Category: Richmond, VA

  • Setting the Baseline

    Dateline: Richmond, VA
    Gloom, humidity, good cheer, and 16 men ready to get better, faster, and stronger came together this morning at 45 Minutes of Mary. 15 faithful and 1 FNG put some more wear on the still-new track while pondering what “The Lucky Horseshoe” means. This is the recap.

    THE THANG
    Mosey around the soccer fields to far corner of the field

    COP
    SSH x20
    Merkins x12
    Imperial Walkers x20
    Freddie Mercurys x21
    Russian Soldiers x22

    Mosey back to the shovel flag area.

    The Lucky Horseshoe: Do the below until you finish or Q tells you to stop at the 33 minute mark.

    Lap 1 around the field marked by the footballs and frisbee.
    MericansX20
    Lap 2
    MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20
    Lap 3
    MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20
    Lap 4
    MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20
    Lap 5
    MericansX20, Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
    Lap 6
    Storm SquatsX20, Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
    Lap 7
    Scorpion Dry DocsX20, WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
    Lap 8
    WW2 SitupsX20, LungesX20
    Lap 9
    LungesX20
    VICTORY LAP

    COT & record how far each PAX made it in The Lucky Horseshoe. A few spoken prayer requests and a word of thanks to God for our great country that we celebrate on Independence Day this weekend.

    ANNOUNCEMENTS
    – Dogpile shirts available for order until July 7. Get yours while you can! (at the F3 Gear Store link at top of the page here)
    – Richmond F3 MeetUp group has been set up by @Toga. We need PAX to join the group and indicate you’re coming. Looks kind of lame to people when @Toga and @Loose Goose are the only PAX who are attending a workout. LINK TO THE GROUP
    – Qs needed for:
    *Gridiron 7/4
    *Punisher 7/6
    *SOT 7/8
    *45MOM 7/9
    *Dogpile 7/11
    *Gridiron 7/11
    (and most thereafter)

    MOLESKIN
    Welcome and Kudos to @FNG Misty! Tough workout to be your first, but it is truly good to have you aboard. @Doner Kebab was a great host — stick with him and you’ll be fine.

    Welcome back to @Razor for your 2nd workout! Excellent job holding your own, and well-deserved “RESPECT!” in the COT.

    Today’s Lucky Horseshoe was mostly the same as the one we did on June 4. Now that we have a track, the distance is truly 400 meters, as measured by @Conspiracy last week. The purpose of doing this today is to get a baseline via a type of fitness test. You WILL get better, faster, and stronger. YHC’s intention is to do the Lucky Horseshoe once/month so that we can tangibly and quantifiably see our progress as we improve.

    Since that June 4 workout, YHC has been contemplating the origin of the name “The Lucky Horseshoe.” It was passed along to me from @Cato and @The Nanny from Highlands AO in Charlotte and they had some ideas about the name, but YHC is not so certain that they fully know. Today, around lap 6, YHC realized what it is… The 33 minute time limit on the workout must be taken from Rolling Rock’s “mysterious (lucky?) 33”. Even if it wasn’t, this Lucky Horseshoe thing at least has a parallel because nobody seems to know where it came from.

    Carrying on the “you against you” theme, enjoy interpreting your own handwriting in the picture here to compare against your improved results next month.

  • TYA is a happy today, Oyster has a new ride & Wilson..well has issues!

    Three men woke up and ventured out to enjoy the newly paved path at #SOT

    The THANG:

    COT in front of school

    • 20 SSH
    • 10 Don Quiote
    • 20 mountain climbers

    Mosey around school to the field for……

    The BEAST:

    • Burpees
    • Merkans
    • Deep Squats
    • Squat Jumps
    • Mountan Climbers
    • Burpees

    Quick mosey tot he track for Mary time – Did as many exercises as we could and did a dealers choice at the end.

    Circle (actually triangle) of fire. PAX to your left decides your exercise. 2 rounds.

    The MOLESKIN

    Pretty nice morning at #SOT. Glad to see some faces when I rolled up. Yes, I am afraid of the dark and still have some reservations running from the house. Wilson’s Wife offered to run me up there. I thanked her and walked away with my head down. 🙁 Oyster pointed out the obvious this morning stating when we started by saying “um, it’s not dark out”, YHC tried to run faster, but hes quick!

    YHC went into the AO thinking THIS IS THE DAY a FULL burpee Beast. If you read above, well I got smoked after the first round! TYA & Oyster chatted most of the beast.

    At the end TYA was sharing that he woke up in a bad mood and he was happy now that he came across the river to the land of happiness.

    The video is just because it should make you laugh and brighten your day. If you not a “hate” you might just remember when the video came out on MTV (for the young guys – the channel used to play videos before reality TV – Downtown Julie Brown was my fav VJ! – Said it earlier, issues)

    Fun workout gents. Thankd for showing up!

  • Darrell Green meets Four Corners of Mary


    18 Faithful gathered on a beautiful morning South of the River James to better their minds and fitness…it was sunny & 70 at 5:30am.  Here’s how it went down.

    The Thang:

    Mosey around both far soccer fields and circle up at SW soccer field.

    COP: 25 SSH, 15 Merkins, Capital Letters (OYO), 20 (on each side) Imperial Squat Walkers (OYO), 20 Don Quixote (slow and deliberate)

    Partner up for Darrell Greens: Partner 1 (“Michael Irvin”) does 4 merkins and sprints width of soccer field.  Partner 2 (“Darrell Green”) does 5 merkins and sprints to run down Michael Irvin.  Flip-Flop on other side. 4 sets: 2 x 4/5 merkins + 2  x 9/10 merkins

    Mosey to adjacent soccer field for quick few minutes of Mary: 25 LBCs, 15 box cutters

    Mosey back to SW soccer field for 15 minutes of 4 Corners of Mary around perimeter of soccer field: 1) 25 Tom Brady Polesmokers, 2) 25 LBCs, 3) 25 Freddy Mercuries, 4) 25 Flutterkicks

    Circle up in middle of field for Cheeky Burp & Merk: up to 6, repeat 6 and back down

    Mosey to bleachers for 40’s: Dips + Monkey Humpers

    Mosey back to shovel flag for COT, which included YHC’s reflection on the Supreme Court’s decision last week to protect equal rights for all Americans…and Loose Goose taking us out in prayer.

    Moleskin:

    True to his name, Rest Stop got pulled over by one of Chesterfield’s finest on the way to the AO this morning. 10 mph over the speed limit, a cracked windshield, and an expired inspection sticker resulted in NO infraction…politeness and honesty can go a long way.  He still made it to the tail end of the first COP.

    The Darrell Greens are always a crowd pleaser.  YHC got Darrell Greened by Sippy Cup on the 3rd set.

    Toga & Swirly posted the strongest showing on the 4 Corners of Mary…very impressive.

    It might be time for YHC to invest in a watch…cheers to BT for all the time updates.

    There was much mumblechatter regarding YHC’s focus on ab exercises this morning…apparently Chum Bucket had the same idea at The Punisher yesterday.  #DontCrossTheStreams

    Brain Tumor & family drove the last leg of the BRR over the weekend and announced that “it was no joke” (in a car).

    Announcements:

    Regular workouts this week.

    Johnsonville is leading a running workout Wednesday evening.  Is this right, Jville?

     

     

  • Sixty-six and twenty-one

    Eight posted for this morning’s #ThePunisheRVA under a clear sky and 66 degrees – effectively 70 and sunny.

    The Thang:

    Slaughter Starter – 20 Burpees OYO

    Mosey to school sideyard for COP – 25 LBCs, 25 Imperial Walkers, 15 Forward Arm Circles, and 15 Backward Arm Circles.

    Jog to grassy knoll near school entrance – High Knees about a third of the way around the knoll and lunges the rest of the way.  Plank and wait.

    Jog to front schoolyard for Super Twenty-One (thanks NC).  Start with one Merkin and follow with one WWI Sit-Up (aka Supine).  Follow with two Merkins and two Sit-Ups.  Add one per round until 21 are completed.  Break after round 5 for 21 Slow Squats, after round 10 for 21 Side Lunges, after 13 for Mountain Climbers, after 16 for Alabama Prom Dates, and after 19 for Crab Cakes.

    Mosey a short way in the direction of the parking lot for a yoga / stretch medley – Child’s Pose, Cobra Pose, Downward Dog, and several hip stretches.

    Return to ShovelFlag for COT.

    Moleskin:

    We traded humidity for dew this morning.  There were no complaints.

    Significant Tomato traffic this morning.

    TYA has a couple of open Rugged Maniac slots – race is 10/10/15.  BRR is full.

    Regular lineup of workouts this week.  Several run options also.

  • The Iceman Cometh

    5 of Richmond’s finest and a welcome guest from Winston-Salem posted for lovely, rainy morning out at DogPile.  Here’s how it went down.

    Mosey around circle a few times to prep for COP: 20 split jumps, 20 imperial walkers, 25 flutter kicks, 20 Don Quixote

    Mosey to the bowl behind the amphitheater for Escalator (thankfully lifted from an NC based workout).  Run up one side 5 hand release merkins, run up the opposite hill for 5 hand release merkins and 10 diamonds.  Keep doing this while adding 15 Carolina Dry Docks, 20 Mtn Climbers, and 25 squats.  Plank when done, and then come down the escalator by removing one of the exercises after each hill.

    Mosey to pull-up bars and partner up for: 8 pull-ups, 10 dips, 20 WWII sit-ups while your partner runs to the Carillon and back.  Flapjack and repeato 3x

    Mosey to Toga’s favorite= Love Hill: start at the gate and run to the fallen tree up the hill.  Your partner does lunges up the hill till you get back.  Flapjack and repeato with walkout push-ups and bear crawls then back to lunges.

    Mosey to shovel flag for COT.

    NMM: Ice Dancer, from the Winston Salem PAX, joined us for our morning of fun.  Turns out that they get after it in Winston, so YHC spent a lot of time trying to keep up with Ice Dancer #LarryBird.  It appears the goat mowing service did a nice job on the hills around DogPile, and the PAX was treated to a pristine AO.  The rain proved a welcome change from the new sauna’esque normal that is RVA, and the PAX made it through with mumble chatter intact.  In other news, Honey Do continues to get stronger on each post, and Goldberg kept his shirt on for the COT.

  • Pre-Blast — Sunny Afternoon Trail Run

    The tax man’s taken all my dough
    And left me in this stately home
    Lazing on a sunny afternoon
    And I can’t sail my yacht
    He’s taken everything I got
    All I’ve got’s this sunny afternoon.

    – The Kinks

    But wait … we’ve got miles and miles of trails in RVA!  Meet at 4 PM at the Pump House parking lot (turn off is just north of the toll gate for the Blvd Bridge).  We will run the North Bank / Buttermilk loop clockwise again.  Some will probably add Forest Hill park for 9.5 mi total.  Those who don’t want to add Forest Hill can head directly back for 6.5 mi.   We will take it easy, and wait for people along the way.  All paces welcome.  Bring water.

     

    Jville

     

     

  • Too Wet for the Cricketers

    Two of the Faithful and one FNG posted this morning at the GridIron with Donor Kebab planting the ShovelFlag.  Spirits were high as the PAX were treated to a pleasant temperature, a light rain, and a spongy turf.  Weather postponing the cricketers’ match was just right for the PAX.

    THANG:

    Mosey to and around the far side of Short Pump Middle School to the Pillars.

    Triangulate for X25 SSHs, X25 Don Quixotes, and Downward Dog to Half Crab stretches.

    Ground and Pound at the Pillars:

    Nine sets of chest/arms (assortment of Merkins, Carolina Dry Docks, and Dips X25 per), legs (assortment of Deep Squats, Lunges, and IW Squats X25 per, and Peoples Chairs and Al Gores), and core (Rosalitas, Dollies, LBCs, Flutter Kicks, and Freddy Mercurys X25 per, Protactor Penmanship and Box Cutters, and Glute Ham Walks) interspersed with some planks to Downward Dogs, two sets of X10 Burpees, and a set of X25 Partner Leg Tosses.

    Pillar Slalom to end of Pillars followed by quick X25 SSHs and 75 yard lunge walk

    Mosey back to Parking Lot Pavillion for 90 seconds of Dips Tabata style.

    COT:

    Quick count and naming of the FNG followed by announcements, including mention of need for F3 Richmond IT to be coordinated with SuperMan – talk to Loose Goose for more information and explanation of need.  Prayer requests were solicited and concerns shared.  Closing prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving.

    Moleskin:

    Welcome to Cabbage Patch from Philly’s Main Line in RVA visiting his brother-in-law DK and family – strong first posting in the Gloom.  Real glad to have DK and Cabbage Patch post – YHC, knowing that other GridIron regulars were expected absentees – anticipated a possible “dancing with himself” and a BackBlast involving a doppelganger.  DK demonstrated consistently fine Merkin form throughout the Ground and Pound – impressive.  Even less running (virtually none) than usual under YHC’s Q – a strained TFL on right hip limited the running.  Relief knowing that Johnsonville’s “forced march” north to “somewhere in Pennsylvania” was “only” Stroudsburg, not Scranton or Erie.  All direct routes between the NE and RVA are through NOVA (“navigating Scylla and Charybdis”); J’Ville reports he is returning home via the route of the Scotch-Irish down the Shenandoah Valley.  FEBA!

    1 Corinthians 16:13

     

  • Everyone beats Sippy Cup!!!

    70 and sunny in RVA today….really it was 70 and sunny, great day for a run.  Eleven strong and fast posted in the gloom to take on the roads of richmond.

    The Thang:

    Everyone run towards Cary, to Westmoreland, then to Grove.  Right on Grove.  2 mile loop, turn around at Thompson, 3 mile loop , turnaround at Belmont, 4 mile loop, turn around at Stafford, 5 mile loop, turn around at Allen, 6 mile loop turnaround at Linden.  All run back to intersection of Grove and Commonwealth, left on Commonwealth and back to the shovel flag.

    Moleskin:

    YHC started the day with one goal in mind, don’t get caught by Sippy Cup on the way back to the shovel flag.  Little did I know that  every single PAX member would make it back to the flag before Sippy.   Goal accomplished, Sippy humbled….or maybe not.  He did make beating him a little easy as he was still in the fartsack (or at work) while we were putting in the miles.  Maybe some other time, I will make it back before him while he is out there with us.

    Johnsonville had a little excursion to the hospital on his run this morning.  We tried a new route which took us all the way down Grove to VCU, past Retreat Hospital.  With no Starbucks in sight, Johnsonville stopped at Retreat to check out their facilities.  He reports that they have the cleanest bathroom’s he has been in.  Heard during the mumble chatter after the workout: “yeah, the hospital is so clean you could probably do surgery in it”.  Jville took the pit stop but still completed the six mile loop.

    Great to have an out of town visitor today as Mini-Me joined us from F3-Isotope.  He and Loose Goose kept the mumble chatter going during the entire run.  YHC was a few feet ahead of them the whole run and heard, but did not participate in the second F.  At one point LG asked me to point out where the 4 mile turnaround was.  I kinda forgot (not) to tell him when we hit four and did remember when we turned around at the five mile point.  OOPS.  Mini-Me will hopefully join us again on his next trip to RVA.

    Marv was on fire today…doing the six mile loop and getting back pretty early.  Saab and Toga spent a good portion of the run together doing the six mile loop as well.  Smoggy, Cousteau, and Swirly led the five mile group all along.

    Cousteau posted sporting a mustache (porn-stache) today.  YHC walked over to Cousteau and introduced himself to him because I did not recognize him with the stache.  I am not one to comment on another man’s looks….but, the stache has to go!

    See you in the gloom next week.

  • Breaking in the new track


    A glorious summer morning in the near West End was made even better by the pleasant surprise of a newly-refurbished 1/4 mile track circling the tennis & basketball courts. 19, including 1 FNG, started the workout, and added a LIFO, and the PAX ended with 19 due to an early defection. Here’s how it went down:

    THE THANG

    Mosey along Commonwealth Ave to big paved area beyond the pavilion (and directly across the street from @Olaf’s house – WAKE UP, FELLA!)

    Warm-up COP:
    SSH x25
    Goofball x20
    Peter Parker Pushup OYO x15
    Bicycles (slow) x20
    Russian Soldiers x20
    LBCs x20
    Crossfit Merkins x25 (hands off the ground every time you go down – this one was to make sure @Conspiracy held his form well)

    Mosey around the school to loosen up the legs and back to the corner of the track

    Four Corners – Part 1
    – Run to corner do 10 Burpees
    – Run to corner do 20 LBCs
    – Run to corner do 10 Merkins
    – Run to corner do 20 WW1 Situps (flat on ground with hands above head, sit up & touch toes)
    – Rinse & repeat with +5 at each corner
    – Slow bending squats when finished

    Plank-o-Rama
    – Reg-u-lar
    – R hand high, R leg high if you can
    – R hand thread the needle
    – Reg-u-lar
    – L hand high, L leg high if you can
    – L hand thread the needle
    – Reg-u-lar

    Four Corners – Part 2
    – 6 fastest from Part 1 run a lap and try to catch the rest of the PAX
    – Run to corner do 20 Burpees
    – Run to corner do 30 LBCs
    – Run to corner do 20 Merkins
    – Run to corner do 30 WW1 Situps
    – Rinse & repeat with +5 at each corner
    – Slow bending squats when finished
    – Impromptu at end – ~2/3 of PAX run lap to finish with the rest of the PAX

    Mosey to near shovel flag

    1 minute of exercise to be chosen by TYA. Surprise! Russian Twists

    Recover.

    COT

    3 men shared prayer requests. Good fellowship & a few laughs, especially while the Q retrieved his Weinke and phone to record names of the 20 PAX.

    MOLESKIN

    Welcome to FNG @Smoggy from Pittsburgh! You gave @Toga a run for his money at your first post, I do believe he was happy to hear you were a “hate hate” at the end.

    It was an honor, as always to lead this morning. The core of this workout was taken from a workout @Lug Nut did in January – one of my all-time favorites. So well designed with the needed relief of LBCs after the Burpees, and YHC still remember the thought (“oh crap” or something similar) when the PAX was told that we would repeat with 20/30/20/30 and again +5… That day YHC was one of the first finishers the first time around who had to do the extra lap, but not today, and that gives me something to strive for. This is indeed a “you against you” workout, but it is good for me to see men who are faster & stronger – gives me something to strive for and forces me to push myself more. @Toga – YHC plans to catch you at some point. It is going to take a lot of hard work.

    Confusion ensued at the end of Part 2 when the Q told the PAX “everyone still working take a lap” – what was meant there was “when you finish take a lap” with the intention of having the full PAX finish around the same time. Indeed, some followed the incorrect instructions and others correctly interpreted the Q’s true intention and acted accordingly. Too many Burpees mess with the mind?

    YHC had MUCH more on the Weinke than could be accomplished in 45 minutes. How in the world does it make sense to think that a full Ark Loader with 6+ rounds could follow that Four Corners routine in the time allotted? Plenty of material saved for next week. That’s right, men, YHC will be bringing some pain again next Thursday before leaving for vacation. That Ark Loader may or may not make the docket.

  • Mountain goats? Nope, just goats.

    It was a hot and humid morning preview to the 100 degree day.

    The Thang:

    45 minute hill run—

    Mosey down love hill and across the Nickel Bridge (7 min)

    Hill #1—up the South side Nickel Bridge hill and back up the north side (1x) ~10 min

    Take trail under Nickel Bridge. (2 min)

    Hill #2—From under the Nickel Bridge up to the brick building at top of hill (3x) ~13 minutes

    Mosey down the road to the pump house (5 min)

    Hill #3—From pump house up the pipe to the Carillon (1x) (5 min)

    Mosey on the stone steps back to the Shovel Flag. (3 min)

    Approximately 4 miles at a 10-11 minute average pace.

    Moleskin:

    The Pax was finally able to ditch Conspiracy this morning—he finally found us on the Nickel Bridge trail.

    On the way down Love Hill, the Pax was surprised to see a herd of 30 or so goats eating the brush right next to Jacob’s ladder. Evidently the Goat Busters were on patrol. It will be interesting to see if they will still be there during the #Dogpile workout.

    DK commented that he was having issues breathing during the workout. He concluded that it was because he was running right behind Fudd up those hills. Future Pax take note–

    The Pax was strong today—the focus was on steady hill running up and down rather than sprint up/jog down. The workout went by quickly without much mumblchatter.