Author Archive Bratwurst

VO2theMAX

9 PAX launched from the friendly confines of the Vine Restaurant on Tuesday morning for a little yogging before the main event.  What perhaps was a record PAX for the pre-run, was also perhaps a record number for those bailing and choosing Bagpipe (3).  We picked up 6 more yoggers in the Parking lot at 0515 and set off for the socialist Eastern lands of Ballantyne at North Community House Rd.

The THANG:

• 1.2mi Pre-run https://www.strava.com/activities/442461153
• Mosey to Metlife building via the Ballantyne Hotel shortcut. Do some drills. ~1.4mi
• Start the main event at 0530
• 4minutes at Interval Pace – Find your Interval training pace here:  http://runsmartproject.com/calculator or also available via the app VDOT Running Calculator by The Run SMART Project, LLC. Here are downloadable links:iOS App Store = https://appsto.re/us/gp4b6.i Google Play = https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.runsmartproject.vdot_calculator
• 3minutes to recover and regroup
• Repeato for 5 total rounds – between 4 and 5mi.
• Mosey back the way we came. ~1.1mi.
• Total for the morning – about 6-7mi not including Pre-run.

Moleskin:

• Working on the Interval pace this week.  From Jack Daniels –

Interval Pace

Variety: VO2max Intervals (see below).

Intensity: Generally in the range of 95-100% of VO2max or 98-100% of HRmax. Intervals are “hard” but not all-out running by any means. Usually at a pace that you could maintain for about 10-15 minutes in a serious race. Intervals are best if they involve runs of 3 to 5 minutes each (800m and 1000m workbouts are typical), with jog recoveries of similar duration (not necessarily, equal distance); relative to the runs they follow. If a workout calls for “hard” runs, then go by feel and imagine 5k race pace, as he intensity of each run.

Purpose: Stress your aerobic power (VO2max). It takes about two minutes for you to gear up to functioning at VO2max so the ideal duration of an “Interval” is 3-5 minutes each. The reason not to go past 5-minutes is to prevent anaerobic involvement, which can result in blood-lactate build-up.

• What that boils down to is some Hard running.  Usually feels good for about the first 90 seconds (probably equivalent to a lap of the track), but that’s only about 1/3 of the way.  Towards the end it starts getting really difficult.
• Let’s talk for a minute about the direction we did these.  Intervals 1 and 3 were mostly downhill, but Intervals 2 and 4 had to compensate coming back on the slight incline.  It was definitely noticeable. Fun thing on Interval 5 to do an Out 2minutes and Back 2minutes to even things out, but not sure it was preferred to do the Back up the incline on the 2nd half of the last one.  Definitely a lot of hands on knees after that one.
• Notable was JRR Tolkien dropping clothing all over the place to make sure he got as light as possible for the last interval that he was surely smoking on.
• OneNiner seemed unfazed the whole workout.  As others bent over exhausted at the end of intervals, he just smiled and kept running back to join the PAX.  Wicked sense of humor.
• On the last Interval, the out & back one, YHC noticed that Haggis and HoneyBee were some of the few that obeyed all traffic rules and crossed completely (trampling Ballantyne’s expensive landscaping in the process) over the median to the other side of the street.  Was just about the only way you could slow those 2 down today.  Haggis seemed to attack every rise in the street with a new vengence.  He either kept slapping his wrist to keep the drugs flowing into the system or was checking his watch, but something had him heading to a new level.
• Gumbo said he keeps dropping time from his runs after only a month or so of Swift.  Great to hear it helps some get faster, because it certainly keeps YHC’s bag of bones from getting too much slower.
• It’s hard to tell how Mr. Bean feels about the Crossfit gym and it’s occupants.  As we’d see them sprinting on the sidewalk for short bursts he kept yelling “Clipboarder” and “Pay for Play” between gasps of air. He couldn’t get Abacus to join in the rabble rousing, but then again Abacus is too polite for that.
• A solid pack seems to be generating with the Pax.  Guys like Cable Guy and Gumbo are right there along with the leaders of Ringer and Long Haul as he’s getting back to form.  Don’t know who the Sturdy Undercarriage is that is keeping everyone in check or chasing, but something seems to be working.
• Most of YHC’s Monday night was spent billing Stump Hugger for IT hours on his TomTom to Strava sync issues.  Pleased to see he worked it all out while not having to carry a tool belt of devices anymore.
• Lots more people traffic than auto traffic on the North Community House that day.  Other than the Crossfitters, we had Tomatoes, and some headphone-wearing sad clowns.

Week 4 next week will be trying a new spin of an old workout.  The 2/1/30 will shape shift to the mixing bowl.

Half a Bull empties the stomach

16 PAX set off in the frosty gloom on Tuesday at 0515 from the Vine Restaurant for the weekly #SpeedFest known as #F3Swift.

The THANG:

• 0500 – Extended warm-up for Mr. Bean, Fire Hazard, Ringer, and Bratwurst.  Honeybee reverses the route and gets credit, too. Don’t recall if there were others.  Good conversation was distracting!
• 0515 – Join the rest of the PAX and head out to the Bull Ring for the PreBlast of the Workouthttp://f3nation.com/2015/11/23/preblast-joedavisrun-week-28/
• Warm-up ~1mi, then Toe Walking, Heel Walking, High Knees, Butt Kicks, B-Skip, Strides
• Main Event:
  • 400m at Repetition-pace (1-mile Race pace), 400m jog recovery
  • Repeato for 9 total
• Cool down back to the Vine 0.5mi

Moleskin:

• What at absolutely solid group on Tuesday morning. There have been some assemblences of speed before (more so when SIB has converged than when Fast Twitch has converged), but this time it was the Ballantyne PAX on their own. It was that the regular leaders of Honeybee, Frasier, and Haggis were there, but that Teddy & Mr. Bean decided that this also would be the day that they would push the PAX at the front. And it was a second group so large of regulars like Ringer, Cable Guy, Long Haul, and Champagne, that the returning or rotating JRR, Hops, Madame Tussauds, and Wingman pushed harder to close the gap. And the recovering from 4 hours of running on the weekend Outback and the returning to form Stumpy were there to push each other to design a workout they could feel good about.
• In fact, at the beginning of the workout, YHC didn’t think the PAX would be up to the 9 or 10 400s planned. So much so, a way to step back was offered by setting a regroup time at 0550. Perhaps a second group would form and take a longer recovery, but the group of PAX this morning simply didn’t break up, stayed strong, and pushed it through. It was truly an effort by all that will keep us rolling towards PRs at the Joe Davis Run in 6 weeks.
• Something about the 400s that don’t let up. Simple, straight-forward, but just brutal at that speed. Most times passing the 200 mark, you always start to sort things out – is that guy going to drop off the pace, should I catch that guy, am I tying up, am I going to spill merlot? When it’s over, do I slowly jog like nothing happened, bend over with my hands on my knees, or just hope there’s no secret “one more”?
• This one hurt in the good way. The shoulders, legs, and other parts sore as YHC drove to the in-laws last night. But a smile on my face when thinking about what you men do for the Swift workout. Grit, determination, and more pax coming out as the temperature is dropping. Thanks for the awesome privilege to lead!

Announcements:

• Thursday is Turkey Bowl / no Rebel Yell
• Friday convergence for the Brave at Centurion / Charlotte Catholic

No Free Socks, Just warm Toilets

Unfortunately, the 14 PAX that showed up to Swift on Tuesday discovered that you don’t get free socks or body glide for attending the workout.  However, Ballantyne has a wide selection of fresh bathrooms that are open at 0500.  For those PAX that didn’t get to feel the warm soft tissue on their backsides this morning, here’s what the rest did:

The THANG:

• 0500 – Early crew of about 7 found some miles in the Corporate Park.  After Bratwurst made a pitstop out of the gate, the rest of the crew ran off to avoid the potty talk.
• 0515 – The rest of the crew joined in the Vine parking lot and set off following the cone-carrying Bratwurst.  The small orange cones usually mean measured intervals that are not run on the Bull Ring, so if the PAX didn’t read the Preblast, then they didn’t know what they were in for.
• 0525 – After some 2nd F running for a bit and finding out that Outback didn’t get dinged up from the Spartan Race because he collapsed at the line of the Thunder Road Half Marathon, we stopped on the Hwy 521 bridge near SPX for some dynamic exercises comprised of looking like penguins, giraffes, soldiers, cameljocks, and dancing nancies.
• 0530 – Kickoff of the main event.  All intervals run at 1 mile race pace or “R” pace – find yours here: http://runsmartproject.com/calculator.
  • 200m at R-pace, 200m jog recovery
  • 200m at R-pace, 400m jog recovery
  • Option A – 600m at R-pace, 600m jog recovery
  • Option B – 400m at R-pace, 600m+ jog recovery
• 0605 – Finish the 3rd round and head back to the Vine
• 0613 – Arrive at the Vine, wonder aloud if the Bagpipe group got lost in the gloom, then walk around as they arrived to look like we hadn’t just been standing there waiting on them.
• Total miles – 7.5mi for the early crew, almost 6.0mi for the rest

The Moleskin:

• Warm toilets…soft tissue paper… YHC thinks the Kangaroo is pretty nice, there’s even a vending machine in the bathroom if you recall what quarters are.
• Who was that orange guy? Just before an interval, some orange guy heads off before the group. As we were running to catch up, YHC asks Frasier where the guy is… Must be REALLY fast, but apparently he was just quick to find the Aloft lobby toilet. He came dashing back on the next recovery, albeit fresher and lighter. Frehley’s should make a mental note, for his towel will thank him.
• Haggis destroys 600m #1 in sub 5min pace. #legitspeed. Then he must have gone into a hole for a while to return on some 200s later.
• OneNiner, who is a Strava user and could definitely stalk Frasier there later (if Frasier would ever post his stuff #trainsinsecret), comes up and asks the pace at the front. After trying to disguise with “should be” and “trying to”, Frasier let him in on the training secrets of #FreeRange.
• Bagpipe or Tomatoes? Usually we spot Bagpipe at some point when staying close to home, but nothing early. Then a pack of three comes in the distance (we have a lot of singles running in the Gloom, but not many packs) and someone guesses Madame Tussaud has left the PAX behind on his Q. However, as the group of three came into view, unless Frehley’s towel was dangling from his head or Hops grew a pony tail, #thesearenotthepaxyouarelookingfor
• Joe Davis Run training plan is at the link https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qd3qxzsr9lDR-p-XuCX1PhmG_jATPbhgKkj9zJBVzwg/edit?usp=docslist_api –  2nd tab has some recommended training alternatives. YHC will be refining and updating this, but wanted the PAX to see what kind of workouts might be on tap at Swift and DevilsTurn (Honeybee may be a co-conspirator) for the next 8 weeks.

Announcements:

• 12/12 #1 – Gladiator Games
• 12/12 #2 – Christmas Party
• Joe Davis Run 5K/10K
• 3rd F Timekeeper continues

Mixed Up Speed

Tuesday at 0515 saw men from the Ballantyne area make a serious effort to mix up their speed a bit.  Here’s what we did at F3-Swift.

The Thang:

• Early crew at 0500 got in some miles
• Picked up the PAX at 0515 for some extended warm-up down to Rushmore Dr. Dynamic warm-up done.
• 4x200m at R-pace (1mile Race Pace) w/ 200m jog recovery – all along Rushmore Dr. with cones marking 200m
• Mosey over to the Bull Ring for the next section
• The plan next was for 3x3minute at I-pace with 2minute recovery, but YHC watch confusion led to us do 3min, 2:30min, 3:30min, 3:00min.  Yes, you got more intervals than we should have.  Thank me later.
• Mosey back over to Rushmore Dr for closing 400m at R-pace.
• Head back to the vine at 2nd F pace for COT

Moleskin:

• Great seeing Swift continue to go with FNGs from Bagpipe cross-overs (Tuck) and imports from elsewhere in Area51 (Joker).  Perhaps the stigma of running will continue to change as the PAX get questionable instruction from YHC, but have the encouragement and challenge of other PAX to do it with.
• Knowing the 200m are right in the Joker wheelhouse, not surprising to have him lead the PAX.
• OneNiner continues to close the gap to the leaders and was impressive on the 3min intervals.
• HoneyBee was cruising in prep for the Thunder Road 26.2 (in which he ran a super-fast 3:10 marathon by the way).
• Chipotle is showing huge progress.  Hope that he and others come out to the Joe Davis Run for a true test of fitness in January.
• Unfortunately, this was more than a few days ago, and the memory is fading.  YHC thinks that there is probably a New Years Resolution at the top of the list…

Announcements:

• 3rd F Timekeeper that follows Swift/Bagpipe continues with “You Never Marry the Right Person” next week.  Should be interesting…
• JoeDavisRun – 1/9/2016 – 5K or 10K – https://joedavisrun.racesonline.com/

Getting shorter by the mile

#F3Swift, not #TaylorSwift

The 11 men of Swift decided on Tuesday AM that the threat of rain and Fall coolness would not deter them from getting after some speed.

The Thang:

• 0445 Honeybee seeking #haggislike miles these days ventured out on his own.
• 0500 next early crew figured out how to leave on time without a Site Q. #grownmen They found a mile or so of the Business Park. YHC found the lot empty at 0501 so foolishly tried to find early crew. After 1.5mi or trying, he found them 100m from the lot. Catch breath. Time to go again.
• 0515 full complement of hearty rain averse PAX set out for the bridge over 521.
• 1mile later, stop for skipping. First heels, toes, then ballerina skip, A-skip, Baskin, and a stride.
• All out and back:
  • 5min I-pace, 4min recovery jog
  • 2x4min I pace, 3min recover
  • 2x3min I pace, 2min recover
• Cooldown back to the Vine. Elbow Plank (what?!) for the six. 30 seconds more.
• COT

Moleskin:

• Interval time was overall only 1 min longer than last week, but the 5 and 4’s will take it out of you if done too fast. Also, with shorter recovery (1 less than interval), definitely a step up from last week.
• I pace is called “hard” because it is. #duh . Only being able to talk a sentence at a time or less means max exertion for the relatively short distance (less than a mile). Doing these out and back make the PAX keep things honest. If you are passing PAX on the way back, you either consciously picked it up like Mr. Bean, or you were sure and steady of your pace like Abacus and One-Niner.
• Soft Pretzel had bloodhound skills for sniffing his way to find the PAX. He said he ran in some loops for a while (guessing to pick up the scent trail) , but he found us just as it was about to get real.
• Working out on the same Hill once again with the Bagpipe brethren, they probably think (with the exception of sometime Swifters Wing(space)man) that all we do is easily jog up and down Dunreggan Brae. Probably encouraged Tuck in COT to say he would join us soon. #baitandswitch
• Frasier was back from a Swift sabbatical, but hasn’t lost a step. He may have breathed once or twice through his mouth as he was trying to get YHC to talk about something. This made the less than a sentence pace a reality for YHC, but proved Frasier must get oxygen in other ways.
• Chipotle messed up his perfect attendance streak by not posting today, but he was replaced by Haggis who found it necessary to disregard any prodding of don’t go out too fast on the 5 minute interval. When we almost ran out of road, we turned back on that one. The only saving grace being that knowing the ending point was back where we started. No cones to miss, no watch to listen for. If you did it right, then you would run out of bridge.
• Kotters to Cable Guy. Great to see him back out after an extended absence. Working hard, looking smooth, and getting back into form.
• No cameras on the overpass for the skipping warm-up. Why do you think YHC leads the warm-up from the front? So he doesn’t have to see a bunch of grown men skipping…
• Cobain on the lateness of this Backblast. You were all probably faster than YHC on this one. Since no one took up the offer to Ghost Write, it’s probably going to have to come down to a Backblast by comments if this gets any later. Not sure YHC will like those Comments…
• Stumphugger suggested that if anyone really wanted to know what went on, they could check Strava and view the 5 or so records of the workout. You would find Brew’s proof that running a timed mile helps with pacing because it helps to set a goal (solid and consistent), you’d find Stumpy pushing the limits of navigation each week, Honeybee and his crazy miles, and Bratwurst with nothing (watch fail this week and the failsafe Frasier doesn’t post updates to Strava).