A coincidental 13 gathered on Friday the 13th and shunned the European measuring system in favor of imperial measuring units. Surprisingly, no mileage was called today, just pattern based instructions. The goal was somewhat concentric squares. Here’s how it went down:
The Route – Use north on westmoreland and west on Grove as fixed axis – Go north 1 block then turn right – Turn right after 1 block then right on Grove – Right on westmoreland and proceed 2 blocks north then take a right – Right after two blocks then back on grove – Continue increasing by a block in each direction until time runs out
Numbers, Names, no one touched my microphone, and YHC took us out while practicing social distancing.
Moleskin As you will see in the image above, this worked pretty well except it started to get boring on lap 5 & 6. As Faceplant put it, better then out and back on Grove.
Plenty of interesting facts and events this morning. First of all, good luck to the gentlemen that are running 50 miles (not a 50k) this weekend. Enjoy the solidarity in the woods and don’t share any camelbacks.
I also learned that Finland is cold, dark, and wet. Oh, and they have less COVID-19 cases than Virginia.
Even though Hitchhiker may look like a new man, No Tools apparently is a new man (according to Hardywood).
Handshakes, fists, and elbow bumps may be discouraged, but there has been zero CDC guidance on upright pickle pounding amongst friends.
Sixteen Spider Run Stalwarts + 1 that was feeling the Bern gathered in the balmy 49° gloom for some hill fun. After the expected northern aggression’s comments about long sleeve attire, YHC declared our routes and off we went.
The Route – Long way around the lake – Across the bridge and up the hill by the baseball field – Down the parking lot to College
4s – Cut through fraternity row and take a right on Hampshire – Hampshire turns to Horsepen and ascend all the way to Patterson – Right on Patterson then right on St Christopher – Straight across to Tapoan, not Towana – Meander by the golf course back to the start
5s – Left on College – Right on University – Right on Wood – Quick left on Lakewood then right on Wood – Right on Baldwin – Baldwin turns to Hampshire then follow the 4 route
6s – Stay on College all the way to Club Vista and take a right – Right on Westham – Right on Baldwin – Cross Wood and stay on Baldwin then follow the 4 route
Numberama, Names, then start searching for Posh.
Moleskin Phenomenal morning for a run this morning. Pre/post run mumblechatter was at an all-time high. So high that YHC couldn’t decide on an appropriate backblast title. Therefore, I have listed a few suggestions below. Rather than comment on the backblast (which no one will do anyway), offer an alternative title. It’s like a haiku without the haiku!
Posh Finds His Way Home Hitchhiking on the Snowbank Sufferin’ Succotash This Run Sucks I’m Bored So I Guess I’ll Go Vote Marv Wins a Bet I Said the Long Way Around the Lake
Announcement HDHH the 18th which is a day before the 19th. Just sayin.
Six tenacious thrill-seekers erratically parked at Hoedown this morning for a late sign-up edition of a Splinter Q. After describing how much sleep YHC lost over the past few days thinking about this Q, off we went for something similar to what is transcribed below.
Quick double loop counter clockwise around the drop off loop in honor of Upchuck ?. Diversion after turn 3 of lap 2 up the stairway and to the center of the sea of black.
Very short mosey to the very short basketball hoop (appropriately sized for some PAX members) and wait for Upchuck to demonstrate his inner Spud Webb. Small 4 corners bounded by two basketball goals. 10x merkins, 20x squats, 30x WWIIs, 40x Flutter Kicks (2 count). Alternate bear crawling and lunging between stations.
Slightly longer mosey to the southeast corner of the black sea for a full sized 4 corners. Increase count by 5 for previous exercises. Skip jump between stations with arm waving OYO.
Anticipating complaints due to the lack of moseying, YHC led the PAX for a brief mosey down Lindsay. Partner up for catch me if you can. After some discussion around the intended outcome of Bernie Sanders, and Handshake catching his breath, partner 1 starts “Sandersing” up the hill while partner 2 completes 3 burpees then runs forward to tag partner. Continue up the hill.
Mosey back down the hill with great fanfare.
Same partners, suicides up Lindsay with lit lamp posts on the right acting as the lines. Partner 1 runs legs 1 & 3 and partner 2 runs legs 2 & 4. Idle partner squats and jumps repeatedly.
Needing to run back up the hill, YHC beckoned alternate “Sandersing” and forward run with the lamp posts acting as the transition point. Convene at the top before scurrying back to the parking lot for 2 minutes or mary which included reverse crunches and LBCs.
Numbers and Salutations before ample prayer requests with YHC taking us out.
Seventeen scintillating scalawags waited for instructions this morning, and then they came. Summit was the call, trying to resurrect a route from a few months back with some modifications. See above for the pic of the 6 mile route.
Route – head west, across the bridge, down the gravel path and across to University – University to left on Ralston – Right on River, staying on the sidewalk – Right on E Glenbrooke Circle – Left on W Glenbrook Circle – Right on Summit to the top – 4s return the same route (closer to 4.3) – 5s take a right at the bottom of Summit to continue on Glenbrook and complete the loop – 6s follow the 5s but then take a left on Twin Lake (not Twin Team) – Twin Lake turns to Melwood. Left on Charnwood. – Say hey to Honeydo then left on Shadow – Left on Twin Lake – Right on Twin Lake – Left on Glenbrooke circle, compete the loop then head back home
Moleskin Plenty of just in time arrivals today, enough that many missed instructions. There were enough there to hear the 4/5/6 route that it was left a surprise to others.
Plenty of hills out there today boys. Hills and darkness. The world can be a beautiful place when not distracted by our creations.
Announcements – Wedding Singer created a write in candidate for best group for the Monument 10k. If you sign up, add yourself to the F3RVA group – Healing place is meeting at 730 after dogpile for 3 miles this week. See TYA for inspiration.
YHC fumbled through the prayer today. Apologies to all but my thoughts weren’t clear today. Next time.
Oh, and read Marv’s backblast from last Friday. Casting call for lead roles in the made for TV version will begin next week.
Fourteen runners + two bikers ran and rode today. Some started early while others showed up to a Q-less RAMM. YHC took control and spouted out an easy one.
East on Grove North on Malvern Cross Broad, Cross the Bridge East on Laburnum 6s briefly went North on Hermitage
Out in 23 minutes back in 22 minutes.
Announcements and YHC took us out.
Announcements – Best wishes to Gomer as he heads out on mission. Safe travels! – See Offshore for info on 10k support for the Healing Place. – Stay away from the Capitol on Monday.
Whose roads these are I think I know Ten men with TYA thinking he was the bro; Splinter trumps, all PAX belt out a cheer Intervals were the way to geaux.
Turning left up Ridgeway to the top we steer Three times repeating YHC commandeered Roads were a river, almost a lake Difficult, but not quite Mount Rainier.
Back down Roselawn, we jiggle, we shake TYA glasses turned opaque. Only two times up that Roselawn heap Then turn right for goodness sake.
Three times up Toana and nary a peep, U-Turn down Campus needing a Jeep, Two times up Bostwick before I sleep, Two times up Bostwick before I sleep.
Eighteen shivering somebodies emerged from the headlights with unabated excitement for today’s iteration of 45 Minutes of Mary. After minor banter about the possibility of the tuckahoe early risers leaving a deposit in Saab’s driveway, the PAX scurried off to the center of the basketball courts for:
The Thang Short mosey over to Reveille via Willetta and Ashlawn for a field trip, stopping at the Cary St side of the parking lot for our first segment of fun with partners. Wait a few seconds for Lab Rat’s mumblechatter to subside before relaying instructions:
Partner up. One partner does flutter kicks while the other partner runs to the first line, does 1 burpee, and comes back. Second partner also runs to the first line, does 1 burpee, and comes back while the first partner does flutters. Continue, adding a burpee and a line until you get to the end. 6 total lines. Kind of like a line drill but with burpees and a partner. This worked out well with little added instruction needed. Brief plank time while everyone finishes.
Mini fun run to the circle and find a new partner. One partner lines up around the arc of the sidewalk and performs WWIIs while the other polar bears around the circle. Complete 3 times before gathering the pax with various exercises including Al Gore, Donald Quixotes, and finishing with Cherry Pickers in cadence. Yes, cherries grow on trees.
Scurry out the parking lot and away from Reveille via Antrim by mixing in backwards running and forwards running until we got to the first parking lot by the greek church. Quick virtual high-five to BT who is apparently in Vegas but was with the PAX in spirit today. Triple up for triple check with boxing cockroaches while the third partner karaokes to the end of the parking lot and back. Three times. Plankorama led by Bodos for those who wanted to listen.
Time left over for some 4 corners with 4 corners of 10x merkins with various forms of running between corners. Second iteration alternate between merkins and jump squats before gathering the pax and heading back to the VSF.
Numbers (18 of them in fact), names, and then YHC took us out while a man and his dog awkwardly stared.
Moleskin Lots of mumblechatter this morning as we had a vocal PAX. Energy level was high for an off campus field trip. YHC enjoyed the different scenery and hopes the PAX didn’t wake up too much of the neighborhood.
Great to see some old faces in a new year.
Flipper is only moderately upset with YHC for not accepting his JMU fight song challenge. Check out Facebook for his attempt to go viral.
Saab tried to get some extra stretching in but YHC surprised him with a Saab sized portion of SSHs during COP. Quick reaction time promptly got him in position to continue.
Announcements – See DTH for tshirt orders. Countdown is on! – Winter tour is live and free! – Slack is free! – JMU plays at noon on Saturday on yes, ABC
Fourteen able bodied gentlemen gathered just in time for instructions to today’s edition of Spider Run. Moon Pie appeared just in time to hear instructions that made no sense. Regardless, off we went for a relatively error-free route that included:
The Route 4 milers – Head west towards the baseball field, up in front of the Robins Center and left on College. Right on Lakewood. Right on Wood. Left on Beechwood. Left on Westham. Cross River and head down South Ridge. Left on Westham Station and work your way back to the commons via the main entrance on River Road.
5 milers – same as 4s except add the down and back Ross after you cross over River.
6 milers – same as 4s except add the Cameron to Culpeper jug handle before heading down and back Ross. Also add Old Bridge to Highland on Westham Station.
Very few announcements then YHC took us out while making sure the seals heard our prayer.
Moleskin Relatively uneventful Spider Run today. Very methodical execution from the PAX. Hitchhiker is building towards something as he ran from his house to Spider Run and then back. TClaps for seriously putting in the miles these days.
Six mile chatter centered around snow sports and the desire (or lack thereof) to participate. The steeds lost me on Highland and YHC was left with his thoughts the rest of the way.
Lug keeps pushing it too. He added Ross but didn’t quite see the bottom.
Swirly wore his favorite shirt but that didn’t keep him from getting temporarily misguided on Ross.
Welcome Moon Pie to his first Spider Run (YHC believes). Upon declaring his name during pre-run introductions, Hitchhiker came out of the blue and asked if Moon Pie had ever been to China. Stealing a line from the #daville regulars, “As usual, I have no idea what that means.”
Eleven 12 Days of Christmas dodgers huddled, backs to the lake, to avoid the lake effect wind. Today was YHCs gift to the PAX, extra miles to push ourselves heading into the holiday season. After BT confused Saab with references to Bavaria, YHC gave instructions, which went something like this:
The Route Everyone head over the bridge in front of the Commons, left up towards the Chapel and right on UR drive. Continue to River, left on River, cut through the shopping center, right on Huguenot and across the bridge. Loop around to Riverside, left on Riverside, right towards Flatwater, left on Riverside.
4 milers – continue on Riverside and turn around at Rivercrest for an advertised 4.5 mile route.
5 milers – continue on Riverside until it turns to Hickory. Stop when you get to Cherokee and return the same way for an advertised 5.5 mile route.
6 milers – continue across Cherokee, right on Rustic. Left when that ends, left when that ends, left when that ends and return via Hickory and Riverside for an advertised 6.5 mile route.
Numbers, names, pause for a brief announcement from Saab (that never came) and then YHC took us out.
Moleskin YHC wanted to push it a little this morning so apologies to the PAX for dragging you along my desire to do more. Pushing beyond our normal distances is good from time to time to see what you body, and mind, can tolerate.
Routes were a little shorter than advertised but still longer than normal. A feat not often realized by the PAX today.
Lockjaw has the Q for RAMM Friday. What could he have in store???
Ten plump turkeys strutted their way over to the parking lot for this week’s iteration of Hoedown. Nary a mention of the Redskins today so off we mosey’d to the front of the school, passing the neon ladies, for something that went like this.
The Thang Mosey back over to the blacktop for Lindsays. Squats and straight up merkins. Run the distance of the blacktop between sets.
Scurry over to Linsday Ct for repeating iterations of catch me if you can. Partner up with one partner doing 5x burpees while the other Bernie Sanders up the hill. Burpee-er catches Bernie by running forwards then switch. Recover back down the hill and repeat 2x with WWIIs and Jump Squats.
Meander through the darkness towards West Drive Circle, stopping at the circle. Since we lost Toto we could safely complete a triple check. LT Dans and WWIIs while the third runs the loop.
Dosey Do back to the AO proper, stopping at each mailbox and performing 5 merkins. We completed 0 merkins.
Audible and ramble down Hepler, stopping at each lamp post or house light and perform 5 merkins. Collect the PAX at the bottom and then run back to the VSF.
Sequentially declare our position, state names, announcements, random thoughts by Offshore and then YHC took us out.
Moleskin Great job by the PAX this morning, enduring another Splinter workout with no theme nor reason for leading.
YHC forgot that Westham doesn’t have mailboxes (at least none at the street) but a SNAFU was avoided by modifying to lamp posts.
Mumblechatter was minimal this morning. Everyone appears to be ready for the week of giving thanks for all that we have.
Announcements
Celebration of gathering at Berkeley plantation is at 6am on Thursday morning at Mary. 1 hour special.
