Sufferfestukah 2012: Day 5

REVOLVER!

Elle: Today we did the most vomit-inducing of all the Sufferfest videos (in my opinion). Even though it's the shortest of the workouts, I think it's the most brutal. But it also has the best warm-up music ever.

Webb:  "Revolver" remains the standard-bearer for suffering. All of the videos are difficult and have a specific purpose. "Revolver" and "Downward Spiral" seem to have the sole purpose of hurting you. I mean really hurting you. And whereas DS is unbelievably painful, "Revolver" takes it to the next level ... delirium.

Dinner on day 5

This was to be one of my key sessions. Instead of hammering each of the <ahem> 15 intervals, I decided to put forth the maximum effort that I could sustain throughout, roughly an 8.5 RPE. I estimated - quite rightly it turns out - my speed and cadence thresholds. (We still do not have power meters.) When my eyes weren't squeezed shut, they were fixed on both fields making sure I did not drop. My secondary goal was to keep a 100 RPM cadence during the recovery minutes. My discipline during recovery intervals has failed in past "Revolver" efforts. It is too easy to soft pedal at 80 RPM and let the lactic acid settle. I must say I think this was my best overall effort at "Revolver." Although I dipped below the thresholds on several occasions, for the most part I exceeded them on each interval. I'll do it again and again until I can push that effort to a 9.

Elle: I was glad to have this one under our belt, as it's one of the hardest days of Sufferfestukah in my opinion. And also because it meant that it was time for dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant, on the edge of the Theatre District and Chinatown in Boston. After a delish meal and some drinks, we went to the movies and saw "Argo." I predict an Oscar....

Dinner companion

Webb: We hope this is the most you have ever suffered on Christmas. Happy Sufferfestukah.

Next up: "The Hunted." We're past the half-way point, don't look back.