Author: 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

  • Drafters Beware

    Drafters Beware

    Fifteen spiderlings gathered in the mist to wait for instructions on today’s route. Much to the pleasure of a few of our PAX, instructions indeed came. The original Devil’s Pitchfork was called. We waiting until PRECISELY 5:30 before departing for:

    The Route

    • Head through the Eco Corridor and head west on Westham Station
    • Right on Panorama and return at River
    • Right on Westham Station and right on Old Bridge
    • Head right at the fork up Highland and follow up to River
    • 4s return and head home
    • 5s take a right at the bottom of the hill and take Old Bridge to the end
    • 5s return back, doubling up on Panorama on the way back
    • 6s take a right on Westham Station and follow South Ridge to the light at River
    • 6s return via Westam Station taking no diversions

    Numbers, names, very few announcements and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    Great morning for a run. Personally, YHC finally felt halfway descent about a run. Thanks to Saab for not turning on the afterburners and keeping YHC company for most of the route.

    Faceplant’s drafting strategy almost backfired at the start of the eco corridor. When you draft behind YHC and YHC suddenly steps right to avoid a 6×6 post, you may catch an obstruction directly in the jewels. Drafters Beware!

    Some of the PAX were a little testy this AM. Some expected intervals and were disappointed, some didn’t participate in the circle of instructions and then complained about not being greeted this morning, and some griped about YHCs call of Devil’s Pitchfork not being creative enough.

    Guess what!? There is a Q signup sheet where anyone can sign up to lead. YHC signed up yesterday as it was still open. Well good news! Someone already signed up for next week so you will have to wait another week to express your creativity on Spider Run.

    SYITG – Splinter

  • Mary Found the Glory

    American Flag

    Nine of greater RVAs finest gathered at Mary today, including one who seemed to be lost and arrived very early. After strategically locating a hole for the flag, we gathered to chat and then off we went, picking up said flag for a quick mosey down Commonwealth to Cary.

    The Thang
    Old Glory. One mile route was west on Cary, north on Westmoreland, east on Hanover, south on Woodlawn, back to Cary.

    Use the entire field area up to the school for 20 minutes of 4 corners. 20 merkins, 20 jump squats, 10 burpees, 20 WWIIs.

    After completing between 3 and 4 loops for those with varying abilities, gather up and reverse course for the final mile.

    Back to the parking lot for COT where announcements were made and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    It’s been a long time since YHC has completed an Old Glory and this may be the first appearance at Mary. The soup was thick and the breeze didn’t help much until we stopped.

    Fellowship was grand this AM as we all battled the elements. No hiding from the pain this morning and it was everywhere.

    SJ – hope that ankle isn’t too bad and your ice maker starts making ice soon.

    Announcements
    Prayers out to Profit and Doublemint as they recover from their respective accidents.

    See everyone soon.

    Splinter

  • Schwetting

    Amazon.com: That's Not Sweat That's My Fat Melting 15 oz Coffee ...

    Six early birds gathered in the random parking lot on River for today’s iteration of First Watch. Pleasantries were exchanged then off we went to begin the melting process. Quick mosey to the triangle for COP that included:

    COP
    20x SSH
    10x Don Quixote’s (complete with spine adjustments on #1)
    20x LBCs
    10x Merkins
    15x Imperial Walkers

    The Thang
    Mosey to Cameron Road for mailbox bingo. Run down Cameron and do 3 burpees for every mailbox we pass on the left and 5 jump squats for those we pass on the right. Stop at the bottom of the hill.

    Triple up for triple check. Shoulder tap merkins (audibled to just shoulder taps after round 1), freddie mercuries, third person runs up the hill to the 4th driveway.

    Continue up Cameron until the end repeating the burpee/jump squat combo from earlier.

    Turn down Ross and do 10 flutter kicks for mailboxes on the left and 5 merkins for mailboxes on the right. Audible to alternating mailboxes half way down.

    Work our way back up Ross by partnering up. Partner 1 does lunges while partner two runs partway up the hill and back. Switch and repeat.

    Second round with bear crawls and running. Joyous.

    Mosey back to the flag where we complete a round of ring of fire.

    Numbers, names, lots of fellowship then YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    YHC won’t lie. There were times today where that sucked. Humidity and heat was kind of brutal. Sometimes YHC thought that running was better and other times exercises. In the end, they both sucked. Plenty of sweat prints left on the road this morning.

    Conversation revolved around events of last evening and the comical rules of local pools opening.

    Nice day for a cotton shirt Handshake. Enjoy the day gentlemen.

    Splinter

  • Early Morning Lollipops

    Twelve Spider Run regulars + 1 Q visitor gathered early around the commons for today’s rendition. Bleeder arrived after just missing an albino deer on Cary, then perfectly clear instructions were disclosed.

    The Route
    Head west young men!!! Everyone head west, across the bridge and through the woods. 4s & 5s head up University, 6s head up Lakewood to Westham to University. Continue on University until you reach Ziontown. Don’t take Ziontown, take the driveway straight ahead. Admire the perfectly clean cars in the driveway and continue through the park. Right out of the park and up Roslyn Hills. Left on September.

    4s take a left on Melwood then left on Roslyn Hills and back through the park and home.

    5s & 6s continue on September which turns to Countryside. 6s take a right on Higginbotham then left on Running Cedar then left on Ruggles. 5s continue on Countryside then take a left on Ruggles. Left on Roslyn Hills and back through the park the way you came.

    Digits and salutations and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    What a beautiful morning to be alive. Running at dawn always brings me peace. It’s no secret that Marv and YHC have been meeting up the past few weeks to try to get some fellowship while running. Solo runs are fine for a while but individual motivation quickly dissipates. YHC is thankful for the opportunity to lead and to be a part of this ever-entertaining group of gentlemen.

    Announcements
    Prayers for Profit and his recovery down at Duke. He’ll be back at RAMMGears before you know it.

    ¡Hasta mañana mi amigos!

  • My Daughter Made Me Do It

    Eleven eponymous eggheads circled up on the warm pavement for this week’s iteration of Hoedown. Greetings and salutations were exchanged for YHCs first F3 Q since the March Madness that never happened. Scuttle around the drop-off loop up to the blacktop ocean for COP that went something like this:

    COP
    10x Helicopters
    15x Smurf Jacks
    10x Don Quixotes
    20x Imperial Walkers
    15x Arm Circles
    10x Merkins

    The Thang
    Short mosey over to the end line closest to the school for the first of many iterations of 3 sets of 3 exercises of 12 reps.

    Batch 1
    12 squats
    12 WWIIs
    12 merkins
    Run to the end of the blacktop and back
    Repeato for a total of 3 sets

    Batch 2 – Mosey to the bottom of Lindsay
    12 lunges (each leg)
    12 4-count american hammers
    12 shoulder tap merkins
    Bernie Sanders halfway up the hill then run back
    Repeato

    Batch 3 – Mosey to the small parking lot
    12 jump squats
    12 4-count flutter kicks
    12 inchworms
    Bear crawl to the other side and commence second set
    Repeato

    Batch 4 – Mosey to bigger parking lot
    12 single leg APDs
    12 torso lifts
    12 hand release merkins

    Al Gore until time expires

    Moleskin
    It was a majestic day today. Conversation was abundant even with the excessive amount of internal counting. Clearly, the PAX has been busy with their Ms the past few months. Multiple references to special korean wine and breaking in tree houses.

    The format of this workout and a few of the exercises were pilfered from my daughter’s COVID workout routine. YHC is especially thankful for the introduction of the inchworm.

    Good virtual coffeteria post workout. Glad to be back.

    Splinter

  • In Memoriam, March Madness

    Image result for deflated basketball

    No more than 10 equidistantly spaced normalcy seekers gathered under the waning crescent for this year’s iteration of march madness. Brief mosey over to the center of the blacktop for something that went like this:

    COP
    20x – Staring at Saab not doing SSHs
    10x – Helicopters
    20x – Not so Imperial Walkers
    10+x – Don’t Stare at the Shorts Copperhead Squats
    20x – American Hammers
    10x – Merkins, good ole American style

    The Thang
    Stay in our circle for an exercise YHC is calling, “10 Minutes of Hardywood Startup Ideas.” Pick a number from 1-10 and repeat that many burpees every minute for 10 minutes.

    Short jaunt over to the tennis courts for multiple iterations of line drills using the space between the courts as the lines. First iteration running and 10x squats and merkins at the endlines. Second iteration karaoke facing the school and 10x single count lunges and WWIIs. Third iteration backwards run with mountain climbers and diamond merkins, 10x. Al Gores and plank series in between sets.

    Shimmy over to the northwest corner for an exercise YHC is calling, “10 minutes of inappropriate Hardywood jokes.” Circle up, passing dealers choice ab exercises clockwise around the circle. Ab work for 50 seconds then next person calls an exercise out and start again after 10 seconds.

    Back to the VSF for numbers, max {1…10}, names, and YHC took us out.

    Announcements
    – Prayers out to DTH as he is half way around the world helping those that need it in these trying times.
    – Give blood if you can
    – Support small and local businesses

    Splinter out.