Category: Richmond, VA

  • This Potato was pretty hot

    YHC arrived at the fertile fields of No Toll at 5am sharp and secured the AO with the flag.  Soon, 11 more stalwarts had rolled in, including a Summer Tour participant and a clown car from New Market, and the Dirty Dozen were off.  Honeydo had apparently heard the rumor I planted in the Q sheet about this being a Hot Potato, though some others thought YHC was taking over No Toll.  No sir, just an unusual opening on the Q sheet at No Toll and an opportunity to pass the potato around.  Instructions were to take 10 minutes and pass the Q, though some passed it faster and we got a lot of folks involved.  We kept moving and put in some work!  This is what YHC recalls:

    Sugar Sock: Mosey to Parking Lot for warmup COP, all IC: SSH, Don Quixote, Helicopters, Merkins and Flutter Kicks

    Tobit: Proper Doracides on the soccer field.  Partner 1 runs a suicide across the soccer field while partner 2 works on sets of 1 Merkin, 2 LBC, 3 Squats.  Originally called for 100 reps but was audibled to 50.  Way to mind the time, Tobit.

    Olivander: 4 Corners around the soccer field.  10 Burpees, 20 Monkey Humpers, 30 LBC, 40 Merkins

    Wilson: Mosey to curb for 2 (I think?) sets of step ups, and then Mosey to Basketball Courts for a COP.  There were WW2s, Rosalitas, Hello Dollys, v position holds and some other stuff.  YHC’s oxygen levels must have been depleting by this point.  Finish up with a Merkin Ring of fire: all plank, 10 reps one man at a time. Flair encouraged and enjoyed.  Finale was Wilson doing his 10 with 1 leg up, hopping and something with his other arm….a shoulder tap?  Need to see it again, and Open to suggestions on naming but if any of the PAX are coordinated and strong enough to try it in the future, I say we call it Wilsons.

    Posh: Suicides on the basketball courts with 5 burpees at the mid point, 10 merkins at the far line and 5 more burpees at the end.  He decided not to make any friends and called for a repeat.  The PAX obliged but a a third repeat was deterred by a Wilson warning of…some kind.  Way to push us, Posh.

    Mr. Roper: Triple Check of wall sits, dips and a run to the playground.  Unfortunately we only had time for one round…

    …Or did we?

    Rosie: 45 Seconds of Crunchy Frogs at the flag.

    Announcements: CSAUP Oct 20.  Running laps on the hour at Forrest Hill Loop.  All are welcome, even if you don’t pull a TYA and run all day.  Just come do a few and hang out.  Rumblings of a beer version as well – See Honeydo on that.

    Viral took us out.

    NMS: It is a rare sight indeed to see an opening at No Toll that’s only a few days out.  Thinking a hot potato would be a good way to fill it in, YHC grabbed the Q.  These workouts offer maximum variety and get a lot of folks mixed into leading, a win-win.  Thanks for obliging, men, and letting me get us started.  We definitely put in some work, great job all!  If Tobit’s preview was any indication, be ready to work when he’s got the Q for the full 45 mins in 2 weeks.

    Sugar Sock out.

     

  • It’s just a little rain

    Two beach bums gathered for a humid run in the cool morn. ( for Low Country )

     

    THANG

    5 mi loop.

     

    NMS

    We kept an 830 pace until it opened up on us at mile 3.5. Pouring cool rain, but nothing approaching a Hurricane. YHC offered a makeshift shelter alternative, but Tippecanoe said “it’s a little rain. We’ll just get wet”.

    That’s my boy.

    Ghost 3, out .

     

  • Nobody saw us sweat

    Yesterday’s nice, hot, weather yielded to today’s rain, with YHC and 3 PAX deciding this was no deterrent at all.

    Kubota and Spit headed out through Honey Meadows, down the back trail to Kings Charter and then around the back way to the COT.  YHC and Mudface rucked it (he did, I didn’t) around the high school and middle school grounds.  The runners put in about 5 miles, the slower group about 3.

    NMS

    Spit had planned to show other runners the trails today, but the weather got in the way. Another day, hopefully.  It started raining harder when YHC left home, and was a steady downpour at 5:30.  Everyone was pretty drenched within a few minutes, and Spit and Kubota even brought the headlamps.  Mudface hoisted the 35 pound ruck, which he reported felt a lot heavier by the end.  It was great to meet Kubota, thanks for making your way up to northern burbs!  We saw some lightening, but nothing too close.  YHC had also forgotten he signed up for the Q, so it was lead by example, not by plan.

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

  • Northside Tourism

    A PAX five strong posted for the most recent Punisher.  The rain held off for several hours before our start and we had a nice breeze.  After a few minutes of greetings in the LHES parking lot, we started a slow run to the school side yard for the startup COP with SSHs, IWs, DQs, LBCs, Helicopters, and Arm Circles.

    We moved about 100 feet due north for Super 21.  We started with 1 Slight Wide Grip Merkin, 1 Reverse Curl, and 1 Squat and added one rep per round until we’d completed a final round of 21 reps.  We broke up the action after every 5 or so rounds with other exercises.  We moved to the nearby outdoor classroom for 11s with Dips and Box Cutters (can’t remember for sure so I’m going with this).

    We jogged to the school wall and held People’s Chair while each PAX member jogged a loop from the wall and out, and around, nearby shrubs, and back.  We circled and finished with some Mary and stretching.  COT and YHC took us out.

    Enjoyed meeting Kubota, Husky, and Sugar Sock.  Congrats to Kubota and Sugar Sock for nearing completion of F3RVA summer tour.  Good seeing you guys.

  • PreBlast – Roller Coaster/HDHH – 8/8/18

    PreBlast – Roller Coaster/HDHH – 8/8/18

    WHO:  ALL PAX!

    WHAT:  Roller Coaster(WedHillRun) and HDHH

    WHEN:   8/8/18 @ 5:30pm

    WHERE:   Kuba Kuba Dos (Tuckahoe Shopping Center)

    WHY:  To run hills, drink beverages, eat food and enjoy fellowship

    HOW:  Drive your car there and get out

  • No Driving on Sidewalks

    Image result for car driving on sidewalk

    Six hoe regulars convened in the bus loop, waiting for the rain.  No one signed up so we stole from Batteau this AM and hot potato’d it.  Once the rain started, off we went to the front of the school for:

    COP (Splinter)
    Invisible Jumpropes – 25
    Copperhead Squats – 25
    Don Quixotes – 10
    Mountain Climbers – 20ish
    Merkins – 10

    The Thang
    Splinter continued from COP and we mosey’d over to the bus drop off lane for an impromptu series of polar bears.  Polar bear lunge the length of the bus lane, jump squatting after 5 lunges.  Turn around and come back the other direction with traditional polar bears.  Turn around again for lunge polar bears with broad jump burpees every 5 steps.  Attempt crab walk polar bear with 4 count crab cake on the way back.  Flipper completed, others switched to traditional polar bear half way through.

    Toss the potato to Flipper and he led the PAX to the car pool drop off loop for triple check.  BTTW, merkins, and a lap around the loop.

    Lateral the potato to Slurpee for the next round, Dora.  Exercises were merkins, flutter kicks, and squats/lunges.  Be wary of random school workers driving on sidewalks at 550am.

    Transition to the parking lot for a random assortment of Mary which included 6 inches, 2 rounds of ring of fire, 6 inches, single leg APDs, freddy mercuries and LBCs.  Juvenile comments were strong this am.

    COT where Pucker took us out.

    Moleskin
    Nice work by the PAX this morning.  There wasn’t a single exercise in the bunch where one could catch your breath.  That’s what a hot potato will do to you.

    During Dora, YHC had his eyes closed pumping out flutter kicks with the rain gently hitting my face.  I saw the car pull in the drop off loop and drive up on the sidewalk behind the PAX doing flutter kicks but didn’t think much of it.  That was until the horn blew and I looked up and saw a car about 10 feet away from me.  Whoever that was, had the nerve to drive up on the sidewalk, do a u-turn and then try to nestle right up beside the cafeteria wall.  All of this while there are about 25 parking spaces about 30 feet away.  Be on the lookout PAX.  That dude was just out of his mind.  Sorry Pucker, we may have done more flutters than necessary.  I was flustered and lost count.

    Great to see Fudd again and great to see Jack Sparrow becoming a regular at the Tuckahoe AOs.  YHC was surprised when the potato was passed to him during mary and he couldn’t come up with a single ab exercise.  He quickly replied, “I don’t do abs”.

    Announcements
    Amateur RAMM Gears day this Friday.  Bring your bike and have No Tools use his tools to fix it up.

    Splinter out

  • Sunday Frisbee

    One megastud (and one companion who will not be named) launched for a Sunday run at 6 am and ran for 13 miles.  This megastud started his trail running career less than six months ago and completed a full half marathon this weekend on the trails.  Bootleg is that megastud. He has consistently posted on Sunday’s and on other run days and increased his mileage along the way.  He is prepping for the Patrick Henry Half Marathon in late August and if yesterday was any indication he  will slay the run.

    Since the two early/late runners did not cross path’s with the normal Sunday trail runners, they were deemed to not be worthy of getting credit for the run.  Fair enough, but Bootleg deserves to have his awesome feat from this weekend memorialized.

    Unnamed companion out.

  • Soggy shoes and steep hills

    A fearless 5 PAX showed up for a rainy Monday morning at RiverRun – there was no shortage of rain or hills.

    The route – Queen’s Grant Hill to Gumbo’s house and back. Turn around at 23 minutes and try and get back in 22.

    Rosie, Honeymoon, and Swiper stayed as a group the majority of the time and finished the full route for a little over 5 miles. YHC took the medium pace and finished at 4.5 miles (just enough distance to get to the bottom of the second hill and turn around and climb back up 🙁 ). Lugnut took up the rear guard position and was back at the shovel flag when I returned – not sure on final distance.

    YHC took the Q for this one last week to force myself to post – good thing, because there is a near zero chance that I would have been running in conditions like this morning if not for F3. You all help me to become stronger, both physically and mentally. Thanks for pulling me along this morning!

    ~Why walk when you can Wheelbarrow?

  • A Farewell To Arms

    A mighty eight ventured into a rain storm developed especially for this workout.

    COP

    • Don Quixote
    • Arm Circles
    • Russian Soldiers
    • Imperial Walkers
    • Helicopters

    Head down past the maintenance shed and pick up some stones.  Time for Lindseys.  The exercises are dips at the bottom of the rock stairs of death and overhead presses with the stones at the top.  Exercises are in 30/10, 25/15, 20/20, 15/25, and 10/30 reps.

    Mosey up to the tennis courts for 4 Corners.

    • Bear Crawl the long side of the court and perform 10 APDs
    • Alligator Walk (plank like an alligator and perform a merkin with each arm forward) the short side of the court.  Perform 10 APDs, 20 Merkins
    • Bear Crawl the long side of the court and perform 10 APDs, 20 Merkins, 30 Carolina Dry Docks
    • Alligator Walk the short side of the court.  Perform 10 APDs, 20 Merkins, 30 Carolina Dry Docks, 40 Crab Cakes

    Up to the Old Stone House for Triple Check.

    • Run around the grassy loop
    • Elbow Planks
    • Step ups on the bench

    Circle up for Merkin Ring of Fire.  Pax member calls a Merkin style and a quantity between 1-10.  Pax performs exercise and next exercise decisioning is passed to the left.  This group didn’t stick with any basics and got medieval with the choices.

    Vinny took us out.

    NMS

    It’s raining, so it must be Monday.  The stone steps were a raging river of poorly lit hazards, but the Pax persevered.  At one point, we could feel the maintenance group drive by and study a bunch of guys in the pouring rain and dark lifting large rocks above their heads.  F3 at its finest.

    It was after the Lindseys that YHC informed the Pax that since we were on Swirly’s home AO, this workout would be called “A Farewell to Arms”.  I don’t think it disappointed.

    The 4 Corners were total silence as men got down to business.  Sippy Cup’s perfect form remained constant throughout the workout.  Likewise, his imitation of an alligator was true to form.  The rest of us varied and looked more like Komodo Dragons.  Sippy would be a great method actor.

    There was a truck where we did the Triple Check and the earth around the elbow planks smelled of cigarettes.  I guess the Smoking Man payed us a visit.

    Great workout.  Hopefully see others on the Summer Tour this week.

    PS – Welcome Green Acres who is visiting from Chapel Hill.  Heading out of town today, but hopefully we will see him soon.

    Always Be Tapering,

    Lockjaw

     

  • Dirt Church. Let’s make this a thing for realz.

    For the last four weeks or so, some PAX and some other dudes have been meeting Sunday mornings to make Pocahontas State Park’s newest trail system their collective b*tch.   Meeting at the Courthouse Church of Christ before their first service, we put ourselves in a spot to warm up (1.7 miles of gravel before hitting the trailhead) and to save on parking fees.

    The Thang:

    Fendley Station Trail and Loop A (gravel) to Sunsetter (a rad flow trail) to Bell Lap Return (also… rad) to Blueberry Hill downhill (even radder).  Escape out to fill bottles and then up to the Morgan Green Trail (old school leaf-covered single track) and then back to finish Blueberry Hill Return.  Then a single lap of the wackiness that is Freight Line, and then more gravel to the car.    18-20 miles depending on whether you had to turn around to find your friends or not.   900 or so feet of climbing.

    Notes:

    Sure is a lot of fun being on the Pocahontas trails these days… we are truly blessed to have access to the MTB resources we have!  YHC has ridden many of the Commonwealth’s trail systems, and gladly stays close to home.

    Very glad these guys came out to continue the month-or-so-old tradition that is “Dirt Church”.  We’ve been kinda doing this every Sunday for a while… Mr. Roper and his homie and I started it one week, and then add Mongoose joined us for another… Then Lab Rat came with a friend, and Wheelie was there once and Johnsonville was there…  you get the idea, and I forget the details.

    This week, we prepped via group text, and rolled out at 0800.  We warmed up with gravel.   I think everyone dug Sunsetter (YHC’s fave in the system).   We picked up BT’s homie, Nate, up the hill (these days, you can almost ALWAYS find someone you know at the top of the Swift Creek Trails) and dragged his ass around with us.  We went down the hill, over the creek, through the woods, and back up.   Good stuff.   I think BT has a little MTBer in him… we will see.  Best part of today’s ride:  NO ONE DIED.

    We all know we all have limits.  The best part about riding mountain bike trails with friends is that we can always push ourselves to these limits, or beyond them, and become better riders, regardless of fitness and skill level. Ride your bike.  Just ride.

    Dirt Church should be continuing going forward.  Sundays at 0730 or 0800.  Two hours of trails with bailouts available for the time-constrained.  YHC is always glad to Q anytime.