Category: Richmond, VA

  • Dirt Church: Extreme Landscaping Edition

    Hurricane Michael did a number on the Gulf Coast,  that’s for sure.  Remnants of the storm came to visit us late in the week but mercifully left quickly.  What looked to be a morning on the fire roads miraculously turned into a singletrack day, mostly dry but with a bunch of trees down.

    At 0800,  it was shaping up to be a one man show.  Roper’s still broken.  Pullout was out:  he’s a tree pro, so he was probably doing tree pro things, what with a bunch of trees down, and Profit had to break in a new mower.  None of the other usual suspects replied to the group text, but BT made it for the first time in a long while.   Forty-six degrees at roll-out time… maybe that had something to do with it?

    So good to see BT on a mountain bike.  Despite his limited saddle time so far, he’s got a lot of mountain biker in him and way base fitness than YHC, so the pace was conversational plus a little bit, despite there being a bunch of trees down.

    The route:   ALL of Sunsetter (one big tree down**) to Bell Return to Gateway 1 (one big tree down) to Gateway 2 (one brushy tree down) to Freight Line, ’cause why not?  Then Blueberry down to Blueberry Return (three huge and some other smaller trees down) to Blue Jay to Corkscrew (one brushy tree down) to the gravel road out.   Thirteen miles and change, with plenty of photo ops.

    Where we could,  we busted up the brushy stuff and peeled branches back ’til they snapped out of the way for the next guy.   No reason not to:  it’s not like we were in a hurry, and we were the first dudes on the trails, and you can never have enough trail karma.  Where we couldn’t fix things, we sent pics and locations to the trail bosses (@RVATrailReport), so someone with a chainsaw could get those cleaned up more quickly.

    Today’s Tuesday, and they’ll be cutting ’til tonite at least.  Did I mention that there were a bunch of trees down?

     

    ** When I say “tree down”, I mean “tree down, across the trail, causing us to re-route into the woods”.   Tromp, tromp, tromp.

  • Fall Morning at No Toll

    Ten warriors arose from the fartsack on an overcast and chilly morning to show No Toll who’s the boss!

    COP-

    SSH x 20

    Helicopters x 10

    DQ x 10

    Merkins x 10

    LBCs x 25

    Arm Circles

    5 Burpees OYO

    Mosey to the field

    Triple Check- Dips, WWIIs, Running

    Al Gore

    Love Hill – Partner Up – Runner, Bear Crawl, Lunges, Broad Jump Burpees – Ovr and back across soccer field.

    Plank Up

    Mosey to corner – Form a Single Line down side line.

    Indian Burpee Exercise Line – First man up does 5 burpees, then runs to end of line. Next man up does the same. Remainder of PAX does exercise called out by YHC.  Complete once the length of field has been covered.  Exercises consisted of – Merkins, LBCs, Arm Circles, SSHs, Monkey Humpers, Flutter kicks, Elbow Planks, Pickle Pounders, and a few others.

    Mosey to Parking lot

    Triple Check #2 – Pole Smokers (hold at 6 inches), Carousel Plank Walks, Runner

    Mosey to Flag – Mary – Alabama Prom Dates, 3 Burpees OYO

    Numberama, Namerama, Flange took up out!

    Announcements – Hammers and Ales November Nov. 10th – See Viral

    Coat Donations on Saturdays, See Marmaduke

    CSAUP this Coming Sat 10/20

     

    NMS –

    Thank you for letting me lead today fellas!  Strong work by all, way to push.  Sorry to be so short, there is work to be done today.  Have a great day gents!

    Marmaduke!

  • Reverse Haiku (a TYA Special)

    A naughty 19 descended upon Spider Run for a route snapped from TYA’s vast portfolio….(an adjustment was made on account of the entrance blocked by a tree.)

    Out of parking lot towards Ridgeway to Iris.  Cross on 3 Chopt, left on Grove.  4 miler turn around at Oak and back, 5 milers take a loop around Lexington/Albermarle and back and 6 milers do Lex/Abermarle loop and take a right onto grove and turnaround in the Mary Mumford bus loop.

    Announcements:  CSAUP, Coat Collection, and Bear Creek Trail Run

    Saab Abides

  • Time for the headlamp?

    YHC and Mudface did our usual 3 miles, him rucking and YHC slacking.  Didn’t see anyone else in the gloom, apologies if we missed you.  Mumblechatter was about our looking forward to the cooler temps and other things.  It’s also getting to be the time where we’ll need the headlamp just to keep from falling over roots et. al. as we traverse the trails.

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

  • Name that Hill?

    Dix Warriors shook off the warmth of the fart sack at Batteau this morning, for the always entertaining Q lead by YHC. YHC planted the flag with Vinny and EF Hutton parked and waiting…..0530 time to mosey.

    Quick warm up lap down the street and through the original Forest Hill Park entrance and back to the flag for COP= x 10 Don Quixote’s, x 10 Imperial Walkers, x 10 SSH, x 10 Invisible Jump Ropes, x 10 Flutter Kicks, x 10 LBC’s. Let’s mosey, down Hill of Ill Repute, and to The Lake.

    Lap around The Lake=at each light pole, x 5 Merkins, x 5 Mountain Climbers. Plank when finished.

    Partner Up. Partner 1 runs to the top of Hill of Ill Repute and meets partner 2 while partner 2 is lunging up The Hill.

    At the old spring, OYO= x 100 Step ups, x 100 dips. Mosey to the front of Forest Hill park.

    Modified 11’s. Starting at top of the hill closet to Stone House, x 1 Merkin, run down the hill forwards. Bernie Sanders up the hill to the other side, x 10 LBC’s. Repeat. Down the hill running foward; Bernie Sanders uphill. x 2 Merkins, Run down, Bernie Sanders up, x 9 LBC’s. Sippy Cup and Faceplant go to x 9 Merkins when PAX was timed out. PAX met in the middle of the fishbowl and Bernie Sanders up hill and mosey back to the flag.

    Number-ama, Name-r-ama, Announcements: CSAUP this Saturday, starting at 0700! Parking lot, Forest Hill in the back where Farmer’s Market takes place.

    YHC took us out!

    NMS– Twin Team is at River Run. Love Hill is at Dogpile. Hill of Ill Repute is at Batteau. Forest Hill is at the front of Batteau! YHC thinks he heard chatter from Shakedown about Elliott’s employment and employer. And than YHC heard, “Shakedown, they are not going to take your guns.” Conspiracy is already taken, thankfully for Shakedown’s sake.  Reminder, headlamps are often helpful, especially at Batteau!

    Sippy Cup and Swirly-respect for running to the AO!

    10 at Batteau=awesome. Way to start our morning men! Thank you for following!

    Only those who post, understand!

    Loud and Proud,

    Flatline

  • Time to check out the new sidewalk

    6 men arose from the slumber to ward off a case of Mundays and to log a few miles.  YHC wanted to test out the new sidewalk on the southside of Robious Rd.  The plan was as follows:

    Left out of BWES and circle around by JRHS to Robious Rd.  Right on the Northside sidewalk heading West and first right into River Downs North.  Loop around (with a slight left near the park and a left onto Lennox Forest) back to Robious Rd and across to the Southside.  Then the fun begins…first right, first left, first right  to get onto Post Mill Drive (easy peasy, right?  Sorry for not clarifying which Post Mill).  Follow Post Mill Drive around and up a short but steep climb to River Downs South – 4 milers go left and back to the flag; 5 milers go right, then left at onto Royal Crest and up the roller coaster hill and down the long Queens Grant hill (otherwise knows as Aisle 5 Hill), then right on River Downs South and back to the flag via the new sidewalk.

    Here is the 4 mile route:  https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2248376716

    COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

    Announcements:

    • CSAUP is Saturday – see TYA’s pre-blast for details
    • Healing place runs on Saturday – see Swiper
    • Bring your coats and winter clothes out for shelters and get them to Marmaduke

    Great running with Rosie as always, especially watching him kick it into that extra gear a few times, including up the roller coaster hill.  We had a few opportunities for flying EHs but those guys were moving.  Rosie could have caught them if he wanted to.

    Great to  have Mr. Roper back out after his best Terry Tate office linebacker impression on a tree in Pocahontas State Park.  Way to push.  Hope those ribs are healing.

    Have a great Monday and a great week men!

    No More Gumbo For You!

     

  • Elevensies

    Five of the faithful posted at GridIron on a comfortable autumn morning. Johnsonville (YHC) took the Q, and this is what went down, more or less:

    Slaughter Starter (20 burpees)
    50x SSH
    25x LBCs
    15x Scorpion Kicks
    20x Goblet (slow) squats

    Karaoke back and forth parking lot lines

    curb crawl clockwise around raised bed, then run around parking lot
    rinse and repeat in the other direction

    Longish distance elevens with balls to the wall against restroom and Australians on playground

    Indian Run around ball field and gridiron field

    Elevens with donkey kicks against restroom wall and inclined merkins along raised bed in parking lot.

    Mosey back to gridiron
    Elevens with dips and seated leg extensions on bleachers.

    Mosey back to grass near restrooms for Mary
    20x Alabama Prom Dates
    20x Mt. Climbers
    20x flutter kicks
    20x Hello Dollies
    2x Greatest Am. Hero
    2x Ring of Fire

    COT with YHC taking us out / Coffeeteria

    It was good to have Offshore out. Attila had to leave several minutes early for little league, but it was excused. Great work men!

  • Variability

    Nine folks showed up yesterday to run all kinds of different routes.  One was a Fun New Gal, and didnt have the entire pax to really nail down a name, so she was Christened several names to match all the different routes run by the pax.  If she returns, we will pick one.  Saab joined a few of us at ET’s, which made me want to stay there all day….we almost accomplished that.

    A beautiful sunrise greeted us as we crossed Nickle Bridge.  These are the glory days.

     

    Lab Rat apologizes…

  • Little Breakdancers

    9 strong PAX gathered at Hoedown for a perfect 60 degree morning workout.   A Conspiracy sighting was confirmed at 5:26a.  Mr. Holland arrived way early at 5:28a.  Warmup at the Tuckahoe ES flagpole with 25 SSH, 15 IW, 15 HC, 15 Merkins, 15 LBC & 20 plank to Merkin.  Mosey along Forest Ave towards the corner and happen upon a stack of bricks on Silverspring Dr. – line up for American Hammer time, passing the bricks down the PAX line and back.

    Continued on to the corner office building on Ridge Road for a little 4 corner work.  Cumulative 10x Dive Bombers, 20x Monkey Humpers, 30x LBD’s (Little Breakdancers – totally unsanctioned yet unbelievably awesome exercise), 40x Flutter Kicks.

    Mosey across the street & partner up for Rite Aid roundup – 3x around the building, partners alternating with people’s chair, donkey kicks & decline plank.  Victory lap with lunges, backward jog & karaoke.

    Rewind the tape and mosey back the way we came for a 4 corners remix of 15x DB, MH, LBD and FK and American Hammer time deja vu on the way back to the flag.  Circle up for a ring of fire 10x merkins with exceptional style points awarded to Upchuck, Mr. Holland, Fireman Ed & BT.  Wrapped up with a Mary finale of heels to heaven, hip dips and side v-ups.

    Announcements: Hammers & Ales 11/10, Marmduke Jackets, Puppy Pile 10/28, CSAUP 10/20

    GP

     

  • 1,472 days of Fudd

    33 Warriors posted to Dogpile to celebrate another glorious day on this earth as well as a last Fudd Dogpile Q….for a while at least.  Here’s how it went down:

    Mosey to the Ampitheater for COP:

    SSH x 30

    Don Quixote x 10

    Merican x 15

    Freddie Mercury x 20

    Crunchy Frog x 15

    Arm Circles forward then back, x 10 small & 5 big

    Mosey to bottom level of Amphitheater for ascending 1472’s:  while ascending the amphitheater levels from the bottom, do the following on each step…..1 burpee, 4 incline merkins, 7 Tron squats, and 2 decline merkins.  Repeato on each step/level to the top, touchdown Al Gore in the circle while waiting for the six.

    Mosey to Burpee Lake for a 1472 continuation tour around the lake.  Running clockwise around the lake, stop at each lightpost to do the following:  1 burpee, 4 crunch frogs, 7 LBC’s, and 2 SSH’s

    Mosey to the Carillon field for a Tunnel of Love followed by a Bridge of Hate.

    Mosey back to the flag for Numberama, Namerama, Announcements, and YHC took us out.

     

    NMS:

    Anticipation was high today as most of the PAX were expecting this to be Fudd’s last Q in Richmond.  Rumors have been swirling for some time now as to when Fudd would actually be moving.  Now that he has a contract on his house, the rumor mill has picked up in its intensity.  Is he moving next weekend or waiting until next summer?  Is this his last Q in RVA or just his last Dogpile?  No one seemed to get answers that satisfied so instead we went to watch Kubota do 15 burpees with Vinny closely observing.  Time quickly evaporated and 6am was suddenly there, and off we went.

    YHC had never done a COP in the Amphitheater, and it did not disappoint.  Swirly is right……there’s nothing quite like hearing the PAX in cadence calling out SSH’s to start out the day.

    Fudd’s first F3 workout was on Oct. 2nd at 45MOM……1,472 days ago.  In honor of this being Fudd’s last (?) dogpile Q for a while, the workout theme of 1,472 carried the day.  Both the amphitheater evolution of 1,472’s and the Burpee Lake 1,472’s lasted quite a while so that by the time the PAX started to mosey back towards the flag from Burpee Lake, there was only 10 minutes until 7am.   Just the right amount of time for a quick tunnel of love and bridge of hate on the field.  Fudd made sure the PAX did the tunnel of love “by the book” which involves having each PAX face another man across from them and lock arms, and then assume the squat position.  Each man pairing up down the line in this fashion creates the tunnel that the PAX each takes a turn or two crawling through.  We made it to about the 50 yard line before YHC called an audible because we needed to do a bridge of hate.  Fudd was the first Q to bring the tunnel of love to RVA as well as the Bridge of Hate.  The tunnel of love was a success but the initial BOH was not.  YHC heard many complaints for weeks after that and it has not made another appearance since, until today.    After hearing of F3 Hampton Roads having success recently with the BOH, YHC couldn’t let this opportunity pass to give it another try.  This iteration seemed to proceed with more success, and it was truly hilarious to watch each of the PAX get transported down the line via each of their brothers raised hands while listening to the colorful comments being thrown about.

    YHC has been blessed beyond measure to have been a part of F3, mostly because of the friendships he has made but also because of some awesome experiences along the way.  Regardless of whether it happens next week or next summer, Fudd and his family will indeed by leaving the RVA area to settle somewhere else for another adventure.  In recognition of that transition, YHC wanted to leave the PAX with something special to remember him by, other than just the BOH.  So he read his favorite quote of all time to the PAX just prior to the BOM today.  It was spoken by an Indian Chief, Tecumseh, who was a warrior chief of the Shawnee nation:

    “So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.  Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.  Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.  Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.  Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.  Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place.  Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living.  If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.  Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.  When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way.  Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”

    Peace be with you my brothers.

    Fudd out