Tag: #SOJ

  • Butt Kicked

    Sauna like conditions at Bettie Weaver Elementary School……..and with Doozy and the young guns pushing the pace, YHC was in a fight to survive. Here is an extremely brief summary for your viewing pleasure:

    Ran on the paved trail through Robious Landing Park, then back out towards JRHS. Access trail behind The Swamp to River Downs. Left back up to Robious Road. Up Twin Team until you hit the intersection with Robious. Back to the Flag.

    Final Thoughts: A few us had to hold down the fort at River Run, but thoughts were with Wildcat and his birthday celebration. His speech at the Grow Ruck was a bright spot for me amongst multiple hours of misery. Tough conditions this morning…………….I had contemplated enjoying a fine glass of merlot last night. Definitely glad I passed that one up!

    SYITG

  • The Crimson Badge of Honor

    8 warriors entered the ring at Rockwood, having bid farewell to Birthday Boy Banksy, Iron PAX Hero Boberry, and demi-God Hardywood heading for The Iron Bridge. Not to be outdone by Poolboy at our newest SOJ AO, the Rock&Roll PAX welcomed TWO FNG’s – Katniss from the DTH pipeline and Swanson who saw a Gomer yard sign at Rockwood 2 weeks ago! Here’s how these fine men conquered the flesh, and YHC was honored with Merlot:

    The THANG:

    WARMERAMA: 

    • Moseyrama around the big lot and circle up in the side grass
    • Welcome & Disclaimer
    • Extended session of Variable IC Reps to get the muscles warm top to bottom
    • FNG Swanson is 44 – so we completed x44 Flutters IC to round out the warmerama

    COP #1: 

    • Run (not mosey) around the loop to the smaller bball court
    • LINDSEY
    • WWII’s 30–>10
    • LBC’s 10–>30
    • Between sets, Bear Crawl Across, Lunge Back
    • Front-runners bring in the SIX

    COP #2:

    • Mosey to the Tennis Courts
    • F3 PLANKOREVIEW
    • Plank it up in a tight circle
    • Hold 6” to review each F3 item, then push up and stretch between
    • F3 Mission
    • F3 Credo
    • F3 Core Principles 

    COP #3:

    • BOOYAH LADDER
    • Partner up and complete x10 booyah merkins, then while one runs around the court, the other stays for chain smokers
    • Then complete x9 booyah merkins, and switch runner while other stays for smokers
    • Continue down to x1 booyah merkin
    • KATNISS honored the Q with Spilling Merlot at this point

    DEEP DISH INTERMISSION:

    • DD made a personal request for Monkey Humpers (maybe in the hopes it would be easy?)
    • FNG Katniss is 30, so we completed x30 Copperhead-style monkey humpers IC …these are NOT easy! 

    COP #4:

    • Moseyrama back to the large lot
    • BEAR CRAWL 75 yards (alternate Lunge if needed), frontrunners back for the SIX
    • x50 high-quality DIPS OYO on the picnic tables

    COP #5:

    • WALLORAMA at the snack shack
    • Milkers IC
    • BTTW for Hip-Slappers IC
    • Hoedowns IC

    Mosey BTTF:

    • Two minutes of plankorama & stretching

    COT:

    • Counterama # 8
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Below)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Beautiful morning to lead this fine group of men, and AWESOME to welcome a couple FNG’s to the brotherhood. That’s FOUR FNG’s for SOJ in a single morning! Well done guys!!! FNG Stewart recently brought his firstborn to YHC’s clinic, and was quick to accept the invite to F3 – he’s an absolute natural athlete and will be very quick to put his merlot-spilling days behind him! His nickname comes from being a long-time archer, and our genius Steamer came up with the Hunger Games main character – welcome KATNISS! Our second FNG is AJ who we headlocked a couple weeks ago at Rockwood and testifies to the Gomer yard sign being central in his choice to return. AJ is a lifer student working on his doctorate and does a lot of IT stuff for homeland security. The PAX had a LOT of ideas but we landed on a character from Parks&Rec who hates the government – welcome SWANSON! Keep posting guys. SOJ will continue to achieve addition by division as we grow and split to plant new AO’s. Yours AYE! ~DTH

    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • Monday – Wildcat Bday Q at the Alamo
    • Next Sat 6/29 – School of Rock
    • July 4th Convergence, 7am, Forrest Hill Park
    • Summer Tour ongoing

  • The Iron Bridge Kickoff – Partner stuff edition

    16 sweat titans converged for what turned out to be an AMAZING kickoff to RVA’s 34th(?) AO. Major props to Pool Boy for EH’ing 2 FNG’s! Welcome Snowbunny and Choo Choo – freaking great work. If the early run/ruck was not nasty enough, the sun, the heat, and the Choo Choo train to the town of beat down finished us off. After grabbing some candy from Hardywood’s van, we partnered up and did some questionable things…

    WARMARAMA

    • Mosy to bball court
    • Intro, disclaimer, fng, inaugural kickoff
    • Ssh plus 1 footed
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Willie Mays Hays
    • Helis
    • Plank – Mission, Credo, Principles 
    • Nolan Ryan’s

    THE THANG

    • COP 1 -Songarama – Tubthumping (“I get knocked down”)
      • Lunge the exterior of the court
      • 1 burpee at “I get knocked down”
      • Nasty
    • COP 2 – Indigenous Curb Crawl
      • PAX in the back does 5 groiners – runs to the front
      • 1 loop going left
      • Recover
      • 1 loop to the right
    • COP 3 – Pullup mini-Dora
      • Partners do 100 Pullups or Jerkins
      • Timer runs to junction box
    • Mosy to Gazebo – short breathing break in the shade
    • COP 4 – Weird Partner Stuff
      • Wheelbarrow Merkins
      • Wheelbarrow Partner Rows (Downhill from here)
      • Booyah Merkins
      • Back to Back Flutter kicks (physics did not seem to work on this one)
      • PAX complaining earned them a mosy over to the hot blacktop 🙂
    • COP 5 – Group Relay
      • Group Runs to a given point – first PAX back calls an XO
      • Once 6 is in – YHC leads 5 reps in Cadence
      • Round 1 – Run to hill, bernie, return, Diamond Sit-ups
      • Round 2 – Run top of hill, crawl bear down, return, Plank Jax
      • Round 3 – Run to stadium stairs, up and down, return, LBC’s
      • The heat was raging at this point…
    • COP 6 – Polesmoker mini Dora
      • 100 Polesmokers
      • 200 Pole Squats
    • MBTTF
    • Names, Numbers
    • FNG’s!
      • Welcome Snowbunny and Choo Choo! Antoine (Snowbunny) had a great story about some intoxicated snow angels on a ski trip. Donald (Choo Choo) works for the railroad. Choo Choo made it to the ruck as well! These guys absolutely crushed it. Can’t wait to get them back again.
    • Announcements
      • Convergence
      • Wildcat Bday Q at Alamo Monday
    • Prayers
      • Pool Boy friend Timmy for healing. Rodeo Clown for job search
    • Iced coffee on the tailgate! Delish.

    NMS

    I can’t thank everyone enough for making the trek down to the kickoff. Big shout out to Posh for getting all the online stuff setup and helping plant this new AO with me. Thanks also to Florence for his leadership and guidance on planting a new AO. I am so honored to lead such a group of BAMF’s (Badass Mother F**rs) – you guys never cease to amaze me with your grit and leadership. SYITG!

    -State Farm

  • Happy Birthday Banksy!!!

    An iron PAX warrior, a DTH-pipeline FNG, a ruck-virgin Birthday Boy, and your humble correspondent. 45 minutes of awesome conversation rucking a couple miles around Rockwood, finished off with 10 minutes of Mudslide Broga. GREAT way to start the day gentlemen, and a Happy Birthday to Banksy! Yours AYE! ~DTH

  • Glory Days Run @ Goyne Hard

    5 gazelles clocked nearly 4.5miles for the first Iron Bridge Morning Wood (now dubbed – “Goyne Hard”). About 1 mile in we all realized the group was GrowRuck veterans. We spent the next sweaty miles reminiscing about the toughness and teamwork exhibited at that amazing event. What a pleasure to get some extra credit with these guys before the big Iron Bridge kickoff! Nicely done men.

  • Ruck in the Goyne

    3 of us headed out to ruck around. Looped the football field before headed to the back 9 of the disc golf. Made our way through the neighborhood and back to the park. Finished out with some Bernie’s up the hill by the football field. The FNG later named Choo Choo came prepared for the ruck, and House party and myself filled him on what to be prepared for. Great morning fellas. All in about 2.5 miles

  • The Humidity and Summer is back

    I called an audible at 525 in my head. I had an idea for something that had been in my head for a while yet with the number of people we had, it was best to save it for another time. 8 came out swing what I had in store for today. According to my Garmin, today’s workout was more recovery yet if you were there, it was 42 minutes intense and the last 3 chilled. Here we go:

    A little run down to the stop sign and back, then WARMARAMMA time(SSHs, Jazzercise, Imperial Walkers, Ukrainian Soldiers, Cherry Pickers, Merkins, LBCS, Alabama Prom Dates, then a little hip back stretch time to take off

    First up….a triple check with 8 we split into 2 4 man groups at the circle. Run up to Wilson’s place(I should have added 10 Monkey Humpers there), dorm at the bottom hand released merkins and reverse lunges. If we had more, from there we would have gone straight but at the intersection turned left

    The classic: DORA(100 Merkins, 200 squats, 300 LBCs) everyone was in high gear at that point it didn’t matter speed wise, we were putting in the work.

    A new thing I tried and will add it to future workouts there. Take the individual numbers on the mailbox, total it and do that exercise. From the top to the flag, there are 4 mailboxes so the 2 on the right(plank jacks) on the left(calf raises).

    To the coupon areas grab your rock of choice: we rotated the rocks doing a variety of exercises: presses, goblet squats, skull crushers etc. Nancy put it out there “off anyone calls burpees, there will beat rock in a windshield). No one did so the other half was up to the bars, 10 jerkinsn then back. With about 3 minutes left, back to the flag for a little broga, then a rarity where at 45 minutes we were done. Names, numbers, and a little prayer highlighted by Futon’s mom starting a new drug trial led by YHC to close things out

    I will put it out there… If you get winded or the heat is too much during a Q, please say something. we can take a little break or go to an area close by that will allow you to rest. If you need to take water or an electrolyte drink with you bring it. Remember, each time you come out it’s a journey for mind, body and soul. Have a good one see Slack for the latest news I will see you next time

  • Nothing but love on Twin Team Hill

    Ten SOJ titans rolled out of the fartsack to see if the McRib was still on the menu at Twin Team. According to the cleaning lady at Bettie Weaver Elementary, here’s what went down.

    Warm o rama – Mosey from parking lot of BW to cul de sac at bottom of Twin Team

    • Disclaimer
    • SSHs x 20
    • Don Quijote x 10
    • Arm Circles x 15 w. reverso
    • Imperial Walkers x 20
    • LBCs x 20
    • The Merkin x 10

    Mosey to 13609 Twin Team Ln

    The Thang

    • Love Hill – partner up; partner 1 runs to 13601 Twin Team lane (2/3 up the hill) and back; partner 2 is doing polar bear crawl, switch when partner returns. Incorporate the following exercises in subsequent sets until both partner reach the driveway; Broad Jump Burpees, Lunges.
    • Love Hill 2 – same sequence as before, but the goal is to get to the top of TT hill.
    • Circle up at the top of TT hill and perform Flutter Kicks x 20 IC.
    • 20 count break sponsored by Warby
    • Mosey to 1/3 down the hill – stop for 20 Monkey Humpers
    • Mosey another 1/3 down the hill – 20 Squats
    • Mosey to the start of the 1st Love Hill – 20 LBCs (I forget if this is what we actually did)
    • Mosey back to the cul de sac and circle up for IC Merkins
    • Mosey back to the entrance to the parking lot at Bettie Weaver
    • Indigenous People Run to the end of the bus loop.
    • Mosey to the playground
    • 6-Pack – everyone finds a bar for pull – ups; 6 rounds of escalating pullups and de-escalating squats (1 and 5, then 2 and 4, etc.)
    • Mosey to the free throw line extended for bear crawl to baseline…then lunge back.
    • Mosey back to the flag

    Mary

    Burpee shuffle

    Numberama, namorama,

    NMS

    We came, we saw and we absolutely conquered Twin Team Hill this morning. I have done quite a few workouts on that hill, but never had done a Love Hill until this morning. It was about as fun as expected, and thankfully no spilling of merlot occurred.

    Today marked the official anniversary of my very first workout, which was 6/21/16. I have taken a hiatus or two, when life got busy and stressful. In hindsight, I regret taking those breaks and not realizing how important it is to get up and do something hard to start each day. Also, it is important to lean on fellow F3 brothers when time gets hard and use the time together, in the gloom, to get through it.

    Thanks to those that indulged my antics this morning. It was a pleasure and honor to lead.

    Leave no man behind…Leave no man where you found them.

    Announcements:

    • Poker night tonight at DTHs – see slack for details and rsvp
    • WildCat Bday Q at Alamo on Monday 6/24
    • Convergence at Batteau on 7/4 at 7 AM
    • HR Derby at No Toll – check the Q sheet
    • Homemade Half Marathon on 8/3 at Robious Landing Park – See slack for details or reach out to Don Draper

    Prayer Requests

    • Continued prayers for Wildcat and family

    YHC Took us out

    Til next time…

    McRib

     

  • Summer Solstice…more like Sumer DISCice

    17 grown-boys took advantage of the extra sunlight this morning and got after it with some Ultimate Frisbee. With DTH’s cones marking the perimeter of the field and YHC’s pinnies (thought it was penny until today) being utilized to help differentiate teams, here’s what went down…

    Warmarama – Moseyed down to the field and circled up. Gave the F3 mission and got into it…SSH, Cherry Pickers, Dead Man Hang, arm/shoulder stretches, Merkins, Wilson’s Wife and Fudd’s Wife.

    The THANG – Split up into two teams. Team-pinnies had (9) players and the pinnie-less team had (8) players. The extra man on team-pinnie was initially seen as an advantage and that makes sense as we can all agree that 9>8. But in the end, it didn’t prove to make too much of a difference. Team-pinnie did end up taking the W but it was in LARGE part due to the red-zone yips on the other side. Make no mistake, YHC will take a W all day long and twice on Sundays. However, this felt like one of those games where the the winning team didn’t really win but instead the other team lost.

    Team Pinnie: Cookie, Wildcat, Shiver, Orange Crush, Don Draper, Snip, Purple Rain, Futon, Rudy

    Team Pinnie-less: Sable, McRib, Fandango, Lab Rat, DTH, Heist, Pearl, Warby

    Announcements

    • Friday, June 21 – Poker Night at DTH’s house at 8:00
    • Monday, June 24 – Wilcat’s Birthday Q at The Alamo
    • Saturday, June 22nd – New AO called The Iron Bridge at Goyne Park at 7:00am. Contact State Farm or Posh for info.

    Prayer Requests/WINS

    • PRAYER – Wildcat has his quarterly scan next week. Prayers for strength/comfort for he and his family.
    • WIN – Yeehaw’s daughter Liv continues to kick cancer in the teeth! Recent scans have gone very well. Let’s gooooo!! SUCH GOOD NEWS!
    • WIN – Don Draper gave an a big shoutout to the PAX for rallying around him during some tough times over this past year. Proverbs 27:17 comes to mind. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
    • WIN – Shiver (FNG) successfully recruited by DTH and OC.
    • WIN – Wildcat won’t brag on himself so I’ll do it for him. Based on his effort in the mornings and his constant positive attitude, you’d never know that the man is battling Stage-4 lung cancer. I know I speak for the PAX when I say that we are all very thankful to have you out there pushing us to better. You set the bar high both on the field and off the field. Stay strong, Brother!

  • Down to the River

    4 SOJ mountain men set off toward the river with the goal of providing a true Deliverance experience to our First Watch paddlers. Fantastic conversation abounded on the hilly terrain rucking through Laurus Park and down to the James via Cherokee, and indeed paddlers were spied from afar – but sadly too far away to note whether or not any of them had a pretty mouth… Having briefly enjoyed the river sunrise, the four-PAX complete the 3.46 mile journey BTTF and COT included reading Mr Roger’s Juneteenth post to commemorate the holiday and reflect on the meaning of American freedom. Coffeerama sitting outside Einstein’s was divine. SYITG, DTH


    Announcements (SEE SLACK!)

    • Tomorrow – THUR – Ultimate at Timberowlf
    • This FRI – 6/21 Poker Night at DTH’s
    • This SAT – 6/22 new AO “The Iron Bridge” starts at Goyne Park at 7am
    • Next Sat 6/29 – School of Rock
    • July 4th Convergence, 7am, Forrest Hill Park
    • Summer Tour ongoing