Tag: Spider Run

19 runners posted to Spider Run, including many summer tourists. The clock struck 0530 and off we went with the New Market crew and others filing in the back door.

4-mile route was out Westhampton Way and UR Drive to River Road, across the shopping center parking lot and across the bridge. Turnaround at the end of the bridge (no ramps) and retrace your steps and finish with a lap around the lake.

5-milers – across the lake and down the trail to Campus Drive and across and up University. Left on Westham Pkwy and across River to Country Squire. Left on S. Ridge and follow along Westham Station to the bridge. Across the bridge and run the cloverleaf ramp and back to the flag via UR Drive and Westhampton Way.

6-milers start with a loop up Gateway Rd by the b-school and down Richmond Way and then follow the 5-mile route.

COT, Number-rama, Name-a-rama and YHC took us out.

Announcements:

• HDHH tomorrow 6:00 p.m. run; 6:45 fellowship at Palani Drive
• Puppy Pile 6/30
• Amateur Hour at RAMM Gears this Friday
• No Excuses Workout in DaVille this Saturday 0730 – see Spit, The Carpenter or Phonics for details
• Shakedown is bald – well done sir and well done PAX for supporting a great cause.

NMS:

New Market Crew (Honeymoon, Wilson, Marmaduke and Cerano), Doozy and Phonics all out on a summer tour. Honeymoon, sorry for leaving you behind at the start. Great crew this morning.

We finally made it out of the trail on a Gumbo-led Spider Run (thanks Swirly), so maybe I’ll come up with a different route for next time. But I do love running down by the river back off of S. Ridge and Westham Station.

A little chaos at the start but Saab and Doozy course-corrected and all was good. Great run fellas.

No More Gumbo For You…until The Forge!

A lucky 13 presented themselves at UR Commons to take-in the mild elevation surrounding the campus.

Route: Starting at the commons, run up toward campus entrance and take the following roads “UP” toward Three Chopt: Boatwright, Bostwick (dead end), Old Mill, Campus Drive, (then down Towana), Roselawn. 4 Milers return on Ridgeway. 5/6’s take Ridgeway to Fairlawn and go up Tapoan. 6’s then go up Iris.

Moleskin: With the BRR coming this fall, YHC wanted to introduce a little hill work. While there may be some tweaking to come, I hope it proved to be somewhat of a challenge for all. (YHC was quite please about the complaints he received afterward…)

Saab abides

Well, if you made this far into the backblast, the title must have caught your eye!

15 strong posted for a version of Splinter’s Countryside Lollipop ROUTE which felt great this morning in the 50 degree gloom. 0528 and the PAX were given instructions for the 4 and 5 miles routes. YHC had already revealed to Saab the 6 mile route via text yesterday, so he could lead them on the long distance run. 0530, let’s go!

4 Mile Route: Around the lake via the trail to a left onto College. Immediate right onto University. University across Westham and Ridge and up to Ralston. Right onto Ralston, immediate left back onto University. At the end of University, run up the driveway that turns into a trail that comes out onto Roslyn Hills. Go right up the hill to September and then turn around and backtrack to the VSF

5 Mile Route: Same as 4 except turn left onto September which turns into Countryside. Come down Countryside and hang a left onto Ruggles Rd. At end of Ruggles, turn left onto Roslyn Hills and venture back to trail and return to VSF.

6 Mile Route: Same as 5 except do not turn onto Ruggles. Stay straight on Countryside until it ends at River Road. Left onto River Rd. Left onto Charnwood. Right onto Standish. Left onto Roslyn Hills. Back onto trail and return to VSF, but adding a jaunt to the footbridge and back to get 6 miles in.

Numberama, Namearama, Announcements and YHC took us out!

Announcements:

Summer Tour is in full swing, except it didn’t feel like Summer this morning.

Next HDHH/Roller Coaster run is going to be Wednesday, June 19th at 6pm. Palani Drive rear parking lot. Run hills at 6pm. HDHH at 6:45pm. Great chance to check off two Summer Tour items, albeit, one is extra credit(HDHH). ***NOTE THE TIME CHANGE***

Independence Day Convergence is on Thursday, July 4th at 7am at Tredegar, just like Memorial Day.

NMS:

Lots of PAX members got turned around this morning. “If you haven’t been lost, turned around or second guessed yourself at a Spider Run, then have you really been to a Spider Run??”

Lug Nut continues to absolutely crush runs and boot camps day after day. He got in over 5 miles this morning and is looking slimmer than ever. Well done!

The 4-Pack of 6 milers (Saab, Sippy Cup, Marv and Faceplant had a slight jaunt on a busy River Road but made it through safely and smoked it on the way back.

Glad to have Prohibition from North Carolina run with us this morning. Well done!

Comments were made after COT that the Seal Team’s version of PuppyPile was in progress this morning around the lake. Someone called it “Kiddie Seals” or was it “Kitty Seals”? It may have been “Baby Seals”? Not sure, but all are good names.

YHC enjoyed finally getting back out to Spider Run and leading you fine men this morning. Please don’t forget the sacrifices that were made 75 years ago this Thursday as the Greatest Invasion ever planned and completed began. D-DAY!

Kubota

Eleven runners of The Gloom met up on the shores of Spider Lake to conquer Mount Henrico. 5:28, route was described (badly), 5:29 Saab’s corrections were noted, and 5:30 the PAX was off. Temps were sunny and 70. Really.

Good mix of 6, 5, and 4 mile runners.

Number-am-a, Name-a-Rama, YHC took us out.

Announcements:

Convergence – yesterday. If you missed it, July 4 Convergence. Same location.

Puppy Pile Saturday at 7:05 a.m.

HDHH in mid-June

NMS: With Rosie making an appearance (Summer Tour?), Faceplant and Saab had a new rabbit to chase, and the threesome shot out like a cannonball. Boom! Swirly was not far behind, with Hutton close by. YHC was next for a bit, with Swiper catching up long enough for a courtesy hello before Swiper returned to his normal, well-faster than YHC pace. Lockjaw joined YHC and kept me going for a shorter than normal route. YHC’s directions were so bad that Toto and Bleeder smartly came up with their own route.

Good to see Rosie and other Summer Tourists out today. Way to earn your 0.1 point for attending a workout with Lockjaw present, but not the Q!

Days are getting longer and the Pax is converging earlier, trying to get a glimpse of the gloom.

YHC called the route and off we went. A charming route up Boatwright, a stroll down Patterson, and the meandering curves of Westham Parkway. Each route distance had a different exit off of the Pwky with a return to the VSF.

Swirly took us out.

The Moleskin

It was great to see the Pax today. Despite Labrat sans shoes and TYA shirtless and soaking, Swirly did a great COT. Quote of the circle was “I hope those are love handles that I am pinching”. Remember, the shirt is not for you, but for us.

Announcements:

• Memorial Day Convergence – Monday – Tredegar – Unless anyone has called otherwise, 6:00?
• May Puppy Pile…..June 1. (Why not call it the June Puppy Pile? Whoever is Q needs a calendar.)

Too much time tapering. Time to run.

Lockjaw

Sixteen wandering Westhamers promptly departed from the Commons at 5:29, leaving behind at least 1 just-in-time PAX member to locate the crew. TYA inquired and everyone was excited when YHC announced his claim of the Q. Off we went:

The Route

• West around the baseball field, left on College, right on Lakewood
• 4 milers right on Wood, right on Hampshire (whoops, Baldwin), across to Ridge Top, stopping at Chandler
• 5 milers right on Wood, right on Westham, right on Woodberry, right on Horsepen, left on Devon, right on Ridge Top, stop at Chandler
• 6 milers continue on Lakewood to a right on Westham, right on Woodberry, right on Horsepen, left on Devon, right on Ridge Top, stop at Chandler

Stop for intervals on Chandler. 1 minute up at high intensity and 1:45 down for recovery. Complete anywhere from 3-5 intervals depending on arrival time.

Follow Ridge Top back towards campus with a quick jog through fraternity row before returning back to VSF.

Moleskin
Apologies to the 4 mile crew for mislabeling the right on Hampshire. It should have been a right on Baldwin which turns into Hampshire. Thus, some of our PAX didn’t make it to Chandler on time. Eventually everyone but 2 showed up to enjoy the intervals.

Many thanks to our elder statesman for demonstrating what proper running attire is for a cool 50°F.

Announcements

• Donate to Shakedown to support childhood cancer. See him for more details
• Puppy Pile on 6/1, “the last Saturday in May”
• Memorial Day convergence on, you guessed it, Memorial Day
• Summer Tour challenge starts on the actual last Saturday in May. Check out the google sheets doc for details. You can even request a patch.

Splinter out.

YHC called a new route with a 4.4 mile core and bolt on mileage for 5s and 6s.

Out the River Road entrance and cross in front of the shopping center. Take Westham Station up to Country Squire and cross River Rd. Now on Westham Pkwy, take it about a mile and a right on Baldwin.

Find the gate in the fence and cut through the fraternities, cross the parking lot behind the ball field, and drop down to the lake. Take a right at the lake and complete a partial counter-clockwise loop of the lake for 4.4. 5s and 6s do another lap of the lake with 6s then finishing with a climb to the main entrance and dropping down the wishbone on the other side.

BT took us out.

Lockjaw Out

14 road/bridge warriors (including 5 men worthy of our RESPECT given LugNut’s recent induction) posted to SpiderRun this morning. Some posted early only to find the “facilities” unavailable…cruel! Everyone knows Gumbo loves the bridge so it is out Westhampton Way and UR Drive across the bridge and down Riverside Drive as far as you can in 23 minutes…back in 22. GO!

The PAX set out in a mass and stuck largely together for a while, but Saab moved up to the front as we exited campus and lit a fire under the sandbagging 6-milers.

Swirly was laser focused and setting a blazing pace this morning…taking the focus off of the inner turtle yearning to be released. Will power!

YHC enjoyed the run and chat with Splinter. We haven’t caught up in a while and don’t get many opportunities to run together. Thanks for staying with me and pulling me along. No way I go 5.4 without trying to keep up with you. Now, this is where the 1:10 ratio comes in – I swear it was 1 Splinter stride for 10 Gumbo steps.

Great morning for a run fellas. Thanks for posting.

Announcements:

• F3RVA Field Day – May 11 – get ready and HC to your Team Leaders – Any SOJers who will be there, drop Gumbo a text or let me know this week at a workout. I have the Q at SOT and Timberwolf so you know where to find me.
• Prayers for a friend of BT’s whose M recently passed away at the young age of 47. Every day is precious men. Believe it!

No More Gumbo For You!

A sweet sixteen of RVA’s Pax came out to experience a flat run around a lake. Instead it was uphill both ways.

YHC called the Kingpin route and off we went.

Take the secret trail up Roselawn to Towana and hang a right on the access road in front of Three Chopt. Take a left on Grove and a right on Granite to Cary. A quick left and immediate right on Tempsford. Begin running down the hill.

4s turn around at the Y. 5s do both legs. 6s do both legs twice.

Retrace your steps home.

TYA took us out to redeem himself for opening remarks and put the world back in balance.

Announcements:

• Puppy Pile – This Saturday @ 7:05. 2.0 friendly workout.
• Convergence Camp Out – September 21 – Not a 2.0 or FNG friendly event.

ABT,

Lockjaw

Fourteen noble steeds emerged from their chariots eagerly awaiting a Splinter Q. Everyone huddled around before YHC asked, “who has the Q”. Upon realization of YHCs negligence, we settled upon Mount Henrico. Off we went with little instructions and only the simple question, “do you know where you are going?”

4s, 5s, and 6s were bountiful. Huddle up for numbers, names and TYA insisted on taking us out with his recommendation not to rely on GPS. Good thing it wasn’t designed for military use where precision is important. Saab appropriately interjected with his support for high priced athletic tracking gear.

Moleskin
Apologies to the group for not having something more elaborate planned. YHC takes pride in proper preparation and for some reason did not look at the Q sheet yesterday. Had there been even a few minutes more, something else could have been called. I wonder what that could have been? Be forewarned, next time there will be ample planning.

I am just glad that everyone loves my running routes. They may not be in Lockjaw territory, but the grin on Saab’s face when he hopped out of the car in anticipation of directions (which never came) gave me solace that I must be doing something right.

Announcements

• Awesome news but prayers continue for Toto’s family
• PuppyPile will make is re-emergence Saturday 4/27 at 7:05AM. Marv has the Q. If you see him, be sure to remind him of this fact.
• Congrats to TYA on his recent accomplishments and PR with the 50k.

Big Data wasn’t watching very well today.