Rocking the 12 Days of Christmas

#F3Swift – Mount Rushmore Speed Pyramid

13 PAX headed out into the Gloom at 0515 from the Vine Restaurant for the weekly speed session known as Swift.

The Thang:

• Warm-up 1 mile at 2nd F pace.  Drills and strides for 0.5mi.
• 4x200meters, 2x400m, 800m, 2x400m, 2x200m – all run at Repetition-pace (find yours here – http://runsmartproject.com/calculator) with equal length recovery in between each interval
• Arrive at COT at 06:15:59 (at least on YHC’s watch)…
• Total miles between 5.5 and 6.0.

Moleskin:

• The Bull Ring had been used for about 3 weeks straight, so we needed an alternate venue today.  Hence, the use of the mostly straight, mostly flat, no speedbump (!), Rushmore Dr. was the choice.  Turns out the course on GPS plot actually looked like a Pyramid – Voodoo’s activity is @ http://www.strava.com/activities/227744713
• WIth YHC’s GPS watch dead and unable to place markers, Strange Brew was the only PAX with previous military recon training, so we sent him out to mark the course. Little orange cones dropped along the way.  Next time, perhaps we can get Long Haul (doesn’t the man have Road Construction expertise?) to give us shiny reflective markers embedded in the asphalt every 200m.  Although it turns out that GPS distance can vary, we did have a decent 800m course laid out with little variation.
• Goal for the intervals is to “run for the 800”.  That means not killing a 200, slowing down on a 400, and then failing at the 800.  Same pace throughout each interval running at the fastest speed of intervals we do at Swift – Repetition pace / a.k.a. 1 mile race pace.  While this was still extremely difficult to maintain for the 800 (at least without #merlotspillage), we’ll return to this type of workout in a fortnight.  Body “should” be recovered by then.
• What an absolute blazing group today!  Looking at some of the data from those that post on Strava, there were a lot of very fast times.  TigerRag killed it on pretty everything, so perhaps he is figuring out what that “goal” pace should be – activity here http://www.strava.com/activities/227785707.  Wing_Man delivered several personal best efforts for 0.25 and 0.5 miles – activity here – http://www.strava.com/activities/227746401.  And the aforementioned VooDoo even broke out the iPhone app and had some targets in mind – Strava even calculated some for him.  If you have a GPS watch (Haggis, Brew, others), and aren’t uploading to Strava, you are missing out on some great feedback from your run.  Even when it feels like it sucks out there, at least there’s data to confirm or deny the ACTUAL sucking feeling.
• Welcome to Site FNGs Splinter and Teddy.  Both were too good, so we’re going to have to start handicapping them with weight vests or HoneyBee’s ankle weights.
• Haggis, though obviously not pleased there is someone else to chase this morning, is psyched to have these guys on the Area51 team for the Joe Davis Run!
• Mr. Bean, Voodoo, and Strange Brew either partner-carried Outback today, or he got some good physical therapy over the past week, or he’s just stubbornly refusing to let anything get in the way of his goals for the year.  Got to run a bit with Mr. Bean on Sunday morning, and had a great time talking to him about the EPL.  Who knew that we had a WHUFC baller in our midst?
• Long Haul, who despite being the WarDaddy, refuses to be known as “the old guy” and keeps bringing it at Swift.
• Rock Thrill makes his first Swift posting post-Philly marathon where just a little over 2 weeks ago he endured a great 8:00/mi pace to probably set a personal best.  He has definitely made the transition back to the “Swift” muscles now, so the only question will be for the Joe Davis Run is will it be team TheFort or Area51?
• Abacus is still quietly auditing the results of his workout…they will be available soon.

Announcements:

• Joe Davis Run – sign-up soon to help the Event Director plan logistics.  Very nice BLACK long-sleeved shirts this year, and signing up early helps them forecast the right T-shirt order.