Author: Upchuck

  • Ride the Ponies

    Ten stallions mounted up for the latest version of The Hoedown.  The school security cameras recorded the following tale:

    The Thang:
    Mosey to the front of the school for the COP.
    Arm circles x10 small, then reverso
    Helicopters x10
    Arm circles x10 big, x5 reverso
    LBC’s x25
    Flutter kicks x25
    T-Release Mercans x10

    Mosey to the Clothes Drop Off Canister

    Partner up
    Round 1: First man bear crawls across parking lot, 5 mercans at the curb
    Second man performs Bernie Sanders on the blacktop hill

    Round 2: First man duck walks across parking lot, 5 Carolina dry docks at the curb
    Second man performs Bernie Sanders on the blacktop hill

    Mosey to Horseshoe for Wild Pony Races

    Partner up.  Just like a rodeo…First man carries second man around the circle.  Switching part-way through permitted…and each man does 5 Dry Docks with each switch.  Teams race for glory.  2 rounds…first round clockwise; second round counter-clockwise.

    Al Gore for the six.

    5 burpees, just ‘cuz.

    Mosey approximately 17 feet to the east for Elevens

    Elevens…4 count mountain climbers and Snow Angels.  Run in between.

    Mosey to Aroma-Mobile to pick up coupons…then to the Wall of Pain

    Individual Triple Check…
    Wonder Bra x20 (Push ’em up, Push ’em out)
    Donkey Kicks x20
    Run the Horseshoe

    Circle Up…Quick Ring of Fire
    Mercans x10

    COT

    Number-am-a, Name-a-rama, Marv took us out

    Announcements:

    The PAX were notified to appear for the CSAUP on April 13.  If you are not already on a team, send a note to HoneyDo.

    Offshore reminded YHC of the 10k Training Team that Offshore, Shakedown, Swiper, Lab Rat, and others are helping with at The Healing Place.  Come join the PAX after Dogpile on Saturday to teach grown adults how to count in cadence during the warm up.  4 or 5 mile run to follow.

    Offshore also shared that there are two clinics on Saturday with the Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities at Bellemeade Community Center.  From 9-11 there is a soccer clinic and 11-1 a kayaking clinic for kids 5-15.   Get in touch with Offshore or give the community center a call at 646-8235 for more details.

    All the talk of kayaking brings back memories of the Gold Medal YHC once received for perfecting the “wet exit.”  Qualifications include a) absolute and utter failure to perform any successful Eskimo rolls, b) executing the secondary method for exiting the boat and remaining alive. By analogy, this is akin to being so bad at parachuting that one perfects the use of the secondary chute.

    NMS:

    Note 1: YHC’s quads are already sore.

    Note 2: With Q-bota & Family on the DL (get better soon!), YHC was inserted as the spot Q for today’s workout.  Nice to get back out with the PAX for a beatdown as YHC has been galavanting across this fine country quite a bit recently.  Nice to see BT this morning at someplace other than an airport (Note: YHC and BT have now bumped into each other in Phoenix and Orlando, neither with a lick of planning).

    Note 3: YHC isn’t sure whether there was limited mumble chatter or perhaps YHC’s hearing is just terrible.  HoneyDo did question the etymology of the term “Bernie Sanders.”  Is it because the PAX “Feel the Bern,” or perhaps because the futility of the exercise is analogous to the futility of socialism (YHC chuckles at the marketing geniuses who created “democratic socialism”).  YHC believes the name comes from the exercise making the PAX feel like old, balding men who can’t walk afterwards.

    Note 4: The PAX crushed the Wild Pony races today.  Special string of roses to Marv who put in a strong final furlong to bring home victory in Round 2.  Well done.

    Final note: Put in a little extra thought this week for Lab Rat and his family…keep his Dad in your prayers.  Hope all goes well, my friend.

  • Pincer Movement

    Seven hounds and one she-hound sallied forth (get it?) in a “you go that way, we’ll go this way” pincer movement for today’s edition of Sunday Funday.  The Historical Marker on the T. T. Pottersfield Bridge tells the story thusly:

    First hound (TYA) set off early, headed clockwise on the North Bank trail, trying to smoke out the foxes.  Hound Two (Saab) headed out at 7 a.m. following the same path, again trying to flush the foxes into the open.  Hounds 3-8 (Shakedown, Lab Rat, Bootleg, Offshore, Sally, and YHC) took the reverse loop with the expectation of meeting in the middle to bag the lot.

    Frankly, YHC was surprised by the number of foxy runners on the trails today.  The parking lot was about half full at 7, a sign of at least the promise of clear skies and (maybe?) better temps.  Little do so many people know that it’s always sunny and 70.

    One hour plus later, Hounds 3-8 had put in 7 miles, with TYA’s tally unknown (10?) and Saab at a full 10.  Well done by 2 and 4 legged hounds alike.

    Number-a-ma, Name-a-rama, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    Keep Lab Rat’s dad front-and-center in your thoughts this week…going through a rough patch.

    NMS:

    Modest chatter on the trails today.  Some discussion of roadside tools for assessing THC levels and a few other topics.  Frankly, YHC lost the group just after crossing from Belle Isle.  Others will have to fill in the blanks.

    Good time at ET’s today.  As usual, TYA shared his forward thinking about women’s exercise attire.  F3RVA continues to develop only the finest of suggestions for female outerwear.

  • Saab on the MTA

    Six, maybe seven (Saab, Sight-un-Seen), hombres herded onto the trails together for this week’s version of Sunday Funday.  The RTD ran the following story:

    Route:

    South Bank to Reedy Creek.  Pick up Bootleg, who was on the service road.  Continue on Forest Hill Loop.

    7 milers re-trace steps on South Bank.

    10 milers head east to New Bridge, then back on North Bank.

    NMS:

    Good mumble chatter all around today.  YHC signed a non-disclosure agreement, so see the PAX for details.

    Sugar Sock continues to make strong progress.  Dropping 25 lbs. in 7 months or so is no joke.  Well done.

    Always good to catch up with the regulars…Hardywood, TYA, Shakedown (thanks for your advice while running 10 today).

    Nice to pick-up Bootleg along the way.

    YHC does wonder about Saab.  Two weeks in a row that the Saab-Mobile has been parked in roughly the same spot at the Pump House lot…no Saab in sight.  YHC wonders whether anyone has seen Saab since last Sunday.

    Did he ever return?  No, he never returned?  Is his fate still unlearned?  What a pity.  He may run forever on the trails of Richmond…he’s the man who never returned.

    And, someone may have stolen his car between 7 and 9 a.m. today.

    Or, maybe he returned.

    YHC apologizes to The Kingston Trio.

    YHC also apologizes to Lab Rat for taking his thing of apologizing.

    Announcements:

    Lots of good stuff coming up.  Each Saturday until the Monument Avenue 10k there will continue to be a need for volunteers to help with The Healing Place’s Training Team.  4 miles this Saturday.  The PAX have shown up strong so far…come out and run with the group.   Kudos to Lab Rat for Q-ing the Healing Place warm-up yesterday.

    Make sure to pat TYA on the back this week…he’s trying to cram in the last few long training runs prior to Saturday’s 100 miler.  Swirly, Saab, and Circle K round out the support team.

    Bel Monte March 10.

    CSAUP in April.  Anyone looking for a team?  Lockjaw, Honeydo, Swirly, and some PAX from the Southside all bringing folks together.  Miss anyone?

  • Another Mudder

    Nine hard chargers (seven in one pack plus TYA (spotted) plus Saab (Sight Un-Seen, but Saab-mobile left on-site) pushed forward through the steam and fog of another Sloppy Sunday Funday Run.  The group generally stayed off the trails this morning.  Some were under heavy puddles, some muddy, and some slightly above navigable.  The Russians hackers tracking our FitBit GPS signals recorded something like this:

    Cross Nichol Bridge, descend to service road, dodge puddles, rocks, and mud, take a left onto Belle Isle, left to follow the loop, cross onto north bank, New Bridge, steps to top, and Riverside Drive back.  One slight detour on Riverside as the PAX pushed themselves up the “real” Hillcrest of Richmond (the vertical climb version).  Snake around on Riverside to Westover Hills Blvd., and then cross the Nichol B. back to the VSF.

    Number-ama, Name-a-rama, Hardywood stuck the landing to take us out.

    NMS:
    No one signed up for the Q today, and while Shakedown continues to be the master of the Sunday Funday route department, there was unanimity among the PAX to declare that YHC still has the Q from the end of Dogpile yesterday.  Challenge accepted.

    Note: the Q will officially pass at 5:29 a.m. tomorrow to Offshore at Hoedown, as well as to any other PAX members signed up at that time.  Having had the Q for 28 hours at this point, YHC has newfound respect for the Olympic Torch runners who carry the flame of honor for hours on end.

    Hardywood, Rosie, and Offshore led the PAX for most of the way, followed by Flatline and Shakedown.  YHC thanks HoneyDo for another Sunday trudging along with YHC.  Much appreciated, brother.  

    The group was full of mumblechatter today.  Discussions of angry coaching, Shakedown’s exceptional photography, various career options, extorting greedy employers, 6th-grade-is-the-new-11th-grade, and other matters made the 8+ miles pass in a jiffy.  About halfway through the run, the PAX sighted TYA on Belle Isle and immediately engaged in the centuries-old tradition of “Touch-a-TYA.”  That’s the price of fame, my friend.  Everybody wants a piece.

    YHC also thanks the PAX who had an extra few minutes for ETs today.  Y’all are funny, funny men.

    Let’s continue to keep our Brothers and their families in their prayers.  It’s been a challenging winter for many of our PAX.  This week, Lockjaw (father-in-law) and Flatline (Father) each lost close family members.  Let’s keep them in our hearts and prayers, and be ready to offer a hand when needed.

     

  • Let’s Keep Goin’

    Eight or so (miss anyone?) stallions and one filly took on the light chill for the latest version of Sunday Funday.

    No one signed up for the Q, so off the group went…before realizing that there was no route set…”Let’s do North Bank, then New Bridge, then South Bank.”  Route set.

    About halfway through the North Bank trail, there was a movement to keep going past the New Bridge.  YHC arm twisted folks into doing the pipeline (or at least heading that way).  That turned into going all the way to 14th Street (Bootleg thought better of following .  Before long, we were halfway to Williamsburg (or, at least on the floodwall).  From the floodwall, the route returned to equilibrium…back to the VSF.

    TYA launched ahead of the PAX for a Patriots-themed, FOLI (First out, last in) run…red bandana, red Patriots gloves, etc.  Way to nail 20 miles, my friend.

    NMS:

    The PAX started out quite talkative as has become the norm on Sunday mornings…good chatter all around.

    Nice to see Sally continues to dominate her Sunday runs.  Talk about enthusiasm.  While the rest of the PAX is shaking off Saturday night, she’s ready for anything.  YHC worries about what might happen the first Sunday Offshore decides to fart-sack it.  Sally will likely be at the door ready to go, leash in hand.

    Hardywood led the fast group through much of the run today.  YHC was far enough back to miss most of the chatter, but is sure, really sure, he heard Hardywood enthusiastically fawning over the models in the Pottery Barn catalog.  YHC swears (well, almost) to have heard something like…”Have you seen the desk lamps on that chest of drawers?”  Truth.

    YHC thanks Shakedown for joining him for most of the run.  Good to catch up, brother.  Thanks for the company.  Been too long.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Round and Round

    7 gents dusted off the lure of The Fartsack, including one LIFO, to celebrate UpChuck’s completion of the Corporate Challenge.

    COP
    No idea…YHC wasn’t there.  (Footnote: No Idea also was not there.)

    Mosey to the Track for Intervals
    5 burpees + 1 lap = 1 interval
    Complete 10 intervals

    Mosey to the Loading Dock for 2-Man Triple Check
    One man performs some form of ab exercise
    Second man bear crawls to asphalt/concrete line, runs to steps, bunny hops the steps, and descends via the ramp.

    Mosey back to VSF for some Mary

    Number-rama, Name-a-rama, UpChuck took us out

    NMS

    This was YHC’s first non-Convergence Gridiron, so it was nice to catch up with some new faces (Earthworm, ByProduct) as well as re-connect with some more familiar faces (Attila, Chum, White Deer, Johnsonville).  YHC confesses that the mere appearance of or mention of the name “White Deer” triggers the following screaming voice in YHC’s head. “You, you in the red shorts!”  Ah, a gift that keeps on giving.  Good times.

    This also marked the conclusion of YHC’s Corporate Challenge.  Earthworm marked the occasion by noting that few folks make the Saturday Double-Dip a part of their week.  That’s unfortunate.  YHC recommends folks put this double-dip on their “New Year’s Resolution” list for 2018.  Good PAX at Gridiron, and Einstein’s was a lot of fun.

  • Laser Focused

    A even dozen dusted off the Fart Sack on the first day of Christmas break…Trip Journal recorded something along these lines…

    COP

    Mosey to front of school, attempt to run around to back of school, find locked gate, return to front of school…and start a proper COP.

    SSHs (x45), DQ’s (x15), IMs (x20), Hillbillies (x20, including dance form), LBCs (x45), T-mercans (x20)

    Mosey to Wall of Pain

    Triple check…donkey kicks, LBCs, and run the horseshoe.

    Mosey to Inclined Blacktop of Pain

    Triple check…backwards run up hill to chain fence (repeat 3 times and feel the burn), bear crawl, reverse crunches…

    Audible about halfway through…It’s YHC’s birthday, so forget this exercise stuff…time for laser tag…

    Mosey to Front of School

    Break into 2 teams of six for capture the flag.  Extensive instructions provided on operating the weapons.  10 ‘mercans for every re-load, 10 burpees to re-spawn.  The PAX went three rounds…

    Mosey to the Shovel Flag

    Rosalitas
    Boxcutters

    Number-rama, Name-a-rama, YHC took us out…

    Announcements:

    The Healing House is recruiting coaches for their 10k training team (Coach = person who can run a bit and offer a bit of leadership by example).  A simple job custom-made for the F3 Pax.  Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. after Dogpile starting in early February.  Join your F3 brothers to help some local folks on the path to rehabilitation as they train their bodies and minds for better things.  No better way to spread the F3 message than to pass it on.  See Honey Do or Up Chuck for more details.

    Mr. Holland has the Christmas Q at Hoedown…finish wrapping presents by 2:30 a.m., dust off the last egg nog by 4:30, and make it an all-nighter by posting at 5:30…home before the kids finish unwrapping.

    NMS:

    YHC turns 16,436 days old today.  In the spirit of self-gifting, YHC decided to find a captive audience to play laser tag.  YHC thanks the PAX for their indulgence.

    Special thanks to my 27,024 day old father-in-law for the use of his toys.

  • If That Sound is Jay-Z, This Must be Tidal.

    One PAX could not take being awake in the middle the night any longer, threw off any illusion of the Fart Sack, and reported for duty for the last edition of the Gun Show. (This being Guam, YHC reported first to the security guard at the edge of the beach before circling up for the COP).  The  Navajo Code Talkers whisper the story this way:

    Landing on the Beach for COP (02:48 local):
    SSHs, DQs, IWs, Merkins, WWIIs, and LBCs, all in whispered cadence to a 10 or 20 count.

    Beach run on soft sand going south.  Stop every 100 yards or so for a medley of exercises.  Rotation today was mercans, squats, WWIIs, and reverse crunches.  20x each evolution.

    Turn around point was the hollowed out rock formation.

    Beach run on hard sand on the return.  Detour onto the rock wall, then back to the hard sand. Return to base. (03:29 local)

    Exchange code word with the security guard, silent COT, and no announcements.

    NMS:
    Today was the 4th and final edition of F3 on Gun Beach, Tumen, Guam.  YHC has christened the AO “Gun Show,” partly because of the beach name, and partly because YHC went sleeveless to the first and last workouts.  “Moon’s out, guns out,” or something like that.

    Gun Show has offered some interesting sights and triggered a few observations:

    1. At an earlier workout this week, YHC nearly tripped on a sleeping couple locked in a romantic embrace…fortunately, YHC was wearing his Clavin-inspired 100 candlepower “Torch on a Forehead” device, and merely awoke the vacationers…thankfully, for today’s rendition, the full-ish moon provided plenty of illumination, enabling YHC to sidestep more than just a few beach sleepers.  Does anyone know the Japanese phrase for “Hand check!”?
    2. Lots of folks party late here.  YHC appreciated the on-going revelry, including a little Jay-Z (22 Two’s).  One reveler wished YHC a “safe and happy New Year.”  Yeah, buddy.
    3. While the water is a lagoon, it must be tidal…today was the first run that did not require a detour at the rock wall where the ocean has previously covered the beach completely…hard sand all the way…until the return when the tide had come in across 20 feet of sand in 20 minutes.  Wow.  That’s no joke.
    4. YHC has read extensively in other Back Blasts recently about the “Proper Dora.”  Having seen not less than 50 actual crabs walking (or running) rapidly for their holes this week, YHC reports that not one performed a Proper Crabwalk.  First, each of them walked chest down to the sand.  Second, each of them moved “side-to-side,” or “legs out” on one side before pulling “legs in” on the other side.  Third, something they do makes them faster than a typical F3er.  Look for the Proper Crustacean walk to make an appearance at a future UpChuck Q.

    Back to the States today…should only take roughly one Swirly / TYA ultra-race…

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Am I Going Forward in Time, or Backward?

    One scraggly warrior threw off the lure of the Fartsack to nomad today’s edition of tomorrow’s Spider Run, which given the Guamanian location, was temporarily renamed the Brown Tree Snake Run.  The local old timers tell the tale something like this.

    There were routes called out for 4, 5, and 6 miles.

    4 Milers: No idea. But, at the end, make sure to turn right at the K-Mart, right at the next light, and left at the Louis Vuitton into the hotel.

    5 Milers: No idea.  But, at the end, make sure to turn right at the K-Mart, right at the next light, and left at the Louis Vuitton into the hotel.

    6 Milers: Also, no idea.  But, at the end, make sure to turn right at the K-Mart, right at the next light, and left at the Louis Vuitton into the hotel.

    (Apologies to No Idea, who, if here, would have surely planned an actual route).

    Actual route ended up being run to end of San Vittores Road, reverso up hill to Marine Corps Drive, south/southwest to K-Mart, then right, right, and left.  About 4.75 miles in 45 minutes.

    NMS:

    YHC is fortunate enough to have a business trip to Guam this week, where it’s actually sunny and 70 (or 80) every day.  With rainbows.  And, humidity to make Richmond in the summer blush.  YHC believes a unicorn will appear before noon.  Consider Tumon, Guam, a little F3 fantasy land.  (Actually, everything but the unicorns so far has been true).  TYA may want to consider this a retirement home option.

    As faithful readers of this blog will note, YHC has a (deserved) reputation for being competitive about, shall it be said, anything/everything/unimportant things.  His M has noted that YHC wins “contests other people do not know they are engaging in.”  Thus, it is with absurd, misplaced pride that YHC has always wanted to be the first to post tomorrow’s back blast, today.  Done.  Special thanks to the International Date Line for helping make this possible.  (As Johnsonville will attest, the Official F3 rules listed on the walls at Dogpile state that back blasts can be posted up to 24 hours prior to or after a workout.)

    About the route…YHC arrived in the middle of the night and drove only the modest distance from the airport to the hotel area.  From the ride in, it’s apparent that Guam has a mixture of the 1980s, 90s, and 2000s retail…Circle K would be proud that the first thing visitors see is a Circle K.  Home Depot was a surprise as was Little Caesar’s.  Burger King and McDonald’s were not.  Givency, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, and Rolex were all surprises….  But, K-Mart takes the cake…it’s certainly been a few years since YHC has seen one, and open 24 hours at that.  This made YHC wonder if today was tomorrow or yesterday.  Rumors also abound of a Winchell’s Donuts…which YHC has not experienced since the 70’s growing up in LA.  Sounds like a solo 2nd F opportunity…

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • If a Workout Falls in the Woods, and Nobody Hears It, Is It a Workout?

    One PAX posted for this morning’s rendition of Heaven’s Gate.  For what?  Heaven’s Gate.  YHC had never heard of it either…here’s how it went down.

    06:59:59 DST (DaVille Standard Time) and there are only empty, scattered cars in the Chicahominy Middle School parking lot.  Looking like a solo…
    07:00 YHC decides to Q.
    07:01 Mosey to track. (YHC did not wear a watch, so this is the last time YHC was able to verify).
    Full circle of the track and then hold up at the bleachers for COP.

    COP
    SSHs x 100 (4 count)
    Calf stretches, torso stretches
    IW’s x 20
    Arm Circles…wait for it…5 big, then 10 small (see what YHC did there?), then 10 helicopters…then reverso, but also reverse the order.  Sunday’s are no gimmee at Heaven’s Gate.  Anything can happen.
    LBC’s x 40
    T – Mercans x 20 (see NMS)

    Track Laps
    Full circle of track, followed by 40 (or more) of an exercise
    Squats
    Reverse crunches (50x)
    LBC’s (first round 40, second round 50)
    Traditional Mercans
    Repeato x2

    Run
    Lap around the Hanover Public Schools Metroplex.

    COT
    (Prior to talking to oneself, make sure no one’s watching and make the COT fast)
    Number-rama, Name-a-rama, Announcements, YHC took himself out.

    NMS

    Before YHC launches into today’s diatribe, a note on the T-Mercans.  The US Army is testing a new Physical Fitness Test.  The Army is changing the definition of a push-up.  Going forward, they will measure T-Mercans…essentially, a Hand Release Mercan in which the arms are extended fully right/left from the torso while the torso is flat on the ground.  YHC found these to be The Real Deal.  #20wasPlenty

    On to the Main Event…As many of the Nation are aware, YHC is on a quest to visit every AO this year (27 on the Website Plus Puppy Pile makes 28 in total).  YHC had visited 23 as of 06:59 a.m. DST today…24 as of now.

    Several PAX have asked YHC, “Which one has been the favorite?”  YHC has no clear favorite, mostly because each Workout is a combination of the Q, the PAX, the weather, and the AO (and whether Wilson has had salmon and merlot for dinner the night before).  This has, however, raised the age-old philosophical question…when is an AO actually an AO?  Or, when is a Workout a Workout?

    Simple Examples:
    45MOM…happens every week, outdoors, rain or shine, free, open to all men, peer led, ends with a COT.  Boom!  It’s an AO.  It’s a Workout.  Bonus…there’s a backblast, mumblechatter, announcements, it’s on the Q-sheet, and the regulars start to learn what’s in store while the PAX moseys from one area to the next.  There also gradually develops an aura…”Remember that time when (fill-in-the-blank) Q’d?  My (fill-in-the-blank) hurt for (fill-in-the-blank number of) days afterwards.”
    Dogpile, W-Dog, NoToll, SOT, DaVille, and lots others all fall into this definition.  The PAX know It when they see It.

    Permutations:
    Sunday Funday…all of the above.  Curveball: While rarely is there an actual name signed-up on the Q sheet, someone has, in their heart, prepared to Q.  So what if there’s the occasional Sheila who posts and busts the all-men thing.  Good for the PAX, good for The Sheilas, and it’s Sunday.  Family Day.  Bring a friend, bring the 2.0s, bring an M, and YHC has even witnessed bringing a Friend’s M.  Unwritten F3 Rule…There’s no place outside for a list of dumb rules, no just don’t have dumb rules at all.  Boom!  It’s an AO.  It’s a Workout.

    Off the Books…now, THIS is how to do the Occasional, Fair Weather AO.  The Locals Know about It. The Locals Talk about It.  It’s like the local’s favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant.  The Locals Don’t Advertise It, because they don’t want Outsiders to ruin It.  Yet, It happens.  It’s outside, it’s rain or shine, it’s open to all men, it’s free, it’s peer led, and it (usually) has a COT(Note: It is Saturday night, beer consumption dependent).  And, if it were on the Q-sheet, the Locals would Be Expected to keep it going each week.  But, the Locals know Themselves, and They Know that It might not happen, so it’s Off the Books.  Boom!  It’s an AO.  (And, after a few months of being a Run, It has graduated to being on the Website and the Map…from Baby AO to Adolescent AO).

    RAMM Gears…this is the ultimate AO…if the PAX can ride on two wheels from the Starting Point to Some Farthest Point and return within 45 minutes, it’s part of the AO.  Downtown?  Check.  U of R?  Check.  Northside?  Check.  Petersburg?  If the PAX can ride It within 45 minutes, it’s part of the AO.  Does this have a Q?  Usually, no.  But, it does have No Tools, Default Q Extraordinaire, with a weekly EH of the PAX that turns into HC’s for the next morning.  Boom!  It’s an AO.  Bonus…it’s on the Q-sheet, it might appear in a backblast (more of a Cameo, usually), and there is mumblechatter (“Doh!” – Anyone hurt?  Nope, that’s just Clavin hitting a bump and re-breaking his already-broken ribs).

    This brings YHC to Heaven’s Gate, and YHC’s effort to visit every AO.  27 AO’s are on the Website and the Map.  28 workouts have a name, counting Puppy Pile.  But, how many Workouts happen each week?  Heaven’s Gate is not on the Q-sheet.  Prior to today, there were precisely zero back blasts tagged “Heaven’s Gate,” perhaps because It’s not on the Tag List.  It does appear on the Website, and It does appear on the Map.  Yet, where It matters most, Heaven’s Gate finishes last on YHC’s list of Favorites…no PAX.

    (Side Note: YHC showed up at ET’s today.  Not less than 9 PAX came and went…YHC guesses 3 had heard of this AO, but 2 believed It was an Inside Joke.  One noted YHC’s workout attire, including F3 logo apparel, and declared YHC the “Ultimate Starsky” before learning of Heaven’s Gate.)

    (Side Note #2: YHC, in his full, Super Type A, competitive state, wishes to thank the PAX for this moniker…YHC is thrilled to be The Ultimate at Something / Anything.  But, YHC must decline as it was, for today, anyway, an Actual AO, and YHC did an Actual Workout.)

    (Side Note #3: One big upside of this AO…Heaven’s Gate does sport the “Fields Closed” sign, so The Campos would be proud.)

    (Side Note #4: YHC saw Swirly and his M leaving ET’s today.  YHC mentioned “Heaven’s Gate,” and The Look on Swirly’s face said, “Never heard of it.”  If It happens, or It doesn’t happen, in F3RVA, and Swirly does not appear, at first glance, to know about It, YHC posits that It hasn’t actually happened.)

    (Side Note #5: YHC has visited 24 AO’s this year plus Charlottesville.  4 to go…Chain Ring, The Creek, Timberwolf and Green Acres.  Several PAX warned YHC this morning about Green Acres…darkness, skunks, and loneliness (no PAX)…Yeah, Green Acres.  YHC is calling you out.  YHC is coming for you.  Many PAX is a Workout / AO.  One PAX?  That’s just Trespassing after Dark.  Fields Closed.  Don’t leave a Brother out there by himself.)

    As a result of the aforementioned conditions, F3RVA has now implemented the “Flag of Qing in Perpetuity.” Official Rules:

    1. First time a PAX member posts to an AO.
    2. That PAX member signs up to Q.
    3. No other PAX member’s post.
    4. The PAX member Q’s the full workout, solo.

    When the above occurs, that PAX member has earned the “right of return” to take the Q at that AO in perpetuity or close the AO. In this case, YHC closes the AO. Let’s hope there is no next time at another AO.

    UpChuck spits the bit.