Author: Splinter

  • Visitor Comes North

    Ten willing participants convened near the flag for this mid-August rendition of Daville. Greetings and salutations and then off we went for a little mosey around the school to the basketball courts.

    COP
    SSH x20
    Russian Soldiers x15
    Arm Circles x15
    Copperhead Squats x15
    Hug and Loves x15

    The Thang
    Mosey over to the parking lot for a Daville version of 11s (with 9 then 4 trees). Run up the right side of the parking lot stopping at each tree for increasing merkins. 1 up to 9. Run backwards down the left side of the parking lot stopping at trees for reverse 2 count lunges. 1 up to 4. Repeato with monkey humpers then burpees.

    Saunter over to the tennis courts for width-wise line drills. Start on the side line and do line drills across 3 tennis courts, stopping at each doubles alley. Stop on the far end for exercises. 5 merkins at each stop. 2nd set included karaoke followed by jump squats. 3rd set included karaoke the other direction and WW2s. Various forms of people’s chair in-between sets.

    Serpentine over to the baseball field for some fun on the bases. Single – run to each base and complete 10 merkins. 40 total. Double – run to second and do 20 squats then run home and complete 20 squats. Triple – run to third and complete 30 2-count flutters then single home for 10 more merkins. Home run – run around the bases (inside the park style) and complete 40 LBCs.

    Quick run back to the flag where we had 10 more seconds for 10 more merkins.

    Numbers, names, and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    It was great to get out to Daville this morning. I’ve been searching for the right day to make the trek and today was a perfect day. Always fun to get out and explore a new AO. Thanks to the Daville crew + Double Mint for allowing YHC to lead, even though you guys were counting weird at points.

    Appreciate the love out there today. There were definitely a few “sighs of joy” when announcing the exercises we were performing. YHC can only assume those were sounds of endearment.

    Big Data corrected a lot of data yesterday but today it’s all about chalking one up in the Daville column for Splinter.

  • Visual Props

    Map, out and back with 5 and 6 mile loops

    Twenty arachnids emerged from the dusk for some fun around UR. A few of the regulars expected intervals and were disappointed. Others were not expecting intervals and were not disappointed. Alas, off we went to follow the prescribed out and back route with some loops:

    • Across the lake, down the rocky path and cross College to University
    • University across Westham and Ridge ’till it dead ends at Ralston
    • Left on Ralston
    • Right on River via the sidewalk
    • Right on Glenbrooke Circle (East)
    • Left on Glenbrook Circle (West)
    • 4 milers turn around at Summit and return
    • Everyone else summit Summit and return to the bottom
    • 4.5 milers return via the same route
    • 5s and 6s take a right on Glenbrooke and complete the Glenbrooke Circle loop via East then West
    • 5s return while 6s add the first class streets loop of Windsor on the James
    • Everyone return to the VSF

    Count all fingers and toes, disclaim given names and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    YHC has wanted to introduce Glenbrooke Circle for quite a while but never got around to it. Today was the day. Given the recent trend of bringing laptops to describe routes, printouts seemed in order. While the route was fairly straightforward for the regulars, visual cues via a map without street names was the perfect accompaniment to some perfectly clear verbal directions.

    4s didn’t complain as they got lost and likely did 5. 4.5s appreciated the extra excursion up Summit. 5s were spot on at just over 5 miles. 6 milers were probably a little short. YHC owes you next time.

    Great to explore a new route. Will add this to the annals for a future repeat. Rumor has it Keymaster (a.k.a. “Hi Derek”) may Q a future Spider Run for those interested in laps around the lake.

    Big Data counted to 20 today. Nice work gents.

  • OG – Irregular Quadrilateral

    Four eager gentlemen gathered under the waning crescent for this morning’s iteration of Hoedown. Toto gathered his thoughts in his car, then emerged and off we went for an irregular old glory.

    Grab the flag and head south on Forest. Through the parking lot, left on Crest, left on Sunset, right on Lakewood, left on Hillsdale, wave to a sleeping Lockjaw, left on West Drive, left on Lindsay and back to where the flag was for the completion of the mile.

    The Thang

    • Run to recycling center for 20 merkins
    • Run towards the drop off loop, u-turn back up the stairs and to the gaga court for 20 jump squats
    • Up the hill, through the mulch and pick your monkey bar set for 10 pull ups
    • Run back through the covered walkway back to the grassy circle for 20 WWIIs

    Repeat for 20 minutes then reverse course for the 1 mile back.

    5MOM included LBCs, heels to heaven, freddy mercuries, flutter kicks, and american hammers.

    Digits, salutations and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin

    It’s been a long time since YHC has completed an old glory so while YHC was in the car yesterday this popped into mind. No real rectangular options on campus so improvisation was required. All in all it worked well. Kudos to Handshake for leading the way with 4 complete circuits.

    Great way to start the day gentlemen. High intensity indeed with the slight elevation changes and the pull-ups mixed in.

    Announcements

    • HDHH next Wednesday. Meet at Kuba Dos for some hills then 2nd F.

    Big data only counted 4 today at Hoedown. Where was everyone else?

  • Soupy and Poopie

    Two students with thumbs up

    Eight frolickers gathered in the thick mustard this morning, joined by an extra credit 2.0 for today’s rendition of WDog. Circle around the flag to start sweating, wait for Posh to come in hot, then off we went for a jog by the entrance of Maymont and over to Shields lake.

    COP
    7 Don Quixote’s
    17 Copperhead Squats
    78 SSH
    8 Burpees
    34 LBCs

    The Thang
    Partner up for no good reason and mosey to the nearest hill. Bear crawl up the hill, 10 merkins, crawl bear down, 10 merkins. Repeat for a total of 3 ups and downs.

    Mosey over to the nearest sidewalk and partner up for good reason. Partner 1 runs to the base of the staircase, up the stairs and returns while the other partner performs exercises. 3 iterations with exercises being burpees, jump squats, monkey humpers.

    Wait around for Wojo only to realize he is visiting somewhere on campus so we collected EF Hutton and mosey’d around Shields lake to the south stone wall. Line up in derkin position on the wall, first person in line completes 5 derkins then runs to the front of the line. Continue two times through the line.

    Line up in dip position on the wall. First person completes 10 dips and then runs to the front of the line. Modify from reverse plank to flutter kicks to freddie mercuries. Congrats to Saab for watching Bohemian Rhapsody. Two times through then mosey to the nearest hill.

    Clockwork merkins. 20x at 3, 6, 9, and 12 positions. Careful to navigate around the land mines left by the ducks and geese.

    Work our way back up to Spottswood for a final push of sprints, squats, reverse sprints, lunges. Repeat twice then run back to the flag for 3 minutes of Mary including LBCs, Hammers and Flutter Kicks.

    I learned something new today. Luke Bryan’s birthday is today.

    Numbers, names, and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    It was warm. It was moist. It was aromatic over by Maymont. Great job by everyone showing up and pushing through this fine midsummer RVA morning.

    Saab was trying out a new type of SSH this morning. Sorry you hate regular ones so much but they are a good full body warm up. Keep practicing brother.

    Everyone pushed hard today including Jaws who is working on a summer fitness program required through school. Multiple referencers to Mark Harmon in Summer School quickly occurred.

    Stay cool everyone. It’s a gross one out there.

    Announcements
    Early Risers this weekend. 4:00am. Have fun.
    Puppy Pile the following weekend. Marv will join via skype from Japan.

    Piles of Big Data out there just waiting to be cleansed.

  • PSA – Lost Data

    PSA – Lost Data

    There was a momentary loss of data yesterday evening on the website. As of 5:00AM this morning I had to restore the site to a backup from yesterday at 4:38PM. I have verified that any posts created during that window have at least been recreated; however, if you made updates after 4:38PM EDT yesterday and 5:00AM EDT this morning they are lost. Feel free to recreate any comments, or just forget about them all together.

    If anyone has any questions, just ping me and I’ll fill you in.

    #BigData should be clean. If you see otherwise, just ping me.

    Splinter

  • Finally Saw the river at River Run

    Solo post at River Run this morning. I waited an extra minute and then headed for the trails down by the river. Got turned around and ran back past the car, up Twin Team and then back around the school and parking lot to finish out the 45 minutes and 4.20 miles.

    I run faster with a group and when I know where I am going.

    Kids late for rowing drive really fast

    The river trails are kind of spooky in the foggy dawn.

    Prayers for Helix’s daughter. Peace fellas – see y’all tomorrow.

    Can’t add QIC, Date, Pax.. somehow I screwed up my posting options…not known for my WordPress skills and it keeps me from wanting to Q -I don’t mind writing, I just screwed this up in some way.

    Shakedown

  • [4, 6]

    Interval

    A combination of RAMMers, Gear-heads, and early risers tackled today’s iteration of RAMM. Only the RAMMers got to experience today’s long overdue interval plan. Here’s how it went:

    Group into 4 milers, 5 milers, and 6 milers. Everyone goes north on Commonwealth and right on Monument and returns the same way.

    15 minute warm up at a relatively easy pace
    15 minute pickups which includes 1 minute of fast pace followed by 30 seconds of recovery. 10 of these, reversing course after the 5th interval.
    15 minute cool down

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    It’s been over a year since we did this variation of the fartlek at RAMM. Based on the discussion post run, everyone (including Marv) seemed to enjoy the faster pace. Speed work is always good to mix in to break up the monotony of always running for distance.

    The idea is to stick together in your pace group. Phonics and Faceplant did a good job of doubling back on the recovery part of the intervals to make sure YHC’s group stayed together. Next time YHC will be a little more explicit about that desire to stick together. Thanks to Upgrade and Bleeder for captaining their groups respectively.

    Bootleg forgot to turn around and may still be running had he not seen the six mile group on the reverse course.

    Is TYA reading this BB? We know Marv won’t.

    Happy Birthday No Tools.

    Announcements
    – Puppy Pile 6/29. Marv has the Q.
    – Amateaur RAMM Gears next week with Lab Rat on the Q. Bring something that rolls for a fun day peddling on the streets. 2.0s welcome?

    Splinter out

  • Turf Toe

    Nine from Arlington welcomed a traveling Splinter for a perfect morning beatdown at Yorktown High School. The turf was damp but perfect, eclipsing the quality of fields at NoToll.

    The Thang

    Four corners for COP, lots of variations of merkins including superman and swimmer merkins, which I enjoyed and will likely reuse in the future.

    Multiple variations of catch me if you can.

    Fun with Bocce balls. Toss a ball with a partner and treat it as an exercise race. You have to do exercises until your partner returns.

    Fun time was had by all.

  • Indecent Exposure

    Image result for running shorts meme

    Sixteen wandering Westhamers promptly departed from the Commons at 5:29, leaving behind at least 1 just-in-time PAX member to locate the crew. TYA inquired and everyone was excited when YHC announced his claim of the Q. Off we went:

    The Route

    • West around the baseball field, left on College, right on Lakewood
    • 4 milers right on Wood, right on Hampshire (whoops, Baldwin), across to Ridge Top, stopping at Chandler
    • 5 milers right on Wood, right on Westham, right on Woodberry, right on Horsepen, left on Devon, right on Ridge Top, stop at Chandler
    • 6 milers continue on Lakewood to a right on Westham, right on Woodberry, right on Horsepen, left on Devon, right on Ridge Top, stop at Chandler

    Stop for intervals on Chandler. 1 minute up at high intensity and 1:45 down for recovery. Complete anywhere from 3-5 intervals depending on arrival time.

    Follow Ridge Top back towards campus with a quick jog through fraternity row before returning back to VSF.

    Moleskin
    Apologies to the 4 mile crew for mislabeling the right on Hampshire. It should have been a right on Baldwin which turns into Hampshire. Thus, some of our PAX didn’t make it to Chandler on time. Eventually everyone but 2 showed up to enjoy the intervals.

    Many thanks to our elder statesman for demonstrating what proper running attire is for a cool 50°F.

    Announcements

    • Donate to Shakedown to support childhood cancer. See him for more details
    • Puppy Pile on 6/1, “the last Saturday in May”
    • Memorial Day convergence on, you guessed it, Memorial Day
    • Summer Tour challenge starts on the actual last Saturday in May. Check out the google sheets doc for details. You can even request a patch.

    Splinter out.

  • Magnum, PI

    Nine rain-shower dodgers circled around the flag for this morning’s iteration of Hoedown. Everyone greeted the sleeveless Fudd, then off we went for a quick warm-up jog through the neighborhood before meeting in front of the school for:

    COP
    SSH x20
    Arm Circles x15
    Copperhead Squats x20
    Don Quixotes x15
    Freddie Mercuries x20
    Merkins x20

    The Thang
    Mosey to the parking lot nearest the cafeteria for instructions. 3 exercises of 20 each then run to the far end of the parking log, traverse up and down the hill, then run back to whence we came. The run got shorter and shorter with each iteration. Exercises were:

    Merkins, Squats, Flutter Kicks, Run forward/backward
    Werkins, Lunges, LBCs, Bear Crawl / Crawl Bear
    Clerkins, Ball Dippers, Reverse Crunches, Crawl Bear / Bear Crawl
    Boo Ya Merkins, Step Back Lunges, APDs, Crab Walk / Walk Crab

    Slow shimmy over to the stairway ramp for 3 sets of 10 jerkins.

    Sideways shuffle over to the paved ocean for triple check. Al Gore, APDs and Karaoke / Backwards Run / Forwards run.

    Hustle back to the flag where announcements were made and YHC took us out.

    Moleskin
    The weather was glorious today. Soon after COT, the skies opened up and everyone scattered. Always great to see Fudd out in the gloom and he continues to EH even from afar. Welcome to FNG Ben who is a local Midlo graduate, thus the Magnum moniker.

    Someone commented about the length of the karaokes on the blacktop should be called ball twisters, from which YHC retorted “twisticles”. Someone should look to see if that can get added to the lexicon.

    Announcements
    Memorial Day convergence at Tredegar. No Hoedown that day.

    Prayers to Handshake’s friend who is going through terrible circumstances.

    See everyone in the gloom.

    Big Data is watching.