Category: Richmond, VA

  • No Toll is a Beast!

    On a cool and crisp morning, 19 fine gentlemen arose from the Fartsack to attack the day and better themselves.

    COP-

    SSH x 20

    DQ x 15

    Copperhead Squats x 15

    Helicopters x 10

    LBC x 10

    Merkins x 10

    5 Burpees OYO

    Mosey to field

    The Beast:

    Round 1 – Burpees

    Round 2 – Merkins

    Round 3 – WWII

    Round 4 – Jump Squats

    Round 5 – 2 Count Freddy Mercury

    Round 6 – Monkey Humpers

    Mosey to Parking Lot

    Triple Check-

    Run – Curb Crawl Carousel, Pole Smokers 6 Inches

    Mosey to Basketball Court

    Suicides-

    Round 1 – Regular Suicide

    Round 2 – Suicide Merkin Ladder – Each Stop increase merkins by 2

    Round 3 – Reverso Round 2

    Round 4 – Regular Suicide

    Circle Up-

    Merkin Ring of Fire – Extra credit for Flare

    30 secs of SSH to finish.

    COP- Numberama, Namearama, Thanks to Flatline for taking us out!

    Announcements – 2018 Q sheet is up, as well as Breaking Bread Q sheet

    HDHH tomorrow @ the Answer Brewpub

    NMS-

    It was a great morning at No Toll with awesome number of PAX showing up.  Great to see  Big Blue  as we rolled in this morning, as Swirly made the trek down.  Lots of mumblechatter, many of which I probably missed so feel free to add.  Appreciate the ribbing from DK on the Panthers, yes Carolina is a hot mess right now, but we are one win away from the playoffs, so ill take it! It was a bit slippery on the field but everyone battled through.  We also learned Gumbo cant stop at 6 Monkey Humpers…we will leave that one alone.   Great to have Cheetah out this morning (Johnsonville 2.0)  he crushed it!  YHC was honored to lead this group of men today!  Have a great day boys and enjoy the rest of the Holiday season.

    Marmaduke

  • Merkins and Climbers and Bears, Oh My!

    9 intrepid and somewhat scared voyagers set off on a quest to find emerald city this morning.  YHC revealed that this workout was based on his favorite Christmas movie “The Wizard of Oz”.  YHC lied.  Actually it’s “Bridge on the River Kwai”.  Wizard is number 2.

    Anyhoo, the adventure started like this:
    ATM’s
    SSH
    Copperhead Squats
    Side Straddle Squats or as Phonics was calling them “Jack Squats”
    Seal Jacks
    Little Baby Squats with Arm Circles
    WW2 situps
    Dying Cockroach
    Plank Lifts
    Table Tops

    Mosey to side of Chick
    1 minute of Mountain Climbers
    Squerkin Ladder — partner exercise — 1 merkin, 1 squat, keep going until 10 of each, then let partners complete the other exercise

    Ascending Testicles — 10 merkins at 15 degrees against the wall, 45 degrees and then full BTTW position

    Triple Check — Mountain Donkeys, Rotating Merkins, Bear Crawl to the edge of sidewalk and back

    Catch me if you can — One partner runs, other does broad jump burpees.  Modified to lunges and then backwards run

    Native American Run to the Flag

    Wow — what a workout if YHC does say so himself.
    Todays feature film for no particular reason (don’t get mad if you don’t like your roles) starred Phonics as the Tin Man, Emoji as the Lion, Quaker as Scarecrow, Spit as Uncle henry, Carpenter as Auntie Em, Rounders as Glinda, Helix as Toto, Spike as the Wicked  Witch of the West, and Opus as the Wizard (who looks like he knows what he is doing, but is really flying by the seat of his pants most times)

    Thanks for putting up with me and all my new things I throw out there.  Have a blessed Christmas and New Year!

    • Opus

     

  • Hill Intro

    3 RiverRun regulars and a 2.0 first time RiverRunner escaped the fartsack to get the blood flowing on an early morning run.  What better way to get the morning started than with some hill repeats.

    As we walked out the door, the one instruction from the M was “Don’t lose him!”  No problem, we’ll just stay together with some repeats, track or hills.  The last time YHC Q’ed repeats it was on the track so this time to the hills.

    Mosey around the school to Twin Team – varying times of 30-45 seconds up, mosey back down.  Last time, don’t mosey back up, 3 30 second bursts with walk up cool down to get all the way to the top.

    Great work today men.  Cliffhanger’s first non-trail running AO, he hit the hills hard and seemingly had plenty of energy left.  Of course he threatened to go back to bed when he got home, something most of us are unable to do.  Hoping to get him out more often since he wants to get some training to get faster.   Bonus, the hill repeats may have pushed Wedding Singer to forego Spider Run and hit NoToll tomorrow.

     

  • Nomad Complete

    3 early risers met the morning with gusto.  2 other pax eventually showed up, too.

    Route:  5 milers meander out to King’s Charter, run down the main drag to the playground and return.  5.5 milers run same route, except miss the cut thru turn on the way back and run up to the big white house on the hill and turn back to find missed turn.  4.5 milers show up whenever they feel like it and run around the parking lot.  Walkers do their own thing.

    NMS:  Lab Rat got the call from Hutton last night and gave the HC for a little Tomato run action this morning.  He informed me that Spit had the Q, so he would have company if I wanted to bail.  Nonsense!  I have been Hutton’s unofficial hype man on his Nomadic journey to touch ’em all and I wasnt about to bail now.  I showed up at 0529 to a Q-less workout, and immediately took charge of the run.  NO Idea was waiting on Mudface, who texted to let him know he was late but on the way.  Hutton and I had a nice run thru quiet neighborhoods talking about the crazy football games and what is considered a catch or not a catch in the NFL these days.

    Also discussed was the penalty for missing a Q that you had signed up for, and what excuse (if any) relieved you of said missed Q.  Hutton and I picked up Spit in the parking lot to make him LIFO instead of AWOL.  Baby up all night is a pretty good excuse…but I dont know if it flies past Corporate.  Circle K and I have been known to give the old late night text when things go bad before a Q in order to make sure all bases are covered.  Just sayin’.

    So EF Hutton has joined the ranks of UpChuck as the only pax members to cover all the AO’s in place to this day.  This also includes Breaking Bread for the both of them, which I consider a necessity to complete this awesome personal challenge.  GREAT JOB goes out to both of you!  That’s a lot of windshield time.

    All in all, great morning for a run along with great company.

     

    Apology of the week goes to Mudface, for suggesting you might need to lose a few lbs in your quest to win the Monument Avenue 10K.  I’m sure there’s another way to say it, but that’s not my strong suit.

     

    Lab Rat apologizes…

  • Batteau – Four Parts

    The Batteau Four arrived in the gloom for a hot potato Q; although walking may have been better than running.
    Here’s how it went down, more or less around an AO that was partly under construction( at least that’s what the signs said)

    THE THANG
    Batteau Part 1
    Bleeder Q
    Mosey up the Steps of the house, then back down to the tennis courts

    COP
    25 SSH
    10 Merkins
    20 Imperial Walkers
    15 – 2X arm circles

    Mosey to bottom of Steps
    Quick Lindsey
    Dips, LBC’s

    Mosey to Lake
    Light Pole to Light Pole, Run, Lunge, Bear Crawl, in that order around the lake.

    Batteau Part 2
    Swirly Q

    Some Mary.
    Incline, decline Mekins, 10x, 15x 20X

    Batteau Part 3
    Sippy Cup Q
    Run up Steps.
    Grab a Rock.
    Head to Grassy Knoll.
    Take aim,
    Tenderizer, 25 Times, Rock over head throw into ground.

    Hold Rock out for ten count, Rotate through each rock.

    Return Rocks.

    Batteau Part 4
    Bootleg Q
    Mosey Back to Virtual Flag
    20 X American Hammer

    COT
    YHC Took us out.

    Announcements:
    Hump Day Happy Hour: The ANSWER brew pub Wednesday – Honey Do’s Birthday

    Moleskin

    The constitency of the usual suspects has become routine, although Swirly’s knee issues seem to be reaching that same level of constituency, Dude, a couple more days off is not going to kill you(Kettle Bells might be a good option)

    Bleeder out

  • Laser Focused

    A even dozen dusted off the Fart Sack on the first day of Christmas break…Trip Journal recorded something along these lines…

    COP

    Mosey to front of school, attempt to run around to back of school, find locked gate, return to front of school…and start a proper COP.

    SSHs (x45), DQ’s (x15), IMs (x20), Hillbillies (x20, including dance form), LBCs (x45), T-mercans (x20)

    Mosey to Wall of Pain

    Triple check…donkey kicks, LBCs, and run the horseshoe.

    Mosey to Inclined Blacktop of Pain

    Triple check…backwards run up hill to chain fence (repeat 3 times and feel the burn), bear crawl, reverse crunches…

    Audible about halfway through…It’s YHC’s birthday, so forget this exercise stuff…time for laser tag…

    Mosey to Front of School

    Break into 2 teams of six for capture the flag.  Extensive instructions provided on operating the weapons.  10 ‘mercans for every re-load, 10 burpees to re-spawn.  The PAX went three rounds…

    Mosey to the Shovel Flag

    Rosalitas
    Boxcutters

    Number-rama, Name-a-rama, YHC took us out…

    Announcements:

    The Healing House is recruiting coaches for their 10k training team (Coach = person who can run a bit and offer a bit of leadership by example).  A simple job custom-made for the F3 Pax.  Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. after Dogpile starting in early February.  Join your F3 brothers to help some local folks on the path to rehabilitation as they train their bodies and minds for better things.  No better way to spread the F3 message than to pass it on.  See Honey Do or Up Chuck for more details.

    Mr. Holland has the Christmas Q at Hoedown…finish wrapping presents by 2:30 a.m., dust off the last egg nog by 4:30, and make it an all-nighter by posting at 5:30…home before the kids finish unwrapping.

    NMS:

    YHC turns 16,436 days old today.  In the spirit of self-gifting, YHC decided to find a captive audience to play laser tag.  YHC thanks the PAX for their indulgence.

    Special thanks to my 27,024 day old father-in-law for the use of his toys.

  • Shakedown Shuffle

    3 Men, One Female, one Canine, and one Buck* met up for a chilly yet sunny and calm morning for a lap around one of RVA’s many outdoor gems. Here’s what transpired…

    Routes:

    • 10 mile:  South Side (Buttermilk), Forest Hill, New Bridge, return on North Bank
    • 7 mile:  South Side (Buttermilk), New Bridge, return on North Bank*
    • ? mile:  North Side to Tx Beach entrance and return.

    Highlights:

    • Welcome again to Whistleblower who wanted to experience the trails.  As expected, the PAX were gentlemen and no whistles were blown.
    • Shakedown and Lola met up with Offshore and Sally on their return across North Bank and came back as a group.
    • Shakedown performed his classic shuffle a couple times thanks to the hidden roots and rocks but no one was injured in the performance.
    • *Thanks to Shakedown and Lola for adding an extra mile to their run by finishing and then doubling-back to scoop up YHC who was coming along North Bank
    • **Word has it, Shakedown and/or Lola were nearly impaled by what was described as a majestic buck.  We are fortunate to have access to such a terrific park system and wildlife.

    Saab abides

  • More Christmas Cheer

    The gloom called (namely an unexpected cold wind), and magnificent warriors answered.  Here is how it went down.

    • Pregame – the PAX continued its study of 2 Peter 1 by looking at a series of verses on godliness
      • Why godliness is important – 1 Timothy 6:6-14
      • What is the path to godliness – Titus 2:11-14,  Psalm 1:1-4
      • Words of Encouragement – 1 Timothy 4:7-8
    • COP
      • 12 SSH
      • 12 IW
      • Arm circles – 12 forward, 12 backward
    • Mosey to the football field for a countdown to the 12 days of Christmas – start with 12 rep exercise and run goal-line to goal-line and back between each interval (2,400 yards or 1.36 miles total)
      • 12 merkins – 144 total
      • 11 WWII sit-ups – 121 total
      • 10 flutter kicks – 100 total
      • 9 Freddie Mercuries – 81 total
      • 8 monkey humpers – 64 total
      • 7 heels to heaven – 49 total
      • 6 one legged APD (each leg) – 36 total
      • 5 burpees – 25 total
      • 4 lunges (2 count) – 16 total
      • 3 crab cakes (2 count) – 9 total
      • 2 diamond merkins – 4 total
      • 1 deep squat (hold for 12 seconds)
    • Mosey to the playground for a jerkin ladder (7,6,5,4,3,2,1)
    • Mosey to the short, graded field area near the parking lot for an abbreviated arch loader
      • Bear crawl
      • Crab walk
      • Bunny hop
      • Slither like a snake – army crawl
    • Mosey to the pavement with Chum Bucket leading us through some stretches
    • COT – YHC took us out

    I have exhausted the 12 days theme.  It still provided for some great workouts, so I am now feeling some Christmas cheer.  I will take it over shopping any day of the week.  It was an honor to be with the great group of men this morning.  God is good all of the time!

    Attila

  • Visions of Splashing Bordeaux

    A frigid 23 left the comfort of their automobiles to see if a Dogpile beatdown would compensate for their sudden loss of heat.  This is what transpired…more or less:

    COP:  Don Quixote’s (10)

    Red Barchetta:  Run out to 25, 50, 75, and 100 and perform same # of stated exercise:  Burpees, Merkins, Mountain Climbers, Flutter Kicks…respectively

    It’s a Frickin’ Triangle:  Polar Bear, 10 Merkins.  Run…20 J-Squats….run backwards (uphill).  30 WWII’s (Proper, Hardywood-style).  Heels to Heaven for early finishes.

    Amphitheater:  Alternating Derkins and Dips on down (5 each).  Alternating Incline-Merkins and Heals to Heaven back up (5 each).

    Lindsays (Saab’s Version):  Hill and Valley behind Amphitheater… 35 Donkey Kicks on top of one hill, 5 Squats on top of other hill.  Perform 5 Merkins on bottom each time one passes.  Decrement/Increment count by 5 until 5/35 is completed.

    Ring of Fire (10 Merkins).  Mary:  Hello Dollys, Rosalitas, Box Cutters (40 for Honeydo’s upcoming ascendency out of “hate”)

    Moleskin

    Since YHC could not discern much chatter over the din of Lab Rat’s discourse, the following is a summary of observations throughout the workout:

    • Hitchhiker’s proximity to the AO was learned after first questioning his ability to see through his windshield which was completely covered in frost.
    • On the subject of Hitcher, congrats on his pending arrival…(his M is “Up the Duff”)
    • To the BB title, HoneyDo informed YHC early on he was a little hungover after finishing a vintage ($250) bottle of 83 Bordeaux.  Not only does that solidify YHC’s opinion of HoneyDo as a real high-roller, he knew HD would never regurgitate such a fine vintage into the grounds of the AO.
    • Supposedly, Saab’s workouts generate a desire to regularly check one’s watch.  YHC is not certain if this is due to boredom or something else.
    • According to Lab Rat, YHC did not have a proper “COP”.  YHC sorely disputes this claim…
    • Given YHC’s poor track-record for studying the Lexicon, it should have come as no surprise that Saab had a different definition of Lindsays – as was pointed out when he chose the ratio of 35/5.
    • There was a brief moment of concern at the base of the amphitheater when YHC noticed one PAX member laying motionless on the bottom step….particularly since our resident doctor is currently relaxing in Hawaii (bitches).
    • Speaking of Bleeder, he clocked today’s workout as covering 3.8M…Apologies went to Swirly afterward who is working through some serious knee pain.
    • On the subject of Swirly, it has become evident (why’d it take me this long) that you can’t argue with, or give good advice to Corporate nor a Stubborn Swirly.  Does he take time off after running a 100k/64M race?…nah…recovery is for sucks, right Swirl?

    Announcements:  HDHH this Wednesday at the Answer – a celebration of all that is HoneyDo (40)

    Saab abides

     

  • Pre-blast: HDHH this Wednesday

    On 12/20 at The Answer Brewpub. I’ll be there at 5:00. Tacky sweater optional…