Author: Pucker

  • In the Wood Chipper

    9 Strong were undeterred by the previous nights deluge and assembled at 45MOM to get their heart rate going for the day. It went something like this…

    Mosey to blacktop for Warmup…Dead Man’s Hang, 10 Helicopters, 13 Don Quixotes, 10 Arm Circles (Forward/backward), 15 Imperial Walkers, 20 SSH

    Slightly longer mosey over to Reveille Church Pavilion. Pair up in Pavilion and do 5 rounds of one partner doing 10 Abyss Merkins while the other partner did SSH. With the heart rate up, we then did a Triple Check with one man doing dips, one doing LBCs, and the pacer running the loop of the parking lot.

    We moseyed back to the tennis courts at Mary for some Tracers. One round down all 4 courts, one round back. Up to the net, back to the service line, shuffle along service line, up to middle of net, shuffle to far side, backwards to baseline – repeat on each of the 4 courts.

    Final test was under the Pavilion at MM where we paired up again with one partner doing 10 Pole Smokers the other doing Lt Dans – 5 rounds. Much discussion was had about the poles. When done, we were at time and moseyed back to the flag.

    Numberama, Namerama and YHC took us out.

    We welcome FNG Chipper who was dubbed “Fargo” very quickly and without any debate (thus backblast title). Fargo has never seen “Fargo” the movie so he has some homework. Welcome Fargo! Hope to see you out again soon.

    A good reminder was shared by a couple of the Pax. You never know when or what someone is struggling with and they may never tell you – unless you ask how they’re doing. Check in on your family, friends, coworkers – just say hi and ask how they’re doing.

  • Rain Dance Past the Haunted House

    13 Warriors emerged from the gloom despite impending precipitation. To delay the start of the precipitation we performed a series of rain dances. They went something like this…

    6 milers: Up Gateway Drive and left onto Campus Drive then left onto Boatwright/College Rd. Down past the UR football Stadium then right up University all the way to where it ends at Ziontown. Cut through the yard of the “Haunted House” (Bodos assessment) and take a right onto Roslyn Hills, left on September, continue on Countryside. Left onto Higginbotham, Left onto Charnwood, quick right onto Melwood and a quick left onto Rosylin Hills and back to the cut through and back the way you came.

    5 milers: Up Gateway Drive and left down past UR Stadium on Richmond Way, right at the lake and across the bridge then up the path to University. Up University until it ends at Ziontown. Cut through the yard of the “Haunted House” and take a right onto Roslyn Hills, left September, left onto Melwood, Left onto Roslyn HIlls and back through the cut through. Back down University, take a left on College and go up by the baseball field then return by the lake to the flag.

    4 milers: Run along the lake and across the bridge then up the path to University. Up University until it ends at Ziontown. Cut through the yard of the “Haunted House” and take a right onto Roslyn Hills, left September, left onto Melwood, Left onto Roslyn HIlls and back through the cut through. Back down University, back the way you came and back to the flag.

    Numberama, Namerama.

    Announcements – Hitchhiker is enticing the Pax to join him at WDog tomorrow morning by offering coffee. Saturday is the Frozen Triangle.

    Prayer request for Corned Beef’s mom who suffered a stroke.

    NMS – the Pax all discussed their weather apps assessment of today’s weather as they prepared for Spider Run and noted it was supposed to be raining already when we got there. Thankfully it was not. Our rain dances held off the rain until Bone Thugs (aka “American Taliban” as dubbed by his M due to his extensive facial hair) emerged from the mist and returned to the flag. Some good hills in these routes. Have a good day boys!

  • Breaking Bread – Thanksgiving Sunday

    YHC very nearly did an exact repeat of last Thanksgiving weekend in supplying 7 folks with a hot meal Sunday night. Similar to this same weekend last year, the meal was lasagna, bread, caesar salad, desserts and drinks. Unlike last year, I was allowed to bring the food in to the facility versus dropping it off at the door. A great way to give back and to wrap up to this Thanksgiving weekend.

  • He’s not heavy, he’s my Brother

    13 strong arrived for the weekly run through the hills of UR and Westham. This edition was courtesy of the Tuckahoe Takeover and YHC mapped out routes that found as many hills as possible it seemed. It was also a bit “heavy” in the mileage and for those unfamiliar with this part of the ‘hood perhaps a bit confusing. Nonetheless all got their run in.

    4 milers ran along UR lake, across the bridge and all the way up University to where it meets Ziontown. Cut through the yard and park to Rosslyn Hills. Take a right on Rosslyn Hills, left on September, zig zap left Higginbotham, right Charnwood, left Shadow and left on Rosslyn Hills back through the park and back the way you came.

    5 milers ran along the lake, up around the baseball field (or were supposed to), down College, right on University all the way to where it meets Ziontown. Cut through the yard and park to Rosslyn Hills. Take a right on Rosslyn Hills, left on September, left on Ruggles, left on Rosslyn Hills, back through the park and back the way you came.

    6 milers went up UR Drive, left on Campus, left on College, then all the way up University to where it meets Ziontown. Cut through the yard and park to Rosslyn Hills then right on Rosslyn Hills, left on September, left on Ruggles, left on Rosslyn Hills and back the way you came.

    YHC ended up punishing himself the most by going “heavy” on the 4 miles which ended up being 4.5+ miles. We’re better for it.

  • Field Trip Day

    10 strong pax members arrived for the regularly scheduled programming – although one normally punctual pax member moseyed in a couple of minutes late. Here’s how it went down…

    Moseyed to blacktop for a warmup. 25 SSH, dead mans hang OYO, 10 DQs, Arm Circles small/big and forward/backward, 25 flutters, 10 Merkins.

    Time for a field trip – moseyed to Reveille Church first for a triple check. Dips on benches, WWIIs and run a lap. Then moseyed to front of Church for a Oora. 100 Merkins, 200 LBCs and 300 SSHs run Bernies Sanders to end of drive and runs back.

    Returned to Campus to the pavilion for partners to alternate 10 pole smokers and wall sits for 5 rounds. Finished with a round of merkins at the flag.

    Numberama, Namerama. Prayers for Labrat and Tryhard’s family.

    HDHH being organized for next Wednesday likely at Answer Brew Pub more details to come. Blood Drive on Saturday June 4th at Epiphany Lutheran Church see Slack channel for more or tab on Q sheet to signup. Also TYA has signed up RVA to Q the Forge once/month see TYA for details.

  • No Rain Dance

    8 hardy souls emerged from the gloom to get their day off to a solid start and to delay the rain by performing the following hot potato Q dance:

    Lockjaw warmed us up with helicopters, cherry pickers and SSHs.

    We then moseyed to the hard top to do a Lindsay comprised of donkey kicks and American hammers. This was followed by a cumulative four corners with 10 jump squats, 20 American hammers, 30 Carolina dry docks and 40 LBCs.

    The Q was flipped to Saab who took us to the side of the school for 4 alternating rounds of 10 dips at one end and 10 Derkins/10 incline Merkins.

    Saab passed the Q to Pucker. Mosey to Grove Avenue side of school (‘the front’) and do a curb crawl with Merkins/Derkins up to 7, Bear Crawl out, Crawl Bear back. We then moseyed to the tennis courts for 4 rounds – bernie sanders/karoake/lunge from one end of courts to other stopping to do 10 reps of an exercise between each court (jump Squats, freddie mercuries, WWIIs and LBCs).

    Mosey back around the school back to the flag, numberama, namerama and Pucker took us out.

    It is worthy to note that the rain held off until we were done as it has many times before it seems. Perhaps our no rain dance worked. Either way, Bodos was pleased with the weather report as a part of the prayer.

  • Breaking Bread – Thanksgiving Saturday

    Many thanks to Upchuck for organizing this opportunity to help others!

    YHC cooked a hot lasagna meal for 8 folks at Breaking Bread on Saturday 11/27. The meal included Caesar salad, lots of bread, cookies and pie for dessert and a few options for drinks. Per Upchuck’s sage advice I did not opt to bring a Turkey meal!

    While we are not currently allowed into the building to help serve, it was a great way to help others who need it. My son helped me prepare the meal which provided us some time together.

  • Schools Out – Anyone There?

    The PAX emerged out of the gloom to gather for 45MOM. As they arrived, each PAX member was not certain they had the right day or time as the recently well-lit parking lot was completely empty. We can attribute that to either courtesy on PAX’s part or misunderstanding of the ever changing parking rules. To make it less stressful, there is no school today (or this week) in RPS. Nonetheless, 6 did emerge from the gloom to take on a hot potato Q (with TYA running patrols around the neighborhood).

    COP – Pucker kicked us off with some SSHs, Don Quixotes, Russian Soldiers, Arm Circles and Flutter Kicks.

    PAX then proceeded to the field where Pucker set them up with old fashioned 45MOM 11s. OYO run to each of the 11 trees and perform a set of exercises. Round 1 was 5 Merkins, Round 2 was 5 Copperhead Squats, Round 3 was 10 LBCs and Round 4 was 3 Lt Dans. Pucker passed the Q to Hitch.

    Hitch called 4 corners on the tennis courts. Round 1 – Run 1.25 laps around the courts to next corner and do 10 Merkins, 10 Squats, 10 SSHs, 10 WWIIs. 20 Partner Leg Tosses for a rest. Round 2 – repeat same but 20 of each exercise. Hitch then passed the Q to Last Time.

    Mosey to pull up bars and do a triple check. Dips on the bench, pullups while 3rd man runs to fence and back. Last Time threw the Q to Garbage Plate for the last few minutes.

    GP had PAX pair up and one partner did wall sits while other did Hand Release Merkins, escalating in number by 2 each time you switch

    Back to the flag, numberama, name-arama and GP took us out

    Reminder of Friday after Thanksgiving run/bike/walk in Forest Hill Park. Meet at Pavilion #1 starting at 7 group will do loop starting on each hour and do as many as you can/want.

  • It’s the Humidity

    COP – SSH, DQs, Russian Soldiers, Helicopters, Merkins

    Pair up – run up Lindsay Court while partner bear crawls, lunges, bear crawl burpee (ask Last Call)

    Triple Check on West Drive Circle – Flutter kicks, Squats, run the circle

    Triple Check #2 at TES parking lot – lunges, LBCs, Bernie Sanders to fence and run back

    Mini-Dora – 50 Merkins, 100 Squats, 150 two count LBCs while partner run the loop

    Finish with 1 minute wall sit. Numberama, Namerama.

    Welcome Ripcord to Hoedown!

  • Pea Soup For All

    While it was reported to be an extra muggy morning, it was actually 70 and sunny as always.

    A smaller group launched at the standard time and ran 4 or 5+ miles. Group ran across Commonwealth, down Monument and turned at the appropriate point and returned up Grove.

    A larger group continued their prep for the BRR with an earlier start and knocking out 8+ mile runs. Good work!

    RAMM Gears posted as well – if I missed anyone please let me know.