Author: Splinter

  • The Devil went down to the Taint

    Fourteen able bodied gentlemen huddled to hear early instructions. Barely a question was asked, although perhaps there should have been a few more.

    The Route

    Through the bay cave, across the perfectly designed new Starbucks parking lot then west on Westham Station. Veer right past the lost CSX truck then head up South Ridge to the light.

    • 4s turn around and come home
    • 5s and 6s take a right on Ross and go into the darkness. Returning back up the same hill.
      6s were supposed to take Highland but they got lost on Ross.

    We all made it back before YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    Someone mentioned to me a few weeks ago that we hadn’t run up ridge in a while, thus the inspiration. Modified pitchfork to include the taint. Everyone was thrilled.

    Glad to see we still have a strong group of walkers. Personally, I was thankful for Fudd and his willingness to pull me along today. Thanks!

    Have a great day everyone!

  • Are we ‘At’ or ‘Around’ Mary?

    Eleven of the best the commonwealth has to offer gathered on the pavement this time for some running at/around (but not in) Mary. Route was posted last night but there were still ample questions, primarily questioning whether this was a variation of the reverse or regular Carillon route. I called reverse, but on second thought maybe it was forward. Only the cowgirl truly knows.

    The Route

    https://onthegomap.com/s/ok664otj

    5s don’t do the loop at the beginning, just head down grove

    4s head down grove and right on Auburn and ditch the falcon at the end (no takers)

    Walkers did this in reverse and got in 2.75.

    Moleskin

    Say what you want about our lack of ability sometimes to consistently post at Mary (either 45 or running) but when this group gets together, comedy ensues. YHC never knew there was such disagreement on the preposition in the middle of this AOs moniker. TYA birthed it, so he gets to make the final call.

    Discussion included whether we should revert back and do another year of Grove or if Marv will mutiny again. Perhaps we should sign up Lockjaw to Q for the rest of the year again. All great memories that will likely not be repeated.

    Welcome FNG Frankie! Aptly named as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons was his first concert. Frankie is 28 so he probably saw the real Frankie when he was 75 years old.

    Have a great weekend y’all.

    Splinter

  • Temple of the Dog

    Seventeen dog lovers plus six unexpected human lovers huddled in the waning darkness for this week’s Spider Run/Walk. Directions were repeated a few times before launching promptly on time.

    The Route

    Numbers, names, announcements, YHC took us out.

    Announcements

    • According to Shakedown (via southern Seattle), we do things differently in RVA
    • Prayers for Kubota’s family

    Moleskin

    YHC posted he was going to be walking yesterday but didn’t realize there was going to be so much company. 6 walkers (if my count is correct), 11 runners, 6 perros. Conversation amongst the walkers consisted of vacation recaps, the proliferation of 2 week vacationers, hr sensitive topics, and of course baseball. We made it back a little late, only because we were having so much fun.

    Kudos to the runners today, some of whom were almost thwarted by an apparent theft of the Pepper Ave sign. Probably those crazy St. Chris kids who think a missing sign is going to prevent them from going back to school. Glad (most) everyone enjoyed the route and made it back on time.

    Enjoy the day fellas. It promises to be a great one.

    Splinter out.

  • Well Manicured Bushes

    Well Manicured Bushes

    A surprising 13 appeared at various times, either for early morning star gazing or for the main event, for today’s edition of First Watch. Mosey via the backdoor drive to the back parking lot for COP. Word count was high this morning.

    COP

    • 25x SSH
    • 10x Hellicopters
    • 10x DQ
    • 10x Copperhead Squats
    • 10x Arm Circles
    • 20x LBCs
    • 10x Merkins

    The Thang

    Mosey north on North Ridge to University. Stop for rules of the day. At any point during our meandering if you pass a well manicured bush on your left, 5 diamond merkins. Well manicured bush on your right, 10 monkey humpers. Started off with 5 & 10 as the homeowners association is keeping up with their manicuring.

    Short jaunt down to the bottom of university for 11s. Merkins & jump squats. 10/1 then run up to Ralston for 9/2. Back down for 8/3, etc. There happened to be a well manicured landing strip of a bush on the right, so we did 10 monkey humpers every time at the bottom. Finish at the top (of course).

    Wander south on Ralston to a well manicured lawn for something similar to a prison workout. There were 13 of us, so we lined up single file in the lawn facing the street. Each person was assigned an exercise they would pass to their right when rotation was due. Exercises were decline merkins on the swings, WWIIs, squats, SSH, burpees, incline merkins, lunges, LBCs, shoulder tap merkins, jump squats, flutter kicks, reverse crunches. The 13th exercise was the pace car, running to the yield sign at Rose Hill. All of this makes sense for everyone who was there.

    Two line native american run back up Kingston to Gaymont, BTTVSF.

    Numbers, names, announcements, YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    When the cat’s away, the mice will play. When is the perfect time to do a workout in someone’s yard? When they are on a 2 week vacation of course. Hopefully the neighbors weren’t too disturbed by 20 minutes of 13 men working out in Kubota’s front lawn. Perhaps it’s time for a ring cam.

    You know that feeling when you have been out of town for a few days, come home, and your significant other has a lot to say? Well that was Handshake this morning. He didn’t take a breath the entire COP.

    Coffeeteria was strong this am as usual. Sorry I had to jet early.

    Announcements

    • Sign up for breaking bread. See Oyster.
    • Pickleball tourney 8/26 @ 6. Find a partner. Don’t bother showing up at Forest Hill during the daylight hours. Oyster says the competition is fierce.
    • Paddle 5PM tomorrow at Huguenot Flatwater. HH following at Honeydo’s.
    • Prayers for our PAX that are healing, spoken or unspoken.
    • Wojo is celebrating 6 years in F3RVA by continuing to complain about our lunge form

    Splinter out.

  • Fartleks on Fitz-Hugh

    Five fearless fun-seekers flocked to the faculty field (of asphalt) for our Friday formalities. Unbeknownst to the Q, an alliteration was called. Fartleks on Fitz-Hugh.

    The Route

    • East on Grove to a left on Lafayette
    • Left on Fitz-Hugh
    • Fartleks on Fitz-Hugh. Run 2 blocks at 80%, recover for a block. Some modified to 1 & 1.
    • 4s run all the way to willow lawn then back to Antrim
    • 5s run to willow lawn, back to Lafayette, then back to Blacker
    • 6s run to willow lawn, back to Lafayette, back to Willow Lawn, then back to Sauer
    • Run south back to the VSF wherever you end on Fitz-Hugh

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

    Announcements

    • Bridge crew heading out tomorrow. Probably a full car but check with State Farm/Shakedown
    • Lots of summer travelers

    Moleskin

    YHC woke up today noticing no Q was on the sheet. Realizing intervals at Mary hadn’t been called in a while, YHC took the opportunity. It was hot, sweaty, and fun. Everyone agreed.

    You are welcome Wedding Singer for the audible reminder of how sweaty it was today.

    Splinter out.

  • Dead Poets Society

    Ten British scholars gathered in the bowl behind the commons seeking answers to the questions of the day. With the question of who has the Q out of the way, YHC proclaimed the following routes:

    The Routes

    • Start with the first half of Mount Henrico route to get everyone on University on the west side of Forest
    • 4s take a right on Essex and go up as far as you want before retracing your steps
    • 5s take a left on Arlington Circle, hard left on Sawmill, left on Shelley, right on Keats, right on University and back
    • 6s do the 5s route + take a left on Coleridge while on Sawmill out all the way to Ridge then back

    Announcements

    • See slack for details Bodo’s posted on a memorial fundraiser run on 9/16.

    Moleskin

    The soup was a perfect consistency this AM. The second question of the day was whether or not Faceplant actually sweat a drop today. YHC saw him running, so he was out there. Perhaps he has some newfangled polyester blend? Marv will wait for it to go on special before trying it.

    The third question (and what turned out to be the question that made everyone disperse) was, what does Anthrax do with all that leftover water that Peeta doesn’t drink?

    Man loves dog
    Dog loves man
    Dog drinks water
    Water refreshes man

    Man drinks dog water

    Splinter – 2023

    Who says romantic poetry is dead?

    Splinter out.

  • Abandoned in Aberdeen

    Four RAMM regulars gathered under the tree to admire Hitchhiker’s choice of running shoes. That was until a shirtless man came galloping towards us. Distracted by the streetlights glistening off this bulging man, directions were given:

    The Route

    • Everyone head west on Grove
    • Access road to Iris then down to the golf course
    • 4s Tapoan back to Three Chopt then back to Grove
    • 5s Tapoan back to Three Chopt then cross to St Chris, east on Patterson, back on Westmoreland
    • 6s Ridgeway to Roselawn to Towana to Campus to Pepper to Patterson, back on Westmoreland

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    YHC sucks at summer running, but I still enjoy seeing these groups on a regular basis. Thanks for sticking with me as I push through the gloom.

    Good mumblechatter with the 6s for a bit, then breathing took over. Hitchhiker planned on going wading in the river today but instead decided to run and didn’t bother changing shoes.

    YHC started handing out SQL access to #bigdata this morning. Be on the lookout for your next assignment.

    Announcements

    • Sign up for the pickle ball coup de grace 8/26.
    • Saab is in the market for a german car

    Splinter out.

  • Dispelling all Fake News

    The gravity of Mary Munford was strong this am, pulling people in at 0530 and once again at 0615. Runners all did the same thing. Riders did something. Here is what the runners did.

    The Route

    4s: https://onthegomap.com/s/5qsculu5

    5s: https://onthegomap.com/s/e2gvt3lp

    Numbers, names, people strolled in, people rolled out. YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    Great to see faces of those that have battled health challenges and to have them back out tackling the day. There was also an instance of someone who miraculously has already recovered from surgery that has not yet happened.

    YHC wants to specifically thank Pigskin for navigating me through the fog this morning. There were points where I was running backwards and didn’t even know. Thanks!

    Announcements

    • Batteau will be a summer long pickleball tourney. Bring one, bring all to see what it’s all about.
    • Summer tour in full force

    Have a phenomenal weekend everyone.

  • The Devil’s Intervals

    The Devil’s Intervals

    Eighteen unsuspecting spiderlings, including one world traveler, met in our usual spot to wait for directions. Directions were brief because we would be staying together today. It went something like this:

    The Route

    4s: Through the batcave and over to Westham Station

    5/6s: Follow the main road to River then over to westham station. 6s run around starbucks.

    Meet at the bottom of Panorama for 3x intervals, shifting up to the first tree after the first interval. Slow mosey over to one of the H streets for the next round. 3x up Highland then 1x up Old Bridge. Mosey back to the flag via the route you came.

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    Great to have a visitor from Katy, TX today. Glad you were not upset with the concept of intervals. YHC enjoys throwing these on the PAX from time to time.

    Way to crush it today fellas. I don’t think we have done intervals on the devil’s pitchfork until today. Well done!

  • Still within the Statute of Limitations

    YHC doesn’t know who was there, but this was the route. Lockjaw was the Q. If you can dig up your stats from 11/5/2019, let me know and I’ll add your name. I’m guessing Saab ran to vote, but who knows?