It's been three days since we got home from L.A. and it only takes me two to start feeling a little aimless when it comes to my training.
Thus it was fortunate that Thursday presented a two-pronged challenge. One that I underestimated quite spectacularly....
It started with a rare Thursday I.F. 3pm session. It turns out that Rob will be gallivanting around the beaches of Tofino so our usual Friday afternoon session got moved up...
We opted for a mish-mash of weights, boxing, core, running intervals etc. The workout gradually escalated in intensity to the point that we were dropping intervals at 12.5 mph on the treadmill towards the end. Good clean fun but perhaps not ideal because...
I still had Thursday's dryland training ahead. Rob and I put back some pasta with veal accompanied by a full-bodied Gatorade immediately after the workout - fuel for the evening session...
The questionable sense of the term 'dryland' was dealt another blow due to the fact that the land was anything but dry. The rain was heavy and unrelenting. Fortunately, I enjoy working out in the rain as long as I am not on a bicycle. The schedule called for intervals (again)... quite a departure from the usual 'technique' sessions Tony delivers. In fact, Tony would not be administering the session at all. Jamie Stirling was at the helm - he runs the Nordic Racers dryland summer program which I have joined a few times this summer.
Surprisingly (not), lots of other people were unable to make it to tRAINing, therefore, it was Jamie, his wife Jules and myself. We convened at the Running Room adjacent to Stanley Park and ventured towards Third Beach where Jules knew of the perfect hill for Jamie's interval workout.
An aside: Jules is the proprietor of a cool little website dedicated to Stanley Park's trail system. Here is a screenshot with our hill highlighted... I recommend the site - it is super simple and provides a great runner's guide to the extensive and ridiculously beautiful system of trails in the park. P.S. If you go there - click on all of the Google Ads...
As mentioned it was beautiful... try running through an old growth forest in the rain - it is kind of spiritual. I am going back soon.
The intervals were damn tough. We started with one at 50%, then did 6 at 100%. The uphill trail was only 600 metres long but it felt like 1.5km. My times remained consistent throughout despite the intervals feeling progressively more difficult. This confirms that the mental element is incredibly key in an "all-out" effort. Obviously, the first 100% interval wasn't truly 100% if the last one was WAY harder and the time was the same.... (food for thought.)
Also, there is no way I could get as much out of myself on my own as I did chasing Jamie... These workouts absolutely require a partner (at least to get the most out of yourself.) And all the better if they are faster than you.... Thanks Jamie!
Anyway, I was toast afterward.... just as one should be after a workout like that. The rain running down my brow and soaking my socks, shirt and everything else, the majestic trees in the dying light and bloody hard work on the hill made for an awesome workout that left me tired but pumped for more of the same (albeit not just then!)
It's hard to capture rain in a photo.... it was pouring...
Tweet this!
No comments:
Post a Comment