembled on a muggy morning at Timberwolf, 2 of those who traveled a touch longer distance to be a part of a epic beatdown.

    COP –

    5 Burpees OYO

    SSH x 20

    5 Burpees OYO

    Helicopters x 10

    Copperhead Squats x 10

    Merkins x 10

    LBC x 20

    5 Burpees OYO

    Mosey to tennis courts

    4 Corners –

    Corner 1 – 5 burpees

    Corner 2 – 10 burpees

    Corner 3 – 30 LBCs

    Corner 4 – 40 Monkey Humpers

    5 Burpees OYO

    Hand Q off to Honeymoon

    Mosey to Grassy Hill Beside the Track

    HorseShoe

    Work each exercise starting with the first all the way up to five adding an exercise after each loop of the horseshoe, and then bring it back down from the fifth exercise back to one.

    Exercise 1 – 5 Burpees

    Exercise 2 – 10 Merkins

    Exercise 3 – 15 Carolina Dry Docks

    Exercise 4 – 20 LBCs

    Exercise 5 – 20 Mountain Climbers

    One Minute Elbow Plank

    Mosey to Flag –

    Ring of Fire.

    Numberama, Namerama, Honeymoon took us out

    NMS

    Apologies for the delay in the back blast, there was some confusion on who was handling it yesterday between YHC and Honeymoon.  Hats off to Phonics and Vinny for making the drive to the deep south to check the box on the summer challenge.  Great morning and a tough beatdown laid out by Honeymoon!  Of course Rosie and Phonics set the pace on the horseshoe, which certainly silenced the PAX quickly in the morning humidity.  Strong work by all fellas!!  Have a great day and see you in the gloom!

    Marmaduke

     

     

  • Flashdance’s Jazzercise and Coffee House

    Nine regulars lined up before the doors opened in anticipation of what might be the final sips of coffee served at Flashdance’s Jazzercise and Coffee House, Richmond location. 05:30, doors opened. PAX stormed in to grab a table for 10, saving a seat for Hardywood who was parking the car.

    Mosey to the bottom of Twin Team. All ten seats are filled. YHC introduced himself as today’s Barista and the house was open for business.

    Helicopters: 12 / Cherry Pickers: 12/ SSH’s: 12/ Elbow Plank for :60.

    Small talk is over. Time to place orders and pay. Mosey to the top of Twin Team Hill.

    Today’s Menu: Crab Walk / Bear Crawl / SSH’s / Lunges

    Start with crab walk or bear crawl. Both were free, thanks to Flashdance’s generosity. Pax placed their orders and proceeded down the hill until their drinks got cold and needed to order new ones. Those who started with crab walk did 5 merkins then transitioned to bear crawl. Those who started with bear crawl did 10 WWIIs then commenced with crab walk. Repeato to the bottom of the hill (last mail box on the right). At PAX’s option, they could purchase 10 lunges for 50 SSH’s. That purchase could only be made after the completion of a cycle of drinks on the house (crab walks and bear crawls).

    PAX reached the bottom of the hill with six minutes to spare. We moseyed aimlessly on our way back to the flag to fill the six minutes. YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    YHC looked at the work schedule last night around 8:00 and saw that no one was scheduled to open up shop this morning, so I volunteered to come in. It’ was great to see customers already lined up in anticpation of the menu, when I pulled into the parking lot.

    Once drinks were served, PAX took a seat at a table for 10. Chit Chat was great. Although at one point, YHC heard some insensitive remarks. Everyone should know by now that we don’t tolerate insensitivity here at Flashdance’s Jazzercise and Coffee House. We had to close shop for an afternoon to impart training. PAX had to take ten lunges back up the hill. Shakedown wanted to see the legal terms so YHC referred him to Gumbo, in-house counsel for Flashdance’s Jazzercise and Coffee House. Training ended and we were back in business. At least twice YHC instilled positivity into the house environment, and announced flash sales. Most of the PAX bought in, and purchased 20 lunges for 50 SSHs. Hardywood doesn’t like flash sales, so he opted out.

    We all have strengths and weaknesses, at least YHC has plenty of weaknesses. Today we learned of Flipper’s strength. This! Whatever we did today, he crushed it. He finished well ahead of the PAX and came backup the hill for more punishment. Way to go Flipper!. Nice work Hardywood on staying in your chair the entire time. No need to buy gimmicks like lunges. True men take their coffee black. Excellent work! Apologies to Gumbo for not serviing a diet (shoulder) friendly menu. Way to push through despite your dietary restrictions. You might need to see an allergist for that. I think Flipper is your guy.

    To all of the PAX, thank you for letting me insist that we get it all out and dig deep today, and try something new. I really needed it, and I hope y’all appreciated the service. Remember to tip your waiters and waitresses.

    Flashdance served actual coffee post beatdown, and camaraderie was enjoyed/appreciated by the PAX. Flashdance is leaving us in a month or so. Make an effort to spend some time with him before he heads down to FL. He’s good people, and YHC has enjoyed getting to know him.

    Announcements

    Puppy Pile 6/23 at Dogpile / July 4th Convergence at Tredegar / Summer Tour has started.

    Congratulations. I knew the record would stand until it was broken – Yogi Berra

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Give Thanks for Topography

    RAMM Topography

    Seven by foot, two on wheels, and 1 taperer arrived at Munford, ready to cut through the humidity and tackle today’s edition of RAMM.  Huddle up and question who had the Q before YHC gave the following directions:

    West on Grove.  Left on Oak.  Cross Cary to Hillcrest.

    4 milers:  3 Hillcrest loops
    5 milers:  4 Hillcrest loops
    6 milers:  5 Hillcrest loops

    Everyone return the same way.

    Numbers.  Names.  Marv took us out, giving thanks to topography.

    Moleskin
    Flatline contacted YHC yesterday afternoon indicating he was planning to fartsack and needed someone to cover.  His excuse was his M had secured tickets to see Faith Hill and Tim McGraw last night.  The closest theme YHC could come up with on short notice is for us to put our faith in our abilities and tackle hills today.  Thus the idea to celebrate Faith Hill by running loops around Hillcrest.  You can thank Flatline for the result today.

    The air was thick this morning.  Sorry for slowing you down today Marv, YHC wasn’t quite feeling it.  Fudd was in his prime having consumed a few scotches and a few glasses of wine.  That’s akin to spinach for Popeye.

    Great to see everyone today.  YHC can only assume the lower RAMM numbers were due to the PAXs desire to see Faith Hill or to drink Flashdance’s coffee at Twin Team.

    Enjoy the day.  Splinter out.

  • Outback Aviators

    15 redwoods descended upon the tropical rain forest known as Mary Munford.  The Garmin clicked 530 and off we went.

    COP

    • Arm Circles – small, big, forward, and reverse
    • Don Quixote – Stretch it out!
    • Box Cutters
    • Hill Billies
    • Copperhead Squats

    Mosey to the west end of the soccer field and line up.  Perform 11s with merkins and American hammers as the exercises.

    Elbow plank at the other side.

    For the round trip, partner up for partner carry.  Stop half way and perform 5 dive bombers and swap roles to finish the field and perform 5 more dive bombers.

    Oblique crunches – 20 on the left, 20 on the right.  Spooning optional.

    PLTs – 25 per partner, 2 times through

    Oblique crunches – 20 on the left, 20 on the right.

    Elbow plank

    Off to the back of the school for triple check.

    • Partner 1 – Karioke across the blacktop to the fence and perform three burpees and karioke back
    • Partner 2 – Elbow planks
    • Partner 3 – BTTW

    Line up on the wall for Chicken Peckers ROF style – 8-4 count pecks

    Mosey to the side of the blacktop to finish with Doras.  As partner 1 runs the length of the blacktop, partner 2 performs 100 WWII sit ups, 200 monkey humpers (best done under the cover of darkness, which we did not have), and 300 flutter kicks (2 count).

    Back to the flag where YHC took us out.

    NMS

    Not too much mumble chatter this morning, but when we departed for the COP, YHC could hear a faint conversation between two Pax about bush and landing strips.  I believe it came up again briefly en route to COT.  Who knew we had Pax experienced in landing in the Australian outback!  We also now know what they think about when they mosey.

    Keep Ronnie in your thoughts as he gets his back mended on Monday.  With a speedy recovery, we could see him mid-summer amidst the Pax once more.  After the Pax expressed concern for Ronnie’s well being, they began speculating about how he injured his back.  For many of the Pax, the last Ronnie sighting was at Hoedown during CSAUP.  He administered the fun zone complete with bow tie while referring to himself in the third person.  Is there a correlation between that event and this injury?  Maybe only Pucker knows as fun zone co-chair…

    TYA, Swirly, and Circle K are going to embark on their ultra adventure this weekend.  Keep that team in your minds as they travel forward to conquer their challenge.

    Announcements:

    • Amateur RAMM gears biking day – June 15 – Don’t let this stop on the summer tour pass you by.
    • Puppy Pile – June 23 – See Sippy for details, otherwise meet at Dogpile at 7.
    • July 4 convergence – Kubota sent a pre-blast out on that.
    • With river levels bound to drop at some point, YHC is going to start hitting the river Thursday evenings (and possibly on the weekend as well).  If other Pax are interested in flatwater kayaking/canoeing, let Lockjaw know and we can do something off the books.  We can come up with extra boats if someone has interest, but no boat.  No banjos required.

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • A raining day to play in

    5 strong posted on a hot and wet Wednesday afternoon for a run.

    2 big loops for some and 2.25 miles for others.

    NMM

    Great day for a run, and great to have Husky, Kubota, and EF out there with Swirly and I.  Swirly and I were in taper mode (ABT) so we were in a slow mosey mode today.

    Husky is a beast.  He and Kubota put in 2.25 miles in today. 3/4 of a mile more than last week.  When we launched at the beginning of the run, Husky took off like  a rocket.  We chased for a while, but he was on a mission.   Reward afterwards was two pieces of cheese pizza and a juice box (for Husky, I presume).

    TYA OUT