Category: Richmond, VA

  • GTE Training – Barbarian KB Ruck

    After signing up for Grow-Ruck and also seeing “the Barbarian” workout posted on Slack – I decided some modified Ruck training (i.e. – Carrying heavy shit long distances) was in order. Not your traditional ruck – but excellent training for the walking with weight but added the bonus of grip strength and core that sometimes is missed with just the pack.

    I scooped the 62# iron and Big Rig hoisted the 45#er – went like this.

    • Warmarama: Jog, Various IC Xos at the jungle gym to warmup
    • THE THANG
      • 1 Mile Kettebell walk
        • 100m right hand
        • 100m left hand
        • 100m front curl
        • 100m rifle carry
        • Stop for Various XO’s for about 2 minutes after each quarter mile (Merkins, LBC’s, SSH’s, Squats)
        • *repeato 3 more times until you get to a mile

    Loved this for the oblique/core workout as well as the grip strength. We kept a brisk walking pace too and got the cardio in

    • 15 minutes left – FINISHER – Hill Sprints
      • Sprint Hill – Crab walk down
      • 50 Dips
      • Sprint Hill – Crab walk down
      • 50 LBC’s
      • Repeato down to 30 reps of both – then we MBTTF for time
    • Names, Numbers, and YHC closed out in prayer.

    Props to Big Rig for ALWAYS bringing the noise. We were both still a bit sore from Hardest mile Saturday. And he lit it up by doing a 5miler Morning Wood BEFORE the KB Ruck Training. Great morning to push one another and get stronger, start the new years week off right.

    -State Farm

  • Speaking of a small penis, where is Handshake?

    Nine noteworthy PAX posted to the 1st HBR of 2024. A benevolent Q tried to keep the PAX dry along the way. We did:

    COP: SSH, Don Qs, Imperial Walkers, Helicopters, Merkins.

    Mosey over to covered area: Pole Smokers & Merkins all the way down. Over to the Tennis courts for 4 rounds of: Wheelbarrows & 10 Derkins. Up to the PES lot for a Triple Check: HRMs, Reverse Crunch, & run lot the back. Over to Playground for Pullups: 4 Rounds of 8, WWIIs while you wait.

    Back over to main HBR lot for another Triple Check: dips, Peoples chair, & run the blacktop. Finish with 3 min of Mary and Ring of Fire. YHC took us out.

    NMS: With Handshake out with a Poor oral hygiene trip, YHC asked Kubota to step in and fill the role of PAX instigator. He was not needed as another HBR regular provided us with the BB title. Good to have Tonka post out at Heartbreak. Senor Frog was moving today, looks like he is pushing himself in 2024. Maybe he is the new Oyster. Nice way to start of the new year with 9 PAX.

  • Ye Olde Ball & Chain

    8 new year, new you advocates posted to see what Doozy would have cooked up to start 2024 with.

    Mosey to the bridge to pay our Toll 20 Dips, 20 Incline Merkins

    Mosey to the tennis courts for COP – DQ’s, Helicopters, Imperial Walkers, Dead Man Hangs, SSH

    Mosey to the parking lot out around the back right corner around the Soccer field, pass the pavilion back to the parking lot.

    10 Parking spaces have an exercises written in them with a medicine ball and logging chain in the middle space. Every PAX starts at a different space does 20 of that exercises and then runs a lap always moving to the next space on the right. once you complete the far right end and after your lap you go to the far left end. When you get to the space with the ball and chain choose one and take a lap.

    Numbers / Names Machismo took us out

    BTTF for 1 minute of Schrunchy Frogs IC

    NMS:

    YHC hadn’t brought the Ball & Chain out in a while so this seamed like a good time to get back at it. There is a good bit of running that goes with this beatdown but I think the PAX handled it well. The way to set it up is to make it hard enough that not everyone will complete all the spaces but that a couple PAX will.

  • If a tree falls in the forest…

    According to YHC, one posted at Atlee High School on this perfect morning for a run. When it appeared that he was solo, he jogged into Giles, Craney Island, Kroger, and back to Atlee for about 5 miles. Nothing really to report on this route but it is likely the most hilly route that can be done from Atlee High School.

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Burpees for 2024

    NoToll welcomed 33 high impact men ready to bring in 2024 the right way. One old hat and 2 newer men of F3RVA split the Q to ensure maximum pain.

    Intro and warm up with Rosie, standard fare including SSH, Jazzercize, tempo merkins, shoulders taps, and only 1 round of helicopters among others. Group sample of Old Glory. Corner 1, 20 Hand release merkins IC, Corner 2 – 20 jump squats, soggyCorner 3 – 10 burpees, and corner 4 – 20 WW2 IC.

    Yeehaw takes over with a beast of a triple check, runner across the field and back with the other 2 PAX getting in rounds of Iron Mike’s and Navy Seal burpees.

    Purple Rain took us around the fields with moving arm circles, raise the roof, Bernie, all the way back to the dry field. This is where he broke the news that Dora was the next to join the party. 100 burpees, 200 American Hangers, and 300 mountain climbers. Some planks, both sides to make sure the world is balanced.

    Back to YHC to close the fun – Lindsey on the basketball courts with SSH and Freddie Mercuries. 5 minutes of Mary to wrap up the first beatdown of 2024.

    Announcements

    GrowRuck – sign up if you haven’t already. Let’s show the visitors from other regions what F3RVA is about. Leadership training, CSAUP, fellowship, and acceleration of F3 RVA all right here in our own backyard. LFG!! Here is the link https://growruck.com/event/gte-47/

    Thanks to Oyster for coordinating Breaking Bread. His challenge for 2024, sign up for your birthday month.

    Florence will be boosting the F3 RIchmond presence on social media. Take and send him pics at AOs, 2nd F, 3rd F or other events.

    Prayers for the families dealing with the tragic car accident in Brandermill this past week.

    Thank you all for letting me and my fellow SOJ PAX lead you all on this first day of 2024. We have been given an incredible opportunity to be a part of this group. F3 means something different to everyone but I think we can all agree F3 is something that we benefit from and maybe didn’t know we needed. As we move through the next year let’s continue to give it away to others that need it.

    Everything is coming up Rosie.

  • Beast before feast

    In what has become a tradition in DaVille on Fridays during holiday’s, 6 Davillians came for a shorten workout.

    Plan was for a 30 min workout follow by 2nd F breakfast at Rinse and Shine

    Here is how it went down.

    Mosey around parking to our normal COP location

    COP (All IC) – SSH, DQ, Imperal Walkers, LBC’s, Heels to Heaven, AL Prom Date, Arm Circles

    Mosey to the courtyard

    Beast – 6 exercises, 6 reps, 6 time with a loop around the courtyard each time. Merkins, American Hammers, Donkey Kicks, Bobby Hurleys, SSH, Burpees

    Native American Run with optional Burpees back to the VSF

    Numberrama, Namerama, Announcements, Opus took us out

    Great last Friday of 2023 and even better 2nd F at Rise and Shine

    Spit On That

  • Breaking Bread: NYE Reflection

    Spending New Year’s Eve contributing to breaking bread for individuals that need love, kindness, and support the most this holiday season was significant for me since I spent a majority of this year on the receiving end of that same kindness with a sick child. 

    2023 was a year that was nothing short of the bring you to your knees type of humility that life will serve up to you from time to time. In my case, it was when my 2 month old daughter, Liv, was diagnosed with high grade glioma brain cancer on 1/13/23. 

    Along with that diagnosis came the overwhelming support and kindness of family, friends, and strangers as we found ourselves on the receiving end of the same love, kindness, and support that was expressed this evening. At the end of the day, not having to worry about what to feed yourself (or the kids) was a relief and a huge comfort when switching between hospital and home stays.

    We lost count of the amount of meal trains and baked goods that individuals and families chose to bring to us, but what it did was instill a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for how much impact small gestures of kindness and a warm meal can have on someone in need or enduring hardship. 

    With the year coming to a close and with it, a much healthier one year old girl, we find ourselves shifting from a place of needing support to one of giving back, paying it forward, and being the enabler of that support for others in the same way that this support was provided to us.

    I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of the F3 contributions to breaking bread this year and to close out a tough year by providing others with comfort and support in the form of a warm meal. 

  • And So It Begins

    Nine with weights closed out 2023 with the first official training ruck for the GrowRuck Challenge. We picked up the trail near the landing and connected with Riverside Dr heading down stream. 30 minutes out and 30 minutes back.

    The river views were spectacular in the early morning. Mist over the river as the sun began to rise and various ducks, geese, and heron started their day. A tree had been freshly trimmed by a beaver with another day or so and the beaver’s work will be done with a felled tree.

    An 8-point deer followed us from the higher ground, keeping a watchful eye over his domain.

    YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Convergence New Year’s Day ay 0700 at No Toll
    • Sign up for the GrowRuck Training Event – Its going to be transformational. See Slack for details on signing up.
    • Rosie will be placing the first request for loaner rucks in a couple of days. Let him know if you need equipment to train with.

  • Breaking Bread: Heist and Wildcat

    Wildcat and Heist, fitness warriors with hearts as strong as their bodies, decided to bring a unique twist to their usual workout routine. Instead of doing burpees, they lifted the spirits of those less fortunate. Armed with pizzas, cookies, and salads, they marched to a respite center, ready to spread joy.

    As they arrived, the aroma of warm pizza caught the attention of the homeless individuals. Wildcat and Heist, clad in their fitness gear, began distributing the food with genuine smiles. The contrast of indulgent cookies and healthy salads offered something for everyone.

    Antoniette, initially skeptical, soon found herself drawn to the warmth radiating from Wildcat and Heist. Their kindness and genuine concern touched her heart. She joined the communal gathering, savoring a slice of pizza and engaging in uplifting conversations.

    Laughter echoed through the respite center as the fitness warriors shared stories of triumph and resilience. The act of kindness not only nourished bodies but also nurtured a sense of community. Wildcat and Heist, with their burpee-free approach, became catalysts for a collective uplift.

    As the night unfolded, everyone felt a renewed sense of hope. Antoniette, once wary, was now part of the shared joy. The fitness warriors had not only brought physical sustenance but had also created a space where everyone felt seen and valued.

    In the end, amidst the shared moments and simple pleasures, Wildcat and Heist proved that true strength lies not just in challenging workouts like burpees but in the ability to uplift others and build a community where everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can find happiness.

  • The Dynamic Duo Meets the Archeologists

    COP

    Warm ups at cafeteria entrance with in cadence SSHs, arm circles, copperhead squats, calf raises, helicopters

    Moseyed to the parking lot for: bear crawl to each parking spot lot line with ascending burpees to ten at each line. Return to starting point with lunges to each line and ascending squats to ten at each line.

    Continued with a moderate one mile mosey.

    Upon return, we located some dry pavement near the building for a gut buster that included LBCs, heals to heaven, Alabama prom dates, full body extensions to heel touch crunches.

    Continued our fun with tricep dips at bench and bear crawl from first parking lot island to next followed by crab crawl to next island and mosey back to start as a timer. One round each.

    Finished off with a full body stretch and planing until the rest of the PAX aka runners joined back up.

    Runners came running with Sankara Stone in hand after escaping the Temple of Doom, or so I assume.

    Name-arama, numberama, announcements, COT, Opus closed us out.