Sub-optimal conditions greeted the First Watch PAX this morning. Here is how it went down:
COP
SSH
IW
Ukrainian soldiers
Helicopters
Arm circles
DMH
Merkins
LBC
Penguins
Traveling Dora – 5 covered stops with 20/40/60 reps
100 HRM
200 squats
300 LBC
Group 3x check under the overhang – 3 rounds of the following
Wall sit with 15 air presses, 15 milkers, 15 Muhamed Ali’s
20 PLT (60 total)
10 Mike Tysons (30 total)
Mosey back to the parking lot to stretch and COT with YHC taking us out
Rain left the surrounding area slushy and slick. The PAX was also void bright/reflective clothing so let’s stay dry and safe. Good to be back at First Watch after a bit of a hiatus for ice and sickness. The PAX is ready for the kids to resume school.
Frozen Triangle this weekend. Lunch next Tuesday at Firehouse Subs.
8 hearty souls emerged from the frozen gloom to join the QIC for a chilly beatdown. The car read 19 degrees as we departed the parking lot. Here’s what went down.
COP – SSH, Don Q, Ukrainian shoulders (or soldiers depending on your preference), attempted hill billies, arm circles, LBCs and Merkins.
Then depart for the UR Greek theatre with some exercises along the way.
At the theatre, we did ascending incline merkins, descending dips, ascending box jumps, and then ascending burpees.
On the way back to the flag we stopped at the triangle for a triple check but sadly ran short of time to complete.
Nameorama, numberama, and Handshake took us out with a somewhat passive aggressive prayer.
Announcements – Pigskin is leading the Bridge; frozen triangle coming up.
6 Boot campers and two walkers merged at the West End’s earliest AO to see what this rusty Q had in the hopper. Nerves were high for YHC’ s first Q in 15+ months. As the clock hit 5am, the PAX shot (or walked) off into the Gloom.
Mosey around the church, burpee buy ins at each of the speed bumps, through the parking lot and back to the front of the church for an open air COP. The PAX was lively, they struggled with their counting, something that definitely gave this son of accountant some unease. Quick COP of Imperial Walkers, DQs, Soldiers, arm circles and reverso then a quick mosey back to the parking lot.
Creative 4 Corners
A very creative version of compounding 4 corners of consisting of 10 hand release merkins, 20 jump squats, 30 reverse crunches, 40 money humpers. YHC was the six… mosey to the triangle and Henrico County’s most exclusive park on Ridge Rd.
Triple Check
Pace car runs to River and Ridge intersection and back
mountain climbers and box cutters to round out the exercises
mosey to Ridge and Ross
Catch Me if You Can
rounds of bear crawls and merkins
jump squats and broad jumps
mountain climbers and lunges
repeato to the triangle.
back to the flag for some mobility and 3 minutes of Mary
Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out
See slack for the full details
Jan 24th – Pigskin led The Bridge
Superbowl Saturday – The Frozen Triangle
Two years ago, while I was shuffling between supporting my M at her weekly Prenatal Appointment and jumping to a coffee with a broker friend, for some reason I went home to re-charge and reset before my third round of caffeine that morning. Something just told me to be home.
I needed to be home for what came through the phone lines around 9:30 that morning. I received the call you never can plan for from my little brother. He shared the shocking and heartbreaking news of Dad passing earlier that morning doing something he loved: working out. In the two years since, not a day goes by that I wonder how I’ll ever get past losing my North Star. You can read about this awesome guy here: https://f3rva.org/2024/05/01/happy-64th-dad/
Dad shows up in ways every day. Sometimes it’s my son’s belly laugh, other times, an expected blessing. This morning he picked the first song on Shuffle as YHC drove to First Watch…. one of his faves and fitting for a pre-5am Wednesday morning
To say the last couple of years have been a rollercoaster of highs and lows would be an understatement. Nothing can ever prepare you for heartbreak, overseeing your parent’s affairs, all while trying to grow a business and make sure you’re being the better than best dad and husband.
Fortunately, the last couple of months I’ve started to shift over from treading water to swimming again. Searching for that North Star no longer became my journey, becoming that North Star became my purpose. I shared a couple years ago that it was my turn to own the next 64 years, taking the torch from my North Star. 2 years later, I’m encouraged I’m getting closer that promise.
Thanks for letting me lead and share today. Enjoyed it! SYITG
Seven of the areas all-stars descended down the hill and back up – working out along the way. Moving was to cover ground – but also escape a certain Pax members gaseous releases. God help him.
9 men broke free from the warmth of the fartsack for the early morning first watch and a bowl of Gumbo to close out their 2025. It was served up as follows:
Mosey through the driveway (paying our burpee tolls at the two speed bumps) to the back parking lot. Line up for some warmups to increase the body temps, including high knees, buttkickers, karaoke, and bounders. Then circle up for traditional COP to Attila’s delight. COP included Froggy’s favorite time to shine – jazzercisers and a bunch of other stuff. COP ended with a controversial game of 2025 pop-trivia that resulted in more burpees than correct answers, but EF Hutton and Splinter were all over the Sydney Sweeney question. You’re welcome for cutting the questions short.
THANG
Four Compounding Corners – 10 merkins, 20 2-ct mountain climbers, 30 jump squats or squat jumps, 40 box cutters (add on at each corner).
Reverso/Australian 4 Corners – 40 SSHs, 30 squats, 20 2-ct Freddies, 10 HRMs (take one off at each corner – going in the opposite direction)
Wall Time – mosey over to side wall and wall sit for instructions:
Round 1 – 10 Donkey Kicks, 10 Mike Tyson Merkins, Lunge to hedges and mosey back to wall sit.
COT with Numbers, Names, Announcements and YHC took us out
Announcements:
Convergence at Dogpile tomorrow at 0700
Breaking Bread is up for 2026 – sign up
Bridge needs a Q for January
NMS: Great way to start the morning and end the year. We even got a Handshake visit to coffeeteria following his solo workout at W-Dog. The SZN of Giving continued with some bubbly and minis to aid tonight’s festivities. Enjoy celebrating 2025 and all that was accomplished, enjoyed, overcome and experienced. Here is to the excitement of a new year. I wish everyone a happy new year, and I hope we all take our F3 energy into the new year with hope and optimism and that the new year brings health, happiness and prosperity to all in F3 RVA.
Nine champions of the snooze gathered at First Watch waiting to see if the godfather would show. When 0500 arrived and no truck was in sight, off we went to the front of the church for:
COP
Various exercises including the ever popular SSH, helicopters, arm circles, jazzercises, mountain climbers, flutter kicks. After a comment on the non-traditional COP completing, off we went to the back of the church for:
The Thang
We broke up a Dora today into individual performances. 10x arms, 20x legs, 30x abs. Burpees were scattered throughout as well.
Various runs and burpees were to be had with the occasional bear crawl to no where in particular.
Numbers, names, YHC took us out.
Moleskine
Great morning for a workout with mild temperatures and energetic PAX. Kudos to Big Spoon who was back in town from Tulsa. Lots of Tulsa references from the PAX this am.
A well rounded 12 men met for this weeks Season of Giving Handshake Q.
Warm up at the small park to allow Fudd to arrive and get settled in. COP. Quick count off (more on this later).
Mosey over to the top of Gaymont and partner up. P1 runs down the hill and back, P2 does an exercise. Running down the hill with your partner after both of run. Keep this up for a while. Down Gaymont, left of Rose Hill until we reached Ralston.
At Ralston we keep forward progression. We stopped around Kubotas house and did squats and ran up the driveway, down the sidewalk, up and over the porch, then through the grass.
Keep moseying up Ralston and stop at Finkles house for a 20 HRM’s and 10 Merkins.
Mosey up to River and down River almost to Gaymont and stop at the pull off and do 36 Squats.
Mosey back to the Parking Lot and get with your partner and do 20 single count Boo-yeah Merkins, 20 single count Boo-yeah WWII’s, 20 Boo-yeah Jump Squats.
1 minute of stretching.
Announcements – Kubota is leading The Bridge on 12/27. Festivus tomorrow at Circus. There will be a Kettlebell Workout next Thursday on Christmas morning at Circus.
NMS – fun morning that wasn’t nearly as cold as it has been. Glad to see Wojo out in the fold. Atilla will be on Channel 12 news tonight for urinating on someone’s bush. Senor Frog was the random number I thought of before the workout and he was the real prize for this weeks Season of Giving.
10 Tuckahoans, with collars properly popped, welcomed 4 impressive looking fellows from the warmer side of the river, including 1 clown car that arrived from the far reaches of the flat earth. Cooler temps were expected with numerous knees covered by various fabric selections. A few manlier types selected better ventilation and thus deemed superior. Regardless, here is how things went down.
Handshake finally arrives, so we can begin. Santa Call in his fully starched hat, pulls out his trusty sack to disperse various head gear to the PAX. This gear is meant to be worn throughout the beatdown, however some noggins could not be contained.
Mosey around the parking lot to avoid snow and ice. Circle up for introductions and disclaimers, warm ups included SSH’s, Helicopters, Jazzercise with toe taps, Dead Man Hang, Merkins, LBC’s, all in conversation without counting to encourage the mumblechatter.
Mosey to the base of the Triangle where triple check partners were selected based on headgear. No duplicate hats could be in the same group. Timer runs to River Road and returns with partners doing squats and shoulder taps. 3 rounds complete with quick running route changed after round 1.
Mosey down Cameron Road to the base of Culpepper. Stop for another triple check this time partners are grouped as similar headgear. Timer skips a portion of the way to Grattan and runs the rest. Exercises included mountain climbers and imperial squat walkers.
Mosey back up to Ridge for Dora. 50 merkins, 100 WWII’s, 150 jump squats with timer running to parking lot entrance.
BTTVF for a brief bit of Mary with 10 American Hammers and 10 Heels to Heaven. Numbers, Names, Announcements and Prayers. YHC took us out.
Announcements: Kubota is leading the Bridge on 12/27. Could the SZN of GVN be heading west? Fudd and Flatline are leading Breaking Bread in December, thank you boys. Spaces available in 2026. Gomer is leading a watch party for the Army/Navy game on Saturday at Wood & Iron Short Pump. Gumbo’s 2.0 is marching. See Slack for deets.
NMS: Great turnout for finest 5 am beatdown in the land. Cooler temps lead to YHC on a more mobile workout to keep the warmth moving. All snow was avoided and no slips were registered as of the time of this post. YHC’s M decided to infiltrate the gifts with shameless marketing materials. Enjoy the bevy’s than let Mrs LC handle your portfolio. SZN of GVN keeps rolling with Handshake now on the clock. Well done fellas. Thanks for letting me lead.
Sorta like being invited to a holiday party, only to show up and find out you’re there to park the cars. That’s showing up for the Season of Giving, but having to swallow the Green Pill.
Here’s what transpired:
Mosey to the Church patio.
COP
Don Quixotes
Helicopters
Ukranian Soldiers
Arm Circles
Copperhead Squats
Hand Release Merkins
Plankorama
Freddie Mercurys
LBCs
SSHs
Mosey back to rear corner of parking lot grabbing the cinder blocks along the way.
Endless Escalator – Exercise 1, Run a Lap, Exercise 1 + 2, Run a Lap, Exercise 1+2+3, Run…..Exercise 1-10 and Run a Lap (20 reps of each exercise)
Merkins (200 total)
Imperial Squats single count (180)
WWIIs (160)
Carolina Dry Docks (140)
Dips (120)
Crunchy Frogs (100)
Block Curls (80)
Block Thrusters (60)
Heels to Heaven (40)
Burpees (20)
Reverso from 10 to 1, if necessary
Numberama, Nameorama, COT
MOLESKIN
Much debate has been had about the ultimate dream girl from our youth. Age and generation definitely play a role in the PAX’s opinions. It is a known fact that anyone younger than YHC is a millennial, but a pre-teen and teenage Hutton was smitten with many starlets over the years from the 1980s through today. The 70s PAX members tend to agree that the young brunette across the street from Kevin Arnold we all know as Winnie Cooper was a Wonder of creation. The 80s PAX lean to the bubbly cheerleader from Bayside High better known as Kelly Kapowski, who stole Zack’s heart. Those younger than YHC were raised on the girl with the crazy name and big ti… I mean hair famously known as Topanga Lawrence. Fun fact, her guy on Boy Meets World is the real life younger brother of Winnie Cooper’s guy on The Wonder Years. Another fun fact, YHC met Topanga playing roulette at Treasure Island in Las Vegas about 20 years ago. So I ask, who is your girl? Any other submissions? For the record, mother nature has been very kind to all these ladies. They’ve aged like a very fine wine. These younger dudes raised on Hannah Montana must be disgusted these days. The First Watch Season of Giving continues. Next up, Last Call.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rosie’s 12 Days of Christmas at NoToll – 12/23
F3 RVA Secret Santa, still time to sign up – 12/23
