Laps of the Skating Rink

Laps of the Skating Rink

Not worrying about a little cold air or ice, 17 PAX took to the streets of the Ballantyne Corporate Park to get in some speedwork on a crisp January morning.

The THANG:

• Read the PreBlast = http://f3nation.com/2017/01/09/preblast-speed-pyramid
  • (Trying to generate more clicks to make myself feel more important…)
• Pre-run had 5-7 PAX, and YHC arrived just in time to see them scampering away like cockroaches.  Someone noted a headache after staying awake to watch Climpson game until the end of the 3rd quarter, but everyone else at least got a little more sleep (which is probably still less than they need).
• Otherwise, PreBlast was followed about 90% of the way, improvised on the last set of 4×200 where some PAX should have gotten in about 2x30sec intervals, and some perhaps got in 2 or 3 more 200s on a recon mission.
• COT after Bagpipe since we were running a tad late.

The Moleskin:

• YHC has made it three straight mornings in these temperatures, and thought the clothing was figured out, but just turns out that it was just warmer this morning by about 10 degrees and it was dumb luck on wardrobe choice.  It was so warm that at least Haggis and Honeybee didn’t find a need to wear full leg coverings (and Honeybee accused Haggis of not being tough enough because of Haggis’s long socks).
• A few touches of ice on the Bull Ring this morning had the PAX scattering a few times, but after a while PAX just either didn’t care or tried to do a Blades of Glory Triple Lutz.  The Russian Federation judge wasn’t amused and awarded no style points for Haggis’s interpretation of the Triple Lutz.  He did score high on the Baby Bird though.
• Haggis was not feeling great about his early performance of 200s and 400s with Fahvra and Citgo so far out in front, so he found some redemption when pulling away on the 800 and leaving everyone else panting in his wake.
• Fahvra, who evidently has “track speed” from Citgo’s comments, hopefully didn’t find it too lonely at the front and had Citgo to keep him company.  But, from Fahvra’s comments later, his basketball coaches made sure he was never a foot short on full-court suicides, so he really has “court speed” and only the longer distances remain his kryptonite.
• WIld Turkey – Now usually an early bird regular, this bird is becoming more like the speedy road runner than a wild turkey getting big for the dinner table.  While intervals are a good measure of improving fitness, it’s the early run becoming more effortless that’s also a good test, and WT was chatting his head off today.
• Das Boot – squealed into the parking lot along right as the clock turned past 0515, but caught up quickly to the six.  Strava said he put in some top personal efforts for the 800 / 0.5mi, and he’s been on Strava for a while, so that’s a TRUE personal best effort.
• Ringer – Kotters! Work (or downtime), cold, distance were past excuses, but not today?  Way to get out there.  Although you’re lowering our percentage for PAX not on Strava, we’ll let this slide only for a little longer.  Oops – You are on there! 
  
• OneNiner – Three days in a row that YHC has seen OneNiner, but the first day that he didn’t go get coffee and then come back to the workout site just to get a picture for his Strava feed…must have been all of the running for the past few days.
• HoneyBee – Still coming out of semi-retirement following his Boston Qualifier marathon at Kiawah, he’s lost his touch on Garmin control.  Or, he was sleeping in the bushes last night and jumped out, ran across a pond, and joined the pre-run.  Hasn’t lost the speed though.
• NardDog – built like a Tight End, runs like a gazelle.  Operates a Garmin like a CATS/Lynx driver – set it and forget it.  We’ll have to show you the Lap button or figure out why Strava doesn’t show them.
• DepthCharge – welcome as a Swift site FNG!  At the start, had to make sure that he knew this wasn’t an Early Bagpipe start, but he was all in!  Hung with the group all morning, but you would never know it since he was stealthy – has the makings of a Clandestine SOB.
• Hairball – there are rumors that Frasier took out a restraining order on Hairball, for whenever Hairball Qs FastTwitch, Frasier is at Swift, and vice-versa.  Or this may not be true at all and Hairball is just tired of Frasier, or may not be true at all and it’s Beaker that got the restraining order because we noticed he hasn’t joined Hairball at Swift in a while.  Either way, Hairball correctly noted that the ACC went 8-3 in bowl games prior to the National Championship victory by Clemson.  What he forgot to mention was that Tech > Tech (GA over VA that is).
• Bunker – still fan of a poor Vols team that couldn’t quite put it together in the midseason this year – TN > VT early, but USC > TN and Vandy > TN late in the year…he’s riding high from their Music City Bowl victory over the Cornhuskers.  That’s put him back on the running path earlier than expected, and it better since there’s a pesky Ultra relay coming in a couple of short months…
• Madame Tussauds – wait, USC > TN and this is the first that we’re hearing about it?  Work must have been overwhelming or it just slipped past the rest of us.
• Tuck – seems like a while since he’s joined the PAX at Swift, but he’s getting stronger now that he has to travel further from the UnionCounty.  And now he’s giving up Bootcamps to go on more runs!  Must be becoming a runner or just can’t figure out how to fit 9 days of workouts into a 7 day week and still get rest.  Support the daVinci and Stonehenge convergence on 1/20 – 6:30am at Chickfila Blakeney.
• StumpHugger – apparently he wanted to make sure he got extra credit for also being one of the few that wore shorts this morning, for he made sure to bring it up again later.  It wasn’t the great effort that was important, it was that he did the 5 miles with a wardrobe choice that left his legs wind burned #priorities
• Heisman – apparently he got in some hard throws at the TV the night before watching the UA-Clemson game because he was shaking out the shoulder and then heading back a tad early, or he wanted to make sure to update his blog before 6am to tell the sports writers that the Clemson QB deserved the Heisman – otherwise his name was for naught.

Announcements:

• 3rdF Timekeeper continues next week with Leadership book Legacy.  As we read, we’re discussing on Tuesdays at 0630 how we can apply the principles to our lives – whether that’s F3, relationships at home, work, etc.  Great discussion the past two weeks with over 8 PAX attending each week.  Join the #3rdF-Timekeeper Slack channel to get the discussion questions each week.  You’ll even find value in the discussion if you aren’t able to read (Madame Tussaud guarantees no pop quizzes).
• SOBLSD – trail run for long slow distance this week down in Waxhaw / Indian Land on the Carolina Thread Trail from Nesbit Park through the Millbridge and Walnut Creek neighborhoods.  0600 start for multiple paces on the 4 mile (one way, we’ll run out and back for 8 or more) trail.  Bring a headlamp and head over the the #run channel on Slack for details.
• Race Calendar – we’re putting together a Race Calendar integrated to the #run channel that pax can tell others what they are going to SC or HC to. Most PAX on the #run channel should have write capability to add events, but if you don’t, please see Tuck or Bratwurst.