Category: Richmond, VA

  • Heavy on F#3

    A few hardened veterans welcomed another Richmond native to the F3 ranks while attending the Windy Gap men’s retreat this weekend. Here’s how the FNG was shown the ropes:

    The THANG:

    COP #1:

    • F3 Welcome, Explanation, & Disclaimer
    • Warmerama on the BBall court, starting with Suicides then getting stretched out with the usual DTH exercises IC

    COP #2:

    • LINDSEY on the grassy slope:
    • Lunges (single count) at the bottom
    • WWII’s at the top
    • Bear crawl from bottom to top
    • Mosey the the end of the upper field

    COP #3:

    • DORA 1-2-3:
    • x100 Merkins
    • x200 Squats
    • x300 LBC’s 
    • Run across field and back between switching partners

    Mosey Loop BTTF:

    • 5min of Mary

    COT:

    • Counterama # 4
    • Namerama (Welcome ELMER’S!)
    • Announcerama (see Comments)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  YHC joined with a few dear brothers to attend the annual Windy Gap men’s retreat in North Carolina. This was YHC’s first time attending, and !WOW!, YHC had no idea how much stress and internalized emotions have been bottled up. But nothing like intimate sharing and prayer among true brothers in Christ to receive a new lease on life. Today’s little workout was the 2nd F3 workout at the retreat, Doozy having led the first one yesterday (with FOUR FNG’s no less!), but our buddy Cal from Mechanicsville was also interested in giving it a try, so YHC put together a simple but effective welcome for him this AM. Cal is in the IT world, loves soccer, and has creative interests in the arts & crafts world, hence “Elmer’s” – welcome brother! Ya’ll can expect to see this fine man posting soon to an AO near you. As always, it was a pleasure and joy to join in something hard with awesome brothers. Let me close with a simple but powerful prayer I learned which I hope will bless you too. SYITG, YHC, DTH

    God I know you love me, and I know I have acted in ways that don’t acknowledge your love for me. Help me to remember how much you love me. Amen! 

  • TYA Loves My Stuff

    Seven or so stuck their heads into the oven of life, Hillcrest-style, for the latest edition of The Roller Coaster. Temps were sunny and 70. According to the retirees observing our every move, this is more or less what happened:

    Route: Hill repeats. 2 or 3 times per hill. Hillwood x2 or 3, Old Orchard x2 or 3, Charmian x2, Pocahontas x2, and THEN the big ones. 2 times up and down West Hillcrest. 2 times up and down East Hillcrest. Pick one of the Hillcrest downhill legs and run full speed downhill as well.

    The mileage doesn’t matter, but YHC thinks 5.

    Announcements:

    BRR, Field Day, Retreat.

    NMS:

    First, YHC has mentioned lately that it’s been hot. Again, it was hot.

    Second, when someone says, “I nearly threw up the last time we did this. Let’s do it again,” that prompts YHC to recall the common refrain of all of our M’s: “You guys are idiots.”

    Correct.

    Third, as TYA noted, the total uphill climb, while brutal, was similar to a modest BRR leg. Inspiring.

    YHC has done many a workout while traveling over the years. With respect to today’s run, no way YHC does that without you all. You guys are idiots.

    Ping me if I’ve missed anyone.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Trauma Is In My Background

    13 enlisted today for the latest edition of Sunday Funday. Temps continued to stay steady at 70 and sunny. According to the (perhaps nonexistent) people who snagged Shakedown’s keys, this is more or less what happened:

    Long Range Recon Patrol (TYA): 28 miles on the bike.
    Road Patrol (Saab, Faceplant): ~10 miles
    Advanced Dismounted Element (Sippy Cup, Helix): ~6.8 on trails, including War Memorial Hills.
    Main Body – Element 1 (Rip Cord, Shakedown, Flatline, Anthrax, YHC): Buttermilk, T-Pot, North Bank, BTTVSF. Just under 6.8.
    Main Body – Element 2 (EF Hutton, Offshore): Same distance.
    Independent Action (Pigskin): 30 minutes out and back.

    Numbers, Names, Faceplant took us out with a one-sentence reminder of our mission.

    Announcements:

    BRR is still recruiting. No way, you say? YHC says it’s 50/50 whether the team will have a new member after the discussion at ET’s today. Here’s hoping.

    Field Day: September 18, 7:00 a.m. Team captains are in place for each region. Time to start working on your team uniform. See Honeydo, Snuff, TYA, and Corned Beef for more information, depending upon where you reside.

    3rd Annual First Inaugural Retreat is September 25. Sign up for Cornhole. (Look for Hutton’s post on Slack.)

    Swirly is trying to give away two tickets to the Duke vs. Kansas FOOTBALL game on September 25 (no, this isn’t hoops). See him for details.

  • Let’s eat dessert first.

    Let’s eat dessert first.

    Fireman Ed and Oyster made the smart move and enlisted 2 top chefs for creating the breaking bread menu tonight.   Both 2.0s did a great job planning and making each dish.  If you could only smell Olivia’s baked ziti and McKenna’s (aka Havoc) cupcake frosting skills are unmatched.  

    The Menu:
    Baked Ziti – I’m jealous we didn’t get to enjoy this with the residents.  
    Salad with the last of the garden pick of tomatoes and Cucumbers.  
    Cupcakes – yes with sprinkles 
    Cold Drinks

    We’re still meeting staff outside for the meal hand off.  Hope one day soon we will be able to share a meal and break bread again with the folks who are receiving respite.  Prayers to all.

  • Go Your Own Way

    Who has the Q.
    Anyone?
    Hot Potato?
    What’s a potato? 

    18 Mens said NO to the Fart Sack this morning. No regrets as it was 70 and Sunny as usual at Dogpile. Lets get after it:

    Gomer Pile with the warmorama.   Grab some of these bricks out of my car and take them to the Penny Stage.  PAX:  let’s split up and go different ways to the Penny Stage.  

    Gomer Pile passes the Q to Oyster:  Native American Run let’s go.   Oh wait there’s the six with some more bricks let’s go back.  PAX:  We’re going with Hitchhiker.

    Hitchhiker takes the Q. 
    SSH
    HELICOPTERS
    LBC
    MERKINS 
    SCORPION KICKS
    IMPERIAL WALK
    ARM CIRCLES

    Hitchhiker passes the Q to Faceplant. 
    Mosey to the bottom of the hill. 
    Find a curb: 10 MERKINS
    Mosey
    Find a curb: 15 hand release derkins 
    Mosey
    Find a curb: 10 Merkins 
    Mosey
    Find a curb: 5 hand release derkins 
    Mosey
    Find a curb: 10 Merkins 
    Mosey
    Find a curb: 5 hand release derkins

    Bottom of the hill. Let’s get to the top.  
    Find a partner.  
    Partner 1 run to the top and back.  Partner 2 lunges. Switch. 
    Partner 1 runs to the top and back.  Partner 2 bear crawls. Switch. 
    Partner 1 runs to the top and back.  Partner 2 broad jump burpees.  Switch.  

    Pax is now in Sync.  Faceplant gives the Q  back to Oyster. 
     
    Mosey to the back of the Carillon.  
    Triple check
    1. Find 6 trees
    2. SSH
    3. Flutter Kicks

    Mosey to the Rusty Cage. 
    Triple check
    1. Run to the fire hydrant 
    2. Pull-ups
    3. Dips

    Mosey down pipeline (YHC is it left or right)
    Triple check – 1 round
    1. Run the pipeline (Ether found that Stump we were looking for)
    2. Copper head Squats
    3. LBC

    Let’s Mosey back to the flag.  
    Hitchhiker – should we take the short cut?
    YHC: No
    Hitchhiker – are you sure?
    YHC: Yes
    YHC:  let’s take the short cut we’re running out of time.  

    Numberama and Namerama. Faceplant took us out in prayer.  Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

    Announcements –

    Field Day, September 18, 2021 @ 7am at Dogpile. 

    Retreat, September 25. See preblast for more details.  

    9/11 step run with the Fairfax region at the Lincoln memorial, possible clown car for this event. 

    Colonial Trail 10 mile run coming up and Spit will have details soon if you are interested

  • Steak Knives

    YHC was excited to finish the RVA summer tour with a close AO in the Creek. We had a special guest from Southport, NC region…Steak Knives.

    Flag is planted four F3 brothers show up we begin with a warm up mosey around the parking lots and some parking space tracers. We circle up for the COP

    COP

    19 SSH, 10 DQ, 10 Imperial Walkers, 10 Russian Soldiers, 15 Arm Circles (10 small, 5 Big), Reverso, 10 Helicopters, 20 American Hammers, 20 LBC’s 10 scorpions and 20 merkins.

    THANG

    We then mosey to the front of the school and YHC brought a jump rope, this is for Station 1 (S1), Station 2 Flutter kicks, Station 3 10 merkins, then plank for 5 seconds repeat until timer returns. Station 4 Lunges. Station 5 lap around parking lot as the timer. When runner returns he starts station 4, S4 to S3, S3 to S2, S2 to S1 and S1 runs the lap. We continue to rotate the stations until all have been completed by each member of he PAX. This would be the first evolution. We continue for 2 more revolutions.

    We then mosey to the back of the school set up 5 stations again for a sprint work out and the stations are as follows: S1 – Run to school and back across the bridge, this is the timer station. S2 – Merkins, S3 – dips, S4 pull ups, S5 flutter kicks.

    We then mosey to Flag for 1 minute of stretching, then numberama and Namerama. Yardsale took us out in prayer.

    Announcements –

    We discussed 9/11 step run with the Fairfax region at the Lincoln memorial, possible clown car for this event. We also reviewed the Field Day, this is happening on September 18, 2021 @ 7am at Dogpile. We will be formulating our teams to get ready for this event. There is a Colonial Trail 10 mile run coming up and Spit will have details soon if you are interested.

    Moleskin – It was great having Steak knives visit he reminded us of the upcoming 10 year anniversary of the F3 Nation. It was an honor to lead and I look forward to seeing you in the gloom. Cheers….CB!

  • Battle of Long Island and a little Merlot

    14 men, including three FNGs answered the call to report for duty on Satan’s Hill for a Battle of Long Island themed workout. YHC was shocked at the record breaking turnout and determined to give he PAX their money’s worth.

    Warmup with discussion of the Battle; some frustration was displayed by the PAX, but historical context was important.

    SSH, Helicopters, cherry pickers, ‘murcans, LBCs

    Mosey to the top of the hill then 4 corners with 20 each stop ‘murcans, LBCs, CDDs and squats.

    down the hill with further discussion of God’s intervention 245 years ago to preserve the fledgling, trapped American Army after the retreat to Brooklyn Heights. In honor of the Maryland 400 holding the line and allowing the others to retreat we did a bear crawl style Indian Run to the top of SH. The mumble chatter among the PAX was getting ugly and a new revolution was in the offing as the PAX took a break with lunges after an FNG spilled merlot on the hill.

    After a return to the bottom, in commemoration of the evacuation of the troops across the East River we ran to the top of SH a few more times before heading to the rock pile. We did reps of 8 overhead, curls for the girls, skullcrushers and squats repeato until the PAX begged for more running, so up the hill one last time we went. Finished with a Ring of Fire and time was called.

    Numberama -14 Namorama – Three FNGs got some good names.

    Prayers for our Marines killed in Afghanistan, Nancy’s friend with COVID, and Dracula’s daughter’s knee surgery.

    See the link for an explanation of the Battle Battle of Long Island • American Revolutionary War

  • Sweating with the oldies

    8 gentleman showed up to YHC’s guest Q at Circus Maximus, put in an appropriate amount of effort, both with their kettlebell and their mumblechatter. Here’s how it went down.

    COP: SSH, DQ, arm circles, Imperial walkers, merkins, LBC’s, helicopters.

    Main event: Start at 1st brick column in bus loop, 5 snatches with right arm, waiter carry to 2nd column, 5 snatches with left arm, waiter carry back, repeat increasing to 10, then 15 reps each arm. Repeat with following combo exercises, advancing 2 columns each time: cleans and squats; demon crushers and situp press; lawnmowers and halos.

    Mosey back to parking lot for boat canoes, Chewy style, stretch for 3-4 minutes, numberama, namerama, Attila took us out.

    NMS

    YHC wanted to get down to Circus this summer, it’s been too long between visits. The mumble chatter did not disappoint, starting as soon as YHC and Mudface arrived to find White Deer waiting, with the rest of the PAX arriving soon after. Mudface introduced the 4th F during COP, with other members contributing. PAX crushed the workout, and it was great to see some familiar faces and meet a new one (Homer). Hope to be back sooner rather than later!

    As usual, I have No Idea what I’m doing…

  • Tour de Forge

    Four sweaty gloom vets (yes, sweaty before it even began) posted to the Forge for a scenic tour, as follows:

    The THANG:

    WARMERAMA:

    • Mosey down South Coleman to the culdesac for a well rounded DTH full body warmerama IC

    THE TOUR:

    • Circuit the entire AO, stopping at every light post to complete called reps
    • The bottom: Alternate x10 Merkins with x10 Squats
    • (GARBAGE PLATE was kind enough join us at this point having already toured the entire AO looking for us)
    • The Hill: Bernie up the hill stopping for x10 WWII alternated with x10 Mtn Climbers
    • The Parking Lot: x5 Burpees alternated with x10 Flutters (2-ct)
    • Front of HS: x10 Ball Dippers (2-ct) alternated with x10 Am.Ham’s (2-ct)
    • Front of MS: x10 DR.W’s alternated with x10 ?can’t recall
    • The Far Side: x10 Jump Squats alternated with x10 Merkins
    • The Back Stretch: x20 LBC’s alternated w x20 SSH’s

    Mosey BTTF:

    • En route, alternate x10 Dry Docks with x10 Monkey Humpers

    COT:

    • Counterama # 4
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Comments)
    • LAST CALL took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Well, 0530 is definitely getting a lot darker these days, but the 1000% humidity hasn’t budged. Good to have a few fine souls to share the sweat fest with. YHC is honored as always to call you brothers. SYITG, YHC, Tryhard

  • Is it Fall yet?

    2 Davillians went out for a run this morning but you would though we went swimming with how sweaty we were afterwards.

    Route was out on Atlee station passed the schools, short loop into Honey Meadows then cut into Taylor Farms before return the same way we came for just over 4 miles

    Trout and YHC enjoy some nice mumble chatter about our kids with his younger and my oldest starting kindergarten in a few weeks

    SPIT ON THAT!!