Author: Gumbo

  • No Lights on at DK’s House…

    5 River Run faithful (and Annie) showed up for the promised trip to DK’s house – 4 made it; 1 took a wrong turn.

    Twin Team provided the gut-punch wake-up call, along with the brisk wind, but once we reached the summit, Rosie and Annie controlled the pace and Honeymoon and YHC didn’t know who was pushing who or why we were trying to keep up.

    After arriving at DK’s house, bday donuts were calling Rosie, so he found yet another gear and went supersonic…much to Annie’s dismay. She was stuck with our dead weight – and added one as LugNut closed in and caught up to us.

    We reunited with Marmaduke (our directionally challenged PAX member today) back on Twin Team after he looped Powderham in multiple directions.

    Tuck and roll down Twin Team and back to the flag for a Monday morning after 5 to kick the work-week off right.

    Well done men! Happy birthday to Rosie’s 2.0!

    Be good men,

    No More Gumbo For You…

  • TD and Extra Point at OTB

    7 2-legged OTB regulars and 1 4-legged regular posted for a Super Bowl Sunday morning workout. 2 walked, 2 ran their own routes and the remaining 4 set off on a 7-mile route that included a couple good hills and the old faithful trail through the woods and, in the end, created a shape very close to the great state of Louisiana…it was all good!

    Coffeeteria and fellowship back at Starbucks and everyone was off on their merry way.

    PS – LugNut continues to slay the miles…

  • The Streak Lives at Old Faithful

    5 SOJ faithful broke free from the sack to go in search of some flurries. We found them.

    POG kept his weekday streak alive even though no other NM PAX were in tow today.

    No Q, No route, No problem….Old Faithful erupted at 0530 and through Tarrington we went.

    Back to BWES for Number-Rama, Name-A-Rama and YHC took us out.

    Great work men.

    Announcements:

    • Rosie’s 12 Days of Christmas is in town for 1-day only. One showing 0530 at NoToll….be there. Its almost as hot a ticket as Hamilton but way cheaper.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • The Perfect #6 at Twin Team

    6 studs posted in the gloom of Twin Team this morning – 5 to find out that Gumbo pulled a last-minute grab of the Q. With no plan in mind, YHC was thrilled to have a PAX of 6 and therefore, partner work and triple checks at my fingertips. This is what transpired:

    Mosey behind BWES to the blacktop for COP, including:

    • Jazzercises
    • DQs
    • SSHs
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Tempo Merkins
    • LBCs
    • Box Cutters

    THE THANG:

    Jacob’s double-sided ladder

    Form up on one side of the blacktop. Run to the other side, do 1 burpee. Backpedal back to starting side and do 1 merkin. Continue, adding 1 burpee and 1 merkin at each side until 7 and 7.

    A Suspended Triple-Check

    Mosey to the jungle gym where the Murph usually happens for Gumbo’s long awaited sharing of his signature suspended jerkins in the form of a lazy triple-check. The wet/icy bars were an added bonus.

    Partner 1 — suspends in air on the monkey-bars and does 10 jerkins (he is the timer). Partner 2 – does decline merkins with feet on the railroad ties edging the playground. Partner 3 – does squats. 3 times through.

    Mosey to the JRHS Parking Lot for a Proper’ish Dora

    Partner up. Partner 1 runs to touch the bus, does 10 SSHs and returns. Partner 1 works through a set of today’s proper dora exercise = 1 WWII, 2 merkins, 3 squats = 1 set. Flapjack and Rinse and Repeat until you complete 50 sets as a team.

    Mosey to the covered wall/walkway of JRHS for some wall-time.

    Find a new Partner. Partner 1 does 10 donkey kicks on the wall. Partner 2 holds balls to the wall (or pole) across the walkway. When the 10 DKs are done, meet in the middle for 10 PLTs each. Repeat for 2 rounds.

    Mosey back to BWES for Mary, including:

    • Flutter Kicks
    • Freddy Mercuries
    • APDs
    • American Hammers
    • 10 Werkins OYO.

    COT, Number-rama, Name-a-Rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Thanksgiving Day convergence at 45MOM lead by TYA. Can someone confirm time – is it 0600 or 0700?
    • Friday after Thanksgiving – come watch TYA run loops at Forest Hill Park. Join him if you’d like. See the pre-blast, but basically there will be various loops (road, trail, biking options) and you can mix and match. Just run or bike a loop every hour on the hour until you drop or choose to leave. BYO-anything you need.

    NMS:

    6 really is almost a perfect PAX size. Small and easy to control, yet all the partner/group exercise options are at your disposal. 12 and 18 are equally as versatile but start getting harder to control and push. It was a great group this morning. Thanks for posting and thanks for indulging my on the fly workout. Enjoyed it men! Have a great Friday.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Partner Day

    17 total PAX members posted to NoToll this morning to see what kind of Gumbo was on the menu. It went a little something like this:

    Mosey to the back parking lot and one lap around the lot waiting for the 5 LIFOs to arrive, then circle up for the following – all IC and all x19:

    • Jazzercises
    • Helicopters
    • SSHs
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Tempo Merkins
    • Freddie Mercuries
    • Alabama Prom Dates

    THE THANG:

    Dora – mosey to the pavilion and find a partner for the first of several partner exercises. Partner 1 runs a lap around the field while Partner 2 starts the exercises. Flapjack and pick up where your partner left off until you complete, together, 100 box jumps or step-ups, 200 incline merkins and 300 2-ct flutter kicks.

    Partner Work – find a new partner for:

    • Partner Sprints #1 – and head to opposite ends of the “wet” field. On “go” sprint to midfield and find your partner. Complete 10 boo-yah merkins and then 9 PLTs each. Then, sprint to the same end line and plank for the SIX.
    • Catch me if you can back to the bball courts – P1 does 2 burpees, P2 runs backwards. P1 sprint to catch P2 – flapjack and continue until you both reach the bball courts.
    • Partner Sprints #2 – line up on opposite sides of the bball courts. Sprint to middle area between 2 courts and do 10 boo-yah merkins and 9 PLTs each. Sprint back to your side and plank.
    • Partner Sprints #3 – sprint to middle area and do 10 Squerkins and 9 Wilson Boxing Cockroaches each. Plank for SIX.

    Doracides – find a third and final partner and line up on the endline. P1 runs traditional suicide. P2 starts exercises. Flapjack and continue until the following exercises have been completed (or until time is called) – 100 jump squats, 200 LBCs, 300 SSHs

    Mosey back to Flag for COT, Number-rama and Name-a-rama. YHC took us out with thankfulness for all our wonderful partners and friends in life.

    Announcements:

    • Cash for Raise (and for Staches) – 8 days left. We are about $650 away from the goal. Let’s do this men! Donate and grow!
    • Hammers and Ales – see Viral or LugNut
    • Continued prayers for all PAX members who are dealing with tough times or family medical issues.

    NMS:

    Wonderful morning at the plush NoToll fields. Thanks for letting me lead – it is always an honor. Thanks to Rosie, Herme and Tobit for great partnering today. And thanks to my M for 19 wonderful years of partnership on the homefront.

    Well done this morning men. SYITG.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • 19 years = 19 laps or AMLAP

    YHC was joined in the gloom by 6 other willing PAX members and we crossed paths with a 7th along the way. Thanks, men, for coming out to help YHC start of his 19th wedding anniversary with a lap for each year…or close.

    So, YHC checked the Q sheet late last night and it was empty. YHC thought this must be a sign that he needed to take it and attempt this feat. I’m sure the PAX was happy.

    We took off at 0530 and headed for the JRHS track. The pace was great this morning, including LugNut’s sneak attack and roller-derby’esque slingshot to the front. Followed by Rosie’s afterburner pace that left all of us in the dust.

    Alas, only Rosie accomplished the goal, but everyone enjoyed no hills, even if it resulted in a bit of boredom.

    Great work men. Thanks for celebrating with me!

    Announcements:

    • Contribute to Raise and force YHC and Vinny to grow mustaches from 11/1 to 12/7. Better yet, contribute and grow with us. And, get your Hawaiian shirt ready for The Second Annual Magnum PI Day at Dogpile, 12/7/19. https://www.aplos.com/aws/give/Raise_Donations/f3
    • Continued prayers for Marv’s mom and Cerrano’s dad. And, any others in need.

    NMS:
    Great morning for some laps…right? Even Don Draper thought so. He was already on the track when we got there and I believe still there when we left. Way to work brother.

    Thanks for posting men. Running weather is upon us finally!

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • PRE-BLAST: Grow For Raise – Inaugural Stache Challenge

    PRE-BLAST: Grow For Raise – Inaugural Stache Challenge

    The Stache Bros (Vinny and Gumbo) issued a challenge to the PAX at the Inaugural 1st Inaugural Retreat. What rhymes with Stache?…CASH baby.

    Vinny and YHC of course love locking the razor away for a month and love celebrating the greatness of Magnum P.I. and his stache, so we thought of a way to play off of that and challenge the PAX to raise some cash for a good cause. For the first year of the Stache Challenge, we would like to raise some cash for a very worthy cause, and not just because it is run by one of our very own (LabRat’s M). We will be raising money for Raise Coffee Co. of Hanover, VA https://www.raisewithus.org/

    Raise is doing great work and while many of us have supported Raise individually, we thought an organized F3RVA fundraising effort would be great.

    We are open to additional and/or different beneficiaries for future years of the Stache Challenge, so let Vinny and Gumbo hear of other worth local organizations for future consideration.

    Here are the details of the challenge –

    • If we as a PAX can raise at least $3,000 for Raise Coffee, Vinny and Gumbo will grow their glorious staches from November 1 through December 7 (2nd Annual Magnum P.I. Day at Dogpile).
    • Even better, we encourage PAX members to Donate AND Grow with us.

    Details about how/where to send your donation will be forthcoming.

    Let’s see how much money we can raise and how many staches we can sport on 12/7/19. I for one think we can blow this goal out of the water, and I’d love to see 50 guys with muddy Hawaiian shirts and staches on 12/7/19.

    Let’s do it.

    The Stache Bros (reigning 1st Inaugural Retreat Cornhole Champs)

  • Just 2 Men and a Sidewalk…

    Speed was on display this morning at River Run as LugNut and Gumbo held down the fort and crushed the sidewalk…well, at least downhill we did. The route shall be known either as “The Sidewalk Route” or “The Doozy Killer”. Today, we’ll call it the Sidewalk Route – left out of BWES and around the high school and across Robious to the dark side of the sidewalk. Turn right on the sidewalk and head West and slightly downhill as far as you can until 22/23 minutes. Lug and I turned back just before 288 at the 2.5 mile mark and trekked it back uphill to the Flag. The slow burn was real and it slowed our pace too. But it was a great run. Thanks for posting LugNut and for letting me draft on the LugNut Express for the first 2 miles out.

    COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and a quick prayer for a great day. No announcements.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Tour D’River Downs

    8 2-legged PAX members and 1 4-legged friend set off into the gloom and through the patch fog to log a few miles on this glorious morning. The route was a tour through River Downs – North and South. It went like this:

    • Left out of BWES (phew not towards Twin Team!) and circle around by the high school and out to Robious Road
    • Right onto the sidewalk on the north side of Robious heading West.
    • First Right into River Downs North and follow along until you see the park on the left… oh, crap the park is kind of hidden in the gloom and with some grown up bushes…good luck boys.
    • Bear left at the park, then take a left onto Lennox Forest and head back toward Robious.
    • Cross Robious onto Kings Farm
    • Time to zig and zag a bit — First Right onto Cotesworth; Left onto Pond Chase and Right onto Post Mill.
    • Follow Post Mill up the steep but short hill until it Ts at River Downs South Dr.
    • Left on RDS and back to Robious Road
    • Right onto the sidewalk on the south side of Robious and head up the hill toward Twin Team….just “toward” not “up”.
    • Left at the sidewalk to cross Robious back to BWES; and
    • down to the park entrance and back to the flag to finish out the time and come in right at 5 miles.

    Marmaduke appeared from behind BWES without LugNut and then we realized Lug’s car was gone — off to catch a flight.

    COT, Numbers, Names and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • F3RVA 5-year anniversary workout at Dogpile this Saturday.
    • F3RVA Retreat Saturday night a black site that only Vinny has the address to. Either meet Vinny at the Lowes on 360 at 11:00 a.m. or text him for the address.

    NMS:

    Great morning for a run. It was great to have some of the New Market crew out, including Annie our 4-legged friend. The PAX fought over the reins for the steep uphill portion.

    Way to work this morning gents. Have a great day and a great week.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Only a Cup of Gumbo today..

    YHC rolled into BWES early this morning wondering if BRR might make River Run a solo run…no worries, OC rolled in with time to spare and Bullseye and LUGNUT…YES, the man, the myth, the warrior, LugNut rolled in with a few minutes to spare. What a freaking machine….RESPECT!

    And, with that YHC felt immediately like a putz because I had to roll out early from my own darn Q…a FIFO Q – is that a thing?

    Instructions were given – Old Faithful Tarrington route – and off we went.

    YHC had to cut Ashwell hill short and return quickly to the flag to get the rest of my day started in time to make an early meeting. I am sure COT was wonderful and I’m sure the announcements were glorious. OC, Bullseye or LugNut can provide those in the comments.

    NMS:
    I’m so thankful for it not being a solo run today. I’m not sure I would have had the fortitude to gut it out. It was great to see OC – it’s been a minute since we have shared the gloom. Always great running and chatting my friend. I’m so glad to hear that your son is going to school today. I know the recovery is ongoing, but that is a great step. I hope he had a great and safe day in the rowdy halls of MMS (Go Mustangs!).

    No offense to OC and Bullseye (love you guys), but man, seeing LugNut roll into the parking lot and casually say “well, I mean I didn’t run at all yesterday” really pumped me up.

    This group and you men never cease to amaze and motivate me. Thank you!

    No More Gumbo For You!