Tag: RAMM Gears

12 descended upon Mary to pound out varying degrees of miles.  This is more or less what transpired (probably less)…

Having spotted a late night text from Lockjaw stating he was under heavy sedation from Nyquil, YHC leaped from his Sir Harington and raced to MM to ensure the route was secured.  Having agonized at great length (< 1 minute), the state of the PAX (ankle injuries, pending renal deliveries, flu) drove the decision to choose the proverbial Old School route.  (This involves up and down routes along Grove of varying lengths….I’m sure there’s a TYA back blast out there that describes this route in more detail…feel free to read it.)

NMS:  Nostalgia aside, Old School has never been a favorite of YHC for the simple reason that one has to pass the starting point and keep going.  Compounded by the fact that I was low on energy and enthusiasm, it would have been too easy to just stop at MM during the first pass had Sippy not been holding the bar so high – as he is often prone to do.

Other observations and useless thoughts:

• Apparently it is possible to run either while expecting, or while dealing with a severe ankle injury.  Highly impressive effort on the part of both those gents (you know who you are)
• A little trash talk will get even the most fatigued and miserable PAX moving…thanks Honey Do for making me step it up.
• Tomato in a ski hat with a large pom-pom, just sayin’
• Speaking of tomatoes, Splinter and I glanced over with envy at the instructor who was leading the tomatoes in a series of stretches.  This prompted Splinter to recall a very humorous scene from the movie Couples Retreat…I’m sure he’d be happy to share the link

Saab abides

17 Rolled in for a Spring Time Run/Bike in Winter

Today we did the reverse route of the February 4 CCV/UR route.  Continuing the haiku theme:

This time in reverse
Down and back up in darkness
Found a new classic

Marv took us out.

17 showed on the 17th day of February in 2017

The Thang

Follow the Q down the road a mile to Thomas Jefferson High School.  (YHC Note: this is the only themed tie into President’s Day).  Line up fastest to least swift.  Partner up with the fastest taking the slowest and so forth.

Partner 1 runs the track while Partner 2 performs various arm, chest, and ab exercises.  Swap and Partner 2 runs.

Full out sprints of 400, 800, 800, and 400.

Quick ring of fire.  Run on back to Mary.

Splinter took us out.

NMS

YHC likes to mix up our running so a diversion over to the high school track was in order.  Speed work answers the question of “how to get faster” and the Pax delivered today.  Mumble chatter was a minimum during the workout as the Pax was focused on running and recovery.  Splinter was so fast he blew his keys out of his pocket and temporarily misplaced them.

Post run chatter focused on TYA’s sudden awareness of his need for a Subaru, the perils of low ceilings above hotel treadmills, and Saab’s recruitment of a Pax consisting of assorted house plants in the gym.  Saab was missed on a running day – get better soon.

Lockjaw

9 showed today for another Lockjaw Friday run.

No 4 milers today.  5s and 6s headed West on Grove and rambled the neighborhoods around CCV and into UR.  A nice hill workout on the way home.  6s did a loop around the lake.

This may be a new classic for the portfolio based on mumble chatter.

Toga took us out.

17 strong showed up for some running and biking through our fine city’s streets.  There was a chill in the air.  If only there was an app to predict the weather….

The routes – Carillon routes backwards (Nollirac) in 4, 5, and 6 mile distances.

YHC

A Pax favorite in a forward route, this reverse routing satisfied all.  6 milers found the need to commit to 6 early on which was a new dynamic.  There was academic debate among the Pax to determine which route was hillier.  Personally, I think the reverse route was hillier.

One thing for certain, the reverse route brings 4, 5, and 6 milers together for the last 4/10ths of a mile of everyone’s routes which is great for camaraderie.

It was good to see Ricky Bobby out after some time off.  Double Bags did a great job committing to today’s run and covering those miles.  Well Done!

TueKan disappeared somewhere en route.  The Pax speculated that he had been “swiped to the right”.  Speaking of disappearances, the 6 milers were met by a voice out of the shadows of the Carillon suggesting their pace today was sub-par.  Was it their inner voice speaking or a concerned citizen?  Sounds like a conspiracy.

Announcements:

-Marv can predict the weather with some degree of accuracy.

-February HDHH February 15 – Unless TYA is selling a house, I will Q this one.

-Saab Q tomorrow – This has been advertised as a strict kettle bell workout without any self-deprecating humor.

11 runners and 2 bikers came out for another installment of Friday’s RAMM

Number off by 1s and 2s and form two columns as we mosey as a group into Windsor Farms.  Upon entering the greens, partner up and perform the following:

4 partner burpees (each)

run

8 Boo-Yah Merkins

run

Elbow Plank

The Pax converges and goes deeper into Windsor Farms.  When we got to the Civil War earthworks, we stormed up and over into the trench, performed 5 burpees, and bear crawl/crawl bear out the other side of the trench.

A nice Mosey down Sulgrave to Queen Charlotte and over to Portland.  Partner up with someone your own size for partner carries up the hill.  Three rounds with the following exercises:

Round 1 – 10 hand release Merkins

Round 2 – 25 PLT

Round 3 – 40 LBC

Mosey on to Cary St and circle up in the thick grass triangle.

10 APD and 21 American Hammers IC.  Hot potato to Swirly for Flutter Kicks and hot potato to Sippy for elbow plank walks.

Run home using Cary to Malvern to Grove.

YHC took us out.

Since we were doing a boot camp with a run tomorrow, I figured we should taper a little and intersperse our run with a boot camp today.  Lot’s of options back in the neighborhood to switch it up a bit as we took in the sights.

Fifteen strong showed up for spring time in January.  Fourteen by foot and one on two wheels.

Commonwealth to Cary and head East.  Take a left on Hamilton and take to Westwood.  4 and 5 milers take a left on Westwood coming back on Malvern to Grove with 5 milers taking a victory lap around the school block when they get back.  6+ milers take a right on Westwood to the Boulevard and back on Grove.

Marv took us out today offering a special prayer for the treasonous Aaron Burr.

NMS

YHC has been reading Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton and wanted to honor the founding father with a route the entire length of his namesake road.  Running with Lab Rat and Upchuck, YHC did not realize he would also get a musical today.  Going under the first underpass we experienced “Under the Bridge” by the Chili Peppers and upon the second underpass “Under the Boardwalk” by the Drifters.  There was also some Dark Side of the Moon (during the impromptu astronomy discussion) , Timberlake, and yes, Hanson.

On another note, it turns out there is a massive WDog headquarters on the other side of Broad St.  That AO is taking off!  It must be the t-shirts.

This may be episode one of YHC’s founding fathers running series.

14 men showed up for an early run this morning.  Here is what shook out:

Route:  Carillon route for 5 and 6 milers.  For the 4 milers, same out, but come back on Sheppard to Cary after passing the tennis courts at Byrd Park.

NMS:  YHC was thinking Carillon route, everybody knows that route, right?  Well, turns out Back Bay and Copernicus (who is usually running with the 6 mile guys) did not know the exact route to get back across the Powhite and got a little turned around over in Windsor Farms.  YHC was running with Saab this morning, and was glancing back to see if they were behind (because I wanted to take a more scenic route thru the neighborhood).  Luckily, they were found on Cary after a couple minutes of driving around, and were pretty close to getting back on their own.

Straight up, my apologies.  I should have run with them and got them back.  I was talking beer with Saab and was off the Q during the run, when I should have been making sure everybody got the route correct.  This is a great route, but it is tricky to get from the carillon across to Windsor Farms.  This should have been my goal this morning.  Sorry specifically to Back Bay and Copernicus for not watching the six.

Aisle 5 and Taxi Cab had a little mixup this morning as well, although YHC saw Sheppard when he went by, so he doesnt feel guilty on that one!  Great to have you back, Aisle 5…..KOTTERS!

Lab Rat out.

10 runners and 3 gear heads emerged from the fartsack this morning for a morning of exercise. Drizzling and cool to start out, perfect weather for outdoor frolicking.

The Thang

4 milers, right on Grove, left on Malvern, left on Patterson, left on Libbie, left on Grove, back to the flag.  5 milers, right on Grove, left on Malvern, left on Patterson, left on St. Christophers, left on 3 chopt, left on grove, back to the shovel flag.   6 milers, right on Grove, left on Nansemond, left on Patterson, left on St. Christophers, left on 3 chopt, left on grove, back to the shovel flag.  Gear heads went for  ride of many turns and varied terrain.

No confusion on who was supposed to Q today.  TYA was the man.  Marv had to take a rain check until next week (so next week we will be on Monument with Marv) because his M was out of town, so YHC stepped to the plate.  I did throw a little hitch into the game by selecting a route that had us leave Grove avenue. We went on my favorite loop, navigating around St;. Chris’s.  That made Lab Rat happy as he was hoping for that route.

Scanning the crowd pre-run, I was not sure I was going to have to give the 6 mile directions.  At the last minute Rosie and Sippy Cup posted, so the 6 mile route was in play.  Those guys were flying as they passed me on the way back to the flag along Grove avenue.  Just as they were passing me, they got passed by a faster runner.  He was flying down Grove, hitting a pace that I could not hit in the 1/4 mile (or 100 yard dash for that matter).  That dude must have worked at Jimmy John’s.

Swirly also opted too the 6 mile loop.  When he was not back at 622, we had to send Bleeder out to find him.  The PAX all agreed that it was way more likely that Swirly was lost versus any other reason for his absence.  Bleeder found him on track a few minutes down the road.

Five milers were led by Lab Rat and Back Bay.  Not sure that Back Bay had planned on listening to the radio this morning – WRAT – but given the pairing, I am sure that station was playing loudly.  Lockjaw and Upchuck were trotting right along.  YHC was in their slipstream for the first half of the run, listening to the mumble chatter until i fell back a little on the way back in.  Tu-can and Lug made the 4 mile loop look like a 1/4 mile track.  Those two look nearly ready to move up to the longer distances.

Announcements.

Convergence coming up sometime soon…not sure when.  Invite as many people as possible.  It will be an epic beatdown.  Two years and rolling for F3 RVA.  Making the community and the men of RVA better everyday.

If you want to run some trails, Bear Creek and Belmonte are coming up