Category: Richmond, VA

  • Pants optional

    Seven GridIron regulars gathered for Saturday’s offering.  Game time temperatures of around 32 degrees didn’t halt progress.   Cecil led off with a 3rd F conversation (combined with the 2nd F, of course) concerning perseverance.

    We followed with this Thang:  70 x Invisible Jump Rope, 20 x Don Quixote, 20 x Russian Soldiers, and 15 x Arm Circles (big only, forward then reverse).  Mosey to the playground for 10 x Jerkins and 25 x Pole Smokers/PLTs.  Complete 4 rounds.

    Jog across the nearby bridge to the entry point for the trail.  Complete 10 Burpees then jog into the woods via trail.  Lead PAX member runs at least 20 paces, selects a tree, and all drop and complete 25 LBCs.  Repeat, with each PAX member leading for a short time and completing the same.  Pop out of the trail behind the school and complete 10 Burpees then return to the trail, completing the same exercises back to the beginning.  Hop off the trail once more for 10 more Burpees.  Lost count but all probably led twice at 25 LBCs each time – resulting in about 350 LBCs total.

    Return the starting parking lot.  Pick a parking space for a couple of rounds of exercises.  First round – 15 seconds of Bear Crawl followed by 15 x Merkins, 15 x Squats, and 15 x Box Cutters.  Second round – 15 seconds of Crab Walk followed by 15 x Close Grip Merkins, 15 x Front Lunges (single count), and 15 x Hello Dollys.  Third round – 15 seconds of Roving Monkey Humpers followed by 15 x Wide Grip Merkins, 15 x Curtsy Lunges, and 15 x Rosalitas.  One quick round of Shoulder Taps, then some quick stretching until time called.

    COT and Attila (if I remember correctly) took us out.

    Nice work guys.  Coffeeteria at Einstein Bros. followed.

     

  • Ode to Mount Julian (aka Henrico)

    A lucky 7 arrived for a run among familiar places.

    Absent were those who recently ran rather grueling and difficult races.

    With an out and back options of differing miles

    And a slightly non-pc joke leading to a few groans and smiles

    The PAX was content in having put one another through their paces

    <fin>

    Thoughts and prayers to Splinters wife’s, sister’s father who was in a severe car accident recently and is having a challenging and painful recovery.

    Saab out

  • Proper Dora visits NoToll

    16 strong Pax emerged from the fart sack for a mild Decemeber morning beatdown that went something like this:

    THANG

    Slaughter Start – 10 burpees OYO

    COP – SSH, DQs, Arm Circles (Flashdance on Q), Merkins, Bob & Weave

    Mosey to Soccer fields

    Roxanne (run in place, burpee @ Roxanne)

    Run a lap as a group

    Find a partner for Proper Dora – 100 x 1 merkin, 2 WWII, 3 Squats

    Circle up for Taking & Thinking – Ride by twentyonepilots (lunge in place, squat jump @ Taking or Thinking)

    Mosey to Basketball courts

    Line up on baseline for Bearimeter – Bear crawl entire perimeter, halt halfway for 20 SSH OYO + 20 LBCs IC

    Circle up for Mary: Hello Dollies, Capital Letters, Freddy Mercuries

    10 Burpees OYO

    COT – Wilson took us out

    Naked Moleskin:

    So much mumblechatter today…but YHC wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Good to see Honeymoon make room for F3 in his busy BrokeBack schedule of weight lifting at the gym with Sparky. Why don’t you two go to the gym and pump each other?

    Sorry for leaving Marmaduke still doing the Proper Dora while YHC organized the next exercise.

    Jenny Craig is a bear crawl machine and passed the majority of the Pax during the Bearimeter.

    Announcements:

    Qs needed on the Q sheet. Might be time for another VQ week!

  • I Saw Three Ships

    December 5, 1492 was the day that Christopher Columbus first landed on the island of Hispaniola. In recognition of a man who didn’t know where he was, who he was talking to, or what he’d find upon arrival at his unknown destination, six intrepid explorers ventured into the gloom of the Ridge to pretend we’d found India.

    First, traced our route through the parking lot. Tracers included running, reverso, sideways, karaoke. COP: SSH, IW, arm circles, LBC, merkins. Mosey to track.

    Groups of 3 for Indian runs. One team clearly the Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria. The other started as rival explorers Amerigo Vespucci & Co, but somehow morphed before the end into those Three Ships from the Christmas song (YHC has many questions for the moleskin on this). Ships hit stormy weather, and had to add 3 burpees for the 6 of each run line.

    Mosey to HBR. In honor of the captain of the Pinta, who must’ve asked at least 22 times, “Are we there yet?” PAX completed double 11’s: 20 merkins, 2 WWIIs; run to the top of the hill, 18 merkins, 4 WWIIs, etc (how did Columbus know about WWII??). SSH @ the top when complete, waving the rest of the ships safely to port.

    Mosey to back field, for our brave explorers to scout the terrain. Run 5 yards, plank. Next man jumps over, planks 5 yards out, continue across field. For the return trip, army crawl underneath, careful to avoid stalactites. Midway, switch to over/under alternating, continue to end of field.

    Mosey to parking lot for triple checks: copperhead squats, flutter kicks, run across lot. Theme ran out of juice by this point, but the clock hadn’t, so the beatdown continued.

    MOLESKIN: I love a good themed beatdown, even one somewhat improvised like this one. Mention of the Christmas Carol, “I Saw Three Ships,” however, has left me puzzled. I’ll leave it to you fine folks to help me make sense of this cryptic song:

    “And what was in those ships all three, on Christmas Day in the morning?/Our Savior Christ and His Lady…”

    1. Is the third ship just empty?
    2. Do Christ and His Lady travel with body doubles (maybe they were both in all three of the ships)?
    3. Is “His Lady” his mom, or his girlfriend/wife? I know that’s getting a little Da Vinci Code on us here, but seriously, who refers to your own mom as your Lady?

    “And wither sailed those ships all three?/And they sailed into Bethlehem…”

    Bethlehem is about 27 miles from the closest body of water, the Dead Sea. How did they sail there? Is this whole thing just a parade float after all?

  • DJ Ground and Pound

    Nine F3RVA regulars made the decision to enter the gloom and make themselves better.  Weather was a balmly 45 degrees (70 and sunny) and this is what we did:

    Mosey to center of AHS parking lot for COP.  Invisible Jumpropes, SSHx1(for THE Carpenter), DQs, Hillbillies all IC.

    Mosey to curb for Step-up Timers.  1 minute of quick feet step-ups followed by 30 seconds rest.  Repeato x 5 with decreasing amount of recovery time.

    Mosey to edge of parking spaces for some bear crawls and lunges.  At first parking space, perform 10 WWII situps and bear crawl 2 parking spaces to perform 10 American Hammers, Lunge two parking spaces and repeat until PAX has crossed entire parking lot.

    Mosey to opposite edge of parking lot for Love Hill without the hill.  PAX partner up.  One partner perform exercises across parking lot while other partner runs to opposite side and back to partner.  Switch until team has crossed the entire parking lot.  Exercises included lunges, Broad Jump Burpees, and Crabwalk.

    Mosey to side of school building for Chickerpecker Ring of Fire.  All PAX assume BTTW position.  First PAX member performs 5 chickenpeckers, then next PAX member performs 5 chickenpeckers until all PAX have completed.

    Mosey past YHCs Jeepster to retrieve phone and bluetooth speaker and circle up in center of AHS parking lot.

    Sally – To the song Bring Sally Up, PAX performs squats.  When the words Bring Sally Down are heard, PAX performs squats and holds in down position (Helix form) and PAX brings the squat up to Al Gore when they hear Bring Sally Up.

    Roxanne – PAX on six with feet at six inches.  Everytime the name Roxanne is sung, PAX performs LBCs x Q counts.

    Thunderstruck – Everytime PAX hears Thunder, PAX performs merkins and holds plank.

    Length of parking lot suicide.

    30 seconds of Burpees.

    Numberama, Namearama, YHC took us out with a prayer.

    NMS : YHC is usually known for including a lot of running during his Qs, but YHC decided to change it up a little.  Ground and pound it was as the PAX never left the AHS parking lot, except for a few feet for the Chickenpecker Ring of Fire.  Which, by the way, I still like saying Chickenpecker and the entire PAX crushed these, with only one of two members passing out after being upside down for that long.  The exercises to the songs were not new to the PAX, but I do not think we have ever included all of them in the same workout before.  What better way to liven up a ground and pound, (and get the day going), than to hear Thunderstruck at 6am.  Definitely got YHCs day off on the right foot.  Great job by the entire PAX this morning.  Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to lead.

    Circle K

  • Supermoon and Meteors

    Image result for supermoon 2017

    3 Warriors came out to enjoy a cold but bright morning thanks to the supermoon.

    For Mudface and No Idea their normal route through the woods and around Honey Meadows was taken completing a total of 4 miles

    YHC who made his first appearance back to Tomato Run since the Half Marathon ran the school loop (1.6 miles) 3 times.

    YHC also was treated to a small meteor shower while completing the 2nd loop.

    SPIT ON THAT!!

  • A Thanksgiving of Rocks

    Two intrepid souls, ( and 7 wandering deer) arrived at Batteau for a Rock oriented beatdown to celebrate the First Thanksgiving in Virginia which occurred on Dec 4, 1619.

    THE THANG

    Mosey to Tennis Courts for COP
    SSH, Stretch, Imperial Walkers, Stretch, Merkins, Stretch, Arm Circles

    Mosey to pick up Rocks( Big ones)

    Mosey Back to Tennis Court,
    Cross over Merkins & Bear Crawls & Duck Walk to move Rock and Backwards running, 4 intervals.

    4 Corners
    Curls, Tricep Press, Overhead Press, Rows: Swap Rocks – Repeat

    Run 2 laps, with and without Rock, Backwards with Rock, Swap Rocks

    4 Corners 4X
    Cross over Merkins, Backwards run, and Merkins Moving Rock on each round. (THIS SUCKED)

    Lunge to Return Rocks

    Mosey to Minutes of Mary

    COT
    Sippy took us out.

    Moleskin

    YHC was patiently waiting while 7 deer were grazing by the field by the stone house, at 0527 YHC thought perhaps it might be a solo effort this am. At 0529, Sippy rolled in to disperse the deer.

    Mumblechatter was light this am due to the fact while one of us was counting the other was doing cadence; although, discussions of the 100K were prevalent during the first mosey.

    Congrats to TYA and Swirly for doing something that YHC will never do while still sane.

    Announcements

    2018 Reese Strong 5K – see Phonics to sign up.

  • A Hoedown without Music

     

    A lucky 13 posted to Hoedown for a hoedown that went something like this:

    Mosey to the field for Disclaimer and COP.  YHC is out of practice Qing and rather out of shape, so consider looking to other PAX for proper form.

    IC: Hammer Dance x20, Elf Hammer Dance x20, Arm Circles forward/reverse/big/small, Moroccan Dance Party x20, Crabcakes x20, Breakdancers x20, Men at Work x20

    Mosey to the sloped blacktop for Macarena Merkins.  One revolution, two revolutions, then three revolutions. Al Gore Dance Party for the six in between sets.

    Mosey to the back of the cafeteria for Backside Blast Triple Check.  Dwight Howards, Rocky Balboas, and a run around the bus loop.

    Mosey back to the field for 4 corners.  Abyss Merkins x10, Lieutenant Dans x10, Derkins on the swings x10, Pullups x10.  Two laps.

    Mosey back to the VSF for Mary.  Flutter kicks IC x20, MC American Hammers x15, American Hammers x15

    COT

    NMM:

    Prior to the start, YHC’s car was nearly obliterated by a donation truck.  Soon after, a PAX posted in a furniture truck and another jumped the curb in his SUV.  It seemed like a lot of testosterone on display for a bunch of dudes about to do the Macarena.

    Some PAX were sure that Upright APDs would make an appearance, while others did not consider them a dance move.  As it is the season of hope and anticipation, the PAX were left hoping and anticipating.

    Announcements

    Slurpee VQ at Hoedown next week!

  • Trial Run on the Trails

    FND = Friendly New Dog.

    The THANG: Mosey to Reedy Creek and back.  Intermittent partner carry on the return trip over Nickel Bridge for PAX who are terrified of things with wheels.

    It was the first time on the trails for the FND and she had a great run.  Nearing Reedy Creek, she got a look in her eye that reminded YHC of her aunt Jesse – we are not going any further in *that* direction.  But we made it there and back.

    Naming was tabled so that additional PAX can weigh in.  “Skidmarks” was suggested: FND had pads that were equipped for any surface including slick rock and bike ramps, but she slides all over the hardwoods at home.

    Congrats to PAX completing races this weekend.  Looking forward to seeing you in the gloom.

  • 10k x 10 = 100k…Woof!

    2 stubborn stalwarts, one superfluous Saab, and an (oral?) thermometer-carrying Circle K descended upon the Devil Dog 100k in Prince William State Park.  The following is a comprehensive and irrefutable summary of observations from this completely impressive and utterly grueling event…more or less.

    • Ultra marathons are aptly named…they are a beast and test both the physical and mental aspects of one’s fortitude.  TYA and Swirly demonstrated their ability and resolve to overcome and conquer any challenge.  T-Claps to you both for completing the Devil Dog 100k…Sixty Five miles +… (yes it was longer than what your conversion chart will tell you).
    • Having just run one loop in the dark in freezing temperatures, YHC was reminded of the “Barclay” and what those runners had to go through after completing a loop – only to have to repeat it in the dark.  One finds that when a runner has covered a loop for the third time – under sleep-deprived and excessive-fatigue conditions – each loop is a new experience.
    • When attending such events it is important to remember that courtesy is paramount and one must remember that the staff are volunteers and not indentured servants.  Although no such behavior would come from our F3 brethren, it is amazing how poorly some (outside RVA) treat some support staff.
    • On a lighter note, the running community is a great one, both those who participate and those who volunteer.  Everyone is welcoming and always eager to help.  Support staff at the Devil Dog were terrific.
    • Many thanks to our VA state park system. Their restroom stalls are the warmest one would find …absent periodic interruptions from Circle K who was keeping YHC apprised if his arrival plans and thermometer selection.
    • This race brought back personal memories of Bel Monte and Bear Creek (well done guys!!).
    • Thanks to Circle K for making the trip up as soon as he was available….Always there when you need him.
    • TYA is quite the charmer…particularly if you are providing food and drink and happen to be a cute female.  (For the record, no selfies were taken and no hands were inappropriately placed.)
    • There is such as thing as a “virtual” colonoscopy…all one needs is a bicycle pump and a remote location to release one’s compressed air.
    • In times of emergency, one will apply Bag Balm as necessary…even if it is not on one’s own nips.

    Again, it was a privilege.  Well done gentleman.

    Saab abides.