Author Archive Bratwurst

#Preblast – The 400m is the Spice of Speed

Swift will launch at 0515 from the Vine Restaurant lot in Ballantyne on Tuesday.  We’re headed towards Rushmore Dr where the cones will guide us to the start and stop of 400m intervals.  Some will be flat, some will not be flat.  All will be at Repetition Pace / 1 mile Race Pace (find yours here at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator) with an equal distance recovery. Show up early at 0500 for some extra 2nd F Running.

 

 

Back the Basics on the Bull Ring

10 PAX launched at 0515 on Tuesday to get back to some speed and interval basics at the loop around Ballantyne Corporate buildings (13860 – Chandler, 13850 – Hixon, and 13840 – Simmons), otherwise known as the Bull Ring.

The THANG:

  • 0500 – Several PAX head out from the Vine parking area for an early option of 2nd F running.
  • 0515 – 10 PAX head out on a slightly deviated warm-up loop toward the Bull Ring, passing through the Brixham Green (not because Q got distracted, just because…) on the way.
  • 0525 – Warm-up drills with the heels, toes, high knees, butt kicks, and B-skips
  • 0530 – Explain the layout of the Bull Ring with the 200m measurements to the drives in front of the buildings and back at the stop signs.  Workout is promised to be at least 3 rounds, perhaps 4 of:
    • 200m at 1mile race pace (find your pace here from an equivalent race result http://runsmartproject.com/calculator), 200m jog recovery
    • 200m at 1mile race pace, 200m jog recovery
    • 400m at 1mile race pace, jog to regroup the PAX and recover at least 400m
  • time check showed we at least had time for another round, and seeing the Bagpipe PAX fill in to the inside of the Bull Ring validated we had time for the 4th and final round.
  • 0610 – Head back to COT at the Vine.  Elbow plank until the six of Bagpipe is in.
  • 0615 – COT

Moleskin:

  • Great to get back to a regular start time at 0515, but there were still some PAX eager to get started earlier or trying to figure out the weather.
  • Repetition Pace (1 mile race pace) seemed pretty nice on the opening 200m to feel the quicker turnover on the legs, feet, upper body, etc, but YHC was reminded that 400m at that pace is no easy task.  Definitely felt the last two 400m going out of the aerobic zone.
  • Haggis was strong all morning and showing very little outward effects of the mileage of marathon and ultra training.
  • Nard Dog definitely challenging the pace on the intervals and opening up his powerful stride.
  • OneNiner (who says all he can do is run) definitely won the mileage prize for the day by keeping it rolling and never seeming to let up.
  • Can’t just do 200m or Mario would smoke the PAX.  Showed good restraint today, albeit perhaps the last 400m where he was in a heap on the ground afterwards either checking the treads of his shoes or mopping up merlot (which might have been from Haggis).
  • Das Boot perhaps his first taste of #ludicrousSpeed, but we’ll guide the newer PAX towards this Swift, short, and Sweet.
  • Abacus, noticing that the PAX weren’t going to be running a zillion miles, showed up to get the speed in.  #kotters
  • FireHazard and Bunker were there.  They ran.  They got the inside tract.  #insiders
  • Welcome to a Swift FNG, but don’t recall the name at this point.  Stayed well with the group and should be back.

 

#PreBlast – JoeDavisRun 3 weeks to go

The weekly speed workout known as #F3Swift will launch from the Vine Restaurant in Ballantyne at 0515 on Tuesday morning.  There will likely be some PAX out there at 0500 for some Early Bird 2nd F running.

With 3 weeks to go for the 5K or 10K at the Joe Davis Run, we’ll work on getting the legs sharp with some fast turnover speed with 200s and 400s.  No need to program in your watch, we’ll use a measured course on the Bull Ring.

 

PreBlast – Swift taper week

Swift will be back on a normal 0515 schedule from the Vine this week.  Whether you are racing this weekend or in need of some Speed, this week is for you.

The THANG:

  • 0500 – Early Bird option – may not have a big turnout…
  • 0515 – 15min 2nd F pace warm-up over to North Community House
  • 0530 – 4 x 1200 meters at Threshold Pace with 2min Rest (find your personal pace at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator)
  • 0600 – Head back to Vine for COT
  • 0615 – COT

Never Run Alone

10 or so bundled-up PAX launched from the Vine Restaurant in Ballantyne on Tuesday morning with a particular mission in mind – don’t run alone.  Here’s what they accomplished.

The PreBlast:

http://f3nation.com/2016/11/21/preblast-accelerate-and-cruise/

The THANG:

  • 0500 – 7 or 8 Swift and Bagpipe PAX head out for some 2nd F running.  Weird when 0500 seems like a sensible hour…  Do some exercise and warm-up drills in front of the Vine to confuse all those passing by.
  • 0515 – Long Haul rolls into the parking area so we can depart.  10 PAX leave to find the Brixham Green about 0.25mi away.
  • 0520 – short instruction about things you should have read in the PreBlast – continue with a 15min Threshold Pace around the 0.5mi Brixham Green, or keep moving into a 15min Acceleration Run where you pick up the pace every 0.25mi.
  • 0535 – Let’s mosey to do some exploring in Ballantyne.  Easy 2nd F pace up Ben Nevis to Old 521 and back to the Corporate Park captured the better part of 20 minutes.
  • 0555 – 15min Threshold Pace run around the loop of https://www.strava.com/routes/6972020
  • 0610 – Regroup along Ballantyne Corporate and head back to COT

The MoleSkin:

  • First sub freezing temps of the Fall.  As soon as everyone had hats and gloves on, or realized like Frasier that they were underdressed, we headed out.  When the 20 degree temps come in a few weeks, we’ll either be acclimated or frozen like rocks.
  • Frehley’s Comet backblast (excellent and timely I might add) tells me that PigPen was a Swift FNG today.  Alas, we didn’t have PigPen, but we did have Outback.  Not sure that you can confuse the two, so probably just how we mixed it up during COT or FC’s memory clouded by all of the orange-out.
  • WildTurkey is not a NASCAR fan.  YHC takes him for more of a FormulaOne or Rally car racer if he’s actually into that stuff…and there’s nothing wrong with that.  The dude doesn’t like to run in circles, and could be seen backtracking on the Brixham Green during the opening 15min.  HE was holding a respectable “outer lane” in the reverse direction, and YHC has no problems with that.  Running 4 to 5 times around the 0.5mi course without a break was about YHC’s limit as well.  If it hadn’t been for the amazement of Frasier not breathing through his mouth the entire time, or wondering when the sprinklers would come on to make it an ice skating rink, it would have been a pretty boring loop over and over.  Normally, that’s why we try to make the loops either with short intervals to break up the monotony, reverse the direction sometimes, or extend the loop.  NASCAR is declining in popularity, at least among the Swift PAX, perhaps among the general population, because no one likes to go around and around and around unless there’s a pot of gold at the end.
  • TigerRag has been popping his head into Swift a lot more regularly, and seems to be transforming before our eyes from more like a football player with a number in the 50s to a number more like in the 80s.  Never far from his rolling orange foam stick, he’s also dropping T-pace bombs all over the place now.
  • Outback and StumpHugger had a great partnership in the gloom.  Outback has been increasing his mileage quietly for months now, and can be tracked on Strava hitting long runs most weekends. StumpHugger is finding that rhythm again and getting in more consistency.
  • Was it Bunker complained when we headed toward Ben Nevis (hill on Ballantyne Commons westbound toward Old 521)?  The same Bunker that leads the Area51 PAX in mileage run this year?  What’s a little hill going to do to you?  It’s not like we’re running Threshold Pace up the thing!  That’ll be next week when Frasier takes the Q at Swift and decides that the workouts haven’t been hard enough….The only PAX that consistently likes hills is Long Haul.  He downshifts and hits the throttle every hill – no matter if it’s warm-up or workout.  Somebody get that man a Mountain Goat BRR leg!
  • One Niner, who’s all in to the running thing these days, was seen stalking Tiger Rag and Bunker on the opening Threshold Pace run.  Never let them out of his sight, this trio were flying out there and will probably show up to the Joe Davis Run with the intention of getting JRR Tolkien to do 100s of burpees.
  • Someone said that Tuck was at Swift the entire time today.  Wild Turkey even ran next to him most of the morning.  Then how come when the PAX wondered aloud while running if he was actually there we got no response?  Ears muffled by hats?  Tuck was using his Force abilities (my 2.0 says he resembles Kylo Ren)?  He was still working out the logistics of getting the PAX to move his piano to Union County?  No one knows, but he was there, he did run fast, and he did run over 8 miles.  It’s all on Strava so it has to be true – https://www.strava.com/activities/782379208
  • Why do we get up a 5:15, 5:00, or 4:30 to run?  So we don’t have to do it alone.  YHC is thankful for the Swift PAX that have been there every week for almost 2.5 years.  There was probably one day in the beginning where there were only a few, but now there are many PAX to join in the suffering (and frequent elation) of running hard, running long, running laps, running hills, or just plain running.  F3-Swift is a great way to show that you never have to Run alone, may we take that to other areas of our lives and “Never Walk Alone”.

SYITG,

Bratwurst

 

#PreBlast – Accelerate and Cruise

This week will mark a slight return to the more sensible early start times that those of the past 2 weeks.  If you post at regular start time of 0515, you won’t get thrown in to a sudden sprint, and you just have to post at 0500 to get the Early Bird start.

The THANG:

  • 0500 – Early Bird crew starts off from the Vine Restaurant in Ballantyne with 15min easy Running and Drills.
  • 0515 – All PAX leave from the Vine Restaurant in Ballantyne for 5min of Easy running over to the Brixham Green.
  • 0520 – Option 1: recommended for Early crew – 15minutes of Threshold Pace around the Brixham Green.
  • 0520 – Option 2: recommended for 0515 crew – 15minute Acceleration Run which is a run startling at a very Easy pace, and picking it up every segment (or time) to finish the 15minutes near Interval Pace (which is about 30 seconds per mile slower than 1mile Race Pace).  There will be cones approximately every half lap of the Brixham Green, so the cones will be about 400m apart.  Goal to run each 400m 5 seconds faster than the last.  5 seconds per 400m is a 20 seconds of “pace” (minutes per mile) faster.  If starting at a 9:00/mi pace, then drops to 8:40, 8:20, 8:00, 7:40, 7:20, 7:00, 6:40, etc.  Really more about watching your watch is your effort increasing at each cone.  Start slower than you think to give yourself room to increase.
  • 0535 – Group Mosey for 20min to go exploring in Ballantyne.  Easy run.
  • 0555 – Starting on Rushmore on the ~1mi Rushmore / Harney / parking lot loop (route here: https://www.strava.com/routes/6972020) for 15minute Threshold Pace run.  Finish your 15min on Ballantyne Corporate Place (somewhere between Harney and top of the hill) to regroup.
  • 0610 – 5 minute Mosey back to COT.

The Bench Life

12 PAX struck out from the parking area at Marvin Ridge HS into the gloom.  No wait, here’s 13.  Oh man, coming in hot, here’s 14.

The THANG:

  • Circle up with 1 minute to go.  Disclaimer, and we’re off.
  • Mosey up to the top of the hump, Side shuffle back down to the cars to pick up one more PAX.
  • High knees up to the top of the hump.  One more PAX joins in.  Butt kicks down the other side and circle up.
  • Opening COP:
    • Side Straddle Hop – ICx20
    • Imperial Walker – ICx20
    • Merkin – ICx10 – hold it
    • Slow Mountain Climber – IC x 20
    • Low Slow Squat – IC x 20
  • Let’s Mosey up the side of the HS along the main drive.
  • Each Street light up and around the globe we’ll do 5 Hand Release Merkins OYO.  Plank for the Six.
  • Mosey to the long bench between the Tennis Courts.  Find a spot on the Bench.
    • 10 single leg step ups OYO (leg on bench doesn’t come back down).  Flapjack.  Plank for the Six.
    • 10 single leg step ups 1 yard back from the bench OYO (more Hammy).  Flapjack.  Plank for the Six.
    • 10 Burpee Jump ups to the Bench OYO. Plank for the Six.
    • 10 Incline Merkins on the Bench back to a standing position OYO.  Plank for the Six.
    • 20 Dips on the Bench In Cadence.  Recover
    • Stay at the bench and Repeato OYO back through set starting at single leg step ups.  Plank for the Six when done.
  • Mosey to the Football practice field and line-up on the end line.  OYO BLIMP across the field stopping at each light post to progress through:
    • 10 Burpees
    • 20 Lunges (Standing, each leg)
    • 30 Imperial Walkers
    • 40 Mountain Climbers (Single count was called, but double count performed by some PAX was better)
    • 50 Plank Jacks were challenging
    • Plank for the Six
  • Mosey OYO around to Middle School to the porch.  PAX do Plank Jacks until the Six is in.  Circle up for:
    • LBCs IC x 25
    • Single Leg Bridge (not proper form – Q fail) IC x 10 right leg.  Flapjack.
    • Plank Twists IC x 10 (plank position, stack elbows parallel facing opposite directions underneath you, rotate core to side until torso perpendicular to ground with hand on hip).
  • Mosey back to the cars.  Get in some Slalom on the trees down the parking lot.
  • Circle up to run out the time for:
    • Diamond Merkins IC x 10 (almost a Q fail here)
    • On your six for “Chorus Line” IC x 10.  On your six, arms spread out from side (snow angel position), cross 1 leg as far as you can to ground under opposite arm, keep your six on the ground, return to starting position, other leg.
    • Scorpion IC x 10.  On your twelve (?) with your nipples and groin grinding into the asphalt, arms spread out from side as before, basically a reverse of the before with leg crossing toward opposite hand, tap foot to ground as far as you can, return to starting position, other leg.
  • COT!

The Moleskin:

  • When YHC arrived at 0525, there was Boucher, probably the only PAX that lives closer to the AO than YHC, already out and limbering up, but that was about it.  One PAX sitting in his car.  And then most PAX rolled in between 0528 and 0530 with even a few more coming after we were off into the Gloom.  Just before we started, with no one signed up to Q, YHC (as one of the co-site Qs with Bananas) will take it for today, but that doesn’t stop YHC from at least asking one more PAX to share the Q.  No bites.  Well, YHC needed more of a recovery day from all of this Marathon prep, so hope the PAX are in more some body weight exercises, slow moseys, and lots of core.  Can’t wait until the Marathon at Kiawah on 12/10.  Perhaps at that point YHC will try keeping up with the likes of Doc McStuffins, Enron, and Frack who were out in front most of the morning.
  • Let’s circle back around to pick up Posse as he plants our Shovel Flag we’ve all been missing so much.  Godspeed to Transporter making it back to Dromedary.
  • You can count on everyone pushing at their own level of ability at Dromedary.  Each week the Q will challenge you with something different.  If you want to be challenged by something else, such as bringing Gear (Strawberry may bring it next week, but where is Chanel with his bag of tricks) or carrying rocks (Grease Monkey) or doing endless merkins (Frack) or running forever (Rockwell AND DasBoot) or Musical COP (Posse) or exploring the campus more (Doc and Enron haven’t been everywhere), then you’ll have to sign up to Q!
  • Welcome again to newer PAX Loafer, Caddyshack, and Goodfella.  YHC will have to get to know you more when not having to keep up with you
  • Kotters to ShopDog!  Great to have you back.  Respect!
  • The QIC spot is open in 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and then tentatively on the last week of the year.  Sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4baeaf29a46-dromedary
  • Most people think of The Bench Life from their younger sports days.  On the Bench meant you were out of the game taking a rest, or you weren’t in the starting line-up, or you were just a fan up in the stands.  Not really involved.  At this point in our lives, many of us have an opportunity to be that leader on the Bench.  Stepping up to coach your own child, lead a workout, or direct something else is a challenge.  Much of what goes wrong will get placed on your shoulders, but there’s such a great opportunity to do something BETTER than just look at it that way.  If Coaching a child, there’s impact WAY beyond just teaching a new technique in a sport, for example there’s the Charlotte Eagles and their soccer outreach through the YMCA.  This is a plug for the Charlotte Eagles, and here is an example of their mission to Coaches that you can apply on your BENCH LIFE days:
    • No single job is more important to the mission and vision of the YMCA than a youth sports coach. YMCA values: “To connect and engage people”; “Nurturing the potential of every child” and “Giving back and supporting our neighbors”, all require a core of committed youth coaches who have a desire to see their communities encouraged and players’ lives transformed.
      The Charlotte Eagles are very excited that you have chosen to be a coach. It is now our job to give you all the tools you need to be a great YMCA coach. We have done our best to make this easy and achievable.
      As a coach you have the opportunity to teach, mentor, motivate, encourage, and guide your players as they develop as soccer players and young people with character. As you coach you will see your players growing mentally, physically, and emotionally as they gain confidence in soccer and in life.
      In this booklet, all the practice sessions have been broken down in very simple terms, each with a soccer theme and a character quality that relates to life. We do our best to link together subjects like passing and teamwork so that it is very natural to teach and talk about both. On the soccer side, our practices follow a very easy progression of: warm-up; teaching a skill; playing a small game with that skill; playing a large game with that skill and then spending a few minutes teaching the character values of the day. This value will be applicable to the games you play in practice and in life!
  • Thanks to Doc and others for leading some core while the Six caught up.
  • Strong takeout by ShopDog!

Announcements:

#Preblast – The Long and the Longer of it

Winding down on less than 4 weeks to go until the Kiawah Marathon and Half-Marathon, this Preblast will be required reading if you don’t want to feel lost on Tuesday morning in Ballantyne.  The long and the short of it, we’ll be running.  A lot.  But we’ll have some good 2ndF along the way to go with the 1st F.  Stay late for some 3rd F.

The THANG:

  • 0430 – Early birds advance on 30minutes of Easy running and 20 minutes of Threshold pace.  Sound off in the #Kiawah Slack channel or DM @Bratwurst_f3 if you’re going to make this so we know to wait for you.  We’ll be heading off campus.
  • 0515 – Regular start from the Vine.  Mosey down “unescorted by the Q” to the 4 way Intersection of Brixham Hill and Ballantyne Corporate by the new Sara’s Y.  Early birds will be there by 0520.
  • 0520 – All of the PAX set out for 30minutes of Easy running.  #StayTogether #2ndFPace
  • 0550 – 20 Minute Threshold Pace run ending at the 4 way Intersection of Brixham Hill and Ballantyne Corporate by the new Sara’s Y.
  • 0610 – Head to COT at the Vine
  • 0615 – COT
  • 0630 – 3rdF at Einstein Bros Bagels.

For more details on your Threshold Pace, check the following Instructions and Calculator.

Post-Apocalyptic trip to the Aquarium

Posted on behalf of Das Boot

11 PAX survived the Apocalypse of Election Day 2016 and these Bad Hombres and Deplorables showed up for a VQ.  YHC looked for a political theme in the Event, but the PAX was grateful that the search was futile.

The THANG:

A short run around the parking lot and then on to the COP:

  • SSH x 30 IC
  • Plank Jacks x 20 IC
  • LBC x 20 IC
  • Mountain Climbers x 20 IC
  • IW x 20 IC

 

Mosey to the long school driveway along Crane for running/exercise stations.  PAX started at one light with a set of exercises, ran to the next and did the same exercise, and the same twice more to the next lights, and then back at each light to the starting point, for a total 7 sets of an exercise.  This was done for each of the three moves below.

  • Burpees x 5
  • Sea Turtle x 10
  • Star Jacks (confused as Sea Stars, making this the aquarium) x 5

 

The PAX then moseyed around back to the middle school drop-off area to do spend some time loving the curb.

  • Right-arm elevated Merkin x 10, followed by a lunge walk to the opposite curb
  • Left-arm elevated Merkin x 10, lunge walk back

Same moves and pattern, repeated for Merkin x 15, then Merkin x 10.  Finish with 20 old-fashioned Merkins.

Drop-off shuffle fun continued with Carolina Dry Docks

  • Carolina Dry Docks x 10, bear crawl to far side
  • Carolina Dry Docks x 10, crawl bear to starting side.

Repeat pattern for Dry Docks x 15 on each side and x 20 on each side.

With time running short, PAX took the mosey back to the base to finish the morning off with a two-round Howling Monkey.

The MOLESKIN:

The PAX is grateful for another day in which the sun rises and performed well on election-induced limited sleep and pundits’ hot air.  YHC is grateful for a forgiving PAX and the opportunity to start off his day with dry mouth yelling a lot more than usual at the Event.  As mentioned with other Events in the announcements, “If you can get here, you can get there.”

Announcements:

  • 3rd F Sanctuary at Brooklyn Pizza in Wesley Chapel Monday @ 7:30pm, starting a new book on November 14
  • Christmas Party at Firethorne on December 2.
  • Check out other AOs during the week, plenty in the area to feel burn on other days.

#Preblast – No Knots, Just Loops

PAX will launch from the Vine Restaurant at the Ballantyne AO on Tuesday for the weekly running interval workout known as Swift.  What time you start will be up to you.  Come early or start right at 0515.  We’ll fit the main workout in at the traditional 0515 start.

The THANG:

  • 0430 – Launch from the Vine for Easy running.
  • 0515 – Launch from the Vine for Easy running + Drills.
  • 0530 – Start 6 rounds of Intervals of 6 minutes at Threshold Pace with a 1 minute Rest.  Route will be in the Ballantyne Corp Park by Looping this route Forwards and Backwards.
  • 0611 – Head to COT at the Vine
  • 0615 – COT
  • 0620 – Post-COT Cooldown

See you in the Gloom,

Bratwurst

 

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