Author: THE Yankee Aggressor

  • The Lucky 3

    Three strong posted for a good start to the week at the Punisher on the North side of Richmond.  Weather was sunny and 70, with no humidity.

    The Thang:

    One PAX run around the school, other two PAX do appointed exercise, switch when runner comes back.  Exercises completed were merkins, curb dips, LBC, flutter kicks, freddy mercury and alabama prom dates.  Mosey to parking lot.  Bear crawl from curb to curb 10 Merkins at the curb, crab walk back, 10 more merkins.  Rinse and repeat x3.  Lunges from curb to curb, 10 dips each side, repeat x 2.

    Naked Moleskin

    Thanks to Swirly for picking up the Q at the last minute.  Always need to be prepared to throw down a beatdown just in case and it looks like Swirly did a good job.

    At the end of the workout, all three men gave a detailed history of the hardest moments of their respective lives.  Lots of tears were shed, bonds were created and emotional fellowship of the deepest kind happened.  For those that were present, it was described as possibly the most significant moment of their lives.  Bigger than 9-11, Apollo moon landing, and Caitlyn Jenner coming out of the closet.  So, next week when you consider missing the punisher, consider that you might be missing out on the best moment of your life.

  • Welcome Mr. Pete Rose

    7 strong and eager rolled into the south side of Richmond today to play some ball.  Here is how it went down

    The Thang:

    Mosey to front of school for COP.  20x Don Quixote (Thank BT), 20x Through the Tunnel, 20x Side Straddle Hops, 35x LBC, 20x something else.  Mosey to side of school at bus drop off.  Curb crawls, escalate up to 10, repeat 10 and then back down to one.  If you finish early take laps around the front circle of school.  Mosey to baseball diamond for the PETE ROSE.  9 rounds of exercises and running bases.  9 random exercises on playing cards(burpees, box cutters, travoltas, squat jumps, slow squats, LBC, Merkins, Werkins, and Carilina Dry docks), 9 hit cards (single, double, triple, home run and foul ball).  If single 25x exercise, run to first 25x exercise, run back to home plate. Double is 20 reps, triple is 15, HR is 10 and foul ball is 5.  When foul ball is hit, run to deep center field. On the way back, run sideways, jumping, just like Carlton Fisk.

    Naked Moleskin

    We were at the end of the baseball game, running out of time when the Dealers choice card came out.  Lug Nut threw us a much needed softball, calling LBC’s as his choice.  Thankfully he hooked us up as burpees were the second to last exercise pulled.

    Splinter and BT were very close to a LIFO today.  BT was late because he remembered that he forgot his gloves about 5 minutes from his house and temporarily turned around.  DK helped BT by sharing one glove with BT for the curb crawls. Not sure if abusing just one hand on the pavement helps or not…let us know DK and BT.

    Announcments

    Hill run tonite at 530 p starting at intersection of Cary and Hillcrest.  Forecast is 70 and sunny, so come on by and give yourself a nice leisurely run

    Sunday runs being added to schedule.  Name suggestions are welcomed…

  • 45 MOM Start Time 05:30

    11 Strong and eager PAX arrived at or before the appointed workout time today for a beatdown.  Weather was temperate, but rather muggy.  Despite the humidity, the PAX forged forward and attacked the workout.

    The Thang:

    Started the workout at 05:30:45, a little bit late, but still in the appointed minute.  Mosey to Reveille Church on Cary Street.   Warm up COP 20x SSH, 20x Don Quixote, 15x Slow cadence, full motion Merkins, 20x crab cakes, 35x LBC.  Mosey to back of church to picnic building.  Triple check.  Break into teams of three, first person on the wall for people’s touchdown chair, second person John Travolta’s, third person run a lap in the parking lot.  Repeat x 3.  Mosey to front of church for a little taste of the world over the pond – BBC (Burpees, Bearcrawls, and Crabwalks).  Start at tree line, bear crawl to walk way, run to end of lawn, backward run back to walk way, crabwalk bat to tree line and do five burpees.  Do 4 rounds, increasing burpees by 5 each time around.  Mosey back to shovel flag for 3 minutes of mary, LBC waiting for the 6.  Dealers choice for exercises 11x something (cant remember first one) 12x Russian Twists, 13x Hello Dolly and 14x Flutter kicks.

    Moleskin

    Just to make sure, I rechecked the schedule before posting this backblast and the scheduled time for the workout is indeed 05:30 according to the official F3 website.  Not 05:31, not 05:32, but 05:30!  That is 05:30 EDT as measured by the official world clock in the Royal Observatory in Greenwich (Yes, I know there is a difference between GMT and universal time, but they are now considered to mean the same thing).  Before we started, we checked several watches and phones of people in the PAX.  The Iphone is synched up with the GMT so it is pretty accurate.  Iphone said it was 05:30:45 when we started, so we officially started late.   My apologies.

    Much competition during the triple check to make it fastest around the loop during the run.  There were some epic battles between many of the PAX including DK, Splinter, Fudd, Bleeder, and others.  A little friendly competition spurred the PAX on to faster lap times.

    The new BBC exercise was a killer for YHC.  As BT pointed out, burpees seem doable when you are doing the first few, but then after 4 or 5 they become unbearable.  That in combination with bear craws, sprints, backwards runs and crab walks was down right nasty.  I guess that means that the BBC will have to be used over and over again to make us stronger and faster!

    At the end of our workout we met up with Conspiracy, Ricky Bobby and Sippy Cup.  Bummer we did not get to work out together today gents.  We missed your company and pushing us to new levels of fitness and form.

    Announcements

    DK is getting all of our IT needs straightened out.  Let him know if your permissions etc are correct.  Also, we would like to get emergency contact information on everyone, just in case.

    Run tomorrow.  Hillcrest and Cary.  TYA will be at Mary Munford at 525 for anyone who needs a ride over or directions.

    Have a great day!

    TYA OUT

  • Where’s Swirly?

    11 fast and strong runners posted on a glorious Friday morning.  70 and sunny at the outset and at the finish

    The Thang:

    Monument Avenue Loops: 4, 5, and 6 mile options.  Commonwealth road to Monument, turn right on Monument.  4 mile turn is at Sheppard, 5 mile turn is at Strawberry, and 6 mile turn is at Allen Street.

    Moleskin:

    Since YHC is a son of a history teacher I probably should know more about the monuments on Monument Ave.  When I declared the 6 mile turnaround as around a monument at Allen street it was pointed out that the monument was the Robert E. Lee statue.  My dad, as a historian and a civil war buff, would have been sorely disappointed that I have not recognized and honored each of the statues along our route.  This weekend, I shall take a bike ride down this road and drink in which glorious men we are recognizing.

    After the run and appointed time came and went and everyone but Swirly arrived back at the shovel flag, YHC was starting to get more and more worried about Swirly.  Five or so minutes after Toga finished and reported that Swirly was right behind him, Swirly came running down the street (with Sippy as a companion).  Come to find out that Swirly got lost coming back to the shovel flag.  Given the complex set of directions and ONE turn on the entire route, I can see where one might get lost.  Next week Swirly will have a GPS and a homing beacon just in case the route directions are too challenging.

    Context was the theme of the prayer at the end of the workout.  YHC shared a personal story about my health condition and pointed out that we are indeed the “lucky ones”  I am blessed with many things in life and live a relatively comfortable existence.  Too often, I focus on the negatives and the things I don’t have/need or the minor suffering I have to endure.  Given the country I live in, the friends and family I am blessed with and the relatively good health that I have….I need to look out at the context of the entire world and realize that things are pretty good for me.  Enjoy the day, seize this opportunity and enjoy the comforts that you have.

    Announcements:

    Dogpile and GridIron tomorrow morning: 6 and 7 am respectively

    Run from the Pump House on Sunday at 7 am.  Several of us have discussed this and we will add this as a regular workout on our schedule (may tweak the time a bit).

    TYA OUT!

  • Hill run Wednesday after Work

    I am going to head out for a torture fest on the hills in my neighborhood tomorrow afternoon at 530pm.  For those interested, meet at the top of Hillcrest Avenue — parking is available on either side of the street.  Hillcrest is a half mile west on Cary from Mary Munford on the left side of the road if you are heading west.

    The neighborhood offers several very steep hills and a long almost half mile with a slow incline.  Plenty of pain to choose from.

  • Back to Monument Avenue

    8 strong and eager PAX set out on this humid Richmond morning.

    The Thang:

    Following Marv’s lead, we ventured back to Monument Avenue to hit one on the better running routes in Richmond.  4 Loops mapped out, 3, 4, 5, and 6 miles.  All loops head North on Commonwealth until you reach Monument, turn right on Monument.  Turnaround points are Thompson for 3, Sheppard for 4, Davis for 5 and Allen for 6.  After turning around head back to Commonwealth, turn left and back to the shovel flag for the finish.

    Moleskin

    Great run today, but two strange things at the beginning of the run.  First, when YHC turned the corner onto Commonwealth, I did not see the familiar car of Swirly.  He is always the first one to arrive and is usually warming up on the track before the run.  A vacation has him out of town this week.  Second, since we knew Sippy was also out of town, we were not looking across the street for that familiar headlamp moving towards the start of the run.  Gentlemen, we missed you both out there this week.  Look forward to you being back in the fold next week!

    Toga was a FIFO this week.  Toga needed to get his long run in this morning so he arrived at the AO at 445 to start his run and joined us at the flag for 530.  He put in a total of about 10 miles but had to leave before the COT so he could get home to allow his wife to get out and exercise.

    Three PAX had the same Brooks running shoes on this morning.  Marv, Circle K, and Fudd (I think), all had the same brand, style and color of running kicks on.  Given the number of brands, styles and colors that is highly unlikely.  I am sure Splinter can do the math on how likely that would be in a random selection of runners?

    Circle K was a FRNG today.  He and The Scream opted for the four mile loop.  Both acquitted themselves well making it back to the shovel flag first.  YHC was in hot pursuit of BT and Toga on the way back to the flag, but could not make it before we got to the flag (I am not sure If I had another 50 miles i would have caught them…but hope springs eternal).  Fudd and Saab ran together today.  I think Fudd is trying to replace himself on the BRR.  Would love to have Saab on the team, but I will be sorely disappointed if Fudd is not part of the team.

    COT and out into the day to take the world on….

  • Preblast: Post 4th of July Jaunt

    If you are not burning the midnight oil tonite, jump out of the fartsack for a run in the morning.  Meet at 7 AM at the Pump House parking lot (turn off is just north of the toll gate for the Blvd Bridge).  We will run the North Bank / Buttermilk loop clockwise again.  Some will probably add Forest Hill park for 9.5 mi total.  Those who don’t want to add Forest Hill can head directly back for 6.5 mi.   We will take it easy, and wait for people along the way.  All paces welcome.  Bring water.

    Jville is out of town in the AM, but is planning on running in the afternoon.  Give him a shout if your interested in an afternoon run tomorrow.

  • Everyone beats Sippy Cup!!!

    70 and sunny in RVA today….really it was 70 and sunny, great day for a run.  Eleven strong and fast posted in the gloom to take on the roads of richmond.

    The Thang:

    Everyone run towards Cary, to Westmoreland, then to Grove.  Right on Grove.  2 mile loop, turn around at Thompson, 3 mile loop , turnaround at Belmont, 4 mile loop, turn around at Stafford, 5 mile loop, turn around at Allen, 6 mile loop turnaround at Linden.  All run back to intersection of Grove and Commonwealth, left on Commonwealth and back to the shovel flag.

    Moleskin:

    YHC started the day with one goal in mind, don’t get caught by Sippy Cup on the way back to the shovel flag.  Little did I know that  every single PAX member would make it back to the flag before Sippy.   Goal accomplished, Sippy humbled….or maybe not.  He did make beating him a little easy as he was still in the fartsack (or at work) while we were putting in the miles.  Maybe some other time, I will make it back before him while he is out there with us.

    Johnsonville had a little excursion to the hospital on his run this morning.  We tried a new route which took us all the way down Grove to VCU, past Retreat Hospital.  With no Starbucks in sight, Johnsonville stopped at Retreat to check out their facilities.  He reports that they have the cleanest bathroom’s he has been in.  Heard during the mumble chatter after the workout: “yeah, the hospital is so clean you could probably do surgery in it”.  Jville took the pit stop but still completed the six mile loop.

    Great to have an out of town visitor today as Mini-Me joined us from F3-Isotope.  He and Loose Goose kept the mumble chatter going during the entire run.  YHC was a few feet ahead of them the whole run and heard, but did not participate in the second F.  At one point LG asked me to point out where the 4 mile turnaround was.  I kinda forgot (not) to tell him when we hit four and did remember when we turned around at the five mile point.  OOPS.  Mini-Me will hopefully join us again on his next trip to RVA.

    Marv was on fire today…doing the six mile loop and getting back pretty early.  Saab and Toga spent a good portion of the run together doing the six mile loop as well.  Smoggy, Cousteau, and Swirly led the five mile group all along.

    Cousteau posted sporting a mustache (porn-stache) today.  YHC walked over to Cousteau and introduced himself to him because I did not recognize him with the stache.  I am not one to comment on another man’s looks….but, the stache has to go!

    See you in the gloom next week.

  • Mountain goats? Nope, just goats.

    It was a hot and humid morning preview to the 100 degree day.

    The Thang:

    45 minute hill run—

    Mosey down love hill and across the Nickel Bridge (7 min)

    Hill #1—up the South side Nickel Bridge hill and back up the north side (1x) ~10 min

    Take trail under Nickel Bridge. (2 min)

    Hill #2—From under the Nickel Bridge up to the brick building at top of hill (3x) ~13 minutes

    Mosey down the road to the pump house (5 min)

    Hill #3—From pump house up the pipe to the Carillon (1x) (5 min)

    Mosey on the stone steps back to the Shovel Flag. (3 min)

    Approximately 4 miles at a 10-11 minute average pace.

    Moleskin:

    The Pax was finally able to ditch Conspiracy this morning—he finally found us on the Nickel Bridge trail.

    On the way down Love Hill, the Pax was surprised to see a herd of 30 or so goats eating the brush right next to Jacob’s ladder. Evidently the Goat Busters were on patrol. It will be interesting to see if they will still be there during the #Dogpile workout.

    DK commented that he was having issues breathing during the workout. He concluded that it was because he was running right behind Fudd up those hills. Future Pax take note–

    The Pax was strong today—the focus was on steady hill running up and down rather than sprint up/jog down. The workout went by quickly without much mumblchatter.

  • Starbucks or bust…..

    8 faithful and a LIFO Fudd posted for a friday morning jaunt at Mary Munford.  Weather was a little hot and humid.

    The Thang:

    Left onto Grove, all the way to Three Chopt, turnaround, 4 mile loop run to Sauer, 5 mile loop run to Thompson and 6 mile loop run to Belmont.  Turnaround and back to shovel flag.

    Moleskin

    There was a discretionary stop at Starbucks on the way to Three Chopt today.  Two of the faithful took advantage and the Starbucks staff were quite accommodating.  TYA and Loose Goose (makes sense right) made the trek, accompanied by an unknown tomato.  TYA being third into the shop had to wait for a few minutes.  Since the tomato was quicker, TYA used the ladies room and almost beat LG back onto the route.

    Saab was motoring today.  He seemed to have a mission to finish as fast as possible and he got back to the flag pretty quickly.

    Splinter slowed his pace for a mile or so and had some second F during the run with TYA.  Good to get to know a fellow runner and computers science major better along the way.

    TYA out.