300 - Day 53 Part II - 1 mile TT + 3x400m

When I was done, I laid down on the grass and stayed there for about 3 minutes. Actually, I might not call it laying down, because the action was more of a flop or a collapse. Having done legs both yesterday (thrusters) and earlier today (squats/lunges), this was rough. Especially considering two days before today I did rows, which are also a decent leg workout.

I decided not to do my planned workout that I was making up - which would have been 1 mile TT + 4x400m with 25 KB swings between 1/4 miles. Instead, I swapped that out for the crossfit endurance workout that had been scheduled for the same day that was very similar - 1600m TT + 3x400m; 3 minutes rest after the 1600m & 30 second rest between 400m; 400m @ same pace as the 1600 - deviate +/- 2 seconds and foul - 1 minute of max burpees.

I decided to swap out because I figured my workout had been designed to be its own workout - whereas the crossfit endurance plan was supposed to be supplemental to the WOD. So anyway, I warmed up with just a light 1/2 mile jog, followed by a good amount of stretching. I could already feel the muscles in my legs ready to give up before I started.

I decided to try and keep a more even pace than I usually do on my 1 mile TT - usually I go out too fast and lose a lot of time on my second half. So I decided to try to keep an even 1:30 per 1/4 mile all the way through - since my legs were already jello, but I still didn't want to drop much time off my mile time (6 minutes pretty near even).

I hit the first 1/4 mile at 1:18 - too fast. I slowed it down a bit and hit the half mile at 2:48 - right on pace. I hit the 3/4 mile at about 4:27 - my pace had slowed, no doubt due to my faster than planned start - but either way, I was still good on time, I just had to step it up to a 1:30 for the last 1/4 mile. So I spread it out - the problem is that in the last 1/4 mile I have 2 90 degree turns that tend to slow me down - especially coming out the other side slowed down. I gave it all I had and finished up in 6:02.

I was happy - considering my legs were aching before I started. Of course, the problem was that now I had to finish each of my 1/4 miles in 1:30 or suffer the consequences. I reset my watch and started walking to my 1/4 mile starting line about 100 yards away. As 3 minutes neared I reset my watch again and then started. I tried to keep a nice even pace, guessing that I was using the right stride and turnover to be between 1:28 and 1:32 - but already being tired, it was hard to tell.

I finished in 1:30. Nice. Problem was, my breath was all but gone. I rested - not 30 seconds, but one minute. I know, I know - but I wouldn't have been able to get on pace at 30 seconds. So I took an extra 30 and started. Even with the extra rest, I was a little behind pace around the half. I tried to pick it up - but at the end, I hit 1:44. Ouch - thats 1 minute of burpees I really didn't want to do. And again I was beat.

30 seconds on the clock. More breath than at the end of the previous 1/4 mile - but still pretty dead. 3 seconds to go.. reset my stopwatch to 0 and started. I felt pretty good. Well, I didn't, but I thought I was on pace. But it turns out I wasn't. 1:40. Damn. Thats another minute of burpees. But at least the runs are over.

I walked the 1/8th mile or so back to my house and rested about 2 minutes and started the clock again for the burpees. I only managed to get 15 burpees in in the first minute - and it hurt almost more than the runs. Another minute on the clock, which is all I get to rest - and then I started again. This time only 13.

No cool-down, just back to where I started this post - collapsing to the grass for about 3 minutes, before gathering the energy to come inside.