Tag: Dogpile

28 strong, including 2 FNGs, ignored the no parking signs and other obstacles set up around Dogwood Dell for Arts in the Park and posted in the gloom to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and start their weekend off right.  It went a little something like this:

Mosey to the circle in front of the amphitheater for COP, including:

• DQs – nice and slow
• Helicopters
• SSHs
• Hilbillies
• Copperhead Squates
• LBCs
• Flutter Kicks

THANG:

Golden Sombrero

Mosey into the amphitheater and down to the base.  The distinction of earning a Golden Sombrero, or striking out 4 times in a game, was one that YHC earned a handful of times, so the PAX got to feel that pain today.  Each “strikeout” consisted of:

• 10 Knee (Box) Jumps
• 10 Donkey Kicks
• 10 Deep Knee Bends
• Plus the “walk of shame” back to the dugout — or, for today, a run up the side steps and around the perimeter of the amphitheater.
• Repeato x4

Margarita Alley

The classic recipe for a margarita is Tequila, Lime Juice and Triple Sec in a 2-1-1 ratio, so we used the valley of death behind the amphitheater to make 10 margaritas — 1 WWII at the top, 2 Jump Squats in the valley, then 1 WWII at the top of the other side = 1 margarita.  Repeato x10.  Had a few stumbling like they actually drank 10 margaritas.

Mosey down Love Hill – stop at bottom for LBCs OYO to collect the six – then continue on to the Pipeline Loop.

Pipeline Dora

Team up and complete 155 2-ct Flutter Kicks, 255 1-ct (unless you are Upchuck, then it was 2-ct) Mountain Climbers and 355 squats as a team.  The other partner runs the pipe loop.

Plank-o-rama and some pickle-pounders while we the six finishes up.

Mosey to the bridge

Guacamole Dippers

Run the bridge stopping at each lamp post to complete a set of ball-dippers (1 each leg).  Work your way across the bridge, but when the rabbits pass you on their way back, turn with them and run straight back to the Flag (no ball dippers on the way back).

OVERTIME (my bad)…COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

Announcements:

• Wilson’s Golf Tourney May 18 — www.forethecause.org
• HDHH May 16 – Independence golf club.  Get there before 6:30 to hit some golf balls.  Hang around after 6:30 for drinks/food at Tavern 19.
• Support Shakedown in his fundraising effort for childhood cancer – St. Baldrics – and look forward to him shaving his sweet locks.
• Puppy Pile – May 19 at 0700 at Dogpile.  Bring your 2.0s
• Ghost Flag will be at Hoedown on Monday…come and get it!

NMS:

Lots of running and lower body today.  YHC is nursing a sore wing – even broke out some one-armed SSHs, a real thing of beauty.  The temp was great but the pollen was brutal.  Way to push through the miles (close to 4 miles total) and the reps today guys.  Wilson can’t get enough Gumbo right now!

Lots of great mumblechatter today.  Spirits were high.  It was a great morning in the gloom!  The second F was great, including about 15-20 minutes before 0600.  Gotta love not sitting in your car until the bell rings because it is freezing out.

Welcome to Deuce (strong start using the porta-potty before your very first COP) and Wood Chipper.  Great job guys.  Hope to see you back out.

I hope everyone has a great Cinco de Mayo and enjoys some margaritas and guacamole guilt free. You earned it boys!

A true pleasure to be a part of this group and to get the chance to lead such fine men.

No More Gumbo For You!

 

16 thoroughbreds arrived full of spirit and ready to get the day started off on the right foot (hoof).  BT planted the shovel flag and we were off to the races.  Here’s how it went down.

The Thang

Mosey to the circle at the top of the amphitheater for COP:

Helicopters x 10, Abe Vigodas x 10 (nice and slow, baby), Merkin x 10, Leg lifts x 15, SSH x 20

Mosey to the Paddock (Rusty Cage on any other day) to showcase some strength.  Partner up and perform 5 pull-ups, 5 chin-ups, 10 partner dips each, run together to Carillon and back.  Repeato x 3.  Al Gore until all PAX is finished, then 2 quick burpees for fun.

Mosey to Amphitheater for a Mint Julep.  5 box jump burpees on the bottom step.  Run/walk/climb up 15 steps.  Complete 10 merkins on 15th step, then run down to the bottom of the amphitheater.  Repeato x 7 to complete one Mint Julep.

Mosey to the Winner’s Circle at the top of the Amphitheater.  Complete ascending lateral curb crawl to 3 and back down to one.  Retire to the grassy circle for a mini-Mary of Freddie Mercury x 20, cross-legged leg lifts x 16 (each leg).

Native American run on the Yellow Brick Road back to the flag to complete mini-Mary of LBC x 30, finished with a Ring of Fire.  Circle K took us out.

Announcements:

HDHH:  May 16 at Independence Golf club for range balls and cocktails.  Gumbo has a key to the range ball machine and knows the secret handshake.  Not sure if it will be a hostile takeover or a gentlemanly occupation of the range, but it will most certainly be fun.  Come out and get some practice in before Wilson’s annual golf tourney on May 19.  Get on a team and come out: it’s ALWAYS a good time and for a great cause.

Shakedown is shaving his head and raising money for children’s cancer.  See his backblast and follow him on Twitter.

Offshore is donating (not accepting!) fluids to VCU today.  If you’d like to join him, have at it.

NMS:

Lots of witty heckling welcomed YHC before we got started today, with encouragement and excitement over my “VQ.”  Yes, it has been a minute since I led these seasoned steeds, and I had to get that 0% off of the column.  #bigdata.  Lab Rat then commented that he’d never done an Old Glory at Dogpile.  Touche, #onetrickpony.  It is the week of the Kentucky Derby, so the theme was a no-brainer.  The Mint Julep was a hit the last time and proved to be so again.  As with the beverage (and nipples), the exercise holds true that one may not be enough, but 3 is too many.  We kept it at one and will get to 2 next time.  EF Hutton left some shin skin in the amphitheater, but it was really to let the “other crew” know that the AO is ours, and cones, clipboards and yoga mats are better used elsewhere.  Loved having them camp off to the side, watching us while we got to work. On the run back, I half thought Swirly was going to circle the yoga mat crew a couple of times just for good measure.  Deep thoughts with Lab Rat: how much does it cost to get to sleep in? The Offshore/fluids banter has impressive staying power and never gets old.  Good to hit the cage with Shakedown, and as always the brotherhood in this group is a powerful force.  Nothing better than starting the day with that kind of energy.  It was a pleasure to lead, men, and I am grateful for every second.  Aye!  -BT

 

23 Saturday Warriors (including one 2.0) got out to enjoy another 70 and sunny day in F3RVA

The SF was planted and the PAX got to work.

This how it went down:

Slaughter Start – 20 Merkins OYO

Warmup – About a 1 mile run around grounds of Dogpile

COP (ALL IC)

• Invisible Jump Ropes
• DQ
• Finkle Swings
• Merkins
• American Hammers
• Flutter Kicks
• Dying Cockroach
• Helcopiter

THANG

Mosey to the Carrillon field

4×4 Medley (in honor of The Carpenter who had to miss this morning) – Complete one set of 4×4’s then run across the field to complete 2 sets. Rinse and Repeat with 3 sets then 4.

Mosey to the Amphitheater

Lazy Dora – Partner up. First partner holds plank or Al Gore while second partner completes exercises. Switch when see fit. Exercises were as follows:

• 100 Decline Merkins
• 200 Sit ups (using the steps)
• 300 Dips

Boo-yah Fun – Partner up, heading up the amphitheater, at each step, completed 4 Boo-yah Merkins

Partner Carrier to the Rusty Cage

Rusty Cage – Partner up, complete 4 sets of 5 Pulls up + 10 Jerkins

Mosey to SF for Numerama, Namerama, Announcements, YHC took us out.

MOLESKIN

YHC has started to make it a tradition after he completes a big race to make sure to Q at Dogpile the following Saturday.  YHC arrived around 5:40 to of course find Big Blue but also Kubota ready to go. The rest of the PAX all seemed to roll in a little early today to enjoy some warmer weather mumble chatter.

Wilson had check the Q sheet before hand, said to Honeymoon on the way to the AO “oh sh*t, Spit is Qing, guess it’s going to be running day!” YHC tried entertain all parties with a mix of running and ground&pound.

Finkle Swings brought about some good humor during the COP. YHC thought he share the wording from the F3 website for this exercise: “Meet the Finkle Swing, named for the infamous kicker “Ray Finkle” it is said that this was the stretch that lost him the big game. Pax swings one leg at a time back and forth to warm up those hips.” YHC would like to add #hipsdon’tlie

During the Lazy Dora, Opus, EF, and YHC noticed that we were being watched by a feral cat who had to be thinking to himself “What are these crazy humans doing.” I think our M’s would ask the same question

While heading to the Rusty Cage, Gumbo took a tumble. Like a champ he got right back up and kept moseying along. Hope you are ok Gumbo

We completed 206 Merkins this morning. This was in honor of Team F3 Hampton Roads winning the 2018 Colonial 200 which was a total of 205.6 miles. Congrats fellas!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• May 18 – Wilson’s golf tournament – for a good cause.  See him for details.
• May 19 – Puppy Pile for 2.0s – see pre-blast or Upchuck

SPIT ON THAT!!

 

28 Gladiators of the Gloom posted at Dogpile to put in some hard work and have some fun. This was YHC’s Dogpile VQ and it went a little something like this:

Mosey over and down to the North Bank Trail parking lot near the bridge for:

COP:

Helicopters x 15

Don Quixote’s x 10

Scorpion Kicks x 5

YHC told you it was going to be short!

 

Mosey down past the Pump House to the Pipeline Loop for:

Triple Check # 1

Bear Crawl/Crawl Bear curb to curb, merkin at each curb

Lt. Dans

Run the Pipeline Loop

 

Mosey up the Pipeline Trail to the Rusty Cage for:

Triple Check # 2

Burp-ups

Capt. Thors

Run to Fire Hydrant and perform 5 HRM’s and run back to Rusty Cage

 

Mosey over to Carillon Field for:

Tug-O-War Tournament ( 4 teams of seven.  Two semi-final matches, Loser’s Bracket Final and Winner’s Bracket Final)

Length of Carillon Field sprints with 5 Burpees halfway down

100% AYG

75%

50%

 

Mary:

Heels 2 Heaven (IC)

Rosalitas (IC)

LBC’s (IC)

6 Inches (IC 50 count)

 

Mosey bag to Shovel Flag

Still have one minute;

5 Diamond Merkins, 5 Merkins right leg up, 5 Merkins left leg up (OYO)

 

COT, Numberama, Namearama, Announcements and YHC took us out.

 

Announcements:

Slurpee has the Breaking Bread Q tomorrow with Mr. Roper and YHC helping.

See Lab Rat for shirts for you and for your 2.0’s

See Wilson for Galactosemia Foundation golf tournament

See Shakedown for St. Baldrick’s shave

 

NMS:

Wow!  Longest hour of my life!  YHC arrived to the AO extra early (5:15am) to, of course, get YHC’s props in the correct place.  While YHC was at the Carillon field getting props out of truck, YHC noticed two sets of headlights at the parking area.  One was obviously Swirly, the other YHC would not find out who it was until he pulled up to park.  It was Upchuck.  He must have been ready to roll or could not sleep, either way, we all literally piled into Swirly’s truck and had a nice conversation about hockey playoffs, especially the Caps.  GO CAPS!  Then some random dude rolled up in a rental car and approached Swirly’s window.  Swirly rolled window down and random dude asked: “Are you Josh?”  Swirly answered: “No Josh here dude, this is F3”  Random dude: “I am here to meet Josh for a 5 mile run”  Swirly: “No this is F3 where we meet every Wednesday and Saturday for great beatdowns”  End of convo.  Great attempt at EH’ing that random guy, Swirly.  Wasn’t meant to be, though.

YHC had other tricks up his sleeve this morning, but had to go with a plan B because of numbers.  28 was probably the best number for this morning because it gave us 4 even strength tug-o-war teams.  It did leave one extra for the triple checks, but it all worked out.  Also, the dawns are breaking at a better time now in the gloom in order to see things better like the pipeline trail.  YHC likes to work everyone hard in YHC’s Q’s, but YHC also likes to have fun!  Thus, the tug-o-war tourney.  YHC does not remember who was on the winning team, but it was not YHC’s team.  So YHC will guarantee you that the rope will be making appearances again until YHC’s team wins it all!  The best match had to be the Loser’s Bracket final.  It was a good back and forth for a couple of minutes, until YHC’s team was ultimately defeated.  Will not happen again, right Swirly?  YHC hopes everyone enjoys their participation trophys they received from the back of YHC’s truck!

YHC would like to thank everyone for coming out to YHC’s Dogpile VQ which landed on YHC’s 6 month anniversary of beginning F3.  As YHC told you in the COT, it has greatly changed YHC’s life!  Thank you all for pushing YHC to his limits and being there for him!  Thank you to Spike for spreading the word about F3 to me at church a while ago!  ET’s was great as usual!  YHC hopes everyone has a wonderful rest of the weekend and YHC will see you in the gloom!

 

 

 

 

 

As the pilgrims traveled tirelessly through the night of CSAUP, nine brave men emerged onto the launchpad. As we all know, on this day in 1981 the shuttle Columbia returned to Earth in NASA’s first orbital space flight, STS-1. In tribute, here’s what went down this morning:

First orbit: run the loop down to the pump house and back up. Circle up for COP (SSH, IW, DQ, Freddie Mercury, Merkins)

Countdown & Liftoff: mosey to midway down amphitheatre for tricep dips as a 10-countdown, all the way to the bottom. Box jump back out for liftoff.

Anti-Gravity: @valley beside amphitheatre: WWIIs on one crest, burpees in valley, jump squats on other crest. Start with 5, escalator up to 10 of each.

Anti-Gravity Part II: mosey to Rusty Cage. 10 pull-ups, 8 jerkins. Repeat 3x.

Second Orbit: Partner up by Carillon loop. One man bear crawl while partner runs backwards in opposite orbit around circle and median. Switch off each time you meet until duo has completed a bearimeter.

After 22 years, Columbia met a tragic end as a leading edge of a wing lost heat protection, causing the shuttle to burn up in re-entry in 2003.

Our own Self Destruction took the PAX back into the amphitheatre. On each step, escalating number of SSH, merkins, & V-ups, until time ran out.

MOLESKIN
Glad to see so many in the PAX this morning, despite many of the Dogpile faithful journeying through RVA overnight! Shout out to Spit, who only left early in order to also run the Monument 10K (you know, that other race that happened this weekend). And welcome to Philly’s finest FNG, Liam Smith, aka Allstate. He’s a college buddy of YHC, and happy to come into unfamiliar territory for a good ol’ beatdown.

16 warriors rose to greet the dawn of a new day for a precious little field trip of Byrd Park and surrounding communities. For our adventure it was the perfect conditions for success, 70 and sunny. According to legend, it went a little something like this.

Mosey to Byrd Park for the Mumble Chatter Prevention Task Force COP

10 SSH, 10 SSH RL, 10 SSH LL

10 HRM, 10 HRM RL, 10 HRM LL

25 Mark Spitz

20 WWII

5 Don Quiote – These were slow and low that is the tempo

2 Arm Circles

Mosey to Maymont parking lot for Burpee Barrage

Running one loop there are 4 light posts.  Complete 4 loops of the following.  Post 1: Right Arm Burpee, Post 2: Left Arm Burpee, Post 3: Right Leg Burpee, Post 4: Left Leg Burpee.  On round one, complete one rep of each.  On round two, complete two reps of each.  Repeato until four rounds completed.

Mosey to Colorado street to the Amelia School for Super Trifecta

In a triple check style complete the following:  one person runs up the hill and back, one person flutter kicks, one person exercises.  Switch places when the runner gets back and complete the following exercises as a team.  100 burpees, 200 WWII, 300 SSH.

Partner up and wheel barrow up the hill switching every 15 steps.  Short recovery at the top of the hill and wheel barrow back down.

Back to Colorado Street for the Hunchback of Picabo Street.

In an indigenous persons style run with a twist, the last two men piggy back, run to the front while weaving in and out of each of the pax.  We did this for what seemed like forever.

Near Byrd Park find a piece of land and start Super 21s.  Courtesy of the great Flatline, this exercise goes a little something like this. Round 1 complete 1 merkin and 1 WWII as a group.  Round 2 complete 2 merkins and 2 WWII as a group.  Repeato up to 8 rounds.  Quick mosey to the other side of Byrd Lake.  Complete rounds 9, 10 and 12.  With the game clock running out, YHC called an audible and the pax moseyed back to the flag.

Numberama, namerama, YHC lead us out.

News:  Sign up for CSAUP and do whatever you can here.

Please send your light and love to Lab Rat.  Pappa Rat has hit a little bit of a rough patch.

Moleskin: YHC is eternally grateful to the pax for showing up and BRINGING IT this morning.  If there was ever a justifiable excuse for fart sacking, today was it.  Busy people have just that, lots of justifiable excuses.  YHC has two thoughts here.  There is zero chance YHC would get up and do this workout, on this day, in these conditions solo.  ZERO chance.

Dig a little deeper, get it all out and be super.

Hardywood

 

32 gloom warriors and 2 FNGs fiercely met the break of day this morning at Dogplie. It appears that Spring has sprung; new guys, Cotters welcomed back (good to have you back Posh), lots of Pax –  hopefully today’s turnout is a harbinger of good things to come.

Today was YHC’s virgin Dogpile Q and it went a little something like this:

COP: 25 SSH, 15 Don Quixote (bombed a joking jab at Flatline’s helicopters instead of windmills from No Toll – guess you had to be there ?), 15 Helicopters, 15 Russian Soldiers, 15 Coplerhead squats, 10 2 count Merkins, Wilson’s wife, Fudd’s wife, knees to elbows, lots of mumble chatter, done

Micro mosey to the top of the irregular quadrilateral (Wilson said it is decidedly not a triangle – he called it a rectangle but that’s not quite right either) for The Cooper: run a lap then back to the circle for 10 Burpees, 10 squats, 10 Merkins – run a lap then decrease exercises by 1, repeat on down to 1. This was what YHC thought was a good way to handle the volume of men but it went a little long so when most of the guys were done we scooped the six to move on to the next…

Form 2 lines for weaving Indian Run to the bottom of Love Hill. Cluster. However it served the intended purpose of transportation to the mission objective while keeping the Pax generally together.

Grab a guy roughly your size for partner carries to the stone steps. Go as long as you can then switch. Transition is 5 Booya Merkins.  Audible to scoop the six. We were running out of time.

No time for the planned pull-up / burpee 11’s at the Rusty Cage so straight to the amphitheater…

Box jumps to the top. 1 on first step, 1 on second. 2 on third, 2 on fourth – on up to 9/9 – regroup – mosey to the flag. Good times.

No time for Mary so numberama, namerama, 2 FNG’s – nice. Welcome woodworking FNG Rob Baker (Gepetto) and acountant FNG Bill Davis (Beansie). Lots of dissent and discussion including the realization that YHC is apparently not appropriately familiar with the required F3 film canon and hasn’t seen Caddyshack since he was an adolescent and had a vcr. No regrets but I will remedy and revisit that cinematic classic soon.

Anouncments – final weeks of Healing Place 10k training.  CSAUP is coming so plan accordingly.

YHC took us out with St Francis’ peace prayer.

Thanks guys for letting me lead this morning. Happy Easter.

26 warriors shook off the Saturday morning fart sack and decided to engage in a sunrise fight that went something like this…

Mosey to the circle beyond the carillon for COP

COP all IC – 50 SSHs, 10 merkins, 50 LBCs, 10 merkins, 20 copperhead squats, 10 merkins, 10 DQs, 10 merkins, arm circles, 10 merkins

Mosey to the carillon field

4x4x4x4s

Partner up – Partner #1 on the field, Partner #2 on the surrounding paths

• Run to the first corner, do four 4x4s, return to the start, 10 LBCs
• Run to the first corner, do four 4x4s, run to the second corner, do four 4x4s, return to the start, 10 LBCs
• Run to the first corner, do four 4x4s, run to the second corner, do four 4x4s, run to the third corner, do four 4x4s, return to the start, 10 LBCs
• Run to the first corner, do four 4x4s, run to the second corner, do four 4x4s, run to the third corner, do four 4x4s, run to the fourth corner, do four 4x4s, return to the start, 10 LBCs
• Plank until the PAX finishes

Mosey to reservoir

Reservoir Dogs

One partner runs around the reservoir while the other works on accumulating exercises, switch until completed:

• 300 squats
• 400 LBCs
• 500 SSHs

The PAX finished the SSHs together with a final 30 SSHs IC.

Mosey back to the flag

Numerama, Namerama, Announcements, YHC took us out

Announcements: Some runners needed for CSAUP. Contact HoneyDo about the specific need.

NMS:

YHC completed his two year F3 “birthday” Q week with the what he considers the Super Bowl of F3RVA – Dogpile!

YHC arrived to see Swirly staked out and ready to engage. There has been some talk about camping out over night in the parking lot to beat Swirly to the spot but we are not sure if that is legal or wise… (CSAUP campout?)

The cars piled in, the SF was planted and conversations fired up. There was some talk about SSHs but YHC alerted the PAX that the predictable 100 SSHs would not be part of the picture this morning. Flashdance spoke highly of the SSHs and tried to bait YHC to up the numbers. YHC shared that there was a surprise later in the workout along those lines…

The COP included some mumble chatter but the merkins seemed to keep everyone honest. There is something positively fantastic about lighting up 50 merkins IC (100 total) right out of the gate. Swirly affirmed that mid-way through the workout during one of the moseys.

Spit introduced YHC to the 4×4 a few months ago and it has become one of YHC’s “favorites” in that it packs a punch in a short amount of time. The PAX went to work on the 4x4x4x4s (four 4x4s at four corners with adding a corner each time). The choice of breaking up the PAX between the field and the outside path may not have been wise. Sippy Cup provided some much-needed light as we ran the paths and tried to avoid debris and random branches that seemed to aim for our eyeballs. Phonics, Rosie, Hardywood and Sippy Cup seemed to be pacing the PAX at the front while all fought hard to get it done.

YHC learned that the reservoir run was no joke. Many commented how Hardywood flew around the 1/2 mile run. YHC wondered if he climbed the fence, swam the reservoir and found his way back. The time was limited but the PAX knocked out the 300/400/500 along with some power running.

As always, the encouragement and support flowed between the PAX as we all pushed through another glorious morning together in the gloom. There is nothing like it!

I am truly grateful for the 2 years of engaging in these kinds of morning adventures. F3 has been a gift in more ways than I can count and each member of the PAX (whether 3 weeks in or 2+ years in) bring something to the table that adds to the shared experience.

At ET’s afterward, Hardywood asked, “What else do we stay committed to consistently for 2 straight years?” We then reflected on why F3 elicits that kind of commitment – the challenges, the friendships, the pain, the thrill of insane workouts…

We are seeking to kill off the Sad Clown Syndrome every time we choose to engage. Let’s continue the push and see how we grow as stronger, better, faithful men in the process!

The Carpenter