YHC wasn’t sure what to expect of the Nation when the sound of the alarm was barely audible over the sound of rain on the roof, but as YHC pulled into the parking deck and saw one car already waiting YHC knew the PAX would not be deterred by the weather radar. And while there was a brief second thought to move to the parking deck, several more cars pulled in, and YHC’s pre-blast promise of a Fartlek was on.

Though it has a funny name, the Fartlek is a serious training tool. It is training run that mixes hard and easier efforts in spontaneous fashion. Meaning “Speed play” in Swedish, it is a fun run to mix things up on what might otherwise become a steady state, standard training run. Forcing your body to accelerate spontaneously, and for an undetermined amount of time, builds both physical and mental strength. (read more here: https://www.runnersworld.com/fartlek , or here http://www.triathlete.com/2015/01/training/9-ways-to-fartlek_51140 ).

After some dynamic stretching on Hooker field the PAX took off for a Fartlek loop of Carrboro and Chapel Hill.  Within seconds we were ankle deep in puddles, but undeterred.

There would be three speeds to this run

• 3rd Gear – Fellowship pace (~8:30/mi)
• 2nd Gear – Tempo Pace (~7:45 pace)
• 1st Gear – Sprint Pace (~7:00 pace)

At random time throughout the run, YHC would yell out a new Gear and landmark ahead: e.g. “1st Gear to the next stop light!”, “2nd Gear to McDonalds!”. Our route, seen here, took us west through Carrboro and then back along Franklin street, with several stops along the way.

• At the Green Monster pull up bar in Carrboro : PAX completed 10 Merkin ring of fire and AMRAP pull ups.
• At Village Green/Weaver Street : PAX completed two sets of Dips
• At McDonalds : 4 PAX completed various planks, Merkins and Peoples Chair, while Shake It completed his morning sit down ritual at McDonalds. He has been asked to never come back.

Overall we got approximately 1 mile in 1st Gear, 1 mile in 2nd Gear, and 3 miles in 3rd Gear.

Mary : On return to Hooker Fields, Mary was honored with some Tarheels to Heaven, Baryshnikovs, and stretches.

Namarama

COT

– Prayers to @beano’s grandmother who passed away this week. She’s in a better place.