beyond wintervals

getting carried away

I've been meaning to post a blog about Thursday nights, and how they have continued despite Iain, King of wintervals, moving to SanFran. Iain established Wintervals a couple of years ago and they have continued year long to be a joy(?) every Thursday evening since. The only real question mark has been what to call them in the warmer months. As a tribute to our departing leader they were briefly called Iaintervals but that lasted, like our undying love for our former taskmaster, about a week before someone suggested IntervOllies to mark Olly's promotion to number one whip-cracker and whistle-blower. And FergIntervals for when Olly is absent and Fergus is in charge.

For those uninitiated, we (anyone and everyone, all abilitites) meet at the Octagon beside Holyrood car park then at 7.02 head off to a sharp hill and murder ourselves for about 25~40 minutes doing reps and pyramids. It is as tough as you'd like but will be over relatively quickly and you will enjoy your dinner much more as a result. I live a mile away which makes for a reasonable warm up and I find if I can survive Wednesday evening at clubbo, then Thursday eve Wintervals, the combination is more than the sum of the parts. I am tempted to write "that which does not kill us makes us strong" which is patently guff and you only have to think of numerous wasting diseases or hangovers to disprove this catch phrase of the bone-headed. However it is challenging. And as you limp home to your dinner you can be sure the next time you encounter a rise during a race, whether a near vertical heathery cliff at Stuc or a gentle undulation during a road race, you will be better prepared than those around you whose legs are turning to jelly.

These pics were all taken on Iain's last week. I was glad I had taken the camera as I could pretend I was taking photos and not just standing off the trail slacking while everyone went back down to come back up. Iain had us do some dreadful reps up the zig-zag steps - you would think he would finish his last ever Wintervals with something popular? Then we went up to the flat section just below the summit and took some photos and words were said with a dramatic sky as background.

Olly suggested we put the camera on the ground and look at it; showing why he has the leadership qualities to take over from Iain.

So the end of an era. Thanks Iain for all the pain and sweat and burning calfs; and for not doing the Radical Road session too often. But before we get too teary-eyed it's time to pull on your hillshoes and head to the park for IntervOllys. Thursday nights will never be the same, actually they will. I didn't take the camera for Olly's session a fortnight ago but I wished I had as the weather was bright and sunny. I did take it along the following week when Fergus made us do horrible things. A continual circling of the Dasses vs the Dry Dam and a broken promise of "about 15 minutes" which turned out was nearer 20. I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I did ask if Olly was returning this coming week, when we then finished the session by descending to Duddingston to gallop up the steps all the way to the top of Crow Hill in one long hellish 7 minute interval*. Now 7 minutes of pain may not sound like eternity in hell but you only need to shut your hand in the car door or set your face alight to make you appreciate the duration of 7 minutes. Thanks Fergus! (That which does not kill us etc.)

All the following pics from Fergintervals 12/05/16

I was glad to have the camera as this sundog appeared as we collected at 7pm.

4 times up this nasty hill

second or third lap I hallucinated this duck saying you're quackers

lowest point in the park to (all but) highest

then home for dinner

wintervals is over, long live wintervals, see you on Thursday!

*Intervals

Technically I suspect the term interval refers to the gap between short intense periods of running. The interval is the timed recovery where you stand bent over looking at the ground, red-faced, with heaving chest, wondering whether you will have a cardiac incident or puke. But over time has come to refer to the duration spent doing the running bit.