Category: Richmond, VA

  • Beastly, Dark, and Full of Merkins

    Thomas Hobbes once described the natural state of man to be one of “continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Pulling into an empty Anvil parking lot, YHC couldn’t help but contemplate those words. As 5:30 ticked away into 5:31, a hand reached up to put the car in gear and dejectedly return to the ooze from whence I’d emerged, when like a knight in a shining Highlander, Yard Sale arrived and saved the day. Neither of us having a plan, here’s what we ended up on:

    COP: cotton pickers, arm circles, Freddie Mercury, and possibly something else.

    Mosey to the track for a Track Beast, consisting of merkins, monkey humpers, mountain climbers, American Hammers, WWIIs, and burpees.

    On the blacktop for Four Corners, with weird counting. Exercises were merkins, squats, flutter kicks, and side straddle hops. 10, 20, 30, 40, but then keep the exercises in the same place but rotate the numbers. Over four rounds, each corner got each number of reps. 40 merkins is hard when it comes after 10, 20, and 30 of them. YHC was briefly reminded once again of Hobbes, but was saved by the running chatter from Yard Sale.

    A couple suicides for good measure, and then it was back to the flag.

    Anvil has been a small gathering of 2-3 for several weeks now. While I’d enjoy seeing some more faces in the gloom, it’s been a good time to connect with the Anvil faithful, as well. Maybe Hobbes didn’t have it quite right, after all.

  • You can take the boy away from his Miata, you can’t take the Miata out of the boy

    You can take the boy away from his Miata, you can’t take the Miata out of the boy

    A perfect Six chose to be camera shy and play in the mud instead. We did;

    COP in top field: SSH (elbow bend optional), Imperial Walkers, Russian Soldiers, Merkins, Flutterkicks, Scorpion Kicks.

    Field of Dreams: Run between Lightposts on the field. First Round – 8 HRMs at each post. 2nd Round – 16 Jumpsquats.

    Mosey down to Coupon zone, grab a coupon, then over to Heartbreak Hill. 4 rounds of: 10 V-Ups at the top, 15 Thrusters at the bottom. Over to bleachers. 4 Rounds of: 10 Block Pullovers & 25 Benchkicks.

    Drop off coupons and head over to front of track & Lucia memorial- 12 burpees for the 12 year old senselessly killed on Friday. Back to flag, few seconds of Mary. Atilla took us out.

    Announcements: 3rd F tonight at 8:00. Blood Drive on 5/1. Doublemint led service opportunity this Saturday after Dogpile.

    NMS: The field turned out to be a lot wetter than YHC anticipated but the pax knocked Field of Dreams out. Appears some PAX are opting for the BMI clearance to qualify for the Jab. Ample mumblechatter about a HBR favorite – Ronnie’s Miata obsession. Turns out he did test drive a 95 Miata last week. YHC looks forward to the day he sees Ronnie pull up to HBR in the gloom in a 20th century Miata again.

  • 3rdF Service Opportunity: Historic Evergreen/East End Cemetery Cleanup

    3rdF Service Opportunity: Historic Evergreen/East End Cemetery Cleanup

    Gents – after Dogpile this Saturday (4/3/21), I’m heading out to the East End with the 2.0s to do some heavy lifting for a good cause. The community service organization that oversees the event offers volunteer slots from 9-10:30 and from 10:30-12. Please join if you can! Here is a description:

    Historic Evergreen Cemetery is a historic African-American cemetery, created in 1891 and located in Richmond’s East End. East End Cemetery was established in 1897 next to Evergreen Cemetery. These cemeteries are the resting place for many of Richmond’s African-American leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Maggie L. Walker, Hezekiah F. Jonathan, John Mitchell, Jr., Rosa D. Bower, and Rev. J. Andrew Bowler. There are an estimated 23,000 plots in Evergreen and East End, most of which have become overgrown after over 40 years of neglect. Clean-up activities have been conducted at Evergreen and East End Cemetery for several years. We are walking in the footsteps of some amazing volunteers – including family members who gave their time to hold the line for years. Thank you!

    signup link is here: https://www.handsonrva.org/opportunity/a0C1J00000JENbZUAX

    Make it a great one!

    Doublemint

  • 30 of Everything

    The SOJ PAX Pack celebrated the 30th with the following ground and pound. No man was left behind, and no man was left where we found him. 

    The THANG:

    COP #1:

    • Mosey to the Lot and Circle Up
    • Welcome & F3 Disclaimer
    • x30 SSH IC
    • x30 Squat Walkers
    • x30 Arm Circles (Variety)
    • x30 Leg Up Merkins (split ea side)
    • x30 Dying Quixotes
    • x30 Oblique LBC’s (split ea side)

    COP #2:

    • GRABASS:  Q calls out a Man, first PAX to catch him calls the next exercise
    • x30 Reps of each exercise completed
    • Circuited the Fields to the Pavilion

    COP #3:

    • Line Up at the Pavilion
    • Count down even numbers from x30 Reps, crossing the field between each set
    • Rotate through sets: x30 SSH, x28 Merkins, x26 Squats, x24 LBC’s, x22 SSH, x20 Merkins, etc etc
    • Await the SIX with x30 Am Ham’s IC

    COP #4:

    • GRABASS:  Q calls out a Man, first PAX to catch him calls the next exercise
    • x30 Reps of each exercise completed
    • x5 Burpee penalty for failing to catch Fresh Prince on our final sprint to the Bball Court

    COP #5:

    • Line up on the BBall Court
    • x30 Burpees – completed as sets of x5 on either end of the court
    • PAX given variable methods for crossing court six times

    Circle up for COT:

    • Counterama #11 + #2 pups
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Comments)
    • YHC took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:

    • Slightly cooler temps welcomed a quiet PAX this morning, but boisterous pups lightened the mood. The PAX were given a heads up after the Disclaimer that we’d be doing 30 of everything, but even YHC wasn’t prepared for that many leg-up Merkins in cadence – holy burnout batman! The Grabass sprints are a fun way to move around the AO, and YHC continues to be impressed with how many of the SOJ men can really turn on the after burners when being chased. Of course Fresh Prince and Snuff and Doozy were our main greyhounds bringing down the quarry. Respect to all! Thanks for permitting me the opportunity to lead. See ya’ll at the Forge Thursday for our 2 year anniversary. Lots of fun in store! ?

  • Best Instructions Ever…

    A (recent) record of 20 titans and road scholars descended upon UR for a run in near perfect conditions with a full moon lighting the way….

    4’s and 6’s: Ball stadium to Robbins parking lot out to College. College to University.

    4’s take a left on Pinetree to Westham Pkwy. Head south toward river.

    6’s take right on Wood. Wood all the way to Waveny to Westham. Take Westham south toward River

    5’s take Lakewood to Wood, to Baldwin. Take Westham south toward River

    All (Back-end): Taking Westham to River. Cross at Country Squire, to South Ridge Rd. Take down to Westham Station.

    Take first left on Old Bridge to Hillside. Turn around when you reach River back down to Westham Station. Take to shopping center then bat cave to Commons.

    NMS: YHC can’t decide which was better, the route or how well the directions were administered…

    Announcements: BRR!….and Hitch could use some moving boxes.

    Saab Abides

  • Mighty three

    3 studs showed up for the beatdown this morning. Here is the gist of what happened…

    Parking Lot Tracers while we waited for Bulkhead….
    No Bulkhead so we moseyed

    Travelling COP —
    SSH, DQ, crunchy frogs, t merkins, sumo squats

    Triple check at the playground
    1. push ups/pull ins on swing set
    2. mountain climbers
    3. run to the bus loop and back

    CUIYC — one person stays back and does 5 burpees then runs after the other two who are bear crawling. Rotate through each person doing the burpees twice.

    Run back, stops along the way for some ab exercises and some donkey kicks

    1 minute of stretching

    Numbers, names, YHC took us out Dapile will happen this Saturday at 6:30 AM.

    Good working out with you two this morning! SYITG!

  • All Y’all and All Yinz

    6 hombres of the evening convened on the lucious green lawns of Lynwood Holton Elementary for today’s version of The Punisher. Temperatures again held steady at precisely 70 (and sunny). According to the kids celebrating Picture Day, the PAX launched with:

    Slow mosey through the parking loop and onto the front lawn.

    COP:

    SSHs
    IWs
    DQs
    Swirly’s Dead Man Hang (silently)
    Flutter kicks
    LBCs
    Scorpion kicks
    Upside-down Scorpion kicks
    HRMs

    Mosey to the School Wall for a Triple Check

    Balls to the Wall
    V-ups
    run to the street light

    Mosey to the front lawn for a partner suicide in 4 and a Half stages:

    Stage 1: Partner 1 bear crawls to first row of trees. Run back. Partner 2: mercans
    Stage 2: Stage 1: Partner 1 bear crawls to second row of trees. Run back. Partner 2: mercans
    Stage 3: Partner 1 lunges to third row of trees. Run back. Partner 2: WWIIs
    Stage 4: Partner 1 lunges to fourth row of trees. Run back. Partner 2: WWIIs
    Stage 5 (Half Stage): Partner 1 does 3 burpees then runs to catch Partner 2, who has been polar bearing towards the tall pole that has no power or telephone wires. Swap and repeat until reaching the tall pole that has no power or telephone wires.

    Mosey to the Side Lawn for 4 Corners, Cumulative:

    Corner 1: 20 squats or jump squats
    Corner 2: 20 squats or jump squats + 20 heals to Heaven.
    Corner 3: 20 squats or jump squats + 20 heals to Heaven + 20 rosalitas.
    Corner 4: 20 squats or jump squats + 20 heals to Heaven + 20 rosalitas + 20 burpees

    Mosey to the loading dock parking area for criss-cross 11’s. PAX can choose to run long or short side. No short siders today (push yourself; don’t hurt yourself).

    SSHs
    Hardywood’s Arm Circle on Caboose with Feet Crossed Exercise

    Mosey BTTVSF

    Numbers, names, Dial-up took us out.

    Announcements:

    Freed to Bleed coming up. Check with Boberry for details.
    BRR in September.
    Thank you to each PAX who has given their time/treasure for Breaking Bread.

    NMS:

    Rabbit joined us from Greensboro today. Looking forward to having him join us every 2 weeks. Good to have you today.

    The PAX witnessed an F3 first, at least according to Legend. The mother of a PAX member drove by to cheer on the PAX! It’s not often women driving by call out to the PAX with words of encouragement. Nicely done, Mrs. McAdams.

    Offshore couldn’t make it.

    UpChuck spits the bit.

  • Canned Soup

    Half dozen made it to last week’s Punisher. Mosey to the far eastern edge of the Laburnum Avenue-facing grassy area for warm up with an assortment of the usual.

    Relocate to the school wall. Mosey from the wall and into the school yard for 18 two-step paces and drop for one Burpee. Mosey back to the wall and complete one Donkey Kick. Continue with the same exercise on each end, decending on even pace counts 16, 14, and so on. Finish with a little Bear Crawl in place of the two step mosey at the end.

    Circle up in the nearby grass for a Jack Webb with Arm Circle chaser – the ratio – 1 Merkin : 4 Overhead Presses : 8 Arm Circles (small, you call the direction). Worked up to 10:40:80.

    Move to the pavement circle at the front of the school for a leg-focused Jack Webb routine with Squats and Side Lunges – ratio of 1:4, too.

    Return to the grass for dealer’s choice, Mary Ring of Fire. COT and YHC took us out.

  • 48

    11 of the finest athletes in all of the Tuckahoe region assembled for a workout led by birthday boy Fireman Ed.

    COP: Mosey to Bodos’ main parking lot. 10 DQs, 15 CPs, 25 FMs, 25 LBCs, and 15 ACs each way.

    E1: Polar bear across lot, 20 SSHs’ Polar bear again, 30 SSHs. Mosey to another Bodos parking lot behind church.

    E2: Elevens with HRMS and LBCs. Mosey across the street to the next parking lot.

    E3: Cumulative 4 corners with 10 burpees, 20 Heels to heaven, 30 Jump squats and 48 2 count flutter kicks. Mosey to the next parking lot.

    E4: Catch me if you can with 5 on each leg scorpion kicks, the other partner does lunges. After partner 1 catches partner two they switch. Mosey back to horseshoe (Fireman Ed had a close call with a car crossing the street. Look both ways!!!).

    E5: Finish with one minute people’s chair and 20 donkey kicks.

    Announcements:

    Bodos is going for his dissertation in May. If it all works out, he may change his name to Dr. Bodos.

    Prayers are with the Bremer family (shooting near Godwin HS) It must be difficult to lose someone so young in such a senseless manner.

    It was fun Q’ing and it was good to be back at Hoedown.

    Fireman Ed.

  • Cumulative Cul-de-sac Tour

    Warm up

    Cul-de-sac tour doing each exercise every time then adding a new one at the next cul-de-sac

    5 burpees

    10 merkins

    15 squats

    20 balldippers

    25 american hammers

    30 plank jacks

    35 mountain climbers

    40 shoulder taps

    45 freddie mercurys

    Back to the flag even though we had 5 more cul-de-sacs left. I guess time flies when you are having fun.

    Announcements:

    Boberry’s Blood Drive. Get in touch with him for details.