Monday, Mar 19:
Rather than doing my usual Monday evening South End Pub Run, I went to a different event where Chris McDougal was speaking about his book Born to Run. A really nice guy, has found himself chasing some crazy adventures.
Before the event, I got in a quick 45 min bike session covering 10.6 miles. I had hoped for an hour, but needed to get to the event and therefore cut it short. My legs weren't up for a run, but I got in a good sweat session.
Wednesday, Mar 21:
6.0 mi in 49:24, 8:14 ave, 2 degrees of incline. It had been a while since my last run, so I felt pretty fresh. Just an easy run. I did hit a pull-up record, though. Just 4 normal ones with wider spread arms, but 8 were knocked out on perpendicular pullup bars. I wonder if it's the different angle, or the fact that my arms were closer together than they usually are. It felt so easy, as if they were assisted or like I was pulling up half my weight.
Friday, Mar 23:
50 min strength session. Went there with y mom.
- Crunches: 400 /side
- Plank: 3.5 + 2 min
- 6 in: 60 + 60s
- Single Leg Squats: 95 + 100
- Squats: 60
- Lower Leg Extensions (body weight): 110
- Russian Twists: 40
- Assorted Dumbells
- PT band for the first time in a long time
Saturday, shopping with my mom, and a visit to Metalmorphosis.
Sunday, Mar 25:
4.0 in 32:59, 8:15 ave, 2 degrees of incline. Legs' nervous system not fresh enough to handle trails safely, plus trails closed due to rain overnight. I should've been fresh for a run, since the last run was Wednesday, but it was harder than it should be.
Monday, Mar 26:
South End Pub Run. Ran the right route for the first time, with my speedy friend again. 5.0 in 36:29, 7:17 ave.
Tuesday, Mar 27:
My SGX Coach and Spartan Endurance Ambassador friend challenged her facebook audience to do 300 burpees for a race code for the Fayetteville HH12HR. I had been debating about doing it, and maybe wasn't going to... but with this, I had to go for it. I eagerly went over to the gym and got started. I decided to post in the 10,000 burpee club, since they were already used to seeing videos of burpees, and it would be less weird than posting on my own page.
- The first 100 took me about 10 minutes.
- The second 100 took me about 20 min.
- The last 100 took me about 60 minutes.
I'd massage my arms, rest them for a bit, to get through. It was so hard. I even had 8 no reps that I had to redo, especially in the last 10. My arms were just giving out. So hard. I was afraid that my battery on the phone would run out before I'd finish. Made it, though!
I had gotten good at getting through burpees about a year ago during the 10,000 burpee in 100 days challenge. Even in those days, though, I had never done 300 at once... maybe 225 was the most I did at once. Jumping in head-first like this was maybe a nutty thing to do, but that's what we do.
Hopefully, this turns out to be good training for the HH12HR, and also good prep for the Spartan races.
Wednesday, took my mom out to Cowfish for BBQ sushi and a bison burger... great food, and reasonable prices!
Dad came to visit on Friday.
Saturday, Mar 31:
Trail run at the whitewater center. I ran while my parents went on a walk. I needed some cardio again, after 5 days off of running. My body had felt bleh and unused. Rushed to get out before sunset. After a shopping then a nap. Pollen started saturating the air a few days ago.
Took East Main 1/2 to Tributary ->East Main 1/2. I'm understanding the linkages between the new trails better now. The Salomon Speedcrosses were handy and good for avoiding ankle rolls. Did Zombies, Run! episodes. Hoping this run can help my arms recover from burpees with the blood flow. Tight at first, but ok.
8.3 in 1:40:32, 12:04 ave.
Sunday, volunteered for the Charlotte Build on Easter.
Filled 60lb sandbags, assembled blades, QC'ed new crash pads, cleaned water container nozzles, folded up tarps, stacked firewood. Good lunch afterwards, as usual.
Monday, slept 10 hours. Exhausted, body tired, parents finally left.
Tuesday, took another rest day. Body not feeling it after work.
Wednesday, Apr 4:
5.0 in 41:53, 8:23 ave, 2 degrees of incline. My last chance for a run before the race. Needed the run today for stress purposes. Rough day today. An exercise in treating others well, even when not treated well, rather than perpetuating the cycle. Had craisins and peanuts beforehand, for quick sugar and tang.
Splits> 8:30, 24, 21, 18, 17.
THE RACE
Saturday
Spartan introduced Age Group waves this year with age group prizes. This gave more incentive to participate, compared to what they originally had with their Competitive waves where the only thing at stake was a chance at a qualifier for World's or something... I don't even know. I wanted it so badly. The weather was going to be tough, though... chilly, plus rainy. Some obstacles are nearly impossible for me when they're wet. It's good practice for OCRWC, which may be wet, if it's British weather. Temps were tolerable with leggings and my new Legendbourne tank.
The obstacles were even harder than I expected. I thought I'd be able to get through some of them like Monkey Bars, but it was rough. I failed Monkey Bars, Spear, Twister (fortunately, no grips!), Olympus (still no idea how I did this in Tahoe... maybe it's all in my head, and after failing the first time after Tahoe, I've been giving up too easily or not figuring out my way through it), even the Rig! Notably, they took out the Dunk Wall because it was too cold and they didn't want a bunch of hypothermia cases. They also introduced capped buckets. It's good because 1) I don't have to wreck my hands filling the bucket with rocks, and 2) it's more fair - no ambiguity about how much each person is filling their bucket. It actually felt easier and lighter than usual.
I ended up finishing 4th... a mere 13s behind 3rd, in my AG. I kept thinking about all of the places where I gave up time. Trying to dry my hands at obstacles that I'd end up failing anyways, etc. So much regret. I figured that I still had a shot at Sunday's race for redemption. I had a volunteer session to get through first. Maybe if I didn't volunteer, I'd have more strength saved up for the race the next day... but if I wasn't going to do well at the Sunday race anyways, then I would've lost out on the volunteer opportunity. Anyway, that's what goes through my mind.
TSS team pic:
A coworker was doing his first Spartan (though not his first OCR) that weekend, in one of the last heats. With rain the whole day, the course was a sloppy mess by then. The vibes at the race were different, too, since everyone tried to stay under tents, so there weren't many people walking around the festival.
Sunday
Muddier and colder than the previous day. It wasn't raining, but the course was wet. While rolling through the barbed wire, I discovered that it was just as fast, and less wet and muddy, to crawl, rather than roll on this one, since the wire was pretty high. It was too late, though... I had already gotten really wet, and that dropped my body temps fast. It was windy that day, too. When I was at the Atlas carry, I took a break to curl into a ball to not be so exposed while standing on the open field. I was shivering uncontrollably. I ended up with 8/13 AG. I had to retry the 7' wall so many times, until I saw another girl making it with the outer edge of her shoe. I had been trying with the inner edge. I finally made it, with the outer edge - need to remember that for next time.
(putting on a brave face for the camera... I was sooooo cold)
I also wiped out during the sandbag or bucket... don't remember which. The course is sketchier after the first morning, especially when it's rainy. I shivered so much and had to fight so hard to get through. I was so cold. After finishing, I went to the med tent. It takes a lot for me to feel like I need that kind of help. They denied entry, though, saying that I should go to the other side of the festival to the changing tent and warm up there after getting out of my wet clothes. Not what I wanted to hear... oh well. At least the tent was warm, and I recovered.
Another volunteer session afterwards.
So... no AG podium. No redemption. Maybe at another race this year. Maybe at a drier race.
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