#F3Swift – Get that breath up

#F3Swift – Get that breath up

10 PAX unceremoniously launched into the gloom at 0515 from the Vine Restaurant and the Ballantyne AO.

The THANG:

• Mosey to Ballantyne Commons by the way of Pei Wei / Starbucks strip to pop out at Stonehenge.  Wait for traffic to clear, but jogging in place avoided. Proceed Frogger style across 521.
• At 1.0mi, arrive at backside of Metlife for some warm-ups of high knees, butt kicks, A-skip, B-skip, toe walking, heel walking, stride it out down to N. Community House.
• 3minutes at I-pace (defined by Jack Daniels as 2mi Race pace / VO2max / Interval pace at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator) followed by 2 minute recovery jog to regroup.
• Repeato
• Repeato
• Repeato
• Repeato
• Mosey back to COT… wait, Q-jacked by Strange Brew – one more 3min interval for a total of six.
• Now, mosey back to COT.
• Finish right at 0615 as Bagpipe pretending to go for extra credit.
• Minimum ~5.0 according to Strava for Spinner (https://www.strava.com/activities/243581114) and Wing(space)man (https://www.strava.com/activities/243566370)

Moleskin:

• The last time we did this pace, we only took on a dose of 2min.  Upping to 3min doesn’t seem like a big jump on the first interval, but it really accumulates during 2nd and 3rd interval.  The goal of running at your VO2max is to get your body the maximum work at the highest level that it can efficiently turn breath into energy (there are more scientific ways to say it – go here).  Extending these out eventually to 4 or 5min is key to getting the hard work in, but avoiding the full-on hurt and muscle soreness (lactic acid buildup) that an all out sprint could bring.  With an almost equal recovery at I-pace, the heartrate should come back down from 97-100% of your Max heartrate before starting the next one.
• “If the purpose is to hurt, then go out real fast.” – The purpose of these workouts is NOT to hurt.  It’s to run at a target pace based on your current fitness level and get the maximum benefit without working too hard.  It Hurts = working too hard.  It’s Hard = right where you want to be.
• North Community House has a great wide line and only an occasional car going to cut the grass at the Ballantyne Resort golf course.  It also has mild elevation changes.  Not insignificant for sure based on the effort it takes to come back up from 485 towards Ballantyne Commons, but not severe hills that allow a great groove.  Even with mild changes, you’ll naturally notice it’s easier sometimes to run downhill.  Make sure you keep the effort the same.  Downhill will be faster than target, uphill will take it back.  Strava uses Grade Adjusted Pace to compare the actual speed to the effort, for it gives you credit for a faster pace run uphill, but it does take it away for backing off on a downhill.  Again, focus on effort.
• On the way back in, the intersection at 521 wasn’t as much of a problem as during the Army Fitness Test and getting hung up on a timed 5 mile run, but it would be nice to avoid it.  Running the “back” way (Lochness, Lance building, Ballantyne Corporate Pl) would only add about 0.5mile, so we will have to keep it in mind.
• Welcome to Site FNG Cheddar, and he is a strong addition to the Swift crew.  Think he’s already being poached for a BRR team…
• Kotters to Spinner.  Speed is still there, but the endurance will come back more slowly.
• Stump Hugger pronounced at COT that he was light headed.  Could be dehydration (yes, even in cold weather) or just working hard.  Not good to feel foggy, so keep an eye on that.
• Strange Brew fashion report – short sleeves with Jazz hand gloves ala Diego Costa. Nice getting everyone’s goat on the last interval. #Cobains to everyone else.
• Haggis fashion report – funky hat sans kilt.
• Abacus was out laying down the miles for the upcoming team Chepul Hill’s 5K and/or 10K dominance.  Join the good cause that would be a great test before the Spring Mud Run.  http://f3nation.com/2015/01/16/race-to-raise-funds-for-brain-tumor-research-march-21/
• Honeybee motivated YHC to finish the last 3min interval strong by just quietly blowing by a slumped over form on the side.  Thanks for not spitting.
• Wing_man vs. Wing(space)man vs. Wingman.  It’s almost like merkins vs. merkens.  One of the great debates of our time.
• A healthy Outback is not Down Under anymore.  Never was exactly, but that’s a story for another time.
• Thank you men.  Always grateful when someone follows YHC out of the lot to put in the speedwork alongside me.