Interval Perfection
The Inner World of a Workout
I Hate Intervals
Interval training. For many runners, those words spark a mix of dread and anticipation. For me, it’s usually more anticipation than dread. Thank goodness.
I had initially decided not to write about my latest interval session, following in the footsteps of
’s inspirational, self-reflexive piece "I Hate Intervals" because almost everything has already been said there. But then Wednesday’s 5x5x5 happened.
Finally Flat
My coach Karim designed a seemingly simple yet strategically nuanced session: 5x5x5. After several failed attempts at mountain intervals, where heart rate and rhythm felt elusive and out of place, this workout promised a different approach:
5 x 4-minute intervals
5 x 1-minute bursts
5 x 15-second sprints
Flat terrain. A clear pace target. My runner's heart leaped for joy.
SNIP: A few days ago I wrote about the sense and nonsense of prescribed workouts and training plans in general:
No reason to go into it again. SNAP.
The Asphalt Mile
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, my mountainous new home, isn't known for its flat running routes. But an insider's tip led me to an almost perfectly flat mile-long stretch next to a railroad track. What unexpectedly unfolded there on a rainy Wednesday, was a super intense flow experience.
With each step, whether it was a heavy stride or a trot, a blinding ball of energy and joy grew inside of me. The session and I became one, and in the end I was the happiest runner on the planet. No exaggeration. Not even a little.
I have a few questions…
After the session, Karim asked me how it went. My answer:
"That was as close to perfection as you can get."
Not because it was the fastest interval session. It wasn't even the longest or the hardest. But the feeling I had that Wednesday night contained a great deal of the reason I run.
Karim was keen to know more. Privacy was yesterday, here is an original screenshot from our coach-athlete chat:
“tight grip” … “total control” …“ very intimate” …
Sounds wild, doesn’t it?
The Workout's Inner World
One of my coach's specialties is that he doesn't want me to just go through my sessions mindlessly, "get the job done" style. He wants me to understand and feel them.
This kind of self-reflection isn't always easy, and to be honest, there are countless workouts where I have no feelings other than that my foot hurts, I have to go to the bathroom, or I'm hungry. But when I can relate to my run in a way that goes beyond the physical, a whole new world opens up for me and my training.
Running as Exploration
Do I feel a little stupid for moving to the most beautiful mountains and then having such intense running experiences on a flat asphalt road next to a railroad track? Maybe a small bit.
But I run to discover. To notice. To acknowledge. And sometimes, like today, to describe. Sometimes the external terrain of a run and sometimes the complex internal emotional landscape.
Both can be incredibly beautiful and powerful.
Everything Not Running
Yesterday I launched a new collection with my running brand Willpower called "Burning Fight".
Releasing a drop always feels like holding the button for an atomic bomb. For months, you work on concepts, designs, texts, graphics, and yes, also such annoying things as barcodes, tariff numbers, quantity, and price calculations. And then suddenly it's launch day, and you're panicking:
"Did I forget something?”
"Did I make a mistake?"
and most of all,
"Does anyone else even like the Drop?"
In the end, it's always a leap in the dark. But what I can always hold on to is that I put my heart into everything I do for Willpower. Even if something backfires (spoiler: doesn't look like it with the Burning Fight Drop), it doesn't feel like a waste of time. Willpower is exactly what I want to do with my life.
I am eternally grateful for the many people who are giving so much love and attention to Willpower. It means the world to me and allows me to materialize what's on my mind and in my heart.
Burning Fight is a celebration of 90s hardcore music and subculture. It's a pre-order only drop and will be available until next Thursday, April 3rd. Take a look if you care to.
On Repeat
A lot of music recommendations were made this week. The aforementioned Burning Fight drop was accompanied by two playlists. One focused on 90s hardcore and the other on current hardcore bands. Accordingly, there is an entirely different selection on today’s On Repeat.
A few weeks ago I did something I've never done before. I clicked on a "New Country" playlist on my go-to streaming service. Yes, country. Not really my world, except for maybe Johnny Cash, but I was curious.
The first song was "Love Myself" by an extremely young artist named Cameron Whitcomb. He's more of a singer-songwriter than a country singer, and he deals with such heavy topics as if he already had 3/4 of his life behind him. Addiction, toxic relationships, self-doubt, the whole gamut. Listening to his songs, they feel both authentic and compelling. Very much so. All with a deep, melancholy vibe that you wouldn't expect from a 22-year-old.
Great song, great artist, I hope the music industry treats him well.