Tag: RAMM

7 faithful gathered on a crisp morning to burn some post-Thanksgiving calories.  They were introduced to a new type of running “game.”

The rules:

1. Split into 3 groups: slow, medium, and fast based on typical running pace.
2. The boundaries of the game are Commonwealth Ave, Grove Ave., Monument Ave, and Malvern Ave.
3. The goal of the game is to catch the slow group.
4. All groups can run on any of the streets within the grid in any direction.
5. No turns mid-block are allowed.
6. No groups are allowed to make a U-turn at an intersection.
7. Groups must stick together.
8. If the med or fast groups catch the slow group they join them to form a larger pack.

Game Start:

1. The slow group heads right into the game grid.
2. The medium group runs around Mary Mumford School and then heads into the game grid in pursuit.
3. The fast group runs all of the way around the block of Mary Mumford and then into the grid in pursuit of the slow group.

Game End:

1. All running groups will meet back at the school in 45 minutes, whether or not the slow group is caught.

COT.

Moleskin:

Game recap:

In order to make the slow group more visible, Honeydo was given the honor of wearing a hot pink runners belt with a flashing red, dangling orb.

The fast group (Sippy Cup, Saab, and Marv) got a bead on the slow group (TYA and HoneyDo) after about 15 minutes, and after a several blocks of cat and mouse caught them on the north side of the grid.  Marv’s knowledge of the neighborhood and outstanding eyesight proved to be quite helpful in spotting the slow group from several blocks away.  On the other hand, Saab, who runs without his glasses, is nearly blind to distant objects.  Fortunately, his speed came in handy in tracking down the slow guys in the half-block sprint.

The medium group (Toga and Offshore) was unsuccessful in finding the merged slow/ fast group until the very end when we all converged on the school.

We all agreed that this was a fun way to make the 45 minutes of running go by and was a good change of pace.  The grid seemed to be about the right size too, and the consensus was that the fast group was fairly lucky in catching the slow group in just 15 minutes.  It was a good change of pace.

10 strong and fast posted for a morning jog at RAMM. Weather was fantastic, clear, 45 degrees and little wind.

The Thang:

Right onto Grove, 4 milers turn at Malvern, 5 milers turn at Roseneath, 6 milers turn at The Boulevard. All the way to Three Chopt then run back to the shovel flag.

Naked Moleskin:

We have been parking in the staff parking lot on Thursday and Friday for the past three months. Usually during the morning we are the only ones in the parking lot at 530 and there may be a new car or two that arrives during our workouts. Plenty of room in the parking lot, so no problem at all for anyone….well maybe not.

This morning a women turns in at 5:28 just before our departure, pulls her car to the side, leaves it running and gets out of the car. Very nice and polite women with a reasonable request. She has been working at the school for 21 + years and parks in the same parking spot everyday. If she does not park in that spot, it throws her whole flow and that of the entire school into chaos. Would it be possible for us to not park in her spot from now on so harmony can return to the school (we of course honored her request and Swirly moved his truck so she could have her rightful spot back). She noticed that the two cars that parked there were “a Porsche and Mr. Woodfin”. This comment led Swirly and Bleeder to spend half of their run trying to figure out how she knew that Mr. Woodfin owned the Porsche. Pax cleared things up for Swirly and Bleeder at the end explaining that the car other than the Porsche was Swirly’s old Woodfin logo wrapped vehicle.

Pax has been nursing its way through many aches and pains over the past several months. Some big injuries and some minor aches and pains. Swirly, who will work his way through any issue small or large, declared he would never work out if he didn’t work through pain or injury of some kind. He was in fact today dealing with a bad case of “Gingivitis of the Eye”, which did not slow him down one bit.

Rat pack finally posted on time today. He has tried to post two straight weeks to the Friday morning run. First day he made it to the AO about a minute after the Pax took off for the run and did not know the route so he ran a randomly selected route and then met us back at the shovel flag for the COT. Last week, determined to make it on time, he posted at 5:45, what he thought was 15 minutes early for the 530am run (he usually posts on Saturday so assumed start time was the same as Saturday’s 6am start). Unfortunately he missed us again, so he went home and ran that afternoon. Great to have you out there with us today. Third time is a charm.

BT recapped Fudds neat “vision quest” outfit from the previous day. TYA announced the 5k Turkey Waddle in Salisbury on Thanksgiving morning, but forgot to mention Fudd’s favorite race that he is thankful for that I think is in Richmond somewhere, maybe on Thanksgiving morning? Fudd?

Kotters to The Scream, he was back for the run for the first time in a few months. Good to have you out there. BT and he had a nice run and some good fellowship together this morning.

Sippy is back to his old form. He started a few minutes late, ran six versus YHC’s 5 miler and caught me before I hit three chopt. Great work brother, fantastic to see you almost back to full strength

Announcements

Special time for Thanksgiving day workout, 7am.

Several races after the workout that you can easily make for a great double dip. Waddle 5k in Salisbury at 9, a race in Ashland, and the Turkey Trot 10k at the UofR. See Fudd for details of the UofR run. Plenty of parking at Fudd’s house for those attending that event.

Safe travels to all and a great Thanksgiving week.

10 Strong and 1 FRNG posted this cool November Morning.

THE THANG

Mosey to the Corner of Westmorland and Grove to start the 4,5 & 6 mile loops (Malvern, Roseneath, Boulevard to Three Chopt) back to the Shovel Flag.
COT Marv took us out.

Moleskin

Welcome to Little Miss Sunshine(LMS) glad to have you out there! Sip, Marv, thanks for running with him this morning!

The PAX was officially clocked at 13 MPH on the Police radar check point set up on at Mary Munford on Grove. YHC had no idea if this would actually work, YHC had confidence the PAX would have the speed, but would it actually register on the Radar Display. Mission Accomplished! What’s interesting about this is the fact that if YHC had tried to get a group of guys together a little over a year ago, YHC probable would have talked TYA into it, but unlikely anyone else. Introduce F3 into the mix and you guys make it happen, that was AWESOME, Completely Stupid and Utterly Pointless(CSUP), but AWESOME. The point is; it’s more about accomplishing things that you could not do by yourself. (Yes, YHC did try to run by the Radar but nothing appeared, with a Car seems to work just fine)

Announcements

NOV 21 DOGPILE WORKOUT 6AM & 7AM Q by OBT and Dredd—– CANCELLED BACK TO NORMAL WORKOUT SCHEDULE

PUB Run Next week 11/18 Lock Jaw Qing

10 Redwoods posted for a morning jog on Grove.

The Thang:

Pick your poison.  4, 5, or 6 mile loop.  All head east on Grove, 4 mile turn at Malvern, 5 mile turn at Roseneath, 6 mile at The Boulevard.  Run to Grove and Three Chopt, turn back and run back to the shovel flag.

Moleskin:

Been a real long weekend and week!  I have a personal deadline of posting backblasts within 24 hours of the workout.  Let’s just say I missed this one by a mile.  Anticipating the run tomorrow, I had to carve time out today to get the backblast up.

A few injuries and a couple guys getting back into running created an interesting happening today.  About a mile into the run, 5 of us (Swirly, Pelosi 5-0, Lockjaw, Bleeder, and I) were all in the same pack.  Bleeder yelled out “what the hell is going on?  I am used to running by myself”.  Bleeder and Swirly went on to run 4.5 (not an option the Q gave) while the rest of us posted a nice 4 mile jaunt.

Saab continues to set the pace and prove that just because you are in your late 40’s doesn’t mean you have to slow down. We will see this week if the early 50’s are as good to him.

Lab Rat kinda joined us for the run. He showed up a few minutes into the run and being an FRNG, he did not know the normal loops. He caught up with us at the end for a COT.

See you next week in the gloom

7 faithful and 1 FRNG appeared in the Gloom for a great run

THE THANG

Starting at Mary Mumford run to Woodlawn, Thompson, and the Boulevard and back to Three Chopt back around school for 4M,5M,10K loops and back to the Shovel Flag.

Moleskin

BT arrived in style, dressed as a much younger TYA. TYA went with the Older TYA costume. The PAX enjoyed the overall display of Patriots loyalty and celebration of their Thursday night victory over the Dolphins.

Swirly and YHC enjoyed a conversational pace run. We both wondered if Conspiracy should sign Loose Goose up for Gridiron for the next 20 Saturdays.

Welcome Termite! He and the Older TYA had a strong steady pace going today. Termite invited PAX members to play water polo Wednesdays and Sundays, He advised it’s helpful if you know how to swim. YHC commented that if you don’t, it’s more like Hydro Burpees.

Off Shore went the full 10K plus, way to go! Saab Leading the long distance group in his usual laid back power strides! Sippy is continuing to work on his calf, He said give it a month before he’s back to normal.

Announcements
Great Pumpkin Run Tomorrow, Just show up and Participate, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Bring the Family
Punisher Shirts are available for Pre-Order
OBT and Dredd will be in Town on 11/21 for a Workout and Q-school Following the Workout.

8 faithful posted for a Friday morning jog.  Weather was perfect for a run.

The Thang.

Commonwealth north to Monument, right on Monument.  4 mile turn is The Boulevard, 5 mile turn is Allison and six mile turn is Stuart Circle.  Back to commonwealth and to the shovel flag.

Moleskin

Bleeder was an early runner this morning.  He left 10-15 minutes prior to the workout so he could get an extra mile or two in.  He is training for the 1/2 marathon and needed to get a few miles under his belt.  Probably didnt hurt to add a mile more than Lug Nut as well.

Saab, Marv, Sippy and Toga were in the early lead.  Saab, breezed by me with more than a mile to go.  I tried to match his pace for a 1/4 mile or so, but to no avail.  Marv and Sippy were running together when they passed me.  They too had a good pace going.  Seems that Sippy is regaining some of his old speed back.

I think Lug, Toga and Swirly all took the 4 mile option today.  Toga had to leave early so his M he could support his M in the am.  Swirly was having some leg discomfort, that guy tries to work his way through all his aches and pains.  Respect.  Lug continues to get faster and faster.  YHC and other normal 5 milers see the writing on the wall….

Annoucements

October 31 – F3 pumpkin run at Lewis Ginter

Bear Creek 10 miler on December 10.

12 Faithful Runners arrived from some running down Grove.

THE THANG

?????? on Grove Back to the Shovel Flag, Plank, Drop, Hold for a TYA 10 count.
COT

Moleskin

As TYA was coming in hot this am, hot on Sippy’s rear. ( Sippy was biking to the run this am) After YHC brief intro to the run, the Mumblechatter distracted most of the PAX from paying any attention to the actual directions. Toga was the only clearly informed runner who completed the entire running route. Apparently, BT seemed eager to turn earlier than the stated Turnaround point; LugNut reminded BT that the turnaround was RoseNEATH Ave, BT stated that he thought YHC had said Rose Lane. Clearly some confusion; however, TYA did later confirm that the Rose Lane turnaround would have been an attractive Turnaround point. LugNut and YHC noted that had BT hit the correct turn around, the run back would have been right in his Wheelhouse; if YHC had only printed Lanyards! My apologies!

Announcements: Bottom to Tap this Saturday 1100, Go Ruck next Sat, then Pumpkin Race on Halloween 0830. 2nd F next week at Casa De Splinter, sounds like a run beforehand at 5:30. Be sure to RSVP on Splinter’s pre-blast.

12 eager runners posted at RAMM this morning.  Almost perfect weather for a run, 60 degrees, no clouds, no humidity, a little bit of wind.  Here is how it went down.

The Thang:

Run east on Grove, 4 mile turnaround at Malvern, 5 mile turnaround at Roseneath, 6 mile turnaround at THE Boulevard.  All run to Three Chopt, turn around and run back to the shovel flag.

Moleskin

Crescent moon out there today nice and bright (i have no idea if it was waxing).  Right above the moon was a planet shining brightly in the morning sky, I am assuming it was Venus.  It was there yesterday just below the moon, today it had moved just above.  It was the brightest I had ever seen a planet shining.  One of the things I love about the early morning workouts is seeing the morning sky with the moon, stars and the planets all around.  Without the workouts I go months without noticing the planet I am living on…

Quickdraw opted for the full six mile loop today, a majority, if not all, of the remaining runners chose the 5 or 5+ options.  Sippy is on the mend and tried a long run for the first time in a bit.  Hopefully his calve still feels good tomorrow.

First things first, Saab was not injured.  I knew that there would be speculation that he was having some sort of problem since YHC was keeping up with him this morning.  Truth be told, Saab was gearing down to stay with me.  Great to have someone to chat with on the run.  YHC never got into a groove today and the distraction of conversation made the run bearable.

Bleeder and Lug Nut are embroiled in an epic battle over total mileage done year to date.  They are within a mile or two of each other.  On any given day one or the other takes the lead, forcing the other to get out and run to catch up.   Let’s see how long they stay close.  Good work gentlemen, if I told you a year ago that you would log 100’s of miles in a year, you would not have believed it.

One of the PAX today noticed that Saab was in a different vehicle today.  Two funny things came from this conversation.  First, Saab pointed out that his gas gauge is constantly moving downwards because of the gas ineffeciency of his vehicle.  Second, Saab mentioned that he had run out of gas twice in the past couple months in his vehicle.  I don’t know why I find that so funny, but I do.  Back in the day I used to run out of gas, but it has been a while.  What is the cause? Distraction, lack of attention, stubborness, we may never know.  Saab???

Announcments

BT announced that a speaker is coming to St. Christophers to talk about raising boys into men in modern times.  Sounded like an excellent program.  BT chime in with details.

Rugged Maniac this week.  Good luck to all those participating

Bottom to Tap next weekend

October 31st F3 Great Pumpkin Run at Lewis Ginter.  Bring the family and represent for F3.

11 faithful arrived in the gloom to challenge the weather today.

THE THANG

Starting out toward Three Chopt on Grove Ave, Turn around, making 4, 5, 6 mile loops, respectively, turning at Malvern, Roseneath, and the Boulevard.

Moleskin

Continuing in the Forest Gump Genre, “We ran in every type of rain there is: Stinging Rain, Big old Fat Rain, Rain that flew in sideways, and Rain that came straight up from underneath.” Several of the PAX today debated the wardrobe choices with the weather, BT and Toga,both, opted for the stealth mode Black ensemble. Although, Toga’s prison striped reflectors were a nice touch. YHC with the usual bright reflective jacket, and other bright or reflective clothing. Saab with his trademark signature Neon Green Armband, was the subtler choice. Lug Nut opted for the usual F3 apparel, but added the Purple glowing stick hung from his neck. Of course, only TYA could pull of the natural luminesence of his Magic Legs, combined with the vintage 1970’s Pre inspired shorts.

Announcements:

Oct 10th – RUgged Maniac
Oct 17th – 5k Bottom to Tap
Oct 24th – Go Ruck
Oct 31st – Great Pumpkin 5k

8 fleet footed faithful found there way to the festivities this morning.  Weather was perfect for a run. 62 degrees and cloudy, no humidity.

Take a right on Grove, four mile loop turn around at Malvern, 5 mile loop turn at Roseneath, 6 mile loop turn at THE Boulevard.  All run to Three Chopt, turn around and back to the shovel flag.

Moleskin

Lots of injuries and illnesses in the PAX right now.  Bleeder had to fartsack due to a twisted ankle yesterday….Get well soon Bleeder…  Swirly started off strong, but slowed considerably at the end due to a bout with Sciatica.  Lots of good advice was thrown Swirly’s way.  Hopefully one of the many suggestions will do the trick.  Saab was back in the saddle today after a week of inactivity due to  a cold.  He had a ton of energy and easily lapped the field on his six mile jaunt.

Toga and Offshore seemed to swap the lead several times during the run.  Offshore was a little ahead at the first turn, but when they came back from the Three Chopt Hill, I think Toga was in the lead.  YHC ran with Honeydo and Swirly for a good portion of the run and enjoyed the company.  I had a rare run for me today.  I felt great on the majority of the run and was able to get in a great groove.  I wish all my runs were like that.  Grizzly and Pucker knocked out the 4 mile loop with ease.

Weird not having Sippy Cup or Marv out there with us today.  Both are such consistent participants in the run that it did not feel right without them.  See you out there soon.

Weather is getting great for running.  Many F3 related runs coming up.  Join in on the fun.