Category: Richmond, VA

  • Schools Out – Anyone There?

    The PAX emerged out of the gloom to gather for 45MOM. As they arrived, each PAX member was not certain they had the right day or time as the recently well-lit parking lot was completely empty. We can attribute that to either courtesy on PAX’s part or misunderstanding of the ever changing parking rules. To make it less stressful, there is no school today (or this week) in RPS. Nonetheless, 6 did emerge from the gloom to take on a hot potato Q (with TYA running patrols around the neighborhood).

    COP – Pucker kicked us off with some SSHs, Don Quixotes, Russian Soldiers, Arm Circles and Flutter Kicks.

    PAX then proceeded to the field where Pucker set them up with old fashioned 45MOM 11s. OYO run to each of the 11 trees and perform a set of exercises. Round 1 was 5 Merkins, Round 2 was 5 Copperhead Squats, Round 3 was 10 LBCs and Round 4 was 3 Lt Dans. Pucker passed the Q to Hitch.

    Hitch called 4 corners on the tennis courts. Round 1 – Run 1.25 laps around the courts to next corner and do 10 Merkins, 10 Squats, 10 SSHs, 10 WWIIs. 20 Partner Leg Tosses for a rest. Round 2 – repeat same but 20 of each exercise. Hitch then passed the Q to Last Time.

    Mosey to pull up bars and do a triple check. Dips on the bench, pullups while 3rd man runs to fence and back. Last Time threw the Q to Garbage Plate for the last few minutes.

    GP had PAX pair up and one partner did wall sits while other did Hand Release Merkins, escalating in number by 2 each time you switch

    Back to the flag, numberama, name-arama and GP took us out

    Reminder of Friday after Thanksgiving run/bike/walk in Forest Hill Park. Meet at Pavilion #1 starting at 7 group will do loop starting on each hour and do as many as you can/want.

  • Further than Expected

    Eight brave souls fought off the warm fart sack to brace the early morning falling temperatures of River Road. A pair decided to dress as twins, others seemed to have missed the plan. Here is what was thought to have occurred according to the predawn ladies of tuckahoe hoping to catch Kubota perform pushups. They, like the rest of the PAX were left disappointed.

    Warmarama under the tent in front of the church (why has we not used this yet, string lights and everything). SSH, DQ’s, Dead Man Hang (with some Broga), Dancing Cockroaches, Freddie Mercuries. Everyone seems warm.

    Mosey to the triangle and partner for a Dora. Dancing theme continues with 100 Dancing Bears (2 count), 200 Squats, 300 LBC’s. Timer runs to the stoplight and back.

    Mosey down to Overlook Road. Partner up again. Runner to the top of the cul de sac, while partner does Broad Jump Hurpies for round 1 and Lunges for round 2. Turn around after the 2nd round and back down the hill. Finish at the intersection.

    Back up to the flag via Lindsay: 30 WWII’s/10 Carolina Dry docks. Stop at each intersection along the way changing reps by 5. Overtime by 90 seconds.

    Numbers, Names, Prayers, Announcements. YHC took us out.

    Lockjaw is leading a walkabout tonight with bricks and possible beverages around Tuckahoe. Reach out if interested in joining.

    NMS: Great numbers this morning. Cooler temps or hangovers from the election or baseball caused some regulars to miss out. Been looking at the tent for weeks without any usage so took advantage this morning. Overlook Road is steep and long. Will try to remember that in the future. More running than expected but great turnout. Honor working out with you gents.

  • 7 days late and 7 minutes short

    2 DaVillians posted on a pleasantly frigid morning to hoist some iron. The following is a chilling account of their venture!

    COP: SSH, arm circles, helicopters, LBC’s

    Mosey back to your bell, time to warm up! Ground and pound time, exercises as follows:

    28 clean and press, 50 LBC’s

    26 lawnmowers (26 each arm), 50 LBC’s

    32 high pulls , 50 LBC’s

    24 thrustups to tricep extension, 50 LBC’s

    7 copperhead squats, 50 LBC’s

    24 lunges with bell, 50 LBC’s

    9 merkins with one hand on KB, switching arms each rep, 18 total, 50 LBC’s

    20 halos to front raise, 50 LBC’s

    Numberama, namerama, YHC took us out

    NMS

    YHC planned this workout for last week, 10/27, as the New York subway started operation that day in 1904. All the reps corresponded (with creative math) to numbers related to the subway.

    Original line had 28 stations, now there are 26 lines. The longest line is 32 miles long, and the subway runs 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. In 1968, operation was taken over by the Mass Transit Authority (MTA), add 1+9+6+8, you get 24. The first line was 9 miles long, and the subway now serves 4.5 million people daily (4×5=20). Add in all those LBC’s, plus the ones we did in COP, you get 472 (for those scoring at home, or if you are alone), which is the number of current stations in the whole system.

    YHC wasn’t feeling well last week, prompting a hot potato by the PAX, was glad to Q the workout this week, a mere 7 days late. It didn’t take as much time as anticipated, ending at 6:08, so we stretched for a bit. YHC appreciates Mr. Holland loaning me his 25 pound KB for some of the exercises (lower back was acting up), and we both think the halos to front raise is a great exercise that really sucks!

    As usual, I have No Idea what I’m doing….

  • Hurdling the Walls of Jericho

    9 Brave Souls battled the cold to strengthen one another at SOT.

    Runners : Bone Thugs, Don Draper, Rosetta, Tobit

    Bootcampers : Wedding Singer, Bullseye, Snuff, Gumbo, Florence

    YHC led the Bootcampers for the following Suck to ensue :

    Mosey to parking lot near football field 

    Warmarama :

    20 SSH IC, 10 Don Q’s IC, 10 Cherry Pickers IC, 10 Russian Soldiers IC, 10 Imperial Walkers IC, 10 Merkins IC

    THE THANG :

    Mosey to football field 

    Plank Hurdles:

    Everyone starts in the plank position in the end zone. 1st man from each group sprints to the 10 and planks, 2nd sprints, hurdles him, planks on the 20, 3rd man hurdles each, planks on the 30, etc. At the end of the group, 1st man sprints, hurdles everyone, etc. Everyone should finish in a plank in the opposite end zone. RINSE AND REPEAT

    Mosey to hill that goes up from football field parking lot to the main parking lot

    Triple Nickel :

    Find a hill. Start at bottom, run to top and complete 5xcalled exercise, run to bottom and complete 5xcalled exercise, 5 repetitions (5/5/5=Triple Nickel). The exercise we did was Burpees. 

    Mosey to nearest corner of School Building

    Walls of Jericho :

    Just as Joshua was instructed to do in the Bible – performed around a large building so we used the school building, pick 7 different exercises and complete 7 reps of each then run a lap around the building. Complete for 7 laps. Exercises we did before each lap were Squat Jumps, Merkins, Freddie Mercuries DOUBLE COUNT, Ball Dippers DOUBLE COUNT, Merkins, WWII’s, Lunges DOUBLE COUNT (We only finished Half of the Walls of Jericho before 1 minute remained on our time)

    Mosey back to imaginary Ole Glory

    1 minute of Flutters

    DONE

    Numberama

    Name-arama

    COT :

    Bone Thugs reminded us to pray for our Government Leaders, regardless of who’s in office.

    Gypsy is organizing a shoe drive to donate new and gently used shoes for men, as well as clothing appropriate for job interviews. Collection will take place in December. Keep an eye on Slack for coming details on AO locations and dates for collection.

    YHC took us out in prayer.

    NMMS :

    Note to Self – Start with Walls of Jericho as the first exercise so time doesn’t run out. Enjoyed posting with you brothers. In this month of Thanksgiving, you all remind YHC how great this brotherhood is.

  • YesToll

    The SOJ PAX bravely embraced the cool Fall temps at NoToll, only to find inflation had raised the D&D Toll. In the Spirit of Voting Day, here’s how the PAX dumped the tea overboard:

    The THANG:

    COP #1:

    • Mosey to the bridge, pay the Toll of x20 Dips & x20 Derkins
    • Mosey to the parking lot and circle up
    • Variable IC warmups with moving sets in between to get the blood pumping

    COP #2:

    • Mosey to the Bleachers
    • TRIPLE CHECK:
    • Big-O’s on the bleacher
    • WWII’s
    • Runner crosses field & back
    • When TC completed, Pay Toll #2 with another x20 Dips & x20 Derkins

    COP #3:

    • Mosey to the Pavilion
    • DORA:
    • x100 Merkins
    • x200 Squats
    • x300 LBC’s
    • Runner crosses field & back

    COP #4:

    • Indigenous People’s Mosey back to the bridge for the final Toll of x20 Dips & x20 Derkins
    • Mosey to the Bball Court
    • ELEVENS:
    • Chainlink Smokers 10–>1
    • Groiners 1–>10
    • Run between sides

    MARY FINALE:

    • Circle up to complete:
    • Back Plank, alternating suspended leg and arm raises
    • Captain Morgans (Peter Parkers) IC
    • And Flutters OYO to close out time

    COT:

    • Counterama # 11
    • Namerama
    • Announcerama (see Comments)
    • FRESH PRINCE took the PAX out in Prayer

    NMS:  Felt good to work through some old standard routines today, just putting in the work and grinding out that 1st F. YHC has been under some significant pressures in the recent past and it’s incredibly rejuvenating to steep in the pure waters of SOJ 2nd F. Thank you gentlemen for posting today, for hammering out those routines with enthusiasm, and for your prayers. Yours Always, DTH

  • Parking Form Patrol

    Fourteen gentlemen, all but one in generally a good mood, met in the recessed parking bowl for today’s Spider Run. YHC waited as long as possible to call the route, then disclaimed Mount Henrico. Short instructions and then off we went.

    We ran up the mountain and then back down. Absolutely marvelous morning for a run. Pre-launch, an older gentleman in a crown vic rolled up and asked where the polling place was located. After some brief instructions, off he went. Great reminder that with the luxuries we all enjoy and take for granted, many of our population are still luddites and rely on the kindness of our fellow man to make it through the day.

    Announcements

    • See Shakedown or Gomer about a Friday escapade down to HR for their 5 year celebration

    Post workout, YHC witnessed Lockjaw’s stellar parking job at the Hoedown parking lot. There wasn’t anyone around to inspect, but by all accounts he was centered all around.

    Enjoy the day. Go vote.

    Splinter

  • It’s time to audit that clock.

    Five Six men arrived in the parking lot of Atlee High School on this November voting day 2021 with perfect weather for a beatdown that went something like this.

    Five of us mosey into the neighborhood of Giles to the recreation center parking lot.

    COP – All IC

    • 20 SSH
    • 10 Helicopters
    • Lunges – 10 with left then 10 with right
    • 10 Small, 5 Big Arm Circles, Reverso
    • 10 Don Quixotes
    • 10 Merkins
    • 10 Hand to Foot Mountain Climbers
    • 20 LBCs
    • 10 Heels to Heaven
    • 10 one legged APD, reverse

    The Thing

    Four Corners – With us still only having 5 PAX members, 4 Pax members went to the corners of the parking lot. The 5th PAX member (YHC) then ran to a corner and called out an exercise. Once arriving, the PAX member then ran to the next corner and did that exercise. Everytime YHC ran to a corner, he changed the exercise. The exercises were the following:

    • Merkins
    • Freddie Mercuries
    • Burpees
    • Hold 6 inches
    • Jump Squats

    Five Mosey to the bottom of the hill

    Bear Crawl/Run/Bernie/Run – Bear Crawl to the turn, 10 Merkins, run to the bottom of the hill, 10 merkins, Bernie Sanders to the top of the hill, 10 merkins, run back to the start, 10 merkins. Repeat this until the top of the hill.

    Mosey back to the VSF

    Plank-O-Rama (Opus joined us)

    • Hold Plank then Merkins/Carolina Dry Docks 10 IC
    • Rotate to Right Elbow then lower hip and raise hip 10 IC
    • Rotate to back plank then lower waist and raise waist 10 IC
    • Rotate to Left Elbow then lower hip and raise hip 10 IC
    • Rotate back to front plank then rotating elbow planks 10 IC
    • 20 Mountain Climbers IC
    • 20 Squats IC

    COT – Name-O-Rama, Number-O-Rama, Announcements, YHC took us out

    NMS

    It was great to be back to DaVille on this voting morning. YHC had not posted at DaVille since he suffered an injury in the middle of August. His Q was slightly rusty, calling Bernie Sanders the Barry Sanders at one point. (Not sure what a Barry Sanders exercise would look like. Any ideas?) As the PAX arrived back at the VSF around 6:10 AM, Opus came running up. Opus then told the PAX that he arrived in the parking lot at 5:28 AM and didn’t see any PAX members. Spike, who was in the parking lot when YHC arrived, said he arrived at 5:28 AM. The rental car clock might not be completely accurate Opus. It’s always fun to go off campus but for those late arrivals, they are never finding the PAX until close to 6:15 AM when we return to the SF. After COT, 4 of the 6 PAX members went to vote at Atlee High School. It appeared only Trout and YHC had a polling place elsewhere. Have a great voting day everybody!

    Gotta Run!

    Phonics

  • Tuesday in the West End

    5 of the West Ends finest gathered for a Voters Day beatdown, this is what transpired:

    COP with various exericses

    Quintuple Check, 3 rounds – P1 – Runs the Blacktop, P2 WWII’s, P3 Hand Release Merkins, P4 LBC’s, P5 Balls to the Wall

    Mosey over to Pemberton Elementary – 5 Pull Ups, 20 WWII’s for 3 rounds. The 2nd and 3rd rounds touch opposite elbow to opposite knee

    Four Corners – Corner 1 – 10 Hand Release Merkins, Corner 2 – 10 Hand Release Merkins and 20 American Hammers, Corner 3 – 10 Hand Release Merkins 20 Hand Release Merkins 30 Squats, Corner 4 – 10 Hand Release Merkins 20 Hand Release Merkins 30 Squats, Corner 4 40 Flutter Kics

    Mosey back to Heartbreaker Ridge for 4 minutes of Mary

    Announcements – Guys are traveling down to F3 Hampton Roads for their Anniversary. Johnsonville is leaving Saturday morning for a down and back. Gomer Pyle and Shakedown will be leaving Friday afternoon around 4:30 and coming about to Richmond around 11/12 on Saturday. Gypsy is starting his clothing/shoe drive in December.

    NMS – not too much mumble chatter today, it was a light crew, but we did have fun.

  • Tomato Easy Run

    YHC was planning an easy slow paced run in preparation for the weekend Capital Trail race and see the route below. This was mostly flat and had fun catching up with Trout and Opus on this 4.14 mile run.

    Numberama, Namerama, Opus took us out in prayer.

  • Merkin Time @ Punisher

    With the November Merkin Monthly challenge kicking off today, YHC thought it fitting to ensure we had a healthy dose to get anyone on this challenge off to a nice start.

    We mosey from the flag to the side yard of the school facing Laburnum Ave and circle up for the COP.

    COP

    We start with 15 SSH, 10 DQ, 10 Imperial Walkers, 10 Russian Soldiers, 10 Helicopters, 20 4ct American Hammers, 10 LBC’s and 20 merkins. YHC requested that Chum Bucket track the Merkin counts throughout the work out and we will finalize the count at the end of our workout today.

    THANG

    With 6 in the PAX this sets up for 2 teams of 3 for a triple check. Partner 1(P1) – runs lap as the timer, P2 – performs Donkey kicks (on the last rotation, we perform 10 DK’s then wall sit for a 10 count, then 10 Dk’s and wall sit we flap jack this until the runner returns) and P3 performs 50 merkins. Each person rotates the stations and we perform each exercise 3 times to complete the triple check.

    We then mosey to the COP place and YHC has each person draw from the F3 exercise card deck.

    YHC starts with Low Plank for 20 seconds, the Low Slow Squats – 20 reps, Ranger Merkins 20 reps, then Alternating side squats (10 reps each leg), 20 Heels to heaven and 20 Smurf Jacks. We repeat this order of exercise 2 more times for a triple check and Dial up called an audible for 10 forward lunges each leg for the final rotation.

    YHC pulls out the deck of cards again we perform 20 Chuck Norris Merkins, 20 SSH, 20 Hand release merkins, 20 4ct flutter kicks (Good call here UpChuck who graciously provided cadence for this one), 20 Freddie Mercury, and finally 20 merkins. We only had time for one round here.

    We mosey back to the flag for stretching for about 1 minute then numberama, namerama and Chum Bucket took us out in prayer.

    Moleskin

    Great evening workout with much mumble chatter as this was a sweat steady beatdown with many Merkins baked in so the final count was 20+150+60+60 = 290! Not a bad start for the November Challenge. It was a great evening for this workout a nice 60 degrees and was an honor to lead. Have a great week and I will see you in the gloom…Cheers, CB!