2 Swift Freaks got together for some speed work on a chilly morning at Swift Creek Middle.
We headed off campus for the paved trails of Brandermill for a 2 mile warmup. Then to the track.
8 laps at 815-830 minute pace
120 seconds rest
4 laps at sub 8 minute pace
60 seconds rest
1 mile cool down
Great to get out and run with Boberry after YHC’s marathon.
4 beasts from the east in SOJ made for the latest Bermuda Triangle Beatdown. It was seasonably warm (finally) a perfect 70 and sunny in the gloom at Goyne Park. Here’s what went down.
Mosey lap to the lower parking lot and back to the flag to get the cindies ready at the pavilion. But first to the yoga mat for the standard warmarama, mission, credo, and core principles.
Back to the pavilion for a Dora
100 merkins
100 Goblet Squats
100 chair dips
Timer runs to the gate at the parking lot and Bernies back
Farmer’s Arm Day
Cindy curls to failure then Skull Crushers
Partner Farmer’s carries one Cindy to the tree and back, switching hands on the way back. Switch then repeato.
Return cindies, then Broadway took us for a mosey to the lower lot.
5 merkins and 5 SSH at alternating parking lot lines, descending to 1.
Bernie mosey back to the flag.
Names, numbers, prayer requests, and announcements.
Welcome back Eastbound who went into hibernation for the winter, and Welcome to Dr Doolittle! He has 4 dogs, and works with YHC, Eastbound, and Pool Boy. There may have been some merlot spilled, but all parties pushed through! Hopefully we’ll be seeing more of them both in the gloom!!
19 HIMS joined the Woodsman on a chilly spring morning for his 1 year beatdown. We started off with some side shuffles, karaoke, super mario jumps, bear crawls, and broad jumps. The pax then circled up for some SSH and then various stretches to complete the warm up.
COP#1 – the “Dirty Thirty” (5 rounds of 30 reps of an exercise at each cone, with running)
Cop#2 – Dora
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYERS
The dora was cut a little short due to time but overall a good workout to start the week. We covered over 2 miles so good warm up for the CSAUP. I got the circuit idea from Crabgrass’s gauntlet (which was killer). Thanks everyone for coming out, especially the F3 HIMS from a little north. Shout out to Chaplain, he was at my first F3 outing at the Crossing last spring so was great to have him down south on a Monday morning. I’ve enjoyed being a part of F3 and appreciate all of you guys. Looking forward to part 2 in a year.
The bat signal was called out for runners interested in the next great F3RVA CSAUP event. These men answered the call. Plan was a 4 mile route with the faster runners coming back for the six at each intersection. We got a nice cruise in with some guys pushing the pace when they felt the urge! Great work. If you are thinking about doing the century 2.0 on May 2-3 reach out to me!
I wish I had more time to give this backblast the TLC that it deserves but I’m currently sitting at Midlo High School, hooked up to my HotSpot and am getting ready to announce their game tonight. GO TROJANS!
Long story short, FLY BOY NEARLY POOPED HIS PANTS!!
WARMARAMA – Moseyed over to the bus loop, stretched out, gave the F3 mission and got into it.
COP #1 – Ran the bus lines with a mix between running, Bernie, side shuffle and high knees.
COP #2 – Lightpoles
COP #3 – 4 Corners, LOTN Style
COP #4 – Ring of Fire (Abs)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYERS
Love y’all and you KNOW I mean it!
Six Ruckhenge regulars and one esteemed FNG gathered this morning for a ruck around Larus park and Stony Point Fashion Park. Welcome Dolly (Lee Franco – Sable’s VCU colleague)!!
We trekked the western side of Larus, crossing the Sabot School gate, and onward to Stony Point Mall. We then turned East towards the VCU outpatient center and re-entered Larus. It was at that point YHC took the PAX into uncharted territory. We encountered a very steep hill, then a downed tree, then a “private property sign”… odd…before crossing a brick wall that could only signify one thing, the back of old Sabot School. Few PAX had ever dared trespass on the private school grounds and today we found ourselves there by pure accident. We hightailed it through the grounds and back to the safety of Stony Point shopping center.
10 minutes still remain. YHC audibles to partner touch-a-pole. Descending count from 5 to 1, no pole repeats, and rucksack merkins at the center. It was at this time Dealer made the perfect connection that the rucksack merkins is the tariff-loaded merkin befitting of the times we now live in. YHC took us out where the fellowship continued inside Einstein’s for discussion of chapter 3 of 12 Rules for Life.
Announcements
Prayer Requests
6 brave HIMs rolled out of their fart sacks to face the frost and flex some grit at this mornings chilly Green Mile beat down. Some say it’s a dying AO, but the dedication and consistency of these guys say otherwise!
A special shoutout to the RT/ NM guys who made it out; I laud your Herculean endeavor of traversing an interminable expanse of asphalt to grace us with your presence this morning.
Warmup:
Mosey to bus parking lot and back
Thang 1:
Ascending Reps (5-10-15-20): 2 rounds, (round 2 turned into 5-10-5-10)
Suicide after each segment: cone 1 after 5 reps, cone 2 after 10 reps, cone 3 after 15 reps, cone 4 after 20 reps.
Turned out to be 80 reps total of each exercise. YHC intended to do 4 rounds of this, but quickly realized that was out of reach.
Thang 2:
Quick mosey to bus lot for a Triple Check/ Bermuda Triangle (except it was straight)
Run to cone 1
Cone 1: one burpee, bear crawl to cone 2
Cone 2: two burpees, lunge to cone 3
Cone 3: three burpees, broad jump to cone 4
Run back to partners. Partners did flutter kicks and WW2s
Quick mosey to pick up cones and back to parking lot and that was time.
COT:
To my F3 brothers, I want to pour out my heartfelt gratitude and unwavering support you’ve shown me these past few months. At my first Q I opened up a little about about my journey- I laid bare the chapters of my life I wasn’t proud of. For years before 2020 I wandered down a dark path tangled in an unhealthy lifestyle and surrounded by a rough crowd. This was my world until marriage and fatherhood began to rewrite my story. Even for three years, I drifted lost searching for an anchor- until July 2024 when F3 found me. A special nod to Heist whose relentless encouragement became the nudge I needed to step into this brotherhood. Since that day, every corner of my life, mind, body, and spirit had blossomed in ways I couldn’t imagine 8 months ago. F3 has been a lifeline and a gift I’ll carry with gratitude forever. I pray that God guides me to find others like me that may be lost and want to be found. Thank you all for lifting me up and showing me what it means to belong. see you guys in the gloom!
7 HIMs came out on a cold April morning to enjoy the cool air. It was a busy morning in the hood, many more cars on the road than normal. No worries, onward we go.
YHC had his wife’s yoga pants on and set a brick pace for the squad. Skipped are usual route and went around the far side of RounTrey. Made our way to Alamo, Flyboy thought we were going home, but no, more time to ruck so we skipped around the other way past 3 Doors Down and made our way to the reservoir.
Flyboy thought we were going to exit by Swoops house and drop him off but nope, YHC zigged when Flyboy was ready to zag and we swung past Sunny Ds and up the hill to Rudy’s. And timmme
4 Inmates of the asylum that is the Ecoff Elementary jungle gym, got together for another edition of Pull-ups and Dips. Here’s how it transpired.
Start with the usual stretches, then Pool Boy led some arm circles and taint ticklers. Then some Hollow Rocks.
Ladders
We paired up and took turns doing a pull up ladder, then repeated with a Dip Ladder.
Finished up with a set of max reps Pull-ups, then Dips.
No soap was dropped in the asylum.
Great to have State Farm and Boberry join us for the extra credit before State Farm’s SMACKTALK Beatdown!
An unexpected Tuesday ruck culminated late Monday night through text. Whatever it takes to get people out seemed to be the theme.
When I arrived, I couldn’t help but notice the undercurrents of tension. Little did I know that this was actually a recon mission for Flyboy’s ongoing grudge against New Market. I’m not even sure they’re aware. In his words, “I’m behind enemy lines.”Fandango seemed slightly jealous and the other side of Hull St remained neutral. I’m not sure what’s going on between RoundTrey and New Market, but everytime I’m with Flyboy, the tension seems to rise. I hope they come to terms fast.
All joking aside, spirits were high and we were off, discussion topics were all over the place this morning; from Satans Hills deceptive elevation, to past extreme F3 workouts and our inspiring F3 brothers. It quickly transitioned to mother in laws, to how many kids is too many kids, to the US’s enormous defense budget, to a Rudy Q getting lost in NM, to how palatial NM is compared to RT, etc. But most importantly, we concluded that walking in the woods at night is scary and that John Denver is full of… well you know. All in all we covered about 2.5 miles, always a nice way to start the day.
Thanks for coming out and supporting YHCs ailing back on a random Tuesday morning. I seem to learn something new everytime I’m out. Until next time.