Category: Richmond, VA

  • Not Paddleball

    Eleven gathered for Saturday’s GridIron at the usual location. Under normal circumstances, our use of Pouncey Tract Park is free from conflicts with other users at 7 AM, but this was Virginia Paddleball Classic weekend and the lot was full early. While we might mosey near or on the paddleball courts during GridIron, we went the other way for Saturday’s workout.

    Mosey to the football field and loosen legs with a few 10 yard repeats with High Knees, Butt Kickers, and Karaoke. Circle for 25 x Invisible Jump Ropes, 20 x Hillbillies, 15 x Don Quixotes, 15 x Helicopters, 10 x Elevated Suzanne Somers (one side), 20 x APDs, 10 x Elevated Suzanne Somers (other side), and a few Arm Circles.

    Jog to the school for five minutes of Donkey Kicks. Complete 30 or more Donkey Kicks and rest for the remainder of the minute. Five rounds.

    Hit the bus shelter and pick a pole for 20 x Pole Smokers followed by 20 x Plie Squats. Three rounds.

    Circle up in the nearby grass for Jack Webb with Arm Circle chaser. Complete one Merkin, four Overhead Presses, and eight Arm Circles. Wait until all are done. Complete two, eight, and sixteen. Wait. And so on, maintaining the same ratio until 11/44/88 are completed.

    Shift to the sidewalk. Using a three large, wooden dice, roll one to determine the exercise and the other two to determine the number of reps. Initial determination was 1=SSH, 2=WWII Sit Up, 3=Plank Jack, 4=Flutter Kicks, 5=American Hammers, and 6=Burpees, but we had some lawless moments in our efforts to complete a couple of rounds. More Merkins! Nobody likes Plank Jacks! Rigging the roll to maximize Burpees! And so on.

    Saunter back to the parking lot for COT and YHC took us out.

  • Northside All Stars

    Six posted for last week’s Punisher, all arriving on foot or by bicycle. Warmup on the acorns under the tree canopy adjacent to Laburnum Avenue with some of the usual. Mosey into the parking lot to weave the lot lines from east to west by Side Skipping left along one line and right along the next line. Regroup and continue our mosey to the outdoor classroom for Attila Sequence – 20 Dips, 20 Step-Ups (one leg), 20 Dips, 20 Step-Ups (other leg), and 20 Dips.

    Relocate to the nearby grass for Super 21 involving Merkins and WWIIs. Wait for each other after each round and break up the action after 5, 10, and 15 reps with other exercises.

    Find the brick school wall for a Donkey Kick / People’s Chair medley. Circle in the grass for a few LBCs and some stretching. COT and YHC took us out. Bowser is YHC’s 2.0, returning years after a first workout and getting a new name.

  • Getting to know better

    It was a little bit quiet morning. EF Hutton and I started off running to the Dogpile and ran back to the ET after the Dogpile. ~ 4 miles.

    While we were running, we shared a lot about ourselves. I felt like I know EF Hutton a little better after the run.

    Thanks EF Hutton!

  • Another Tomato run beat down from Marco Polo

    For the 2nd time in a week Trout has been the only wingman for Marco Polo. This morning Trout thought it was going to be an easy run because the 1st thing out of Marco Polo’s mouth was that he ran 10.5 miles on Saturday and was tired. Well, we almost shaved 2 minutes off our 4 mile time from Thursday. We saw the other rucking behind Atlee early in the morning run beat down.

    Trout cant keep this up….where is the rest of the pack?

  • CSAUP Winners

    The CSAUP went off without a hitch this weekend. It was an overwhelming success and far exceeded exceptions of all that participated.

    The Thang: Run, Ride or crawl from Shiplock Park to Jamestown and Back. Total mileage 103+.

    NMM

    There are way too many teams and participants to mention in this backblast, so I am just going to mention the winners.

    Winning running team was Circle K, Swiper, Gomer Pyle, Saab and TYA. They launched at 6pm Friday and finished just after 630 am on Saturday morning. Total time on the course 12:34 minutes. All had an extraordinary time. Lots of sites seen and laughs had along the way

    Winning biker was 7-11 (Karoline Thurman). She finished the biking portion in just over seven hours. Not only did she crush the course, but this was her first 100 mile plus bike ride. Previous long ride was 52 miles and she completed over 105 on this trip. Too add to her extraordinary accomplishment, it rained for over 60 our of the 100+ miles and it was 50 degrees. Rain and cold on the bike are no easy hurdle to overcome.

    Great job to all of the other teams that participated on this event. You guys made the event!

  • 13 for The Triple Lindy

    A band of 13 men abandoned the Fartsack to take over Tuckahoe and this is what transpired.

    Mosey down Forest to Spottswood, 10 Merkins, 20 Squats, 30 SSH’ then continue up the road to the back parking lot of Bodos’ church for COP.

    Mosey back over to the teachers lot at Tuckahoe for The Triple Lindy. The group was broken in half and started on opposite sides of the lot. Everyone Bear Crawls on the top side of the lot between Parking Spots with 3 Merkins done at each spot (10 spots total), switch to Crab Walk and 5 WWII’s on the bottom side of the Lot. Repeat 3 times. Total of 90 Merkins and 150 WWII’s.

    Mosey to the top of the Blacktop/Recess Lot. Partner Up for a Dora. 100 Squats, 200 Single Count Flutters, 300 SSH’s while the opposite partner runs to Fence and back.

    Mosey to the Small Bus Loop. Triple Check. Partner 1 Wall Sits, Partner 2 LBC’s, Partner 3 Bernie Sanders around the Bus Loop.

    Announcements: Breaking Bread. 4th Saturday and Sunday night, but no openings until March unless you Tag Team with someone else.

    NMS – Not a lot of Mumble Chatter this morning, but definitely some residual jokes from Saturdays post beatdown breakfast. Despite a lack of sleep this was the best way to start my Monday. The Triple Lindy name comes from the 1980’s classic Back to School. Bonus points to Pucker for immediately recognizing the name.

    Welcome to FNG Road Rash! A solid nickname came out of the woodwork despite Bodo’s best attempts to neuter it.

  • Northern OTB

    3 Davillians got a long run in on Saturday morning. The route started from Rutland clubhouse, behinds the school, through honey meadows, King’s Charter, Castlewood, Atlee Ridge, then loop around Kings Wood court and head back the same way. Bulkhead got in around 8.5, YHC did some looping back a little extra to get in 9, Marco Polo decided to push even more with the Bojangles loop for 10.5 miles.

    There was a Carpenter spotting who was getting in 4 before his 2.0 softball tournament. We even had Phonics show up in the “Pace car” for some mumble chatter.

    Great 2nd F time at The Local Cup afterwards

    SPIT ON THAT!!

  • Lasagna Party

    Lasagna Party

    YHC had some free time on his 49th birthday before a dinner reservation, so what better way to spend it than by Breaking Bread and sharing some celebratory cheer with the Medical Respite residents. Here’s how it went:

    Warmarama: 20 minute run to Kroger for Lemonade/Iced Tea 2 Liters x 2, cupcakes x 12, caesar salad kit + tupperware bowl x 2, and lasagna fixings.

    The Thang: preheat oven to 350. Brown 1.5 lbs ground beef and 1 lb hot italian sausage and 2 minced garlic cloves, drain and add crushed tomatoes x 28 oz and tomato paste x 12 oz, 2 TBS basil, 2 TBS dried parsley 1 tsp salt and simmer 20 min. In medium bowl, combine 2 beaten eggs, 3 cu. cottage cheese, 1/2 cu. parmesan cheese, 2 TBS dried parsley, 1 tsp salt. In 9 x 13 pan, assemble:

    1. layer oven ready lasagna noodles
    2. layer cottage cheese mixture
    3. 8 oz. sliced mozzarella
    4. half of meat/tomato mixture

    repeato and top with grated parmesan. Bake 20-30 minutes until top bubbles.

    Mosey to 180 Belt Blvd and start unloading grub. MedRespPAX having smoke break in parking lot offers to help carry bags, learns that it is dinner and expresses deep gratitude. Site Q Barbara receives dinner and $15 Starbucks gift card and expresses appreciation for efforts of Upchuck & F3RVA.

    NMMS: YHC echoes everything Upchuck has said and written about how much the Medical Respite folks appreciate any time and effort that we put in to share our blessings with them. Just as a brutal 1stF beatdown will bring you closer to the PAX who sweat through it with you, humble 3rdF engagement with people who need a helping hand will bring you closer to those whom you serve and to the best version of yourself. For the scholarly minded, in a recently published article in the Journal of Positive Psychology (“Prosocial behavior increases perceptions of meaning in life”) Nadav Klein wrote:

    The present results appear to coincide with well-known
    aphorisms suggesting that to find meaning in life, one
    must be motivated by something ‘greater’ than oneself.
    In philosophy, Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying
    that ‘the purpose of life is not to be happy’, but rather ‘it is
    to be useful’ to others (Brown, 2000). In literature, Charles
    Dickens (1864) echoes a similar sentiment through the
    main character in the novel Our Mutual Friend: ‘no one
    is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for
    anyone else’. In religion, the Bible suggests an association
    between prosociality and meaning in life (e.g. Galatians,
    5:13–14) and Buddhism promotes benevolence (mettā),
    sympathy (muditā), and compassion (karuṇā) as essential
    qualities necessary for enlightenment. The conventional
    wisdom that meaning is generated by being useful to
    other people appears to have solid empirical foundations.

    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1209541

    TLDR: To live third is to live well. SYITG!

    Doublemint

  • WDWO

    YHC was pumped this morning for a dogpile workout as his last day at 53 wanted to celebrate with some of the favorite routines so here is what went down:

    COP

    21 plus the YHC gather at the flag and we mosey to the Carillion Tower and circle up for 20 SSH, 10 DQ, 15 Imperial Walkers, 15 Russian Walkers, 16 4ct LBC’s(for the abs that we had at 16…right?), 15 reverse scorpions, 10 scorpions and 20 merkins. We are warmed up for the THANG

    THANG

    We short mosey to Carillion field to prepare for the Red Barchetta (YHC came earlier to place glow sticks for markers to set up the run stop points. This workout involves the Pax to line up at the goal line and run to the farthest stick (about 110 yards) and perform 100 SSH. Return back to goal line and plank for 6. We run to the 75 yard marker and perform 75 squats, back to goal line and plank for the 6. We then run to 50 yard line marker and perform 50 2 ct mountain climbers, back to goal line plank for 6, then run to 25 yard line for 25 merkins, back to goal line, then run to 10 yard line, 10 burpees then back to goal line and plank for 6.

    Next we mosey to the Bermuda Triangle at the second crop circle. We start with lunges from crop circle to top of hill to intersection, run down to corner then dealers choice(Bernie Saunders, walk or run) up the hill perform 20 merkins. Wash rinse and repeat for 2 more times for a triple check.

    We then mosey to the stage and grab a coupon circle up for a short Tabata work out with session 1 small lunges or squats with a coupon for 8 reps 20 seconds of exercise, 10 seconds rest repeat 7 more time for a total of 4 minutes. We then do this same 8 set routine for bench press with the coupons. Then we return coupons and mosey to the cage.

    The cage we divide into groups of 3 Partner 1 – timer runs to the hydrant and back to the cages. Partner 2 – performs pull ups the idea here is to do as many as possible and keep form. Partner 3 performs Dips at the parallel bars. Everyone gets their reps in for 1 rotation.

    We then mosey to the wall East of the Amphitheater and perform 15 donkey kicks and take a seat at the wall, 15 more reps take a seat and finally 24 reps for a nice total of 54 donkey kicks.

    Mosey back to flag, namerama and numberama, YHC took us out.

    Announcements – CSAUP run was being performed overnight last night running from Williamsburg to Richmond in a Ragnor style race. I did not have all of the names of the participants and hopefully a BB will be posted of this event..way to go gents!

    Upchuck is spearheading the breaking bread effort and we have great participation from the Pax. We still need someone for the Saturday after Thanksgiving and one other weekend and we are good through February.

    Finally thank you F3 brothers, you help me keep the fire burning in fitness every week and together we are progressively improving our minds, body and spirit. Have a great weekend everyone, it is an honor to lead and I look forward to seeing you in the gloom.

    Cheers….CB

  • Deja vu in SOJ

    2 Regulars and YHC came out once again on foggy morning in SOJ as YHC wrapped up is week long trip south of the wall.

    This how it went down

    Warm Up – Tried to mosey around the trail next to parking lot but quickly learned it was to dark and the trail wasn’t finish. Just turned back around

    COP (ALL IC) – SSH, DQ, Hillbillies, LBC’s, Alternating Shoulder Taps, HRM’s, Heels to Haven, Arm Circles

    THANG

    Jacob’s Ladder – Starting at the fire hydrant run up Satan’s hill complete 1 Burpee. Run down and back up for 2 Burpees. Rinse and Repeat till we reached 6

    Mosey back to the parking lot

    Triple Check – Grab a coupon. Bernie Sanders across the parking lot/run back, Sit-up + Press, and Curls

    Escalating 4×4 – Run to one side of the parking lot complete 2 4×4’s, run back to the other side complete 4 4×4’s. Rinse and Repeat till completed 8

    Triple Check – Lunge to the first curb then run back, Sit-Up + Press, and Curls

    mosey back to Satan’s Hill

    Jacob’s Ladder – Starting at the entrance run up Satan’s hill to parking lot entrance complete 1 Burpee. Run down and back up for 2 Burpees. Rinse and Repeat till we reached 6

    Mosey to the SF

    1 MOM – Dead Man Hangs and Cherry/Collard Picker Hangs

    Numberrama, Namerama, Announcements, YHC took us out

    MOLESKIN

    YHC as enjoyed posting for the first time at each of the AO in SOJ this past week. After today, YHC is offically over the hump for his Q4 Tour (16 down / 14 To Go).

    Great mumble chatter with Rosetta this morning about running in HS. Turns out both of us ran cross country and compete against Alan Webb (who was the top distance run in VA during the early 2000’s and competed in the Olympics).

    SPIT ON THAT!!