Swifter, Higher, Stronger

Swifter, Higher, Stronger

Faster, Higher, Stronger – Let’s try to get Faster overall (better endurance) by running some Higher minute intervals to build our Stronger lungs and heart for more capacity.  In the end, 19 PAX set out on a brisk 45 degree Tuesday morning to get in some speedy distance intervals.  Most PAX got in about 6 miles for a good bit of running in an hour.

Preblast:

Preblast – Citius, Altius, Fortius

The THANG:

• 0500 – the usual early crew of Depth Charge, Atlas, and Wild Turkey were joined by a Woodson and a Swedish Chef.  Apparently Frasier just couldn’t keep up with the pace, and tried desperately to catch up the whole time.
• 0515 – 18 of the PAX set out, and despite the recommendation for an optional shortcut, everyone figured they needed to cover 1.35 miles in 10:00 or less (under 8:00 pace) as a warm-up.  Not sure this was the wisest decision for all the PAX, but a straggling Das Boot made sure the six was in.
• 0525 – got in our warm-up drills from the back porch of the Met Life building down to North Community House, and were ready to commence the intervals of the day.
• 0530ish – 5min Interval at I-pace (read the Preblast above for the purpose of the workout), 4min recovery to regroup the PAX.
• 5/4
• 4/3
• 4/3
• 0600ish – Head towards COT and give the PAX optional two more intervals of
• 3/2
• 3/2
• 0615:59 – COT at the Vine

Moleskin:

• Again, read the Preblast linked above for the purpose of the workout and pacing guidelines.  Despite a slightly downhill interval 1 and 3, and back up the opposite way for intervals 2 and 4, these should have been evenly paced at an effort that is bringing the Heartrate to near maximum.  At this level and time of interval, you are able to still clear the lactic acid from your muscles, but you’re working at an effort level simply described as “Hard”.  If you start off too quickly on Interval #1, then you suffer on later intervals and don’t get the maximum benefit of running at that Interval pace
• Haggis listened!  Despite running many workouts as hard as he can, and doing quite well most of the time, a restrained Haggis seemed to follow his personal pacing target and ran a very solid effort.  And still had his 2nd and 3rd fastest times run over a segment he’s done countless times.  A testament to the shape he is in, but also to getting the point of the workout as being consistent.  Looking at Strava’s GAP (Grade Adjusted Pace), his intervals were all paced within :12/mi of each other.  I feel that elusive 5K goal is going down soon.
• Prohibition came back for more!  What seemed like a post-BRR fluke, he’s bringing his efforts a bit southwest on Tuesdays of late, but knocking out the workouts like a seasoned Pro.  He actually got faster as we went along.  Either more in the tank that he didn’t know about, or was just sandbagging like a Pro.
• Guess Pro must have just been following in Frasier’s footsteps, for Frasier just got faster and faster and faster.  Barely missing out on a Course Record segment that even JRR Tolkien would have a hard time stalking, it didn’t seem like any bridge, darkness, or hill could slow him down.
• Citgo’s 5:30/mi pace average for his intervals was just uncounciously fast.  Tugging at the heels of Frasier the whole way.
• Great to have Swedish Chef join the interval crew at Swift.  Way to jump right in on the pre-run and find a sneaky way to get in over 6? miles (though I can’t tell because he divided the pre-run, workout, and cooldown into 3 different activities to shoot himself up on the F3southcharlotte leaderboard – don’t know who would do such a thing) in a morning.
• Wingman didn’t fartsack.  He was there.  Promise.  Check Strava, but beware of his computer skills to fake a time and route.  Still not sure about it, but it did look like he was one of the few that ran the “uphill” segment as fast as the “downhill” segment.  Impressive.
• Cheddar found his way back and didn’t lead a crew to find lost golf balls this time.  His loss, our gain.
• A high mileage Enron has turned into a sneaky fast Enron.  Guess there’s something to be said for training the right way, getting a lot of time on your feet, but still being able to increase your turnover and be fast.
• Wild Turkey just turned up in a twerking video, thought I’d mention that.