Category: Richmond, VA

  • Oscar the Grouch

    15 of Richmond’s finest converged at the lowest point basin in the area. It’s all uphill from here.

    After an exchange of a 30# ruck plate, off we went. Around the lake and through the trail to climb University. Right on Westham and a right on Patterson.

    4s take a right on Three Chopt and return down Boatwright. 5s turn on Honaker to Boatwright. 6s go to Maple and bring the Grove/Toana route home.

    Observations:

    Running on the freshly paved road was a nice treat compared to the bombed out roads. Lines and all!

    You need to watch out for what may be hiding behind large trash cans on this route.

    Carbs kill. Just ask Hitchhiker’s kids.

    Frankie took us out.

  • Touch 2 poles, and they can’t be each others….

    A merry band of 13 gathered for part Deux of Handshakes Q’s at Heartbreak.

    Long mosey to the upper fields around around to the far left corner for a COP

    Partner Up for a Touch-a-Pole. 14 poles from what YHC counted (not including those that were excluded) P1 completes and exercise while Partner 2 touches 2 Poles, repeat x 6

    PLT’s

    Mosey to the top of Heartbreak, Bear Crawl down

    Mosey to the Rusty Cage, partner up, 3 rounds of 6 Jerkins

    Mosey to the Benches for Bench Kicks and Derkins – R1 30 Bench Kicks, 20 Derkins, R2 20 Bench Kicks, 15 Derkins, R3 10 Bench Kicks, 10 Derkins, R4 5 Bench Kics, 5 HR-Derkins

    Mosey to find the field was locked so we did a long mosey back to the Flag

    1 minute of Mary

    Prayer Request – Prayers for Homer’s family with the passing of his mother. Prayers for safe travels to Homer when he comes home.

    Announcements – Grow Ruck

    NMS – quiet morning, cooler weather again. YHC had checked the Q sheet yesterday afternoon and there was no Q so YHC grabbed it. Who will sign up to Q next week?

  • Omega hill run

    YHC was feeling spry and suggested we do the Omega Hill run. Route: behind Maymont, up stairway to heaven, back to parking lot, up love hill, down pipe, across canal to western point dead end, back up pipe, down love hill to parking lot. 3.5 miles per lap. Most folks completed 2 laps. I’m not sure if you can pack more trail elevation in such a short span in the James River system. We all left with tired legs. The route is named because it is in the shape of the named Greek letter Ω (kind of).

    Moleskin. This run has some sentimental value for me, because YHC was doing a variation of it the day he was introduced to F3 in Feb of 2015. YHC ran into a bunch of F3 guys working out near the amphitheater. So grateful for the fond memories and friendships that have ensued from that encounter.

  • Monday Round Up

    YHC was ready for a cool morning workout and below is what went down:

    COP

    We mosey to the West Entrance of Atlee High School and form up by the bus loop. We square up for 20 SSH, 10 DQ, 10 Ukrainian Soldiers, 10 Imperial walkers, 20 American Hammers, 20 LBC’s, 10 Scorpions and 20 merkins.

    THANG

    With 4 in the PAX we set up four stations. Station 1(S1) – runs lap on inner loop as the timer. S2 – Squats or Lunges, S3 – Bench Dips, and S4 – 40 merkins. We rotated through each station to complete a set. We did 4 sets for a quadruple check. This took about 35 minutes and we moseyed back to flag for 5 minutes of stretching and we wrap up.

    COT

    Numberama, Namerama YHC took us out.

    It was great to have Rounders back this morning. Have a great week gents we wukk see you in the gloom

  • One Year Alamo Anniversary, man you like to run?

    One Year Alamo Anniversary, man you like to run?

    30 Stallions came out to attack the dark hours and celebrate the one year anniversary of the Alamo. Many of you know that YHC accepted a promotion in December and has been living in St. Louis, but just so happened the anniversary fell on a date that I was back in town. After a conversation with Warby yesterday, we decided that I was going to hijack the Q and surprise the PAX to run it back. So cool to see genuine excitement from you all (looking at you OC).

    For context, a year ago, I reached out to the Chubby Hubby’s of the community and 26 men and 4 FNGs joined us at the inauguration. It was awesome to see those same four FNGs from a year ago there today, we added another FNG, and had 30 total HIMs supporting the SOJ and the AO. In addition to that, since the Alamo opened, it has averaged 12.7 men each week and continues to grow! So cool to see the success of the AO and that is a testament to your leadership men, well-done! That being said, Oyster reminded me to check my watch, it was time to get the party started. According to the neighbor trying to sleep by the traffic circle, here is what went down.

    Warmerama –

    • SSH
    • Imp Walkers
    • Jazzercise
    • DQ
    • Dead man hang C,L,R
    • Butt kickers to high knees
    • Merkins
    • Hold Plank
    • Mountain Climbers
    • LBCs
    • Heels to heaven
    • Windshield wipers (a lot of leg collisions with this sized group)
    • Scorpion Kicks

    The THANG –

    • Mosey to the modern home section and partner up for a Dora. P1 runs down to the cul de sac, alternate 100 merkins, 200 deep squats, 300 LBCs.
    • Mosey down the road to the traffic circle for a curb crawl, indigenous style. End of the line runs around the circle while the PAX crawls to the right. Switch and do the same to the left. We were about done when a neighbor made it clear that he was not ready to own the dark hours, so we took off down the road.
    • Mosey down the road until the road ends and there is a cul de sac to the right. Triple check. P1 runs to the end of the cul de sac, P2 does monkey humpers, P3 does T-claps. It was this time that Honeymoon reminded me of the time…we had 5 minutes left…crap. Let’s mosey back to the flag.

    COT –

    Grow Ruck training. Get with DTH if you have questions or just visit the 1st F fitness thread. A lot of rucking and ruck training going on. If you have never done it, give it a shot and get strong. Prayers for the PAX that we continue to go strong and lead. So cool to see many of you joining over the last year leading now. Prayers that we continue to do so in F3 and in our communities. Also, prayers that we remember to shield lock those men that have not been out recently to get them re-engaged. They may really need it still.

    In all, my watch read 3.41 miles of when I got home while knocking out these exercises. Nothing like a quick 5k to kick off the day! A few of you asked if I just really like to run…really it’s not my favorite thing. But I know I need to do more of it and keep the heart strong. Lastly, a sincere thank you men. It is because of each of you that the Alamo has stayed strong. It was a passion project to start and you all took it from there. The SOJ has grown, and even though I’m not here regularly any longer, it is so fun to see you all taking the lead and seeing success. I will also be back visiting over the next few months and occasionally over the years. I look forward to seeing you all in the gloom again and thank you for allowing me to lead today.

    Iron sharpens iron

    – Vagabond

  • Credit where Credit is due

    4 swift of feet joined YHC for some off the books elevation change on the best hills SOJ has to offer. Since we made it official with a COT, I should give the PAX their deserved data points. I don’t want Heist or Swoop to miss out since they are near the top of the leaderboard. YHC and Doozy rolled around Tarrington for a bit before Yeehaw, Swoop and Heist joined us for a trip to check on Gumbo’s old house followed by a venture up Twin Team. 5 miles, EHing some ruckers, and a coffeeteria (with another EH) we all were stronger in the end.

    Thanks for letting me lead you up the hills – it’s not easy but since when do we do what’s easy.

  • Triple Pencil Roll

    Fourteen men of purpose rolled into the latest edition of Hoedown. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the driver who literally drove into the AO, the following might have happened:

    Mosey backwards around the Horseshoe to the steps to the school front across Forest to the Church Parking Lot.

    SSHs x50
    Dead Man Hang
    IWs
    LBCs
    Flutter Kicks
    HRMs

    Mosey back across Forest to TES

    Elevens from the bike rack to the parking lot. Monkey humpers and flutter kicks. Finish in the parking lot.

    Mosey No Further. Pick a parking space. 3 hand release merkins, 3 WWIIs, 3 deep squats. Pencil roll to the next space. Continue around the lot and complete the loop.

    Mosey to the corner of Forest and Lindsay. Triple check. WWIIs on the hill, monkey humpers, and bear crawl to the TES sign (run back).

    Mosey back to the VSF / horseshoe for 30 seconds of Mary.

    Numbers, names, and YHC took us out. March continues to be a quiet Integrity Month. The Challenge is to step up our game. Push yourself to be upfront, truthful, and honest in your private life, your work life, and all around town. From the simple to the complex – your exercise count, your name, your relationships, and so forth. Represent yourself and your family well.

    Reminder: Gomer reminds us to be thankful for what we have. After a week in India, Gomer reports that what we have here is everything. Folks in India have unbreathable air, unbelievably crowded conditions, and a growing, but still poverty-ridden, country. Having been there, YHC challenges each of us to wonder why we complain about anything. Be thankful.

  • Every Day Pain

    The pre-dawn gloom of Forrest Hill Park welcomed 11 GrowRuck warriors to an epic beatdown. With only 47 days left to train for GTE #47, today’s challenge was a taste of the real deal, but only 1/6th the duration. Here’s how these HIM’s turned green to celebrate the holiday and conquer the flesh:

    ROSIE’s “WARM-UP”: 

    • Warm up on the tennis court – SSH, Ukrainian Soldiers, Helicopter, Imperial Walkers.
    • PT test prep with 30 HRM and 35 WWII’s.
    • Over to the hill for 11’s – Squats at the top, Mtn Climbers at the bottom. 
    • Finish at the bottom and bear crawl up half the hill and lunge the rest. 
    • Circle up for some weighted OH press, cleans and squats.

    THE RUCK LOOPS:

    • DTH directs the PAX to the coupon trailer to collect x3 Logs (8’ segments of telephone pole), and x3 Sandbags (weights of 25#, 50#, 60#)
    • PAX rotate Implements of Woe as needed
    • Ruck down the paved path alongside Forrest Hill Ave
    • Once pond is reached, PAX un-shoulder burdens and Speed Ruck Loop #1
    • Plank it up – Mission Challenge, x5 Merkins awarded each time a PAX member messes up stating the F3 mission …20 merkins completed
    • Loop #2 carrying the logs&bags
    • Plank it up, merkins awarded for messing up the Credo …15 merkins completed
    • Loop #3 another speed ruck
    • Plank it up, merkins awarded for messing up the 5 Core Principles…5 merkins
    • Final Loop #4 carrying logs/bags, stop at the long paved road up to the parking lot
    • Plank it up, hold plank while all together reciting the F3 Mission, Credo, and 5 Core Principles 
    • Re-shoulder Implements of Woe and Ruck them aaaaaalllllll the way up the hill and back to the trailer. 

    GRAND FINALE:

    • Each PAX collect a cinderblock from the coupon trailer
    • Circle up near the stone House to complete IC reps of Overhead Presses, Straight arm lifts, Pulls, Skull Crushers
    • TUG OF WAR – split pax 5v6 with House Party and Mudslide as anchors on each end. HP’s team of six easily yanked the other team over the line. x10 Burpees for the losers while the winners do Squats.
    • Round 2, the extra man goes to Mudslide’s team… but then the House Party team of 5 still yank us over the line easily… HMMM. Burpees again (vomit a little in mouth)…
    • Round 3, Dealer is called to join the losing side. House Party doesn’t look worried as his team of 4 takes on 7. Finally, Mudslide’s team gains a win. Everyone does 5 burpees.
    • Pick up the cindies and ruck across the field to the far hill – MURDER BUNNIES to the top of the hill. 
    • Carrying cindies overhead, run back down the hill and up the other side, then return cindies back to the coupon trailer.
    • Mosey BTTF for COT

    COT:

    • Counterama # 11
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • BIODOME took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Well, that was hard – like, harder than The Hardest Mile level of hard. Definitely wouldn’t have done it without you HIM’s, and only bummed we didn’t get the whole lot of the GTE-Registered PAX out there to experience it. Good number of guys out of town or sick/recuperating, but we’ll do this again in a couple weeks. SUPER stoked to have SABLE’s HC on Registering today, and BIODOME is a SC that’s steadily getting hard. Proud of you men! SYITG, DTH

    “Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.” Mark Twain

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

  • We don’t giggle

    Eight men emerged from the gloom converging at the appointed place and time to have their limits pushed and see what the QIC had in store for them on this beautiful spring morning. According to the runners surprised to find the creatures moving on Love Hill were not deer, this is how it what took place.

    Mosey to the Nickel Bridge toll booth parking lot for COP: SSH, Helicopters, DQ, IW, DMH, Copperhead Squats, Merkins, LBC’s, APD’s

    From the toll both, cross the Nickel Bridge alternating 5 merkins and 5 WWII’s at each lamp post. Return doing 2 burpees at each light post. Convene at the toll booth and proceed as a group to the base of Love Hill.

    On Love Hill, pair up and cycle through bear crawls, lunges, and broad jump burpees while the timer runs to the curve at the garden and back. Runner turns when they meet the runner ahead of them. At this point in the workout the ninth member of the PAX joined us claiming to have found us by identifying giggling in the dark. The PAX doesn’t giggle. We chuckle. We guffaw. We have been known to split a side, but we don’t giggle. He must of have been mistaken.

    Slow mosey to the amphitheater – 5 incline merkins on each step to the top, 5 dips on each back to the bottom to pickup Hitchhiker’s top layer which he discarded on the lower step.

    Return to the flag for Mary: AH’s, Freddie’s, APD’s, 4 minutes of savasana.

    Numbers and Names.

    Announcements: Training for grow ruck continues and a reminder to look for opportunities to support Breaking Bread.

    YHC took us out and we convened for 2nd F at Libbie Market. It was great to see Swirly at Dogpile and in some backblasts this week. Congrats on 1 Year, Senor Frog. Thanks for letting me lead.

  • Fast-N-Hard

    Nine speed-ruck studs looped Rockwood a few times this morning, stopping a couple times for variable squats, and also completed 50 yards of Polar Bears up a hill. GTE training continues – some will be ready when the day comes. Keep posting fellas! 💪🫵🔥~DTH