Monthly Archive July 2016

Running out of Gas? Then switch to Citgo

Tuesday’s morning speedfest took on new ground on June 28th.  With a PREBLAST hinting of a workout we haven’t seen for a while, it was sure to bring something new.

The THANG:

• 0500 – Prerun over new ground to find our “track” for the workout later.  Sure confused some of the PAX that are used to the normal 1.3mi turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right, ….
• 0515 – Pickup the rest of the PAX right after 05:15:00.01 to leave the Vine and head back out to our track called “Brixham Green” – around the buildings Brixham Green One and Two – here is a BCP Map – http://www.bissellleasing.com/content/uploads/2016/04/ballantyne-corporate-park-map.pdf.
• 0530 – Having finished the dynamic warm-up exercises and shown the PAX the loop, we hand out the instructions of the workout –
• 5minutes at Threshold Pace (calculated at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator), 1minute Rest.  First interval run around Brixham Green Counter Clock Wise, Second interval is back Clockwise, Third interval CCW, etc.
• Stated goal in the PreBlast and at the start of the workout was 6, but after 2 intervals, 6 seemed like a bit ambitious for the first one of these workouts in a while.  We adjusted to 5 total (25 minutes of running at a pace normally run in a race lasting an hour), and it seemed sufficient.  Always best to leave at lease a little fuel in the tank, even though there was barely any left as it was.
• Long 10 minute+ cooldown back around the Brixham Green, pass by the cars at least once with a headfake, pull around the Starbucks circle, back around a building, and finally pull into the lot just before the Bagpipers.

The Moleskin:

• Brixham Green is mostly flat, about 0.5 miles around, devoid of most traffic, minimal speedbumps (and has clear passage to the side of each one), and just might make another appearance.  Perhaps starting at the corner was a little odd, so that could be one thing that we change.
• One the first interval, there’s a newer PAX running with the lead group and seemingly taking it easy.   He doesn’t back down after the first two intervals.  He pulls away on the third and fourth intervals.  He questions how many we’re actually doing because perhaps he has more in the tank than the rest of us.  Turns out he does have the right kind of fuel in the tank, he’s Citgo.
• Before we get going, a dilligent PAX who reads all Preblasts, Backblasts, Tweets, and Slack updates asks a question about the pace we’re running.  Just clearing it up, it’s Threshold Pace.  And on the end of the workout, Q makes a call to meet back at the start.  Most of the PAX regroup, wait for the rest of the PAX, look around the corners of the building, wait some more, and finally go jogging back around to the start.  We find two PAX there and one of them asked, didn’t you say meet at the start?  He’s Wingman.
• Never been one to ask about Pace or Heartrate, one of the PAX asks at the beginning of the workout what the Heartrate range for Threshold pace should be.  Q answers 88-92% of Max HR.  As the workout progresses, said PAX is giving his all, staying in the lead pack with Citgo and Honeybee, exuberantly passing PAX on the “even” runs in the opposite direction, and then complains that his HR is not coming back down on the recoveries.  Even at Citgo’s suggestion to save it for the last intervals, this PAX keeps charging hard.  At the end of the workout, the Q realizes that the target HR should be 82-88… Maybe it would have mattered, but probably not.  This PAX charges hard every time.  He’s Haggis.
• There were some groups that formed today, but many PAX found the effort to grind it out mostly solo as the PAX spread out after the start of the odd intervals, good regrouping on the even intervals.  NardDog and Scabby, both newer to the Swift workout, were some of those that toughed it out solo.  So was Abacus.  But in Abacus’s case it may have been due to the sweat poring down and flying off his hands with each gliding stride – don’t get in the splashzone.  It was a sweaty morning out there.  Many PAX went shirtless, but some just like to be blanketed in a sheet of sweaty material.  No shame in just ripping off the shirt to show off the ice-cream roll, but is it more effective for heat regulation?  Believe it or not, it’s shown to increase peak performance by 5% (or not).  Look it up Here and Here.
• Well done PAX!  These longer Threshold Pace Intervals will start to pay dividends for BRR and Fall Marathons.  They will likely make the workout every 3 weeks or so.

Announcements:

• Spots are open on Ragnar Relay teams – this is a trail run in Fort Mill in October.  See JRR Tolkien for details.