Category: Richmond, VA

  • Gears team posts for a trail run

    7 regular trail runners showed up for a Sunday morning trail extravaganza.

    The Thang:

    Buttermilk trail to Forest Hill park, loop around Forest Hill Park. Faster runners take a loop around the lake to add a half mile to their run. Back to buttermilk and back to shovel flag.

    Naked Moleskin:

    One of the regulars, Circle K, showed up with his mountain bike this morning. Circle K had run yesterday afternoon with his M, but did not want to miss a Sunday morning on the trails. He took a loop on the Northbank and then around Forest Hill and met us on our trip around Forest Hill. Trails were in good shape, so no problem for Circle K or the runners.

    Aisle 5 is an animal. That dude has heart. He is non-stop on the trail run, pumping out mile after mile. Impressive for a “Respect” guy. Wilson, Aisle 5 and I stayed together for most of the run. Good to run with the south side folks. Saab, Fudd and Lab Rat led the group around the loop. Aisle 5, Wilson and YHC covered 7.5 miles, Saab and Lab Rat 8.25. Fudd and Circle K….not sure.

    Great 2nd F at Ellwoods after the run. Lab Rat was a little fired up about the lack of customer service given on ordering his breakfast, but was very happy after receiving his meal. Lots of chatting about the BRR. It is still quite a bit away, but I am already excited.

  • Did he get prior F3 Corp. approval?

    15 strong posted to “the best AO in all of F3 Nation” on a frosty Saturday morning. The PAX had to assemble in a different area of the parking lot because of obstructions but everyone met up for a old fashioned beatdown:

    THE THANG:
    Mosey to circle for COP:  30 SSH, 15 Merkins, 20 Flutterkicks, 20 IPs

    Mosey to Boulevard for Burpee Road: Run up the Blvd and do 2 Burpees per lamppost.  Cross and head back at break in road and come back with 2 burpees until back at start of memorial field.

    Mosey to side of Carillon for newest iteration of Touch a Tree:  Touch a Tree – Tag a Partner:

    Partner up.  1 goes out to touch set # of trees while other does exercise until partner returns.  Switch and other one runs and T-A-T.

    Round 1:  5 Trees – Donkey Kicks, Round 2 – 10 Trees – Carolina Dry Docs,  Round 3:  12 Trees – Boxcutters

    Mosey to Amphitheater:  Decline plank down the steps in unison.  25 LBCs IC at bottom.  Then scale back up steps – 5 Decline Merkins each step until back at top of Amphitheater.

    Mosey to Love Hill:  Partner up again – alternate run & exercise.  Lunges, Broad Jumps, walk-out merkins.

    Mosey back to Flag, 1 extra min of Freddy Mercurys.  COT.

    NMM:

    Pleasure to lead a large 15 strong PAX this AM.  The PAX got a lot in during the beatdown and covered a lot of ground.  The 40+ burpees during Burpee road got everyone off to a strong start.

    The Touch a Tree – Tag a Partner worked out better than YHC had anticipated even though some PAX varied in their methods of tracking down “available” trees as instructions dictated not touching the same tree twice.  On the mosey over to the Amphitheater there was mumblechatter about whether this TAT-TAP had been properly  F3 Corp approved.  Luckily YHC had obtained the requisite approval from Swirly at RAMM the day before.  Sippy decided to do 20 trees on the last round and YHC tried to tell him but alas Sippy was going too fast for YHC to catch him.

    The extended planks down the amphitheater steps were hard, maybe Offshore can show the PAX more about this “plank-off” YHC has been hearing about. T-Claps to Wilson for providing extra motivation to Lockjaw during the decline merkins up the steps.  Whatever it takes to inspire!  YHC was impressed how all the PAX burned through those 90 decline merkins in short order.  This week has been heavy on the merkins.  Flipper put in a strong showing at I believe his first dogpile.  For some reason Splinter and Rosie sprinted back from Love Hill to the flag at the end.

    Announcements:  Swirly has Q on Monday after the Superbowl.  Attendance will be recorded…

     

     

  • Dont like Virginia weather? Just wait a minute…

    65 and “misty” 24 hours ago gave way to winter, as the PAX was greeted with snow flurries and wind this morning.  14 RUNNERS plus two from another AO rolled out of the fartsack despite to get in a few miles in the gloom.

    THANG:

    Straight out on Grove.  4 milers, hang a left on Boulevard. 5 milers, left on Meadow.  6 milers leg it out to Harrison.  Everybody back on Monument to Commonwealth.  No victory laps required.

    NMM:

    YHC is always amazed at the ability of the PAX to creatively complain about the workouts.  This week was no exception.  The complaint du jour was that we ran counterclockwise, but the wind was blowing clockwise.  My bad…

    Stand out gold star of the 5 miler goes to Brain Tumor.  Honey Do and YHC tried to keep up, but he was legging it out.  Well done, brother!

    For the bicycling  portion of the workout, complete with pictures and more creativity, please visit the RAMM gears BB.

     

    That is all,

    AYE!

  • Road blockage


    1 faithful with a bike, 1 FRGNG(Friendly RAMM Gears New Guy) with a bike, and 14 others that opted to go bike-less.

    THE THANG

    Ride down Grove through VCU to Belvidere around Battery Park, back up Main to Road Block, cut over to Grove, down to Three Chopt, back to MM to the virtual Shovel Flag.

    COT by Lab Rat

    MOLESKIN

    KUDOS to TYA for joining the ever growing Bike version of F3, Two notes, 1) TYA does not have any lights or reflectors on his ride, 2) choses to wear dark clothing as well. In the past, YHC has been almost hit by a car while running, YHC can’t imagine what would have happened if Biking speed were involved.( the Metal carnage would have been huge!) Carytown Bike Co. has the lights, please go get them.

    The term Freight Train was used to Describe YHC Speed ability when any decline presented itself. The Sheik is actually much more impressive than YHC when the Downhill race is taken up. The brakes tremble with fear.

    As TYA and YHC wear headed back on Main Street, 3 cop cars, 1 fire engine, and 1 Ambulance were positioned to blocking the Route, with a quick change, we headed back over to Grove were the RAMM runners were in full force.

    More names are being adding to the list of those that are willing to join the Gears group when the weather warms up( FUDD, Loose Goose, It is true that only the older guys can handle the cold); however, YHC looks forward to that day!

    Announcements

    SEE TYA to sign up for the Blue Ridge Relay— Toga, It’s still in September.

    Ask Wedding Singer about the Earth Day 5K race.

  • Balls in the mist

    21 brave souls ran into the morning fog for a different kind of Toga Q.

    Thang:

    Mosey to basketball court for COP: 10 burpees, 30 jump squats, 13 merkins, 13 lunges, 13 mtn climbers, 30 squats, 40 flutter kicks: repeato x2 then 10 burpees, 30 jump squats, 13 merkins (ran out of time) for the full mess

    Mosey to tennis courts for inaugural F3 Dodgeball.  It’s just like dodgeball, but you move to the side and do 10 burpees when hit.  You can then return to the game.  Play 8 minute periods with the winner being the team with the fewest people doing burpees at the 8 minute mark.  Winners do 10 burpees and losers for 20.  Team Spotlight and Team In the Spotlight were tied going into the 2 minute speed round with no final winner in the end.

    Mosey to flag for 30 American Hammers.  COT= Viral took us out

    NMM:

    YHC had a package of balls to deliver to the tennis courts, so we had a jackrabbit start to the workout.  As stated, YHC often gets accused of grumpiness and a general lack of cheeriness during Qs.  To combat this perception the idea was hatched to get some quick work done in a COP then play a game.  Thus F3 Dodgeball was born.  It must also be reiterated that YHC delivered the requisite disclaimer at the beginning of the workout.

    Likely coming from his tactical training at VMI, Bleeder kept the floodlight from his monster bike in the eyes of team In the Spotlight for the first round.  It should be noted that the fog and darkness only made the ability to see the balls flying at your head even more difficult.  YHC took one to the noggin and got Viral and Lab Rat confused.  In retaliation Lab Rat ran over my sack of balls.  Splinter and Swirly had a helmet to helmet collision that took Swirly to the sidelines for a minute.  Can anyone explain how that happened with the height differential?

    Special welcome to FNG Blacklight.  The race is on for someone to find his episode of Room Raiders.

    There you have it.., several ball jokes ready and waiting.  Balls balls balls

    Stay Classy,

    Toga

    Announcements:

    • See TYA if interested in BRR
    • HDHH 2/17
    • 4/25 Charity Golf Tournament to raise funds for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention- see Fudd if interested

  • A new Record for SOT

    12 strong moseyed into the gloom.
    The Thang
    Mosey to the front of the school
    COP
    20 x SSH
    20x LBC
    20x Imperial Walker
    20x Shoulder Taps
    20x Crab Cakes
    Mosey to the basketball court.
    Blackjack – length of basketball court
    20 merkin/1 LBC
    19 m/2 LBC
    18 m/3 LBC
    So forth and so on until numbers reverse
    Mosey to hill in front of Tennis courts
    Triple Nickle 5/5/5
    Monkey Humpers
    Ballerinas
    Circle Burp
    Feet chop and drop for 2 burpees (12x)
    Clock Merkins
    1 round 10 each
    Clock LBC
    2 rounds 10 each
    Ring of Fire
    Air Squared position
    3 each around and back
    COT

    Moleskin
    Record numbers posted at SOT this morning.

    YHC was still recovering from yesterday’s Nifty Fifty and had thoughts of adjusting the morning beatdown to compliment yesterdays (ie. Burn out a different muscle group), however in true F3 fashion the PAX set a blistering pace and destroyed another chest & core workout.

    Welcome to Transporter and 2 fng’s, Nacho Libre and Deflator, from Charlotte. They crushed it.

    The typical F3 Elite level athletes, Splinter, Rosie, Wilson, HoneyDo, and Swirly represented as they always do.

    As you would expect however, the Platinum level athletes continue to dominate; Ricky Bobby, Bleeder, and Dos Equis. At least that’s how YHC recalls!

    Transporter invited/reminded the PAX of the 5 year F3 celebration coming up in March.
    https://www.universe.com/events/5-years-of-f3-tickets-charlotte-C23H8T

    GREAT work by all men, well done!

    Toga’s on Q at 45MoM – don’t miss it
    See TYA about BRR
    Bring your bike to RAMM Gears

  • Nifty Fifty

    17 Faithful gathered on an unseasonably warm morning to push themselves and celebrate a little more RESPECT within the PAX.  Here’s how it went down:

    THE THANG:

    Mosey to the far parking lot for COP:

    Arm circles x 12 in each direction, Abe Vigodas x 10, SSH x 50, Slow squats x 10, LBC’s x 20

    Mosey to the corner of the parking lot nearest the bleachers for “50’s” utilizing merkins and squats in tandem repetitions of 40/10, 35/15, 30/20, 25/25, 20/30, 15/35, 10/40.

    Split up for “Go for the G.O.L.D.” (modified 4 corners).  PAX divides into 4 groups and completes 2 circuits of the specificed exercise:

    Corner 1: Gas pumps x 15

    Corner 2: One-legged burpees x 5

    Corner 3: Lt. Dan’s x 10

    Corner 4: Dips x 20

    Convene in the center of the parking lot for Ab-a-rama accompanied by period-appropriate tunes from Feb 2, 1966 and April 1965:

    LBC’s to “We Can Work It Out” by The Beatles

    Flutter Kicks to “No Matter What Shape Your Stomach’s In” by The T-Bones

    Box Cutters to “The Birds and The Bees” by Jewel Akens

    Head to Shovel Flag with “Stop in the Name of Love” after exercises completed for COT.

    MOLESKIN:

    Given that today is Groundhog Day and it has been almost two months since our last Old Glory, many may have assumed that they were in store for yet another iteration of one of our favorite benchmarking workouts. Is YHC a one-trick pony when it comes to workouts?!  Not so fast!  Old Glory will resume, but today we celebrated the Golden Anniversary of the birth of one of our esteemed PAX!  “RESPECT” must be ushered in properly, and YHC was sure to bring the soothing sounds of the sixties to complete the party and muffle the cries of pain from the PAX.

    It appears that YHC has had too much interaction with Lockjaw and Saab as he almost opted out of cadence in the first COP, and then almost skipped the Numberama. Turns out those are still part of a workout.  Bleeder showed up fully prepared for some sloshing around at NoToll with a sweet fatty mountain bike.  Apologies for not allowing full engagement, but Thursday should be pretty wet!  Much grumbling with YHC’s audible to amend our traditional Lindsay/40’s set to a 50’s set to start the day.  175 merks and 175 squats brought some real pain, and at one point YHC thought he had overdone it.  That said, all prevailed, although it was suggested that 50’s be retired (not by Swirly, mind you).  One-legged burpees are a lot harder than they look, but it appears EF Hutton may practice these at home as his form was perfect.

    In researching for today’s beatdown, YHC found an article about exercises for men over 50 to avoid “Boomeritis,” otherwise known as pain/injury associated with older athletes when working out.  It suggested things like rotating your head in circles, doing 20 minutes of light cardio every week and working on your balance by standing on one foot and letting go of the shopping cart while at the grocery store.  I’m glad to say that those don’t apply to this group, and one need only to watch TYA (and listen to him run his mouth), Ricky Bobby, Aisle 5 or any of our other guys to know that.  Instead, they’re pounding out 175 merkins, running 5 miles or training for the BRR.  Aye, men!

    The highlight had to be the Ab-a-rama.  What better way for a 50 yr old to celebrate his day then to work on his CORE?  Lots of mumble chatter here, but frankly YHC only heard mostly laughter mixed with grunts and shrieks of pain since the speaker was blasting in his ear.  As stated, thankfully Pink Floyd wasn’t topping the charts 50 years ago; 2 minutes is long enough.  YHC pulled the Top 10 from the week Aisle 5 was born as well as the month he may well have been conceived.  The titles of the songs ironically were perfect.

    Announcements:

    SOT chest beatdown Wednesday led by Lugnut.  Spring Break is right around the corner!

    45MOM Thursday led by Toga

    TYA’s daughter issued February Challenge:  10k step ups.  Can’t use the automatic stair-chair this month, TYA!

    Great workout, men.  AYE!

     

     

     

  • Groundhog Day Eve Festivities

    A hearty PAX of 6 posted for this week’s version of The Punisher.  The temperature was just under 50 degrees when we showed – effectively 70 degrees and sunny.  It went down like so:

    Mosey from the front parking lot to the side yard for the initial COP – warmup with 20 x Imaginary Jump Ropes, 20 x Imperial Walkers, 20 x Don Quixotes, and 15 x Arm Circles (both forward and reverse directions)

    Jog to the front of the school for a little circuit work.  Start at the edge of the school building and Crab Walk about 20 yards, flip and Bear Crawl the rest of the way adjacent to the school wall.  Hop up and jog, weaving through the bushes.  Flashing bicycle lights were placed at points in the school yard.  Exiting the line of bushes, run to the first light and complete 10 x Carolina Dry Docks.  Hop up and run to the nearby sidewalk and back to the second light for 10 x Squats.  Repeat tagging the sidewalk and running to these lights for 10 x Plank Jacks, 10 x Wide Grip Dry Docks, 10 x Backward Lunges, 10 x Mountain Climbers, and 5 x Burpees.  Compete the circuit twice more.

    Head to the soccer field for Colonel Trautman.  PAX members pair up with one guy running about 20 yards to the pullup bars to complete 3 Pullups while the other guy completes 10 Merkins and holds an Elbow Plank until the partner returns.  Completed three cycles.

    Jog to the northeast edge of the school property to the sidewalk.  Each PAX member picks an open sidewalk square and complete 5 Box Cutters.  Hop up and move, south along the sidewalk, to the next open sidewalk square and knock out 10 Flutter Kicks (two count).  Up and move to the next open square for 10 Rosalitas.  Continue to move, rotating through the same three exercises.  Made it to the midpoint of the school property facing Laburnum before we stopped.

    Move onto the school grounds for a couple of minutes of stretching, then return to the ShovelFlag.

    Moleskin:

    Bleeder showed up with a fat tire bike which seemed to navigate the wet school grounds well.

    Audibled on the initial circult. Called it 5s and 10s but we ended up doing three rounds, so the effort didn’t earn the name.  YHC sought to reserve time for the sidewalk work at the end.

    Regular lineup of workouts this week.  At the time of this post, there is an open Q slot for Saturday’s Dogpile.  Sign up!

  • GridIron with Ample Ciabattas

    Six of the faithful posted at #GridIron on a cold Saturday morning, the ground being covered by icy remnants of the prior week’s snow storm, which had thawed into slush and refrozen several times over. In light of the solidly frozen ground, Johnsonville plated a VSF and took the Q. This is how it went down, more or less:

    COP: SSH x25, LS Squats x15, Don Quiote x25, Mountain Climbers x25

    Mini-mosey into picnic pavilion:
    chiabattas (step ups)
    chiabattas (alt. merkins / decline merkins)

    Mini-mosey onto sidewalk beside near gridiron:
    chiabattas (alt. jump squats / Lt. Dans)

    Mosey to far corner of gridiron:
    chiabattas (alt. snurpees / Turkish getups)

    Mosey to bus lane in front of school:
    chiabattas (alt. mountain climbers / standing mountain climbers)
    chiabattas (alt. LBCs / reverse crunches)

    Mosey up to track:
    1/4 mi. run
    chiabattas (bunny hops)
    chiabattas (American hammers / Freddie Mercs)

    Mosey back to bus lane:
    merkin ladder (up to five with bear crawl / back down to 1 with crab walk)

    Mosey back to picnic pavilion:
    box jumps x10
    dips x30

    COT with flag in hand

    Moleskin:

    Chum Bucket had on workout tights that came down just below his knees. As soon as he got out of his car at Gridiron, he self-identified those as being his “Capri pants.”

    Earthworm complained mildly about the lack of partner let tosses (aka pole smokers), and promised to make it up next week.

    Cheetah, being 14 years old, was nearly impossible to wake up for the workout and nearly caused the Q to be late.

    The merkin ladder was tough, especially coming after rapid-fire ciabattas. Many were sprawled out after that concluded.

    Great job, men! Johnsonville

  • She’s done stretching, let’s go.

    3 regulars posted on a sunny Sunday morning to attack the trails.

    The Thang:

    Cross the bridge and head up the hill, left onto Riverside Drive. Cross river at Manchester Bridge. Left onto Spring, amble through Oregon Hill and head west on Idlewood, Cumberland, Lakeview. Take Love Hill back to parking lot to finish out the run.

    Naked Moleskin:

    YHC checked the trails and the access road yesterday to see if running were possible (and wise). Although there were a few runners on the trails, the footing was still pretty bad and there was a lot of snow, water, mud, and ice. So…we decided to do a “near trail” run. We essentially did the same route as we usually do, a little off the trails and on the road. Total distance traveled 7.2 miles in a little over 65 minutes.

    Southside of the river on Riverside drive was awesome. We saw zero cars and one walker on the entire 3+ miles down riverside drive. Great views and it was awesome being able to run in the middle of the road, avoiding the little bit of ice and snow on the side of the road Last time I ran Manchester bridge was with Offshore and Honeydo when the remnants of the hurricane were passing Richmond. The wind on the bridge that day was brutal. No wind today, but I always forget how long that bridge is. It seemed as though we were running that bridge for 1/2 the time today. On the way back we were very close to Sippy’s house. YHC suggested a quick pop in for coffee, but Saab and Offshore did not think Sippy would appreciate it (plus they could not remember exactly which house his was).

    After the workout, Saab was taking his usual trip to the store for coldcuts. Offshore was heading to teach Sunday School.

    See you in the Gloom