Quality mumble chatter today, plenty of talk about PhDs, AI and higher education, and the PAX confirmed that even combined we don’t have as many master’s degrees as Hitchhiker does.
COT
Praises for Hitchhiker’s son making it into the robotics contest
YHC closed with a reminder that even though Thanksgiving is behind us, it’s worth carrying a spirit of gratitude forward.
Also a word about words: they can be like bees sometimes they make honey, sweet and encouraging… and other times they sting. Be mindful of how you use them.
The forecast called for rain, and for once it didn’t lie. Expectations for attendance were low, and YHC was fully prepared to enjoy a solo workout under the luxurious St. Christopher’s Sports pavilion — one of the finer outdoor fitness facilities in the greater West End.
To YHC’s pleasant surprise, Applesauce arrived, immediately elevating the gloom factor and the quality of conversation. The pavilion provided a dry, echoing backdrop for six rounds of Tabata, punctuated by laps around the pristine SCCC track.
Discussion topics ranged from family dynamics to the delicate art of managing in-laws — all tackled with the same intensity as burpees, though slightly more grace.
In the end, we were reminded that sometimes the best workouts aren’t about numbers, but about showing up, staying dry, and sharing a few honest words.
Announcements:
Thanksgiving workout at Mary Munford, 7 AM. Bring gratitude and coffee.
YHC took us out in thanks for simple mornings, and covered pavilions.
Upchuck said he was coming. Look, he said, there he is. He pointed to a vehicle pulling into the bus parking area at St. Christopher’s.
The vehicle made a U and pulled away.
I do not believe you, I said. Did not Faceplant’s Slack post imply that Handshake was Qing elsewhere this morning, torturing others with his accursed, Apple Watch alarm-inducing Pencil Rolls?
Look, Upchuck said, pointing into the Gloom. Here he comes now, walking with Faceplant.
Silly man, I said, that is not Handshake; can you not see that is Applesauce?
Wait, Upchuck said. He will come. I have even brought spare Implements of Whoa for him to use in strengthening his already prodigious muscles.
At 0530, we performed a set of exercises in the manner of Tabata. We ran a lap on the track.
Handshake did not come.
We performed a second set of exercises in the manner of Tabata, this time using our Implements. Applesauce borrowed the Implements intended for Handshake. We ran another lap.
Handshake did not come.
We performed a third set of exercises in the manner of Tabata. We ran another lap.
Handshake did not come.
Surely, I said, Handshake will not come now. Even Hitchhiker would not show up this late to a workout.
We performed a fourth, fifth and sixth set of exercises in the manner of Tabata. We ran four more laps around the track. Faceplant engaged in jocular discourse with a husband-and-wife pair of runners. He told disjointed story about Handshake being a first-year student at the Virginia Military Institute. We spoke of colleges with simulated airplane cabins and steakhouse dining halls on their campus.
The bell rang, five pax materialized from the Gloom with their Implements of Whoa(TM), and the latest meeting of the St. Christopher’s Country Club was gaveled to order. Here’s what was accomplished:
Tabata Set 1: SSH / IW
Hot Lap 1
Tabata Set 2: Weighted Squats
Hot Lap 2
Tabata Set 3: S/S Lawnmowers
Hot Lap 3
Tabata Set 4: Bicep Curls / Overhead Tricep Press
Hot Lap 4
Tabata Set 5: Banded Monster Walks / Other Weighted Work
Hot Lap 5
Tabata Set 6: 4 Minutes of Mary
Hot Laps 6, 7
Spreadsheets from the Gloom:
_ OK, I’ve noticed something about RVA in my year here that I need to get off my chest. And no, it’s not my shirt …
There’s a real cult of male topless running in this town.
It’s not like this was unheard of in CLT. My good friend Six Mike had a rule that if it was 70 degrees at the start of a run, a shirt was optional. But in these parts, shirtless seems to be less a way to beat the heat than just a way of life for many running dudes.
What I was not prepared for was to show up at the 49-degree St. Christopher’s track (with all of us in long sleeves) and witness a pasty white torso circling the track as we did our Tabata sets.
SYITG, indeed!
It put me in mind of the sign on the side of the Sunflower Public House in Belfast that gave me a laugh during my recent visit:
_ With Blank Space in attendance, there was a lot of talk about the new Taylor Swift album and “Wood,” the song about Travis Kelce’s Swinging Richard. Reminder that Blank Space will mark his retirement from performing with his former band, Taylor’s Version VA, by sitting in for one song of their Dec. 13th (TSWift’s birthday, you know) show at the Broadberry. I’m OOT, but Faceplant (who listened to the entire New Heights podcast on which Taylor announced the new album) has promised to represent F3 at the show.
_ We also learned that the only thing standing between Faceplant and a career in the Marines was his inability to do the required pullups on the PFT, but apparently if you’re a middle-aged dude you don’t need to worry about pullups — just be able to hang from a pullup bar for two minutes … (?) That and do lots of squats, according to some fitness guru who has 100 followers (one of them Faceplant) on his YouTube channel. And maybe run your laps at the track with no shirt.
_ The Bridge is Saturday. You should go — four hours out of your life to nail all three Fs. I’ll be there. Ping Upchuck for details.
A familiar Tabata format — six rounds, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, with a lap around the track between each round.
Round 1:
Stretching to get things moving.
Round 2:
Curls & Overhead Press
Round 3:
Burpees & Weighted Squats
Round 4:
Kettlebell Swings & Triceps
Round 5:
Lunges with Weights & Curls (again)
Round 6:
Mary – Flutter Kicks, LBCs, Box Cutters
Extra Credit:
We were so fast and efficient this morning we even had time for a cool down stretch. Very important to keep ok stretching!
Consistent work from the group. The running between rounds kept everyone honest. Great to have Bone Thugs out with us running again!
Mumble Chatter
Plenty of conversation this morning, covering everything from Taylor Swift’s new album, and scary AI. Birthday party themes also got some airtime, along with important advice on getting gifts for your spouse. Good energy and steady chatter throughout.
Announcements
YHC is involved with a local charity called Little Hands, it is the only organization in Central Virginia solely dedicated to providing essentials to economically disadvantaged young children in the first years of their lives. This October I’m supporting them by collecting diapers (not used diapers) for their annual diaper drive. Over October I’ll be posting on Slack what workouts I’ll be attending and if you are up for supporting I’ll collect the diapers and deliver them to Little Hands. Here’s a link to the diaper drive if you don’t know what kind of diapers to buy and just want to give monetarily: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/thebigdiaperdrive/account/2127565/
3 eager club members decided to secure the early track time and get some work in to start the day. One running predictably late, but still made it in time for the first weighted exercise.
Warmarama.
Tabata Exercises:
Halos and around the world (waist)
Curls and Presses
Squats and Tricep Presses
One-arm swings – right then left
Rows – right then left
Sit and Press Boat and Canoe
One lap in between each and 2 at the end – avoiding the gaggle of young and better looking (and smelling) runners.
Numbers, Names, Announcements (SOJ CSAUP Friday – see slack and Crabgrass and throw a HC if your going) and YHC took us out.
YHC showed up with a half-baked plan and a timer app, which is really all you need for a Tabata morning. Six rounds, 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off, rinse and repeat with one lap between each round and two laps for the finale:
The Thang (40 on / 20 off x 6 rounds):
Stretching (because we’re old).
Curls & Overhead Press.
Burpees & Weighted Squats.
Kettlebell Swings & Triceps.
Lunges with Weights & (yes) More Curls.
Mary to finish (allegedly core work).
Meanwhile, the St. Chris Track Club was circling the oval in the opposite direction. Way to go guys and girls.
Possibly the highest turnout yet at SCCC, and the track was “closed for construction.”. Undeterred, we pivoted and found ourselves on a grass field so pristine it made Augusta look like a cow pasture. No divots were left behind—scout’s honor.
The Thang: Improvised but effective. We kept it moving and made the most of the country club turf.
Warm-Up Lap (to admire the landscaping)
6 Rounds of TABATA (20 sec on / 10 sec off)
Round 1: Stretching
Round 2: Curls & overhead press
Round 3: Triceps Extensions & Kettlebell Swings
Round 4: Lunges & squats
Round 5: I forgets
Round 6: Mary (Flutter Kicks, LBCs, American Hammers)
Lap between each round
2 Victory Laps to close it out
Mumble Chatter: The facilities at St. Christopher’s got rave reviews—manicured fields, and a general air of “we don’t belong here, but we’re not leaving.” Much discussion centered around the recent globe-trotting adventures of Mr. Water Bottle, who may or may not be scouting international AO expansions.
Hitchhiker arrived exactly when expected, which is to say, right on time. Glad to have two new-comers to SCCC join us 1-800 and Garbage Plate!!
COT: Gratitude for the good things we have to be thankful for and to pass on some good to others.
Announcements:
Keep an eye on the track status. If it’s still “under construction” next week, we may need to bring sand wedges.
YHC was just about to pack it up and head home when Hitchhiker pulled in to the club. We didn’t have a tabata timer, so we made do with 15 reps and a 20 second count in between sets.
COP with SSHs, IWs, DQs, Merkins, and Freddy Mercurys. Then we moved into the tabata phase with Curls, Upright Rows, Triceps Extensions, Bench Press, Sit and Press, Swings, with laps around the track sprinkled in between.
NMS: The PAX discussed summer plans, data science, AI, the job market, water bottles, and probably much more. It is always good to catch up with Hitch!
