Author: Gumbo

  • A Swirly-style Hot Potato at Twin Team

    9 men eager to start their Friday with some sweat and some fellowship posted to Twin Team this morning and this is what they got:

    Late last night the Q was open, so YHC took the Q and also contemplated a hot potato.  YHC still was contemplating a hot potato as he called for the PAX to mosey…well, then the Swirly Q-drenaline took over and YHC almost didn’t pass the Q.

    Mosey to the blacktop behind BWES for COP WITHOUT SSHs – it was a SSH Holiday after 200+ at Timberwolf yesterday.  YHC should have left McRib know that plan last night and maybe he would have been on time.

    COP consisted of:

    • DQx (very slow) x10 IC
    • Cotton Pickers x20 IC
    • Imperial Walkers x15 IC
    • LBCs x20 IC
    • Box Cutter (none slow!) x20 IC

    McRib arrives…for the THANG…

    Four Corners:

    Form up in the near corner for four corners – 10 merkins in this corner, run to the next, 20 jump squats, run across, 30 2-count Freddy Mercuries, run to the last corner and do 40 Monkey Humpers (YIKES – knew it when I said it but had to roll with it!), back to first corner and plank it up for the six.  Then a little plank-o-rama to catch our breath.

    Triple Check:

    Mosey down across the gravel track and over to the playground and get in groups of 3 for a triple check consisting of (1) Burp-Ups, (2) Flutter Kicks (audibled to LBCs after 1st round) and (3) run around the dark, gravel track (watch your step).

    Tour D’JRHS and Donkey Kicks:

    We decided to take Loose Goose on a tour so we moseyed down towards the baseball field and down the road past the track/football field and all the way to the covered and lighted walkway of the high school for 3 rounds of 10 Donkey Kicks and 10 Merkins — merkins changed each round from regular to werkins and diamond-merkins.

    Start to Mosey to the grass hill for pole-smoker Indian run but YHC is convinced to pass the Q so Flatline takes the reigns and leads us to the track for the Merkin Mile…err Half-Mile

    50 Merkins, run a lap, 50 merkins, run a lap, plank for the six

    Mosey back to the flag across the parking lot and field.

    Mary – 2 minutes of American Hammers

    COT – number-rama, name-a-rama and Marmaduke took us out.

    NMS:

    YHC truly had all intention of doing the burp-up triple check and then passing the torch and it just got away from me.  The Q switch was ON and I couldn’t turn it OFF.

    Great to have Loose Goose visiting from TT.  Guess he drew the short stick and was designated for reconnaissance for TT-week.  Hope we provided some inspiration for you guys.

    Great job today guys.  Way to push through all the way and glad nobody turn an ankle in the darkness on that gravel track.

    Announcements;

    • Convergence 9/30 at Grid Iron.  First workout at 0600.  Second one starts at 0700.  Come for one, come for both, bring friends.  Also, there will be some fellowship and food/drink at the AO after the second workout.
    • TT week starts tomorrow.  Looking forward to a great week.  Lily Pulitzer or Yoga pants and sports bras are the dress code for the week, and all exercises will be named after a 5-word beverage order from Starbucks.  Buffy wouldn’t miss it for the world!
    • A little trail run in Powhatan is happening tomorrow, starting at 8 p.m. and finishing at 8 a.m. Sunday.  If you aren’t already in, you probably don’t want to be, but if you do – see Hardywood, Lab Rat or TYA.

    Have a great Friday men.

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Old Glory’s Initial Flight at W-Dog

    A lucky number 13 warriors of the gloom (some of whom knew what they were getting) broke free from the blissful comfort of the warm sack and posted at W-Dog for a Hump Day beatdown that was an old faithful that has just not graced W-Dog yet….it was an Old Glory.

    After a brief introduction, YHC grabbed Old Glory, illuminated his headlamp and headed towards the road and down towards the bridge.  We hooked a right on Pump House Rd. and ran around the back of the AO and up the hill to the field in front of the Carillon – a little over 1 mile for those counting.

    Plank for the six and Old Glory instructions were given — a timed exercise (20 minutes on the clock) and the goal was to complete as many “laps” as possible in that time.  Since our field is about 1/2 the size of the fields at NoToll, YHC decided to define a “lap” as follows (forgive the lawyer in me):

    • Perform 20 Merkins at the Carillon-end of the field (near the flag)
    • run the outside line of the field to the far end of the field and perform 20 jump-squats
    • run the outside line of the field back to the Carillon-end of the field and perform 10 Burpees
    • run the outside line of the field to the far end and perform 20 WWII sit ups

    When time expired, gather back at the flag and plank for the six.

    Unearth Old Glory and form up in a single-file line for a 1-mile (maybe a bit more) Native American run with the front man always carrying Old Glory.  Route was exiting the Carillon field away from the amphitheater to the alternate exercise circle, right to Rugby Road, Right on Rugby Road, Right on Park Drive and quick left on Blanton Avenue, Right on Trafford Road, Right on Spottswood Road (around the VITA Trail area), Right on Shirley Lane and straight across Park Drive back to the gathering spot.

    Re-plant Old Glory and have 3 minutes of Mary with LBCs x20 IC, American Hammers x20 IC and Flutter Kicks x20 IC.

    COT, Number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out with a blessing for our continued health and the ability to keep getting out into the gloom, for the strength to carry us through our day and for the Sky-Q to watch over all our friend and family and those struck by yet another natural disaster with the earthquake in Mexico City.

    NMS:

    For those on Twitter, you knew what was coming and you posted anyway…kudos.  For the rest of you, by the time you posted, your fate was sealed and it was too late.

    Strong work by everyone, but Sippy destroyed the W-Dog version of the Old Glory.  Swirly and Tobit were both hot on his heels, but when Sippy lapped YHC he looked to be getting stronger by the lap.

    YHC paused for a brief moment to check his watch and a Skinny-Bitch-Bleeder blur went flying past me.  Strong work Bleeder.

    Super strong work by WOJO gutting out the Native American run at the end.  Way to push it brother.

    When you are LIFO, it is nice to have a partner – Circle K and Ollivander managed to get their opening 1-mile in (albeit different from the PAX) and find the PAX a few minutes into the exercise portion and they jumped right in.  Nice job guys.

    Personally, I think Old Glory travels well and worked great at W-Dog!  Nice job men.

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • A Swampy River Run

    4 Stalwarts posted in the gloom this morning to fight through the swampy and foggy air and retake the Hills of Tarrington.  1 LIFO was mistaken for a different PAX member who knew the traditional route, so he was left in the dust to chart his own path in the darkness.  All was well as the PAX reconvened at the flag for COT and for YHC to take us out.

    Mileage varied from 4 – 5 miles.

    When YHC pulled into the parking lot at 0515 to secure the AO, he found a woman waiting in her car to meet friends…not YHC.  She looked a little concerned until her two friends showed up and they moseyed off.  For a minute there, I thought we might have wrestle for rights to the parking lot.

    Nice work men.  It was great running and chatting with Wedding Singer – thank for the company Singer.

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Follow the Light

    Five giants of the gloom posted at Timberwolf on this mildly humid and at times misty morning and YHC had a plan for bringing some light to the gloom – it went something like this:

    Mosey to the front of school near the bus loop for COP, including:

    • SSHs x20 IC
    • Don Quixotes x10 IC
    • Cotton Pickers x15 IC
    • Arm Circles x15 (10 small, 5 big) forward and backward IC
    • Imperial Walkers x15 IC

    THANG:

    Ladder of Light Poles

    There are nicely 10 light poles around the large parking lot and bus loop.  When the PAX toured the AO a couple weeks ago YHC noticed this perfect number for a ladder.  So it shall be done…  1 Burpee at the first light pole, run to next, 2 Burpees, run to next 3 Burpees….and so on for an opening heart-pumper with 55 Burpees.

    Al Gore for the six and then catch our breath with a little Mary – LBCs, Hello Dollies, APDs

    Time to go down the ladder — and right as the groans started with the unfathomable thought of 55 more Burpees…. YHC had buried the lead – we are doing monkey humpers on the way down – 10, 9, 8…1. WHEW!

    No need to plank for the six as all 5 beasts stuck pretty close together…Mosey right to the nearby light pole for the second exercise –

    pause for some more Mary with Rosalitas, Freddy Mercuries and Flutter Kicks.

    Lamp Post Hill

    There are three lamp posts on the entrance hill into the AO and they are separated by a decent space, so let’s do 10 Merkins at the 1st one, lunge to the second one, do 10 box cutters, BEAR CRAWL (just for you Honeymoon!) to the 3rd lamp post and do 10 jump squats.

    More Mary – LBCs and something else?

    Must go back up  — 10 jump squats, bear crawl, 10 box cutters, lunge, 10 merkins

    4 Lamp Post Corners

    Pause for some Mary – American Hammers and something else?

    Mosey over to the parking lot where 4 lamp posts nicely outline  a square for us – how thoughtful.  Exercises were Corner 1 – 10 2-count mountain climbers, Corner 2 – 20 jump squats, Corner 3 – 30 merkins and Corner 4 – 40 crunchy frogs (NOTE: YHC was drawing a blank and asked for an ab exercise and McRib picked this — NEVER AGAIN!).

    Gotta reverse it — except this time replace crunch frogs with 40 Rocky Balboas – switch feet after 20 and run backwards between lamp posts.

    Lighted Mosey Back to the Flag

    Mosey around the parking lot and back to the flag stopping at lamp posts that were lit around the walkway for exercises – Derkins, LBCs, Flutter Kicks and 10 Burpees OYO (because McRib noted a lamp post that we missed)

    Back at the flag – Heels to Heaven and time is up

    COT – number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • ReeseStrong 5K and CrabFest at Circle K’s is this Saturday
    • Convergence is 9/30 – get ready and bring friends.  0600 and 0700 workouts – make it for whatever you can just BE THERE!

    NMS:

    YHC has been wanting to test out the light poles/lamp posts at this AO since he first noticed them.  Thanks for indulging me this morning fellas.  The 55 Burpees off the top definitely got the heart pumping and YHC panting…strong start.

    Way to push through and work hard from opening bell to the final bell.  It was a pleasure to lead.

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Working out some lactic acid…

    3 vets posted for River Run this morning – 2 beasts working out the lactic acid from BRR and YHC determined to start getting his running legs back.  Expecting a light crew and possibly some BRR survivors, YHC decided today would be a Hill Holiday.  Instead, we hit the track and put in some flat miles (about 3.8 in total) with 3 brief pain stops (25 merkins and 25 LBCs) at random intervals.

    After returning back to the flag with 10 minutes to go, we did some COP (Slow Imperial Walkers, cotton pickers and stretching) and some Mary – Rocky Balboas, LBCs, APDs, Heels to Heaven and Superman.

    Major respect to Honeymoon and Rosie for posting this morning.  Always great to run and chat with you boys and thanks to BRR, I was able to actually keep up with you guys today!

    Great respect and props for all BRR participants.  Way to slay those hills and push through the pain guys.  Sounds like an epic weekend and it sounds like all of you crushed it and exceeded personal expectations.  Way to go!

    Announcements:

    • ReeseStrong 5K and Crabs this Saturday.  Still time to sign up.
    • Convergence 9/30 – come out at 0600, stay until 0800 if you can.  Second workout starts at 0700 for late risers.  Bring a friend or two.

    Have a great day men!

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Please enjoy an opening act by Hardywood…Gumbo will be fashionably late…

    13 veterans escaped the fartsack (YHC just barely) to post on this gorgeous Saturday morning at Dogpile for a little beatdown inspired by our F3RVA brothers who are killing the BRR.

    COP – Opening Act – presented by Hardywood…. YHC arrived for LBCs and merkins.

    Time for the main event:

    Mosey to the amphitheater for an ode to the 36 legs of the BRR.  Starting from the bottom ascend the 18 steps with 2 box jumps on each step.  From the top, descend with 2 Burpees on each step.  Plank for the six.

    Mosey to the Carillon for the first round of 11s for Team 1:  At the flower pots, 10 merkins, run up the left steps and 1 box cutter at the top of the Carillon, run down the right steps back to the flower pots and 9…2….Al Gore for the six.

    Mosey to the field for the second round of 11s for Team 2: 10 2-count mountain climbers (for our Mtn Goat brothers) and 1 LBCs, run to the other side, 9 & 2…  plank for the six.

    With the gloom lifting and enough light shining through, Mosey to Love Hill and gather about 1/2 way down and pair up for Love Hill.  Exercises were Polar Bears, Lunges and Broad-Jump Burpees.  Runner goes up to gate and back.  Al Gore for six.

    Circle up around outside of circle in front of amphitheater for Boo-yah Merkin  Ring of Fire – bear crawl to meet  your partner in the center, perform 10 Boo-Yah Merkins and crawl-bear back.  Al Gore while awaiting your turn.

    Traditional Ring of Fire with 10 merkins each…flair encouraged.

    5MOM with Flutter Kicks, Freddie Mercuries, Rocky Balboas, Hello Dollies, American Hammers

    Mosey back to the Flag – number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    NMS:

    YHC closed his eyes late last night with an alarm set for 0500 (or so he thought) and grand ideas of securing the AO Swirly-style, knowing that Big Blue would not be there.  YHC even planned on sending a picture of secured AO to our BRR brothers.  Best laid plans…

    So, YHC popped out of the sack and looked at the clock…0538…I looked at my watch (aka, my alarm)…0330..WTF?  OH SH*T!  Thank goodness for no law enforcement on my way to the AO.  I arrived 4 minutes late.  Thankfully, Hardywood grabbed the bull by the horns and lead the PAX into COP.  Upon arriving and finding the PAX, YHC jumped in and took over…thanks Hardywood – check’s in the mail for being my opening act.

    The PAX knew from the first exercise that BRR was on YHC’s mind.  We were sending good vibes to our Mountain Goat brothers as they finish up their final legs strong.  We hope everyone is doing well and feeling strong!

    Announcements:

    • ReeseStrong 5K next Saturday.  See Phonics for sign-ups — Crab Picking at Circle K’s afterwards
    • Convergence 9/30 at GridIron — workouts at 0600 and 0700.  Come early and stay for both…BRING A FRIEND!

    Strong work PAX.  Thanks for letting me lead.

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Lonewolf

    Ahhh, there are some lights…nevermind, its just the garbage man.  Its 0532 and you are all alone – decision time…commence beatdown.

    Disclaimer was long and detailed. COP was short and painful.

    Headlamp was lit and the track was found.  3.5 miles and some dips, merkins and box jumps later, it was time for a very intimate BOM and COT.

    Til next time, no more Gumbo for you!

  • Just the Two of Us, We Can Make it if We Try…

    The clock struck 0530 and YHC thought he was destined for a solo workout (or an hour nap in his car – no one will ever know) but lights came shining around the corner and I’m pretty sure 2 wheels were in the air, as McRib was coming in HOT.

    Realizing it would be just the two of us (enjoy the smooth tones of Bill Withers while you sip your coffee!) for this Hot Potato Q, YHC took the reigns and off we moseyed to the football field of broken dreams.  One lap around the track to loosen up the joints and then COP, including:

    • SSHs x20 IC
    • DQs x10 IC
    • Imperial Walkers x20 IC
    • LBCs x20 IC
    • Flutter Kicks x20 IC
    • Merkins x10 IC

    Mosey to the back of the end zone for a quick Dora – 100 merkins, 200 LBCs and 300 squats while taking turns running to the 50-yard line (or thereabout) and back.

    PLTs x20 – three times each and then YHC handed the Q baton to McRib (bad idea!)…

    Mosey to the bleachers for a modified Lindsay with Dips and Muscle Ups and after each set bear crawl across the track and around the bench and back.  ARMS…SMOKED!

    Mosey back to the parking lot for Burpee Road around the bus loop – 2 Burpees at each lamp post.  Redo the first two for an even 10 lamp posts and 20 Burpees.

    YHC reclaimed the Q and we had time for a quick escalator across the parking lot.  In the first parking space perform 2 Burpees, bear crawl across the next parking space, in 3rd space perform 10 merkins, bear crawl across next space, in 5th space perform 20 LBCs – repeat across the next 5 spaces.

    5MOM medley with LBCs, Flutterkicks, Freddie Mercuries, Cross-Leg Lifts and a new ab exercise YHC wanted to try.  I’ll call it the Rocky Balboa – legs straight with one foot on top of the other, hands locked behind your head, perform a crunch (legs stay straight) at top of crunch twist left, then right and then back down — 4 count exercise in cadence.  15 with left foot on top and 15 with right foot on top.  We can add a jab with the twists to really make it the Rocky Balboa…name pending.

    COT (not really a circle), number-rama and name-a-rama and McRib took us out.

    Good luck to all the BRR guys.  We wish you guys safe travels, swift running and a safe return.  We know you will make F3 RVA (and Motor City – Honeymoon) proud.  Slay those hills.

    Have a great Hump Day men.  Make it count!

    No more Gumbo for You!

  • 62-0 Deserves Some Punishment

    14 veterans broke the hold and posted for a post-holiday weekend workout.  Although YHC did not promise a taper-friendly workout and HoneyDo did, several BRR participants showed up to test me out.  Other than some early punishment, I took pity on our BRR buddies.  Here is how it went (more or less):

    Mosey to the back parking lot for COP, all IC, including:

    • SSHs x20
    • DQs x12
    • Arm Circles x10 small, x5 big forward and reverse
    • Copperhead Squats x15
    • Imperial Walkers x20
    • LBCs x20
    • Flutter Kicks x20

    THANG:

    Short mosey to the field and partner up for some punishment.  Its all great for your team to take a payday and play against a 1-A team in week one, but for God’s sake Keydets, put some points on the board.  So, with your partner, complete 62 Burpees.  One partner does burpees while other partner planks.  Break them up however you like, but YHC suggested 2 rounds of 10 and 1 round of 11 for each partner.

    Catch our breath with some APDs IC

    Short mosey to the pavilion and keep your partner for Dora 1-2-3.  Exercises were 100 jump squats, 200 box cutters and 300 single-count mountain climbers.  Other partner runs across the field and back.

    Plank-o-rama

    Mosey back to the basketball courts and circle up for Ring of Fire – 2 rounds.  Round 1: hold plank and bear crawl to the half-court circle and perform 10 Boo-Yah Merkins with your partner, then crawl bear back and Al Gore for the six.   Round 2 – hold Al Gore and when it comes to you drop and do 10 Merkins then back up to Al Gore for the Six.

    6 MOM, including APDs (yep, double dose today), Flutter Kicks, Freddie Mercuries, Hello Dollies, Rosalitas, American Hammers and Superman

    COT – number-rama and name-a-rama, then YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • BRR is upon us.  Good luck fellas.
    • ReeseStrong 5K and Crabs 9/16 (see pre-blast);
    • Convergence 9/30 at GridIron (0600 and 0700 workouts or come early and stay for both hours);
    • DK’s survivor pool is up and running – get your picks set and get DK $10 – either paypal or cold hard cash at a workout, like YHC did this morning

    NMS:

    Mumblechatter was high this morning and the PAX had lots of encouraging words for the Keydet football team after the initial exercise was explained.  All welcome, except for the jab from the Davidson Wildcat — really, you guys don’t even have scholarships on your football team.  In all seriousness, it was all deserved and well-earned by the Keydets this weekend.  Indeed, no Touchdown Al Gore for them.

    I hope the BRR guys felt pushed but not crushed today.  I think there was plenty opportunity to take it at your own pace and I hope you guys did.

    We wish you all well and hope you all slay your individual legs and kick ass collectively.  Have a blast and I hope you all return without injury.  Good luck fellas.

    Oh, and according to Mr. Roper, whoever is in Wilson’s van will get to enjoy some tight buns…

    No more Gumbo for you!

  • Three-Headed Monster at SOT

    It must have been a rough fantasy football draft last night as it kept the entire New Market crew away from SOT this morning.  No matter, 3 veterans shook off the covers and rose to meet the gloom with energy and enthusiasm.  It went a little something like this…

    Short mosey to the opposite parking area for COP just in case there were any LIFOs…skip disclaimer and jump right in:

    • SSHs x20 IC
    • DQs x10 IC
    • Helicopters x12 IC
    • LBCs x20 IC

    Mosey to the track for Four Curves on the track.  Round 1 – 5 Burpees in the curve, run the straight away to the next curve and 25 merkins, run the through the curve to the beginning of the straight away and do 5 Burpees, run the straight away an complete 25 merkins in the final curve.  Plank for the Six.  Round 2 – same thing but do 10 2-count flutter kicks instead of merkins.

    Mosey to the bus loop and grab some curb for curb crawls.  Bear crawl to opposite curb for 1 incline merkin; crawl bear back for 2 decline merkins.  Increase up to 5, then back down to 1.

    Mosey to the benches in front of school for 5 minutes of box jumps.  Perform as many box jumps as you can in a minute.  Plank-o-rama and Mary (LBCs, APDs, Flutterkicks) for rest between rounds.  Complete 5 1-minute rounds.

    Mosey back to the side of school for Triple Check – BTTW/People’s Chair, Box Cutters, Run to tree

    Mosey back to flag for 3 MOM – American Hammers, Freddie Mercuries, Hello Dolly.

    COT, number-rama, name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Same announcements — Convergence coming up on 9/30 at GridIron (0600 workout and 0700 workout – come early and stay for both) and ReeseStrong 5k and Crabs (9/16)

    Timberwolf needs to get on to the Q Sheet — if nothing else to save the SOJ guys from another Sparky Q.

    Where’s the Ghost Flag??? TT – put it up for grabs boys!

    Well done this morning McRib and Carmen – way to push through.  It was a pleasure to lead.

    No more Gumbo for you!