Author: Gomer Pyle

  • Timberwolf makes SOJ howl

    9 redwoods gathered to welcome the dawn F3 style on a perfect morning.

    Here is how it went down.

    Mosey to COP all IC: 22 SSH; 10 Abe Vigoda; 22 Grass Angels; 22 Australian Grass Angels; 22 4 count HRM; 22 LBC; 22 slow Frederick Mercury; Arm Circles

    Mosey to shipping container. Triple Check. Iron Chair with Overhead Claps + Plank Jack (O.P.P. yah you know me) + run to far side of basketball courts. Plank for 6.

    Mosey to darkest field. 20 Plerkins warmup. At each lap post (8) 10 Merkin, 20 WW 2 Situp, 30 Squats.

    Mosey to car loop. 5 Spider Merkins oyo + 22 Hello Dolly IC.

    YHC took us out.

    NMS – Day 5. 

    YHC enjoyed the early and quiet trek to Timberwolf for a little out of region action and to see the countryside.  I enjoyed seeing the natural habitat of the far SOJ crew.  The ride back on 288 was more more like the autobahn – all SOJ must leave early for the daily commute.

    Some mumble chatter about whether Wilson likes to run or complain or both – made me feel at home.  Curious PAX want to know if this is the spring training return that Aisle 5 was looking for.  

    Australian style grass angels continue to be a COP crowd pleaser.  Spider merkins to finish it off make sure there is something for everyone.

    Boom!

  • Like we really had a choice

    13 Grade A studs met in the gloom to demonstrate positive life choices, see what would happen next,  and hopefully get a little workout.

    Here is how it went down.

    Mosey to COP all IC: 22 SSH; 15 Abe Vigoda; 22 Grass Angels; 22 Australian Grass Angels; 22 4 count HRM; 22 Gorilla Humper; 22 LBC; 22 slow Frederick Mercury; Arm Circles

    Mosey to small stage. Triple Check. Iron Chair with Overhead Claps + Plank Jack (O.P.P. yah you know me) + run to large tree. Plank for 6.

    Short Mosey to Rusty Cage. Buddy up. 30 pull ups each. 30 one leg Jerkin. Al Gore for 6.

    Mosey to Amphitheater – decrement 18 > 1 dips; increment 1 > 18 Vee Ups. Al Gore for 6.

    Try Hard took us out.

    ——-

    NMS – Day 4.

    PAX: Swirly, why are you giving the Q ideas about the Amphitheater?

    Swirly: I have known Gomer long enough that once we start something I know he is going to complete the burn.

    Gomer: (privately) its not a choice anymore, that decision was long ago. (to the PAX) Dips in the Amphitheater, men! Get hot!

  • Brah yah gonna crush it

    10 Hardened Warriors met in the gloom for bikini season prep on arms and abs. Brah yah gonna crush it.

    Here is how it went down.

    Mosey to COP all IC: 22 SSH; 10 Abe Vigoda; 22 Grass Angels; (LR mumble chatter stops); 22 Australian Grass Angels; 22 4 count HRM; 22 slow Frederick Mercury; Arm Circles

    Mosey to She Shed. Triple Check. Iron Chair with Overhead Claps + Plank Jack (O.P.P. yah you know me) + run to light

    short Mosey to Derkin bars. Buddy up. 10+10+10 one leg Derkin.

    Mosey to Pole Smoker at trees – 10 heels to heaven, modified to 5. Pax flutter kick or Freddie Mercury while waiting

    Bottom Feeder – 5 x spider merk (8 points) followed by 5x Curb Crawl (Bear Crawl, incline merk, Crawl Bear, decline merk)

    YHC took us out.

    NMS – Day 3. Learning from yesterday, YHC arrived early enough to recon the route: DaVille is big, bigger than Heartbreak with lots to do and with as much running as you like. Red Pill decisions on Tuesday morning are tough for YHC going forward. The COP and OPP finished faster than planned – thanks to LR for on the run suggestions.

  • Primordial Ooze

    5 Amphibians met to frolic in the primordial ooze, and forget about tax day, for a time.

    Here is how it went down

    Mosey to the second wettest spot for COP: 22 SSH; 22 HRM; 20 Mud Angels; 20 Australian Mud Angels; 20 Travolta Merkins; 22 slow Freddie Mercury; Arm Circles

    Triple Check. Iron Chair with Overhead Claps, Plank Jack (O.P.P. yah you know me) + 10m Army Crawl (extra credit includes the 5 inch puddle)

    Mosey to Derkin bars. Buddy up. 6+10+10 one leg Derkin.

    Mosey to drop off loop. Bottom Feeder – 5 x creature merkin (8 points) followed by 5x Curb Crawl (Bear Crawl, incline Merkin, Crawl Bear, decline merkin)

    Triple Check. Donkey Kick, Flutter Kick, drop off loop

    Round of Mary. Freddie Mercury, 6 inches, Back lifts, Flutter Kick, Mud Angel

    No announcements. Eager for Dogs and Kids.

    YHC took us out.

    YHC is always leery of the parking lot at the darkest and most dangerous AO in RVA, so I did include my headlamp in my PCI (thats Pre Combat Inspections, Lab Rat) , but failed to include my shovel flag. Always room for improvement.

    Handshake got it right that while rucksacks are a recent fad, crawling around in the mud never went out of style. Actually, I will give those puddles a 5 / 10 – wet but not really muddy. Muddy is when you are still getting mud out as pulverized dust 3 months from now.

  • Misty Morning Hop

    Four warriors stuck to the roads in a misty humid morning run. We ran the north route to Pottersfield and then South along Riverside. Bro code style for 7.5m.

    Welcome to FNG Boomerang. Boomerang comes to us from a Flying Head Lock from who we think was either, Bootleg, Lugnut, or maybe Upchuck – time will tell. Born in Richmond, Boomerang moved up yonder a piece where he ran the 800m in track. He regaled us with many “real history of Richmond” pieces in a way that rivals Ken Burns – his runner (heh) up F3 Name. Now that he is retired he moved back to Richmond and is getting back into running. BOOM! (erang!)

  • Run ahead, young bull – I will walk

    7 redwoods gathered for a Pacific Northwest spring day contemplating 70 and sunny thoughts and the upcoming bikini season.

    After determining that no one signed up to Q, hot potato was the call.

    Handshake – Mosey to first third church parking lot COP, 10x Russian Soldiers, 10x Copperhead Squat, 10x Imperial Walker, 10x 2 count Merkin, 25x LBC. 11s : Flutter Kicks and Merkin. Freddie Mercury for the 6.

    Fireman Ed – Mosey to far parking lot. 4 corners 10 Burpee, 20 WWII, 30 Jump Squats, 40 LBC. Plank for 6.

    Garbage Plate – Mosey to Bodos secret playground (jk) for oblique workout. Plank 30s. 25x left plank drops, 25x right, 25x oblique V up left, 25x right. 75% parking lot sprint, backwards run back.

    Gomer Pyle – complete running workout 50% sprint, backwards run, 75%, 100%, 100%. Mosey to Tuckahoe parking lot. Bear Crawl to 12 arrows, 10 WW2 Situps on each arrow. Deep Al Gore for 6 + 30s. Mosey to jungle gym. 30 Pullups, 50 Merkin OYO. Mosey to flag. YHC took us out.

    Did I miss anything, gents?

    NMS

    Discussion and reminders about GroRuck special events. Get ready boys! The NoVA Patriots are showing. Happy hour friday. Dredd is Q at a 7a DogPile. Leadership school follows. Then a casual evening stroll with friends – and a few stops along the way. Definitely will be a great event. Check out the pre Blast.

    On the first mosey, Handshake seemed to be distracted by another running group. YHC seriously thought he was going to pass them so that the PAX could show their impressive forms, but then we ran across the street for the parking lot and COP. Later that same group came by during the bear crawl, but MOST of the PAX were too intensely focused on their summer goals to notice. Having run with that group in the daylight, YHC abides.

    Which brings me to the parable of the day:

    YB: Hey old bull, lets each run down this hill and get us one of those heifers.

    OB: That’s a great idea, you run ahead young bull. I will walk and get the rest of them.

    Gomer Pyle


    Share your energy! Stay focused!

    Get some!

    – Gomer Pyle

  • Infiltration

    “First we go south under the cover of darkness, then we attack North in small groups” was the order from Gen Tippecanoe.

    The 7 man squad executed flawlessly on both trails and roads and met minimal resistance.

    It all started with a rare showing from Ferlin who asked approval of those assembled whether #NoShirt, gloves, and ear warmer was acceptable for a 48 degree start. TYA thought for a moment, and you can tell that he wanted to object that he is the #noshirt king, but he said, “not sure about the gloves, hoss”.  Then someone said “Dude, you just do you” and there was much rejoicing.

    Tippecanoe is PR seeking for the last few XC meets of the year, so he and YHC took off as fast as they could. Of course the trails and darkness slowed us down a bit, just enough for Hardywood to catch us right at the finish. 68min for the lead element.

    Hutton and TYA secured the 6.

    Saab secured the road network.

    TYA took us out.

     

    Gitty up

  • Hunter spirit is simmering

    16 warriors heard the call today to further their personal development goals and improve their innate night vision on a temperate humid and foggy morning.

     

    THANG

    This is how it went, more or less.  The Cardinal route has something for everyone.

    All, head up snake road: Around the Robins Center and up Boatwright.  Take Honaker to Patterson and take a right followed by an immediate left on Roxbury.  Roxbury to West Franklin and head west.

    At the intersection of Charles, 5s/6s take a right and take an out and back detour to Crestview Elementary (home of the Cardinals).  All routes then continue west on W. Franklin to Donald. Take a left and Donald turns into Register Pkwy.

    At Patterson and Three Chopt, 6s continue west on Patterson to Westham Pkwy and a left on University Dr to come through the trails to the lake.

    4s and 5s head south on Three Chopt and take a right on the access road just beyond Bandy Field.  Drop down the hill on the trail and pick up the road.  Take the cut through back to the main UR entrance and come down around the Robins Center to the lake.

    Splinter took us out.

     

    NMS

    Q intent is to stay together and leave no one behind and the team excelled.  The 4s ACTUALLY ran Westham to Three Chopt.  The 5’s went up College to St Christopher’s and back.  We will just have to run Cardinal again soon – it is a really nice route once you get past snake road.

    Minimal mumble chatter as we got right to it.  Will let PAX highlight their running conversations.

    There was a little combat arms elbow rubbing at the start when someone said something about range day and someone else said “now that the leaves are falling its time to blow {things} up”, followed by a typically too lengthy description of a National Guard training schedule, followed by another saying oh I am a 18C ( SF Engineer Expert – That means Green Beret, Fudd ), and then sounds of respect all around.

    October does have a certain feel that gets the hunter spirit simmering.  YHC feels for his brothers still wearing the funny colored clothing.  While its tough as an individual when you have 2 personal assigned weapons and 3 in your vehicle to qualify on everything when then are only 12 training opportunities a year.  Its even tougher as a battalion of 350 – 800 swinging Richards to run through it all TWICE a year in 12 training opportunities.  Thats a lot of ammo. And a lot of time inspecting range safety books when we would all rather be waist deep in mud.  And that is why we need to to get as much done as possible with weapons in October / November to make room for the good stuff.  Hoo-AHH.

     

    Announcements:

    CSAUP 20 October.  See Pre Blast.

    Nov 3.   F3 Hampton Roads convergence.  See Pre Blast.

     

    Gomer Pyle,  out

    Git some!

  • Warm River run

    The river is running high and it’s warm out so two warriors took to the trails

    Thang

    Buttermilk then north bank. 7 miles. 

    NMS

    This was Tippecanoe’s first ever Trail Run and I have been looking forward to getting him out there for some time.  His cross country coach wanted them to do an easy 6 miles this weekend –  I guess he got the bonus plan . 9:15 min miles on the trail are easy, right?  

     

  • West end run

    2 troopers gathered in the fall heat for a 7 mi run. Route is the main drag through Church Run, Windsor Place and Wellesley neighborhoods connected by three chopt road.

    Nice 8 min pace.

    YHC took us out.