Four men escaped the clutches of the ravenous counteroffer and stepped fearlessly into the gloom on a cool day. Not all were so lucky… or were they?
Route was the “regular” route: Raintree, Falconbridge, around DRP, north on Cox to Brookmont, around Crowncrest to Pump and return. 5.5 miles as depicted below. Some ran in other directions.
Pinto took us out.
NMS – some discussion about impact of covid and recent issues on our lives and those around us. We were glad to welcome Johnsonville to his first Currahee!
For Christians, this is an important day of remembrance that in Jesus, God became a man and died for our original sin. Lets pray for forgiveness for ourselves and a world that needs some.
Three men broke through the gloom on a perfect WTH day to improve the local neighborhood. One mile out. Working our way back we did 3 sets of 11s. 4.1 total miles.
Round 1: Merkins & WW2
Round 2: Jump Squat & shoulder taps
Round 3: LBC & Peter Parker shoulder taps
YHC took us out.
Announcements: BRR, Tomato relay,
NMS – we worked pretty hard today. Minimal chatter. Gypsy is thinking about outreach to young men that need some guidance. I am too. For many sports is an outlet – but these require such an outlay for, equipment, advanced training, travel, or body type, there has to be something any body type can do for free. Hmmmm, do we know anything like that? To reach those that really need it – we need ideas that work through the liability issues in our current environment and a way to solve transportation limitations.
Three stallions emerged in the gloom to enjoy some moist air and Wet Asphalt Pavement. The route card shows 5 miles and since we were feeling good, the PAX did not disappoint – pushing to 5.9 total with a bonus trip around the Wellesley lake.
YHC took us out.
NMS – we are thankful when we for muffin melting weather. Given the steady win and gusts, it was difficult to hear mumble chatter. Most of the run featured the rhythmic slap slap slap sound of running shoes landing on wet pavement, punctuated by the occasional gutteral surprise upon footfalls landing in an unforeseen puddle.
YHC likes this route since there are easy ways to make it 4, 5, or 6 when the PAX are more familiar with the area. With the loop around the lake, we got the bonus plan baby. OH! (ADC voice)
One side note… who can remember when “Little Red Corvette” was considered too racy for the radio? Or when we had to make sure that album covers (CDs) with Tipper Gore’s lyrics warning weren’t left out in the open for parents and young siblings to see. I get how culture changes and the adventurous push the envelope, but it really seems to be going hard over in certain circles. What is interesting is that my Gen Z 2.0s really have no interest (even in my super cool music). Maybe there is hope that we can be right with Him again.
Three thoroughbreds broke through a bona-fide gloom for a journey into the back nine of West Broad Village retail. One mile out, four triple checks = one mile, one mile back. 3 miles total.
Golf Galaxy TC1 – dips & LBC; REI TC2 – chicken peckers & mountain climbers; Home Goods TC3 – Jump Squats & Vee Up; Diamonds Direct TC 4 – Merkins & APD.
Pinto took us out.
NMS – good discussion of the economy and university impacts. WBV has a metric ton of mulch in a pile and another spread around – landscaped luxury overcoming any other smells in the environment. You know that smell, that hardwood mulch smell…
Five fearless warriors look through the gloom and eschewed the fart sack to join together for a run.
5mi route – Pump, Church to Gayton Elementary, through Pine Run and return on Ridgefield.
Prayers for Pinto’s M as her family works through the death of her father.
NMS. Not much to report today, we were all focused on getting our fitness to a rudimentary improved state in time for beach week. YHC does not mind the cold but we are all ready for the spring warm up. It is nice to have Light in the sky as we finish our run.
Six descended on Currahee for a fourth Friday bro code run. Was this the last 30F run of the year?
Prayers for Choppa (Gypsy 2.0) as he goes through some apprehension building post Covid testing.
NMS – Sensitive feelings were hurt when the gentlemen worthy of so much respect poked fun at the thoughtfully designed route – like a title bout with Mike Tyson, so many solid blows delivered at the onset. Despite working really hard to get the route to be exactly 4 miles to respond to the feedback and preferences of the customer base, YHC will be sure to put more effort into it next time – out and back with a few extensions is admittedly rather complicated and YHC / future Qs can do better.
It is truly our hope that the next bro code will be good enough that other RVA PAX including Greenbow and Probation will participate.
Six Svelte Stallions broke through the gloom for a WTH workout. Here is how it went down:
Mosey around goose lake to Windsor Place. Elevens: HRM & V-up. Mosey back to school. 3 rounds of Pole smoker: heels to heaven. Ring of fire. 3.7 mi total. YHC took us out
NMS – YHC admits to being a little surprised upon seeing two cars with New York plates sitting at the far end of the normally empty parking lot. Typical westend bubble thinking, maybe they’re part of the kidnapping ring? Glad they are not. Just two PAX traveling for work And we are glad to have you. I’m also glad that people are finally flying into RIC again.
Just think, if two PAX from arguably the furthest away ‘villes can show up at WTH, maybe PAX from the 8mi away D’ville will show up someday.
NMS – Andy Jenks was not available for a rap video and its easy to harbor confusion on whether we would work today.
Was it a test? You decide. Consider: This is the first day of the rest of your life…
Was the weather hyped up? What isnt these days? In a world of ready to reuse recorded forever comments and layers of lawyers, of course VDOT needs to say “stay off the roads” and Chik-fil-A need to announce a delayed opening.
Did it look bad? From the window maybe. Cars had a windshield wiper defeated level of ice. The sheen of ice on the driveway gives way to 3000 lbs and tires. The roads were only wet.
Was it for everyone? Dunno. It was fine for YHC.
Prayer: May the sad clowns awaken and the muffins melt away in the rain and the sweat.
6 men without excuses wanting to better themselves met in the gloom and get a little wet on a warmer than normal winter day.
We did the Canterbury route which seemed a bit harder today than in the past – its a good mix of hills and with all the turns, tough to plan out to get exact but we will figure it out.
Handshake took us out.
started watch late
NMS – Much discussion about excuses. Some may be anticipating some scathing remarks similar to those made in the moment yesterday morning, but on reflection YHC wants to take this in a different direction.
Its fun to rib each other – conversely, the locker room of life makes you a bit better, when comments can be kept constructive -ish. Growing up, its how boys learned to accept their flaws and moved past their child side feelings to focus on what matters most become men. Thats why we rib each other and give nicknames that would not be at the top of our personal list of appellations. At least in my vintage this is the case.
Think about it – do you really care about someone elses excuses? So why do we make them? Is there some scoreboard that must be kept? What is the line between a reason and an excuse?
YHC, deep in thought, got this text at the right time from Swirly: Boom ? https://twitter.com/inkyjohnson/status/1357661983202570241?s=10
And then all was right.
Do or do not. Make yourself better through action. Reach out to a brother and see if you can help with motivation or guidance or a PT exercise that you think will help. Be there for a brother. Make the world better by your example.
So lets hold each other accountable. Lets not demand to know why someone is deciding to whatever…. take the morning in the smartsack even if they were talking up their boldness the night before. We have all done it.
When someone starts making excuses, kindly interrupt: “brother, we just want you out a soon as you can muster”
Six Stallions gathered for a cool morning run on a cross neighborhood route named after a law firm. Greenbow took us out.
Route – S on Pump, Wellington, Weather Vane, Tunbridge, Gayton, JRP, Glen Eagles, Old Prescott. More or less.
NMS- parts of the West end can feel like you’re in a rabbit warren. The neighborhoods around Gayton are key examples (looking at you Wellington and the back 9 of Kingsley). They feature just enough turns to head you in different directions so that you question which way you’re looking and thus it’s tough to make a decision to go left or right – then you try something only to find a dead end. YHC has maps but the pax want to learn the back roads on their own, as good navigators would and so we are resigned that familiarization takes a bit of time. That’s ok because it’s the only way to get your bearings and overcome second guesses. Also it doesn’t help that some of the maps – the ios maps for example – make it look like roads connect when they don’t. Maybe they did at one time, but concerned neighbors wanted to reduce traffic and here we are. At any rate, it provides for adventure on the par that @Bodo’s would accept, but we likely need to find things to climb over to get him out. The Q slots are open, there’s nothing like planning routes to help you get your bearings.
NB One challenge, some of our early morning driving neighbors get freaked out by runners on the streets, so the TTP is to plan routes attempting to minimize time on any street without a sidewalk. That strange incident on the Ridgefield X weeks back is seared in our memory.
