Tag: First Watch

River Road & Ridge

  • Hitch the new Handshake?

    Six Booters and a single stroller enjoyed the glorious tuckahoe morning for a beatdown for the ages. The Pax anxiously awaited for the timely arrival of little blue only to be welcomed by the sign of the silver sedan of Hitch coming in hot. Most of the intrepid travelers set off while Kubota wandered aimlessly likely egging houses and leaving flaming bags of feces (possibly his own) on the enchanted Tuckahoe stoops. For us more cultured souls, here is how things went down.

    Mosey around the parking lot and into Henrico’s smallest but finest park for introductions, salutations and disclaimers. YHC declared this beatdown would be a numberless episode with all exercises done in conversation without need for reps or responsibilities. Warm ups included, all on your own, DQ’s, Dead Man Hang, Imperial Walkers (maybe) along with some minor broga.

    Mosey over to Country Squire for some mailbox roulette. Merkins for the left sided mailboxes, WWII’s on the right. All done brocode style with YHC determining when to switch exercises.

    At the intersection of Country Squire and Ridge we partner up in odd numbered groups. Timer runs up the hill to the first reflective sign on the right and returns to find other performing squats and shoulder taps. Rotate a few more times.

    Slowsy up the hill as a group performing lunges, high knees walks, reverse lunge and finally mosey to the tip of the triangle park. Observing various landscaping features along the way the seemed like good bathing options to some.

    At the triangle we grouped again. Timer runs to the traffic light and returns to find partner performing various ab centric exercises. These included LBC’s, Flutters, APD’s and Freddie Mercuries.

    Slowsy into the park for some broga including pigeon and shavasana. BTTVF to meet up with Kubota. Names, no numbers, Prayers, Announcements. YHC took us out.

    Prayers/Announcements: Fireman Ed and Roger Roger as the work thru various health issues. Neighbors and friends that have lost employment recently. Chili Cook Off at El Woods casa. Centurian run/ruck. See Slack

    NMS: YHC had no idea what he was going to do today. A casual beatdown with plenty of conversation and broga was just what YHC needed after a hectic week. Sorry for the late backblast but it has been one of those days. Great mumblechatter of various topics including honeymoons, swim attire, travel plans among other topics. No verbal assaults from the neighborhood but plenty of decor open for comment. Thank you fellas for the opportunity to lead. Always enjoy this group of lads.

  • 9 Years, Almost

    7 studs joined YHC in the earliest/darkest gloom in the land to make a great 8 to celebrate 9. It went something like this – 0500 and off we go for a short mosey across the street to the front of the church.

    COP with various exercises and most of all the anticipation of Handshake having a reversal of fortune but alas he held it down.

    The THANG:

    9s – short mosey to the wall for 9s. 8 Donkey kicks on the wall, lunge across the lot and 1 squat, reverse lunge 7…2, continue to 1-8.

    Four Corners – 9 merkins, 18 jump squats, 27 2-ct freddie mercuries, 36 SSHs

    Reverse the Four Corners counting down

    Mosey to the triangle

    3 rounds of triangle circuit:

    • Point 1: 1 burpee, 2 squats, 3 merkins
    • Mosey
    • Point 2: 2, 4, 6 of the above
    • Mosey
    • Point 3: 3, 6, 9
    • Repeato 3 times for 9 points

    Back to the lot for 3 minutes of Mary

    COT, Numbers, Names and YHC took us out.

    Announcements: CSAUP Century Part Deux coming up May 2-3. Get your nano-region teams together – runners and ruckers needed. More details, and routes, to come.

    Coffeeteria, as always, was great.

    I hope Handshake survived what I am sure was a biblical experience when the gears got working.

    NMS: This Saturday, March 8, will mark YHC’s 9-year F3 anniversary. YHC will be in FL at UpChuck’s Clinic sitting on the beach and burning my bald head, so FW seemed like as good a chance as any to do an early celebration. All the better that Rosie showed up freshly off his Parisian escape and desperately looking from some air free of second-hand smoke. Thanks a million to Rosie for headlocking me all those years ago. It has been amazing to be part of this group and see the commitment and expansion. You all motivate me daily. Thank you. Keep up the great work.

    No More Gumbo for You!

  • Duck, Duck, Goose

    10 men met at an ungodly hour for 45 minutes of exercise

    Various exercises were completed and the limits were pushed with stupid hybrid exercises, most the Squat Imperial Walkers that looked more like something from Billy Blanks Taebo.

    The highlight was Duck, Duck, Goose. To reduce the risk of emotional and physical injury there was no running, only speed walking. YHC has a bruised back from when Splinter tried to cut to corner and ran into Senor Frog and fell on YHC. I guess we found out what happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object.

    Announcements – none

    Prayer requests – none

  • 11 to welcome the snow

    Eleven Disciples (Judas wasn’t there) arrived on dry roads to First Watch only to leave on slippery roads after. Once Handshake made the even group of ten turn into eleven (like he likes to do) off we went on a mosey around the church, stopping for speed bump burpees. Once we arrived in front of the church at the normal COP area, the wind decided for us to move to the eastern side of the church building’s brick wall.

    COP/11’s combo

    Perform 11’s of Carolina Dry Docks and Reverse Squats Crunches in between the normal exercises of a standard COP

    Mosey over to EF Hutton’s hill for a:

    Dora: 100 x WW2’s, 200 x Merkins, 300 x Squats. Timer up the hill to the lamppost and back

    Mosey a ways and settle down for 50 x LBC’s

    Mosey a ways and settle down for 100 x Single Count Flutter Kicks

    Partner up in and get back up the hill. One partner bear crawls, other partner does 10 Hand-Release Merkins. Catch your partner and swap.

    After a nice 20 count where we watched Hutton and Wojo continue the routine about a quarter mile ahead of us, the slower pax caught up to them.

    Partner up at the tip of the triangle for 2×20 PLT’s each partner

    Mosey back to the parking lot and circle up for a:

    Burpee Shuffle (a small mutiny was forming). About 4 Burpees were done before Hitchhiker called time. About 10 Burpees were done before the actual Q called time.

    Numbers, Names, Announcements and Wojo took us out!

    NMS:

    It was cold and everyone left right away for coffee. Lot of complaining about being on our backs in the snow. Also, the 200 merkins in the Dora. That’s why you partner with Last Call. Hutton and Wojo are still bear crawling towards the North somewhere.

    Thanks for coming out!

    Kubota

  • Slush Bros, non-Asynchronous style

    2 of Tucka-Ends finest joined for this weeks FW. One didn’t want to leave his Wingman hanging and other was Streaking (in Big Data) not literally.

    We started by Moseying over for the Church for COP under the Overhang. Followed up with a Pencil Roll-A-Thon. 3 Pencil Rolls and 10 WWII’s x 4 and then (3) Pencil Rolls and 10 HRM’s x 4.

    Mosey down to the bottom of S. Ridge and compete various exercises on the way back up the hill.

    No announcements.

    Sorry to miss the regular crew, see y’all next week.

  • Overshare

    Eight men came together to dominate the midwie hump. It did ten loops around the parking lot, with increasing numbers of exercises. BOM at the parking lot. Q tip: tell me more, repeating, and taking a breath are great strategies for active listening. Prayers for taking the high road.

  • Gunning for Lockjaw’s Q Ratio

    A hearty 9 fellas emerged from the gloom for a glorious day at First Watch. Here’s how it went down:

    Mosey to the church for a COP – SSH, Don Q, Ukrainian soldiers, reverse crunches, LBCs, merkins, and Dead man hang.

    Triple check – merkins, flutters, and run to the street.

    Mosey to the back of the church with a few burpees along the way. Partner up for some PLTs – 2 sets.

    11-s merkins and LBCs.

    Then 4 corners – burpees, jump squats, flutters, and LBCs. Next we found some wall space for People’s chair and balls to the wall.

    We tried out a few wind sprints with some merkins at the end, with some karaoke and skipping to keep it interesting.

    Mosey back to the parking lot for a brief round of Mary.

    Numberama, nameorama, and the Q took us out.

    Prayers for Splinter’s son who turns 16 and for Splinter’s check book after paying the insurance bill.

    Weather was just about perfect and spirits were high. Until the next time.

  • 4th F Theory

    Five WestHo studs especially endowed with 4th F power welcomed an SOJ takeover in subzero temps. Marking YHC’s 10th Q for 2025 and (per Big Data) YHC’s 410th documented Q, YHC put experience to work ensuring we all stayed warm.

    The THANG: 

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Mosey loop around the lot, completing x10 Broad Jump Burpees en route
    • Second lap picked up Handshake arriving late and completed another x10 Broad Jump Burpees so he wouldn’t feel left out
    • Circle up near the Virtual Shovel Flag (because YHC’s truck camper-shell locks were frozen and therefore unable to access the real shovel flag…)
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • The usual DTH top to bottom IC Reps

    GETTING THERE:

    • Mosey down River Road toward UofR with Gumbo’s headlamp leading the way
    • x10 Monkey Humpers IC in Saab’s driveway
    • Keep running, avoid the deer carcass
    • Access the training fields

    DIME POUNDER COUNT DOWN:

    • Like a quarter pounder but stops at every 10 yard line, and reversing order to start with the 100 and counting down to 10
    • Run x100 yards, x100 SSH, Bernie back
    • Run x90, x90 Plank Jacks, Bernie
    • 80yd, x80 Oblique LBC’s, Bernie
    • 70yd, x70 Monkey Humpers, Bernie
    • 60yd, x60 Dry Docks, Bernie
    • 50yd, x50 Flutters (2-ct), Bernie
    • 40yd, x40 Lunges (1-ct), Bernie
    • 30yd, x30 Merkins, Bernie
    • 20yd, x20 WWII, Bernie
    • 10yd, x10 Burpies, Bernie

    USE THE HILL:

    • No good hill left behind!
    • Bear crawl to the top
    • x10 Chain Smokers
    • Crawl bear back to the bottom

    GETTING BACK:

    • Mosey back up River Rd
    • Avoid getting hit by a car
    • x10 APD’s in Saab’s driveway (scolded by Handshake for counting cadence too loud)
    • Return to Virtual Shovel Flag

    MARY:

    • x10 Scrunchy Frogs IC
    • x10 Rosalita Dips IC

    COT:

    • Counterama # 6
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • HUTTON kindly took us out in Prayer

    Prayer Requests:

    • Chaplain’s M’s Uncle Charles – stroke
    • Fireman Ed under treatment
    • Kubota illness

    NMS:  During our little field workout YHC was astonished with the frequency and volume of the West Ho’s 4th F expression and developed a new F3 4th F theory – the earlier your AO starts, the less time your body has to leave the F in the Fartsack, thus increasing the F-factor during the workout. Anyway, it was a good little beatdown, no MABA madness though the early broad jump burpees had Handshake nervous. Nice to see Atilla twice this week, and excellent coffeerama at Starbucks! Look forward to next time gents – thanks for tolerating SOJ’s takeover! Gonna aim for hitting 500th Q this year, so just 90 to go. Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • This SUNDAY (1/26) – 8pm OTB Ruck (watch Slack for details, ALL are welcome!)
    • 2/8, 0600 Frozen Triangle – two options with Run/Boomcamp VS Ruck
    • 4/5, Mudslide recruiting for Spartan Race 10K in Concord (HUNDREDS OF F3 PAX GOING!)
    • April Hike/Ruck with Rodeo Clown to support Make-A-Wish
    • Watch Slack for updates on The Bridge

  • Beware of ice before the COP

    Eleven eager early risers came out for a Wolf moonlit beatdown at FW. After sliding across the uncleared ice in front of RRbC we did:

    COP: SSH, Don Qs, Ukrainian Soldiers, Helicopters, Merkins, Flutterkicks, Scorpion Kicks.

    Mosey to back lot for 4 corners: 10 burpees, 20 HRMs, 30 Jump squats, 40 LBCs. Keep the trend going with 50 Carolina Dry Docks, 60 Flutterkicks, 70 SSH, 80 Mtn Climbers. Some pax struggled with the higher level math counting above 40…

    Mosey up Ridge to University and partner up for a Dora: 100 HRMs, 200 Heels2Heaven, 300 Jump Squats. Mosey back to RRbC lot, bear crawl lot, back to flag. Pickle pounders, 1 min of Wilson & Fudds wife and done. YHC took us out. Prayers for our Honduras volunteering PAX, Fireman Ed and Fudds sister.

    NMS: Strong numbers for a cold mid-January morning. Ronnie rolled in with his 11th vehicle in last 5 years, only a defense attorney would trust his 16 yr old with a stick shift truck as a first vehicle. The Dora on University took way longer than anticipated but the PAX knocked it out.

  • Cold, Icy Morning at First Watch

    Seven stalwarts showed for this week’s edition of First Watch. After looping around the parking lot, we crossed River Rd to the front of River Road Church, Baptist to warm up. Exercises included:

    • SSH
    • Don Quixote
    • Dead Man Hang
    • LBCs
    • Flutter Kicks

    We then moseyed to the back of the church for a 4 corners. 10 Carolina Dry Docks; 20 Squats; 30 LBCs; 40 Monkey Humpers.

    Next, came a triple check. P1 Bernie Sanders to back parking lot entrance; P2 Mike Tyson Merkins; P3 jump squats.

    Then, another 4 corners, this time lady of the night style – after the 2nd corner, run back to first and do the first exercise; stop at 2nd corner for 2nd exercise and then on to third corner, etc. 10 Heels to heaven; 20 Merkins; 30 WWIIs, 40 SSHs.

    Finish with 11s. Hand release merkins (starting at 1), bear crawl across parking aisle, WWIIs (starting at 10), lunge back. The pax was on the downward trend (3 WWIIs and 8 HRMs) when time was called.

    Mosey back to the flag.

    Numbers / Names / Announcements / Prayers

    1. The Bridge on 1/25. See Slack / Fudd for details.
    2. Prayers for everyone confronting the ongoing water issues in the City and around the region.