Author Archive Bratwurst

#F3Swift Preblast – Hill n Dale

Swift will launch at 0515 from the Vine Restaurant.  We haven’t hit “the hills” in a long time with specific intent, so we’ll head there tomorrow.  200m to 400m intervals on a nice hill over in Ballantyne Country Club.  Don’t worry about programming the workout, just come and run!

#F3Swift – Ring around the Bull

15 PAX (ties a record) launched from the Vine on a perfectly fine morning to disrupt the quiet gloom of the Ballantyne Corporate Park.

The THANG:

• Start off in the parking lot with some standing high knees, (forgot standing butt kicks), full stride leg swing, side leg swing, ankle rolls
• Warm-up 1.2mi over to the Bull Ring
• 4 x 4min at Threshold Pace (comfortably hard, ~1:00/mi slower than R-pace) with 1 minute rest between each Interval – reverse on the Bull Ring each interval
• 2 x 4min at Interval Pace (2mi race pace, ~0:30/mi slower than R-pace) with 3 minute jog between each Interval
• 4 x 200 meters at Repetition Pace (1mi race pace, this is R-pace) with 200 meters jog between each Interval
• Arrived at COT after Jail Break on last interval of 4×200.
• Long miles at Swift today – between 6.2 (Frehley’s) and 7.

Moleskin:

• While new to Swift, Threshold Pace (T-pace) should at lease be familiar to those PAX who attend Devil’s Turn.  While described as Comfortably Hard, emphasis is on the Hard and not the Comfortable.  It’s a pace you could maintain (if trained properly) for a 1 hour race.  Typical intervals are 1mi with a 1minute rest, 2mi with a 2min rest, or up to 20minutes for a long cruise.  Know your Threshold Pace (and Interval, Repetition) by visiting http://runsmartproject.com/calculator.
• Goal today was just an intro to T-pace, build on that knowing that the next interval is the same time but faster (and more rest), and then finishing out with some Sprints to maintain that form.
• The Interval pace (I-pace) is what we did over a pyramid last week, so the PAX know that it’s also VO2max, or something that should feel hard and have hands on knees at the end of.  This is usually how you will feel in the last 1/3 of any race.  Very hard breathing but not heavy legs. 5minutes max intervals with a rest up to 1minute shorter than the interval.
• The Repetition pace (R-pace) is the fastest we run at Swift.  Today was just about moving fast with a big stride, but trying to maintain good form over a short 200meters.  It should never feel like an all-out Sprint.
• Today’s workout makes having a programmable watch a nice-to-have.  Easy to create workouts on http://connect.garmin.com and download to the watch.  Even through YHC had some annoying pace zone beeps (too fast on warm-up, too slow on intervals), those do also help to train the brain where you should be.  Of course, all GPS watches aren’t 100% accurate, so having the Bull Ring and every 200m measured makes it easy even if you have a simple stopwatch.  You just have to know how to look at it and interpret that :40 on the 200 is a 5:20/mi pace…or 1:50 at the 400 is a 7:20/mi pace, etc.  That’s where the running calculator link above comes in, for it has 1mi pace, with 200m and 400m intervals.  YHC has been known to print out a cheat sheet and carry it to not forget those marks.
• Welcome to F3 Bagpipe vets, but Swift FNGs, Frehley’s Comet, Mic Check, and Chipotle.  Either the peer pressure, the threat of a Mountain Goat leg at the BRR, or an early alarm clock brought you guys out and we hope we made it worth it.  You think the Can Can line on the warm-up was fun, just wait for the Fairy skipping that Haggis loves so much next time!
• Some flyers out there today with Gunny, Haggis, Long Haul, and Cheddar.  YHC may have noticed more, but there was a brief rain at times…
• Mic Check is Area51’s version of Metro’s Easy Rings – doesn’t realize that running longer distances isn’t SO bad (and he’s pretty good), but always holds back enough to fly on the closing sprints.  Nobody was going to catch him today.
• With better direction from the Q next time (like the route for warm-up), we should always warm-up at a pace that is comfortable for you.  Never feel like you have to stay with the pack if that is causing you to feel like you are getting into the workout already (too fast).  Warm-up and recovery at Swift are at your own pace.  The goal is to run the Intervals (the work) at your current fitness level and build from there.  No need to overextend because you only need to run fast enough for the workout, not faster.

Announcements:

• 3rd F starting on Tuesdays at Einstein’s Bagels in Ballantyne. Date TBD.  Already a lot of interest, so this should be a great group.
• Mellow Mushroom happy hour coming up to benefit bridge building effort in South America.   Look for details in Area51 weekly email.

#F3Swift – Threshold Pace

The weekly SOB workout known as Swift will launch at 0515 from the Vine Restaurant at the Ballantyne AO.  All PAX of all fitness levels are invited to push the envelope of their current running fitness.  No man left behind.

The workout will be a complicated mess made easier by a WEINKE for the PAX.  New this week is the Introduction of Threshold Pace at Swift.  If you’ve been to Devil’s Turn, you’ve seen it before.  Know your Threshold Pace (and Interval, Repetition) by visiting http://runsmartproject.com/calculator.

After a warm-up, we will be making our way through this workout at the Bull Ring:

• 4 x 4min at Threshold Pace (comfortably hard) with 1 minute rest between each Interval
• 2 x 4min at Interval Pace (2mi race pace) with 3 minute jog between each Interval
• 4 x 200 meters at Repetition Pace (1mi race pace) with 200 meters jog between each Interval

#F3Swift – Carolina Cobra

8 PAX launched from the Vine Restaurant at the Ballantyne AO at 0515 on Tuesday, just as the Ballantyne Corporate Park was being turned into a winter wonderland.

The Thang:

• Warm-up 1mile, then about 5 100m drills with toe-walking, heel-walking, bounding, high knees, hot coals (butt kicks)
• At 2-mile race pace / I-pace / VO2max / Lactate Threshold (http://runsmartproject.com/calculator):
  • 5min Interval; 4min jog recovery
  • 4min Interval; 3min jog
  • 3min Interval; 2min jog
  • 2min Interval; 1min jog
• Mosey over to the bottom of a good sized hill for:
  • 5x30sec hill effort.  Try to make the same distance or further for each interval.  Jog back down the hill.
• Mosey on back to COT
• Total miles 5.5 to 6+
• Strava reports here: https://www.strava.com/activities/259206269 and https://www.strava.com/activities/259196699

The Moleskin:

• #CarolinaCobra is the Carowinds coaster that heads out over some loops and whirls and then does a 180 and repeats the same thing.  All of the 5/4/3/2 Intervals were done as out & back half-way through each, and each interval also invoked the hilliness of the area.  Definitely a challenge to finish the interval up a hill.  This gave each PAX the chance to employ pacing – you shouldn’t get caught from behind on the “back” portion if you are running even, there is a challenge to try and catch the PAX in front of you on the way back, and there is the challenge to be even by arriving back at the start point at the end of the interval.
• The PAX definitely got better at pacing as we progressed.  Frasier and YHC hard changed past all of the lot on the way back the first interval, but by the end of the next few, most were staying ahead and properly closing on the PAX they were chasing back to the start.  Frasier and YHC did have the advantage of turning around first (getting a jump on everyone at the turn) since we had the Garmin supercomputer chiming at half-way through each interval and the other PAX had to rely on feel or looking up into the blowing snow.
• Speaking of blowing snow – the “out” part was straight into the wind and goggles could have been appropriate as the snow picked up and ice crystals were like tiny daggers.  The “back” part was a quiet storm with just the breathing of PAX being heard.
• Goal for this pace is not lactic acid build-up like a 1mile race pace will accumulate.  The rest should allow less labored effort over the first half of the interval, but that will grow into being “breathless” over the second half.
• The 30sec hill sprints seemed to be the ticket to close out.  The hill and the distance weren’t too steep, so that allowed for each PAX to concentrate on form the whole way.  Don’t need to break form (i.e. knees dropping, arms tiring) on something so short.  Definitely seemed to be in the wheelhouse of Longhaul and Cheddar, and M. Tussauds was pushing for that “BRR (or was it Brrrr) shape” towards the end.
• If Wingman keeps coming out, maybe he can beat his M by more than 1 second next Half marathon (or perhaps that was just a lean at the line).
• Nice to have some decent recovery, there was no “Six” today, so good to mix and chat on the recoveries to not make it feel like it was TOO much work…
• Thank you for joining YHC on this adventure today.  It’s one of those memorable workouts that will stay in the memory banks for a long time, and it’s a pleasure to have done it with you all.

#F3Swift Preblast – Pyramid of O2 deprivation

Swift will launch at 0515 on Tuesday morning from the Vine Restaurant at the Ballantyne AO.  The plan, weather permitting, is for a Speed Pyramid at Interval pace (a.k.a. 2 mile race pace / VO2max / I-pace) calculate it here – http://runsmartproject.com/calculator .

The THANG – we’ll do a countdown pyramid with declining out-and-back intervals, so doubtful that you will need to program anything in your watch.  Just keep an ear out to head back.  Clear instructions will be given tomorrow.

#F3Swift – 656 yards is Far

A record 15 SoBs and PAX affiliates set off from the Vine restaurant at 0515 this fine cool, damp, breezy morning.  Probably felt just like Scotland, but Haggis was still sleeping off a 50K.

The THANG:

• 1mi 2nd F mosey.  ~0.5mi toes, heels, bounding, high knees, butt kicks, and strides between “stop” lights.
• 200m @ 1mi Race Pace (a.k.a. Repetition Pace or “R” pace from the calculator at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator); 200m jog recovery
• 200m @ R-pace; 400m jog recovery
• 600m @ R-pace with final 3rd uphill; 400m jog recovery
• Repeato for 2 more rounds of 200,200,600.
• Cooldown about 0.5mi back to COT
• Plank for 20 seconds.  DONE!
• Total miles – between 5 and 6 according to PAX’s Strava recordings – https://www.strava.com/activities/252949176 and https://www.strava.com/activities/252948891 and https://www.strava.com/activities/252940958

Moleskin:

• Using the hill during the 600 was a easy prescription for #TBQ or #MerlotSplash.  Several PAX were close, but not sure there was conclusive video evidence.
• Speaking of such, welcome back (?) Mighty Mite (War Baby)!  Pretty sure this vet of a BRR has posted at Swift before, but like many other PAX chose the #RedPill and pushed it at #Swift.  Dude isn’t even doing the MudRun #Superbowl due to an excused absence, but maybe he’ll use this to take the #DRP and post at the Spartan post-excused absence.
• Silk landed on the ground this morning after repeatedly jumping from flying objects (#AFAIK) and mixed it up with the SoBs at #Swift for the first time.  Well done mate!
• Outback, finally feeling as sprite as a kangaroo from his native (sic) country, tore up the field.
• Honeybee (who has been #MIA) was putting Gunny under constant pressure all morning.  Think they now know the sound of approaching feet and when to push just a little harder.
• Metric conversion 600m = 656 yards.  It IS further.  There’s the proof!
• Who had on the 3 inch heels this morning?  All YHC remembers is looking down at shoes, and several had these platform-type shoes on… cushy, comfortable, or sloppy?
• Spinner and Stump Hugger had a running dialogue this morning that the rest of the PAX were not invited to, but kept pushing the pace in their own little bubble. Something about skull and crossbones, but #gettingstronger
• Several PAX were whining about TR’s doubles at #Foxhole the previous day.  Way to post today knowing what was in store!  YHC knows that you’ll be at the Maul or Dromedary tomorrow, too.
• Next week builds on last week.  Come out for something different in a pyramid of sorts.

#F3Swift Preblast – Getting back untracked

Swift will launch at 0515 from the Vine Restaurant on Tuesday.  We will be dialing back some of the distance in order to get in some semi-short and fast running.

Once we get to the untracked track (Rushmore Dr near the Bull Ring), we’ll be doing 200meter sprints (1 mile race pace / Repetition pace) with the occasional 600m sprint thrown in.  Distances will be marked.  Bring a watch if you are interested in measuring yourself for “Repetition” pace against the pace calculator at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator