Category: Richmond, VA

  • 2 Beasts in search of the Arc

    YHC pulled into BWES at 0513 in the pouring rain and sat “eagerly” awaiting more PAX members.  A car pulled in.  Looked like a Bleeder mobile but it  headed straight for Gumbo’s second home…the small green building.  Honestly, YHC thought for a minute, “well, maybe it is just a super eager teacher who had to go sooo bad that he/she couldn’t even make it inside.  It couldn’t be another PAX member.”

    Not so fast, it was Bleeder and he was ready to roll.  0530…BOOM.  2 beasts without regard for sanity or safety posted to River Run and literally ran through the rivers and streams flowing through Tarrington and Powderham in search of the Arc.  Surely it was around because the floods were coming.  At one point, coming down Twin Team, YHC had to remove his headlamp because of the blinding reflection in the wall of rain ahead of him.

    4 miles and not a dry piece of clothing around.  Great work!

    Today was certainly one that YHC would have audibled had Bleeder not emerged from the small green building ready to run.  Thanks for being there Bleeder.

    COT, COR, NOR was quick.  We didn’t want to get wet after all.

    No announcements.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Dark, Rainy, Cloudy, and Yet a Full Moon

    A lucky 7 were undeterred by cooler weather and full on rain for this morning’s installment of Hoedown.

    The Thang

    Circle up in the parking lot starting with 25 Merkins.

    COP

    • Don Quixote
    • Helicopters
    • Arm Circles
    • Russian Soldiers

    Mosey down Lindsay Drive for Lindsays.  Exercises are Merkins and Scissor Kicks.  Lunge walk between driveways to mark the transition zones.

    Find a space on the asphalt hill for 25 Derkins.

    Back to the playground for some leg lifts off of the monkey bars.  20 or so.

    Over the the asphalt sea for 4 Corners

    • Corner 1 – 10 Mountain Climbers
    • Corner 2 – 10 Mountain Climbers, 20 Merkins
    • Corner 3 – 10 Mountain Climbers, 20 Merkins, 30 Copperhead Squats
    • Corner 4 – 10 Mountain Climbers, 20 Merkins, 30 Copperhead Squats, 40 American Hammers

    Already in a circle, we did a Merkin Ring of Fire for another 20 Merkins.

    Down to the bus loop for Triple Check

    • Run
    • BTTW
    • Flutter Kicks

    20 Merkins OYO

    Mary

    • Box Cutters
    • Rosalitas
    • LBC
    • American Hammers

    PLT – 20 x 2

    YHC took us out.  250 Merkins total.

    The Moleskin

    Rain was everywhere.  On Lindsay Hill, it felt like the current could wash us away.  Our shirts were suction cups on any pavement adding a little extra resistance through hydraulics.  It was easy to get choked up when doing the count during LBCs.  Not the worst we have seen, but it was coming down.

    Dressing for the rain was a unique reflection on individual preference.  A windbreaker with no hood, a couple had full on hooded parkas, t-shirt, t-shirt and hat….regardless we all got wet pretty quickly.  It’s also an individual preference in how people deal with the suck.  Let’s just say an overflowing gutter provided a gravity powered bidet for one Pax member.  They are nice and clean now.

    Announcements:

    • Marathon and Half Marathon this weekend.  Several Pax are running.  Cheer them on.
    • Is anyone doing a HDHH this month?

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • When it rains on your parade

    A solo runner decided to run in the rain today.  Easy run, 2 loops around the schools for a total of just over a 5k. Also added 25 Merkins after every mile and at the end.

    SPIT ON THAT!!

  • Extra hour

    Four gloom warriors slept their extra hour and came to run trails today. Furley, YHC, and Southern Belle (quite the bright personable young lady one would expect) had an early lead but took a short stretch break and hooked up with TYA. TYA and TSB went out a total of 2.5 and back on North Bank. Furley and Shakedown did the loop plus the lariat. Good pace good times – winter is coming.

    No Furley or Shakedown next week for Sunday Funday

    Have a great week gentlemen

     

  • And a one, two, three…a one, two, three

    25 band members, including 3 FNGs, plus one conductor posted for the Lawrence Welk Show revival tour, RVA edition.  During the next pledge driver, PBS will rebroadcast the show, in black-and-white, this way:

    Warm-up Act: Mosey to the near traffic circle:
    Invisible jump rope, IWs, SSHs, Hillbillies, LBCs, flutter kicks, HRMs and fire hydrants…each x16

    For our First Number…Mosey to the Carillon.  Partner up…Wheelbarrow across the bricks the “long way.”  At the end of each turn, add Shoulder Presses.  First round 10, 2nd round 15, 3rd round 16.

    For our Second Number…Mosey to the field behind the Carillon for Touch-a-Tree.  Partner up. Rounds of 10-8-6-4-2…some mix of Mary…flutter kicks, LBCs, snow angels, burpees and one other thing.  Planking and HRMs mixed in for the six.

    Brass rusts in the rain, so for our Third Number…onto the side street next to Rugby Road for Up-and-Down, partner style…Run down the hill, 20 WWIIs, backwards run up the hill, 10 ‘mercans…repeato x3 or until time called.

    The Band closed out the morning in the Amphitheater with an extended re-mix…a little number called “V-Ups.” Let’s take it from the top…18, dropping one for each step down…one lap around the Amphitheater for an encore.

    BTTF.  Number-a-ma, Name-a-ram-a, YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    Hammers and Ales coming up…don’t be a tool.  Bring a friend, bring a tool, and help a good cause.  Nov 10, 6 p.m.  https://backblasts.f3rva.org/2018/10/31/pre-blast-please-come-to-hammers-ales-11-10-18-6pm/

    Gro-Ruck comes to Richmond March 22-24, 2019. Spend a weekend pushing yourself and growing yourself, backpack-style.  Final exam requires carrying a Henrico County 7th grader’s backpack 300 yards to the bus stop.  Harder than it sounds.

    Bear Creek 10-miler. Ankle tape and high tops optional.  Come hear the Kingston Trio sing “Charlie on the MTA” on repeat throughout the 10 miles.  Lab Rat Stew at the Finish.

    NMS:
    Today was an FNG-Fest for rights to the Ghost Flag.  Two SOJ men posted, in the Northern Hemispheric sense…one Virginian, one Floridian…thus securing the GF for SOJ.  Welcome to Purple Rain, Knope, and (briefly, but now formerly, Z-Pack), hereafter called, “Bone Thug.”

    YHC appreciates the push from Flange, Gumbo, and Sippy Cup.  Nice work, fellas.

    Much grumbling by the pax during the Wheelbarrow + Shoulder Press.  This also made an appearance on Monday when YHC Q’d Hoedown.  YHC has now done the shoulder presses with both Splinter and Flange, thus illuminating the spectrum of “verticality.”

    Lastly, the backblast title comes courtesy of YHC’s cadence, only recently diagnosed as bearing an uncanny resemblance to Lawrence Welk’s conducting.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Controlling the Narrative

    0530 Thursday: Mr. Holland finds himself victim of Lockjaw’s full-on Merkin 5K assault at 45MOM.
    2230 Thursday: Mr. Holland checks the Q signup Twin Team is empty.
    0530 Friday: Mr. Holland takes charge of the narrative, preventing any excessive merkin activity.

    Six men fought the fartsack and took a lap at Twin Team. After a stretching-heavy COP (SSH, helicopters, Russian soldiers, cotton pickers), the plan was in 5-minute intervals:

    • Run for five minutes
    • At the timer, complete 10 merkins, 20 mountain climbers, 30 American Hammers
    • Repeat until 0615

    PAX ran up Twin Team Hill, through Tarrington, and around James River HS, covering just shy of four miles in addition to seven stops along the way. Back to Bettie for numbers, names, ‘nouncements.

    MOLESKIN

    Twin Team is in need of fresh blood for the Q!

    YHC has had seven Q’s since mid-August, mostly in the form of signing up the night before. YHC loves a good Sisyphean beatdown, and can also use the run on the 5-minute cycle, but it’s great to get variety from a wider range of PAX members taking the Q.

    Until next time…YNWA

  • KB – “You are so beautiful”

    The three stooges came early to the circus ring and then came Kru

    COP Warm up of 25 SSH, 15 DQ’s, 20 merkins, 25LBC’s, 15 helicopters

    Round 1

    Rinse and repeat the following for 15 minutes no breaks

    Merkins (5) reps  right arm / left arm

    Rows ( 5) reps  right arm / left arm

    Dead Lifts  ( 5) reps right arm / left arm

    Clean ( 5) reps  right arm / left arm

    Squats  ( 5) reps right arm / left arm

    Press ( 5) reps  right arm / left arm

    Round 2

    Snatch Right (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Snatch Left (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Gobblet squats (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    High Pulls (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Cross body Cleans Right (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Cross body Cleans Left (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Alternating swings  (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Halo  Right (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Halo Left (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

    Kettlebell Swing to squat (40 seconds on – 20 second rest)

     

    Round 3 – Swing – Burpee Ladder

    1 Swing / 7 Burpees

    Ascending/Descending Ladder

    7 Swings / 1 Burpee

    2 laps around the circus  loop

    Merkin Side Shuffle Stripe – do a merkin side shuffle to the next stripe – rinse and repeat until out of stripes.

    COT with Atilla taking us out.  He reminded us that we are only on this  Earth for a short time. Keep love ones, family, friends and F3 brothers in your prayers.

    Remembering and praying for Grizzly and his family.

    Praying for Earthworms upcoming surgery and quick recovery.

    White Deer(57)  had to modify his KB routine due to the list of injuries on the circus mat.  Johnsonville, maybe that KB is just a little to heavy for you.  Kru, there is a good fix for those bad knees.  I was surprised that Atilla didn’t complain about to many  upper body exercises.

    Remember Nobody,  runs like  White Deer!

     

     

  • Guns out at a November RAMM

    It wasn’t “Sun’s out, Guns out!” but more like “It’s November and it’s 70 degrees at 5:30 in the morning.  Let’s bang out some merkins pre-run and then go shirtless for the run.”

    22 strong on foot or on wheels attacked the Punisher route this fine morning.  At least the runners ran the Punisher route, the Gears did something else…..

    Routes:

    4’s – Grove to a left on Malvern.  Cross Broad where name changes to Westwood and continue to top of Acca Yard rail yard bridge and then back-track back to the Shovel Flag.

    5’s – 4 mile route but continue on Westwood to CATALPA.  That’s right, CATALPA!  Turn around and back-track to flag.

    6’s – 5 mile route but continue on to Laburnum and hang a left and go to Holton Elementary and then back-track to flag.

    Numberama, Namearama, Announcements and YHC took us out!

    Announcements:

    Merkin Challenge has begun!  “Bang ’em out!”

    Ghost Flag will be at Dogpile tomorrow.  Most FNG’s by Nano-region wins the flag.  See Hardywood to get a definition of who qualifies as an FNG.

    Splinter announced that he owed an apology to YHC.  Thanks, Splinter!  YHC’s Southampton County, VA accent makes it difficult to pronounce some of the street names of RVA, for example “Grove” and “Broad”

    TYA has the annual Thanksgiving Day 45MOM Q on 11/22/18!  Go Berkeley Plantation, beat Plymouth Rock!

    NMS:

    The temperature in the gloom can be very tricky.  One day it’s too cool, another day, it’s too warm, other days it’s just right and then other days, you just don’t care because you fartsack.  This morning was definitely too warm for November, but you got to fight it and continue on.  YHC decided to attack the 5 mile route this morning for a RAMM first and struggled (combination of tasting spicy dinner from last night and remnants of col beer still from Halloween night) but came in at 6:15 and 30 seconds.  Close one!  Vinny upped his game and ran a good, clean and fast 5 miles to come in ahead of the time limit.  The rest of the 5 milers were smoking it, led by Swirly, Gumbo and BT.  Le Tigre posted to his first F3 run and attacked the 4 mile route (great job and keep coming back out!)  Hoser (formerly Mountie) received his name change and posted for the second day in a row to start off his F3 career (also great job and keep coming back out!!)  No one got lost which may be a Kubota running Q first!  Prior to 5:30, several of the PAX “banged out” some Merkin Challenge merkins.  Great job guys!  After the run, Swirly and maybe others continued to bang them out.  YHC is expecting to see another “500” in Swirly’s challenge box for today.

    Something that YHC was thinking about this morning but forgot to mention during the COT was this:  Phonics’ daughter, Rachel (forgot her F3 name??) won the Region 5 cross country championship yesterday and her team (Atlee) won as a team, as well!  Phonics, this is awesome and we know you are proud.  We also know that your other children run cross county, too and that you are proud of all of them!  Great work as a Father and supporter of your children.  You need to get Rachel out to a RAMM run so she can smoke the 6 milers!  Here is the link to the article in the RTD on Rachel:

    https://www.richmond.com/sports/high-school/cross-country/atlee-s-mudd-deep-run-s-burcham-win-titles-at/article_e53aec15-ff42-5d30-99eb-7cef027db5cd.html

    It was an honor to lead this morning and say the word “CATALPA” several times!

    Have a great day all!

    Kubota

    keep posting!

  • Sound of silence

    5 fartsack rejector’s made it out for a MANNdate on a beautiful fall morning.  This is what we did.

    COP

    15 each of SSH, HRM, arm circles, LBC’s, helicopters, DQ and American hammers

    Mosey to bus loop, do 10 sit up presses, run the loop, do 15 sit up presses, 10 halos, run, 20 sit up presses, 15 halos, 10 demon crushers, run, 25 sit up presses, 20 halos, 15 demon crushers, 10 KB swings, run, 30 sit up presses, 25 halos, 20 demon crushers, 15 KB swings, 10 goblet squats, run, 30 halos, 25 demon crushers, 20 KB swings, 15 goblet squats, 10 slingshots, run.  Continue to go up by 5 with runs in between, losing one exercise after you do 30 reps of it.

    Mosey to flag, YHC took us out.

    NMS

    There was very little mumblechatter this morning, the PAX were very focused on trying to get through this thing YHC dreamed up, kind of like a lucky horseshoe, but kind of not.  Congrats to Opus on finishing first!

    Announcements: YHC, Mudface and Chewy have formed a team for the Rugged Maniac challenge on 5/4/19, if you would like to join get in touch with either of us.  The cost goes up soon, so don’t wait!

    As usual, I have No Idea what I’m doing.

  • Rosie drops 250

    After SOT yesterday a couple SOJ regulars noted that they would not be attending the Rosie Q at Timberwolf, apparently word got out in New Market too with a no show from that contingent.  Fortunately Beaker showed up to keep YHC company.

    Mosey around the parking lot checking out a potential LIFO, no dice, unless the teacher wants to workout in khakis (Ask Vinny if yard khakis are acceptable workout attire).  Warmup IC and In Converstion with Helicopters, DQ, Arm Circles, SSH, LBC, Merkins, IW.

    Mosey to the bus loop for Blackjack – start with 20 LBC on one side of the lot, run across do 1 merkin – continue adding up to 21 to 1 LBC and 20 merkins.  Easy mosey to Light pole alley.

    Alternate choosing exercises and movements between poles.  Assortment of Squats, box cutters, Freddie Mercurys, merkins, SSH, Alternating shoulder taps and others, closing out with American Hammers.

    Thanks for keeping YHC company and setting the pace Beaker.  After a night of hanging at a neighborhood fire pit and sampling the kids candy the “in conversation” pace was appreciated.  A total of 250 merkins were dropped on the 2 PAX to get started on November the right way.  This all went down the morning after YHC’s namesake, a not quite washed up Derrick Rose, dropped 50 in an NBA game.  After multiple knee surgeries and bouncing around the NBA, he’s still got it.

    Thanks for indulging me and letting me lead you through some merkin heavy work this morning Beaker.

    Have a great day.