Author Archive Bratwurst

#F3Swift Preblast – 5K/10K training

Swift will launch this week on Tuesday at 0515 from the Vine parking lot in the Ballantyne AO.  We’ll be using the 5K course (click for map) from the recent IS Cancer Run to have a little fun with a mini-10K of our own.  However, the longest interval will be less than 1mile and total miles will be less than 6.2 for all PAX.

Get your 10K pace from the recent Time Trial by using the calculator at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator

#F3MarvinRidge – Starting a #Dromedary

12 of #F3Area51’s finest PAX took to the new AO at Marvin Ridge HS/MS on Wednesday morning.  As this is an official #bootcamp, work needs to begin on the #ShovelFlag.  As for now, the #VSF was planted.

Here’s the THANG:

  • Mosey to the Middle School track infield.
    • SSH x 20 IC
    • Imperial Walkers x20 IC
    • Good Mornings x 20 IC
    • Hand Release Merkins x 20 (single count) IC
  • Short Mosey to the Middle School “picnic” area and courtyard.  Partner Up
    • P1 – 5 Jump Ups onto , P2 – 5 Mountain Climbers (4 steps = 1) and plank until P1 done; Flapjack
    • Repeato up to 10, then 15, 10 , 5
  • Extended Mosey to front of Middle School by Wall
    • P1 – Get over 5ft wall, run up drive, around flagpole, and back to wall; P2 – Start Team count of 100 HR Merkins.  Flapjack.  Repeato until 100 HR Merkins (or each PAX does 2 laps)
    • P1 – Run Lap; P2 – Squats until P1 returns.  Flapjack. Repeato until each PAX does 2 laps.
    • P1 – Run Lap; P2 – Low squat hold (sort of like doing #2 in the wide open woods).  Flapjack. Repeato until each PAX does 2 laps.
  • Mosey to Football practice field
    • P1 – Squat jump shuttle run.  5 @ 10yards, 10 @ 20 yards;  P2 – Parker Peters.  Flapjack.  Repeato
  • Indian Run back to COT
  • 6 MOM in cadence
    • Dolly, LBC, Flutter, Rosalita, Freddy Mercury, Mason Twists
  • 1 minute to go – 15 Burpees OYO

Moleskin:

  • Objective today was to introduce many existing PAX to the Marvin Ridge AO and show off some features, keep it simple (because it was a #VQ), and test out some exercises that are FNG friendly for next week’s full launch.  We only scratched the surface of the AO and barely used 1/3 of the space and few of the features.  Still untapped territory.
  • Tiger Rag made his way down south of I-485 for the 2nd day in a row.  This was a little further, but it’s actually not that far.  Just ask most of the PAX there today, who live within a 5 mile radius, it’s not that far out there – why else would they live there?
  • There are a lot of PAX and potential PAX surrounding this AO.  Apparently, Mr. Bean and Soft Pretzel live so close that they actually ran there.  No sidewalks, so wear blinkies if you are going to run in.
  • YHC met a ton of new PAX today that live right around the corner.  Proves how F3 has grown (and how little we break our routines sometimes).  Another buddy told me that he lives in a neighborhood nearby (Barrington) and sees at least two F3 stickers on cars there.  Don’t know who those guys are yet, but they are sure to help spread the word.
  • #Dromedary – a 1 hump camel.  We work out on a #humpday, you can ride it (like the MRHS/MRMS Mavericks mascot), and it’s quirky enough to past the test of relevancy.  Not exactly a Wild West or Top Gun theme, but this AO will have plenty of opportunities for naming other workouts in the future.

Announcements:

 

#FastTwitch clips #Swift’s wings – all PAX better for it

19 PAX took on unfamiliar territory at a Fast Twitch / Swift convergence. Location was the Community House Middle School track.  In the End, 18 PAX had Personal Records in the mile today.  Amazing!  It takes a lot of guts to come to a workout where you get “rated”.  In the end, it’s all about #ironsharpensiron.

Here’s the THANG:

  • Mosey to track for 1 mile 2nd F pace.
  • 6 Drills (30m of drill, 70m accelerations), 2 x 100m accelerations over to Start/Finish line, 5 min stretch / get into zone OYO
  • 1 Mile AYG
  • 2 Mile Progression Run – goal is to run each 400m 5 seconds faster than the previous lap
  • COT

Moleskin:

  • Could not blame this performance on the weather.  Not too cold, very little wind, and nice and clear.
  • Could not blame this performance on not being warmed up.  The extra drills are probably unfamiliar to those that do SSH, IW, or Merkins in an opening COP, and they probably feel silly.  They are, but YHC thinks they work well.  You may even feel out of breath doing the Drills and accelerations.  You’ve got to have warmed muscles to run AYG.  Otherwise, you’re asking for stiffness or snap / crackle / pop.
  • Could not blame the performance on not having a fancy GPS gizmo.  Turkey Leg setup the Start / Finish line with a professional clock, finishers tape, and bell.  Well, some of those things.
  • Could not blame the performance on not having a strategy.  Run the first lap mentally below your target pace, get up to speed on the 2nd, hold on for the third, and then AYG for the 4th.  Some PAX may have done that in reverse looking back at lap times, but it takes experience to race smart.  Keep practicing for other events.  They pretty much all work the same.  See #TheThird500 (Freed To Lead, P.138).
  • Could not blame this on your short shorts or dropping the baton (apparently that’s what Bulldog thinks we do).
  • The 2 Mile Progression Run took too much Math for some.  Don’t worry, it’s tripped up Harvard boys like OBT.  The goal is to run 8 laps of the track (3200meters total) with each lap (400m) run 5 seconds faster than the previous one. Last lap should be faster than your 5K pace.  It is good after the 1 Mile Race because it allows you to ease into something else, but still get back to near top speed you ran the mile in.  Examples:
    • Run the first lap in 2:00 minutes (8:00 minutes per mile pace), then the 2nd lap should be 1:55 (7:40/mi pace), third lap is 1:50 (7:20/mi pace), …, 8th and final lap would be 1:25 (5:40/mi pace).
    • Run the first lap in 2:15 (9:00 minutes per mile pace), …, 8th and final lap would be 1:40 (6:40/mi pace).
    • Run the first lap in 2:30 (10:00 minutes per mile pace), …, 8th and final lap would be 1:55 (7:40/mi pace).
    • There will be a prize for most accurate 2 mi progression run that is posted to Strava.  Half of the battle is getting on Strava and joining the “club” F3Run – http://www.strava.com/clubs/f3run
  • What’s next and Why the Mile? It comes down to training for your next test (Mud Run, Joe Davis 5K, running with your 2.0 or M) and a premise that it’s best to train as fast as you need to, no more.  Take your Mile time (which is an easy test to do) and go here = http://runsmartproject.com/calculator.  Read these instructions and watch the video here http://runsmartproject.com/calculator/instructions/.  Perhaps then the training plan ideas for the Joe Davis 5K (that we will publish) will make more sense.

Announcements:

  • 10/22 – Soft launch for new Marvin Ridge bootcamp.  Check twitter feed of @pwuerslin for details.  Full launch on 10/29.
  • 12/6 – 3rd annual Area 51 Christmas party will be on 12/6 at the brand new Sugar Creek Brewery.

1 Mile Time Trial Results:

Click Here to get full results

Team Competition – scored XC style with Top 5 scoring from each team.  Lowest score wins.

FastTwitch 38 (wins by 2)
Swift 40

 

Top PRs MIN:SEC under PR
Stump Hugger 0:01:38  0:03:08
Geraldo 0:01:28
Picasso 0:00:52
Abacus 0:00:49
Chelms 0:00:33
Long Haul 0:00:32
Soul Glow 0:00:24  0:00:18
Frasier 0:00:21
Checkpoint 0:00:21
Prohibition 0:00:21
Coldcuts 0:00:16

 

Top Predictors MIN:SEC over/under Prediction
Bratwurst 0:00:00 –
Prohibition 0:00:02 Under
TR 0:00:02 Over
Honey Bee 0:00:03 Under
Soft Pretzel 0:00:04 Over
Frasier 0:00:06 Under
Turkey Leg 0:00:09 Under
Horsehead 0:00:09 Under
Chelms 0:00:13 Under
Boomer sooner 0:00:14 Under

 

Top Sandbaggers MIN:SEC Under Prediction
Geraldo 0:01:08
Picasso 0:00:52
Abacus 0:00:34
Soul Glow 0:00:21  0:00:15
Checkpoint 0:00:21

 

Top 5 Overall
Bratwurst 0:05:10
Frasier 0:05:14
Honey Bee 0:05:27
Soul Glow 0:05:31  0:05:37
Boomer sooner 0:05:36
Top 5 Masters (40+)
Checkpoint 0:05:39
Turkey Leg 0:05:41
Long Haul 0:06:13
Chelms 0:06:27
Coldcuts 0:06:44
Top Big Guys (220lb+)
Geraldo 0:06:52
Stump Hugger 0:11:15  0:09:42

 

Preblast – Marvin Ridge – soft launch on 10/22

We are undertaking the “southern most” AO in Area51 / Union County starting tomorrow on 10/22 @ 0530.  This will be a soft launch with an ACTUAL Bootcamp Workout Q’d by YHC (#VirginQ).  Full launch with FNGs on 10/29.

This location is less than 10 minutes from Blakeney Shopping Center, Indian Land, and Weddington.

Address is Marvin Ridge High School – 2825 Crane Rd, Waxhaw, NC 28173

We will be parking at the STAR in the image below.  This is in the High School Parking lot near the main stadium entrance.  Use the driveway indicated by the Green Arrow.  Do not use entrances marked with the big red circles because they won’t allow you to drive where you need to be.

Marvin Ridge AO

#F3Swift – #SoarOnWings or #ThroatChopped depends on the perspective

Swift launched with 7 PAX at 0515 from the temporary AO of the Community House Middle School.  Goal was a little recon and hopefully a #SoarOnWingsLikeEagles workout.

The Thang:

  • Head from the bus lot out to Community House Rd for a 2ndF mosey and warm-up. 1 mile
  • Back on the track for dynamic stretching, form drills, and strides. 0.8 mile
  • 3 rounds of the “Eric Liddell” workout – 200m @ 1 mile race pace, 200m jog, 200m @ 1 mile race pace, 200m jog, 400m @ 1 mile race pace, 400m jog.
  • 2 more laps on the track cool-down at 2ndF mosey
  • 5.5 total miles with 1.5miles at 1 mile race pace

Moleskin:

  • Eric Liddell of Chariots of Fire fame (i.e. Scotland’s most popular athlete, even though Andy Murray’s “let’s do this” tweet about Scotland’s independence vote almost made him more famous) was inspiration for the workout.  Liddell won the 400m in the 1924 Olympics even though it was longer than his favorite event, the 100m.  Check the preblast for more info and why Eric Liddel is an inspiration at Swift.
  • Tiger Rag was confused as to which Liddell was inspiration – as evidenced by his tweet.  Tiger Rag is definitely alluding to taking his 1 Mile PR into the Octagon next week.
  • StumpHugger apparently needs about 45 minutes to warm-up properly, for he was cruising right along at the end.  Definitely more CrockPot than Microwave.
  • Abacus brought along fellow-UNC alum and dancing partner “Right Said Fred” – inspiration for the additional media today.  They were dialing in some pacing and ready to make breakthroughs on the mile next week.
  • Long Haul got the memo for the AO change (where was Strange Brew?) and the War Daddy continues running circles around and around.  Also a construction and materials expert, he certified the CHMS track as full asphalt.  Despite the certification as lacking a rubber component, it was a pretty smooth experience today and the track has plenty of “pop”.
  • Haggis, with new vanity plates, must have been treating today as his 1 Mile trial because he was in full on push to the limit mode.  Rumor has it that he is backing out of next week to run Bagpipe, but why not bring Bagpipe to the 1 Mile trial?

Announcements:

  • 1 Mile Time Trial next week!  Same location. Check Preblast for updates.
  • F3 Thunder Road discount ends tomorrow!  Get details on Preblast and also Sign Up on the Preblast with your team (Area 51) and your time goals.
  • New Bootcamps coming to Marvin/Weddington/Waxhaw in November.  Marvin Ridge HS/MS will host one on Wednesdays and Weddington HS/MS will host Saturdays. Stay tuned for more options.
  • Future test on embedding the Pace Calculator below.

#F3Swift Preblast – Mile prep and Recon

LOCATION CHANGE!

Swift will be launching from Community House Middle School (9500 Community House Rd.,Charlotte, NC 28277) for the next two weeks only.  This location is less than 3 miles from the normal meeting place at the Vine.  Park in the bus lot on the track side of the school.  Use the northern entrance.

This week, we’ll be prepping for the 10/21 Mile Time Trial (Preblast http://ift.tt/1yQTqjl) and getting in a workout at the same time.  The workout of the day is the “Eric Liddell” – 200s and 400s at your 1 Mile race pace.  Don’t know the workout – check the inagural Swift preblast at http://f3nation.com/2014/04/21/f3swift-preblast that is complete with Chariots of Fire highlights.

Exact format is rounds of:

  • 200m @ 1 mile pace, recover 200m jog
  • 200m @ 1 mile pace, recover 200m jog
  • 400m @ 1 mile pace, recover 400m jog

Preblast – 1 Mile Time Trial and other Fun

Update: Click Here to go to a Form and SIGN-UP (this will help tomorrow morning’s logistics)

On Tuesday, October 21st, at 0515, PAX from the South Area will converge at Community House Middle School (9500 Community House Rd.,Charlotte, NC 28277) to run an all-out timed mile.  It doesn’t just stop there, you’ll get a full bootcamp or Running workout afterwards – choose your own pill.

Why run a timed Mile?  Well, hopefully it answers one of these questions for you.

  • I’m not a runner, but where’s my Fitness Level?
  • I want to dial in my run training, but what paces should I be training at?
  • When is the last time I ran a Mile for Time – my high school fitness test?

The Agenda for the day:

  • 0515 – Kickoff the Warm-up with Bratwurst.  No one can run “fast” by being cold, so we’ll do a proper warm-up with some Fellowship Pace and dynamic running drills.
  • 0530 – Timed Mile – We’ll have a Start / Finish Clock, timing verification, intra-Area51, and you-vs-you competitions.  This Preblast will be updated with a sign-up list to make sure your name and team are recorded.
  • 0545 – Red Pill – Continue with Bratwurst through a 2 mile progression run and cool-down off-campus.
  • 0545 – Blue Pill – Continue with QIC (to be named later) for a Bootcamp workout.
  • 0610 – COT with recognition of accomplishments – Personal records, biggest improvements, best prediction, and any other categories we can think of.  Prizes TBD.

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#F3Swift – Only half of a 10K?

7 PAX launched into the Gloom at 5:15 today for the weekly Running Interval workout known as Swift.

The THANG:

  • Warm-up 1 mile at 2nd F pace, then 6 exercises (toes, heels, B-skip, bounding, high knees, hot coals) and strides covering another 0.5 mile
  • 7 intervals of 3:15 at 10K pace, 0:45 seconds to recover with jog and regroup
  • Cool-down 0.75mile at 2nd F pace.
  • 6 minutes of Mary at COT
  • Total mileage – somewhere near 10K (with over half at 10K pace)

The Moleskin:

  • We used the Bull Ring today. Wait, there’s a putting green here?  Trying something a little different today for recovery, since the 3:15 interval took us around the 0.5 Bull Ring to different points, our recovery was to get back to the putting green in 0:45 seconds.  Most PAX seemed to be able to get back, but that was probably a little aggressive to get back in such a short amount of time from the “outer ring”.  Next time, you’ll have to follow YHC’s actions (“don’t do as I say”, but YHC did try to blurt this out once incoherently) and head to the putting green during the interval to have more standing-around rest.
  • Get your 10K pace from the calculator at http://runsmartproject.com/calculator.  Why is it important to run at certain paces?  Well, you’re going to get smoked regardless, but having a target to run for will help you know you’re not pushing yourself into negative returns.  Train as hard as you need to, not faster.  Once you prove your fitness level in a race, then make the target training pace faster.  Otherwise, training becomes harder than it needs to be and can lead to injury.  See announcement below about next Race!
  • Welcome to Swift FNG Margot.  YHC already forgot the nickname reference, for the only thing YHC could think about was Margot from the last Jack Bauer 24 series.  YHC didn’t want any part of that…ruthless.
  • YHC wishes this was Frasier at FT week…he pushed us so hard that YHC felt the merlot coming on during one of the intervals.  Dude was killing it today and running more distance on every interval.  Good kind of hate hate.
  • Haggis would pull up on the pace, fall off, pull up, fall off, pull up, fall off.  Don’t think that YHC is writing the “train smart” for Haggis…correction, not only for Haggis.  Not many PAX can push themselves to the red line as many times in a workout as Haggis.  When the rest of the PAX were doing Mary at the end of the workout, Haggis chose tons of knuckle merkins.
  • Tiger Rag found the Open Shortest Path First route to Swift today.  Least cost was apparently a direct route not weighted by any metrics of construction, car accidents, or stub areas (if you are in IT Networking, that was pretty funny, trust me…).  At the end of the workout TR led the PAX in some brutal Mary with everything as some variation of a flutter.  Ask me how a one-legged Flutter feels – terrible, but in an awfully good kind of way.
  • Soft Pretzel (War Baby?) and Long Haul (definitely War Daddy) hooked up for the workout today in more of a Master / Apprentice sense.  Pushing through the pain is usually easier with a guy on your shoulder.

Announcements:

  • Tuesday, October 21 – 1 mile Time Trial at Community House Middle School track.  Not just a showdown between the SoBs and the rest of Area 51, this is an opportunity to test yourself for Fall / Winter training.  Plenty of weeks out from the Mud Run and just at the start of training for the Joe Davis Run, come out for an extended warm-up, 1 mile in race like conditions (plenty of elbows and adrenaline), and some other fun.  Look out for a sign-up link that has Time goals and other info to help us make the morning go more smoothly.  Bootcamp or more running options to follow the 1 mile.
  • November 5th – shooting for soft launch of Boot Camp at Marvin Ridge HS/MS campus.  It’s going to happen this time!

#F3Swift Preblast – NOT mile repeats

Swift will launch at 0515 from the Ballantyne AO at the Vine restaurant.  Post Mud Run, this is a perfect opportunity to stretch out those sore muscles and get back to running without sand in your shorts or mud in your shoes.

Mile repeats are a staple for building endurance with speed, but they can be grueling and intimidating.  How about something shorter, but still a challenge?  We’ll be out at the “Bull Ring” using a unique format for something near Half Mile repeats – 3:15 run at 10K pace, 0:45 jog to regroup.  If you have a watch with a simple timer, set it for 3:15 and countdown / repeat.

Need to figure out 10K-pace – go here http://runsmartproject.com/calculator or here http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/

#F3Swift – not so Short and too Long

  • 0514 – 16 PAX standing around at the Ballantyne AO this Tuesday morning
  • 0515 – 16 PAX still standing around
  • 0516 – The PAX help M.Tussauds realize his watch is slow and the Mud Run Training crew take off.  3 PAX left standing for Swift.
  • 0517 – Here comes one late PAX! Shoot, he’s looking for the Mud Run crew
  • 0517 – Depart the AO into the Gloom

The THANG:

  • Warm-up with 1 mile mosey to the Bull Ring. Minimal drills because we’re running late, so just High Knees, Butt Kicks, B-skip (stretch those hamstrings), and Strides.
  • 4x200meters at 1 mile race pace with 200meter jog recovery
  • Mosey out to Ballantyne Corporate for 15 minute Tempo run – try to run at your Marathon Pace (or about 1 minute per mile slower than your 5K pace). Go out for 7:30, then reverse course back to starting point.
  • 4x200meters at 1 mile race pace with 200meter jog recovery

The Moleskin:

  • With a small group, the 2nd F is always in full effect.  Also, no way to hide on these workouts.  We were very tight in the 200s, and Long Haul was showing no ill effects of not running for 6 weeks this summer.  We were flying pretty fast.
  • On the 15min Tempo, because YHC forgot his GPS watch, he realized that he has no internal Pace concept of Marathon Pace.  Too much pushing close to the Red Line probably and without having to use “should be able to talk as a gauge”, was left shouting to HoneyBee to check pace.  Too fast!
  • The ending 200s weren’t as easy as the first.  Surprised that the 15min Tempo would take that much out.
  • Cool-down jog back to home by winding everywhere through the Ballantyne Corporate Park.  Can’t arrive before 0610!
  • Plank until Mud Run Crew arrives – Right Arm/Right Leg high, flapjack, elbows, Right hand/left foot high, flapjack

Announcements:

  • Stonehenge is RELOCATED for this Saturday.  Meet at 0600 at Calvary Church / the Rock.  There will also be a 0700 workout at the same location.

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