Author: Upchuck

  • Almost 100 for Almost 5

    3 stallions trotted to the top of the Roller Coaster this evening. Conditions remained steady at sunny and 70. According to TYA’s almost-doppleganger, here’s what happened, more or less:

    Reverse medium loops x 3. Total distance just under 5 miles. Total elevation change approximately 2,000 feet.

    NMS: with temps near 100, naked moleskin isn’t far from the truth for the Shirtless Trio today. Brutal temps had speed as an afterthought. Slow and steady won the race today.

    Good to catch up for a bottle of hot tub temperature water afterwards.

  • Honor Your Partner

    Four gluttons arose from the humidity to challenge themselves in the name of this the most recent version of The Punisher. Temps were a steady sunny and 70, plus or minus 30. According to the Arabian Desert Foxes burrowing away from the heat, this is more or less what happened:

    Mosey to the far back corner along Hermitage under the big oak tree for the COP:

    DQs
    Dead Man Hang
    Hillbillies
    IWs
    SSHs
    HRMs

    Honor Your First Partner – 1st man runs around the soccer (football) goal, returns to the shade. 2nd man does an exercise.

    3 rounds of ’mercans
    3 rounds of reverse crunches
    3 rounds of squats

    Mosey to the Covered Benches – Honor a Different Partner

    1 round of derkins
    1 round of incline ’mercans
    1 round of dips

    1 round of LBCs
    1 round of WWIIs
    1 round of snow angels

    Mosey to the Parking Lot. (It’s actually about 95, so FIFA rules require a water break.)

    Honor Your Partner – Round 3 (pick a 3rd different partner)

    1 man runs to the corner, ‘round the bend, and back to the shade
    2nd man does squats. 3 Rounds.

    Mosey to the School Wall – No Partner. EMFHS.

    Three of the PAX pick one exercise each. Each PAX starts with their own exercise and the fourth man runs as the timer. Rotate through each of the three exercises and the run.

    Round 1: flutter kicks, crab cakes, APDs, run

    Round 2: monkey humpers, Suzanne Summers, LBCs, run

    Round 3: dying cockroaches, squats, something else, run

    Round 4: burpees, arm circles, donkey kicks, run

    Mosey back to the VSF / Shade in the parking lot for some yoga/Mary.

    Pop open a cold orange soda, grab a popsicle, and share numbers, names, and some good vibes with some amigos.

    Announcements:

    Breaking Bread needs two days covered this summer – July 24 and August 28. With 24 dinners to cover each year, it would be excellent to have some new blood jump in. Please sign up!

    Let’s put together some good thoughts for J’Ville and his back.

    NMS:

    With temperatures close to 100 this afternoon, pre-workout texting focused on bringing water, much like the Euro soccer matches that now have a mandatory water break. That prompted cracks about bringing oranges for halftime, and before the PAX knew what hit them, one PAX showed up with popsicles, and the Q showed up with orange soda. Mmmm. Good stuff after a super-sweaty beat down.

    Nice to have Hutton back out there. Hope the healing continues. Keep the PAX posted on the winning tattoo suggestion.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • We Need Two!

    We Need Two!

    Gentlemen,

    We are looking for a couple of good men – and their families – who are interested in an evening of good food served for those in need. Breaking Bread has two open nights this summer. Who among us can help?

    July 24 (Saturday)

    August 28 (Saturday)

    Many thanks in advance.

  • Muddy Waters had Four Legs

    9 studs and a couple of pooches ran off in groups of 2 or 3 (and maybe 1 or 4) for today’s rendition of Sunday Funday. Conditions were 70 and sunny with some exceptionally attractive mud puddles. According to the mountain biker unfamiliar with the trail rules, here’s more or less what happened:

    North Bank (everyone) to a bridge. Some T-Pot, some Belle Isle. Once some were on Belle Isle, some did the loop, some did not. For the T-Pot bunch, some did Forest Hill, perhaps the full loop or perhaps the lake loop, and everyone made it back to the flag. Distances ranged from 6+ to 10+. All in all, the perfect way for each man to spend a Sunday morning running to the beat of his own drummer.

    Virtual names, numbers, etc. That’s how we roll on Sunday Funday.

    NMS:

    Close to the busiest that YHC has ever seen the trails (excluding race days). Tons of runners, lots of friendly k-9s, and a few bikers. Faceplant’s dog rocked it today. Trotted along safely behind the runners, and then found his own bliss in the mud and water. Happier than a pig in slop at the end. Pictures of Faceplant’s vehicle interior are forthcoming.

    Welcome FNG Wes, whose name is subject to some pondering. Considerations are Compass, Rock Doc, Flipper (taken), and Tear Down.

    Olivander is raising a Friends and Family round of funding for a start-up rural ambulance service. ROIs look promising.

    ETs was excellent. Thank you all for joining me.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • I’d Keep Playin’. I don’t think the heavy stuff…

    I’d Keep Playin’. I don’t think the heavy stuff…

    2 men started and 2 men joined to make a foursome on this the rainiest Roller Coaster of the season. As the First Four rolled off the 18th green, a solo launched his round to make a Fivesome for the day. Temps were sunny and 70. According to Carl Spackler, this is more or less how the round went:

    Swirly and YHC completed 3 loops – Small, medium and large

    Saab-ski did a couple of rounds, briskly passing YHC & Co. on the last one.

    TYA literally rode circles around the group.

    Bone Thugs ran off on his own. Looked solid. No joke.

    We silently numbered and named with 15 minutes of exaggerations and the like to round out the COT.

    NMS:

    Solid run today with Swirly. Thanks for pushing YHC. Good to be back out after a few weeks of travel.

    Anthrax is MIA. Possible lost at sea (in heavy weather). Last known position: Latitude: 37.565293 | Longitude: -77.51026

    Neutering a dog: remove the scotal sac or keep it? Discuss.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • 5 Fingers for 5 Years

    18 men of power and commitment shluffed off whatever allure the Fart Sack may still possess and posted with pride to the latest edition of The Spider Run. With conditions sunny, 70, and 150% humidity, the PAX set off precisely at the stroke of 05:30.

    Four Miles

    River Rd out the Bat Cave and back to Ridgeway (1.1 miles), Fairway, Robin, and Iris to Three Chopt (2.1)
    Reverse down Iris and Robin to Tapoan, right on Tapoan, to Three Chopt (2.8)
    Reverse down Tapoan to Fairway and Right on Ridgeway, Right on Roselawn (3.6)
    Reverse down Roselawn to UR Drive and back to the Flag (4.3)

    Five Miles

    River Rd out the Bat Cave and back to Ridgeway (1.1 miles), Fairway, Robin, and Iris to Three Chopt (2.1)
    Reverse down Iris and Robin to Tapoan, right on Tapoan, to Three Chopt (2.8)
    Reverse down Tapoan to Fairway and Right on Ridgeway, Right on Roselawn (3.6)
    Reverse down Roselawn to Towana and RIGHT to Campus (4.4)
    Reverse down Towana to Roselawn to cut through (5.1)

    Six Miles

    River Rd out the Bat Cave and back to Ridgeway (1.1 miles), Fairway, Robin, and Iris to Three Chopt (2.1)
    Reverse down Iris and Robin to Tapoan, right on Tapoan, to Three Chopt (2.8)
    Reverse down Tapoan to Fairway and Right on Ridgeway, Right on Roselawn (3.6)
    Reverse down Roselawn to Towana and RIGHT to Campus (4.4)
    Right on Campus to Three Chopt (4.6)
    Reverse to Old Mill (4.8), right on Old Mill to Three Chopt (5.0)
    Old Mill to Campus to UR Drive (5.7) and BTTF (5.9)

    Announcements:

    Hump Day Happy Hour June 23. YHC thinks Bone Thugs said at Hardywood’s West Creek. YHC was momentarily distracted.

    BOLO for F3 night at the Diamond to watch the Squirrels sometime this summer.

    July 17. Mark it on your calendar. Notify your friends in the Richmond PD. Hitchhiker will be hosting Karaoke Night at his new home.

    Breaking Bread: July 24 and August 28. If you sign up before July 1, Bodo’s has agreed to sing a song of your choice at Hitchhiker’s Karaoke Night.

    Prayers for BoBerry’s father as he recovers from one surgery and prepares for another.

    Hats off to the VCU Baseball team and F3’s own No Tools. Awesome season and supremely awesome hitting in the post-season.

    NMS:

    Today marks 5 years with F3RVA for YHC. Special thanks for HoneyDo for talking YHC into the first workout. You all are the best friends, teachers, mentors, and leaders YHC could ask for. There’s nothing you can’t do if you get a group of enthusiastic people with positive minds and a willingness to help.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Atrophy

    14 stallions entered the paddock for today’s running of The Dogpile Stakes (Probation, soon to be renamed “Rosie Ruiz,” joined later). The clock struck 6, the bell sounded, and temps were 70 and sunny. According to the dobermann pinscher the PAX EH’d today, this is more or less what happened:

    Mosey off campus to Shirley, then to the Shields Lake for the COP.

    SSH
    DQ
    IW
    Dead Man Hang
    APD
    Rosalitas 
    HRMs

    Mosey approximately 30 feet to the southeast for a Triple Check.

    Partner 1: run to the fence
    Partner 2: SSH 
    Partner 3: Hello dolly

    Mosey to the breezeway at the Maymont Nature Center for a Second Triple Check.

    Partner 1: run to parking spaces, bear crawl the length of the parking lot, then run the remainder of the loop
    Partner 2: Dips
    Partner 3: Run the stairs

    Mosey out the back of the parking to Colorado Ave and then to the Amelia Street School. Use the back lawn for Triple Check Number 3.

    Partner 1: run up the hill to the fence
    Partner 2: WWII
    Partner 3: Mercans or Carolina Dry Docks (pax choice)

    Mosey through some streets, specifically Meadow, then right on Dakota, and left on Hampton. Pull into the parking lot on the right.

    Run half the lot (that’s one), perform 10 snow angels (avoid the Dobermann), run back (two), perform 10 squats. Then, run back (three) and repeat the snow angels. Run back (four) and repeat the squats. Run back (five) Repeat the snow angels. Done.

    Mosey onward. Hampton to Kansas to North Bank Trail. Run the trail to the stone wall at the bottom of the ramps.

    Double Check: 

    Partner 1: run to the double fence gates
    Partner 2: Balls to the wall.

    Two rounds.

    Run the trail to the Pump House parking lot, then up the hill to Park and back to the shovel flag.

    Probation appeared.

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out with a reminder of the opportunities available to our generation, if we take them.

    Announcements:

    Monday, June 7th (this Monday), The Punisher will start promptly at 18:00 at Lynwood Holton Elementary, perform some exercises, and then migrate to a watering hole nearby for the (usually) semi-annual Fellowship Q. It’s the 1st and 2nd F combined. This somehow counts towards the June Tour Challenge.

    Puppy Pile is this Saturday at 07:00. For those not familiar, this is F3RVA’s kid friendly work out (all genders, all ages). YHC believes attendees have ranged from 3 to 18 over the years. Contests, prizes, games, and general hi jinx are expected (DTH has the details). Rumor has it that the contestant who tries the hardest will be entered into a drawing for a 2007 Honda with a “Perfect Service Record.” Of course it does.

    Breaking Bread has two openings this summer (Thank you, Garbage Plate). July 24 and August 28 are open. YHC thanks any PAX in advance. Drop YHC a line for a quick overview of the activity. Basically, dinner for 10 or so folks recovering from medical issues, surgeries, etc. They and I thank you.

    Please keep YHC’s friend Bam Bam in your prayers. He’s had a tough week following a heart attack on Wednesday. Best for a successful recovery.

    NMS:

    Today brought a first rate sunrise, a nice feature of summer F3. Today’s “route” was a reprise of a workout led a few years ago by a Mr. Hard E. Wood, most recently of Amelia, Virginia. YHC was thinking through various memories of his 5 years with F3, and a couple of workouts came to mind. This memory was hazy, mostly because it involved several moments of actual or partial passing out (and we might have done something like this twice). According to Sippy Cup’s recollection, the original beat down was awful (meaning: miserably good), and included Sippy Cup carrying YHC (for sure, that happened). YHC maintains that Sippy must have been impaired or possessed, because Sippy only agreed to carry YHC as Sippy momentarily believed YHC and he were of comparable size. Sorry, pal.

    Flatline reminded the PAX that tomorrow is the 77th Anniversary of the landings in Normandy (“D-Day”). As many of you know, YHC’s father (b. 1924) was part of that generation (and entered Europe across those beaches in the fall of 1944, long after the fighting had moved on). This is a good week to remember the various sacrifices that generation of men and women made for our country and their fellow humans. In fact, this weekend is also the anniversary of the various naval and air battles at Midway in 1942, a series of events which halted the tide of the war in the Pacific. Throughout that conflict, whether at home or overseas, each person had a role, whether large or small, in advancing the cause.

    Let’s take a moment to ask what role each of us can contribute to the benefit of society in 2021.

  • Beach Week with Gomer

    3 studs rose early to meet the dawn, work off some calories, and prepare themselves for Beach Week (suns out, guns out). According to the 18 year olds preparing to graduate high school, this is how far the group ran:

    Robinson to Boat Lake to Paddle Boat (yes, these are the real names) to AA Blvd., to Blanton, to Garrett, to Rugby, to Pump House, and then back up Park to hit Dogpile from the reverse slope.

    Normal route on the way home, joined by Sippy Cup.

    Numbers, Names, and YHC took us out with a reminder to work hard on our patience (specifically on YHC’s patience).

    NMS: Going to Beach Week with Gomer and his friends sounds pretty fun. Going with Gomer and his son doesn’t sound too bad either.

    Reminder: be present with your children.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • My Wife is Getting Her Hair Cut

    Two hombres joined forces amid The Gloom of Robinson St. at 05:30. Temps were steady at 70 and sunny.

    Route was south on Robinson, right around the lake, right to the former Columbus Statue, south on Park, right to head down the Triangle of Death, loop on the backside of the park, and up the hill to the east of Love Hill / west of the Toll Booth, and to the Dogpile shovel flag.

    Return route: straight back to the Flag.

    Numbers, Names, YHC took us out with a message about family, wives, strength, and ladies having their hair cut this weekend.

  • Get Down on Your Hands and Knees and Let It All Out.

    7 hombres rose mucho early to run and enjoy a peaceful desayuno with amigos. Temperatures were a perfecto 70 and sunny. According to the River Rock runners, here’s what happened:

    Route was “follow the signs” to the route, the bridge to Buttermilk to Belle Isle, round the loop, to North Bank and BTTVSF.

    Topics included: Should we run on the route in use by the River Rock Runners? Does the definition of diversity include more than race? In light of the CDC’s new guidance, do we still have to wear a mask to TYA’s virtual colonoscopy?

    Answers were, in no particular order, “no,” “yes,” and “I don’t know.”

    Numbers, Names, and TYA took us out.

    Announcements:

    Please sign up for Breaking Bread for this summer. Lab Rat is going to organize a group of bikers to take a night. Grab some of your mates and do the same. It’s a wonderful way to support F3’s contribution to the community. Sign up on the Q sheet.

    If you intended to buy an F3 shirt, attend PuppyPile, or pay for the BRR, you are late.

    NMS:

    This group missed Puppy Pile today. That’s a bummer as anyone who has experienced the Slip-and-Slide knows it’s the Real Deal. Yet, it occurred to YHC that he has been attending F3 long enough that several of the children of today’s PAX have attended a PuppyPile, attended Sunday Funday, and Q’d or co-Q’d a Beat Down. Some have also done Breaking Bread. Kudos to them. As Saab said,”I don’t care how old I am. I care how old I feel.” You all are keeping YHC feeling young. As YHC’s Spanish-speaking amigos say, “Gracias.”

    Good chatter on the run. YHC thanks Helix for sharing some very good ideas with YHC. Also, for any PAX who bought a ticket in the 50/50 Raffle, today’s question was “What time will TYA first say the word “rectal” during the run?” If you had 7:01 a.m., you are the winner.

    YHC hurt his knee last year. It had been quite some time away from this group. Next month will be 5 years with F3, so it’s rare that, in a group of 7, YHC is the junior F3 member. Nice to sit down to chow with the guys who have been YHC’s mentors in this group.

    (Yes, YHC has made questionable choices for mentors).

    Let’s go Caps.

    UpChuck spits the bit.