Category: Richmond, VA

  • Senor Frog Dances Funny

    6 exquisite gentlemen linked up at 5 to conduct 45 minutes of exercises in the latest edition of First Watch, F3RVA’s earliest workout. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to Ronnie’s Girl in her orange Miata, the following might have happened:

    Mosey to the COP by heading west, nope, east around the parking lot. Circle up on the backside of the lot.

    SSHs x51 (4 count)
    Dead Man Hang
    Downward Dog
    Right leg high, left leg high
    Pigeon R/L
    HRMs x10
    LBCs x15
    Flutter Kicks x10
    Frederick Mercury x10

    Mosey to the truck and grab a block. Slow mosey to the Triangle.

    Partner up. Dora 100, 150, 200. Each man does 50 merkins, then together do 150 4-count flutter kicks and 200 4-count SSHs. Runner’s Choice: either run to the traffic light (without the block) or to the 25 MPH sign (when carrying the block).

    Slow mosey to South Westham, then pick up the pace, cross River Road, and circle up on the grass next to the “Westham” tombstone.

    Triple Check. One man does block thrusters. One man does presses. Runner has 3 choices: Run to the first cut in the road with the block. Or, run to the second cut in the road without the block. Or, run to the second cut in the road with the block (this option counts as two of the runner’s three rounds).

    Mosey BTTVSF. 30 seconds of Rosalita’s.

    Numbers, names, and Kubota took us out.

    NMS: light on the mumble chatter today. YHC could make out only a few things.

    “More 4 count SSHs, please, Mr. Q.”

    And, “f-ing, m-th$r f-in 4-count SSHs, Mr. F-in’ Q.” YHC didn’t quite get the full transcript, but is sure there was more mumble chatter.

    Thanks for letting me lead, fellas. We’ll go a smidge lighter on the SSHs in the Dora. Way to push.

    Announcements: nada. Prayer Requests: YHC had one for his family.

  • Cookie – Ponch Show @ The Old Hundred

    It was 5.28 AM, and Cookie was the only one in the Old Hundred parking lot. Cookie was about to set the AC to 72 and take a nap. But as soon as Cookie closed his eyes, he heard the sound of a car, and Ponch jumped out with his high spirit and ruined Cookie’s nap. As per the two little birds at the Old Hundred parking lot, here is what went down.

    Warmerama
    Run around the school
    SSH
    Arm Circles
    Merkins
    LBCs
    Flutter Kicks

    The 4 Corners (Lady of the Night Style)
    10 Merkin Pull Through
    20 Lawnmovers – Each Arm
    30 Squarts
    40 Alabama Prom Dates

    Dora
    100 Scull Crushers
    200 Curles
    300 Chest Press
    Runner runs to the cone and back

    COT – (Awkward. But It’s OK)
    Announcements – Grow Ruck
    Punch took us out

    Thanks, Ponch, for showing up and joining the grind.

  • Trimming the Fat

    14 PAX completed this morning’s beach season abb burner, including two FNG’s and a brother from down range. Here’s the Thang:

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Mosey onto the BBall court & circle up
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Variable IC Reps and a Perimeter mosey
    • Mosey out to the plush Field #1

    SIX PACK OF DIAMONDS:

    • Reps completed at each corner of half the soccer field, with x6 Rounds completed
    • x6 WWII
    • x12 DTH’s
    • x18 Am Hammers (2-ct)
    • x18 LBC’s 
    • x12 Dr.W’s
    • x6 Kimchi Twists

    BUDDY COUNT-DOWN:

    • Partner up to complete reps from 5 down to 1, with sets separated by a run between sides
    • x5 Buddy WWII’s, Run, x5 PLT’s each, Run back
    • x4, run, x4 each, run
    • ETC

    BTTF for COT:

    • Counterama # 14
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  In the words of our Australian-born Irishman FNG, nicknamed DANNY BOY, “Twas a grand time!” Heavy on the abbs and light on the back and shoulders is what the good Doctor prescribed for himself after one too many recent rucks with coupons. Well done NTB headlocking Danny Boy into the fold, and also TClaps to DEALER for bringing out FNG #2 nicknamed BROMANCE. Seriously, ya’ll should have heard the love sonnet delivered by Dealer describing their lifetime of closer than blood brotherhood. Finally, also want to give a shout-out to SNIPER, posting from downrange for a few days – waaaayyy too cool of a nickname, but YHC got the impression he could easily kill you if you insulted him, so welcome SNIPER! He’ll be at SOT tomorrow and TIMBERWOLF Thursday. As always gentlemen, it gives me great joy to lead you into the harder things – appreciate ya’ll showing up! 💪❤️👊 ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    Prayer Requests:

    • Family and friends with cancer and other difficulties – prayers for healing and for the Lord to lead us in serving them in their time of need

  • 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.