Category: Richmond, VA

  • 6 MONTHS ANNIVERSARY OF THE GRIDIRON INAUGURAL

    Some of the PAX gathered at 0640 for 20 minutes of 3rd F “Pre-Game Gut-Check” (more below in Moleskin).  A glorious morning was revealed by the rising sun as Loose Goose planted the Shovel Flag and the ranks of the PAX doubled to a Faithful 8.  And 8 became 9 after Swirly posted after racing over from the beat down at #DogPile.

    THANG:

    Mosey to far parking lot in front of SPMS

    COP:

    20X SSHs
    20X Don Qioxotes
    20X Freddy Mercurys
    20X Low Slow Squats
    20X Mountain Climbers
    20X Merkins
    Plankorama
    20X Carolina Dry Docks

    Lunge walk to Flag Poles (curb at front entrance way to SPMS)

    20X Merkins
    20X Dips
    Pledge of Allegiance

    Mosey to Field Events venue at front GridIron

    6 Minutes of Mary and Superman
    60 seconds LBCs
    60 seconds of Flutter Kicks
    60 seconds of Freddy Mercurys
    60 seconds of Dollys
    60 seconds of Rosalitas
    60 seconds of Weezy Jeffersons
    Superman with rendition of Greatest American Hero theme song

    Mosey (short stroll a/k/a #DaisyChain) to NW corner of front GridIron

    Four Corner Lindsays/40s

    Corner 1 – 30 Merkins and 10 Imperial Squat Walkers
    Corner 2 – 25 Merkins and 15 ISWs
    Corner 3 – 20 Merkins and 20 ISWs
    Corner 4 – 15 Merkins and 25 ISWs
    Corner 1 – 10 Merkins and 30 ISWs

    Mini-Plankorama ending with Marching Planks

    Onto the track for 440

    Karaoke right, lunge walks, high skips, lunge walks, Karaoke left, lunge walks, high skips, lunge walks

    Daisy Chain to Field Events venue

    20X Merkins
    20X Upward Thrusts
    20X Merkins
    20X Upward Thrusts
    20X LBCs
    20X Rosalitas
    30 seconds of Partner Leg Lift Pushes

    Mosey to Pouncey Tract parking lot

    COT

    Bleeder informed the PAX that F3 Richmond is now 6 months strong.  T-Claps to the LEAP Team that planted the first Shovel Flag for the “Inaugural Workout” at the GridIron on September 20, 2014, and in particular to OBT, Blue, The Mighty Lance, Nancy Drew, Cauliflower, Sir Topham Hat, Disney, White Shoe, MacGruber, Cong Li, and Costco for getting us started the first two weeks at GridIron.

    3rd F “Pre-Game Gut-Check” – we looked at a “reluctant leader” from the Old Testament. Moses: a self-professed “nobody,” without authority, lacking credibility, tongue-tied, and deeply fearful; and yet the man who God chose to lead His people from Egyptian bondage to the gates of the Promised Land. From our weakness God displays His might.

    Swirly turned in a quality double-dip – T-Claps. The frontier at GridIron always keeps its lights on.

    40 year age differential between Cheeta (Johnsonville 2.1) and the War Daddys. Cheetah – thanks for your leadership on the Pledge!

    Someone needs to tie Earthworm’s wrists behind his head during ISWs. Clearly he escaped the intense criticism of Conspiracy – the arbiter of proper form. BTW: Is Conspiracy missing; is there a need for an #APB? Or is the rumor true – he’s too smoked by the DogPile to double-dip?

    Rest Stop’s name belies his #youngmotor – glad to have a F3 Raleigh transplant even if Cheetah stole his War Baby status. We expect some strong EHing on his college and work buddies.

    TYA and Bleeder battling it out for most posts – neck and neck. TYA seems to be F3’s “Bill James” – #Prof.Sabermetrics.

    We learned J’ville needs a watch to keep count. He brings the pain with his 60 second Mary counts that felt like 90. But the PAX had to wrest control a la #Al Haig when J’ville’s recovery count was too slow.

    Loose Goose took out the BOM with his usual strong prayer.

    Coffeteria at the DailyGrind followed for some solid 2nd F to complement the strong dosages of the 1st and 3rd Fs today. Can the exhortation “Don’t tell Lindsay” be added to the Lexicon as a synonym for injury – “help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up?”

    Philippians 4:13

  • Love Hill.., Again

    Six posted for a beautiful morning in sunny Richmond.., at least it was when the sun came up later in the day.  Here’s the drill:

    Warm-up. 10x up and down Carillon steps, 15 don Quixote, 10 clerkins, 15 hill billies, 10 sit-ups

    Mosey to pull-ups bars for:
    6 pull-ups, 8 squat jumps, 8 full extensions: 4x
    8 body rows, 8 sit-ups, 8 marching planks (2 count): 4x
    8 knees to elbows, 8 diamonds, 8 sprinters (2 count): 4x

    Mosey to bottom of Love Hill for alternating lunges, walkout push-ups, and bear crawls while your partner runs up and back down the hill.  Keep the distance achieved by your partner and flapjack till both are at the top of the hill.

    Moleskin: Math continued to be a regular discussion point over at the pull-up bars.  2 count marching planks appeared to be akin to splitting the atom for some.  YHC told the PAX before we got going that this would not be run intensive due to the amount of run focused workouts doled out by other Qs this week.  To look good in a toga you gotta work the whole body, so you’re welcome!

    It should also be noted that Pelosi and YHC remain undefeated on Love Hill (2-0).  Now, I know some people will say this is rigged since the exercises came from me.  Don’t be a hater!  Just bask in the glow that is our domination.

  • A little rain and a Startbuck’s stop

    10 Faithful and 2 FRNG, posted for the morning run.  The Friday faithful’s continue to get stronger and faster.   The hard work will pay off for the upcoming mud run and the Hardywood 4 miler.

    The Thang:

    Break into 2 groups:   Group 1:  From the shovel flag, turn right on Cary, right on Westmoreland, left on Grove.  Proceed to Three Chopt then head back to the Shovel Flag (4.0 miles disputed).  Group 2:  From the shovel flag, proceed to Grove, turn right and proceed to Thompson, turnaround and proceed to Three Chopt, turnaround again and head back to the shovel flag.  Try and catch a member of group 1 if possible. (Solid 5 miles)

    Both groups add in Speed Drills (Fartlek):  On the way back (after Libby Ave) sprint at 75% pace every other block until you get to Westmoreland.

     Moleskin:

    If the forecast is bad weather, expect a higher number of F3 men who will post.  (someone fact check that).   12 men post for a run in weather that probably had most of your co-workers running late today.

    Tclaps to Swirly who led the men from group one for most of the route with a solid pace.  Chum bucket, Oyster, Swirly and Pelosi 5-0, made it back to shovel flag with a few minutes to spare before Sippy Cup came rolling in.  Next in Toga, Fudd, and Brain Tumor, details are a little gloomy here as some of the men left to catch up to Bleeder.  Next in were Lug Nut, Scream, and TYA who might have been second guessing all those laps from Source of Truth.  Turns out Bleeder gave us the slip and took a different route back to the flag.

    The weather brought out 2 more FRNG as we welcomed Chum Bucket and Pelosi 5-0 to the Friday Run.   Also, noted that Chum Bucket made a crack at Lug Nut’s shorts.  Not sure how anyone wearing Capri’s can make fun of another man’s shorts.  But the deed was done, unchecked.

    Fudd – didn’t want his morning issue mentioned in the back blast.  With that said we won’t mention it other than to say the group was unable to meet for coffee at Starbucks.

  • Ascending Curb Crawls? Why?

    14 posted for a morning beatdown in RVA.  Weather was 37 degrees and clear.  Great job everyone getting out of the fartsack and making yourself (and others) better and stronger.

    The Thang:

    Mosey to field, 25x Freddy Mercury, 26x Don Quixote, 25x SSH, 25x LBC.  Mosey to covered pavillion for 11’s.  At pavillion exercise is prisoner leg lifts, at far end of the field exercise is the Burpee (of course).  Faster PAX use poles at far side of pavillion.  Mosey to front of school for Yogi Bear.  Four stations (most on picnic tables), first station box jumps, second station Derkins, third station dips, fourth station incline merkins.  Repeato x 2.  Turn around and right into ascending and descending curb crawls.  Grab a piece of curb, bear crawl to other side, one merkins, turnaround bear crawl to other side 2 Merkins.  All the way up to 9 Merkins and then back down to one.  When finished, get into Al Gore and wait for rest of Pax.  Mosey back to shovel flag for 4 minutes of Mary.  15x Flutter kicks, followed by 20 second hold feet in the air.  10x (on each leg) bent leg raises.

    COT and out into the day, in better shape and energized to take on the world.

    Moleskin:

    Several Kotters today.  After a brief hiatus with several maladies (strep throat, etc) Loose Goose was back in the fold.  Olaf made his second (?) appearance at a workout after a month long hiatus waiting for the spring to come.  Pucker returned after his hibernations.  Not sure why a Yankee and Ice Hockey player needs a break due to the cold?  Great to have everyone back out there with the group.

    Fudd apparently shares the lack of eyesight with his namesake.  When TYA declared that the end point for the 11’s was the road at the second tree line, Fudd was all confused.  He said he saw many tree lines and could not see the rode.  Despite his difficulties seeing, he figured things out and almost kept pace with Conspiracy on the 11’s.

    The PAX continues to have difficulty with math.  When the PAX were asked to split into four groups for the Yogi Bear, confusion ensued.  How could we possibly split up into four groups with 14 people in the PAX?   The math does not work out to even numbers!  What are we to do?  We can’t possibly do an exercise with an uneven number of people in the groups!    Somehow we persevered and got through the appointed tasks without incident.

    What sadistic bas435d thought up curb crawls?  Why?  They are complete torture.  They sound so simple and in theory doing bear crawls with Merkins sounds doable.  This is the second time YHC has does this exercise and I have been completely smoked about halfway through both times.  At least the first time I had hope that a bus would come and run me over and stop this idiocy,  This time, my only hope was to finish the routine as quickly as possible and then try to forget that it ever happened. Worst part of doing them was that I actually chose the exercise.  What is wrong with me?

    Announcements

    HDHH yesterday.  Good time had by all and pretty good attendance.  Thanks to all that came out and had a little bit of second F.  One awkward thing heard in the bar (and hopefully not overheard by anyone else): “it weird to see you with your clothes on”.

    Run tomorrow at MM

  • If you find something you’re not good at, Do more of it?

    7 post on a cool and crisp Sunny & 70 morning.  Here’s how it went down…

    The Thang

    Mosey to the football field

    COP

    100 yd jog 50%

    100 yd jog 75%

    Bolts

    100 yd sprint down & back (5x)

    Triple Check – Merry Go Round

    run 100 yd sprint

    jog back to start

    5 Merkins

    Rinse and repeat 3x

    Triple Check – Merry Go Round

    run 100 yd sprint

    jog back to start

    5 lbc

    Rinse and repeat 3x

    Triple Check – Merry Go Round

    run 100 yd sprint

    jog back to start

    5  jump squats

    Rinse and repeat 3x

    Triple Check – Merry Go Round

    run 100 yd sprint

    jog back to start

    5 Mtn Climbers to 20 count

    Rinse and repeat 3x

    Triple Check – Merry Go Round

    run 100 yd sprint

    jog back to start

    5 Werkins

    Rinse and repeat 3x

    Bolts

    100 yd sprint down & back (5x)

    Johnny Cash

    Jog 100 yd down and back in formation

    Mosey to the Shovel Flag for COT

    Moleskin

    First off I must say great work by all today.  Toga (yes, Toga) set the pace for 52 friendly 100 yard runs.

    YHC did hear a few rumblings at the beginning of the workout from the Mayor of Grumpton but it seemed to subside or YHC breathing was too heavy to notice.

    Have to admit it was nice having Toga & BT on the south side, assumptions are that property values rose a couple of points today.  As all good host should do, you don’t want to brag about how good your AO is in front of others.  Therefore, we stayed on the football field throughout the workout and saved a little mystery for another day.

    Shout out to Wedding Singer for leaving no man left behind and running with YHC during a vast majority of the runs.  I know you were prepped to defeat Toga this morning. You had him.

    DK, your squat jump selection was perfect.  I got the squat but couldn’t find the jump!

    TYA paced very nicely this morning, it was almost like he knew something other’s did not??????

    Lastly Wilson gave the “Big Reveal” on Carrie joining the FBI on the next season of Homeland.   Hope that didn’t ruin the surprise for anyone else.   I know, I know it’s the CIA.

    Hey, where is Conspiracy?

    Have a great one!

    Lug

  • Is that your partner still running? Why are you planking up?

    15 of RVA’s faithful congregated on the South side of the River James to enjoy a St. Patrick’s Day beatdown. Here’s how it played out.

    Mosey to larger parking lot
    Disclaimer: Don’t hurt yourselves (no FNGs)

    COP: 25 x SSH, 25 x Slow Bending Squats, 25 x LBC, 25 x Imperial Walkers

    Mosey around parking lot to NE Soccer Field
    COP: 10 x Prisoner Cell Merkin Burpees
    Sprints across width of field: 2 x 50-75%, 1 x 75%, 1 X 100%

    Mosey around parking lot to SW Soccer Field
    Ark Loader (all sprint to end and Don Quixote until all Pax arrive):
    Bear Crawl to 50, Duck Walk to 25, Backward Crab Walk to 25, Crawl Bear to 30, Duck Walk to 25 + lunge to 75, Crab Walk to 25

    Plank-o-rama

    Triple Check: People’s Chair on shed, pole smokers, run lap of field – repeat 3 times

    Mosey to flag

    1 minute of LBCs

    COT

    Moleskin:
    Strong attendance today, gentlemen.

    YHC only clocked that it was St. Patrick’s Day on the ride home…otherwise, we could have had some Irish themed exercises. #StPatricksDayFail

    Toga was not impressed by YHC taking a glance at his Wienke before the workout.

    Toga also did not appreciate others planking at the end of the Triple Check (rather than pole smoking and people’s chairing) when partners were still running a lap, hence the title of this post.

    Clearly, it’s all about Toga…it always has been.

    TProps to Wedding Singer for 17 straight workouts that ended this past Saturday because he was “hiking in Blacksburg”…likely excuse.

    Upcoming Workouts/Events:
    Source of Truth – Wednesday 5:30am – Swift Creek Middle School
    Humpday Happy Hour – Wednesday 5-7pm – American Tap House (Willow Lawn)
    45 Minutes of Mary – Thursday 5:30am – Mary Munford Elementary
    RAMM – Friday 5:30am – Mary Munford Elementary
    Dogpile – Saturday 6am – Dogwood Dell (Byrd Park)
    GridIron – Sunday 7am – Pouncy Tract Park

  • MEDLEYS IN THE MIST

    Four of the Faithful, including Zook from Charlotte, gathered in the rain. Conditions were wet, and the PAX was tempted to temporarily expand the AO to include the privately-owned artificial turf fields next door.  Self-restraint prevailed, however (or perhaps it was more that Earthworm could sense an impending Beast).

    THANG:

    Mosey from parking lot to the Pillars and then slalom the Pillars down and back.

    COP

    20X SSH
    20X Don Quixote
    20X Deep Squats
    20X Imperial Walkers

    Pillars Medley —
    Individual post up to Pillars – 80 Pillars; 20 per Pax
    — Pillar 1: Merkins; Pillar 2: Seated Chair; Pillar 3: LBCs; and Pillar 4: Rosalitas
    Reset to Pillars 5 – 8
    — Pillar 5: Roslaitas; Pillar 6: Merkins; Pillar 7: Seated Chair; Pillar 8: LBCs
    Reset to Pillars 9 – 12
    — Pillar 9: LBCs; Pillar 10: Roslatas; Pillar 11: Merkins; Pillar 12: Seated Chair
    Reset to Pillars 13 – 16
    — Pillar 13: Seated Chair; Pillar 14: LBCs; Pillar 15: Rosalitas; Pillar 16: Merkins
    — Rinse and Repeat for 5 sets through Pillar 80 (with Merkins mix for each of 5 sets)
    Mosey to Tennis Courts for karaokes, high knees, lunges, and bear crawls with assortment of planks

    Mosey to parking lot for 6 Minutes of Mary and Merkins

    Mosey to bleachers for 5 sets of dips with Imperial Squat Walkers and decline Merkins

    Mosey to pull up bars for pull ups, Merkins, deep squats, chin ups, military press.

    Mosey to parking lot pavilion for COT.

    Moleskin:

    The majority in shorts – Spring has arrived in Richmond.

    Glad to have Zook (#SoccerDad) join us this morning while in town with his family for the Jefferson Cup.

    No double-dippers from DogPile posting today – we missed you.

    A set back for J’ville – return of the rib cage pain; nonetheless, he #PlayedWithPain and even picked up the fourth quarter Q. Will his LOML ever let him hike again?

    Lug Nut somehow escaped injury when Earthworm’s bar support failed. After #TradingPaint Lug Nut flung forward and Earthworm gained a muddy posterior prompting Zook to ask how Earthworm got his handle. Thankfully, Lug Nut’s race car driving career remains promising despite the trauma.

    Positive discussion was had concerning the addition of a 15 – 30 minute 3rd F gut-check before the GridIron – stay tuned.

    John 15:5

  • Questionable Calls

    Nine of Richmond’s finest tackled Byrd Park with a fairly constant rain their faces.  Fun was had by all, and here’s how it went down:

    Mosey up Carillon stairs and back to circle
    CoP: 25 ssh, 15 merkins, 20 imperial walkers, 15 leg raises

    Mosey to stairs for 3x, run to top of stairs, 5 burpees, run down, 10 hand release push-ups

    3x run to top, 5 burpees, run down, 5 diamonds

    3x run to top, 10 mtn climbers, run down, 10 dollys

    Mosey to bowl behind amphitheater for Jacob’s ladder, bear crawl up sides and do 1 burpee, run down and bear crawl up far side for 2 burpees, … Repeat to 7 burpees

    Mosey inside amphitheater for amrap: box jumps up, 5 derkins at each step coming back down

    Indian run up and down steps in amphitheater

    CoT:

    Welcome Deuce and a Half (Fudd will need to remind YHC why he chose that) to his first workout on what was not the most inviting of mornings.  The PAX quickly got over the question of getting wet with the full merkins at the foot of the Carillon, and everyone moved with efficient F3 FEBA after that.  It also turns out that Fudd likes top 40 and wants to share that with the PAX when he’s got a certain tune stuck in his head.  An extra lap around the Carillon just for him still didn’t fix that.

    YHC had Jacob’s Ladder in mind for at least 3 previous workouts, but it was always too icy on the hill behind the amphitheater.., not so for this workout.  We finally got to do it, and there was no mumble chatter to be heard.  That sounds like something to be repeated often!

    Now for the questionable choices.., it turns out that an 8 minute AMRAP doesn’t work well with the box jumps and derkins in the amphitheater.  We will adjust the exercise choice appropriately.  The indian run around the amphitheater was also a bit shaky as wet steps and lack of good places to pass will take that endeavor back to the drawing board.

  • Sunshine joins F3 RVA for a run

    10 Faithful and one FRNG, Dave Kibiloski, posted for a morning of running in the RVA.  Weather was 40 degrees and clear, perfect running weather.

    The Thang:

    From shovel flag, proceed to Grove avenue, everyone take a right.  Today, there were 4 different routes ranging in mileage from 4.0 – 5.5 miles, run to a turnaround point going east on Grove, then turnaround..  The stronger the runner you are the longer you get to run.  Then everyone ran to intersection of 3 Chopt and Grove, turned around, ran back around the school to the shovel flag.

    Moleskin

    Lugnut finished out front of the pack today, probably by a good 20 minutes before any other runner got back to the shovel flag.  He did do the shorter route (I think), but still smoked the pack back to the shovel flag.  He also got impatient waiting for everyone to return at the end and took off before the PAX finished.  Great job Lugnut…speed is definately increasing.  Oh….I forgot to mention that Lugnut started the run by himself 20 minutes before the appointed starting time and had to leave early to catch a morning meeting!

    Johnsonville gets a Kotter from the running PAX.  He was also a LIFO, but on the other side.  Undaunted by being a couple minutes later starting than anyone else, he still set a good pace out on the course.  YHC was quite proud of himself because Jville never caught him (jville did a half mile longer run) until he found out that Jville stopped to use the facilities at the local starbucks #outhouse.  Also because of his LIFO status, he did not hear the directions to run back around the school at the end, so he took a little jog at the end to make up the distance.

    Welcome Sunshine to the group.  He is quite an accomplished runner, but due to injury has not been on the road in over 3 months.  He acquitted himself well, pacing Bleeder back to the shovel flag at a pretty good clip.  We look forward to seeing Sunshine back to his sub 5 minute mile pace in no time.

    Conspiracy may have finally met his match.  He and Sippy Cup (who did have two water bottles with him) set the pace at the front of the group,   Leaving Toga and Johnsonville looking like Bleeder at the back of the pack.  YHC was impressed with the ease at which they completed the five and a half miles.  Then, after the COT, when everyone else was ambling back to their cars, Sipply cup quietly started running back to his house over near dogwood dell (about a 2 1/2 mile cooldown).

    See you next week in the Gloom

  • All about the Love

    scooby
    13 veterans posted in the gloom for a beat down from Fudd’s VQ. Here’s how it went down.

    The Thang

    Mosey around the school to the Tennis Courts for COP: 20 SSH, 20 Merkins, 20 Don Quixote, 15 Mountain Climbers, 20 Hello Dollies

    Mosey to the basketball courts for 650/1K:
    Partner up, 1 guy exercises while other runs around the track. 50 burpees, 100 Merkins, 200 Body weight squats, 300 LBC’s.

    Mosey to Tennis Courts,
    -Tunnel of Love from west end of the court to the east: two lines of men lock arms and take turns bear crawling through the tunnel created by the arms.
    -Kack-a-lacka Choo-choo from the east end back to the west end: all men line up in plank position and take turns jumping over each man in line.
    -3 Wind Sprints the length of the tennis courts to finish up: 75% effort #1, 100% effort on 2 and 3.

    Moleskin by Fudd via email from TYA in Alexandria this morning

    -Tclaps to Wedding Singer…how many has he done in a row now?
    -Tclaps to Pele as well….how many other kids would come out on their spring break for a beat down at 5:30 am??

    Moleskin by Bleeder

    Amazingly, Pele came downstairs this morning and was dressed and ready without a word from his Father to get up and get ready. He wants to dominate on the Soccer field this spring, he knows F3 can help make that happen!

    For long distance Mosey to the first COP; was Fudd trying to just go further than a normal TOGA Q? The disclaimer pointed out that TOGA’s workouts seemed more certified for Fitness instructors than most. Fudd’s cadence during the COP, in true VMI Keydet fashion, was well executed especially for a VQ.

    Digging through the BackBlasts, Fudd discovered a routine that both Johnsonville and TYA have used to bring on the pain to the PAX. As the PAX moved to the next evolution, we ended up running through the Tomatoes exercise area. Fudd almost paused there, but realizing we are sharing the AO, decided to continue moseying to the other end of the Blacktop.

    Tclaps to Fudd for the Tunnel of Love, being close to six months into RVA F3 workouts, that’s two days in a row of something brand new in the workout routine; that’s awesome from Virgin Q’s. But not sure if you can put the Tunnel of Love and the Battle Rope into the same exercise, might be moving into a Shady Grey area there, perhaps for people in there Fifties.

    Announcements:

    -TYA mentioned the backblasts and said some of the PAX had found it difficult to access those. Fudd mentioned that Conspiracy set him up with a free service that emails the backblasts whenever they are posted. Fudd regrets that he has no idea how Conspiracy did this. Perhaps Conspiracy could post instructions when he gets a break from whatever job he does everyday??

    -Run tomorrow, 5:30 at Mary Mumford. TYA is Q
    -Hump day Happy Hour next Wed at American Tap Room