Category: Richmond, VA

  • Gumbo’s Last Post with Hate…

    9 SOJers (or SOJers at heart…Handshake) broke the warm hold of the bed and posted to Twin Team this morning for warm bowl of Gumbo…sort of.  This is  how it went:

    Mosey around the side of BWES (the dark side) to the circle at the end of the bus loop for COP, including:

    • SSHs
    • DQs
    • Helicopters
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Merkins
    • LBCs
    • Freddie Mercuries – alternating speeds

    The THANG:

    Triple Check –  classic triple check with merkins (any type you want), flutter kicks and a run around the bus loop.

    Fun with Door Numbers:

    • 10 doors
    • Round 1 – Monkey Humpers at the even numbered doors and merkins at the odd numbered doors – do the number on the door.
    • Round 2 – same but double the number on the door.

    Rings of Fire/Burpee Shuffle – in the covered, dry area by door #1

    • Round 1 – hold six inches and do 10 heels to heaven when it is your turn
    • Lap around the front circle
    • Round 2 – plank and do 10 merkins when it is your turn
    • Lap around the circle – a little faster this time
    • Round 3 – Burpee shuffle – when it comes to you call 1, 2 or 3 but you can’t repeat the number said right before you.
    • Lap around the circle – a little slower this time!

    5 Minutes of Mary, including:

    • APDs
    • Cross Leg Lifts
    • Rocky Balboa’s
    • American Hammers
    • Box Cutters
    • Hello Dollies

    Back to the flag for COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama, Announcements and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Marmaduke is still collecting coats and jackets – any kinds, kid’s, men’s, woman’s.  Bring them all.
    • A few prayer requests for some families at St. Edwards that Radar and I know who are going through some tough times or illnesses.

    NMS:

    YHC really had no plan.  I briefly thought about some track work – maybe The Suck, maybe The Cooper.  In the end, YHC wasn’t feeling like that much running this morning.  Had a case of the Wilson’s!  Instead, we stuck close to BWES and stuck together.  Almost a ground and pound but we got a little running in there for some cardio…or for some relief from merkins and monkey humpers.  No doubt the school cameras got their fill of grown men doing monkey humpers and APDs.  Yep, we are on a list somewhere.

    By my count, we did 75 merkins in the tour of the Doors.  Another 20 in COP and 10 in the ROF – so that is 105 plus however many you did individually during the Triple Check.

    YHC is heading out of town to take the kids to Disney for the week.  I hope everyone has a great week and a wonderful Thanksgiving…and hopefully TYA gets some dry weather to drain the moat in my backyard!!  The next time YHC posts in the gloom will be Monday, November 26 – YHC’s 40th birthday.  YHC will be spending time this week looking for an interesting loop to run 40 times for River Run…be ready!

    See you fellas in a week and without any more HATE.  Happy Thanksgiving men!

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • Your Hometeam Route

    Sixteen Runners and an undisclosed number of bikers, who didn’t return, set out for the first true winter feeling run.

    The Route

    East on Grove and turn left on Hamilton, Left on Westwood (turns into Malvern), Right on Patterson.

    4s take a left on Westmoreland to the VSF.

    5s take a left on Lexington to Grove to the VSF.

    6s take a left on Seneca to Grove to the VSF.

    Saab took us out.

    The Moleskin

    It was good running with my pack today.   Good pace and conversation makes the miles drift by.  I heard the 6s were on fire today.

    Always Be Tapering,

    Lockjaw

  • Crazy but not Stupid

    It was a brutally wet and cold morning at Circus Maximus.  Honeydo was slated to Q, but YHC offered to provide a dry beatdown.  Honeydo quickly handed the keys to this well-oiled machine over to YHC.  Here is how it went down:

    • COP
      • 25 SSH
      • 20 IW
      • 10 DQ
      • 15 helicopters
      • 10 2x merkins
      • 10 2x Suzanne Somers (each leg)
      • 25 2x LBC
      • 10 Herpies OYO
    • Series of Triple Plays, aka triple checks
      • #1 – KB presses, weighted lunges, pole sit
      • #2 – skull crushers, pole smokers, death crawl
      • #3 – lawnmower pulls (left and right), KB swings, run
    • COT with YHC taking us out

     

    Small crowd, but solid work by all.  The PAX might be crazy for dragging their tails out of the fartsack on such a gloomy morning, but we are not dumb.  We stayed undercover and dry, avoiding pneumonia and other sicknesses that come with such miserable weather.  Good to have Ponch and P-Trap back in fold.  Impressed with P-Trap’s effort despite a sore shoulder.  As always, Honeydo was sporting the 35 pounder.  Well done noble warrior!

    Pray for Earthworm today as he has surgery.  The PAX is eagerly awaiting our brother’s return.

    Also, it is that time of the year to be thankful.  Healthy bodies to pound the pavement with and brothers to join us in the madness ranks up there.  Main area of thankfulness, God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • Scaring the Teachers

    1 out of towner and 1 local escaped the fartsack on a sunny and 70 (35 and rainy) morning at Timberwolf.  Dana arrived early and not knowing where to park, followed a teacher into the main lot.  After getting out, convincing her that he was not a predator and was only a fool looking for other fools to workout with in this lovely weather, he found YHC pulling into the lot.

    It was quickly agreed that the weather sucked and there was no reason to roll around in the mud like we did at NoToll.  A run on the track and around campus with some stops for merkins was completed.  A few miles covered at a nice easy conversational pace.  Good to get to know Dana, who will likely be back for work every few months.  Now he knows where to go and will hopefully be greeted by more PAX next time he visits Timberwolf.

    Next Thursday, celebration of the First Thanksgiving.  6am at 45MOM.  No Timberwolf unless New Market wants to take the lead.

  • Ruth & Ollie and Al’s Toy Barn

    12 Ruth & Ollie regulars and one Al’s Toy Barn FNG posted at Ruth & Ollie for the book signing of all book signings. It went like this:

    COP: Arm Circles (forward & reverso) / 16 burpees in honor of Marv still not posting the BB from last Friday. 16 BBs have been posted since then, and counting. Thanks Marv. / Helicpoters / Invisibile Jump Rope / LBCs / Scorpion Kicks.

    Thang 1: Merkin Beast: 1st round – Wiper Merkins. 2nd round – Wide Grip Merkins. 3rd round – Diamond Merkins. 4th round – HR Merkins. 5th round – Chuck Norris Knuckle Merkins. 6th round – Mahky Mahk look yahrself in the mirrah, form Merkins.

    Thang 2: Partner up: PLTs 4 rounds of 25. 1st round – left side. 2nd round – right side. 3rd round – middle. 4th round – dealers choice (80s & 90s mixed tape style). Heels to Heaven and SSHs for the Six.

    Thang 3: New partners: Catch Me If You Can. Partner 1 polar bears on tennis courts while partner 2 performs 25 hill billies (2 count) and then chases down partner 1 for switcharoo. AMRAP style. Go hard to the whisle.

    Thang 4: Merkin Ring of Fire: 10 merkins while PAX holds plank. After completion of circle PAX bear crawls into the center of the circle to warm up and perform 20 merkins in unison.

    Back to the Flag – YHC took us out.

    For those on the Merkin Challenge, you did 246 plus however many you completed during Thang 3.

    Announcements: YHC’s M has a book release and signing party tonight at Ruth & Ollie in Carytown from 4 to 7. Kids are welcome. Even you Saab!. It’s a children’s book about The Homestead. YHC’s M illustrated the book. Along with free beer/wine and food, the books will be for sale, as well as original art from the books and other unrelated original art. Please swing by if for no other reason than to see YHC in a bow tie and TYA in his Yard Khakis.

    Moleskin: Today was a great day to be out. Glad to have y’all on board and welcome Toy Story. You can’t post to your first beatdown in a blue Mini Cooper, profess to be a film maker, and walk away with any other name. I know, Lab Rat will have some “better” offering. Hardywood also has a book signing tonight. It’s in WACO, Texas. Something about animal husbandry. See him for more details.

  • Big Numbers at SOT…

    10 men of the gloom (including a returning visitor from Charlotte) descended upon SOT and with no Q on the sheet, YHC took the reigns for a hot potato that went like this:

    Mosey down the hill toward the dark parking lot for COP, including:

    • DQs
    • Helicpoters
    • SSHs
    • Merkins
    • LBCs

    The THANG:

    Gumbo Q –

    4 Corners  — On the track, using the lightposts at the 100 meter marks perform the following:

    1. Corner 1 – 10 merkins
    2. Corner 2 – 10 merkins, 20 jump squats
    3. Corner 3 – 10 merkins, 20 jump squats, 30 2-ct flutter kicks
    4. Corner 4 -10 merkins, 20 jump squats, 30 2-ct flutter kicks and 40 SSHs
    5. back to Corner 1 and plank for six

    Alternating Shoulder Taps IC x10

    Triple Check  – Partner 1 – merkins, Partner 2 – box cutters, Partner 3 – run up the steps and to the wall of the school and back down.  Three times through.

    Pass the Q to Sugar Sock

    11s on the big hill – 1 merkin at the bottom, run to the top, 10 captain thors, run back down +1/-1 at each until you get to 10/1.  Man that hill got ugly after about 5 sprints up.

    Pass the Q to DK

    Bearimeter  – to the Tennis Courts and partner up.  One partner bear crawls counter-clockwise while the other partner runs clockwise.  Swap when you meet.  Continue until you complete the bearimeter.

    Mary – Just enough time for 10 dieing cockroaches IC.

    COT, COR, NOR and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Marmaduke continues to collect coats and jackets for shelters.  Fill him up.
    • Vinny’s wife has a book signing party tomorrow evening at Ruth & Ollies see Twitter or other BB’s for details.

    NMS:

    Great to see big numbers at SOT.  Let’s keep the momentum.  Also, great to see Bobber back out and Mr. Roper apparently recovered from Monday’s run.  Bullseye and DK are posting frequently.  Always great having Wedding Singer embrace his SOJness and fly a little further south for a posting.  And Gatekeeper was back out.  All good men.  All good!

    Also, thanks to F3-Dana from Charlotte for joining us again.  You are of course welcome any time.

    Strong work by all this morning.  Particularly by Tobit on the 11s – I don’t know how you  had that much left in the tank man, but you crushed those 11s.

    Have a great day men.

    No More Gumbo For You!

  • You Need to Man Up or Stop Complaining

    Lockjaw’s 11 greeted a midweek post with nothing but maximum effort.

    The Thang

    Long jog down the road to the circle on the other side of the Carillon for COP.

    • SSH
    • Helicopters
    • Don Quixote
    • Russian Soldiers
    • LBCs

    Off to the main field for Lindsays around the field.  Merkins and Box Cutters.  Run the long sides and karaoke the short sides.  Russian Soldiers for the 6.

    Partner up for Wilson’s Clown Punching Cockroaches: 3 sets of 20.

    Position on the side of the field and partner up.  Wheelbarrow across and 10 Derkins.  Swap positions and return.  Repeat so everyone goes two times through.

    Back to the grassy circle where we started for Triple Check:

    • Partner 1 – Runs the long triangle (just under a quarter mile or so)
    • Partner 2 – Elbow Planks
    • Partner 3 – Flutter Kicks

    30 Merkins on your own.

    Back to the VSF where Swirly took us out.

    The Moleskin

    Well, that was the longest Triple Check in recorded history taking just under 20 minutes.  Lots of love for those abs.

    How does one get a workout group to stop calling an exercise after your wife?  Come up with an even better workout for adoption.  Wilson’t clown punching cockroaches made another appearance.  Works the abs and keep the rogue clowns at bay (and we had odd numbers today).

    Backblast title comes from Swirly, as an example of the motivational sayings he posts on “Swirly’s Board” on Twitter.  YHC thinks we need to start a parody Instagram account called “Swirly is Bored” with pictures of him watching soccer or perhaps looking curious, yet disgusted, at a bowl of tofu at ETs.  Regardless, keep the mantras coming!

    Announcements:

    • Handshake’s VQ is next Tuesday at Heartbreak.  It seems that his end of year performance review was going to suffer unless this was completed in 2018.
    • Vinny – There is a reception for his wife’s childrens book at Ruth and Ollie in Carytown.  Tomorrow 4-7pm.  Snacks.

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

  • Just like Old Times

    20 hardened ironheads landed at No Toll looking to get muddy.  Luckily for the pristine fields, it was an Old Glory day and the majority of the activity was confined to the perimeter.  Here’s what went down:

    THANG:

    YHC grabbed the Flag and away we went.  No FNG’s, so a quick disclaimer was given on the fly.

    Start with a 1 mile run around the entire soccer field complex (2 laps).  Then, loops of 4 stations at the corners of the AO:
    Station 1:  20 x Merkins
    Station 2:  20 x Jump Squats
    Station 3:  10 x Burpees
    Station 4:  20 x WWII Situps
    Complete as many loops as possible before 6 am, then gather together for another 1 mile run around the complex.  PAX planks until the 6 reaches the Shovel Flag.  Merkin ROF, then AMRAP merkins until the final four finished the round.  Head back to the parking lot for COT.  YHC took us out.
    ANNOUNCEMENTS:
    – Marmaduke is still collecting coats for the holidays.  Get them to him soon.
    – Courtney Sievers, the lovely wife of Vinny, will have a book signing and release party at Ruth & Ollie’s in Carytown from 4-7 this Thursday.  Come by to pick up some art, the book and some FREE beer.
    – Movember is in full effect.  Rumor has it Gumbo is not going to cut his hair or shave his neck.  Cap’n Caveman, baby!
    –  Something else, but I must have paused the recording by accident.  Labrat apologizes for that.
    NMS:
    Nothing like Q’ing an Old Glory at No Toll after a long hiatus.  Felt like putting on my favorite old pair of jeans, if they were soaked through and covered and mud.  Really, the weather was nice and the rain gave us a nice window to get some work done.  It has been almost 3 and a half years since YHC borrowed Old Glory from Charlotte and brought it to No Toll, and that first edition only had 6 PAX.  Good to have Wilson as one of the originals there for the reunion (although he probably doesn’t remember it).  Rosie in typical fashion killed it, and Labrat was especially spry rocking the Bedrocks in unfavorably cold and wet conditions.  Aye!  Good to meet those of you that I had not met before, and thanks for letting me back SOJ to lead you fine men.  Also, an extra thanks to Honeymoon for hanging back with me while I nursed a bad wheel.  Make sure to log your loops on the Google Doc so you can benchmark your progress.  See you all in the Gloom!
    -BT

  • Plan B

    6 Brave souls dared the elements this morning to hopefully come out stronger for it.  YHC had a plan.  And then he didn’t.  This is about the Plan B’s in life.

    Circuitous run around the parking lot.  Come back and circle up.
    COP — IJR, Plank Jacks, Butt Kickers, American Hammers, Crunchy Frogs, Dying Cockroach

    Get out the Phone and the bluetooth speaker for some fun, but wait what is that annoying popping sound?  Waited only a few seconds for it to correct itself, and then decided to scrap the songs and go with Plan B.

    The Beast in the Lot
    Exercises —
    V-ups
    Merkins
    WW2 situps
    one legged merkins
    freddy mercuries
    burpees

    Run to the poles behind Atlee
    On the way do two sets of ten merkins
    Hold poles, one dude does leg lifts, everyone else at 6 inches
    Reverso — gas pumps and everyone else at 6 inches

    Back to lot for doracides
    100 — Smurf Jacks
    200 — jump squats
    300 — oops — look at the time!  Back to the Flag.

    Names, Numbers, Announcements

    NMS — YHC had a really cool themed beatdown that included some fun music.  Last night when YHC tried his bluetooth speaker out it was making a weird clicking/popping noise.  So YHC knew there was a chance that a Plan B would have to happen.  Tried the sucker out in the car this morning and it was fine — until YHC got it out to use it at the beginning of the beatdown.  Click, click, click, pop, pop, pop.  I was ready with a Plan B though so the PAX went through the rest of the beatdown without a hitch.  Nice work, gentlemen!  Helix rocked the beastly burpees this morning!  Alas, YHC did not.
    Sometimes, life throws us a curve ball.  One of those moments in time that we just didn’t see coming.  Do we have a plan B at the ready?  Are we willing to go with the flow and turn things that could be seen as awful into something good — a plan B that might have actually been better than the plan A we had for our own lives?
    A quick story from YHC’s own life — When YHC graduated from college the first time around, he was ready to go out and start molding young children’s minds.  Unfortunately, that first year of teaching was miserable for YHC (for numerous reasons).  A total disaster.  YHC quit after the year was over and went back to school to get his music degree.  YHC loves his job now and is in a great school — YHC needed to remember what his passion has always been and seek it out.
    Feel free to share your plan B stories below!

    Opus

  • Democratic Process

    5 brave Americans posted this morning at Heartbreak Ridge for a choose your own adventure, democratic style workout.  PAX members had the opportunity and responsibility to select by majority rule from predetermined choices each evolution for the morning (today also happens to be 1 week from last Tuesday, election day, when Garbage Plate mistakenly thought he was on to Q… #recycle).

    Started out with a mosey to a perfect COP spot for 20x SSH, IW 10x HC, MK warmup.

    Election #1 – Heartbreak Ridge prevailed:  3x up Heartbreak Ridge – Bernie, Lunge/squat, Regular style

    Election #2 – Over Under took a narrow victory: 3x each on the inclined walkway of crawl bear uphill, 20x Copperhead Squats, railing crawl down, 20x MH’s.

    Election #3 –  Roxanne beat Dora in a tiebreak election:  3:07 of Roxanne Burpees intermixed with jog in place, emceed by our friends Sting & the Police.

    Election #4 – Dry 11’s was the clear favorite: 11’s on the covered porch side of Quioccasin MS with Carolina Dry Docks & 4 count Flutter Kicks at each end.

    Election #5 – Special Election took the final morning slot:  curb crawl 1 to 5 to 1 Merkins followed by 20 PLT’s

    A traditional Native American saunter back to the flag for announcements and closure.

    Great work to all getting out on an awesome drizzly Tuesday!

    GP