Tag: Spider Run

A sweaty dozen runners basked in the early morning light leaving headlamps behind. Two Pax wore red sleeveless tank tops and matching shorts as they looked prepared to run a relay. Swirly tested the strength of his truck’s bumper with some warm up dips and determined that shirts were optional.

No sleeves, no shirt, no problem!

Off we went taking the bat cave to Westham Station for a nice climb up Ridge. Take a left on River and a right on Ralston in the early morning light. Tackle another ascent up Ralston with 4s then taking a right on University Drive to pick up the lake and return home. 5s/6s take a left on University and merge with Ziontown.

5s cut through Lakewood to Westham to University to return around the lake. 6s took a left on Forest and a series of right (Rock Creek, Baldwin, Westham Pkwy) to then pick up University to the lake.

Splinter took us out.

Announcements:

-Congratulations to Face Plant with the growth of his family!

-The bridge this weekend

A cool, hard rain didn’t stop a half a dozen from making the best of it. Since the Q bagged out, YHC called an out and back on Grooooooove.

Saab abides

A lucky13 embarked on a route around westham….I’m certain the precise directions are in a prior backblast somewhere….

Saab abides

13 strong arrived for the weekly run through the hills of UR and Westham. This edition was courtesy of the Tuckahoe Takeover and YHC mapped out routes that found as many hills as possible it seemed. It was also a bit “heavy” in the mileage and for those unfamiliar with this part of the ‘hood perhaps a bit confusing. Nonetheless all got their run in.

4 milers ran along UR lake, across the bridge and all the way up University to where it meets Ziontown. Cut through the yard and park to Rosslyn Hills. Take a right on Rosslyn Hills, left on September, zig zap left Higginbotham, right Charnwood, left Shadow and left on Rosslyn Hills back through the park and back the way you came.

5 milers ran along the lake, up around the baseball field (or were supposed to), down College, right on University all the way to where it meets Ziontown. Cut through the yard and park to Rosslyn Hills. Take a right on Rosslyn Hills, left on September, left on Ruggles, left on Rosslyn Hills, back through the park and back the way you came.

6 milers went up UR Drive, left on Campus, left on College, then all the way up University to where it meets Ziontown. Cut through the yard and park to Rosslyn Hills then right on Rosslyn Hills, left on September, left on Ruggles, left on Rosslyn Hills and back the way you came.

YHC ended up punishing himself the most by going “heavy” on the 4 miles which ended up being 4.5+ miles. We’re better for it.

Fourteen gentlemen, each getting younger as the days pass, gathered in the sunken bowl to wait for the steam factory to pause so directions could be shared. The steam never stopped. Luckily an oldie but goodie was called. Think of it as a 1950s rock classic, minus the twisting and shouting.

The Route
Mount Henrico

Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

Moleskin
Some people just never grow old, neither does this route. Apparently, if you run it enough, you forget your name and your age. To quote James Hetfield, “nothing else matters”.

Thanks to Flatline for allowing YHC to join. Good catching up, new and old.

Announcements

• TYA is taking 1 weekend a month for the Bridge. Come join him or take a Q.
• Prayers to our PAX member who just started treatment yesterday. We are all with you!
• Memorial day at Browns Island 7am
• 6/4 is a big day for blood and the bridge
• Singer’s birthday was yesterday and we all forgot

Fifteen red riding hoods left the bat cave, crossed the river and headed upstream to Huguenot Flatwater. Everyone picked up the new trail in the woods admiring how civilized and proper this path is compared to the old one.

Upon returning to Riverside, 4s turned right and headed home. 5s and 6s turned left to head downstream a little further. 5s turned around Rockfalls and 6s were supposed to turn around at the quarry. Whether they were lost in conversation, didn’t see the quarry, or pursued by a wolf, we will never know. They got bonus miles in by going to Pony Pasture.

Florence took us out.

–> Thoughts and prayers for Pucker’s friend who was in an accident.

–> Memorial Day convergence downtown.

–> June 4 – Give blood or head to the Bridge in C-ville. Both are good causes and causes to do good.

16 west end giants braved the last cool day of spring to get a run in.

Saab said the Q can call this route anything he wants, so YHC presents “Saab’s weaving booties”. Why booties? We dont know. We do know Saab prefers weaving to knitting.

This is the route:

4s – Batcave, across parking lot to Westham Station, S Ridge Road, L on River, Right on Ralston, cut across the pool lot, Right on Holmes, cross Forest to Sunrise, across Westham to University and back to start.

5s – From Ralston, turn left on University, bend to Ziontown, Right on Ridge, cross the parking lot to Lindsey, right on Westham, left on Lakewood and back to campus.

6s – from Lindsey, Left on Westham Parkway, Right on Waveney, Right on Wood and back to campus

3s – Run / Walk around campus perimeter and through Westhampton. 15 min warmup walk, 1 min run + 1 min walk x6, cooldown 14 min.

YHC took us out. Prayers for Lab Rat, Try Hard, and Handshake.

Announcements – Sign up for breaking bread. Gomer FOB virtual benefit 4/29 8p – extra tickets available. Blood drive 4 June Epiphany Lutheran Church – need donors.

NMS – Fun to be back at Spider Run and walk by YHCs old residence halls. Campus has changed in many ways since way back when.

Get some!

Eighteen inhaled heavy doses of pollen through varying distances of 4, 5 and 6 miles.  Here’s where they went:

The Route

All Runners:

• Right on UR Drive
• Right on Westhampton Way
• Exit campus across College to Glen Pkwy
• Left on Westham Pkwy
• Continue on S. Ridge to Westham Station
• Cross River to the Bat Cave and head back toward the Flag
• Right on Ridgeway

4s

• On Ridgeway, stay left and turn left on Roselawn, back to Flag

5s/6s

• Right on Robin to Iris
• Cross Three Chopt, left on access road
• Left on Towana to Campus
• Left on UR Drive and back to Flag

6s

• Add a trip down Ross and back up while on S. Ridge

Numberama, Nameorama, COT

MOLESKIN

Coming into the Bat Cave is usually the home stretch, but this route is a fake out and saves the worst for the end.  That made Ridgeway to Iris especially brutal.  Lockjaw thinks the route deserves a name, open to suggestions.  Congrats to Bone Thugs on his new gig.  Prayers for the Handshake family after the loss of his grandmother.  Good luck to Boberry and crew taking on the Roanoke half this coming weekend.  Bodos suggests holding your wedding at your future grave.  Possibly a view on marriage, but mostly because your funeral is then very romantic.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bone Thugs Tax Day Trot this Friday April 15^th – various routes from 6-9 miles – more details should be released tonight

Run past ball stadium to College, then to University.  

4’s take University to Westham and head south to River Rd

5’s and 6’s take right on Wood.  5’s take left on Lakewood to Westham then head south to River Rd

6’s stay on Wood to Waveny, then get on Westham and head south (see above)

All cross River to Country Squire to South Ridge then on down to Westham Station.

4’s climb Old Bridge to Highland – turnaround when it crests back to Westham Station.

5’s and 6’s take Highland all the way to River then turn around back to Westham Station

All return toward shopping center then through Bat Cave.

Saab Abides

A fearsome 14 appeared for a run with a slight chill in the air. Here’s the thing…

Base Route (4,5,6’s): Up to campus drive, left toward Boatright. Take access road toward Bandy Field. Dog-leg across Three Chopt to Hanover…quick left onto Ripley, head toward Patterson, then head east on Patterson. Right on Maple, Right on Ferguson which then turns to Henri. Take Henri, cross Three Chopt to Iris on down to the golf course…..

4’s: Take Iris along golf course to Ridgeway. Left on Ridgeway along golf course then back to commons.

5’s and 6’s: Take Iris then up-then-down on Tapoan. Take right on Ridgeway to Roselawn. Left on Roselawn and back toward commons.

6’s: After getting on Ripley from Hanover, take immediate right onto Stuart. Take it all the way until it returns on Kensington and drops back onto Ripley.

NMS:

• Welcome Sprockets
• Kudos to TYA, Shakedown, Swiper, and Anthrax on their completion of the Grand Canyon ultra. Quite an accomplishment fellas!

Saab abides