- This is the After Action Review for the overnight ruck portion of GTE #47 that took place right here in F3RVA on Saturday evening at 6pm and ended at 9am Sunday morning. Calling it an overnight ruck really doesn’t do it justice. It was way more physically challenging than “just a ruck”. There was also so much leadership training and opportunities for camaraderie and personal growth. This is an event which YHC believes truly changed all the HIMs who participated in it for the better.
- First we will need to add a couple definitions which will continue as we go through. AAR stands for After Action Review, this is feedback from the people they lead that should take place after a leader leads, so that they can hear what went well and what were the opportunities they could have done better. This term will be used again! HIM stands for High Impact Man. A HIM is someone who is making an impact in their community by positively influencing those around him.
- YHC cannot possibly mention everything that happened over the course of night. But there will be an attempt to capture what transpired over the course of the night.
- 1745: Feeling some pre-race jitters. (is everything in the bag? Did I get the right kind of rope? Am I ready for the PT test? Will I really not sleep the whole night?)
- 1755: The energy is palpable, the last of the PAX are rolling in. No sign of Flight Nurse the C1 Cadre for this event.
- 1800: Flight Nurse comes out from around the side of the Stone House. Yelling and full of piss and vinegar, trying to get our sorry asses in line. C2 Olaf was not far behind, just as full of vip and vigor. We had not all packed the right equipment per the packing list. (YHC had tubular webbing instead of nylon rope). This is the “Welcome Party”. We had to learn how to form a formation. This was like learning how to walk again. Except you don’t control all the legs, you’re just one of the legs. Each mistake came with punishment for the whole team in the form of merkins, mountain climbers, ruck presses, and many more mountain climbers.
- Before we even did that we had to line up alphabetically by last name. We failed at this twice somehow. Each failure was an opportunity to learn. A chance to get better next time. YHC failed in to get in the right order and switched places after being told to stop. This was an integrity issue, was called out for it, didn’t happen again. Thank you Crash for the teaching moment.
- Once we finally figured out how to line up by last name we were put into two different platoons. Half of us were Liberty and half were Death. From the famous Richmonder Patrick Henry who said “Give me liberty or give me death!”
- Next was the PT test, with the platoons facing each other, we did as many hand release merkins as we could in 2 minutes. The standard we were told was 42, at this time we were told that 40 would be acceptable. One side counting, one side exercising, then reverso. With the results tracked by Flight Nurse. Not sure of the exact numbers of all the PAX but YHC knows that there were several RVA studs who crushed this and got numbers up into the 50s!! On the flip side there were a few who didn’t get the full amount…. this would prove telling.
- After the merkins it was time for butterfly situps. 2 minutes for as many as you can. Standard announced was 52, lowered at this time to 50. Once again so many PAX crushed this! Getting numbers well into the high 50s and even a couple were over 60. Also a few who did not reach standard, one somewhere in the 30s.
- The next part of the PT test was a 2 mile run in under 18:30. This was extra tricky with no watch to gauge your pace. YHC accidentally ran too fast and was gassed at the end. Forrest Fire absolutely smoked this part of it, cruising at under 7 minutes per mile!! Some of us did not listen to instruction and went to “pick up the six”. Having not registered the explicit instruction not to do so for this event as it was strictly an individual event. We were punished for that…
- What those of us who went back were doing was following the training we had gotten throughout time in F3 and especially at the GrowSchool that morning where we learned that the credo of F3 is “Leave No Man Behind, and Leave No Man Where You Found Him”.
- We also learned the 1 man, 2 man and 3 man casualty carries. These would prove useful later…
- This was when we were split off into our different platoons and learned formation with the help of a Platoon Leader (leader of the PAX), a Guide-on (flag bearer and line leader), and a cornerstone (we form up around them on their command). For Liberty our first Platoon Leader was Sable, the first Guide-on was Try Hard. Our cornerstone was the same throughout the night, Rodeo Clown.
- Once we learned how to walk we started the beat down as it was getting darker and darker… we traded off between Olaf and Flight Nurse doing various bear crawls, crab walks, airplanes, crawl bears, and SSHs. Any PAX that weren’t able to complete a given exercise were sent to the “Smoke Shack” were they did a different, equally tough exercise with Pink Slip.
- 2245: After doing this FOR AWHILE, we formed up, loaded up all our water bottles and bags and finally made our way out of Forrest Hill park. Hitting the trails along the river toward the Pottersfield bridge, slowly but surely, as the rain was picking up…
- 2345: Meet up with support to unload the “implements of woe”. Before we did this we were instructed to give Sable his initial AAR. We had to tell him 3 things he did well, and 3 things he could improve on. To Sable’s credit he acted well on all the feedback and he grew into a better and better leader as the night went on. Even after he was no longer the Platoon Leader. This format worked well for us all to learn how we can be better leaders, what works, and what doesn’t.
- For each team we had 6 60lb sandbags, one log, a 40lb bag of rocks (32 total rocks from the banks of the mighty James, each one representing one of the AO s here in F3RVA!), and a tarp and about 4 2×4 pieces of wood. Under Sable’s direction we had 9 minutes to find a way to wrap the tarp around the the 2x4s and tie it off with 3 pieces of rope using only the mooring hitch knot we had learned as part of our required packing list “skill”. Also within the 9 minutes we had to line up and then shoulder the log, the sand bags, the river rocks, and the 2x4s
- We then began to make our way across the Pottersfield Bridge to Brown’s Island. Once there we engage in some pain games. First was a race around the island carrying the log using only the ropes we brought and bowline knots for handles. Liberty won this by a hair, despite a late push with excellent cadence by Death. Next was the ruck overhead, last man standing. Death was the big winner in this with both Rapinoe, NTB, and Pad Thai outlasting Try Hard who was the last man standing for Liberty. Next race was for all the marbles! We had to sit down and then hold the log in our laps and pass them along the sidewalk as we transitioned but getting up and running to the end once the log had passed us. Liberty won this passing the log so violently that we almost took out the chins of some of the shorter PAX as the logs moved along the sidewalk. This is where we lost FunNGun to a groin injury, the only PAX who didn’t finish the event!
- Fun and games over we headed to Tredegar Iron Works and up the hill behind it. At this time we began to transition between different Platoon Leaders and Guide-Ons
- 0145: we arrive at the Virginia War Memorial. This was a very powerful time to re-hydrate, re-fuel, and reflect on what we have to be thankful for while remembering and honoring those who have served and given their lives for the freedoms we have today. Powerful word were spoken here, especially by 88, who was also the videographer for the event, posting on the F3 Nation Facebook so Ms and 2.0s could follow along.
- Before we left the area we did a special WOD for Liv (daughter of YeeHaw who has cancer) that Crash came up with (as best as YHC can remember):
- 8 burpees
- 3 ruck get ups
- 13 ww1s
- 23 merkins
- x6 rounds
- We then went back to the trails, without the logs, but with the sand bags, the rocks, and the 2x4s. This was a LONG ruck with the continuing rain making for very slow going.
- 0430: We made it to Texas Beach for another short rest and a chance to share about our “whys”. A 3-5lb object that each of us carried to represent why we were doing the event. Personal, powerful stuff was shared here. House Party was Platoon Leader at this time and really stepped up!
- 0515: we arrive at the northern end of the Nickel Bridge by the Pump house for another water refill. We also gave House Party his AAR and Biodome was selected as the next Platoon Leader. Chaplains was the Guide-On for the rest of the event as he had a hurt shoulder and couldn’t carry a ruck any more. But he did not quit! as we finally deposited our sand bags and river rocks once we reach:
- 0600: Dogwood Dell where we hold the Sunriser Service on the stage. This was a very special time for guys to share their hearts. More about some whys and some guys sharing what F3 means for them and has done for them. What happens here stays here. A great reminder that you are not the only one going through something difficult in your life. We are all struggling with something. “Sometimes you are the hand reaching up for help, sometimes you are the hand reaching down to help someone else”.
- 0700: Back across the Nickel Bridge, this time we are carrying each other and the rucks of those who were wearing blue or orange as we practiced the 3 person casualty carry we learned at the Welcome Party. Biodome is our Platoon Leader at this point. This was a brutal way to cross the James, but it was still so beautiful of a view. Once we crossed, the guys were magically healed and the ruck continued..
- 0800: at Reedy Creek we had to cross through the water that was rushing through the tunnels here. It was shallow but moving fast. We locked hands to help each other make it across. Much like in the Roman Phalanx the men would “lock shields” to help and protect each other. This is another term from Grow School, a Shield Lock. This is a group of guys that meet regularly to share whats going on in their lives, and do what they can to help and lean on each other. As we can smell the finish one more wrinkle is thrown in. We have to “give our shoulders a break” by carrying the rucks with only the handle for longer than YHC thought possible. As we are finishing this section Death Platoon comes roaring by at double time rucking speed!! We do our best to push through and catch them but they are rolling!
- 0845: we finally arrive at Forrest Hill Park. For the last bit where we can see the Stone House and the finish we have to bear crawl with the ruck around the circle. Then bear crawl while pulling the ruck on the ground to side where we form up for the last time. Share a COT. Get patched. See the amazing families who allowed us to do this and came out to support us. Rapinoe and House Party get special shout outs from Flight Nurse for the amazing perseverance that they both showed!
- Special shout out has to be given here to the amazing support team Q’d by Gomer, with assistance from Meatball, Doozy, Faceplant, Corned Beef, Doublemint, Gypsy, Homer, J’ville, Polly, Seymore. They had our backs the entire time!!! Those water refills throughout the night, familiar faces leading the way through the trails, and words of encouragement here and there did wonders for all of us.
- Also a thank you to our resident photographer/videographer Snuff who captured some unbelievable pics of the King Builder and the Ruck and posted them for all to share!
- Biggest shout out has to to go the SLT of Rosie and Try Hard with assistance from Orange Crush, and Machismo for the hard work they did in putting this whole thing together. It was not easy and they all took a lot of time, effort and money in order to make this amazing event that has changed all of us for the better.
- NMM
- This BB can by no means be completely exhaustive or complete. If there is something that should be added for perpetuity just message YHC and I’ll put it in. YHC can’t speak for the rest of the PAX but here’s a bit of my perspectiove:
- My why was a weight plate that my wife and kids put their names on. I also added my fathers name on it. He passed away in October. He was only 67. He was an amazing man and father who truly lived 3rd. First being God. He was a dedicated church goer and resident handy-man. His pastor at church gave the euology. His family came 2nd. He worked jobs and times that he did not enjoy, especially when I was very young. Doing whatever it took to make sure we were supported and had enough to eat and a roof over our heads. He was always there for me no matter what I needed. Despite the stupid shit I did he would never ever raise his voice. He always kept an even keel. My why is to try be as good a dad as my father was. To be healthy mentally so I can be there for them and keep my cool to be a good dad. I also want to stay healthy so I can live longer than my dad did. Thats the only aspect I want to improve on as opposed to just live up to. This event has most definitely moved me in the right direction and I can’t thank every single person involved enough for everything done to make this the amazing and memorable event that it was.
Category: Richmond, VA
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A. A. R. – Startex to Endex
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Good Luck Hydrant
Two men posted on a muggy Monday to start the week right.
Mosey to front of school for some COP
Dora – 100x dips, 200x flutter kicks, 300x mountain climbers
Mosey to jungle gym by basketball court for several rounds of circuit training
Mosey back to flag for some stretching
Numbers, names.
Notes: Congrats to Hydrant for landing his job out of college coaching tennis at a country club.
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Try something new
I tried exercises that were, at least somewhat, new. Muggy day.
Mosey to front of school and give standard disclaimer. All of the following in cadence
- 20 SSHs
- 10 Skaters: When Left leg goes behind and crosses the right leg, Bend at waist and touch ground with right hand.
- 15 Side lunge with knee hug:
- 15 Side lunge with knee hug:
- 15 Forward lunge with Twist body: left foot forward/twist left
- 15 Forward lunge with Twist body: right foot forward/twist right
- 12 Side elbow plank with Reach: Left side
- 12 Side elbow plank with Reach: Right side
Line up on sidewalk to the asphalt playground for 11s
- Mike Tyson & V-Ups
To the grass playground in back; Count off by 3s. Rotate Counter-Clockwise.
- 10 Get-ups at the swings, (lay on you back and then stand up without using your hands)
- 20 Hanging Knee-ups at pull-up bars,
- 30 Dips at benches,
To the wall for
- 15 People’s chair airpress
- 10 BTTW hip slaps in cadence
- 3 Burpees
- 15 People’s chair Milkers
- 10 BTTW Australian Mountain Climbers
- 3 Burpees
- 15 People’s chair Muhammad Ali
- 10 BTTW Toe Taps
- 3 Burpees
To the flag for 5 minutes of Mary
- 20 American Hammers
- 20 Flutters
- 20 APDs
- 60 count 6-inch leg lift
Time’s up!
Numberrama
Namearrama
Announcements:
GrowRuck was tough! Bluegrass Festival was damp but successful. No other announcements.
Thought for the Day:
Grant that I may not so much seek to be understood as to understand.
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The day after Grow Ruck!
There would be no slack at this post Grow Ruck workout, however, the Grow Ruck attendees were so beat down that they din’t even attend the Alamo Q. Primarily focused on calisthenics, including abs, shoulders, chest and cardio as Wildcat gassed us up as he usually does at the Alamo. Led out with a half-mile Army cadence run and brought it back home. Speedy recovery to our Grow Ruck fam.
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Aye!
We came, we saw, we ran and rucked!
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Fibonacci’s Lugubrious merkins
5 dudes jumped out of bed and took on today’s workout with gusto
COP — all sorts of exercises
Fibonacci’s Lugubrious merkins
1 second down, 1 second up
then 2,3,5,8,13,21,34, and 55
Fun times.
4 corners x 4
WW2, SSH, split jacks, donkey kicksGreat mornign for a workout
SYITG! -
On Average, We Ran 4 Miles (and Some)
Eleven total studs chose to carry more at the latest edition of The Dogpile. Conditions remained 70 and sunny. According to the young fillies Senor Frog considered pursuing, the following might have happened.
Silent direction to partner up. Goal: On average, maintain a steady pace between the partners. Example: Gomer partners with Garbage Plate, etc.
Mosey to the entrance to Maymont. Circle up.
SSHs x50 for the six. (Move for a car). Dead Man Hang. (Move for a car). Imperial Walkers. (Move for a car).
Mosey to the Nature Center.
Triple check. Timer runs the small loop (rounds 1, 3) and the middle loop (round 2). Heels to Heaven, American Hammers.
Mosey to the Port-a-Potties. Circle up while HoneyDo drops the kids at the pool. Audible: meet HoneyDo at the next stop.
Mosey to the Amelia Street School Grassy Knoll for 11s. Run up the hill, WWIIs, and back down for Monkey Humpers.
Circle up for some yoga. Downward dog, right leg high, left leg high, pigeon left, pigeon right.
Mosey to the Hampton Street / Maymont Parking Lot, circling back for the Six.
Circle up at the end of the parking lot. Identify Trash Cans 1 and 2. Start at 1. First man runs to 2 and back. Second man starts with 50 merkins (on his own), and splits 100 deep squats and 150 SSHs with his partner. (Note: Each man must complete his own set of 50 merkins during this evolution). When the partners switch, celebrate the transaction with 3 boo-yeah merkins each time. Circle up for the Six.
Mosey to the Corner of Kansas and Hampton and take the North Bank Trail down to the canal bank. Inhale deeply before approaching the Canal. Hold breath (whoosh, that was some stank). Circle up at the stone wall.
Triple Check: Balls to the Wall, dips, and run to the gate in the fence. Completed roughly 1 round before time was called.
Mosey in the general direction of the shovel flag, stopping at the start of the dirt trail, then at the North Bank Parking Lot, then at the corner of Pump House Drive and Park Drive for the Six. Then, finish with a Bro-Code run back to the Flag.
Numbers, names, and YHC took us out.
Announcements:
GTE47 today. Lots of hard work has been put into the prep. Good luck to all participating, If you missed the sign up, just show up, wear black workout clothes or a Richmond Police uniform, and have fun. Be safe. Remember: a bunch of dudes lined up military-style with black glow sticks on their hats carrying a black boat on Coronado Beach at 3 a.m. is called a normal Wednesday night. A group of grown men marching military style carrying telephone poles, American flags, and backpacks on Cary Street at 3 a.m. on Saturday night is called both fun / torture (if you are participating) and odd / abnormal / and possibly frightening if you are walking / driving past. A good leader will be kind and patient and humble.
May Weight Loss Challenge is under way. Participants challenge themselves to lose 5-10% of their weight, unless you are Whitesnake, and then you join a Weigh Loss Challenge with the goal of not losing weight.
The Clinic (and, of course, Whitesnake) heads west tomorrow for a few days in San Diego. Reminds YHC of the sign above one of the local buildings along the beach. “Choose to Carry More.”
NMS: Solid work today. The PAX brought it. 60 minutes of constant movement. Way to go.
The PAX were also a little nervous that YHC was taking them to an outdoor drug market in Oregon Hill. Quite the contrary – we were headed to an off-campus port-o-potty so HoneyDo could disgorge last night’s wings. This called for the resurrection of a route Hardywood used some years back. No time for lolly gagging on this one. Every minute was used. Again, way to go, fellas, in particular the Gomer / Garbage Plate “On average we ran for an hour” partnership. Nicely done.
UpChuck spits the bit.
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F3 Hampton Roads : Ignite AO
18 Brothers from near and far assembled for the 2024 edition of the seasonal launch of the Ignite AO on VA Beach. Here’s what happened :
Warmarama : 20 SSH IC, 10 Hill Billies IC, 10 IW’s IC, 10 Up Dog Down Dog IC
THE THANG :
Run from Beach Marker 36 to 37 then do 5 Burpees, continuing running to Marker 38 then do 5 more burpees, turn around and repeato
10’s : 10 Dips, mosey to Monkey Rings for 5 swing ups, mosey down to Surfline for 10 LBC’s 4 count, Repeato circuit descending by 1 rep each time on the dips and LBC’s but keep a 5 count on the Swings
Split into 3 teams (1 at each station) for 10 minutes of the following :
Station 1 – hold plank
Station 2 – running Rifle Carry with cinder block until you reach Station 3
Station 3 – ball dippers
Circle up for ring of fire – 5 minutes of PAX passing Cindy around with each pax in Al Gore doing 2 curls and 2 overhead press while 1 PAX is doing WWII’s; Repeato down the line
10 burpees
3 minute cold plunge in the ocean
DONE
Numbers, Names, Hot Corner took us out
NMMS : 3rd year in a row for YHC at this AO and hotel. Love posting here and vacationing here. This morning was in the high 50’s with 10 mph winds and cold water for the Q. I’m glad my family got in our sunny beach days before today!
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The DaVille Rebels
2 Davillians with tight schedules this morning arrived at Atlee HS this Saturday morning for “off the books” workout
this how it went down
mosey into Giles and the clubhouse parking
COP (All IC) – DQ, Helicopters, LBC’s, Arm Circles
THANG
We decided to run the trail and stop at the workout stations in completed the following:
Station one – Declining reps of pull ups, squats, merkins starting with 5 to 1
Station two – Declining reps of hanging dips, jerkins and incline merkins starting with 5 to 1
Station three – Step up leaps in reps sets of 20, 15, 10, and 5
Station four – Angled WWII sets of 10 and 5
Station five – Love Hill set of broad jump burpees, lunges, and polar bears which partner run up a slight hill and back
We finished with a run up the Giles hills back to Atlee
Numberrama, Namerama, Announcements, Opus took us out
MOLESKIN
Small group this morning with several guys being injured or early morning activities.
YHC needed something with being out all week with M out of town. Thanks to Opus for getting out of the fartsack so YHC wasn’t solo
short but good 2ndF at The Local
SPIT ON THAT
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Walk up to your wee apartment
7 runners and 8 riders showed up for this week’s edition of RAMM and RAMM Gears. While the riders discussed their route, YHC explained the route for the 5s and 6s (no 4s this week) which were also posted to Slack the night before.
Once 5:30 rolled around, we headed off south towards Cary and on our way. Everyone made it back to the flag at time and YHC took us out giving thanks for the ability to be outside exercising with friends.
Announcements – GrowRuck this weekend.