Tag: First Watch

4 Corinthian warriors of the Ancient Gloom volunteered to take up the First Watch, today consisting of Zeus’ perpetual mountain penance, “The Sisyphus.” (Credit: Mr. Holland) With several FW regulars called away on various forms of Family Duty, the PAX set off precisely at 05:00, collectively commenting on the particularly pleasant, precisely sunny and 70, weather conditions.

Mosey 30 yards to South Westham, Ridge, and some other street.

SSHs
DQs
S’s DMH
Downward Dog (right leg high, then left leg high)
Hip and hamstring stretch

Note the First Orange Disk marking the Top of the Hill. That’s the Return Point for each round.

Round 1: Run downhill on South Westham to the Second Disk. Bear crawl uphill to the Return Point.

Round 2: Run downhill to the Third Disk. Pick up a block. 25 curls. Leave the block. Run uphill to the Return Point.

Round 3: Run downhill to the Third Disk. Pick up a block. Continue downhill to the Fourth Disk. 25 Downhill Facing Derkins. Leave the block. Run uphill to the Return Point.

Round 4: Run downhill to the Fourth Disk. Pick up a block. Continue downhill to the Fifth Disk. 25 Uphill WWIIs. Leave the block. Run uphill to the Return Point.

Round 5: Run downhill to the Fifth Disk. Pick up a block. Continue downhill to the Sixth Disk. Quadra-Triple Check. One PAX runs back to the Fourth Disk. Other PAX rotate through Flutter Kicks, Box Cutters, and Block Presses. Leave the block. Run 20 Yards to the First No Parking Sign.

Park in the No Parking Zone – Complete 5 WWIIs at the next four No Parking Signs. Run to the Last No Parking Sign. Return to the Blocks.

Round 6: Pick up a block. Carry it up South Westham BTTF. Accumulate any Orange Disks and Blocks along the way. YHC thanks the PAX for their clean-up efforts.

Announcements:

YHC is taking up a collection to buy Handshake’s wife an electric toothbrush.

Ts&Ps for Florence’s MIL and Handshake’s Grandmother. Also, the entire Kubota Residence has been put under one of those 1970s Insect Infestation Nets for Fumigation purposes. YHC assures the PAX that no actual organisms will be harmed in this process; rather, they will be captured humanely and offered sanctuary on the Hardywood Family Farm, where the guineas, chickens, goats, alpacas, and bats will simply consume each organism to the point of its natural death.

NMS: YHC has been itching for several years to attend and/or Q this workout ever since Mr. Holland introduced it at Twin Team. YHC thanks Mr. Holland. Good stuff. Each round brought an additional level of grip-i-tude from the PAX.

For more on Sisyphus, https://www.ancient.eu/sisyphus/

UpChuck spits the bit.

Six strong found their way to First Watch on this glorious morning. After Swiper found the Pax in the correct parking lot, off we went to the front of the church.

COP:

SSH’s, Helicopters, Don Quixotes, Russian Soldiers, Scorpion Kicks, Merkins, LBC’s

Since Honeydo did not want to honor the Washington Football Team at Hoedown on Monday for their big win, YHC called out 8 Burpees on your own for the 8 sacks that the WFT defense collected on Sunday. Thnaks to EF Hutton for the idea of Sacks=Burpees instead of Points=Burpees.

Mosey down to the main parking lot for:

DORA:

Partner up and complete 100 x WWII sit-ups, 200 x 2-count Flutter Kicks and 300 x Squats. Partner runs to the church bus and back.

Head over to the dumpster enclosure for:

Triple Check:

Partner 1 = Balls to the Wall

Partner 2 = Box Cutters

Partner 3 = Bear Crawl to parking line, 5 Merkins, and Crawl Bear back.

3 rounds

Mosey around the back of the church, stopping at speed bumps to complete a Burpee at each.

Gather near the Shovel Flag for:

Weighted Stations:

Station 1: Lawn Mower Pulls with 35lbs KB

Station 2: High Pulls with Metric Weighted KB

Station 3: Swings with 25lbs KB

Station 4: Bench Presses with Cinder Block

Station 5: American Hammers

Station 6: Run the parking lot loop

Almost 2 rounds

MARY:

Spell “WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM” with your legs while on your back

Rosalitas x 20

Numbers, Names, Announcements and YHC took us out!

NMS:

There always seems to be a rotating PAX at First Watch. A couple of the regulars decided to complete the IPC Week 3 challenge again this morning and head over to Heartbreak Ridge, but a couple of First Watch Kotters and a Newbie filled in the blanks. You can always count on 5 or 6 PAX hitting the very early workout. Temps were great and the PAX put in some good, hard work. Going from Balls to the Wall into a Bear Crawl with Merkins was kinda brutal. Or vice versa, Crawls into BTTW, same brutality.

Thanks for coming out early, men! Have a great day!

Kubota

6 of Richmond’s finest emerged the morning after Iron Pax to test their fortitude with another workout and this is what went down:

COP – stretching only, Saab style

Mosey with Coupon down Ridge towards the River, stop at intersection for a Triple Check. Partner 1 runs up the hill about 50/75 yards with their Coupon and back, Partner 2 does WWII’s, Partner 3 does Curls with their Coupon.

Mosey further down the hill and stop for some exercises. 50 2-Count Flutters, 50 Coupon presses, 25 Skull Crushers with Coupon. Repeat 2 Times.

Mosey further down the hill. Partner up for a Coupon Catch me if you Can. Partner 1 does 25 WWII’s, Partner 2 mosey’s up the hill with both Coupons until Partner 1 finishes the WWII’s then catches Partner 2. Repeat until back up at the top of the hill.

Grass patch at Ridge. 10 Merkins with right arm on the Coupon. 10 Merkins with left arm on the Coupon. 20 Merkins with both feet on the Coupon. A set of WWII’s with block, and a last set of Coupon presses and Skull Crushers.

NMS – After week 2 of Iron Pax YHC wasn’t interested in any beat down that he couldn’t control the exercises, so YHC grabbed the Q on Tuesday afternoon. Shortly afterwards Honeydo texted with laundry list of requests, so YHC of course was happy to oblige. YHC rolled in 2/3 minutes earlier than normal driving the M’s Mini Van. Upon parking YHC hit the Tailgate button and what YHC heard next was akin a sound a dying animal when Honeydo let out a shriek knowing that Coupons were going to be exiting the Swagger Wagon. Luckily for the guys, they were lighter landscape stones from YHC’s Retaining Wall.

Announcements: Retreat weekend of October 3rd. Shawn G Hogan Memorial Beer Mile coming up mid October. See Faceplant for date and Beer recommendations.

4:55 a.m. two PAX sat in their cars, reading.

YHC approached. YHC invited the PAX to a solid beat down. The PAX declined, preferring a restful morning at First Watch.

YHC confesses that Kubota did invite YHC to “double post,” apparently counting a 10 minute stretch-fest at First Watch as a “workout.”

4:56 a.m. YHC departed.

A quartet of toned studs arrived before the sun to take on the day at First Watch. As YHC arrived an attempted poacher was taking off after an attempt to hijack the PAX for a rival AO. Fortunately the PAX remained faithful to the temptation.

5 am called and off we went. This is what was rumored to have occurred according to the paper carriers flying along the road.

COP 1: Warmarama consisting of DQ’s, SSH’s, Cherry Pickers, Arm Circles

COP 2: 7 of Diamonds – Burpees, Shoulder Tap Merkins, LBC’s, Monkey Humpers, Heels to Heaven, Mountain Climbers, Merkins

COP 3: Lazy Dora with coupons: 100 Lt Dans, 200 Chest Presses, 300 Curls (called early due to time)

BTTF: YHC took us out

Announcements/Prayers: Labor Day Convergence on Monday at Gridiron, Florence Mother in Law going into surgery today, EF Huttons Father waiting for results on his scan tomorrow.

Moleskin: Mumble Chatter from Week 1 of the Iron Pax Challenge. Calling Burpees almost lead to a mutiny from the PAX as everyone was still burning from the brutal workout. Didn’t have time to finish the Dora but good work none the less.

Great to see the usual suspects at the AO this morning for some coupon work and a slow mosey around the church. Great work today gentlemen. Always good to get the workout in before the sunrise. Seize the Day boys.

In the absence of Kubota’s figurative Big Green Machine there sat Big Blue as YHC arrived.  In came Wojo and Handshake flaming hot.  Here’s what transpired:

Mosey to the common area. 

COP

• Freddie Mercurys
• Scorpion Kicks
• Merkins w/ Hooooold It
• Imperial Walkers
• Helicopters
• Copperhead Squats

Mosey to bottom of S. Ridge

Love/Hate Hill

• P1 – Run uphill to first street and back
• P2 – Exercise (Lunge, Polar Bear, Broad Jump Burpees)

Alternate until both partners reach the street

Bernie to Ross

Catch Me If You Can

• P1 – Bear Crawl, High Knees
• P2 – 3 Burpees and Chase

Mosey to Parking Lot

Ails of Rails (IC)

• Derkins x 10, Dips x 10, Pole Smokers x 10, Repeato, Repeato w/ Incline Merkins

Mosey to Church side lot

Honeydo Heaven (3 Rounds)

• P1 – Wall sit
• P2 – Donkey Kicks x 10, Karaoke over and back

Mosey out front

Mary

• Flutter Kicks
• American Hammers
• Alabama Prom Dates

Mosey to SF

Numberama, Nameorama, COT

MOLESKIN

One of the great things about First Watch has been the revolving door of PAX. Apart from the constant of Kubota and perhaps YHC, the numbers are consistently between 3 and 7 PAX, but seemingly never the same 3 to 7.  Several post enough to be called regulars, but there always seems to be a couple of PAX that are new or have only been out once or twice.  Awesome to have Swirly out for his 2^nd visit to the earliest and perhaps now darkest AO in RVA today.  Always fun when 2 lunatics in dark clothing highkneeing down the street can scare the heck out of a dog walker.  Welcome back to Mrs. Wojo.  Married life seems to have been good so far, except for that 1% of control he’s now lost. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CORNHOLE!  Anyone have some boards they can lend?

An elite 3 found coupons waiting in the COP. We did:

COP: SSH, Russian Soldiers, Flutterkicks, merkins, IMperial Walkers. Grab a coupon next to the road. Setup for Triple Check: SitNPress, Curls, and Lunge with Cinder block. 60 Block bench presses. Some Alabama Softball players, then leave block behind.

Mosey over to Cameron St and down. Way back 10 Merkins on mailboxes on left side, 10 WWIIs on right. Back to HSP (Henrico’s smallest park) and pick up coupon: KB Swings alternating hands, Squats. Over to RRB lot: Bear Crawl half lot, jog rest. Sprint length back to blocks in HSP. Some more Bench presses and Squats. Back to flag for 2 min of mary, shift 20 yards upwind thanks to EF Hutton. LBCs, Heels2Heaven, & American Hammers.

Announcements: 10k Friday morning at 5:15 or whatever your anticipated 10k finish time will be to get there at 6:15. Iron PAX week one starts next week, still plenty of time to sign up.

NMS: With 2 of our “softer’ regulars for First Watch at the beach this week YHC wanted to bust out some cinder blocks for a more challenging workout. Last Call and Hutton made it look easy. During the Block curls some of the PAX got flashbacks of Marmaduke’s bicep burner at Dogpile.

Five Strong hit the streets early this morning in the gloom to make themselves better before their 6am naps. Here is what transpired:

Mosey over to the smallest Henrico County Park that exists for COP:

Helicopters and DQ’s

No stragglers, let’s roll to the UR Amphiteater

5 Incline Merkins on each step down

Lindsey: 30 LBC’s at bottom run up to top 10 Jump Squats run back down. 25/15 20/20 15/20 10/30

Flutter Kicks for the 6

Lt. Dan Box Jumps on each step going up

Round of 10 Pole Smokers per PAX member while rest of PAX hold 6 inches, 45 degrees or 90 degrees

Exit Amphitheater and head down trails to the lake and mosey over the bridge to the island.

11’s: Dips on benches/Decline Merkins on benches

Lunge walk back over the bridge and take trail and College Dr back up to River Road.

Make a pit stop at Saab’s for 25 Monkey Humpers and 25 APD’s

Mosey back to VSF

Numbers, Names, Announcements and we all took ourselves out with the Lord’s Prayer.

NMS:

Way to work this morning men! Nice and warm at 5am. Thanks for changing things up and coming to First Watch this morning, Bodo’s! Always great to see the regulars Hutton, Last Call and Handshake. Don’t leave us hanging Honeydo, Splinter, Wojo, Lockjaw, Offshore 🙂

SYITG!

Kubota

A Band of 7 warriors (and one pup) spent 45 minutes in the Prison Yard. This is what (vaguely) transpired.

COP – handful of the usual suspects

Four Corners – or really two corners, squared with a 1/2 run around the parking lot each time

Bear Crawl between spaces and 1 Merkin x 26 Parking Spaces (DTH pointed out it was essentially just a Polar Bears through the parking lot)

2 laps around the parking lot

Jump Squats x 5 x 26 spaces

1 lap around Parking Lot

50 WWII’s OYO

Run Lap?

100 LBC’s

1 Burpee per parking spot x 26 spots

3 Sprints to pay homage to Last Calls’ Q to finish up.

Announcements:

• Bone Thugs VQ next Thursday, August 13th at The Forge
• Puppy Pile sometime soon?
• Bone Thugs 10k at RAMM on Friday, August 21st (Bone Thugs launches at 0500 and everyone else will launch at 0515)
• was there something else?

Prayer requests:

• Doozy, as he gets over his Kidney Stone
• Florence’s In-Laws battling lung cancer
• Upchucks MIL with Lung Cancer as well

NMS:

Its no secret that Handshake doesn’t Q often. But YHC was challenged by the regular First Watchers to lead a Q, so YHC obliged. YHC called this the Butterfly workout because there was just enough rhythm to assume what was coming next, but without truly knowing. Staying in the small parking lot was only slightly claustrophobic. It was good to see some different faces, and with the addition of Cooper this may have broken the First Watch attendance record.

5 toned studs arrived at River and Ridge before the sun this morning to see what an SOJ immigrant could bring for his AO VQ. Here is the story of how it went from those that were smart enough to remember.

COP at the church included quick round of arm circles and cherry pickers. Warm enough, lets grind?

THE THANG: Mosey back to the parking lot for a bit of 4 corners with a twist: 25 American Hammers (2 count), 50 Merkins, 75 Mountain Climbers, 100 Jump Squats. Bear Crawls on the short end to get those shoulders nice a buff.

Mosey over to the triangle at Ridge and Westham for a Super Dora. 100 WWII’s, 200 Ball Dippers, 300 Alabama Prom Dates, 400 Carolina Drydocks. Timer runs up to the traffic light at Ridge and back.

Still time on the clock, Lets go back to the Church for an SOJ staple with a Doozy Mankiller classic.

PAX still had energy to burn so mosey back to the parking lot for some sprints. All out 60 yard sprint to get our combine times on point. Walk back to the line and lets go again.

MBTTF with a Merkin Ring of Fire until sun comes up.

Numberama, Namearama, Announcement, YHC took us out.

Announcements: Honeydo pulling the double header today with Hill Run tonight followed by beverages of choice. Respect to Kubota’s M for retiring from Hanover Schools after 16 years leading the classroom. Thoughts and prayers to those on the front lines.

NMS: It was an honor joining these great men today in a bit of ground and pound. Mumble chatter with a short COP to dive right into the grind. PAX flew thru the Super Dora much quicker than expected with mumble chatter about shoulders so YHC decided to work the calves with the Mankillers. PAX seemed to crush everything that was thrown at them with style and grace. Sprints seemed to be highlight the youth in the ranks with experienced veterans bringing up the rear.

Seems Kubota was a meteorologist in a former life and mentioned something about the comet sighting at dusk last night. Not sure if it is fact or fiction, as no one else was aware of its existence. Maybe a Russian satellite or Elon Musks’ latest rocket to Mars.