Tag: Spider Run

A Surly Seventeen arrived at the UR Commons on what felt like a cool spring morning. Here were the routes that were (mostly) followed…

4 Mile: Robbins Parking lot to Lakewood. Lakewood to Westham. South on Westham then right on University. Take University across Ridge Road then take first left at Gaymont. Gaymont to River then downo South Ridge. Take Westham Station to shopping center then UR entrance, etc.

5 Mile: Robbins Parking lot to University to Westham. Take fork to the right then cross to Sunset. Take Sunset across Ridge to (Ma)Holmes. Take Holmes to Ziontown. Ziontown to Ralston, then first left to University. Take right on Gaymont then (see above).

6 Mile: Robbins Lot to Lakewood, Lakewood to Wood then Waveny. Left on Westham. Right on Lindsay, left on Forest, right on Ridge, then left on Ziontown then (see 5 miler).

Saab abides

Seventeen scintillating scalawags waited for instructions this morning, and then they came. Summit was the call, trying to resurrect a route from a few months back with some modifications. See above for the pic of the 6 mile route.

Route
– head west, across the bridge, down the gravel path and across to University
– University to left on Ralston
– Right on River, staying on the sidewalk
– Right on E Glenbrooke Circle
– Left on W Glenbrook Circle
– Right on Summit to the top
– 4s return the same route (closer to 4.3)
– 5s take a right at the bottom of Summit to continue on Glenbrook and complete the loop
– 6s follow the 5s but then take a left on Twin Lake (not Twin Team)
– Twin Lake turns to Melwood. Left on Charnwood.
– Say hey to Honeydo then left on Shadow
– Left on Twin Lake
– Right on Twin Lake
– Left on Glenbrooke circle, compete the loop then head back home

Moleskin
Plenty of just in time arrivals today, enough that many missed instructions. There were enough there to hear the 4/5/6 route that it was left a surprise to others.

Plenty of hills out there today boys. Hills and darkness. The world can be a beautiful place when not distracted by our creations.

Announcements
– Wedding Singer created a write in candidate for best group for the Monument 10k. If you sign up, add yourself to the F3RVA group
– Healing place is meeting at 730 after dogpile for 3 miles this week. See TYA for inspiration.

YHC fumbled through the prayer today. Apologies to all but my thoughts weren’t clear today. Next time.

Oh, and read Marv’s backblast from last Friday. Casting call for lead roles in the made for TV version will begin next week.

See ya.

– Splinter

The 1/21 SpiderRun had a very old school feel to it. A hearty crew of 19 veterans set out in the low 20s weather to jaunt around the Greater Tuckahoe Area. Here’s the thang…

Lap around the lake (Heading towards the baseball field). Back at the flag hang a right on Richmond Way and then a right up the hill. At the top of the hill, jump on College Ave towards Boatright. Head down Boatright past the football stadium (on the left) and all the way to Lakewood. We then go to a modified Fudd Run.

Lakewood to Wood…hang a right on Wood.

The 4s—Wood to a right on Baldwin. Baldwin kind of winds around, it turns into Hampshire, then a quick minute on Horsepen then Ridge Top. (The QIC now looking on googlemaps how this could be easily messed up. He apologizes) Anyway, RidgeTop to Chandler. Right on Chandler…all the way to the top of Chandler. Back down to Gardiner. Left on Gardiner, then through the bridge/natural area. Back on Boatright to College Ave. College Ave to the parking lot by Pitt Field. Then back to the flag. (Sorry Singer, my problem was that I was looking at Bleeder when giving directions and he seemed to know exactly what I was talking about).

The 5s….The 5s take the right on Wood. Then left on Baldwin. Then right on Westham and take that all the way to Woodberry. Woodberry hits Horsepen. Horsepen to Devon. Right on Devon, right on Ridgetop. Left on Chandler. Back down to Gardiner. Left on Gardiner, then through the bridge/natural area. Back on Boatright to College Ave. College Ave to the parking lot by Pitt Field. Then back to the flag.

The 6s….The 6s go across Westham and stay on Baldwin. Marv picks up Onions. Right on Rock Creek. Rock Creek merges into Sweet Briar, Sweet Briar to Woodberry. Woodberry hits Horsepen. Horsepen to Devon. Right on Devon, right on Ridgetop. Left on Chandler. Back down to Gardiner. Left on Gardiner, then through the bridge/natural area. Then right on Boatright all the way to the top to Three Chopt. Back down Boatright. College Ave to the parking lot by Pitt Field. Then back to the flag.

The QIC didn’t tell the quicker 6s about the Boatright detour…again, on him.

Hope everyone pulls for those VCU Rams this weekend.

Whose roads these are I think I know
Ten men with TYA thinking he was the bro;
Splinter trumps, all PAX belt out a cheer
Intervals were the way to geaux.

Turning left up Ridgeway to the top we steer
Three times repeating YHC commandeered
Roads were a river, almost a lake
Difficult, but not quite Mount Rainier.

Back down Roselawn, we jiggle, we shake
TYA glasses turned opaque.
Only two times up that Roselawn heap
Then turn right for goodness sake.

Three times up Toana and nary a peep,
U-Turn down Campus needing a Jeep,
Two times up Bostwick before I sleep,
Two times up Bostwick before I sleep.

Fourteen able bodied gentlemen gathered just in time for instructions to today’s edition of Spider Run. Moon Pie appeared just in time to hear instructions that made no sense. Regardless, off we went for a relatively error-free route that included:

The Route
4 milers – Head west towards the baseball field, up in front of the Robins Center and left on College. Right on Lakewood. Right on Wood. Left on Beechwood. Left on Westham. Cross River and head down South Ridge. Left on Westham Station and work your way back to the commons via the main entrance on River Road.

5 milers – same as 4s except add the down and back Ross after you cross over River.

6 milers – same as 4s except add the Cameron to Culpeper jug handle before heading down and back Ross. Also add Old Bridge to Highland on Westham Station.

Very few announcements then YHC took us out while making sure the seals heard our prayer.

Moleskin
Relatively uneventful Spider Run today. Very methodical execution from the PAX. Hitchhiker is building towards something as he ran from his house to Spider Run and then back. TClaps for seriously putting in the miles these days.

Six mile chatter centered around snow sports and the desire (or lack thereof) to participate. The steeds lost me on Highland and YHC was left with his thoughts the rest of the way.

Lug keeps pushing it too. He added Ross but didn’t quite see the bottom.

Swirly wore his favorite shirt but that didn’t keep him from getting temporarily misguided on Ross.

Welcome Moon Pie to his first Spider Run (YHC believes). Upon declaring his name during pre-run introductions, Hitchhiker came out of the blue and asked if Moon Pie had ever been to China. Stealing a line from the #daville regulars, “As usual, I have no idea what that means.”

Have a blessed day gentlemen. See you on Slack.

Splinter

A dirty dozen turned out for the last spider run of the year. The following routes were a little bit heavy on distance and carried a fair amount of elevation:

4 milers: Ridgeway to Fairview to Iris. Cross Three Chopt and head toward Grove. Take Grove and make a right at Oak. Take Oak to Cary and return.

5 milers: Ridgeway to Fairview to Iris. Cross Three Chopt and head toward Grove. Take Grove and make a right at Oak. Take Oak to Cary. Cross Cary to Hillcrest. Run to bottom of (West) Hillcrest and return.

6 Milers: Ridgeway to Roselawn to Campus Drive. Cross Three Chopt and head toward Grove. Take Grove and make a right at Oak. Take Oak to Cary. Cross Cary to Hillcrest. Run W/E Hillcrest loop adding Charmian-to-Pocahontas loop.

Saab abides

A dirty dozen descended upon the U of R basin to take in a holiday light tour by way of the Mt Henrico. Distances ranged from 4, 5, and 6 miles…7 miles if you are equipped with Faceplant’s knowledge of RVA residential road signage.

A hearty welcome to our FNG Mad Dog.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Saab abides…when able.

Eleven 12 Days of Christmas dodgers huddled, backs to the lake, to avoid the lake effect wind. Today was YHCs gift to the PAX, extra miles to push ourselves heading into the holiday season. After BT confused Saab with references to Bavaria, YHC gave instructions, which went something like this:

The Route
Everyone head over the bridge in front of the Commons, left up towards the Chapel and right on UR drive. Continue to River, left on River, cut through the shopping center, right on Huguenot and across the bridge. Loop around to Riverside, left on Riverside, right towards Flatwater, left on Riverside.

4 milers – continue on Riverside and turn around at Rivercrest for an advertised 4.5 mile route.

5 milers – continue on Riverside until it turns to Hickory. Stop when you get to Cherokee and return the same way for an advertised 5.5 mile route.

6 milers – continue across Cherokee, right on Rustic. Left when that ends, left when that ends, left when that ends and return via Hickory and Riverside for an advertised 6.5 mile route.

Numbers, names, pause for a brief announcement from Saab (that never came) and then YHC took us out.

Moleskin
YHC wanted to push it a little this morning so apologies to the PAX for dragging you along my desire to do more. Pushing beyond our normal distances is good from time to time to see what you body, and mind, can tolerate.

Routes were a little shorter than advertised but still longer than normal. A feat not often realized by the PAX today.

Lockjaw has the Q for RAMM Friday. What could he have in store???

You are looking live at an unseasonably warm December day on the campus of the University of Richmond. This morning, fourteen men, and an energetic K-9, have gathered by the duck pond of one of the Southeast’s most expensive universities. Over the next 45 minutes, they will motivate themselves to run for forty-five, yes, forty-five consecutive minutes…beginning right here at 5 Richmond Way, and ending right here at 5 Richmond Way.

Some of these men will decide to run six miles. Other’s four. Another group will trundle for five miles.

But the story of the day is the addition of a two year old mixed breed, aptly named Onions. Onions will not start with the PAX, but there’s no doubt that she’ll finish with them and drag MARV along with him…down the hill from Baldwin.

It’s a tremendous atmosphere here among the trees of the University of Richmond…we’ll take a break, when we come back, we’ll start the race, the race we call Spider Run.

The Thang

Start at Richmond Way. Take a right at the baseball field…for the fours & fives…left between Robins Center and Football Stadium…for the 6s right beyond the right field wall of the baseball field.

Everyone left on college…right on Lakewood…left on Westham…right on University.

4s get to Ralston from University and then turnaround and double back.

5s and 6s take a left on Ralston, run by the Grinch Christmas Mobile to River Road. 5s turn around and double back from River Road.

6s take a right on River, then a left at Windsor on the James. Take the “first class loop” all the way around their neighborhood (commented that there weren’t a lot of Christmas lights on).

6s double back but take a left on Ridge. Then Right on Rock Creek. Right on Baldwin. That’s when we stopped to grab MARV’s Onions. Baldwin across Westham and then across Wood…cut through Fraternity Row, back to the Flag via the Robins Center parking lot where more people had the chance to caress MARV’s Onions.

6s Coversation Topic of the day–Rodents of different sizes. Humor Genes.

A dirty dozen descended upon U of R to see what happens when the Q-sheet is left open. YHC chose his favorite, fabled 5 fingers route.

Although I counted 3 who covered the route exactly as prescribed, I learned something today…it doesn’t matter the order of the fingers – just that you get them all in.

Great work today fellas.

Saab abides (when able)