Category: Richmond, VA

  • Raining = Training

    60 warriors braved the rain to enjoy our annual Memorial Day convergence. It was a little wet out. Some call it rain, SEALs call it Frogman weather, Bulkhead calls it training. This pic is sums it up because many personalities are featured including our newest FNG Gambler and also Ripcord.

    According to the STPT workout group gathering in the rain and anticipating max enjoyment for their long canoe portage, this is what went down, more or less:

    COP All PAX mosey to Browns Island. Greeting, disclaimer, mission. COP: 30x SSH, 10x DQ, 50x Merican, 10x LBC, 10x right leg straight LBC, 10x left leg straight LBC, 10x both legs straight LBC (Inspired by Chum Bucket!), 10x APD, 15x squats. Break into 4 groups

    Rosie breakout Q: Mosey over to the stage for a triple check with monkey humpers and flutter kicks. Loop around the stage and to the bridge for a Dora 100 merkins, 200 box cutters, 300 squats, runner goes across the bridge and back. Back to the base of the hill to meet up with the rest of the PAX.

    Florence breakout Q: At Bridge #1 : Triple Check – Dips, Squat Jumps, Timer runs across Bridge and back

    Mosey to Fountain Line up in incline Plank position around the fountain, Curb Crawl clockwise around the fountain for a full loop Hold incline Plank on fountain, PAX at the front does 20 incline Merkins while rest of PAX hold Plank, Repeato down the line until everyone has done 20 incline Merkins

    Mosey to Bridge #2 Tripe Check – Gomer’s 1 legged LBC’s, Crab Cakes, Timer runs across the bridge and back. Mosey to the War Memorial hill

    Heist breakout Q: Mosey over T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge. On the way did 20x copperhead squats and 5 burpees.

    Across the bridge and worked our way down to the rock climbing area:
    1) Pax held wall sits. Went down the line for 10x donkey kicks
    2) Pax then held plank and did 10x dirty hookups (hand wall walks)
    3) Lunge walked back to the stairs.

    Moseyed back across the bridge Triple check: Picnic bench dips/incline merkins and running to gate.

    Gomer breakout Q: Mosey across middle bridge to Tredegar. 11s Merican + WW2.

    Mosey to Belle Isle bridge. 20x WW2 at the bottom of each rainbow, 15x WW2 at the top. Return the way we came.

    Convergence Q: Meet at the bottom of the War Memorial Hill. 1x burpee for each light pole for a total of 10 on the left and 10 on the right. At the top, 10x Grass angels and 10x Australian grass angels to finish the job.

    Memorial Day sharing outside the Virginia War Memorial. Thanks to all who were able to share and those who remember lost ones in their hearts.

    “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” George S. Patton

    Probation took us out. Prayers for Florence Family, Gomer’s work, Hitchhiker.

    2nd F in the mizzle is the best. Venmo @uberrock if you want to help.  Thanks to Lighthouse for picking up the vittles, and to Heist and Florence for bringing coolers of gatorade and water.

    Announcements:

    • Sign up for summer tour
    • Sign up for breaking bread

    NMS – Great fun seeing everyone out there! Who doesn’t love a convergence? Really excited to see PAX we have not seen in a while. Great to see 2.0s. Welcome to Gambler, former crew chief for Kiowa scout helos. 

    My memorial call out today is to COL Donny Ollar.  This is his bio from 2015.

    image description

    https://www.swd.usace.army.mil/About/Leadership/Bio-Article-View/Article/610162/col-donovan-ollar/

    Donny is a brother of mine from our pre-Ranger program for 6 months while at Engineer Officer Basic at Fort Leonard Wood, MO in 1993.  He went on to serve 28 years as an officer in the Army. Donny is a West Pointer and a football player. During PT, we sometimes partnered up and carried each other up and down a hill. Pretty sure we used to trade off carrying the 240B while patrolling. He learned how to shotgun beer under arguably the best tutelage (with some other WP alum, it was oddly satisfying at the time). After EOBC he went to Ft Polk, I went to Germany. We lost touch. The last time I was at FLW in 1999 as a EOAC student, Donny was a EOAC small group instructor and we ran into each other in the hall and had lunch together.  He deployed multiple times, including 2 tours in Afghanistan and 2 tours in Iraq. After leaving the Army, he committed suicide, leaving behind his wife and two daughters. 

    This impacts YHC tremendously two ways 1. We had a lot in common and might have had much more, but Donny made the Army a career. 2. I did not know of his passing until recently – he and I were simply not in common circles despite all our modern connectivity – I have to think how many more are out there have I lost touch with?  

    The cynic will say, it was a job that you got paid for and that you signed up for, but at best, that point of view is awfully short sighted.  The transition from *that life* where the abnormal is normal is challenging and that we all take it on differently. 

    This sums it up:  A war is not over until its last veteran passes on. How grateful we, that have not had to experience war, should be because of those who have. 

    The lesson for us is that as men we probably dont want to share inner challenges, but we must – we can get though it together.  Call me anytime.

    Get some!

     

     

  • Raining is Just Raining

    Eleven trailblazers took on the morning in the latest edition of Sunday Funday. Temperatures remained 70 and sunny. According to the dog runner who may (or may not) say hello to us, the following may have happened:

    Route: Bridge to Buttermilk to…

    …some, Reedy Creek and back,

    …some, Bridge to access road and back,

    …one, to T. Pottersfield, stop, wait, then North Bank, and,

    …one, run-about OYO, then meet Sippy, then BTTVSF.

    One walker, OYO. Plus, Sippy, mostly OYO, then with Saab.

    NMS: Sunday Funday is the definition of “You vs. You.” It’s about putting the work in. Push yourself; don’t hurt yourself.

    Run today was an opportunity to remember a young man who died 5 years ago at 19 and to support Black Men Run. Nice work, fellas. Way to keep us thinking of others, Flintstone.

  • Breaking Bread – Memorial Day Edition

    This one was totally done by the M (her name is of course Mrs. Rogers). She whipped up some Baked Spaghetti for 10, with a big ol’ batch of buttered rolls, some Caesar Salad and enough assorted cookies to put you into a diabetic coma. She’s a keeper!

    We dropped off the goods and hit the town for date night. Tip: Date your wife or someone else will.

    If anyone is contemplating taking on this 3rd F activity, Oyster will totally hook you up with detailed instructions – which makes it super easy (as does your M jumping in and doing everything).

    I hope yall are enjoying your Memorial Day Holiday!

  • People pay a lot of money for old wood

    Five men emerged from the gloom looking for opportunities to improve themselves and, under the right circumstances, make a little extra cash. According to Flatline, people pay a lot of money for old wood if you can deliver the goods. As for improving ourselves, this is how it went down:

    COP: All IC – SSH, Helicopters, DQ, Copperheads, IW, side lunges, Merkins, LBCs, APDs

    Mosey to Rugby Rd Triangle: 3 Loops – Bear crawl, run, Bernie – Exercises at the corners/ Loop1: Dry docks, WWIIs, Merkins/ Loop2: xx, LBC, Merkins/ Loop3: HR Merkin, AH, Merkin

    Mosey to the Ha’ Penny Stage: Partner up for three rounds – Runner touches 5 different trees – Exercises: LBCs, Squats, WWIIs

    Mosey to the Rusty Cage: 3 solo sets of Pull Ups or Jerkins – 10/8/6

    Mosey to the Pipeline: Each man runs while PAX does plank exercises

    Mosey to the Field for “11 corners”: At each corner perform two exercises in sets which add to 11 – Start with 1 LBC and 10 Burpees. Called at around half way due to time.

    Back to the flag for some stretching to close out.

    NMS:

    Announcements: Sign up for Breaking Bread in July and August if you haven’t already. See everybody at the Memorial Day convergence Monday at Tredegar downtown

    Glad to have five Dogpile regulars together to appreciate the gorgeous weather and tour the AO. As always, coffee and cheesy egg sandwiches, and great conversation at Libbie Market helped round out a great start to the holiday weekend. SYITG

  • Bye, Felicia

    Seven studs stormed the field at Blackwell as if they had taken C4 followed by a Total War chaser. According to Felicia, this is the THANG we did after we said “bye”:

    Mosey to the field in front of the community center on Maury and circle up for the mission of F3 and 4 of the 5 core principles. COP: Side Straddle Hops x20 in cadence (IC), Imperial Walkers x20 IC, Merkins x10 IC, Birddogs x20 IC, McGill Crunches x20 IC, Suzanne Somers x10 each side IC, Suzanne Somers on Steroids x5 each side IC, Suzanne Somers Roid Rage x5 each side IC.

    Mosey back to the VSF for a Triple Check with Coupons: Overhead Pulls, Curls, and run and touch a tree.

    Mosey to the hill behind the preschool for a Lindsay: Donkey Kicks against the wall, Bernie Sanders up the hill, and Merkins at the top.

    Mosey back to the VSF for a Conveyor Belt: Flutter Press, Curls, KB Swings, Tricep Extensions, Squats. The remaining two PAX did 10 Romanian Dead Lifts with no weight and they were the timer. Circle up for the COT.

    NMS:

    The COT was a bit unorganized and unorthodox, but it was great, like hanging out with old friends. YHC looked up the 5th core principle, we took a picture, discussed fishing on psychedelics (Solifornia) and named FNGs.

    Convergence Monday, 7am at Tredegar. Welcome FNGs Titanic and Radical Rick (or “Rad” for short), and solid work today. Shakedown discovered at the end that he knew Rad from BMX. We learned that Flintstone can bench 400 and Kindergarten Cop can curl 250. It was great to have No Regerts back at The Crucible.

  • Holding Down the Fort

    A PAX of one enjoyed the ideal running weather before Rock N Roll. Completed the standard paved nature trail then back to the flag. Many of the worlds problems were solved.

  • A Bridge Extended

    A dozen men posted for the Saturday beatdown and fellowship at the Bridge Ministries in Cumberland county. YHC has never experienced quite a large group at this AO, and to say it was uplifting is an understatement. Men with varying backgrounds, stories of adversity, redemption and hardship, coming together with one common purpose….

    Saab took the Q today while TYA provided his usual commentary, which reminded the PAX what F3 is really about.

    Saab abides

  • I, [state your name]

    Two bros shot the shiz while throwing down some miles.

  • I’m Still Standing

    10 strong at Rock N Roll this morning, including an FNG! Here is a brief summary for your viewing pleasure:

    Mosey to the tennis courts for Warm-Up
    Side Straddle Hops, Ukranian Soldiers, Helicopters, Cherry Pickers, Alabama Prom Dates, Freddie Mercuries, Hand Release Merkins AND High Knees, Butt Kicks, Karaoke all across the courts

    Exercise One: Tennis Court Perimeter
    Round one: Mississippi Side Lunges, Lunge Walk, MSL’s, Lunge Walk
    Round two: Broad Jump, Forward Straddle Hops, Broad Jump, Forward Straddle Hops.
    Round three: Bernie Sanders, Big Rig Jig, Bernie, Big Rig Jig
    Round Four (cool down): Raise the Roofs, Walking Arm Circles, Raise the Roofs, Walking Arm Circles

    Mosey back towards the road: Bernie Sanders and Side Shuffles mixed in.

    Exercise Two: Beside the dog park – Bear Crawl to the shed. Crab Walk Back.

    Exercise Three: Partner up for 20 count Boxing Cockroaches, 15 count PLT’s.

    Mosey to the picnic shelter for Exercise Four:
    50 Merkins, 50 dips, 50 WWII’s, 50 squats

    Exercise Five: Murder Gorillas along the hill by baseball field. At the end: 25 pole smokers.

    Exercise 6: 15 burpess plus 100 m sprint. 25 Bobby Hurleys plus 100m sprint.

    Back to the Flag for some LBC’s and Crunchy Frogs

    Numbers/Names/Announcements/Prayer Requests

    YHC took us out

    Final thoughts – What an awesome morning welcoming Benny to the SOJ clan. Great work by Heist bringing him on board. Benny is a transplant from New Jersey and huge Jets fan. The PAX were putting in some work today. Hardywood hit us with an energy boost after finally finding us near the tennis courts. It was great seeing Leap Year come back out – keep it up! Really looking forward to Shank’s Tae Bo themed workout at some point. Had a great group at Starbucks for some 2nd F as well.

    Enjoy the weekend! SYITG

  • Calm Before the Storm