Author: Saab

  • What’s life without choices…

    9 showed for today’s workout at U of R. Running Options: Relatively flat River Run (TYA bat cave to bridge to Riverside, etc.) or hillier option through Bandy Field, St Chris, etc. (lots of ins and outs and what have yous…) Biking route: See Bleeder… I can say, however, a portion of it involved pedaling from Windsor Farms to the UR campus.

    We welcomed our visitor Prohibition from Charlotte today. It was also great to see DK for what is assumed his first(?) visit to the Spider Run (thanks for making the trip dude…hope you weren’t too late getting home). As far as the routes chosen, all opted for the River Run with exception of Sippy and YHC (who was eager to get back to some hills after spending time running at the beach). While I can’t speak to all that went on, there was post discussion regarding preparation for the BRR and when one should begin tapering. (Turns out it can range from 2 weeks or 2 months…depending upon whom you ask…)

    Announcements:
    Training Run at 5:30pm Hillcrest on Wed. followed by hangout at TYA’s for BBQ and showing of Barclay’s Marathon (the documentary that got YHC going on his most recent ultra-run endeavor). YHC would like to extend many thanks to TYA for his hospitality and overall coordination of the BRR. The guy is a pillar of F3 and one of the many reasons YHC gets the energy to show up in the morning.

    BRR: Sometime soon. See TYA for details.

    Saab abides

  • Elvis should have exercised more…

    9 showed up for a run up and around UR and its surrounding residential area. Routes varied depending upon personal interest and the status of one’s GI tract – Fudd run, River Run, or Stifler’s Mom…take your pick. Kudos to those on ran to the AO today: Sippy, Marv, Pucker and Fudd. Some other brief observations:
    – It is consistently dark now, so lights are necessary
    – It may not be winter, but potholes are still a threat
    – A well-placed light around one’s abdomen will illuminate all kinds of things
    – The BRR is only 24 days away (or 31 by my calendar)

    Saab abides

  • Heat, GI Tracts, Sore Knees, oh my….

    A PAX of 4 arrived with their respective ailments and the fortitude to knock out an early morning run. The course varied depending up aforementioned discomforts and ranged anywhere from 4-8 miles – everyone pursuing their own personal challenge today.

    YHC enjoyed my run with Wilson today…mostly chatting about the scenery (e.g. Maymont, tomatoes). I could start my diatribe on the hazards of wearing a double layer long sleeve cotton t-shirt on one of the hottest days of the year, but I said my peace on the trail. I’ll just give kudos to the man for his consistency. In addition, it turned out to be quite the magnet for chatting up the ladies, who were compelled to inquire about wearing of long sleeves on such a day…there is a method to Wilson’s madness.

    2nd F at ET was somewhat staggered today, but still enjoyed it. I hope everyone has a pleasant day and recovers for next week.

    Saab abides (when able)

  • Art Monk with a mix of Beaver Jams…

    11 strong including 1 FNG showed up for a tour-de-Mary Munford today. Here’s what transpired…

    COP: SSH, Arm Circles, LBC’s, Burpees (5)
    Curb Crawls: Descending from 7. Crawl out, crab walk back.
    Lazy Dora’s: 100 Merkins, 200 Flutter Kicks, 300 Squats. Partner performs 10, 20, 25 while other is in hold position (plank, 6-inches, squat)
    Triple Check: B-to-Wall, crab-crawl to court and begin merkins. Runner runs out backward, does 2 burpees, then returns running forward
    Traverse field (out and back) performing exercise at each 25 yard increment. Selection was WWII’s (increment by 3….i.e. 3, 6, 9, etc. Finish at goal line with 24)
    Circle of fire: Dealers choice (burpee, merkin, drop and roll). No consecutive choices.

    Naked Moleskin:
    Oh where to begin. DK brought an FNG (Hyena) who appeared to know a number of other PAX due to past working relationships. YHC appreciated his good humor and take-it-in-stride attitude as we cycled-through the curb crawls (at times laying down and laughing on the pavement). On the way to the field a number of the PAX nearly ran into the tomatoes. Not a bad situation to be-in by the way. Kevin Bacon equated the near collision as something akin to a “beaver traffic jam”. (Disclaimer here…he said this was the name of a friend’s band…the name of which was thought-up by the friend’s grandmother…so that of course makes the whole reference strictly innocent and wholesome). After that, there was a fair amount of good chatter during the lazy-doras as it kept everyone in one place. It was then DK announced M had gotten him a cat for his birthday. The cat’s name by the way is Art Monk (presumably anointed given his fine tenure with the Jets and Eagles). YHC has two questions: Does Art Monk know about this and is he ok with it? Does the cat know about this, and could he really be a Dallas fan?

    Anyway, YHC personally liked the mix on triple check but others may differ. Appreciated DK helping me navigate participation in a triple-check of just 2 people – something I had never experienced. During the ring of fire it was aptly pointed out that there was little difference between the merkin and the burpee. YHC won’t choose that again.

    Many thanks were extended to DK for hosting the run and social yesterday…Clearly, much thought planning went into it (including maps – which some regretted not using…er TYA)

    7 weeks until the BRR – just ask TYA. (I didn’t have the heart to tell him I thought it was 8 weeks.)

    I had fun guys. See you in the gloom.

    Saab abides

  • Follow Tron

    7 posted for a run and what turned out to be relatively pleasant weather. Here is what transpired…
    Route: Lakewood to Wood, Wood to Waveny, a few lefts and rights to Chandler where we then cross over into Bandy Field. Honaker-Hanover-Pepper, yada yada yada, finish with some nice hill work taking Tapoan to Ridgeway to Towana.

    NMS:
    Fairly descent whether considering what we had been experiencing. Didn’t stop members of the PAX, however, from being completely drenched afterward. YHC tried chatting-up a woman walking a golden retriever…then quickly learned it was Fudd’s step-mom (last time I try that). Otherwise, PAX stayed together and all finished strong. Of note, TYA passed on his Tron-inspired lights to Swirly. (For all you hates who don’t know what Tron is, it was a cheesy movie from the last century that had special effects before they even existed and before they were even that special. I will say it had Jeff Bridges in it – aka The Dude – so it had that going for it.) Anyway, Kudos to Swirly for leading the pack much of the time, with his light-vest guiding the way.

    Aye to Sippy and Marv who ran the 2 mile out and back to their car, and to Pucker and Fudd for running to the AO.

    Always a pleasure guys. Thanks for sharing in my selected route.

    Saab abides

  • Let’s all give thanks for the Bikini

    5 showed at UR today for a moderate impact run around Westham. Using a derivative of a route Bleeder led a few weeks ago, we went up Westham parkway, down to the canal via Ridge, and then back along the golf course to the commons.

    YHC was beginning to prepare for a lone-run this morning, but the PAX eventually all arrived at about the same time. The route chosen had fewer hills and less distance than prior options due in no small part to the difficult weekend YHC and others experienced with regard to F3 workouts and other running excursions. While we all worked to stay together, the decision for the pack to run up westham station and back down – with the intent to catch up with Lugnut turned out to be a slight miscalculation. As we worked to track him down we did not see him on the return route…YHC feared he would end up lost similar to TYA’s experience a few months ago. Fortunately, despite taking an alternate entrance back into the university, Lugnut was able to find his way once he came upon the chapel where he first entered the world of marital bliss. Otherwise, chatter centered around the July 4 beatdown at Batteau (Hardywood), and “where’s Lockjaw?” (per his stated commitment to step-up his running beginning in July).

    Just a word about the title…on this day in history in 1946 the bikini was first introduced in Europe.

    Saab out.

  • No, sorry, the other way

    A total of 7 showed up for the UR spider run this morning in a humid but otherwise pleasant and overcast morning…

    Route: Around lake to Wood Road, Waveny, then meander to the hill on Chandler. Take the cut-through to Bandy field at the top of the hill. Take access road the cut over to Honaker. Take Honaker to Hanover, Hanover to Pepper, then cut through St Chris and return on St Christopher. Tapoan, Ridgeway, Roselawn, then return to campus drive. Added a run around the lake for good measure.

    There was a fair balance (from YHC’s perspective) of steady hills and flat terrain. (OK, maybe a few more hills than flat terrain.) Anyway, it was nice to tread some new ground, which resulted in a few miscues along the way. Aside from YHC periodically directing Marv into a driveway or two, the PAX stayed together and all ran strong. Kudos to everyone there today who either ran-in (varying miles) or biked in. Well done guys!

    Safe travels to Offshore who is traveling oversees to take advantage of the collapsed Euro/Pound exchange rate.

    Announcements: See Offshore regarding the benefit-bike race on Sept 24.

    Saab out.

  • Sunday Trail Run – Change in Starting Location

    The road immediately prior to the Boulevard bridge is blocked off to cars. Assuming this will be the case tomorrow morning, let’s all just meet at the Dogpile AO start (parking lot near amphitheater) at 7 am. We’ll then take Love Hill down to the trail. (Ran Buttermilk trail ad nauseam today and it is fairly clear with just a few minor obstacles.)

    Saab out

  • Did you get a free bowl of soup with those shorts?

    19 turned out for a Thursday morning beatdown at MM. This is what transpired…

    COP: DQ’s, SSH, Freddie Mercuries, Box Cutters
    Trees: Tree to Tree alongside MM. Ascending Merkins at each tree. Alternate crawl/run between each
    Field: Jacob’s Ladder…WWII situp at mid-field, burpee at end. Begin at 1 and then ascend from there. Finish at start with 10 burpees.
    Track: 4 corners with quasi-suicide…Merkins, WWIIs, Jump Squats, Derkin. Once you arrive at next point, advance back to start and redux. Finish on 4th station
    Burpee shuffle and a few minutes of Mary

    NMS:
    YHC’s morning got off to a great start once he caught sight of TYA’s colorful (and one assumes clean-smelling) shorts. I don’t know if they were more apt for a Dead-concert, but they served as a nice diversion. TYA felt compelled to point out that he had purchased them off the bargain-rack – something we had already deduced upon first sight.

    We welcomed 3 FNG’s today (see above) and we look forward to their continued participation in F3. TYA was kind enough to introduce himself to them as the “resident wise-ass”…again, another factoid they simply would have observed themselves given a few minutes with the PAX.

    Lab Rat was on point today calling out many of the workouts YHC had planned right before they happened. YHC chalked that off to Lab Rat’s keen sense of perception, skills in abstract geometry, and YHC’s lack of originality.

    Reminder, Tuesday is bring as many new and existing PAX to the workout (there are 3 AO’s that day). Our goal is 60 although Bleeder suggested we should shoot for and even higher number.

    I had fun guys. Thanks for putting up with me this morning.

    Saab abides.

  • Mother Goose

    A strong pack of 9 showed four our post-holiday Spider Run. This is what transpired:

    Ran through a modified version of the “Fudd run”. Intent was to stay together with faster runners periodically circling back. Challenge was, given the course has a lot of ins-and-outs and what have you’s, the PAX became a bit scattered at times. Periodically, YHC wasn’t certain if members were choosing alternate routes or just buying mileage until those in the rear came along. As was aptly pointed out, YHC was like Mother Goose at times trying to keep the front in line with the rear, and vice versa. YHC will post a map of this run in a future post.

    Near the end, instead of taking the added hill, those leading in front chose a route back into the university, so a last minute audible to take a run around the lake worked out just fine.

    Kudos to Swirly, Marv, and BT for running to the AO. Offshore get’s credit as well for biking-in.

    (Rosie, Thanks for the shout-out.)

    Announcements:
    Spider Run and Da’Ville shirts are on pre-order (with only 2 days left). Don’t walk, but RUN to the F3 site and get your order in now.

    W-Dog tomorrow, with Swirly as Q (per memory, unless someone else is signed up.)

    Saab out