Category: Richmond, VA

  • Love That Dirty Water

    27 lovers, muggers, and thieves sallied forth to love the dirty water at today’s version of The Dogpile.  Weather forecast was light rain and 50 on the outside, sunny and 70 on the inside.

    Pre-Workout:
    Wilson: “Hey, UpChuck, you’re going to keep us dry today, right?”
    YHC: “You bet, pal.”

    Mile Mosey to the Far Traffic Circle:
    During the run, YHC said to Swirly: “Hey, Swirly, where can we stay warm and dry?”  After some consideration about how few options there are at Dogpile, one place came to mind: at home, in bed.
    Swirly’s response: “I can’t do that.”  Bam.  Let’s go.

    COP:
    IW’s x16
    Mercans x4
    Hillbillies x16
    Mercans x4
    SSHs x16 (false stop at 14…)
    Mercans x4
    LBCs x16
    Mercans x4

    Mosey to the Lawn We Never Use…

    Triple Check – Touch a Tree Style:
    5 rounds of 3 things…The PAX continues to question YHC’s math skills. Management reminds the Pax…it’s a free workout.  First rule of business: you get what you pay for.
    10-8-6-4-2
    WWIIs, box cutters, run

    At 06:15, stop and complete 4 mercans and 16 WWIIs.

    Mosey to the Dry Asphalt at the Back Traffic Circle…

    F3 Baseball:
    Break up into 4 groups.
    Each group starts at a base.  Group does 30 of an exercise times # of PAX in the group.  Early finishers can share their extra reps with their teammates.
    When group has done the full count of exercises, move onto the next base.  Each time the group returns to their “home” base, count 1 run.
    Try to remember that running the bases is done counter-clockwise.

    At 06:30, stop and complete 4 mercans and 16 WWIIs.

    Mosey to Amphitheatre…

    Self-Destruction:
    Starting at the top…18 SSHs, 18 mercans, 18 V-ups…minus one for each step down.
    Early finishers partner up to help PAX members.
    (1,000 special thank you’s to Circle K for sharing this gift of pain with the PAX.)

    At 06:45, stop and complete 4 mercans and 16 WWIIs.

    Back to Near the Shovel Flag…

    At 06:59, stop and complete 4 mercans and 16 WWIIs.  Add one arm circle for a total of 61 reps (12 mercans + 48 WWIIs + 1 arm circle).

    AYG to the Shovel Flag.

    Number-am-a, Name-a-ram-a, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    First, YHC thanks Swirly for lending his shovel flag. Much appreciated.

    Lots of special intentions today…let’s keep in our prayers Hardywood’s brother, Recall’s family, and Gumbo’s daughter.  All have some tough situations – let’s put together our prayers and support.
    Hardywood’s daughter is having a book signing on Wednesday from 5:30-7:00 at Crossroads Coffee Shop.
    HDHH is also Wednesday from 5:30 to whenever the last beverage is consumed at southside Capital Ale House.
    Tuesday…Ghostflag will be out at NoToll to celebrate YHCs birthday. Thanks, fellas. YHC is honored. Also, apparently, Rosie will be hosting the 12 Days of Christmas workout at that same time.  Bob and Doug will be jealous.
    Christmas workouts…regular Tuesday schedule.
    Sign up for GrowRuck 2019 by December 31 and receive 10 credits towards posting.  Show up in March and complete the full Ruck to keep said 10 credits and your dignity.  Big Data knows.

    NMS:
    YHC wishes nothing more than to make Wilson happy at Christmas time.  YHC had purchased and wrapped Wilson’s gift this year and had it waiting under the tree at Dogpile: “A more-or-less running-free workout”  Then, Wilson showed up this morning and asked YHC for a different gift…”a dry workout.” Sorry, dude.  One gift per man.  And, today’s gift was for the PAX: a muddy, dirty, nasty, wet, squishy, suckage-filled workout.  More-or-less running-free.  Merry Christmas, Wilson.  And, does anyone really believe staying dry is as fun as rolling in the dirty water?

    Also, our friend Kubota lost his grandfather, a WWII veteran, yesterday.  The PAX remembered him, and all of our fathers and grandfathers from the Greatest Generation, today.  Among the lessons that generation demonstrated consistently was putting others first.  If you have ever attempted to thank a WWII veteran for their service, to a person, they will say someone else did more or gave more. YHC believes that, after spending their late teens and early 20’s watching people destroy each other, those men simply learned that there was vastly more to be thankful for than to complain about. Today’s workout was about doing a little bit more for your teammates.  The PAX did 61 exercises spread throughout the workout to remember Lloyd Applewhite and his mates from the USS Iowa (BB-61).  The PAX did 4x+16x throughout the workout to remember the 416,000+ American men and women who gave their lives in the service of our country.

    When you are out and about this week, let’s all try to think of ways to put someone else on our back and help them through a tough time.  For all the joy of the holiday season, for some folks, this is the toughest, loneliest time of year.  Let’s live the words, “It’s better to give, than to receive.”  And, if you all would remind YHC of that from time to time, YHC would be much obliged.

  • Are we going to throw these blocks???

    6 Davillians arrived for a snowy end of the week beatdown

    This how it went down:

    Mosey a lap around the church

    COP (ALL IC) – SSH, Hillbillies, DQ, LBC’s, AL Prom Date, Merkins, Arm Circles

    THANG

    Mosey to the Q’s SUV to pick up our coupons for the morning (cider blocks for those over the age of 11 and 15lb KB for the twins) then head to the pavilion

    Wilson’s boxing dying cockroaches – 3 set of 20 each partner

    Mosey to the field

    Modified Iron Pax Coupon Challenge – 5 flying squirrel Burpees, 15 Sit-Up + Press, 30 LegRaises w/Coupon in arms extended ChestPress position, run across the field and back. Rinse and Repeat for 15 minutes

    Mosey back to the Parking lot

    11’s w/Coupon – Start with 1 inclined Merkin, lunge while block is in Hallelujah (above head), 10 American hammers with block

    Mosey back to the SF for Numberama, Namerama, Announcements, Opus took us out

    MOLESKIN

    All a fun time with coupons are involved. It seemed at first YHC would be lone wolf today but Opus rolled in at 5:27 followed shortly after by the Jett clown truck.

    Mumble chatter was low other than Mudface trying to get the 2.0 to listen. This seems to be a repeating thing at The Creek.

    Title of the backblast was the questioned Mudface ask YHC at the beginning since the last time cinder blocks were used at The Creek was in the middle of the winter, the temp was a warm 9 degrees, and all the blocks cracked with we throw them during Mudface’s Q. Looking blocks survived this time around.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS

    YHC is seeking some HC for Breaking Bread next Sunday for the DaVille PAX

    SPIT ON THAT!!  

  • December HDHH

    The idea has been batted around and announced in COTs but YHC decided to make it official by posting a Pre-Blast.

    HDHH Wednesday 12/19 at Capital Ale House in Midlothian.  5:30 pm until ?  Come share some Christmas spirit(s) and 2nd F.  No 1st F associated with this one, show up and join in the fun if you can.

    Word is this may conflict with Hardywood’s 2.0 book signing but for those of you crossing the river for that experience, you might as well make your way over for a drink.

  • Twin Team in Boots

    The parking lot was clear and there were 5 other men waiting for Mr. Holland as he pulled into Bettie Weaver this time.  After Monday’s no show from SOJ, he decided to try Twin Team with the hope that Gumbo would Q.  Unfortunately Gumbo had other plans and his family duties called.  With no one on the Q sheet, YHC took over and led the 6 to Twin Team.  After rolling up the hill a little ways, McRib found us to hit the dreaded prime number, 7 total PAX.

    THANG

    Mosey to Twin Team, watch the ice getting out of the parking lot and on sidewalk leading to the cul-de-sac.  Warmup with some SSH, DQ, Arm circles and Squats.  Mosey up Twin Team to find a good starting point.

    Modified Jacobs Ladder – 10 strides uphill, 1 burpee, down to the start 10 merkins and 10 WWII, 20 strides, 2 burpees back for 10 and 10.  Continue up to 70 strides and 7 burpees.

    Mosey to the top of the hill since Don Draper had never visited Twin Team and McRib hadn’t seen the top in a while.  Mary at the top.  Make our way back down with 10 bear crawl strides, 7 burpees, 20 and 6, 30 and 5, 40 and 4.  Audible to 25 lunges for rounds of 3, 2, and 1 burpees.  All the way to the bottom for 10 merkin ring of fire and then a 10 monkey humper ring of fire (feel the burn).  Back to the parking lot for some Mary to close it out.

    Don Draper posted thinking today would be another day of trudging through the snow.  Little did he know that, like my kids, YHC had had enough of the snow and would try for dryer ground.  Twin Team is tough, it’s even tougher when wearing boots, Tclaps Draper, way to stick it out.

    Other than Flange taking a slip withing the first 25 feet of the parking lot, everyone stayed upright, at least when they were supposed to be.  Great to have McRib back out to Twin Team, I am sure he missed the hill.  Look for Mr. Holland may be incorporating glow sticks for his next Sisyphus or other hill related beat down.

    Announcements:

    Ghost Flag will be at NoToll Tuesday for YHC’s annual 12 days of Christmas beatdown.  Extra points for Christmas Spirit.

    HDHH at Capital Ale House, Midlothian starting at 530 –  ? Wednesday 12/19

    Hardywood’s daughter wrote a book and will be having a book signing on 12/19 at Crossroads – See Hardywood for details.

     

  • Saab’s Endoscopy

    Fourteen road warriors (and lots of us believe there were bikers, but no sign of them at the end) pulled on their running galoshes and hit the mostly ice-free streets for a Friday morning Run At Mary Munford.  Chit-chat at the water cooler suggests this might be what happened:

    Routes:
    East on Grove…
    …4 milers, right on Shields.
    …5 milers, right on Vine.
    …6 milers, right on Park, then right on Laurel.

    …all runners, right on Floyd, then right on Nansemond, and left on Grove.  Straight on ’til dawn.

    Number-a-ma, Name-a-rama, MARV took us out (sponsored by the VCU Sports Properties)

    Announcements:
    What better way to spend Wednesday evening, December 19, than mixing uppers with downers?
    Event #1: Hardywood’s oldest daughter has a book signing – (we think) Wednesday at 5:30-7:00 Crossroads Coffee Shop.  How cool is that?!! Come have a cup-o-joe and meet F3’s favorite author.
    Event #2: Rumor has it Flatline is sponsoring a HDHH this Wednesday at Southside Capital Ale House with a time TBD.  Ales and other malted adult beverages will be available.
    Anyone with hard facts on either event, please add in the Reply Section.

    Let’s all put our prayers in today for Gumbo’s daughter, who is having an MRI for concussion like symptoms.

    Last note…please also remember today Kubota’s grandfather, who passed away at 95.  My prayers will be with Kubota and his family today.  Please join me.

    NMS:
    Today’s route was designed with a few goals in mind…provide a 4, 5, or 6 mile run…have it be on dry-ish roads with very limited ice…have some state-sponsored lighting.  Triple check!

    Thanks to Wedding Singer for letting me gripe.  MUCH appreciated.  Hope your grandmother has a wonderful Christmas.

    Good to have Knox join us again.  Also, happy to hear Saab is digesting things well.

  • Wilson’s Boxing Dying Cockroaches, Burp-Up Ring of Fire and a Flying EH!

    22 Studs started and eventually evolved into 23 toward the end of a great morning beat down at Mary Munford School.  The following is what occurred, more or less:

    Nice quick mosey down Commonwealth to Hanover to Westmoreland back to the Northern corner of the school grounds for :

    COP:

    Cotton Pickers x 20 (YHC gets hit with snowball, nobody claimed it)

    Don Quixote x 10

    Copperhead Squats x 15

    Pickle Pounders x 15

    Scorpion Kicks x 15

    Mosey to the front of the school and use the candles in the windows for light for a:

    TRIPLE CHECK:

    Partner 1 bear crawls from school wall to sidewalk, perform 5 merkins, then crawl bear back to partners

    Partner 2 is on the receiving end of Wilson’s Boxing Dying Cockroaches

    Partner 3 is on the ground distributing the punches to Partner 2.

    Al Gore for the 6

    mosey to asphalt for:

    11’s:

    Begin with 1 Carolina Dry Dock then run across asphalt to fence and perform 10 Dwight Howard’s on fence, run back and do 2/9…….until 10/1

    Plank-a-rama for the six

    mosey over to the pull-up bars and plank up around the border for:

    BURP-UP RING OF FIRE:

    Two PAX at a time complete 5 Burp-Ups with as best form as possible, while rest of PAX does:

    Plank-a-rama, Flutter Kicks, LBC’s, Box Cutters, Heels to Heaven and Al Gore

    pair up for:

    2×20 PLT’s each partner

    2×10 Plerkins each partner

    One minute to go, back to the flag!

    COT, Numberama, Namearama, Announcements and YHC took us out.

     

    Announcements:

    Hardywood’s daughter’s book signing is now on Wednesday Dec.19th from 5:30-7:00 at Crossroads Coffee Shop on Forest Hill Avenue.  She is having her star dedication on the RVA walk of fame later that night.

    HDHH at Capital Ale House – Midlothian on Wednesday Dec. 19th (time??)  So that means drinks at HDHH then Uber/Lyft over to book signing then to Hardywood’s house for night cap!

    Please keep Gumbo’s daughter in your prayers as she is having an MRI tomorrow to hopefully be clear of concussion symptoms.

    Pucker’s Birthday is tomorrow!

     

    NMS:

    Nice morning for a beat down.  Temperature was better than recent mornings, though the ice was still prevalent.  PAX rolled in ready to work.  YHC had to abandon Big Blue to make room for Bleeder(6 PAX in Big Blue is just to many, 5 is comfortable if one of them is TYA).  Nice little jog at the beginning to get the blood flowing and then to COP where TYA mumbled that we could have just walked over by the bus loop.  YHC was hit with a snowball while doing cadence on Cotton Pickers, YHC didn’t flinch.  Couple more snowballs were spotted traveling to other PAX members.  Sarah slept through COP.  Nice, long, tough Triple Check to get us started.  Boxing Cockroaches for a long period of time are TOUGH!  Everyone toughed it up and kicked tail!  YHC then modified a Vinny Pull-Up Ring of Fire from a Mary Q of his in the past(which I learned was taken from an old Swirly Q) and changed it into a Burp-Up Ring of Fire.  YHC thinks this was well received or maybe not???  It was in the middle of the Ring of Fire that Circle K ran out toward the street to talk to a guy that YHC thought was a regular PAX member leaving, but YHC learned that it was Brita (FNG) looking for a different workout group.  Well, Brita is with us now because of Circle K and because we start on time and we are some cool dudes who love a good beat down!  Well done Circle K and Brita!  PAX laid in some nice thawing pools of water during ring of fire and partner work.  Well done!  PAX raced back to the flag with one minute left, YHC and Bleeder will now retire our usual sprint-off back to the flag.  Hope your leg’s ok, Bleeder!  Great job to Yard Sign for posting for his second day in a row!

    YHC is proud of the work everyone did this morning and was greatly honored to lead you.  Hope the rest of your day goes well and SYITG!

    keep posting!

    Kubota

  • Mall Walking through the 80s

    With icy Patches still visibly noticeable, 5 Warriors set out on a slow mosey right at 530am, hilarity ensued.

    How it went Down:

    Walk to bottom of school entrance, then lunge up the hill to the back bus loop.

    COP

    SSH x 20

    DQ X 10

    Imperial Walkers x 20

    Merkins x 10

    LBCs x 20

    Helicopters x 10

    Mosey to front of bus lot

    Ascending light poles – 4 merkins, increase by 4 for 6 lights, last light was 24 merkins

    Descending light poles- 24 LBCs, down to 4 for 6 lights

    Plank

    Move to side of Lot

    5 Burpees OYO cause Wilson was bitchin

    11s

    Flutter Kicks (Roper called) and SSHs (Bulleye called)

    Mosey back to front of bus loop and Lunge back down the hill we originally came up, from there walked back across the ice past the flag

    Wall Sit Burpee Combo

    30 Second Wall Sit – 5 Burpees

    30 Second Wall Sit – 4 Burpees

    30 Second Wall Sit – 3 Burpees

    30 Second Wall Sit – 2 Burpees

    60 Second Wall Sit – 1 Burpee

    Circle Up

    2 Rounds of Merkin Ring of Fire

    1 Round of Burpee Shuffle

    Back to the Flag

    Numberama, Namerama, YHC took us out

    Announcements

    HDHH Next Wed Capital Ale House in Midlothian

    Prayer Requests for Gumbo’s daughter/ MRI today for Concussion, She’s a Champ and will rock it!!

    Awesome news from MR. Roper – his son passed his welding test, he is now officially certified!  Congrats!

    NMS:

    So with Wilson and YHC getting a pre ruck in, we were able to scout out the AO and how the recent storm had effected Timberwolf.  On our very slow ruck we discovered that we now know why CPS is still out, tons of ice everywhere. Once the PAX was walking to drier spots, Mr. Roper informed us we could have just gone to the mall and walked laps in the warm heated building.  From there the conversation took a 40 minute turn into naming all the stores that were always there, fashion trends, and restaurants we all grew seeing at the malls in the 80s and 90s.  The workout was great with limited spots to pull from.  Everyone crushed it and YHC appreciates the PAX for understanding safety is key.  I will list a few of the topics and mall trends we discussed below, feel free to throw in your favorite mall store as a kid, this morning was a great walk down memory lane!  See you boys in the Gloom!

    Cinnabon, Mrs. Fields Cookies, KB Toys, Kmart, Things Remembered, Orange Julius, Leggett, Disc Jockey, Foot Locker,Sears, Circuit City, Radio Shack, Any Chinese Place giving a free Sample, Trans Ams, Parachute Pants

    *** Winner of the Day – YHC mentioned JAM Shorts – Gumbos response – Which Doubled as Parachute Pants for him”

    Marmaduke

     

     

  • A roller coaster @ Mary

    4 studs posted for roller coaster this evening and here is how it went down.

    Change of plans – meet @ Mary (for safety reasons) Hillcrest still pretty slick…

    Kubota and Husky 2 laps (Ruck Style) around the school.

    TYA – Swirly – Old School 4 mile loop on grove – Grove to Malvern back to Grove up Three Chopt back down grove to Mary = Boom!

    Great job guys beautiful night for a run. A little crazy with the left over snow and the 5 pm traffic on Grove – but all in all a solid run.

    See y’all in the gloom..

  • Ice Cold Potato at SOT

    3 jugglers posted and finally emerged from their warm vehicles right at 0530 for an Ice Cold Potato beatdown that went like this:

    COP (Gumbo) including SSHs, DQs, Helicopters, Imperial Walkers, Merkins and Freddie Mercuries

    THE THANG:

    Burp in a Box (Gumbo) – 5 parking lot spaces and an ice-free (relatively) loop around the parking lot.  1 burpee in the first space, run a lap, 2 burpees in the second space, run a lap…repeato until 5 burpees in the last space and a lap.

    toss the snow ball to Bullseye  and mosey down to the far bus loop for some crawlbear line tracers – crawl bear halfway down the bus parking line (longer than the car space line), then sprint back to the starting point and do 10 jump squats. Repeato x3.

    Somewhere in here we did some plank work led by Bullseye – moving from plank to elbow plank and back.

    Rosie is up….Triple Check with lunges, alternating shoulder taps and a run around the large parking lot…watch for ice patches…no spills.

    Back to Gumbo for Love Alley – 1 runner 2 men doing the exercises, working our way down the alley to the ice slick and back.  Exercises were broad-jump burpees, Russian Soldiers and Polar bears.  We all found ice, but still no spills!

    Back to Bullseye and we headed to the front door of the school to find the snow and some benches for 2 rounds of 25 Dips and 10 backwards lunges (raising the knee up on the front swing) each leg.

    Rosie closed it out with the following:

    • 30 second wall sit – 1 snow burpee — must get snow on your chest!
    • 30 second wall sit – 2 snow burpees
    • 30 second wall sit – 3 snow burpees
    • Mosey back to the parking lot for Rando-rama, including (among other things):
      • Peter parkers
      • Diamond merkins
      • Werkins
      • Raised leg APDs
      • Monkey Humpers
      • Pickle Pounders
      • LBCs
      • side elbow plank with some hip raises
      • Superman
      • and more…

    COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and some fellowship because after all of that it didn’t feel so cold.

    NMS:

    It was great to get back out int he gloom after a couple days off for me.  After the first blast of cold and after we started moving, it felt great.  Lots of ice patches discovered but  no spills so that was a success.

    We discussed DK and his back issues – hopefully he is on the mend.  Get well soon brother.

    I hope everyone has been safe on the roads these last few days.  Great to see folks posting but safety first…or at least second!

    Happy Hump Day — oh, HDHH, next week 12/19 at Capital Ale House Midlothian!

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • My Windmill is broken

    19!  That is the number of studs willing to navigate the ice and snow this morning for what would be a challenge for YHC to conduct a seamless routing.  To YHC’s knowledge, we were free of any injuries due to icy conditions.

    5:30 and were off to the nearest circle.  COP: Couple of laps around the circle to get the blood pumping, DQ’s, Windmills…sort of, SSH’s, Hillbillies, Russian Soldiers, LBC’s, WW1 snow angels…YHC was not heavy enough to break through the top layer of ice to form a good angel.

    The Thang:

    Stay in circle, full PAX to one side.  Lunge to the other side-10 Merkins with both hand on the curb, Lunge back-10 Merkins right hand on curb and left hand on pavement, Frog Hop back-10 Merkins with left hand on curb, Bear Crawl back-10 Incline Merkins with both hands on curb and feet on pavement.

    Move to the field.  Split up PAX into 4 corners, 1 member from each corner runs to the middle and performs exercise X 10 and runs back to his PAX.  The rest of the PAX is holding plank.  After PAX member returns, next up goes and so on.  The plan was to do 3 rounds (Burpees, Carolina Dry Docks, Copperhead Squats), but YHC once again underestimated the size of the field.  Holding Plank for that amount of time was not the best idea in the cold snow.  We needed to move around, so SSH’s and Flutter Kicks were called to break it up.  An audible was called after the second round.

    Stay in the field, everyone to one end and partner up.  The call was to find someone of like size, which YHC reserved the right to claim Sippy Cup as his partner.  The choice was to drag or wheelbarrow your partner as far as you could down the field, until a break was needed.  PLT’s X 15 would be performed before switching.  That proved to be the smoker for the morning.

    Mosey back to parking area with no time to spare.  Numberama, Namerama, Announcements.  12/19 at Capital Ale House (SOJ), Hardywood’s daughter has published a book!  Come meet the Author and get a personal autograph on Friday from 5:30-7:00 at Crossroads Coffee Shop.  Be advised the snow has delayed the arrival of the books, so keep close to Twitter and/or Back Blast for a potential change in date.  We know Hardywood is a very proud Dad…really cool stuff!  Marmaduke continues the coat collection through the end of this month.

    NMS: YHC received a text from Vinny yesterday and in that conversation, YHC admitted he wasn’t sure how to handle the conditions we would have this morning.  My original plan (before the snow) was to use the Amphitheater for a good bit of the workout, but concrete and steps are not good in ice.  So, YHC appreciates the patience this morning.  It was a bit choppy and not as smooth as YHC hoped, but that is all overshadowed by the awesome group of men that showed up willing to go with whatever YHC threw out.  Welcome to Yard Sign…big props to you for posting in the snow for your first.  Great to see Waco back out, after several weeks off.  It’s an honor to be with you all!