Author: Lockjaw

  • Speak of the Devil

    A Lucky 7 or Redwood Pax showed up for a nice little beatdown. Cooler temps prevailed and Fall was finally in the air.

    Off to the front of the school for COP.

    • SSH
    • Don Q
    • Russian Soldiers
    • Copperhead Squats
    • Scorpion Kicks

    Off to the church across the street being sure to mind the Gomer Pyle speed bump. Red Barchetta was called for the front parking lot including 100 SSH, 75 LBCs, 50 Mountain Climbers, 25 Merkins. There was talk about “doing a dukes of hazzard slide” across the the hood of a car in the way. However, this Subaru Forrester had a hood scoop that might get in the way or leave a mark.

    Mosey to the back church parking lot for Ascending 4 Corners.

    • Corner 1 – 10 HRM
    • Corner 2 – 10 HRM, 20 4-count American Hammers
    • Corner 3 – 10 HRM, 20 4-count American Hammers, 30 Jump Squats
    • Corner 4 – 10 HRM, 20 4-count American Hammers, 30 Jump Squats, 40 Donkey Kicks

    I said there were 7 of us, but up to this point there were only 6. Bodos literally emerged from the shadows behind the church wall and joined us. Timing is everything and it was good to have him.

    Now for some Church Triple Check – Partner 1 runs the length of the parking lot and back; Partner 2 does BTTW; Partner 3 does Flutter Kicks.

    Mosey back to Hoedown for some 11s: Bicycle rack merkins and step jumps.

    Mosey around back for a medley of Mary and other exercises including: Flutter Kicks, APDs, left leg raises, right leg raises, BTTW, Merkin Ring of Fire, Running a lap of the horseshoe, and 5 Burpees to close it out.

    Moleskin

    The Pax was chatty today. Prior to Bodo’s arrival, there was a lot of critiquing of the church grounds. Opportunities for improvement, odd placement of features, and an unscorable basketball hoop. Bodo’s heard this numerated list despite already being off to a bad start due to cleaning up the aftermath of a dog in a trashbag that delayed him. He took it in stride and politely redirected the complaints.

    Ronnie loves to talk car insurance and fat shaming Pax members with girth. The latter may have been out of actual concern for the odd noise produced during the HRMs, but almost unleashed an Upchuck counterattack. A sign to the Q that he should have neutralized that chatter with a dose of burpees.

    YHC took us out reflecting on the 2-year anniversary of Hoedown and with a challenge to pay forward three unexpected acts of kindness today.

    Announcements

    • November 8 – Greenbow has a charity event for a good cause. See him for details.
    • There was something else, but YHC cannot recall.

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • Old Dominion

    TYA arrived walking down the road with shoes in hand. YHC advised that they work better on his feet.

    TYA was chatty in the am asking “what if” ultra-running questions to the Pax. Everyone needs a hobby.

    YHC called the new Route and off we went. This route was a pleaser and Marv mentioned the 6-mile route looked like the state of Virginia. We shall call this route The Old Dominion, or OD for those into brevity.

    Face Plant took us out.

    ABT,

    Lockjaw

  • Just In Time

    13 Redwoods embraced the cooler weather for a stroll around the park.

    Mosey to the first circle for COP:

    • Don Quixote
    • SSH
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Helicopters
    • Scorpion Kicks

    To the Amphitheater for descending Box Cutters starting with 18 at the top and finishing with 1 at the bottom.

    Triple Check!

    • Partner 1 – Run up the sides, around the Amphitheater, and down the other side
    • Partner 2 – Monkey Humpers
    • Partner 3 – BTTW

    Long Mosey to the Rusty Cage. Partner up for the following:

    Four set of 5 Jerkins with each partner doing 20 dying boxing cockroaches in between sets.

    When in Rome….four sets of 5 pull ups with 8 Boo-Yah merkins in between sets. Swirly approved and endorsed!

    Off to the Grand Field for 5s and 10s.

    • 5 merkins, 10 4-count flutter kicks
    • lunge to the other side and increment the Merkins by 5 and the flutter kicks by 10 and lunge back
    • Keep going until there is no more time.

    Back to the flag where YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    Despite getting up extra early this morning, YHC was coming in hot to the AO, still arriving before Splinter though. Saab was talking during the COP, probably critiquing YHCs form or something. This is YHC’s cue to roll into the SSHs.

    The repetition and volume of the box cutters quiet the Pax either due to focus or soul crushing. Either way, the stars were out this morning.

    The Rusty Cage medley was at a faster tempo today with minimal recovery between sets. A crowd pleaser.

    Thoughts and prayers go to Handshakes friend who received unfortunate news.

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • Brew Thru

    17-18 Knights Templar cast aside superstition and embraced a run on Friday the 13th.

    Today was a dry brewery tour making our way into Scott’s Addition and seeing the sights.

    North on Commonwealth and East on Broad. Turn left on Roseneath. 4s turn around at Veil. 5s and 6s head up to Moore and go past Vassen to Blvd. Turning right on the Blvd, the 5s take it to Grove and home on Grove. 6s, turn right on Leigh, a left on Roseneath, and a left on Broad before turning right on Blvd again enabling them to check out Ardent and Three Notch. 6s take the Blvd to Grove and home.

    Swirly took us out.

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • Variations of Quadrilaterals

    East on Grove with 4s doing an out and back at Meadow. 5s turn at Meadow to Monument, left on Monument, and a left on Westmoreland. 6s take Grove to Allen, to Monument, to Chantilly –>Bunting, and home on Grove.

    YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Convergence – Labor Day – 7:00 – Timberwolf
    • Puppy Pile this weekend – 7:05
    • Thoughts and prayers go out to Upgrade’s girlfriend.

    ABT,

    Lockjaw

  • Divergent Paths to the Same Route

    4s, 5s, and 6s took off on different routes only to converge on a common point at Westham Parkway and Baldwin, taking the same route down by the canal and home.

    Kudos to Bleeder and Lugnut in their bonus runs into and away from the AO.

    Announcements:

    • Puppy Pile this weekend – Bring those 2.0s.
    • Saab’s 2.0 is hosting a happy hour this Thursday to raise proceeds for the leukemia and lymphoma society. Sounds like a good time for a good cause and an opportunity to give Saab a hard time. What more does one need?

  • Running Entropy

    Some came from the north, others from the south, and some from around the block. Early, on time, and after 6….we had them all. Distances and routes varied across all extremes.

    One thing in common was the fist pump as the Pax crossed paths interweaving all that Roller Coaster has to offer. The hills were mighty, the humidity high, and the spirit unbreakable.

    There was rumor of New Market’s measure of success in evading Labrat at all times on the run. Labrat most certainly will not be apologizing.

    YHC brought his other 2.0 to her first F3 workout. She worked the terrain and even chased down a deer until it bolted. Welcome Wolverine!

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • Stampede!

    17 stallions arrived extra early this morning in anticipation of the route. A quick overview was provided and off we went.

    Down Lakeview/Westhampton Way towards the batcave, taking Ridgeway. Take a right on Fairway View and keep on going as the name changes to Robin and then Iris.

    Cross Three Chopt and stay on York taking a left on Maple. At Patterson, take a left and pound out the long gradual uphill to Three Chopt. Keep going.

    4s/5s take a left on Horsepen to cut through the fraternity gate, across the parking lot by the baseball field and to the lake back to the VSF. 5s take an additional lap of the lake.

    6s continue on Patterson taking a left on Westham Parkway. Take a left on University Drive, pick up the trail at College and back to the VSF with a finishing loop of the lake.

    Marv took us out.

    This route seemed to be a crowd favorite. So much so that Bleeder didn’t want to leave the route and extended his run. This will have to come back soon as a part of the rotation, perhaps even with a name (that’s when a route truly becomes a classic).

    On the Iris climb, the Pax ran right into a pack of 25 or so fast runners coming down, all with headlights. It was like running into a flock of birds. Everyone had different approaches. Move to the side, standing one’s ground like a rock, or weaving through the pack.

    Announcements:

    -VQ for Hitchhiker coming up in September

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • On the Road Again

    Fifteen Redwoods and Sequoias greeted the last day of July with a workout that flew by as fast as this summer.

    Off to the first circle for the COP.

    • HRM
    • Scorpions Kicks
    • Helicopters
    • Don Quixote
    • SSH

    Down the road and across the VITA course lining up with the statue about 50 yards off. Lindsays between those points for extra running. Exercises are Box Cutters and Monkey Humpers.

    Down Blanton to Sheppard and line up on home plate of the baseball field for Triple Check. Run the bases, flutter kicks, elbow planks.

    Back over the fence and down to Fountain Lake. 11s using the light post to measure the intervals. 2-count American Hammers and Carolina Dry Docks.

    Long Mosey back to the VSF – Robinson, Lakeview, Westover, Trafford, Berkley, and Spottswood with stops along the way for left oblique crunches, right oblique crunches, diamond merkins, mountain climbers, LBCs, Copperhead Squats, and Captain Thors.

    Back to the flag, right on time! Bleeder took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Want to be deprived of sleep, but don’t want to run? BRR drivers needed. See TYA or Flatline.
    • Rumor has it Flashdance is in town. Let’s see if F3RVA can get him out to a welcome back post.

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • Bird Strike

    The fog was thick for this group of fourteen. Tropical levels of humidity and the relative silence of the day after a holiday was not a deterrent either.

    YHC called Reverse Carillon and off we went maintaining a bro code. About a mile and a half in, we came across the the 5am group who had a similar Carillon route in mind.

    YHC took us out.

    As I was driving down Cary on the way in, a robin deflected off of my windshield. My immediate thought was Handshake and the Saab extraction method. Fortunately, it was not needed.

    Announcements

    • Shakedown’s M has an art show tonight at Saadia’s Juicebox.
    • Patriotic 5K tomorrow in Midlothian/Bob Air – See Kryptonite for details.
    • Prayers and thoughts for Helix’s daughter and a swift recovery.
    • Hitchhiker’s daughter turns 1 tomorrow.

    ABT,

    Lockjaw