Category: Richmond, VA

  • The Pax Like Big Butte

    ….and they cannot lie.

    A glorious 17 beat the weather for some of the Spider Run’s best miles. Take the bat cave and across the bridge to head upstream. 4s turn at Butte and return. 5s take a left on Waumsetta, a left on Old Spring, and a left on Butte to return. 6s continue to Hickory, a left on Cherokee, a left on Waumsetta, a right on Old Spring, and a left on Butte to return.

    TYA took us out.

    Announcements:

    • Breaking Bread Challenge: Sign up for breaking bread for a date during your birthday month. Oyster will not wish you a Happy Birthday without seeing you signed up.
    • Bootleg is a trail speed demon crushing the Snowy Owl 10 Miler.
    • GrowRuck – The Spider Run crew is a tough crowd, but this week we have a couple of maybe’s. I will count that as incremental progress. See slack or ask YHC for more info. Better yet, come out on Sunday and see for yourself.
    • HDHH on January 17.

  • F3 Swag is on display @ the Alamo

    12 SOJ beasts showed up to better themselves this morning on a beautiful 70 and sunny morning. Many showing off the new F3 swag! The shirts look great!

    YHC started with a light mosey over to the warmarama – SSH, Cherry Pickers, imperial walkers, copperhead squats, merkins and flutter kicks

    THE Thang

    mosey over to the tunnel of love only to find that the tunnel was too dark for YHC plans so we quickly rerouted to the hill at the entrance to the neighborhood for some 11’s – squats and drydocks on the hill…

    mosey back to the parking lot for 4 corners – prostitute style – 10 mountain climbers, 20 heels to heaven, 30 freddie mercury, 40 LBCs

    mosey to snowman alley for some lightpole work…starting with 2 merkins and increasing by 2 at every snowman at the end of the street we turned around and starting with 1 burpee and increasing by 1 at each light pole back to the parking lot

    Finished up with some mary – werkins, diamond merkins, sumo squats, jump squats, rocketts, arm circles, burpees, Lt. dans, should taps, WWII, windshield wipers

    Time called

    Announcements- sign up for grow ruck, frozen triangle details

    Prayers for Futon’s sister in law, purple rains friend and wildcat

    Thanks for the opportunity to lead this morning!

  • A little rusty

    A dozen gathered at Hoedown to kick off the second week of 2024. After a long Q hiatus, YHC was excited to get back to work – here’s how it went:

    Extended mosey to pick up stragglers and head to the office parking lot for COP w/heavy mumble chatter, 20xSSH, DMH, 10xHC, 10xCP, 10xLBC, 10x interrupted merkins, and off to round one, a 5 min drill. Partners alternated ascending burpees and wall sits, starting at 5 burpees and increasing until the 5 min clock ran out.

    After a quick jaunt across Forest, we partnered up again for three laps around the church lot: polar bear, lunge and crab walk, each for a lap with the partner running a loop to act as a timer before trading spots.

    Back to TES for a quick triple check in the front teacher’s lot: WWII, HRM and 20 calf raises on the stairway. This triple check went fast and Handshake anticipated YHC was out of tricks, but we were able to make up some time with 3x 10 jerkins on the bar near the ramp. Big biceps all around.

    With five minutes remaining it was back to the flag for some Mary – 40xFK, 20xHD, 20xWWI, 20xH2H, 10x diamond merkins. Numberama, namerama, announcements (Feb CSAP ~ Faceplant, some Q’s open) and YHC took us out. It was a pleasure to kick off the first full week of 2024 with such a fine crew. Until next time, GP

  • Crossroads

    An intrepid nine met at the old stone house and embarked on a fine urban park hike. Conversation was aplenty, trails were slick, hills were welcomed. Roscoe chased after many squirrels and came so close.

    70 minutes and a little over 3.6 miles.

    YHC took us out.

    Coffee was good and the conversation got to the heart of matters. Thanks for sharing this early morning with me.

  • Cryptocurrency and Suction Pants

    Very dark and misty this morning. But that didn’t stop 3 runners and 2 walkers from meeting up at Starbucks and getting it done. Runners got in anywhere from 5-6.5.

    2nd F at Starbucks afterwards. The title of the BB is just two of this morning’s conversation topics. If you’re interested in investing in Bitcoin, Aisle 5 can tell you all about it.

    Have a great Sunday!

  • Epiphany at Dapile

    Six magi descended upon Dapile on this surprisingly balmy Theophany. Opus, Mr. Holland and Descartes got an early start and ultimately clocked six miles, while the rest started at the traditional hour for a bootcamp. Here’s what happened with that:

    Mosey to grassy area in front of the middle school for COP (all exercises IC):

    • SSH (10x regular, 10x right leg only, 10x left leg only)
    • Arm circles, 10 big, 5 small, reverso
    • Helicopters x 10
    • APDs x 15
    • LBCs x 20
    • Scorpion kicks x 15
    • Hand-release merkins x 15
    • Copperhead squats x 10

    Mosey to middle school parking lot. In honor of the day, we cut the Beast in half. Exercises between parking lot islands were merkins, WWII sit-ups, and jump squats (adding an exercise each round for three rounds). In the middle of this holy battle, Descartes was guided by the light to leave the runners and join the bootcamp.

    We celebrated victory with a triple-check. Timer bear-crawled to adjacent parking lot island and Bernie Sandersed back, while teammates did BTW (on a tree) and Lt. Dans.

    Now having an even number of men, the bootcamp group moseyed to the basketball courts for a Dora 1-2-3. One partner hanged on a bar while the other partner did an exercise. Each pair completed 100 merkins, 200 lunges, and 300 SSHs.

    Mosey back to flag with short stop at benches for dips on bench x 10, incline merkins x 10, and step-ups x 10 (all IC).

    At this point remaining runners joined the boot campers for Mosey back to flag. Exercises ended with burpees IC x 10.

    Numberama, Name-orama. Announcements: Good luck to our brothers running in the Snowy Owl tomorrow. YHC is part of fundraising and running team for Massey as part of Monument Avenue 10K on April 20th, and all are invited to donate and/or join the Tumor Suppressors team. BOM. Opus took us out.

    Much welcome to Descartes who gutted it out and got a taste of both running and bootcamp this morning. The third F at The Local Cup after Dapile is a special part of YHC’s week, and this morning was extra special as the entire group – including FNG Descartes and Phonics – was there along with Corned Beef and Mudface. YHC loves you guys.

  • Need Some Ladies In This Group

    19 Rocknrollers made it out despite the chance for some inclement weather this morning. Lots of PAX double dipping with Morning Wood Ruck Training (or marathon training) followed by Rocknroll

    Here’s what the heckler who said we need some ladies in our PAX may have seen.

    Mosey over to the basketball court for the traditional warmarama.

    Then over to the parking lot in the middle of the park for some 11s Merkins and Lieutenant Dans

    Next lot over for Four Corners prostitute style

    10 Mike Tyson pushups

    20 LBCs

    30 Toe taps

    40 Merkins

    Over to the picnic tables in front of the concession stand for 2 sets In Cadence of chair dips at 2 different speeds. 1st half slow then fast for the second half of each set.

    Mosey over to the baseball field for Chaplain’s world famous Indigenous Polesmokers. This is a Bermuda Triangle staple. This version was done using the poles in the outfield fence, starting at the 3rd base foul pole and PAX would work all the way to the 1st base foul pole. The traveling exercise was a bear crawl, with some modifying to walking lunges.

    Now on to the hill near the concession stand for a modified Dora

    Pairs would take turns bernieing up the hill and running down and do the following

    100 DC Ball dippers

    100 Squats

    Some PAX went ahead and added monkey humpers.

    Mosey back towards the flag, but a stop at the playground for some 2 more sets of chair dips.

    Back to the flag for calf raises, slow and fast sets like the chair dips. One set duck footed, then 5 burpees OYO, then pigeon toed, 5 burpees OYO, then your Standard calf raises, then 5 more burpees OYO.

    Finish up with some seated bicycles and American Hammers.

    YHC was honored to lead this PAX today. Even with the bad weather being called for, it was a strong turnout for Rocknroll. Lots of Ruckers this morning for Morning Wood. YHC is getting into the higher mileage for marathon training and may have to skip a couple of Rocknrolls in the coming weeks, in order to get the miles in. The tank was pretty much empty by the end of this Q, but the PAX pushed me through.

    Lots of Ruck training going on for GTE 47 including tomorrow at Forest Hill Park at 7 am. Check Slack for other opportunities.

  • Getting Hard at Morning Wood

    A dozen hardened SOJ vets gave Rockwood the Morning Wood salute, with 9 GTE HIM’s Rucking 3.6 miles, Boberry joining Big Rig completing a pre-gloom half marathon (no big deal…), and State Farm getting swolt on the pull-up bars working on his “grip strength” …if that’s not the perfect Morning Wood joke, not sure what is… Anyway, way to get after it this morning gentlemen! SYITG, DTH

    TOMORROW: 7am Ruck kicks off at the Stone House at Forrest Hill Park, coffee after

    REGISTER FOR GTE #47 !!! https://growruck.com/event/gte-47/

  • So much for the supposed Snowpacolypse

    Six strong were undeterred by the pending ice storm and found the Gloom quite hospitable for an early January morning. Red Baron joined us from PA (pretzeltown region?) again so YHC tried to cover some of the Dogpile favorites for him. We did:

    COP: SSH, Don Qs, Imperial Walkers, Helicopters, Merkins, Flutterkicks, Scorpion Kicks.

    Mosey over to other COP circle for some Bermuda Triangle. Bear crawl to 1st corner, 10 Burpees, run down to bottom, 20 HRMs, run up hill 30 WWIIs. 2nd round: lunge over corrner, 20 Dry Docks, bottom 30 Heels 2 Heaven, top 40 SSH. Mosey over to Penny stage: Dora 123. 100 Merkins, 200 Squats, 300 LBCs.

    Down to Rusty Cage: 3 rounds of 8 Pullups. Then 3 rounds of 8 Jerkins. Over to Amphitheater with stop for 3 sets of 25 PLTs along the way. Bottom of Amphitheater partner up in 3s for Triple Check: Flutterkicks, Dips, & run steps and back. With liquified Sleet starting to fall we moved onto stage for few min or Mary and Ring of Fire. Mosey back to Flag , finish with 1 min of American Hammers. YHC took us out.

    NMS: For the predicted poor weather it was warmer than usual and we stayed dry. Red Baron returned for his anniversary weekend in RVA again this year and at 68 can rival our own Pigskin for discovering the source of the Fountain of Youth. It was great that all 6 PAX were SOP and Senor Frog and Mr Rogers were short sleeved as well. Oyster used the beatdown to warm himself up for his Mixed Doubles Pickleball tournament later today. When he pegs a 60 yr old Grandmother with a shot YHC will be happy to take some credit.

  • Welcome 2024

    It is a new year at Gridiron…same highly respected PAX!  Here is how we greeted 2024:

    • COP
      • SSH
      • IW
      • DQ
      • Helicopters
      • Arm circles
      • Jazzercize
      • HRM
      • LBC
    • Burpee march down the parking lot with 20 WWII sit-ups and 24 APDs at the conclusion, rinse and repeat 3x
    • Mosey to the turf field for a New Year’s celebration, run to mid-field and do 20 reps then run back and do 24 reps, celebrate 12 months with 12 iterations
      • HRM
      • Reverse crunches
      • Squats
      • H2H
      • Shoulder taps
      • Squat thrusters
      • Side crunches – each side
      • Chuck Norris
      • Monkey humpers
      • Crunchy frogs
      • 2x crab cakes
      • FK
    • Mosey to the parking lot for a 3x check with a run, wall sit and FM

    Great work from the PAX today!  Happy to see the healthy and less than healthy PAX members out there going U vs U.  Got about 2+ miles in plus plenty of core work.

    Remember lunch on Tuesday at Firehouse Subs, and the upcoming GrowRuck in May.

    God is good all of the time!

    Attila