Author: Splinter

  • Prime Deal of the Day

    Prime Deal of the Day

    Six of River Road’s finest gathered for First Watch to see who would be oversharer of the week. The PAX would only have to wait until after COP for the story to begin. Mosey to our favorite triangle for COP:

    COP
    25x SSH
    15x Imperial Walkers
    10x Malfunctioning Helicopters
    10x Mountain Climbers
    10x Merkins
    10x Fire Hydrants

    The Thang
    Traveling AO today. Start by strolling over to Country Squire for mailbox bingo. Left mailboxes were WWIIs, right mailboxes were merkins. Do the number on the mailbox and continue all the way up to ridge.

    Brief saunter over to Ross, stopping at one cross street for burpees until the PAX catches up. Work our way down Ross with mailboxes on the left as markers for merkins (10x) and right mailboxes jump squats (10x). Continue to the bottom of Ross.

    Partner up for catch me if you can back up Ross. One partner does WWIIs while the other backwards runs. Flip when partner one catches up. Switch to burpees half way up the hill and then half the PAX got lost.

    After corralling the PAX, we worked our way back to the flag with more mailbox bingo. 5x burpees turned into 5x WWIIs. Then back to the flag for Freddie Mercuries, APDs, and American Hammers.

    Announcements and YHC took us out.

    Announcements
    – Prayers for the health care workers as they begin to navigate the next phase of this pandemic and hopefully peaceful dispersement of vaccines.
    – Prayers for our PAX that have or may have the ‘rona. You know who you are and know that we are praying for you.

    Moleskin
    Ample oversharer opportunities today. Some took the opportunity for a multi-mailbox story, others simply stated “I almost siht my pants”. Either way, Amazon can be a great place to buy new underwear.

    First Watch continues to deliver. See y’all soon.

    Splinter

  • The Beardless Swiper

    The Beardless Swiper

    To shave, or not to shave, that is the question. For one of our PAX it was an age old question, beard or…

    Intervals was the call of the day and YHC could sense the excitement of the PAX. One PAX member started pacing around 528, grumbling something about still waiting for instructions. Huggy Bear emerged from his chariot asking how this run thing worked. Perfect timing for YHC to declare, “Let’s Mosey!”

    The Thang
    Warm up run up out Richmond, Right on UR, left on Ridgeway. Convene at the intersection of Fairway and Ridgeway for intervals. 1 minute up hill at 75%+ effort. Recovery mosey back down in 1:45.

    3x – Fairway to Tapoan
    3x – Ridgeway
    Mosey to the bottom intersection of Roselawn & Towana
    3x – Roselawn
    3x – Towana

    Recovery mosey back to the VSF for our post workout routine and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    YHC hasn’t been to Spider Run since August and has sorely missed the hills around UR. As YHC was reviewing previous Spider Run routes and contemplating possibilities for the day, a realization was made that intervals have been non-existent since Saab’s variation in August. Election day seemed like a perfect opportunity to reintroduce them to the PAX.

    Great catching up with everyone during and post run. Especially fun to discuss how Tuckahoe’s future leaders decided to break into Bodo’s church, repeatedly.

    Announcements
    TYA Turkey Fest on thanksgiving at Mary. Also planning on a Black Friday party in Forest Hill Park. See TYA for details.

    Kanye West is apparently still on the ballet in Caroline County.

    Until next time fellas.

    Splinter

  • Amazon Deal of the Day

    Amazon Deal of the Day

    Seven thrill-seekers descended upon First Watch today for a Q postponement from last week. Some early risers were there upwards of 10 minutes early, hoping to capture today’s over-sharer story first hand. The PAX would have to wait until the chosen one spoke for storytime. Traveling disclaimer this AM, no COP, and here’s what happened:

    The Thang
    The Malfunctioning Escalator
    – Run 5 minutes: west on River, north on Gaymont, left on Kingston, left on Rose Hill
    – 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 20 squats
    – Run 4 minutes: left on Ralston, right on River, left into Windsor, left on Bevlynn
    – 6 burpees, 12 merkins, 23 squats
    – Run 3 minutes: right on Brookchase
    – 7 burpees, 14 merkins, 26 squats
    – Run 2 minutes: continue on Brookchase, right on Bevlynn
    – 8 burpees, 16 merkins, 29 squats
    – Run 1 minute: up Bevlynn, left on Windsor
    – 9 burpees, 18 merkins, 32 squats
    – Run 2 minutes: east on River, left on Ralston
    – 8 burpees, 16 merkins, 29 squats
    – Run 3 minutes: right on Kingston
    – 7 burpees, 14 merkins, 26 squats
    – Run 4 minutes: right on Gaymont
    – 6 burpees, 12 merkins, 23 squats
    – Run 5 minutes: left on River, right on Ridge, turn around at Country Squire and return to flag
    – 5 burpees, 10 merkins, 20 squats
    – APDs x25

    Numbers, names, announcements and YHC took us out in silence.

    Moleskin
    Upchuck arrived thinking it was YHCs F3 anniversary. Clearly, he gets confused on social media as it was YHCs wedding anniversary yesterday. Whatever it takes to encourage someone to post.

    Props to Kubota and Last Call who both proclaimed that they are part of Wilson’s I Hate Running Crew. T-shirt opportunity may be in play here? Perhaps clowns on the back? This workout is arguably a running workout so nice job pushing through ALL OF IT. I clocked it at 3.1 miles. Boom.

    YHC expected more mumblechatter during this workout since we would have time in between sets to pass the time. Mumblechatter significantly waned after the first few sets while most of us captured our breath.

    There was continual prodding by one of our PAX members for someone to overshare. No takers for a few sets but then he spoke. So today, the over-sharer of the week award goes to EF Hutton. Congrats brother. He will be hosting a zoom call later today for his acceptance speech.

    Announcements
    – Don’t forget to bring shoes
    – Don’t forget to sign up for breaking bread

    Splinter

  • Sports Frenzy Reigns Over Heartbreak

    Sports Frenzy Reigns Over Heartbreak

    Twelve tantalizing tacticians gathered in the thick mist for a rarely seen Splinter Q at Heartbreak. The PAX randomly scattered for pre-launch banter then off we went for a short mosey through the light dew before gathering up between the baseball fields for:

    COP
    – Helicopters x10
    – Arm Circles x15
    – Don Qioxotes x10
    – Knee (not that knee) Pulls x10
    – Merkins x10

    Short saunter over to the volleyball? courts for our first set of exercises. Using the space between the volleyball courts as our demarcation line, we performed an exercise to get to the line, did another exercise, then completed another exercise to get to the next line. Continue across all 4 courts. Exercises were Polar Bears, Merkins x10, Lunges, Merkins x10, Polar Bears, Merkins x10, Lunges, Merkins x10. Al Gore for the six.

    Work back across the volleyball courts with different exercises. Bear-pees, WWII x10, Broad Jumps, WWII x10, Bear-pees, WWII x10, Broad Jumps, WWII x10. Plank rotation for the six.

    Bee-line through the basketball courts towards the far tennis court for 3 sets of, well, tennis. Line up on the side line for a line drill to start. Then three sets of three different exercises with a variation of a line drill in between each set. Rep numbers were clearly arbitrary.

    15 merkins / 30 jump squats / 40 2x flutter kicks / line drill
    15 hand release merkins / 30 ball dippers / 40 2x hammers / line drill
    15 shoulder tap merkins / 30 leg somethings / 40 LBCs / line drill

    Aimlessly follow the Q back to the middle of the basketball courts for traveling triple check. Exercises were flutter kicks and jump squats with the traveler running the width of 4 courts to tag the partner.

    Slide on over to the baseball/softball field for some light baseball fun.

    Single – run to 1st, 10x WWIIs, run to 2nd, 10xWWIIs, etc.
    Double – run to 2nd (via 1st), 20 merkins, run home (via 3rd), 20 merkins
    Triple – run to 3rd, 30 jump squats, run home
    Home Run – inside the parker followed by a Honeydo requested 40x pickle pounders

    Meander back to the flag for 10x dealer’s choice ring of fire where we counted digits and disclaimed our twice given names before YHC took us out.

    Announcements
    – Still collecting shoes through the end of the month. Need at least 10 more pairs
    – F3RVA has doubled our commitment to Breaking Bread. Sign up on the Q sheet and talk to Upchuck for details
    – Ronnie is missing his miata and is looking for a replacement man card

    Moleskin
    Thanks for the great turnout and mumblechatter this morning. For future reference, left field of the big field needs a California sized drought to dry out the outfield. At least Handshake’s shoes didn’t have a chance to dry out from yesterday.

    For those that care to know, YHC likes running. YHC hasn’t had a chance to run much recently and today was a test to see how my body will respond. Thanks for sticking with it! Not a lot of breaks out there.

    Splinter

  • Repeato with Respect

    Repeato with Respect

    An unknown number of underlings did their thing this morning, either on their own or with a group. The main thang was a big loop while running with old glory to show respect for the tragedies of 19 years ago.

    North on Westmorland. East on Monument.

    4s turn right at Boulevard.

    5s turn right at Allison.

    6s turn right somewhere around Stuart.

    All work our way back on Grove.

    Moleskin
    Great work to a great crew this AM. Thanks to Faceplant and Marv for sharing carrying duties today. As was noted, YHC took the first and last leg and claimed all the glory.

    Ping me if I missed someone in the PAX.

    Announcements
    – Beer mile coming up one unknown weekend at the Carrilon
    – Cornhole signup for the 10/2 retreat is still open

    ¡Adiós Muchachos!

  • Spiders Do As They Are Told

    Spiders Do As They Are Told

    Twelve spiderlings +1 gathered in the gloom and waited for instructions for today’s run. After some brief awkwardness where no one spoke for about 90 seconds, instructions were given. Sweating commenced during instructions and may still be exuding from our pores. Absorbed all instructions then took off where we waved to one LIFO who did his own thing.

    The Route

    • Head out Richmond Way towards River
    • Right on Westhampton Way to add a loop
    • Westhampton turned into Crenshaw and then intersected UR Drive after passing by the Alumni Center and Athletic Fields
    • Right on UR Drive
    • Left on River
    • Left into Batcave
    • Right on Ridgeway
    • Right on Fairway which turns into Robin & Iris
    • Briefly cross Three Chopt and left on Henri (aka the access road)
    • Take access road and then left across Three Chopt onto Campus
    • 4s take Campus then left on Gateway and back to the VSF
    • 5s continue on Campus to a left on College. Then left at the baseball field and finish with a 3/4 loop around the lake.
    • 6s continue down College then right through Fraternity row. Left on Hampshire, Baldwin to Westham, Left on Westham, Left on Beachwood, Right on Wood then meander back to the VSF via the baseball field

    Numbers, names, Oyster showed up then YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    Today is the day many of us found our limit. The soup was as thick as a bisque and the hills were plentiful. This route may be worth retrying in September.

    Preliminary feedback on the route was positive (YHC thinks) and everyone followed directions (YHC assumes). As YHC was pulling into his (two) spots this morning he could hear the grumblings of one PAX member.

    Here comes the instructions…

    Crabtree, c. 2020

    There was much commentary about last Friday’s RAMM and the effectiveness of the Q in capturing the spirit of the workout in the backblast. YHC can only assume the above sarcastic grumblings were due to ill-perceived expectation of some sort of retaliatory Q this AM. While it may have crossed the Q’s mind, it will have to wait for another day.

    Great work today fellas. Until next week…

    Splinter

  • Mary Does What She Wants

    Mary Does What She Wants

    19 prompt individuals + 1 late arrival showed up for a little running/gearing around Mary. Instructions were given to those that cared, everyone else did what they wanted to do.

    Fartleks were the call of the day. 15 minute warm up, 10 1-minute pickups with a 30 minute recovery, 15 minute cool down. Route was east on Grove, north on Malvern, east on Laburnum. Turn around after the 5th interval and reverse course.

    Difficulty counting numbers, Difficulty remembering ages, then YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    YHC knows this has been stated before, but those that show up to RAMM seem to do whatever they want to do. Some show up early, some do their own route, some just ignore instructions. Hey, you against you I guess.

    Perhaps we don’t need a Q anymore for RAMM? Just show up and figure it all out when you get there? YHC is not trying to stir the pot, but RAMM has to be the loosest AO we currently have on the books.

    Nice work to Shiplap, Spit, and Garbage Plate. Thanks for enduring the Fartleks with me. Way to crush it.

    Splinter out

  • I Feel Like I Ran Last Friday

    I Feel Like I Ran Last Friday

    Oh Yeah… I did.

    YHC joined Gomer for a jaunt around Currahee. We did what YHC will call was “The Standard Route”. It can be standard as it was my first venture out to Currahee and can only assume it is similar to the Grove Ave route at RAMM, only better.

    Currahee is a good variation on the running routine. YHC suggests any of the running regulars try it out.

    Great running with Gomer. We discussed all sorts of current events.

  • Goose Roughage

    Twelve Tuesday regulars socially distanced themselves using goose droppings as markings. Instructions were given to head up by the football stadium, left on Campus, cross College and through the woods via the immaculate path, then huddle up for today’s festivities.

    Interval time. Gardiner was the first challenge. 1 minute up at about 80% and 1:45 recovery back down. After the first interval we collected the 4 milers that got lost and continued with 2 additional reps up Gardiner. One opted to bypass intervals and just run near us.

    Continue up Gardiner then left on Chandler and collect at the base. 3 more intervals up Chandler with the final at about 90% effort.

    Mosey back down Ridge Top paying homage to Toga then settle at the bottom of Waveny for 3 more intervals. Final interval at max effort, whatever was left.

    Take the most direct route back to the VSF via fraternity row and the baseball field. Circle up for numbers, names, and YHC took us out with the maintenance crew offering respect.

    Moleskin
    Classic late June morning with 98% humidity and foggy. Apologies to the 4 milers as my instructions to the rallying point were not as clear as necessary. Thanks to Garbage Plate who performed his scout duties today and collected the lost goslings.

    Highlights of the morning included the individual at the bottom at Gardiner who must have known intervals were on the docket as he joined us in walking up and down Gardiner while we stormed the path.

    The second set of intervals saw Garbage Plate make it all the way to the end and Hitchhiker find his second, third, fourth, and fifth gears to motor all the way to the top. Kudos to those guys for pushing it hard on a not so easy day.

    The final set of intervals commenced with what can best described as “Bodo’s Rallying Cry”. Make sure you ask him to reproduce that experience next time you see him.

    Glad to hear that Hitchhiker’s family survived the storm yesterday evening. Hopefully your car can be salvaged.

    There was a Saab sighting by many this AM. Perhaps he got lost on the way to the commons or just decided to do his own intervals elsewhere.

    Great job today fellas.

  • Featured Images

    Featured Images

    PAX –

    In my ultimate authority and without consultation, I have made a change to the website such that all posts will now have a default featured image. Continuing the theme of autocracy, the default image for all posts will be an original B&W photo of old glory.

    Having an image for every post helps with the overall fit and finish on the website but additionally, I just like having one.

    Adding a featured image to a post is straightforward. In the right gutter of every post there is a Featured image section. This is the same sidebar where you choose the category of the post (Richmond, Hampton Roads, News, Events). Choose an image, uploading a new image if necessary, and publish your post as usual.

    If you do not want a custom featured image then you do not need to do anything different than you are currently doing and the default image will be used.

    Ping me with any questions. Complaints can be redirected to the hotline.

    Splinter