Category: Richmond, VA

  • 70 and Sunny, Almost

    What difference a couple of weeks can make, as the temperature when YHC last did TR was 16 degrees, while this morning was a balmy 50.  Mudface didn’t get the memo, as he still showed up in a sweatshirt that he couldn’t figure out how to unzip…

    Spit quickly passed YHC and Mudface and did the Honey Meadows loop for 5 miles.  YHC and Mudface meandered through the woods and roads for about 3 miles.  It was great to not have to bundle up for a workout as has been the norm for several weeks (if your name isn’t Helix), there was no sign of the mysterious dog that came after Mudface last time, and YHC managed an entire run without having to retie his shoes.

    See you in the gloom!

  • Spring in January at Batteau

    On a beautiful Spring day in, January?!?!?!, seven men convened at Batteau in the darkness to start their week. This is how it went

    Mosey lap to COP
    IC: SSH 20, Don Quixote 10, Box Cutter 10, Freddie Mercury 10, Merkin 10

    DirtyMacDeuce: Four sets of 3 x 20 count exercises – each set followed by a Lap
    Set 1 – Incline Merkin, Lunge, Heels to Heaven
    Set 2 – Merkin, Squat, LBC
    Set 3 – Dips, Lt Dan, Reverse LBC
    Set 4 – Decline Merkin, Step up (10 each leg), WW II sit up

    Mosey to the tennis courts

    Four Corners Escalator
    C1 – 10 Merkin
    C2 – 10 Merkin + 20 Squat
    C3 – 10 Merkin + 20 Squat + 30 LBC
    C4 – 10 Merkin + 20 Squat + 30 LBC + 40 Lunge

    Four Corners Regular
    C1 – 10 Rosalita
    C2 – 10 Heels to Heaven
    C3 – 10 Box Cutters
    C4 – 10 Hello Dolly

    Blackjack Fast Deal – (aka 21s with a short run)
    Merkin++ + sprint across court + LBC– = 21 total exercises each round

    Mosey back to flag

    COT Names and numbers, YHC took us out

    Welcome back to Clavin who’s been on the DL for a while.

    YHC’s VQ. I am grateful to be welcomed into such a great group of people and honored to be able to contribute. Overall I am satisfied with how the workout went today considering it was my first Q. I think I would skip the Four Corners Regular if I had to do it over. I wasn’t quite sure how the timing was going to work. Blackjack ate up a good amount at the end and we hit 45 minutes almost on the dot.

    I’d like to say that was exactly how I planned it but mostly it was serendipity! Great work everybody!

    Announcements:

    • CASUP insomniac craziness April 13-14
    • See Honey Do for details on being a coach for the Healing Place Monument Ave 10K training team
    • Breaking Bread this weekend

  • BRR 2018

    BRR registration is open and it has been selling out earlier and earlier each year.  So, we are going to register for the big race in the next couple weeks.

    I know at least one team from RVA is going to run next year, but the final number will depend on how many folks want to run.  The race is the 7th and 8th of September.  We leave from RVA on Thursday and arrive back home after the race Sunday morning.  Cost is $450 – $500.  It includes all entry fees, transportation, gas, lodging night before and after and gear for the race (show up with your running shoes and clothing and you will be ready to go).  The past couple years, we  (Swirly, Bleeder and I) have managed the team.  If someone dropped out, we recruited a replacement.  We are going to do it differently this year.  If you say your in, you are committing to getting yourself, or a replacement to the event to run and committing to pay for your share of the race.  Let me know by Feb 1 if you are in.

    Swirly, Bleeder, Saab and TYA

  • As Regular As They Come

    YHC came in hot to find a PAX of 1 awaiting his Q. It was Rosie, SOJ’s own “regular”. Of course there’s nothing regular about Rosie’s running ability.

    THANG
    Run normal Tarrington loop back to school + run up to cul-de-sac across from school and back to school.

    Total miles: 4.75 – 5.25

    COT: YHC took us out with profound words of wisdom.

    Naked Moleskin
    Thanks to Rosie for circling back to keep YHC company. It has been months and months since YHC went for any type of run. Time for that to change: new year, new YHC.

    No announcements

  • CSAUP training

    2 runners hit the Southside gloom for some early Sunday CSAUP training.  Normal loop through the Grove, Midlothian Mines and the Village.  Looking forward to the next few months having some other SOJ runners join us to get ready for the CSAUP.  Varying mileage available with excellent fellowship at Urban Farmhouse afterward.  Contact Honeymoon or YHC if you want to join us to make sure Off the Books is on.

  • Mission Accomplished

    Thirteen Monday morning regulars convened in the bus loop for today’s Hoedown.  Fudd secured his keys and off we went to the far end of the parking lot by the donation vessels for…

    COP
    20x SSH
    20x Mountain Climbers
    15x Arm Circles each way
    10x Don Quixotes (9 if you got a slow start)

    The Thang
    Partner up for 1K / 5K.  1000 exercises while you alternate with your partner running to the bottom of Lindsay and back.  Exercises were 100 jump squats, 200 derkins, 300 flutters, 400 LBCs.  Box cutters until exhaustion for those that finish first.

    Stroll over to the drop of loop for curb crawls.  Bear crawl to the other side, 1 merkins, crawl bear back, 2 merkins, etc. up to 8.  Repeat 8 and then work your way back down to 1.  Various Al Gore positions while we wait.

    Quick saunter to the lightpost at the far corner of the lot for escalating burpee lightpost.  6 lightposts, starting off at 1 burpee increasing by one at each lightpost all the way to 6.  Don Quixotes until you get light headed or the PAX finishes, whichever came first.

    Speed walk over to the flag for 10x ring of fire and mary which included single leg APDs, hello dollys, american hammers and reverse plank for 60 seconds to finish it off.

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out with a spring like prayer.

    Moleskin
    The PAX was hungry this morning for a beatdown.  Plenty of grunts and gasps during 1K/5K.  Kudos to whomever started with jump squats.  That jaunt down Lindsay was longer than expected.  Most of the round 2 fellas never jumped a squat.

    Future Hoedown Qs take notice.  There is a large street sign hidden by the shadows right at the top of Lindsay on the other side of the road.  If you decide to use that as a runway, be sure to advise the PAX of said sign in advance.

    Someone softly inquired what got YHC in such a foul mood this morning.  By contrast, I had a wonderful weekend and was looking to start the week off with a bang.  You know it’s a good workout when Saab discloses that he is walking home instead of running.  Mission Accomplished!

    Announcements
    – CSAUP.  Get your teams together
    – See Upchuck or Honeydo about helping those recovering from addition train for the 10k.  Immediately following Dogpile in February and March.  Run a few miles to help those recovering.

    Splinter out.

  • Weds errrr Thurs afternoon run

    Snow was coming down on Weds so normal trail run was moved to Thursday.

    1 Idiot posted and did 8.5 miles, some on the trails some on the roads.

    TYA Out

  • Left Turn at Albuquerque

    Nine runners and one K9 showed up for a (relatively) warm run.

    The route was North Bank to Pottersfield Bridge to Buttermilk and home.  That said, Labrat led a group on roads vs YHC’s North Bank and then he took the Buttermilk Trail to YHC’s fire road (preserve those muddy trails that were thawing!)  Ours paths crisscrossed as we ran parallel to each other the whole way giving us about 7.5 miles total.

    It was a beautiful morning to be on the trails.  I think we saw a handful of other runners, otherwise the city was dormant.  The bridges offered sunrise over the river and the promise of a new day.

    Its been about nine months since YHC has been on these trails.  Way too long to be away by any count and a hiatus I do not want to repeat.  ET’s was great as usual.  TYA joined us, or perhaps he is always a resident at ET’s, which means we joined him.  Kind of a chicken and egg situation.

    Announcements:

    • F3RVA Century Classic – It’s coming.  Be ready.
    • Honey Do and Up Chuck are in need of Pax to help with a volunteering activity:  10k training for those recovering from or working through addiction.  The time and mileage is not too much, but your impact will be great.  Contact them for additional details.

    Time to Taper,

    Lockjaw

     

  • Do As I Do, Not As I Say!

    YHC arrived to The Gloom this am and first, thing first-No Big Blue! Swirly, hope your knee is ok! And  onward….Shakedown provided his shovel flag and Boom! It appeared that above 32 degrees was a good thing for 29 regular PAX members, at least until after COP.  0530-Time to Mosey!

    COP= Arm Circles x 15- 10 small, 5 big (forward and reverse). Russian Solder x 15, Imperial Walker x 15, Copperhead Squat x 15, Leg Lifts, I started performing Scissor Kicks x 15, LBC x 15, Merkins x 10, Booya Merkins x 5. Yes, YHC f–ked up again but this time calling out the wrong exercise and one miscount! Maybe one day………ENOUGH–time to work!!

    Mosey to The Lawn. YHC has dubbed this work out, The Lawn Service. Line up for lawn sprints (One end to the other) with 1 minute rest time and continue lawn sprints and decreasing rest time by 10 secs until 0. During rest time, PAX planks. Once PAX and YHC hit 30 sec rest time and less, mumblechatter  ceased! We finished on northbound side of The Lawn.

    Next, Partner up for Leg Lifts, no…..Heels to Heaven, no…….no, officially the exercise YHC was looking for is called Partner Leg Toss. So partner leg toss totaling 200. Upon completion and lots mumblechatter from the PAX, if this exercise is done solo, it is called Heels to Heaven. Thanks Saab and Fudd!

    Mosey to The Lake……aka Merkin Lake. At every light pole, 10 Merkins. YHC counted 27 light poles. Fudd counted 31 but definitely more than 19 originally stated at beginning of the exercise. Touchdown Al Gore until all PAX members were finished.  Next exercise, toes in the water! YHC did not really sell this exercise enough to be believable! But man, how long can a PAX member keep their toes in Merkin Lake? Winter time only!!

    Mosey back to The Lawn. Partner up and wheelbarrow’s to the Carillon Side. Whatever count your partner can muster til finished! Touchdown Al Gore when finished. Hitchhiker and Posh finished strong! Boom, mosey back to The Flag!

    Number-ama, Name-r-ama.

    Announcements: CSAUP is on Pre-Blast. Teams from Nano-Regions, etc.

    YHC took us out!

    NMS: Considerable mumblechatter at beginning of YHC’s COP. But to be expected! YHC often says one thing but may mean something else. Thank you to the entire PAX for following and putting out this am!! Oyster way to push during leg toss! Yes, YHC likes short intervals during exercises, running, and pushing through the pain! We are always capable of more-PERIOD! Good to see some old faces back out at the gloom! Fudd, hope your little spill was not too bad. And yes, some ice skating did occur this am during our runs!! YHC cell died during namer-ama so thank you to all help make sure big data was correct!! IF only my pager could record!?!?! And only those who show up understand!

    It was a pleasure to lead the PAX this am. Make the most of each day. Tell your M and children you love them every day! This trip is not forever!

    Loud and Proud!

    Flatline

  • Discovering the Pickelball Courts

    It was a glorious morning where 7 faithful and strong brothers in arms came together.  Here is how it went down.

    • COP
      • 20 SSH
      • 20 DQ
      • 20 IW
      • 10 2x merkins
      • 10 pickle pounders
      • 20 2x LBC
      • Arm circles – 10 small/5 big, front and backwards
    • Mosey to the grassy knoll for 10 minutes of burpees
    • 40 APD
    • Mosey to the pavilion for a Lindsay with dips and heels to heaven
    • 40 APD
    • Mosey to the new pickle ball courts
      • Arch loader
        • Wheel barrows
        • Bear crawl
        • Crab walk
        • Lunges
        • Karaoke
        • High skips
        • Crawl bears
      • 40 APD
      • 5 suicides runs
      • 40 APD
    • Mosey to the playground for 5x 5 jerkins
    • Mosey back to the parking lot
      • Ring of fire (10 merkins)
      • 10 American hammers
    • COT with YHC taking us out
    • Fellowship at Einsteins for those that could join

    I had 2 takeaways from today.  First, White Deer had to leave skid marks on his underpants at one point of the workout.  These noise he made was loud and disturbing.  We questioned if he needed medical attention, and his subsequent chatter and explanation was disturbing.

    My biggest takeaway from today is that I am blessed to have the fellowship of this PAX.  We pushed it hard today, but the friendships forged from these workouts is the real blessing.  Strong work today men!  Chum Bucket, you were missed.  Grateful for the relationships forged from our workouts.  It is what makes F3 great!

    God is good all the time!

    Attila