At 0515 on Tuesday, the weekly Speed workout known as Swift will launch from the Vine Restaurant. Come at 0500 for some extra 3rd F (group mosey) and 2nd F (you won’t be out of breath).
Taper – keep the intensity, cut the duration. That’s what we’ll be doing this week.
This represents shorter intervals, more rest, and fewer reps than we have been doing. The only way you’ll burn yourself up for the BRR is if you do these too fast. Know your Threshold Pace from the calculator here: http://runsmartproject.com/calculator
Nine men got down to business this morning with tackling three parking decks and 4+ miles. Here’s a map and breakdown of the mayhem. The whole crew really pushed it today. Pebbles twerked an ankle descending the steps and I hope he is on the mend.
Thanks for the opportunity to lead.
Good to have another turn as Q. A great morning with a solid gang of PAX. The idea was to spend some time with our long neglected Grandma and do some Frisbee work. And of course, to get a good coating of field-picked dingleberries on everyone.
COP: 20 SSH, 20 Mountain Climbers, 20 Hillbillies, 12 Burpees
Track & Abs: Run 2 laps on the track stopping at ¼ points to do Flutters, LBC’s, Dollies, Freddy Mercurys
Run up Grandma 3 times
Broadjump Burpees up Grandma 1 time
Ultimate Suicides: 20 yd intervals for the length of the field with 10 Merkins, 20 LBC’s, 30 Dips at each turn
Run up to the Blue Door for some People’s Chair while waiting on the 6
Back down to the field and partner up for Footdraggers: one guy does plank with feet on Frisbee and starts dragging his feet the length of the field. Other guys runs up Grandma and back. Flap jack Frisbee/run until the goal line is reached.
Gassers for the last 3 minutes.
Moleskin:
A very quiet morning. Either I’m going deaf or there wasn’t a lot of chatter. Perhaps everyone has entered that “quiet before the storm” phase now that the BRR is looming large. A few quips about broad jumping up Grandma (Horse Head voiced his appreciation for new exercises) and a few more on the footdraggers … but overall a quiet morning for 45 solid minutes.
Natty T, who is from South Dakota and the home of Mt Rushmore, was very briefly known as National Treasure, but everyone agreed that was too nice of a name. Natty T has a much more humiliating ring to it.
Retread is from Akron, Ohio. Akron used to be (a very, very long time ago) known as the rubber capital of the world. It’s also the home to the Soap Box Derby championships and the Zips. And where I am from.
Announcements:
Convergence on Saturday at Elizabeth Lane for touch Football
Convergence on Monday, Labor Day, at Basecamp
14 men had a hard time making it through COT last night. The sobbing was uncontrollable as the last Ghost Runner of the season had come to an end. Each of us dealt with it in our own way, some went home to hug the family, other’s drowned their sorrows over a couple of fancy micro-brews at Vinter’s, I’m pretty sure Tiger Rag had The Bangles cued up in the Truckster for the ride home. Either way, we limped away a little stronger for it.
The Thang,
The same as last week.
Moleskine:
About 4 of the guys peeled off quick for the 4 miler. At least 6 took on the full 6 miler. The rest apparently ended up on some unsanctioned route along the way (short cut). Thanks to Scabby for pacing with me most of the run until the last uphill on Raintree where he opened up about a 50 yard lead on me.
An explosion of PAX for this year’s Ghost Runner. I am sure Gummy could pull the stats, but we were averaging 6-8 last year and easily 12-14 this year, with some weeks in the 20’s. I am not quite sure the reason. Could be the upgrade to 6 A51 BRR teams. Maybe it was the offer of beers every night after the run. Maybe it was just the opportunity to spend some quality time with YHC. Not sure if we’ll ever figure out that mystery.
It was a terrible/enjoyable summer of Thursday night runs. Hope you all feel the same. Lot’s of strong and healthy guys heading to the BRR next week. Go crush it.
Thanks to Brady for the send off.
-Alf
Announcements
Some workouts converging at Olympus tomorrow for “touch” football. Not recommended for the ankles on the BRR guys.
All workouts converging on Monday, Labor Day, at Base Camp (South CLT Middle School)
Look for further convergences next Friday and Saturday while many are out at the BRR.
Posted on behalf of Ironsides…
9 pax took the #DRP and showed up for YHC’s first attempt at Q. No new faces, so a quick disclaimer and we kicked off.
Warmup:
Mosey lap around the school (~0.4 mi.)
SSH x 28
Mtn Climber x 21
Merkins x 14
IW x 21
The Thang:
“Speed Option Offense”
Run up Rea Rd to Harris Teeter and circle up at the fountain out front (~0.6 mi.)
False start penalty on YHC for starting to call the next exercise before the 6 arrived #rookiemistake1
14 step-ups (7 each leg)
14 derkins
21 dips
(The pax were then informed, in case the hadn’t figured it out, that all reps today will be in multiples of 7)
Run back to the school (~1 mi.) via Stonecroft to the concession area and plank up to wait for the 6
“Triple Option Offense”
A 3-legged starfish from the concession area.
14 CDDs even with the HR fences on the fields to the left
14 jump squats at the batting cage to the right
7 pull ups (or 14 chest-ups for guys like me) at the playground
14 dips each pass by the concession area
Total run between the three stations is ~0.25mi.
Everyone got in 2 full rounds
Back to the parking lot for 6 MOM
LBC x 28
Flutter x 21
Rosalita x 13 (doinked one off the upright. Kickers.)
Protractor x 7 positions
60 seconds of planking, finishing with 14 seconds at 7 inches
DONE
Moleskine:
Great work by everyone today. I was a little nervous about my VQ but once we got underway the nerves subsided, plus knowing I only had to count to 3 made it easier! I thought Run Stopper was going to need a backup BRR runner after a near misstep on the Rea Rd sidewalk but no hard was done. Frosty Paws was the only other pax to sport college colors today, so only UT and App State were represented, although I learned later on that App was very well represented overall. Daisy was disappointed that the sprinkler water in Stonecroft wasn’t as cold as he hoped. Thanks to Run Stopper for circling back and rounding up the 6 on the way back from HT for me. #rookiemistake2
Announcements:
Young Life Mud Run September 19th at the Whitewater Center. They are looking for participants, sponsors, spectators, etc.
http://charlotte.younglife.org/Pages/Mud-Run-2015.aspx
Convergence on Monday 9/7 at Base Camp at 6:30AM
Area 51 Football Saturday at Olympus. Check the schedule for times.
Please keep Flutie Flakes’ family in your prayers as his daughter recovers from pneumonia at Levine Children’s Hospital.
Men, it’s time to step up to the plate and take the next step in your involvement with F3! The Union County AOs have exploded with growth over the summer and there are lots of new faces attending the workouts now. This Saturday, we are planning a special workout to introduce the pax to the fundamentals of leading a basic F3 boot camp workout. This will be a normal, 1 hour workout geared to all fitness levels. However, we will be incorporating some leadership training within the workout such as:
We don’t want anyone to be intimidated by this, so understand that you may be asked to practice calling the cadence for a few brief exercises but that’s about it. You won’t be asked to plan or lead long segments of the workout. We want everyone to come on out – we are planning to have a good time tomorrow AM! Taking the step to lead or co-lead your first F3 workout is a lot of fun.
Here are a couple of basic document put together by the leaders of Area 51. These are good to send out to first time Qs as they plan their workout.
Link 1 – First Time Q (brief, to the point)
Link 2 – Q101 – (not as brief, but filled with TR goodness)
There are also some good pre-run options if you are interested in that. These are no-drop runs, meaning that nobody will get left behind. The faster guys will circle back and pick up the six periodically. Much of the course is on-campus and it is easy to modify it to fit distances between 1 and 6 miles.
Schedule for Saturday 9/5/2015:
– Horsehead
12 men of purpose posted for a pre-labor day, pre-BRR beatdown.
The Thang:
Read the disclaimer and set off from the parking lot on a brisk run to the McMullen Creek trailhead for a modified mini Murph: 40 pull-ups; 50 dips; 100 push ups; 150 squats; mary, plank, etc. for those eager Pax who finished early.
Run back along 51 to Palatine hill for 3 sets of Bermuda Triangle. Run up said hill, 5 burpees at the summit, run to the courtyard for 10x derkins & 10x dips, run to the corner/3rd angle for 10x jump squats. Repeat 3x and don’t get lost in the dark. Plank-o-rama.
Run back to home base for ~3 minutes of mary. LBCs, Mason/russian twist (aka American Hammer), flutter. done.
Nice take out by Chelms (I think it was chelms?)
Announcements: sign up for the Mud Run or Mermaid will stalk you at your residence or place of work; various convergences tomorrow, Monday, and next Friday (due to BRR) – check the schedule. Keep Ice9’s wife in your thoughts/prayers as she has surgery today.
Strong work from a ready group as usual. I enjoyed the opportunity to lead! Be safe & enjoy the holiday weekend.
It is much easier to write a backblast when you write up a detailed pre-blast #cutandpaste
9 pax showed up to become Mountain Goats and a small part of the journey has now been completed and is roughly outlined as such:
Basic warm up, about a 1/2 mile out (pronounced oot) Woodfox and back to the track for dynamic stretching. Q definitely getting the comments when it comes to skipping and bounding, mumblechatter always welcome, you’re at my workout anyway so participation is always optional and I’m not a professional anyway, however I do it because I was taught well and it seems to work.
Running intervals at I pace which also uncomfortably hard which is also about 30 seconds slower than our mile time which is just find some like speed guys and run with them if needed, etc.
200M – 200M jog/regroup recovery
400M – 400M jog/regroup recovery
600M – 600M jog/regroup recovery
800M – 400M jog/regroup recovery
Attempted to run a proper cut down run, taking 5 seconds a lap (which equals 20 seconds per mile) off the pace. Despite the fact that this is described in a single sentence it takes a surprisingly long time to describe in person. Two groups formed, Slim Fast of course leading the faster group starting at a 9 min/mile pace with YHC leading a group starting at 10:30 pace. Groups pretty much stayed together and mostly executed the cut down run. TR of course being the engineer was a bit dismayed at missing the start by a few seconds which threw off his per lap timing but he seemed to pull it off regardless.
Major props to Kilowatt out there, our only respect pax today, he has and continues to be a regular out there and wow is it showing, he powered through all the intervals and the cutdown run pulling in about 5.5 miles today, he commented during the cutdown run that he couldn’t run half a mile before and here he is pulling off 5+ and in the respect category too.
Floor Slapper was quiet but consistent out there which is exactly how you are supposed to run those intervals, nice. High Tide spent almost the entire 800M interval running with YHC and complaining the entire time, which means he was talking, which means he is stronger than he thinks and is definitely BRR ready. Ickey Shuffle, for someone that likes the kettlebells has been getting quicker after only a few times out at Mountain Goat, keep it up and High Tide will take away the 0.0, oh no wait, he’s already lost his anyway, nevermind, keep coming back brother, love to have you out there and the improvement is already noticeable.
Announcements:
Mountain Goat is ON next week, thanks to Honey Bee for taking the lead, yes it will still be a moderate, push yourself workout.
Mud Run signups
11 hungry pax showed up at Peak 51 this morning for some entertainment. Not the same entertainment that is sitting in Stumptown Park across the street a la the Merry Go Round and Tilt A Whirl, but manly entertainment full of running and gasping for air. Here’s the festival of fun that was provided:
Warm-Up:
Mosey to the parking lot in front of the community center for:
Mosey to parking lot behind the bank for the merkin circle:
In a tight circle, all men got down in planking position, then had to shuffle based on what YHC called out:
Slow mosey back to Sadie St. Time for Catch Me if You Can:
Once at Baucom Park, grab a bench for :
Indian run back to Matthews Elementary. Back at lot in front of community center, partner up again. Partner #1 runs laps while Partner #2 does called exercise, then flapjack:
Mosey back to the baseball field hill for triple nickel:
It was at the bottom of the triple nickel run that I made a big “uh-oh”. I asked Freedom to provide a 10 count, but instead of calling him Freedom, I called him “Liberty”. I knew his name had something to do with a national virtue, but not cool at all YHC! Freedom was a total gentleman and shrugged it off like a champ, but my apologies just the same brother!
We moseyed back to the point of origin for some mary when Slim Fast informed me we were at 1.93 at mileage. We ran the additional .07 to make sure we hit 2. Mary included:
Mosey back to the cars….that’s a wrap!
Moleskin:
I had a blast today boys! Thanks for letting me lead Slim Fast and Geraldo! We got a little bit of everything in this morning and the crew really stayed together. Lots of encouragement and gutting it out…..that’s why we show up at 5:30 every morning! Great work! Kotters to Crabcake who just came back after 6 weeks or so out…..it didn’t show Crabcake.
Thanks again pax……I am certain I benefitted the most from this morning just given the opportunity to lead such a great group!
SF, thanks for the great prayer during BOM!
Hopper
Announcements:
So short and sweet since YHC has competing priorities.
Basic warm up.
Running intervals at I pace which also uncomfortably hard which is also about 30 seconds slower than our mile time which is just find some like speed guys and run with them if needed, etc.
200M – 200M jog/regroup recovery
400M – 400M jog/regroup recovery
600M – 600M jog/regroup recovery
800M – 800M jog/regroup recovery
Then we’ll attempt to run a proper cut down run, taking 5 seconds a lap (which equals 20 seconds per mile) off the pace. We will start slow. This is a moderate running workout so we will start slow. The idea is that we will stay together if at all possible. If we need to break it up to sections we will.
The longer recoveries and the cut down run are intended to help with pacing consistency and exposure to a new technique in running improvement. Full disclosure, YHC has actually effectively executed a cut down run twice, I am neither a professional nor particularly experienced but I have learned from my other (failed) attempts that starting too fast is very easy so we will start slow.