Tag: First Watch

River Road & Ridge

  • Say, Man, You Left Your Lights On

    Ten men of fortitude sought the light of guidance and goodness in the latest edition of The First Watch. Temperatures remained a constant and predictable 70 and sunny. According to the very male, very not a hot blond female friend of Handshake’s, the following might have happened.

    Mosey to the RRC, B steps for the COP.

    73 SSHs.

    3 WWIIs. (73-3…IYKYK)

    Dead Man Hang, walk the hands out, right leg high, left leg high.

    Downward Dog (the artist formerly known as someone’s wife)

    Pigeon left, pigeon right.

    Right leg over left. Left leg over right.

    Imperial walkers.

    Hillbillies.

    Hand release mercans.

    Reverse crunches x25

    Flutter kicks x20 or so.

    Let’s mosey to the parking lot / road / smallest park in all of Henrico.

    Touch a tree. Rounds of 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2. Exercises were WWIIs, squats, a weird form of helicopters (?), and something else.

    Mosey down the street to the house that is gradually being taken over by self-reproducing light-scaping.

    Each elevated light – 5 WWIIs

    Each gas light – 5 burpees

    Each ground light – 5 squats.

    YHC estimates 10 burpees, 40 WWIIs, and 60 squats.

    Add some flutter kicks for the aquatic lights.

    YHC apologizes to the lights on the door frames and the guest house…we hardly knew ye.

    Mosey down the street to the neighbors, who surely are named Jones. Same deal…probably 60 squats, 12 burpees, and some other stuff.

    Continue on down the road…mercans for the orange markers, YHC thinks flutters (maybe?) for the trash can.

    Continue down the road…we stop for the transformer, the water shut off valve, the empty real estate sign, and another transformer. Various exercises, including multiple rounds of invigorating arm circles. YHC aims to please.

    5 Shoulder taps at each utility flag. Bear crawl in between flags. Sufficetosay, there were a lot of flags (20+?). Mercifully, time was called.

    Mosey BTTVSF.

    Numbers, names, and Attilla took us out with a message about being thankful for friendships.

    Announcements: Handshake says the Summer Tour is over. He’s starting a Fall Tour next week. See Handshake for details.

    Prayers for Hitchhiker and his family (father’s passing), Speakeasy and his family (illness), Kubota’s surgery (knee) and others having challenges. Prayers if you are traveling with Gumbo.

    Good luck to Wojo (aka, Pink Refresher) with his presentation today and hope all are healthy at home.

  • Armor All is a Cure for Pink Eye

    8 of the areas finest and best looking fellas embraced the raw dog freedom of a gloveless beatdown in the sweltering predawn sauna. Here is how things went down, lounge style.

    Quick lap around the parking lot then over to the plush portion of grass in Henrico’s’ smallest park. Introductions and salutations commenced followed by a in conversation warmup that included no counting and at your own pace. Exercises included dead man hang, DQ’s, helis, jazzercise, hillbillies, Ukrainian soldiers, LBC’s and WWII’s.

    Mosey down Ridge to the Country Squire intersection for a 4 person triple check. Timer runs up hill to the street sign, while others perform gloveless exercises of Lt. Dans, LBC’s, & Merkins (on new pavement of course). 3 rounds complete, lets continue on.

    Mosey to the intersection of Ross and Culpepper for another 4 man triple check. Timer touches 3 mailboxes (no repeatos) while similar exercises are enjoyed by the PAX. No air movement was enjoyed.

    Mosey back up Culpepper with a bit of mailbox bingo. 2 squats for left mailboxes, 5 SSH’s for right mailboxes. BTTVF for a bit of mary that included APD’s before calling time due to the miserably warm pavement.

    Numbers, names, Announcements, Prayers. YHC took us out.

    Announcements – Wojo leading Labor Day Convergence at Batteau – see slack for maps, directions and other items. Bring water for the crowd if you can.

    Prayers for Speak Easy.

    NMS: Nothing was on the menu for this morning beatdown. Temps were too warm for gloves so YHC decided to announce a raw dog beatdown to the enjoyment of the PAX to shed various protective layers. Taintlike temperatures were enjoyed with plenty of mumblechatter throughout the beatdown. Good to see a few regulars back from the summer tour adventures. Well done fellas. Thank you for the opportunity to lead.

  • Street with Minimal Mailboxes

    Perfect numbers for a triple check + 1 descended on the West End’s earliest AO for this week’s edition of First Watch. YHC was nearly late for his own Q and didn’t waste time once Splinter completed the 7. Quick mosey fake out towards the church and headed south down Ridge.

    Circle up for COP at the triangle for an additional 5-6 minutes of Broga + Arm Circles, mosey to the corner of Cameron and Culpepper for a triple check

    pace Car Bernies up the hill

    exercises included Hand release Merkins and monkey humpers

    recovery walk back up to Ridge and mosey south to the corner of Ridge and Country Squire for a bonus COP

    Imperial Walkers, LBCs. APDs, inverted scorpion kicks

    Traveling Brocode Lindsay

    LBCs and Plank Jacks

    YHC unknowingly picked the street in Henrico with the least amount of Mailboxes….. YHC clearly doesn’t qualify for that area’s tax bracket

    Lindsay Loop was completed back at Henrico’s most fertile, lush and exclusive parklet.

    Bonus Triple Check

    pace car moseys to to the corner of Westham/River and back

    reverse crunches and jump squats completed the triple

    steady, easy mosey back to the Flag

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Annoucements: Summer Tour in the later stages of the Summer, see slack for locations

    Labor Day Convergence Planning underway, Pre Blast arriving soon.

    Please keep Speakeasy and his family in your prayers.

    Always nice to traverse the ‘hood around First Watch. Strong mumble chatter including objects you pick up in Henrico’s most exclusive parklet, college move ins (and Pains), and the glorious fall/football weather. Thanks for letting YHC lead.

    SYITG

  • Fellowship Of The Rings

    Seven mighty men of renown

    stumbled out at 5 a.m.

    Rings in hand (ten pounds of regret),

    they ran into the pitch-black night

    like idiots with a plan.

    Fast.

    Then “why are we doing this?” fast.

    Hundreds of merkins on the asphalt.

    Squats that made knees weep.

    No core work for “Up Chuck”—

    someone almost tested the theory anyway.

    Hot. Sticky.

    August air stuck to them like bad decisions.

    They hit the train tracks.

    No train.

    Just seven guys wondering

    if the train was smarter than them.

    More merkins.

    Downhill south (brief joy).

    Uphill north (pure betrayal).

    Rings swinging, shoulders screaming,

    “Fast… slow… I hate these rings…”

    Two-point-two miles of pure darkness

    and questionable life choices.

    When the sun finally showed up,

    seven sweaty silhouettes were still moving—

    rings clenched, pride intact,

    and already lying about how “fun” it was.

    Names, Numbers, Gumbo prayed for us.

    See Slack for announcements.

    SYITG

  • 49.999

    10 men joined the QIC to celebrate his upcoming transition to respect. Here’s what went down.

    COP – SSH, Don Q’s, Ukrainian Soldiers, merkins, LBCs, and flutters.

    Next we did 5 sets of 10 exercises in the parking lot (a respectful version of the punisher). Merkins, LBCs, squats, and monkey humpers.

    A Ronnie Q is not complete without wall sits and dips, which we did 3 rounds of. We also did a few rounds of PLTs. Then to the front of the church for a triple check.

    The PAX mutinied a bit when we attempted to run around/through Henrico’s smallest park. We then moseyed back to the flag for some Mary and then a merkin ring of fire (Splinter’s Johnny Cash ain’t half bad).

    Numberama, Nameorama, and the Q took us out.

    Announcments/Reminders – check Slack.

    Prayers – keep my dad in your thoughts. He is in hospice.

    Ronnie out!

  • Hutton has some choice words about your form

    A strong PAX of 10 came out to see how moist the AO was at 5 am. The initial mosey had 9 of us with Fudd pulling in as we took off. An attempted silent COP was unsuccessful as Fudd lived up to his namesake and sniffed out the pax.

    After the COP was a 4 corners, sans the corners: 15 HRMs, 20 Donkey Kicks, 30 Heels2Heaven, 40 squats. Partner up and retrieve a Coupon from the Truck. Mosey over to Triangle park for 2 rounds of Block the Plank.

    After enjoying the lush thickness of the grass mosey to tip of park for Dora 123: 100 Block Thrusters, 200 Block Presses, 300 Squats. Then back to spot for 3 more rounds of Block the Plank.

    Mosey back to lot for descending curls and runs. Drop coupons off at 5:45, expedited COT as it really started raining.

    NMS: YHC knew it was going to be a fun morning when he woke up to the heavy rain at 3 am. Humidity was 80% and at some point it started raining but PAX couldn’t tell from the sweat. Great to have double digits at FW in a muggy August morning.

  • Excused Absences

    A Fünfer of Westhoe’s finest fought off the fartsack to explore the neighborhood around F3RVA’s earliest AO. With YHC presiding, mumble chatter started even before “go-time.” The PAX learned our resident yogi had a better offer than leading shavasana this morning. As the clock rounded the hour, YHC led the PAX down Ridge for a moving COT.

    Stops along the way:

    • First stop: more broga, LBCs
    • Second stop: imperial walkers, Ukrainian soldiers, etc.
    • Stop at the bottom of the hill for a rotating Fünfer:
      • 3 rounds of rotating exercises
      • Pace car runs to and from the “No Parking” signs
      • Hand-release merkins, monkey humpers, Carolina dry docks, and reverse crunches
    • Catch Me If You Can… back up the hill:
      • 10 hand-release merkin buy-in
      • Rotating bear crawls, walking Lt. Dan’s, broad jumps (no burpees)
    • Mosey to Overlook Rd.
    • Brocode Lindsay back to the Ridge Rd. triangle:
      • Monkey humpers and WWIIs
    • Quick 4 Corners in the parking lot:
      • 10 HR merkins
      • 20 Suzanne Somers (10 each leg)
      • 30 single-count SSHs
      • 40 MHs at the flag

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Heavier humidity this morning than expected. Way to push. Strong mumble chatter and oversharing, as always.

    Please keep Handshake and Charlotte’s family in your prayers as they live with loss. We pray for mercy in that family’s grief and peace as they lean into the understanding. Please also lift up Speakeasy and his family for his ongoing battle.

    Homegrown Half this Saturday

    Thanks for letting me lead…. SYITG

  • A Little Water Never Hurt Anything

    6 veterans posted loyally amidst the tumultuous weather. Temperatures were 70 and sunny. According to the gentleman biking through the neighborhood during said massive thunderstorm, the following might have happened:

    COP:

    30 SSHs (4 count)
    Dead Man Hang
    Left leg high, right leg high
    Wilson’s Wife
    Pigeon left / right
    Imperial Walkers

    Triple Touch a Pillar

    Partner up, touch 3 poles, mercans, WWIIs, something else.

    Elephant March…bear crawl in a line stopping to do various exercises while dodging the rain. Mercans, gas pumps, flutters, blah, blah, blah.

    Rain seems to have stopped…

    …Mosey to the back portico…which is closed for construction.

    Touch Some Construction Equipment. Rounds of 4, 6, 8. WWIIs, reverse crunches, and something else.

    Rain re-starts…mosey to the breezeway.

    Circle-of-Pick-‘Em.

    Rounds 1 and 2:

    7 Monkey Humpers
    60 seconds of People’s Chair
    10 Jazzercise
    20 LBCs
    Something from Handshake
    5 Burpees

    Slight adjustments for Round 3.

    BTTVSF.

    Numbers, names, and prayers for various people of importance.

  • More Clydesdale Fun

    Five glorious Clydesdales and one want-to-be Clydesdale slogged through the early morning gloom.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP – no counting for Last Call
      • Invisible jump rope
      • IW
      • DQ
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • DMH
      • Merkins
      • LBC
      • Penguins
      • APD
    • Mosey to the parking lot for group one-man Dora around the parking lot
      • 100 HRM
      • 200 side crunches, 100 each side
      • 300 LBC
    • Mosey down the street for a 3x check
      • Run
      • WWII sit-ups
      • Squats
    • Mosey back to the parking lot and wrap up with a choose your own adventure of abs or stretching
    • COT with YHC taking us out

    Great work from the PAX today with a Clydesdale friendly adventure.  Plenty of mumble-chatter had by all.  Not a lounge workout, but some incorporated elements. 

    God is good all of the time!


    Attila

  • Ronnie and The Jumbo Athletes

    4 Clydesdales (3 current, 1 aspiring) fought off the fartsack for this week’s rendition of The First Watch Lounge. 3-4 minutes before kickoff it looked like a repeato of last week’s FW Clydesdale crew until Ronnie emerged. Ronnie seemed eager to learn the ways of F3’s husky division, where great momentum and force are achieved without ground speed record pace. As the clock hit the top of the hour, this quad set off toward the Church parking lot.

    2-burpee buy-in at the speed bumps and circle up

    Warm-up consisting of dead man hangs, some broga, imperial walkers, Ukrainian soldiers, 30 seconds of jazzercise

    The Thang
    Classic 4 Corners around the church parking lot
    20 hand release merkins
    50 LBCs
    50 Monkey Humpers
    100 single count SSH
    Walking lunge in between the corners
    Active recovery to the church steps

    Quad Check
    Pace car traverses the lot and back
    Exercises of WWIIs, People’s Chair, and bench dips

    Repeato and reverso of the Classic 4 Corners
    100 SSHs
    50 Monkey Humpers
    50 LBCs
    20 hand release merkins
    Choose your own adventure between corners: some lunged, some karaoke’d, some bernie’d


    Active recovery back to the flag; buy-out of 2 burpees and a loop around the lot
    1 minute of choose-your-own Mary adventure

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out.

    Lunch next Tuesday in the West End + Homegrown Half upcoming. See Slack for details.

    Strong mumble chatter for a lounge-influenced ground and pound. Topics included the usual overshare, beach house drama, the definition of a “Jumbo Athlete,” and Ronnie’s car color preferences. The PAX did eclipse the mile threshold with the loop around the overflow lot, which could make today’s bootcamp ineligible for Lounge status. Happy to debate and thankful to lead.

    SYITG
    Wojo out