Tag: Spider Run

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/Announcements:

• Crucible this Saturday (and every Saturday). Thanks to Shakedown for leading this effort
• The Bridge: 4th Saturday of every month. Please see TYA

Saab Abides

14 HIM posted to Spider Run this AM for a taste of Badwater through Westham. Temp was 77 with Houston, TX level humidity. Here’s what I remember happening:

YHC gave out directions for a meandering run Up Lakewood to Wood to University, where the 4 milers were supposed to pick up Sunset for the run through Westham down to Lakewood, Hollins, Woodberry, then a few more turns back to the VSF. The 5 & 6 milers were supposed to take Westham to River then back to Sunset with the 6 milers diverging to run past Kanawha before hitting Lakewood to pick up the same route north through Westham that the 4 & 5 milers had already taken. While some of the runners followed directions, others took wrong turns, either intentionally for various reasons, or unintentionally. Thankfully everyone made it back to the flag for numberama, namerama, and COT. YHC took us out.

NMS: When YHC was envisioning this run, it didn’t sound THAT complicated. However there were multiple comments suggesting that today’s route had more turns than any other in Spider run history. I’d have to defer to #BigData on that one. Noted for the future, however. While today did suck due to the heat and humidity, the PAX dug deep and performed admirably. Proud to run alongside you all. Thanks for letting me lead.

Never stop chasing the wabbit.

Fudd

Off to the lake and cut up next to the baseball field, beyond the Robins Center and stadium. Take a left on the illuminated trail and a left on Wheeler. A right on Ridgetop where the early morning’s air was abuzz with the sound of generators.

A nice long climb to the top and a right on Patterson. 4s turn on Pepper to bounce down Toanna to the shovel flag. 5s turn on Libbie to Grove to the access road to Toanna. 6s take a right on Harlan and a left on Roslyn to pick up Grove, the access road and Toanna.

Bone Thugs took us out.

Moleskin

The Pax circled up, but no Sippy and Marv. Just before we were about to call the search party they emerged down the road. An owl swooped from a tree and took Marv’s hat. Despite Marv’s best efforts, he was not able to convince the owl to relinquish the hat to its rightful owner. The owl moved with great stealth, speed, and precision, lifting the hat from a mid-stride Marv.

After the workout, Marv was able to reclaim his hat. We are not certain what deal he made with the owl. Perhaps we now know “who do you cook for?”.

A strong twenty of the area’s finest gathered in the bowl for today’s Spider Run. Plenty of quiet suppositions prior to launch, with many questioning when there would be instructions. 0530 arrived and off we went.

Everyone head west along the lake, across the bridge, right through the (now dark) path, and huddle up at the base of University and College.

Intervals were next. All were 1 minute up hill followed by 1:45 recovery back down. First round of intervals were up University. On the third interval up we took a right on Wood and slow moseyed to Lakewood.

Continue past the PoJ and complete 3 intervals up Lakewood. On the third, continue the recovery north on Wood.

Continue on Wood to the Baldwin intersection on the left. Third round of intervals were up Wood. Apologies to the neighbors on the street as we completely took over that road. It was only 3 intervals, which is just over 8 minutes, and then we disappeared without a trace. Ok, maybe there was a trace of something left behind which stirred up the neighbors.

Slow mosey back Baldwin, through Fraternity Row, then back to the flag which Flatline so graciously planted.

Numbers, names, YHC took us out.

Announcements

• TYA is heading up The Bridge this Saturday. Contact him if you are interested in a 6am clown car.
• Prayers for Lab Rat, Swirly’s MIL, and others in our PAX who are recovering or managing life’s various challenges

This was the first interval session since winter. The common consensus was that winter is better for these shenanigans. That’s why we modified and chose different hills today. Great job to all.

It had been a decent spell since we traversed the difficult terrain of Mt. Henrico (or “Henricus” as they called it in the ancient times). Nevertheless, with the humidity pulsating and the heat rising, 16 men decided to grab our inner-sherpas, forget the debate between WordPress and Slack for 45 minutes and trundle to the peak of this wonderful county of ours.

Here’s how you get to Mt. Henrico from the parking lot…

A left. A right. A left. A left. A right. A Right. A left. A right. A left. A left. A right (5s, jump down to then next line) A left. (4s turn around and double back to the flag).

A left. A right. A left. (6s double back to the flag)

A half dozen gents were presented with copious hill-climbs…the general feeling of disappointment was palpable. Despite the discontent all pushed through solidly.

Announcements: There’s a retreat in September. What participants will be retreating from has yet to be determined.

Saab abides

Fourteen men came out to see if Marv’s prediction was correct. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.  Here’s the route: 

4s/5s:

• Up UR Drive
• L on Campus

6s:

• Up UR Drive
• Bear Right up Roselawn to Campus
• Add a trip up Bostwick
• Continue on Campus

All:

• Take Path and L on Wheeler
• R on Horsepen

4s:

• L on Patterson
• L on Westham
• L on University
• Path to backside of Lake
• Circle Lake and back to the Flag

5s/6s:

• L on Normandy
• L on W Durwood Crescent
• Cross Patterson to Westham
• L on Club Vista Lane
• L on College
• R on Westhampton Way
• R on Crenshaw
• L on UR Drive back to the Flag

Numberama, Nameorama, COT

MOLESKIN

Apparently, Marv correctly predicted that YHC’s route would involve crossing Patterson.  YHC’s only real habit is to never call Grove or the Bridge but will try and be a little less predictable next time.  No real inspiration but when plotting out the route, the small and medium routes looked like a chicken leg, so there you have it.  The 6’s looked like a leftover chunk of something got stuck to the leg in the fryer.  You never know what a pre-run conversation might entail, today’s included stubbed toes, spider bites, and the little elementary school library tables and chairs.  Thanks to Marv for taking us out with an interesting perspective to say the least.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRR Teams forming

Sixteen of the mightiest dudes tried to hide from Anthrax but he found us anyway. YHC wasn’t taking suggestions for routes but there was one proclaimed, which was immediately dismissed. After that was out of the way, YHC called out these routes:

Routes

• Head west, around the lake, over the gravel hill and up University
• Continue on University to a right on Ralston then quick left on University
• Continue through the driveway, down through the park to a right on Roslyn Hills
• Left on September
• 4s: Left on Melwood, left on Roslyn Hills, right into the park
• 5s: Left on Ruggles, left on Rosyln Hills, right into the park
• 6s: Right on Higginbotham, left on Running Cedar, left on Ruggles, right on Charnwood, left on Standish, left on Rosyln Hills, right on Shadow, left on Twin Team, left on Melwood, right on Rosyln Hills, right into the park
• Everyone head back via the park

Announcements

• TYA is leading The Bridge this weekend. Contact him for clown car info.
• No First Watch tomorrow. Moved to Huguenot Flatwater. Bring your own kayak.
• Retreat info has been posted on Slack. Last Saturday in September.

Moleskin

Great morning for a run. Welcome FNG Saul. Not exactly sure how we got there but there is a connection so Saul it is. Good running with you this am.

Have a great day everyone.

Splinter

Thirteen men posted for a humid run during the infamous SOJ takeover week. Details:

Everyone: bat cave, across bridge, head east.

4 miles – take trail entrance to Huguenot Flatwater Park, loop back under bridge and out the parking area on Riverside. Take the bridge and bat cave back to the point of beginning.

5 miles – continue downriver to Shirley, stop and return to trail entrance, take trail and then back to point of beginning.

6 miles – continue downriver past Rock Falls Rd around bend to mansion overlooking lake. Return to trail entrance, take trail and return to point of beginning.

Good run this morning, very sticky. Forgot to ask how the 6 mile route fared, if anyone wishes to comment below. Thanks to Rosie and Gumbo for showing some true SOJ support. Yes Hitch, one can be both SOJ and City of Richmond, but YHC understands most northsiders don’t spend their time worrying about trivial matters south of the James.

Prayers and healing to Splinters ‘step-aunt’, as corrected, families of the women who passed Memorial Day in the James, Saab and Mr. Rat.

-Singer