Category: Richmond, VA

  • Just because its familiar doesn’t mean it’s not good

    11 strong posted for a morning run in RVA. Weather was glorious. Cannot ask for a better day to run, mid 60’s and a bit overcast.

    The Thang.

    Grove avenue jaunt. Right on Grove, 4 milers turn at Malvern, 5 milers turn at Roseneath, and 6 milers at The Boulevard. run all the way to three chops, turn around and meet back at the shovel flag.

    NMM

    Marv gave me kudos for my creativity on the route today, asking if I stayed up all night to map it out. The choice of the route today was selfish, not because I did not want to figure out another route, but because I wanted to get back in a familiar running groove. I have been struggling to get in a comfortable running rhythm for a couple of months and thought the familiarity of Grove would do the trick. It indeed did work. The other reason I wanted to do Grove was because we were less than a week out from the BRR. Two things on that: first, it is a relatively flat/easy route and I thought the PAX could use a break. Second, doing this route post BRR shows you how what you thought used to be a hill (coming up to malvern or libbie) is just merely a slight change in elevation.

    Saab ran along side of me for the first 2/3 of the run today. He was conveying the plans for the cloud splitter race that he has coming up in a few weeks. If he is not ready, it is impossible to prepare. He has put in a ton of work and has a great plan. Now it is just about execution, work the plan and listen to your body. The rest will happen. All of the RVA PAX will be with you out on the trail. Take strength in knowing that you have done all you can do to prepare and now you will reap the rewards.

    Lug is on fire post BRR. The dude is pumped about running, an activity that he has reluctantly done over the past couple years. He keeps mentioning races to do and his desire to do them, and he has even picked out what legs he wants to do on the BRR next year. Today he did is run averaging1 minute per mile less than he did a year ago today. That is progress (and a ton of hard work). Way to go lug….

    Swirly told me he was going to take it easy today and then went out and scorched the route, averaging 815 miles. For a dude that had not run a 10K a year ago, he is a runner now. Toga was on the route today getting ready for the spartan next week. He looks ready. BT was taking a page out of Lockjaw’s book and tapering today. Toga was also thankful today that Lab Rat wore a shirt for the running (as were the rest of us). Ricky Bobby joined in on the run today as he was the only Gear head in town. Toucan joined the run and ran at pretty good clip. Back Bay and Upchuck were moving right along, trying to keep pace with Swirly.

    Announcements

    Reesestrong 5k tomorrow. Come on out if you can

    Spartan and bike ride next week.

    Convergence on the 8th…see Swirly for details

    Bear Creek 10 miler on 12/4. Fills up early so sign up now.

  • Reminiscence of the BRR

    18 gentlemen showed for a tour-de-Mary Munford today. This is what transpired

    COP: SSH, Arm Circles, LBC’s

    Traverse field end-to-end. Perform designated drill at each quarter and goal line. Increment by stated number (e.g. by 2’s, 3’s, etc.) –
    2-count (Reference to the “number-two” Fudd left on someone’s front yard during his BRR leg)
    3-count (The dollars Marv spent on a shower at the firehouse in between BRR legs. Thanks to a sagging tarp separating the men and women, Marv got much more than his money’s worth)
    4-count (Approximate dollars Marv spent on tomato juice in an effort to eradicate the odor from his shoe – which resulted from his (literal) run-in with a skunk.)

    Triple check (6-inch hold, flutter kicks, run out and do 5 merkins then run back)

    Alternating Bear crawl/run by each tree to corner. Advance to curb: Bear crawl out, crab crawl back. Ascending/Descending Merkins (1-7 then back down to 1)

    Burpee shuffle, Flutter Kicks, American Hammers/Russian Twists (personal choice on Commie/non-Commie version)

    COT

    Moleskin:
    Nice to be back to a boot-camp post-BRR. YHC enjoyed recounting some of his favorite anecdotes from the BRR (see above). Lab Rat expressed an appreciation in performing an exercise that did not require counting (e.g. scissor kicks) – presumably because it did not then interfere with his ability to talk (can’t imagine such a circumstance). As expected, Saab-instructions were occasionally vague or mis-directing, but the PAX improvised well.

    Thoughts and prayers went out to Bleeder and his family.

    Announcements: ReeseStrong this Saturday. Bear Creek signup (it fills up quick). Hampton Roads Outreach (see TYA).

    Saab abides.

  • The training continues !

    2 strong posted for the Wed evening hill run and here is how it went down…

    Hillcrest Loop : 5:30 PM – run the loop – nice and easy pace 4 laps .

    YHC and TYA had a great run yesterday afternoon post BRR.. A beautiful evening for a run we set out to tackle Hillcrest .. Both of us felt great – 4 laps was the right amount – not too little not too much.. We are going to keep the Wed evening runs going so come on out after work and enjoy some hills and fellowship. We did not hit TYA’s patio or ET’s for a cold one or two last night but I am sure that we will continue that tradition as well in the near future.. Look forward to seeing members of the pax out there next week and the weeks to come.. BRR 360 days out !

  • Practice What You Preach

    A Magnificent 7 (note: I didn’t say “The Magnificent 7” due to naming rights owned by MGM.., props to my bald homie Yul Brynner) posted for a classic kettlebell workout.

    Thang:

    Warmup COP: Mtn Climbers, scapula merkins, scorpions (hug mother earth while laying facedown and try to reach the back of your right foot to left hand.., you just gotta see it), supermans, windmills, unweighted goblet squats

    COP with 15 count rest between all:  kb swing x15, 1 arm kb swing x10 ea arm, 1 arm kb clean x10 ea arm, kb push press x10 ea arm, kb bottoms-up clean x10 ea arm, kb windmill (more on that later), goblet squat 3×10, hand 2 hand kb swing x40, unweighted (for most of us) Turkish get-up x5 ea leg, alt shoulder press x10, kb snatch x10 ea arm

    Mosey to columns by school for: partner 1 farmer carries 2 kbs down and back while partner 2 executes wall planks (start in plank 2 ft from wall then move both hands to wall) till partner 1’s return, repeato x3

    Mary:  Rosie’s infamous prom date to kb press to kb over and back x15 (what the hell do we call these?), weighted sit-ups till time expired

    NMM:  In full disclosure, YHC was in a fog for the first 15 minutes.  In my defense, while reviewing the Facebook post of BRR pics this morning, YHC was greeted with way too many pics of shirtless Lab Rat.  Really!?  Bleeder has a stash of shirts in his car.  Should we start a clothing drive?  The F3 term for this = Chippendale.

    Re the title of the BB, YHC tried to add some new items to the workout and thought the kb windmill looked great.  That said, YHC did not test this maneuver and nearly crippled myself during the demo.    If anyone can learn from this, make sure to test any special moves before expecting the PAX to take them on.  Speaking of taking on a little extra work, the Turkish Get-up (Capt Oveur, “Joey, have you ever been in a… in a Turkish prison?”), is a messy/complicated move without weight.  YHC encouraged everyone to continue to work on form without weight, but did that stop the Mighty JVille?  Of course not, it can’t be done.  JVille proceeded to eschew the Q’s advice and tackle the weighted version.  He can report on the result.

    Strong work from the PAX on a workout that seemed to fly by unless you were doing wall planks.

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • Bad Things!

    As YHC wrestled with the warm clutch of the fartsack this AM, I wondered what exactly would be the penalty for fartsacking through a scheduled Q.  Tons of burpees?  Continuous loops up and down the Dogpile pipe?  Branded with a Scarlett Q?  Just as YHC began to drift back off to sleep, I could sense that something mysterious was lurking.  Struggling to lift my eyelids, I could see something was sitting, waiting in the corner.  I could barely see a hazy silhouette.  As my eyes began to focus it whispered softly “bad things”.  Huh, what was that?  Again it whispered “bad things” only this time slightly louder.  I closed my eyes tightly and opened them once again to find Swirly standing over me, staring me in the face 4 inches away.  “Bad things” he growled once again.  I closed my eyes one last time and in an instant he was gone.  With that, YHC leapt out of bed, away from the firm embrace of the fartsack, and headed off into the gloom to Q a WDog Beatdown.  8 Brave escaped the sack for bad things of a different variety.

    COP

    • Helicopters x 15
    • SSH x 20
    • IW x 20
    • Mountain Climbers x 20
    • Box Cutters x 21

    Mosey to Street

    • 2 Burpees per Street Light – 1 Loop

    Plankorama

    Mosey to Amphitheatre

    • Donkey Kick Ladder 18-1
    • Touchdown Al Gore-orama
    • Arm Circles
    • Box Jump Ladder 1-18

    Plankorama

    Mosey to Rusty Cage

    • Overhand Pullups/ Hanging Gas Pumps x 10/10
    • Underhand Pullups/ Hanging Gas Pumps x 10/10

    Mosey to Circle

    Ring of Fire – Merkins x 10

    Mary

    • Freddie Mercury x 15
    • Crossover Leg Raises x 10 each

    Mosey to Flag

    As YHC arrived at the AO at 0515ish to find no Corporate truck parked in its usual spot, YHC briefly panicked thinking perhaps it was Thursday and he was in the wrong place before realizing TYA was on the scene and a few brief moments later saw that familiar blue truck emerge from the gloom.  YHC has been a bit out of sorts since that dizzying beatdown Saturday night at the hands of that team from Knoxville who shall remain nameless, plus the multitude of 12 ounce waters and sodas he consumed.  It was then that Swirly confirmed that he was both securing the AO and chasing off some punk up to no good in his neighborhood.  TYA was concerned that the blue boxes were nowhere to be found and headed off into the darkness to do what needed to be done.  Perhaps that was not a dog, but TYA’s work BT stepped in while moseying over to the Rusty Cage.  The PAX was met by another group at the Rusty Cage that was kind enough to share the space as the F3ers showed them how it is done.   Not a lot of chatter on the whole this morning though the PAX and their shins let out a collective moan during the Amphitheatre donkey kicks.  It was a perfect morning for a beatdown and the PAX showed strong.  Thanks to all who came out.  Tales of the BRR were enjoyed by all.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    361 Days until the 2017 BRR

    ReeceStrong 5k 9/17 – F3 Richmond Region is currently 2nd in participants; do it the “hard way”

    Spartan 9/24 – join Toga and BT

    Rugged Manic 10/1 – join EF Hutton

    Bear Creek 10 miler 12/4 – join Lab Rat?

    COT by TYA

    Please keep Bleeder and his family in your prayers as his father-in-law, a man who represented what F3 is all about, passed away this week.

  • I Brought a Friend…Her Name is Lindsay

    4 SOT regulars, including 3 recovering BRR beasts, gathered in the gloom and darkness at SOT.  This time there was no solitude.  This foursome got after the morning and this is how it went down:

    Mosey 1 lap around the track and circle up in paved area behind the end-zone for COP

    COP – all IC

    • SSH x20
    • DQs (Abe Vigoda style) x10
    • Hill Billies X10 (Jville hop optional)
    • Arm Circles x15 (10 small, 5 large) – forward then backward
    • Merkins x10
    • LBCs x20

    Mosey half-way around track to bleachers for first Lindsay – dips and muscle-ups

    Mosey half-way around track to the other bleachers for second Lindsay – incline merkins and 2-count Freddie Mercuries

    Mosey half-way around track to the bleachers for third Lindsay – box jumps (squats and step-ups used as alternative for sore BRR guys) and plank jacks.

    Mosey back to COP area for extended Mary, including APDs, Flutter Kicks, Dolly, Rosalita, WWII situps, LBCs, Crunches with legs extended.

    ROF x2 – first with merkins and second with werkins

    Mosey back to the flag for COT and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin:

    As promised, YHC brought a friend to SOT this week.  Her name was Lindsay.  YHC wanted to keep the running and movement to a minimum and give the arms, shoulders and abs a good workout.  YHC wanted to give the PAX its money’s worth, and I think everyone got what they paid for today.

    The PAX pushed hard through the Lindsays.  Sorry to Wilson for the plank jacks – I’m sure that didn’t feel good on the toe.  Way to push through.

    Also, a movement began this morning to identify curbs in the darkness by shouting “Goldberg”.  It remains to be seen if this sticks.

    Thanks for letting me lead this morning gentlemen.  Always a pleasure

    Gumbo

  • Welcome to the Richmond Region!

    I’m not sure if anyone realized it, but you woke up as part of the Richmond Region on Monday morning.  Prior to attaining that status we were “nomads.”  We’ve technically been nomads since we started on 9/20/14, but we know we’ve been growing all along.

    To become a region we needed to show a growth in PAX, increased numbers of workouts, participation in 2nd F events and CSAUPs, and a commitment to the 3rd F.  The change in status comes as a result of YOUR hard work at workouts, YOU continually EH’ing to stamp out the Sad Clown, and YOU giving F3 away to those in your community.

    I don’t think any of us can say for sure what the future of F3 in RVA will be, but the possibilities are part of the fun.  It’s an honor to be a part of this region, and I can’t wait to see how we’ll grow in the future.

    Aye!

    Toga

  • Spartan takeover of Spider Run

    7 and 1 FNG posted for a very atypical Spider Run.  The weather, the hills, and the ROPE were perfect.  The Thang:

    Run by the lake, past the Robins Center and behind the fraternity houses to come out on Wheeler.  Make a left up to Ridge Top and start heading down Shrewsbury to YHC’s back driveway.  The PAX picked up a token(s) (kettle bells, dumbbells, cinder block…), walked them up to the stop sign at the Ridge Top intersection, back down to the Horsepen intersection, ran up to and climbed the rope hanging from the Toga family sweetgum tree, and then ran back to the Horsepen intersection to repeat till 0605.  Mosey back to UR and backwards run laps till time expired.

    NMM:  In all fairness, YHC thought there would only be 2-3 people at Spider Run.  What we got was Zima (now an established Spider Run regular) continuing his EH spree with FNG Matlock and a cast of other characters.  YHC also needed to work in some Spartan race style shenanigans to get ready for 9/24.  Enter the extended, uphill farmer’s carry and rope climbs.

    The PAX killed it with on all fronts except for BT’s rope burn (looks like someone is going to be buying some sexy stockings for the race) and someone who refused to even attempt the rope climb (hint: name rhymes with Swedish automobile).

    Welcome to Matlock who was most certainly expecting a run around UR.  I’m sure it will be more like that next time.

    Announcements:  Congrats to both BRR teams on such a strong performance!

    ReeseStrong 5k this Saturday:  http://www.reesestrong.org/reesestrong-5k/

    Spartan Race 9/24

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

  • You Got to EARN that T-shirt!

    16 North-Siders and 1 regular pax from inside city limits met in the gloom this morning to tackle a DaVille beatdown.  The weather was 70 and sunny, so no reason to stand around telling tales of the BRR, it aint going to workout itself!  We got some work done as follows:

    Parking Lot Tracers

    • run up a parking space line, karaoke to next line, backwards run down that line.  Continue to end of parking lot

    COP

    • SSH IC X25
    • Don Quixote IC X20
    • Copperhead Squats IC X20
    • Arm Circles IC X10 little X5 big, Reverso
    • Merkins IC X10
    • Freddie Mercury IC X10

    Thang

    • Leg Throws X25, keep partner for next drill
    • Love Angle:  First partner runs down past shrubery, around benches, then cuts left to volleyball net.  Return the way you came until you reach partner then switch.  Meanwhile partner covers ground doing exercises. Lunges, broad jump burpees, then inchworm merkins.  Keep swapping out exercizes and running until both team members meet at volleyball net.  Runners got to dodge randomly hidden obstacles, such as 20 foot long poles, support cables, and ditches.
    • Curb Crawl Do-Si-Do:  Keeping same partner, line up in the middle of soccer field facing partner.  Q’s side bows to partner, opposite side curtsy.  Plank up, in cadence move to called direction as a pax, then perform 10 merkins IC (5 4-counts).  Cover all directions.
    • 11’s:  Running the width of soccer field, 1 Freddy Mercury then 10 flutter kicks on opposite end.  Add 1 Freddy Mercury and subtract 1 flutter kick until flip-flopped to 10 FM and 1 FK.

    BOM/COT

    NMS

    Lockjaw has been telling YHC for weeks that he needed to get out to DaVille so that he could finally get to wear the DaVille T-shirt that he bought.  Imagine YHC’s surprise when he pulled in right behind the truck this morning and stepped out into the gloom.  He strategically picked this morning to skip his local Spider Run as Toga has the Q and will undoubtedly punish anybody recovering from BRR with a hilly loop since he had to miss out.  He is “Old Toga” these days.  Glad to have you out, brother!  Wear that shirt with pride now!

    YHC is happy to see good numbers still posting since the start of school has flipped alot of schedules around (YHC’s included).  Hopefully those numbers will swell a bit more after this week’s ReeseStrong 5K as there is another Mechanicsville AO in the planning stages, courtesy of Abacus.  Monday Tomato run from Atlee high still firing off as well.

    Typical of a Lab Rat Q, the mumblechatter was on the low side.  There was however some counting sound off battle going around, as DaVille regulars are still struggling on whether to count regular or repeat counting 1-9 only. YHC was having trouble holding it together listening to each version getting louder and louder trying to enforce their will on the other side.  Personally, Lab Rat hopes that this battle will drone on and on, as he finds it hilariously entertaining.

    The pax worked hard this morning and crammed alot into the 45 minutes.  This group is definitely coming around.  YHC particularly noted the leaps that Spit has made over the last couple months.  Hard effort and continuous posting will pay off.  Well done, Spit!

    It’s great to be back out at DaVille, love this group.

    Announcements

    • ReeseStrong 5K this Saturday.  Show up, wear your F3 gear if you have it, and bring a shovelflag if you have one.  If you cant run and want to come hang out, we will have a booth set up.  Kids are welcome and encouraged to come.
    • F3 Richmond has gone from a Nomad to a Region.  The pax is standing by to see what the hell that means.

    Lab Rat out

  • Notice re the #RiverRun AO

    Commencing on Monday, September 19, 2016, RiverRun will be operated as a classic bootcamp. The foregoing change is, of course, subject to modification by future notice and/or the whims of each week’s Q. The AO’s name will remain the same.

    Could someone please request a change on the F3Richmond web site to accurately describe this AO’s focus?

    Jville