Category: Richmond, VA

  • The Anniversary Q

    You always remember your first time.  The nerves, the heavy breathing, trying to have a gameplan but realizing that you really, ultimately, don’t know what you are doing.  And it’s over long, long, long before you thought it would be.

    Yes, the VQ is something you will never forget.

    Little did I know that one year ago, at a client lunch with the leading heating and air company in the Continental United States, it would be me that would be convinced to try something to improve my life, not the other way around.  But that is exactly what happened and after one year of free loading on Thursdays with other stalwart leaders Qing 45 Minutes of Mary, I decided enough was enough and it was time to step into that ring…that ring of men that surround you on the corner of West Moreland and Grove and are looking at you to deliver them a 45 minute workout that gets their day off to a good start.

    The Q

    Quick run around the school and we circled up for warm-up exercises…

    Good to see Razor and Hardywood in the circle…you know its going to be a good Q when you see fresh faces around the circle.

    Little known fact…after a miserable freshman season at UVa wearing #30, I asked the coach if I could change the number.  #30 was actually a pretty cursed number as the guys that wore it before me all had terrible careers.

    Anyway, the only other jersey available was #24…the problem was that #24 was just retired because it was worn by Jim West, the former baseball coach at Virginia.  So our pitching coach sent the jerseys to his mom in Chicago and she ripped off the #2 and #4 and reversed them for me to wear #42 the rest of my career.

    While I never set the collegiate baseball world on fire, or even a dull warmth, I had a much better season as #42.  So it became my favorite number.  Then, in the early part of the 00s, professional baseball decided to honor the race barrier breaking player Jackie Robinson by retiring the #42 in all of professional baseball.

    I can tell you, it is a ton of fun telling my 8 year old that Dad’s number is retired in every professional baseball stadium in America…and it’s proven by “Robinson” being above the retired jersey in outfield walls across the country.

    Unfortunately doing 42 Side Straddle Hops is a lot…as is doing 42 Mericans and 42 Burpees, so we conveniently shaved 20 to do 22…

    SideStraddleHops (22), Don Quixotes (10…arms flailing), Arm Circles Sippy Style (12…do not let your arms down…front, back, front).  LBCs (22), we then turned around and did 22 Mericans…someone started singing “Turn Around Bright Eyes” by Bonnie Tyler,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo and that song was actually stuck in my head throughout the Q.  Click on that link…you are welcome. We finished with a dozen Burpees on our own.

    Somewhere around October, Loose Goose, who we all agree we miss and need to figure out where he’s been, introduced the Lucky Horseshoe to the 2nd Thursday of each 45 MoM. The point was that you could use it as a bench mark to see how you are improving from month to month.   It was a brilliant idea because it served as tremendous motivation to work hard and consistently come out to the Q.

    The problem was, the Lucky Horseshoe sucks.  It’s really hard and somewhat mind numbing. By February, we punted this tradition.

    It was brought back today in a modified style, termed “Golden Horseshoe” in honor or Loose Goose and hoping to wax nostalgic about Thursdays gone by.

    Mericans (10)

    Mericans (10)  Storm Squats (10)

    Mericans (10) Storm Squats (10) WWII Sit Ups (10)

    Storm Squats (10)  WW II Sit Ups (10)

    WWII Sit Ups (10)

    Five laps around the track were mixed in.

    A year ago, at my very first F3 experience, Loose Goose Q’d and brought a frisbee.  To honor that day we tossed the frisbee down the field and did an exercise to that frisbee.  First one there got to throw it next.  Highlights…

    Hardywood’s Lunges…could be the greatest lunges of any F3 workout.  Ever.

    Hardywood’s toss after that…which went right to Bleeder.

    Sippy, by far, the best frisbee tosser of the morning.  This should come as no surprise as Sippy is a very good athlete with tremendous leverage in his right arm.

    Since we had a frisbee and we had a field and F3 is the ultimate workout, what would be a better collaboration between the three of those than a 5 minute game of ultimate frisbee?  In hindsight, the teams should’ve been split up by shirt color (dark vs not dark) but instead we just counted off and split the teams into two.  This posed all types of problems considering we are all pretty similar looking dudes wearing the same thing.  Ultimate Frisbee is a bit half baked in terms of a workout, but I think that it has true potential.

    We finished by doing the run of the indigenous people back to the flag where we honored TYA, a 45 MoM hall of famer, by doing 1 minute of American Hammers (formerly known as Russian Twists.  It was around mid January we ratified the unspoken rules of 45MoM that Russian Twists would become American Hammers).  We finished with :60 of Alabama Prom Dates as called by Bleeder who was that client that invited me one year ago to F3.

    It’s always good to see everyone driving, biking or walking in from the Gloom.

    We need to check in with Loose Goose.

    MARV

  • Lots of 11s

    9 strong posted for a, slightly modified from original plan, beatdown at WDog.  Quick saunter from the SF to the east loop for COP.

    COP

    – SSH x25
    – Don Quixote x15
    – Hellicopter x15
    – Copperhead Squat x15

    The Thang

    11s from circle to circle.  Merkins / Jump Squats.  Run to the west circle and start round 1 with 10 merkins and 1 jump squat.  Run back to east circle for next round of 9/2.  Back and forth until 1/10.  Plank-o-rama while PAX finishes.

    Quick mosey to base of Carillon for… 11s.  Burpees / WWII.  Start at the base of the Carillon, run to the top platform for 10 burpees and 1 WWII sit-up.  Run back to the bottom platform for 9/2.  Up and down until 1/10.  Flutter kicks for the unfortunate PAX members that finished early.

    Quick jaunt to the pull up bars for upper body isolation.  3 sets of 5 overhand pull ups, 5 underhand pull ups, 5 derkins on the bars.  Just stand there and look tired until the rest of the PAX finishes.

    Quick excursion to the amphitheater for final iteration of 11s.  Dips / LBCs.  Start at the bottom of amphitheater and run up 11 levels (stairs) for 10 dips and 1 LBC.  Back down to the bottom for 9/2.  Continue until 1/10.  Al Gore (dealer’s choice) until PAX finishes.

    Final journey to SF.

    Moleskin

    YHC had planned on introducing #OldGlory to #WDog today but noticed yesterday evening that Circle K led an #OldGlory workout at #DaVille yesterday.  Plan was still in effect until Circle K rolled up right before 5:30.  YHC had a general backup plan but audibles were necessary.

    There were many steps introduced during today’s workout.  Those of us that were taking those steps multiple at a time during 11s #1 and 11s #2 were clearly not taking multiples in 11s #3.  YHC thinks Saab (or as Columbia knows him: Sab, Sub, or Serb) left wanting more.  Perhaps next time.

    There was general disappointment that we did not complete a round of 11s on the pull up bars.  Someone mentioned mutiny was brewing but YHC would have been completely toasted had that been in the works.

    11s #3 brought many grumbles and glares from the PAX.  YHC is grateful for Bleeder as he fully embraced the extra round of stairs.  However, there was clearly some liberal interpretation of “11 stairs up” by several members of the PAX.  You know who you are.

    Thanks as always for letting me lead.  See everyone in the gloom.

    Splinter out.

  • Why are there so many doors?

    Three strong mosey into a beautiful dry morning

    The Thang
    Mosey to the corner of the tennis courts
    Karaoke inside length of fencing

    COP
    20x SSH
    20x Arm Circles both ways
    20x Imperial Walkers

    Mosey to the front door of gym

    Door to Door –
    Follow the path around the school and at each door (with glass) and add 1 merkin and x2 lbc’s. A door without glass do 5 burpees. Merkin count up to 20 then back down

    Mosey to the shovel flag

    COT

    Moleskin

    This is the shortest backblast YHC has ever composed; not to be confused at all with the easiest workout ever. The goal for the pax was to make a complete loop of Swift Creek Middle School, today’s group completed 75% of the challenge.

    Final count from my very foggy memory is 390 merkins, 780 lbc’s, 25 burpees

    Great work men!

  • Dry at No Toll??

    • Where: No Toll
    • When: 5/17/16
    • QIC: Ricky Bobby
    • The Pax: E.F. Hutton, Isle 5, Wilson, Shooter, Lugnut, Doner Kebab, Wedding Singer, Swirly, FlashDance, Gumbo, Rosie, Honey Do, Johnsonville. Ricky Bobby

    14 posted for a dry start to a wet day!

    The Thang:

    Short run towards the park entrance and then upstream jog back past the flag to the curbs.

    COP: Don Q’sx20, SSHx20, dead leg lift (toy soldier), 5xsmall arm circles, 5x large, 10x Durkin on the curbs, 10x backward plank dips

    Mosey to fields for The Beast

    round 1 Lunges, round 2 Merkins, round 3 Bear crawl, round 4 Bunny Hops, round 5 Burpee, round 6 LBC.  Elbow planks while collecting pax.

    Mosey to parking lot for double check.  Pair up and one pax pole smoker’s while the other takes a lap. 2x

    Mosey back to field for a quick Ring of Fire.  5 LBC while the pax holds in LBC position.

    Mosey to flag for 30 seconds of Merkins.  Every second counts men!

    COT: YHC lead us out in prayer

    Announcements:  Hill Run Wednesday evening with Honeydo. 5:30. Beers to follow. see pre-blast.

    Great work men! Thanks for the opportunity to lead. The heavens held back this fine morning and we enjoyed the soft grass for a change.

     

  • OLD GLORY debuts at DaVille

    The breezes of the impending Mid-May storms blew OLD GLORY north of the river this am and 6 faithful RVA PAX went straight to work.  This is how it went down:

    OYO, as fast as each PAX member can run a mile.  Start at the shovel flag LabRat planted at the front of the parking lot, exit parking lot to main road through Atlee to the gate past the pond behind middle school, circle back to the second shovel flag planted by YHC at the 1.0+ mile mark.  Gather when all PAX reaches second flag, mosey with OLD GLORY to soccer field next to baseball field for 20 minutes of four corners.

    Corner 1 – merkins x 20

    Corner 2 – Jump Squats x 20

    Corner 3 – Burpees x 20

    Corner 4 – WWII situps x 20

    At end of 20 minutes, PAX gathers back at OLD GLORY for a fun run back to the first shovel flag as Abacus carries OLD GLORY.

    5 minutes of Mary – LBCs, Flutterkicks, Alabama Prom Dates, Freddie Mercury’s, Mountain Climbers

    COT – YHC took us out thanking God for the bodies he gave us and the ability to sharpen them to make our community better.

    YHC wanted to introduce OLD GLORY to a couple of weeks ago, but a rainy Tuesday kept the PAX small, so YHC put it in the back pocket until we had a larger group.  As the old saying goes, “Misery loves company”.  The entire PAX attacked the beatdown with everything they had, right from the start as Abacus, Phonics and LabRat leading the initial run to the gate.  YHC thinks the run may have been a little over 1 mile, so YHC will have to track the mileage a little for the next edition of OLD GLORY.  As the PAX made their way to soccer field for four corners, the PAX went right after it as soon as OLD GLORY was planted.  Abacus and Phonics crushed each corner completing 3.75 laps.  Baggage Claim and YHC also got 3.75 laps, just not as smoothly.  LabRat completed 3.5 laps and The Carpenter completed 3.25 laps using fine form on each exercise throughout.  As the PAX separated a little this morning, YHC did not hear much mumblechatter, although during the fun fun back to the front of the parking lot, The Carpenter commented about the pace set by Abacus.  As YHC was confident Abacus would push us back to the front of the parking lot, hence the reason for selecting Abacus to carry the flag.  The ultra-slow Freddie Mercury’s did bring about some mumblechatter from the PAX and YHC takes that as an approval of a good ending to a beatdown.  As F3 is about You Against You, OLD GLORY is the ultimate way to measure yourself against yourself, and today’s version was a great baseline.  All in all, a great workout and great start to a Tuesday.

    As always, it was a pleasure and honor to lead a great group of F3 RVA men.

    Circle K

  • The Reverend is in the House!

    6 strong runners showed up for what I’ve dubbed the “Fudd Run”.
    Route: A modified start and finish but otherwise a completion of the route Fudd introduced us to last week. Involves a nice meander throughout Westham and the University with no shortage of steady elevation.

    YHC has enjoyed this route so much, today marked my 4th time covering the route in the past week. We stayed together as a pack with varying members often leading and then circling back to pick up the rest.

    During our COT, a UR employee and ordained minister by the name of Reverend Williams could not help but overhear us. Upon brief introductions we were fortunate enough to have the Reverend circle up with us again and lead us in an inspirational prayer. Another fine example of how fortunate we are to be part of F3 and how it can touch our lives and the lives of others in unexpected ways.

    Announcements: Marv will have a VQ on Thursday at RAMM. (TYA said he would get with Flashdance and ask if he would give up the Q this week for Marv’s “special day”)

    Saab abides

  • Dominion Riverrock and canoe race

    F3RVA:

    Dominion Riverrock is this weekend from Friday to Sunday.  In addition to running the 5K (dog wave) and the half marathon Sunday morning, my dog is participating in the air dog competition on Sunday afternoon.  If you are planning on being down that way, make sure to bring the kiddies by to see “Oakley the Flying Burrito” take to the ramp, Sunday at 2:00, then hopefully make the finals at 4:00.  More events can be found at http://www.dominionriverrock.com/

     

    Also, if you are looking for something completely stupid to do, my father-in-law and I are doing a paddling race next month, June 11 and 12.  Check it out, and if you are interested, see me regarding details.  We are doing the 100 miler.

    http://www.jamesriverrundown.org/

     

     

    Lab Rat

     

  • The Punishment

    Seven joined The Punisher on a brisk mid-May morning to get a good start on the week.

    The Thang:

    Jog around parking lot. Warm up – Don Qs, Slow bending Squats, SSH, Box Cutters

    Partner up.

    One partner plank one arm high, other lap around school, repeat

    One Partner legs 6 inches off ground, other lap around school, repeat

    One partner balls to the wall, other lap around parking lot, repeat

    Curb crawls – line up on opposite sides, partners take turns increasing increments of merkins by 1 up to 20.

    One partner holds chin above pull-up bar, other runs to school and back, repeat two times

    Mosey to picnic tables, round 1 – 30 dips and 30 WWII sit-ups, round 2 – 10 Bulgarian squats each leg, 25 flutter two-count. Lunge towards flag until everyone finishes.

    COT:

    Good showing guys, was noted that the James River run had a kickoff this morning which may have pulled a few of the running crowd from The Punisher. The idea of this workout was drawn from Toga’s partner workout a few weeks ago, the essence being to push yourself as your partner holds a difficult core strengthening exercise. As was declared, if one of the PAX failed to hold the position during the workout, everyone would be subjected to an additional punishment follow up exercise.  It is duly noted that no additional workouts were dished out, YHC himself failed the pullup routine and well, the curb crawls were suspect at best. Maybe it was just a mind game to incentivize the PAX to not fail, or maybe YHC noticed the allotted time was elapsing. Though Offshore did note that it couldn’t seem likely the punishment was as tolling as the initial exercise itself. TBD.

    Great speed shown by Offshore and Hardywood, who donned actual sneakers today to ‘keep us on our toes’.  YHC learned Swirly lifts weights on his day off to keep his beach bod in check. His tenacity is remarkable.

    Normal workouts this week. Wednesday’s mid-month fellowship event will be the run near Honey-do.

    -Singer

  • Southside has hills too

    The inaugural #RiverRun saw 5 strong post in the surprising cold May air for a tour of the hills offered on the Southside.

    THANG

    Down James River Road, past Splinter’s old stomping grounds, toward the park, right on Riverton Ridge, up into Tarrington.  Up the Ashwell Drive hill to Robious Road.  Through the bushes to Powderham Lane.  Left on Twin Team Lane and down the hill.  Loop around the school parking lots and back to the shovel flag.  A nice easy 4+ miles

    MOLESKIN

    YHC thought Gumbo would post since it the new AO is close to his house but when he didn’t show by 0530 we were off.   He caught up to us toward the top of Tarringinton, apparently he misjudged the running time from his house and showed up a few minutes late.  Tclaps to him for running to the AO.

    DK’s dreams are apparently not based in any sort of reality since he relayed his latest fartsack fantasy that VMI won the men’s NCAA basketball tournament.

    Those at Swirly’s Dogpile agreed that the pull ups caused some good muscle soreness.  Especially Gumbo who completed a perfect nose dive off the bars with Bleeder’s assistance on Saturday.

    YHC wanted to give the PAX a tour of the hill options on the south side.  Bleeder noted that the Ashwell hill has some length not seen many places in RVA.  Twin Team has some great potential for steep hill repeats.  The PAX was a little unsure about crossing Robious onto Powderham Lane until YHC showed the way through the bushes, insider knowledge needed here.

    Announcements

    Look for another backblast about the F3 service project on 5/23 at the Doorways.

    HDHH with pre-HH hills at Casa de Honeydo on Wednesday.

    RickyBobby has the Q at NoToll tomorrow.

    Well done today men.  Looking forward to some good runs on the hills over there.

  • Tribute to Eunomia

    Four Starters at the GridIron this morning with a strong Double Dipper posting at 0727. The conditions were sublime and invited a workout of math-based Good Order as follows:

    Thang:

    The Starter:
    Mosey to track for a quick x25 mix of SSHs and Seal Jacks (IC).

    The Ascent:
    1 440 yard Track Run
    1 50 yard Bear Crawl
    2 50 yard Karaokes
    3 50 yard Sprints
    5 Lateral Lunges and Curtseys (right side) and 5 Lateral Lunges and Curtseys (left side)
    8 8-Count BodyBuilders (Pan Pax cadence)
    13 Swing Lunges (alternating legs forward and backward lunges, starting right side)
    21 Squat Jumps
    34 Mountain Climbers

    The Summit:
    55 Merkins and 55 Squats
    55 Merkins and 55 Squats
    55 Merkins and 55 Squats

    The Descent:
    34 Mountain Climbers
    21 Squat Jumps
    13 Swing Lunges (alternating legs forward and backward lunges starting left side)
    8 8-Count BodyBuilders (Pan Pax cadence)
    5 Lateral Lunges and Curtseys (right side) and 5 Lateral Lunges and Curtseys (left side)
    3 50 yard Sprints
    2 50 yard Karaokes
    1 50 yard Bear Crawl
    1 440 yard Track Run

    The Finisher:
    25 Discus Enclosure Fence Smokers with Heels to Heaven
    10 Shoulders-Elevated Single Leg (r) Hip Thrust
    10 Shoulders-Elevated Single Leg (l) Hip Thrust
    10 Feet-Elevated Single Leg (r) Hip Thrust
    10 Feet-Elevated Single Leg (l) Hip Thrust
    4 minutes of Dips Tibatta Style

    COT:

    Counterama and Numberama.

    DK provided some further details about F3 RVA’s support at The Doorways on May 23 – DK is doing a recon next week to identify the precise needs and to determine optimal way to deploy our resources. Look for more detail to come from DK. DK also reported on the excellent F3 contributions to the youth run club under TYA’s leadership.

    Positive energy and gratitude expressed for the numerous workout offerings of F3 RVA – newest addition starting Monday at 0530 – RiverRun — running, and maybe some boot camp – AO is Bettie Weaver Elementary School.

    Additional enthusiastic discussion about Circus Maximus and the solid work getting done there 0530 Thursday at Godwin High School (park far left (Ridgefield Pkwy) of school at bus loop).

    Prayer of thanksgiving and supplication by YHC.

    Moleskin:

    Welcome to Flipper who enjoyed his first posting at GridIron – we specialize in, and welcome, those who oversleep DogPile. Nice showing.

    Actually, GridIron and Circus Maximus has the reigning narcoleptic – if you’re not one when you join us be advised that Attila may convert you (yawn).

    Chum Bucket glided up and down the Ascent and Descent and basked at the Summit by executing flawlessly his 165 Merkins and 165 Squats – he put on a clinic.

    White Deer took to his Bear Crawl on the Decent as if he were one of the bruins charging the feast at the Lambert Meadow Shelter just north of McAfee Knob on the AT. Perhaps we should rename him Baloo?

    You just can’t pull anything past the perceptive DK. He swallowed the Red Pill and joined the GridIron Pax 2/3rds of the way thru the Summit. And before the Pax reached the end of the Descent DK astutely observed that we were amidst a reverse Fibonacci Sequence. Not sure there was anything elegant about the workout, but Good Order was within our grasps.

    By the way, DK reports that he was under-worked at his first posting this morning because of the mutinous disruption to the DogPile beatdown (per DK, ONE 30 second break (to find lost keys) much to Swirly’s displeasure!). Time to tighten that ship, Swirly.

    Coffeeteria at Chic-fil-a

    1 Corinthians 16:13