Category: Richmond, VA

  • One small step for the pax, one giant leap-year for mankind

    On this auspicious leap year day, 6 leaplings gathered for a bootcamp plus 2 joined for a walk. Here’s what happened:

    COP: 29 SSHs IC // 29 LBCs // 29 Ukrainian Soldiers // other exercises IC

    Burpee Run: Mosey the circumference of the school campus, at every 4th parked car perform 4 burpees.

    Leap of Faith: Modified lindsay at the picnic tables with 4 dips, run to the school front walk, 24 LBCs. Continue in increments of 4: 8/20, 12/16 and so on.

    Look Before you Leap: Partner up on the black top. Partners leap frog to the other side of the blacktop, each man performs 29 merkins. Leap frog back, 29 Squats. Leap frog back, 29 WW2s, leap frog back, 29 SSHs.

    Triple Check: P1: Wall sit, P2: American Hammers, P3: run to the fence and back.

    Mosey back to the flag, finish with 29 Freddie Mercuries IC.

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out

    NMS: The pax humored me with a Leap Year Themed workout. The morning was interjected with various Leap Year facts. These include:

    • The 1st Leap Year was instituted in 46 BC by Julius Ceasar. Any year divisible by 4 was a leap year.
    • Chances of having a bday on Feb 29: 1 in 1,461
    • Leap year proverbs: “Leap Year was Ne’er a good sheep year” (Scotland) “In leap year, women are erratic.” (Italy)
    • Leap Year Day is the only day that women were encouraged to propose to a man
    • People born on Feb 29 are called Leaplings or Leapers. The Honor Society of Leap Year Day babies includes more than 11K people.

  • Dodged a Doozy

    On a morning where we were expecting a Doozy beatdown, 6 beasts showed up to Timberwolf ready to see what he had in store for us. Unfortunately, Doozy was not a part of the 6 – prayers everything is ok, and he just pushed the snooze button one too many times. With that, a beatdown of a hot potato was called and went something like this:

    Bullseye led is in a warmup of a mosey to front parking lot for SSH, Helicopters, Don Quixotes, Merkins and Alabama Prom Dates. Mosey to school entrance for some hill work.

    COP 1 (Bullseye): Start at the bottom of the hill with 15 merkins, run to the top of the hill for 10 copperhead squats, return to the bottom of the hill; Next round of 15 Carolina dry docks, Bernie to the top of the hill for 10 lunges on each leg, return to the bottom of the hill; Next round of 15 Hand Release Merkins, crawl bear halfway up the hill followed by running the rest to the top for 10 Jump Squats, return to the bottom of hill. A smooth request of 10 additional Merkins with threats of more unless the hot potato could be passed off in which YHC hopped up after the 10 to take over.

    COP 2 (Futon): Mosey to the bus parking lot. Each PAX member assumed their position on a bus parking spot line spacing out a spot between each of us. Lunge halfway down bus parking spot, bear crawl the second half to the end of the spot, side lunge right over to the bus parking spot number on the ground. If number was even, you perform that number of Merkins, if number was odd, you perform that number of double count flutter kicks, continue side lunge right to opposite bus parking spot line and Bernie back to the end of that line. Side lunge right to next number and repeat x 12 bus parking spots labeled 1-12. Q was thrown over to Swoop.

    COP 3 (Swoop): Mosey to picnic tables at the front of the school for a triple check. Runner to end of the front parking lot, Bench Dips and Incline Merkins on the wall. Q was thrown to Cookie for the last 5 minutes.

    COP 4 (Cookie): Mosey to front of the school for a quick crosswalk to crosswalk set of 11s including ball dippers and squats. Mosey back to the flag.

    Time called, Numbers, Names and Announcements including Grow Ruck May 3-5, Love for Liv/Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month Convergence Style Workout in the works for September. More info to follow in upcoming weeks.

    YHC took us out in prayer including prayers that all is well with Doozy, prayers for continued healing of Hermes and Purple Rain from injuries in the gloom this week and for Bullseyes’ friend James and his wife who are having a scheduled C-section today. Pretty cool story that this family has a 4-year-old who was born 4 years ago today. What are the chances of having 2 Leap Year babies?! Prayers for a healthy birth as they become a family of 4.

    Great hot potato today fellas that targeted all parts of the body. I appreciate everyone stepping up to fill in and it is always great to see the leadership. Get out there today and be the light in the world that many people need!

  • Is this miserable or fun?

    5 brave HIM made their way to The Crossing for a House Party beatdown in the pouring rain. Here’s how it went down.

    Circle up for COP which included arm circles, Ukrainian soldiers, merkins, copperhead squats and flutter kicks.

    Indigenous peoples run around the perimeter of the church with the last man doing 3 burpees

    4 corners which included 15 merkins, 30 squats, and 45 monkey humpers.

    Line up for suicides by running down, bear crawling, and lunge walking while doing various exercises at each line. Last round of suicides was cut short to add a round of man killers.

    Finish off with a ring of fire with each Pax leading an exercise in cadence.

    Numbers, Names, YHC took us out.

    Its hard to say if posting in the pouring rain is really miserable or really fun. Regardless, its something about getting out there and doing the hard things with the pax that makes it worthwhile.

    Thanks for letting me lead tonight,

    House Party

  • BLAMPS.

    We started with a miscommunication, causing Pigskin to miss COP.  After running to W. Broad Village, we did some Arm Circles, DQs, Cherry Pickers, SSHs, Mt Climbers, Flutters, and Merkins. Pinto then led us straight to Pigskin. 

    Now that the crew was together and warmed up, we got to the main event: BLAMPS.  This was called because I enjoyed BLIMPS, but couldn’t think of an exercise beginning with the letter I.  So, we did BLAMPS: 10 Burpees, 10 Lt Dans, 20 American Hammers, 10 Merkins, 20 Plank Jacks and 10 Speed Skaters – running around the perimeter of the parking lot between each.  Kudos to Bottle Cap for showing us great Speed Skater technique and how to modify if you have any lower back issues. 

    Then I saw some stairs. We went up 3 stories and down. Mosey. More stairs. Up and down.

    More BLAMPS at the next stop.

    Next up: 7s. Like 11s, but 7s. Merkins and WWIIs.

    BTTVF.

    40 seconds left, so we did Merkins to failure.

    Numbers. Names. Announcements: None

    Prayer Requests:

    Homer’s mother is entering hospice. Please pray for him, his mother and his family.

    Whitesnake’s Father-In-Law will be moving assisted living facilities (staying in RVA). No small task. We’ll be praying for you and your family brother!

    YHC took us out.

    Final thought: God has granted the men of F3RVA strength. Let’s use it to be strong for someone who needs it today.

  • National Inconvenience Yourself Day – 2024

    A Lucky 7 hit the streets, fields and driveways of First Watch in order to honor NIYD. As the clock struck 0500, the celebration began. Mosey almost one loop of the parking lot to warm up before circling up for:

    COP: DMH, Reach for the Sky, HC’s, DQ’s, CH Sqt’s

    Headlamps on and mosey down River Rd to the UR football practice fields.

    Line up at the goal line for:

    100 Single Ct. Flutter Kicks, run to other end

    90 Single Ct. American Hammers, run to other end

    80 LBC’s, run to other end

    70 Monkey Humper’s, run to other end

    60 SSH’s, run to other end

    50 Squats, run to other end

    40 Carolina Dry Docks, run to other end

    30 Reverse Crunches, run to other end

    20 Merkins, run to other end

    10 Lt. Dans, run to other end

    Circle up for 20 APD’s, to keep the blood flowing

    Build-A-Burpee 4 Corners (using all of the double field):

    Corner 1 – 40 Merkins

    Corner 2 – 30 Kick Outs

    Corner 3 – 20 Jump Squats

    Corner 4 – 10 Claps Burpees

    Partner up for 2 sets of 20 PLT’s each partner

    Gather the group and mosey back up River to Mr. Crabtree’s driveway for:

    More APD’s, Planks, Pigeons, and Pickle Pounders

    Mosey back to the flag and finish up with 30 seconds of arm circles

    Numbers, Names, Announcements and YHC took us out!

    NMS:

    We always pray about putting others first and doing good deeds for others, but did you know that there is a special holiday every 4th Wednesday of February called National Inconvenience Yourself Day?? This means to get out of your comfort zone and to do something for someone else that will help that other person. It could also mean other things, like running down River Rd at 0500. Anyway, tie this in with the Golden Rule and your life and others’ lives will be better off.

    Happy last real day of February to the PAX and enjoy the extra day of the year tomorrow. Find something memorable to do on Leap Day 2024!

    Too bad whoever made the image above doesn’t know how to spell.

    Way to work this morning, all! Have a great rest of the day and SYITG!

    Kubota

  • Can I Hold Your Log?

    A magnificent seven assembled in the Huguenot Highschool parking lot, rucksacks on their backs for a guided tour through the rolling Stratford Hills.

    Mosey down to the lower parking lot for stretching to allow for any last minute stragglers to arrive. After DMH, Helicopters, Runner’s Lunge, and the like it’s clear that seven truly is the number of completion and we are ready to roll.

    Marching back to the flag would be too easy! Bear crawl up the grassy knolls, hit 10 squats at the top, lunge across the parking lot, and repeato the sequence until we’re back at the flag. Now we ruck!

    Today we made two laps around the Stratford/Kenbury/Burrundie loop for a total of 2.5miles. On the first loop we stopped by DTH’s vacant home to borrow an 8’ log and a cindy for the PAX to rotate through. We dropped off the coupons for a fast-paced second loop to get us back to the flag on time.

    Prayers for the injured PAX and their recovery, as well as Colonel Tobit.

    Very exciting to see Heist and McGruff join us for their first Wednesday morning ruck.

  • We’re all runners today

    4 PAX with varying degrees of intention to run met at Midlo middle today. 5:30 hit, some discussion of running route/plan and then we were off. Plan was to do some intervals with one minute faster, two minutes slower. Got in a little over 4 miles today and everyone pushed and got in a good run this morning!

    nmm

    great to run with yall this morning. Good to do something a little different. I haven’t been posting that much lately and it felt great to get after it a bit today. I like that doing intervals lends itself to picking up the 6 so we can stay together for the most part while each doing our own thing during the fast minutes.

  • Salty and Sweet

    A dirty dozen arrived for a tour-de-grooooove. Here’s the thing…

    4’s 5’s 6’s all head up Fairway to Iris, past St Stephens to Grooooove.

    Heading East, 4’s and 6’s tale left on Seneca which loops around to Tuckahoe, and on back to Grove.

    4’s head back to Iris whence they came

    5’s and 6’s take Tuckahoe south to Cary. Cross and get on Paxton…take to bottom and return up Ampthill. Cross from Ampthill to Greenway to Grooooove. 5’s return via Iris. 6’s return via Campus entrance (via access road parallel to Three Chopt), then run past stadium before returning.

    Saab Abides

  • KB circuit with Heist – Injury Free

    After losing two guys yesterday, I made sure everyone was warmed up and ready to rock.
    According to the spring peepers at Old Hundred Elementary, this is how things went down.

    Disclaimers, warnings, caution, check yourself before you wreck yourself, see a doctor if you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours provided to the Pax.

    Warmorama: SSH (20x), Ukrainian soldiers (15x), Don Quixotes (10x), Andy Dufresne stretch, Deadman hang stretch, LBCs(20x), Rosalitas(15x), Roscoe’s Mom stretch (both sides), downward dog, slowwww stand up.

    Thang: Farmer carry long sides of the parking lot to each corner, performing circuits as follows:

    1. Corner 1: 20x KB swings/15x squat + push press/Single Leg Curb Raise (think single leg APD with or without KB(20x)
    2. Pistol Carry to corner 2
    3. Corner 2: Single arm KB rows (15x), Single arm KB press (with or without bridge) 15x/ KB pullovers (20x)
    4. Farmer Carry to corner 3
    5. Corner 3: KB Deadlifts (20x) w/ option for single leg/KB Shoulder Press (15 x each side)/KB Teakettle bend (15 x each side)
    6. Pistol Carry to corner 4
    7. Corner 4: WW2 KB taps (20x)/KB Pull throughs with Merkin (10x)/KB curls (20 x)

    Quick eye of the storm: Guys picked 4 exercises (20x KB swing to OH/KB skull crushers/KB Nolan Ryan’s/ KB Alan Iverson’s. Basically – farmer’s carry from center (where 20x SSH performed) to designated corner exercise and back. 100x SSHs performed.

    Time!

    Announcements: MOT with Boberry TMW/Get your Ruck on a the the Forge. Most importantly – Futon is starting plans for a special Luv4Liv part 2 event this September. Hope to get a bunch of Pax and local community out for that.

    Prayers: Pray for Armstrong’s father who is in Hospice.

    YHC took us out.

  • Are you sure that’s mud?

    So State Farm and YHC decided to do a little extra credit this morning and did a pull up session for morning wood. We were planking in between sets of pull ups when YHC felt a fart coming on. Decided to try and squeeze it out and realized it was not just a fart just a bit too late! YHC had to hot trot back to the vehicle where luckily, there’s always a supply of Huggies. We’ll spare the details between here and the start of the Q.

    530 came as did Posh, and we moseyed over to the Taco Truck pad for the warmarama with our Rucks/weighted vests strapped on.

    Started with the usual Side Straddle Hops then on to Don Quyotes when YHC noticed some mud on his brand new shoes. State Farm who was privy to what happened earlier asked “Are you sure that’s mud?”

    Well we finished the rest of the warmarama and hit Bermuda’s version of Quadzilla’s Hill wit the Rucks on mind you.

    11s

    Start with 1 calf raise on an incline at the bottom of the hill and Bernie up to the top for 10 decline merkins

    Another set with Incline merkins at the top and double count ball dippers at the bottom

    Mosey back to the flag for 7s removing the Rucks.

    1 Burpees then run to the bathhouse for 6 donkey kicks

    We felt like we had super speed doing these after removing the Rucks!

    Next we moseyed over to the picnic pavilion and did a long set of chair dips

    Then some of Big Rig’s favorite Ab exercises in Cadence

    Folding suitcases (think crunchy frogs on crack!)

    Ric Flairs

    Seated Bicycles Forward and Reverse

    Big Rigs (Alternating Straight Legged LBCs)

    Mosey back to the flag for a few minutes of Broga led by State Farm. YHC had to use the Huggies to wipe the uhh… mud off his shoe.

    Announcements:

    State Farm has the Q at Satan’s Hill on Friday, he’s also signed up for the 10k at Ashland’s Railroad Run if anyone is interested in joining on Saturday, March 23rd.

    Names and Numbers

    Prayers for Florence, who’s having a tough time shaking a bad cold, and to all the wounded warriors out there.

    YHC was blessed as always to lead.