Preblast: Devil’s Turn Hill Route

Preblast: Devil’s Turn Hill Route

We are now 4 weeks out from BRR so we are hitting the hills for the next 3 weeks until the week of the event (when tapering should be in full swing).  As several of our PAX learned last weekend, the hills of the BRR are big and brutal.  We will do our best on the mighty hills of Piper Glen to prepare.

We will meet at 5:15 in the greenway parking lot at the corner of Rea Rd. and Bevington Place and proceed for a 1 mile warmup loop around the apt complex and south on Rea Rd.

The pace after the 1 mile warmup will be roughly “marathon” pace from http://runsmartproject.com/calculator/ .  Let’s call that the stretch goal pace and that should be your goal on DT Track Day.  For the hill route, there is some evidence that the pace slows 15 to 30 seconds per mile in pace.  So if you normally average 8:00 min/mile on DT track day, your average on the hill route may be 8:15 or 8:30 min/mile.

In an ideal world where we are all hill conquering beasts of nature, we could bring these two paces closer together.  Let’s see what we can do tomorrow.  Look back at your track day average paces and at your hill route average paces tonight.  Then let’s see what you do tomorrow and compare.  We will take note in COT.

See you tomorrow!

Iron Jungle

The workout:

Indian run around the parking lot

Partner up

1 partner runs the long hill with 10 merkins at the top

Partner 2 does kettlebell exercise assigned to the kettlebell station

Flapjack
Rinse and repeat

Wait for all pax to finish and move to next station.

Stations:
Good Mornings w/ 32 KG
Two handed swings with 28 KG
Goblet Squats w/ 28 KG
Two hand press with 24 KG
one hand swing with 24 KG
Cleans w/ 40 lbs
Snatches or presses w/ 40 lbs

6 MOM

Recover

moleskine:

Tough workout for some tough guys today. I probably went a little heavy with the bells but the crew adjusted well. Big Tuna and Dasher were killing it on the runs and I couldn’t see the other group because I was in the dark tunnel of kettlebell HIIT work. We have a big roster of regulars at the Drom even though we intermingle with some other sites and fartsacks. Always good to see some new and returning faces. Let Brat or I know if you want to step up and lead. Pretty uneventful morning besides the high schoolers beating us to the lot at 5:20am to pick their parking space, our guys talking their way out of a trespassing citation from the Union Co Popo and Stumpy trying to get rolled by an unattended vehicle in neutral. All before 6 am. Thanks for posting and allowing me to lead. Thanks Tuna for the prayer. Good stuff brother.

I’m Wide Awake, it was dark, blah, blah, blah

COT on the move

Mosey aimlessly along the road looking for places to start the beat down. I have to admit it has been a while since I lead a workout, so I tried to temper my zeal by kicking everyone in the teeth (including myself) in this COT:

  • SSH x20, Mosey
  • IW x20, 10 Burpees (OYO)
  • 10 Burpees (OYO)

Circle up near chick-Fil-A

  • LBC x40, 10 Burpees
  • Slow Squat x30, 10 Burpees (OYO)
  • Mirkens x25, 10 Burpees (OYO)

Locate a wall – found said wall in the courtyard at Starbucks. Queue a series of songs that could be considered ‘classic’ from the outside speakers. While listing to Kris Kristofferson’s classic hit from 1979 ‘SAILING’ we started three sets of the following:

  • Dirkens x25
  • LBCs x25
  • Incline Mirkens x25

Mosey across Ballantine Commons to St. Matthews Catholic Church

  • Locate a rock – mosey to the wall, rock above your head
  • Wall Sit for a VERY long 3 minutes
  • While sitting, hold rock in front of body .30 secs; raise rock overhead .30 secs- rest
  • Rinse and repeat.

Mosey back to the drainage ‘ditch’ Circle up for Jack Webb with a Rock

  • 1 Mirken AND 4 over head presses
  • 2 Mirkens AND 8 over head presses, etc..
  • Up to 10 Mirkens AND 40 over head presses

 Form two lines for Indian run back to the parking lot.

Last 5 light poles were the scene of a horrific plan gone wrong. YHC decided to add 25 Mirkens per light pole as a punishment to myself for focusing on running these past few months and not my guns/chest.

Naked Moleskin:

  • Running in hot from a local hotel in Ballantine was Floppy Disk, from Lexington. Great to see you post out here with us today. Hope to see you again soon. Extra credit, yes he ran back to his hotel when we finished up.
  • The security guard at St, Matthews was eyeing us closely; I guess he figured we were harmless, after all how could we be planning some kind of criminal act when we all had rocks held above our heads along the sidewalk.
  • Mic Check, was really digging the tunes. I think he was singing Katy Perry’s song ‘I’m Awake’ while Fire Hazard and Madame Tussaud were in the middle of a fantasy about girls kissing girls.

Announcements:

  • Q’s needed at the Maul – sign up link on the schedule page (Sign-up Genius) or contact Madame Tussaud and or Wingman to get added to the schedule.
  • Mud Run training – Fridays at F3TheBrave at 5:15 am launch at the Vine.

Solid work by all today and a great way to start the day!

Run Stopper aka, Stop Running aka Webster

Who’s ready for the Navy?

25 pax joined up in the S. Clt Middle parking lot, virtual shovel flag was planted, lots of chatter/warm greetings, etc.  countdown, then it started.

Mosey around parking lot to pick up any late comers, then down to the dark track and onto the muddy field.

SSH x 20

IW  x20

Windmill x 20

Low slow squat x 20

Merkins x 10

Mt. Climber x 15

Warmup lap around track

Warmup complete

Navy Physical Readiness Test (PRT)- with Partner (counting)

2 mins AMRAP Pushups

2 mins AMRAP Situps (old school)

1.5 mile timed run

Plankarama til all are done

Mosey to Wall:

People’s chair with Air Press (x 20)

Donkey Kicks x 20

Rinse Repeat

COT

Naked Moleskin:

Joker first brought this out to the Joust pax many months ago except he added the pull-ups piece.  Sorry we didn’t get that one in, we would have had to travel to Davie park (not enough time).

Where was our Navy buddy, Squid today?  This one was for him.  Someone test him on this next time you see him.

Here is the link to see how you rank:  http://www.military.com/military-fitness/navy-fitness-requirements/navy-basic-training-pft

Here is another one (a pdf) that is divided by age groups.  YHC likes this one better:  http://www.nrotc.navy.mil/pdfs/Physical%20Standards.pdf

YHC hopes the pax liked to see how you would stand up to the test.  It’s good to be tested.

Everyone was working hard out there. YHC heard some pretty impressive numbers at the end.  Partners were supposed to help count but also correct/encourage on proper form.  #accountability

Post your scores or ranks (excellent, outstanding, etc.) below if you so desire in the comments.  Could you make it into the Navy?

Annoucements:  FREEDOM is Q for Jevlar on Friday.  Come on out and support him.  Also, Friday at Compass (Chick-fila 0630) we are studying Philiipians chapter 2.  2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

 

 

Random Turns on the Straightaway

17 PAX played follow the random turning leader at Swift today.  Here is what they did.

The Thang:

  • Early crew rolls out at 0501 from the Vine Restaurant in Ballantyne for 1mile easy through the corporate park. Returning early to the Vine, decide stretching and 2nd F is worth more than miles.
  • Full group rolls at 0515 on a new warmup route. Instead of trudging through grass (that’s for those bootcamps), the PAX roll across 521 at the hotel entrance and through the hotel parking lot to cut to Ballantyne Commons PKWY. Up to the MetLife building and stopping at the back entrance. 1mile more done.
  • 4 drills with toes, heels, high knees, and butt kicks done.
  • Provide some navigating rules along N. Community House and explain Threshold pace for the 5minute interval and 1minute. Read the Preblast for a video explanation of Threshold pace.
  • Start 5 minute interval with 1 minute rest. Complete 4 with some regrouping.
  • Regroup all of the PAX and mosey before 1 last 5minute interval to meet back at start point.
  • Mosey home via Ballantyne Commons or Ballantyne Corporate. 1+ mi more.
  • COT

 

Moleskin:

  • Threshold pace = Comfortably Hard. If you didn’t check out the pace guidance from http://runsmartproject.com/calculator, then Q guidance was 50-60 seconds per mile slower than your fastest mile race/time trial. Should be in control during these intervals that translate over to doing a consistent 20minute interval or mile repeats at the T-pace.
  • Swift PAX were strong in numbers today. Not quite a record, but notable that we were only one short of the Bagpipe numbers. Site FNG Cable Guy and relative newcomer (to Swift) Dear Abby almost helped tip the scales. Strong showing knowing that Swift is one of the few workouts with a Preblast each week (whether the PAX choose to read it or not).
  • And that’s with several PAX coming off a long BRR training trip over the weekend. A lot of the warm-up was spent discussing the van-sized cabin they chose to simulate actual conditions in, that Beer+Cheese don’t mix with Outback, and that there are significant hills on the BRR even on just “Hard” legs – keep in mind that “Hard” is the middle level with “Very Hard” and “Mountain Goat Hard” adding elevation or distance.
  • A bit of Q prerogative today with turning points on the intervals. It makes sense that in order to keep the PAX together on “the strip” of N. Community House that we turn when the leaders turn around. Even better when Honeybee is leading out front and the Q calls a turn to effectively now be in front. Overall, makes for some erratic turning at times, but it seems to work. Suggestions welcome if it really works.
  • Notable on the last interval were the Q instructions to take 5 minutes to get back to where we started the intervals. This did not mean race straight back to the start point (Doubtfire seemed exuberant), but take whatever path necessary to get there AND keep running until clock expired. In the end, Strange Brew took an unconventional route (not to mention “going metro” again) and Doubtfire got dragged farther than he bargained for – kind-of like chasing a chicken through a field with random turns.

 

Announcements:

  • Next week is the last ISI workout before BRR. 800m with 200m recovery. It was nice to do these on the track at AG last month. What do you all think about visiting Community House Middle School (less than 5min from the Vine) and trying to get #FastTwitch to join? What kind of turnout could we get?

We Pick Them Up and Put Them Down

(Posted on behalf of Cold Cuts)

No Doom and Gloom at McKee this Saturday.  The oppressive heat and humidity decided to give us a break this week.  The Q decided today was a perfect day to bring some added pain…toys…heavy toys.  Some legends and newer PAX joined the fun for a good old beat down.  Here is how we did it:

Q led the 12 PAX on a good old mosey through the local neighborhood.  Mid-run he had the group stop for the usual warm-up:

  • SSH x 25
  • Merkins x 5
  • IW x 15
  • Merkins x 5
  • Squats x 15

Still hanging out in the middle of the street, the PAX now were in for some fun.  A Pyramid of Merkin Pain:

  • 10 x R Leg Up Merkins
  • 9 x Knee to Chest Merkins
  • 8 x Wide Merkins
  • 7 x Knee to Elbow Merkins
  • 6 x Clap Merkins….on the street

Now back down the Pyramid of Merkin Pain:

  • 6 x Clap Merkins
  • 7 x Knee to Elbow Merkins
  • 8 x Wide Merkins
  • 9 x Knee to Chest Merkins
  • 10 x R Leg Up Merkins

Had 80 push-ups of fun…now mosey down the street to do 20 Jump Squats followed by a mosey back to the school for some fun on the wall.

  • People’s Chair for time followed by lunges
  • PC again w/ calf raisees & more lunges

Time to mosey again, this time to the front of the school where the Q had a nice surprise for the PAX.  Everyone paired up to form 6 teams.  One PAX would run the length of the school front while teammate would work his Pain Station.  Then flapjack.  The Pain Stations consisted of the following:

  • Wall Balls w/ 20 lb ball
  • Squat w/ 60 lb sand bag on your shoulders
  • Turkish Get-ups w// 12 lb weight
  • Bicep Curls w/ 20 lb weights
  • Shoulder Presses w/ 20 lb ball
  • Lunges w/ weight in hand

Every PAX completed each station w/ run between each station.

Next we went back to the wall for a nice treat:

  • PC w/ 30 air presses, followed by lunge walk across the parking lot & 20 merkins
  • Rinse & Repeat x 5

Wrapped up the morning by taking a stroll over to the playground set for the following:

  • 10 Pull-ups (w/ Picasso knocking out his like it was nothing)
  • 20 Squats
  • 30 LBCs

And to top it all off, Q led PAX through series of Planks and round of LBCs x 100

COT

NMM:

  • Strong effort by everyone on a nice cooler morning
  • During Pain Station circuit, not surprisingly Lobster Roll, Squid, and Joker killed it with solid runs every time.  Q thinks these guys might need to get tested, for awesomeness
  • Croissant continues to bounce back strongly after returning from winter hibernation/retirement
  • Beaver never ceases to amaze. . . .the man NEVER quits, always finishes strong, and does it with a smile on his face
  • Newer PAX members Skull and Hoot gave the A51 regulars a run for their money
  • With the PAX making it look too easy, Q plans to go back to the drawing board to see if he can increase the heat for his next lead
  • Covered 2.62 miles with lots of pain in between
  • As always, thanks for the opportunity to lead

DMZ…it’s all good!

The SnoopTrainQ rolled into DMZ territory with 20+ pax eager to get it on!

The Mission:

0530 Ten spider burpees (quick chest to ground n pop back up) / one lap around parking lot
==== Into the wooded trail with bearCrawls over the bridge and continue on sidewalk.
==== COP at BBall court: Merkins X 14; SSH X 20; Imperial Squats X 15; WideArmMerkin x 10
0540 Mosey to field – 10 spider burpees / Partner up for carries and wheelbarrow
==== Partner carry to half-field / Partner wheelbarrow to end line / 10 spider burpbees
==== Complete four rotations
0550 Mosey to church parking lot – COP around new DMZ ShovelFlag –
==== Plankaroma and Derkins X 12
==== More partner work: run opposite around church meet on high side / 20 handSlappers
==== run around church meet on low side / 20 handSlappers
==== run around church meet on high side / 20 handSlappers
0600 Return DMZ Shovel Flag back to AO then head down Camilla Dr to Middle Sch entrance
==== Along the way at speedBumps: 10 spider burpees / 10 X Fit merkins
==== Grab the three 25lb coupons YHC dropped off before DMZ beatDown
==== Begin a triple formation Indian run w/ 25lb weight(5 chest press/pass it back)
==== Pax must stop at each speedBump and complete 10 spider burpees
==== Continue Indian run w/ 25lb weight up Camilla(.2 miles) finish at AO
0630 COT

Inside the ropes:

Great group of studDawgs showed for tha SnoopTrainQ’s third installment at DMZ. We did not disappoint with plenty of pain and great 2nd F going on during the beatDown! Lots of options at this AO and added benefits when Q shows up with 25lb coupons to share with the pax. Great to see SnowFlake and FlutieFlakes at all three of YHC’s leads at DMZ…TClaps. Skywalker was the glue today that kept it real yappy out there. Lot of hard work by all pax. Thanks for the opportunity to lead at DMZ!

Snoop

Let It Rain

It was a veteran crew and that’s a good thing because I totally forgot the disclaimer. I’ve led several times and this is the first time my count wasn’t mocked, so I’m pretty proud of that.

SSH – 20
IW – 20
Mountain Merkins – 15
Groiners – 15

The PAX headed north through the Ballantyne Hotel parking lot and onto Ballantyne Commons.  In the alley between the parking garage and the YMCA we grabbed some curb for Wheel-O-Merkin. Using the curb PAX complete a cycle of 5 derkins, 5 offset L merkins, 5 incline merkins, 5 offset R merkins decreasing by one for each cycle. Total merkins – 60

Then we descended onto the damp soccer field for my favorite – The Beast. The Beast consists of six cones lined down the field for six rounds of six exercises each.

Round 1 – Jump Squats
Round 2 – Merkins
Round 3 – Scorpion Carolina Dry Docks (one-leg up)
Round 4 – Seal Jacks
Round 5 – Toe-tap crunches
Round 6 – Burpees

Off the field to the parking garage for a round of 20 Freddy Mercurys. Next, I sent the PAX up the stair will 20 exercises at each landing.

Level 1 – Squats
Level 2 – Merkins
Level 3 – Carolina Dry Docks
Level 4 – Donkey Kicks

Then we headed by to base. One round of Indian Run up Ballantyne Commons, a bear crawl through the grass at the top of the hill and broad jumps across the CVS parking lot. FIN.

I think everyone was grateful for great weather today. The cool breezes and gentle rain are a great alternative to the blistering, humid conditions of late. It was so Fall-like; I was tempted to order a Pumpkin Spice Latte at the next door Starbucks.

The PAX were all-business today. Not a lot of negative mumble chatter, even a few compliments on the wheel-o-merkin.   I do recall someone busting into song during The Beast, I can’t recall who. In addition, the very fast crew stayed together during much of the running. Perhaps my pace is so slow, that most were waiting on me?

Monday Morning Blues

Work out started with standard warm up material

25 x Side Strattle Hop

20 x Merkins

25 x Imperial Walkers

20 x Reverse lunges

25 x LBC

Quick mosey up to the front of the school to do a quick peoples chair followed by heels to heavens while Bratwurst brought the FNG into the mix

Short  Mosey to the NESBIT circle to do 7 rounds of Squats, pushups and LBC’s mixing it up at each station as we worked down 7,6,5,4, etc…

After the 7 times round the circle we moseyed over to the soccer fields to grab the benches so we could do a few rounds of Gassers:

2 ( Basic Gassers) Followed by 7 Burbees

1 (10 merkins, 20 LBC’s, 30 step ups)

1 (10 Carlina Dry Docks, 20 heels to heavens, 15 single leg squat each leg)

1 (Partner carry rotate every cone and back)

 We finished the work out with 40 Russian Twist to get us ready for the day.

Keep Heather Meyers in your thoughts and prayers as she continues the fight.

Brat, Thank you for taking us out.

Double Doglegs

21 faithful runners took to the hilly streets, with a continuation of last week’s non-stop enduro-run through the hills of Rain Tree.

The Thang:

Warm-up run out to Rain Tree, right, to bottom of hill at speed bump.

Split into two groups:

Group 1, continue up Rain Tree, dog leg right onto Four Mile Creek, down to bottom of hill at speed bump, do SMCs at bottom, return back to speed bump on Rain Tree

Group 2, back up Rain Tree, dog leg right onto Windbluff, down to bottom of hill at speed bump, do jump squats at bottom, return back to speed bump on Rain Tree.

Back at speed bump, 20 flutter kicks.  Continue in other direction for 2nd half of lap.

That was one lap.  At bottom of hills, do an increasing # of each exercises on each lap.  Lap 1, 5; Lap 2, 10; Lap 3, 15.

Meet at bottom of Rain Tree at 6:05.  Indian run back to school.

I think the longest group completed 2.5 laps.

Mileage: Total of about 5.8 – 7.0 miles between the front runners and the six.

 

Moleskine:

  • Exactly a month away from BRR – great time to stretch the legs and continue grinding out the mileage today, with even the six getting nearly 6 miles in today, and the front runners getting in about 7 – this is about as long as it gets at Fast Twitch
  • The layout worked well here, with run out to the center being a mile, and the distance of each lap being almost exactly a mile – easy to keep track even without a watch.
  • Even with all the hills, the pace continues to accelerate each week.  I think several folks set new personal distance records for Fast Twitch today.  I couldn’t keep up with Mr. Brady and Bout Time who led the front in our group.  I think I saw Funky Cold, Swayze, and Header out in front of the other group – hard to tell in the dark sometimes.
  • Was clearly some demarcation between the front group, middle group, and rear groups – but each group seemed to keep a steady pace, with PAX encouraging each other – that is what it is all about on these enduro-runs.  Nice job laying out the miles today.
  • T-claps for the take-out from Mr. Brady.

Announcements:

Blue Ridge Relay September 11-12:  If you are not already on a team, and want to join, let Turkey Leg know asap.  Also in need of drivers. Turkey Leg: scott_mastbrook@yahoo.com