Spartan Shape-Up, Day 321:
Back to work, after Race Weekend, and it was Sprint Night, BlogLand.
Blargh. You are all well familiar with how much I am not a fan of Sprints. I always try and dissect why this is, but I think it actually comes down to something very simple: They're REALLY hard. They seem like they shouldn't be (... it's only 40 seconds of effort at a time?), but more often than not - if you're doing it right - that 40 seconds leaves you panting, almost wanting to throw your life up, and pretty drained. Just in time to walk a recovery and do it again.
However, I have to say, I've been seeing actual progress in the last few weeks. My times are really getting faster! I will admit, I do seem to do better on the weeks that I have someone to race against/chase down. That little extra push does seem to help propel me along.
200 meter sprint times for this week:
Lap 1: 39.11,
Lap 2: 40.47,
Lap 3: 39.90,
Lap 4: 42.02.
Yep, I actually got a wee bit faster.... right up until I hit the wall on that last one. However, that last one is something like 5+ seconds faster than some of my old "fast" times. SO. Progress. I fear what this may mean (GT, if you're reading, skip this part?)... I know the goal was to get me doing all sprints around the 40 second mark, before moving onto longer sprints/other torture. It seems the last few weeks that we've really been getting there. Uh Oh. Please Cosmos, don't let him assign me 400's??!
At the conclusion of Sprint Night, my partners in crime and I always mix it up by doing a little tire flipping. It would seem that the high school track we run on keeps a giant tire outside (perhaps for the football team?) that we put to good use every week (once we figure out which shed they've hidden it next to. hehe).
This is a big tire, BlogLand. I'm happy to say I can flip that bad boy (after sprints, no less!), all by myself. RAWR!
Whist completing my 4-5 flip, I paused in the middle of it - to take a breath and readjust my grip (plus, c'mon now, my legs were a little tired), when my Sprint Buddy yells out (and I quote!): "You don't need any HELP!!!!!" .... well if that didn't light a fire under my ass. I was tired, help would've been nice. It was like she read my mind. "You don't need any help!" yelled at me in a commanding tone was JUST the thing I needed to here. You're right. EFF this. I'll do it all by myself. RAWWRRRR.... and I completed the flip.
Case in point. Have friends/supporters that know you well. They are able to come out with the most motivating moments, because they know where all your buttons are. Stacey, for instance, knows my tendency towards independence, and how much I hate asking for help.
After a few tire flips, it was back home to protein smoothies, foam rolling and some chatter about shoes on sale...
My left leg is a little stiff... but it's just my stupid tight hamstring again - rolled the bejeezus out of that tonight, so I'm hopeful about tomorrow. I'm also applying Neosporin to my elbows like crazy, in hopes of getting those more healed up by this weekends racing activities. The rest of me, bumped, bruised and scratched, is just going to take time. I suppose I won't be wearing many skirts to nice occasions much in the next few months.......
With that, I leave you. The CrossFit WOD looks like a good time tomorrow.... even if it is at 6am. *dies inside*
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