Sufferfestukah Day 9: There is No Try

Day 9??? Didn't we only do eight days last year? What is wrong with us? It doesn't matter because "There Is No Try."

Inside the SMOD

Webb: Sufferlandrians do not tire as the race goes on, they get stronger and faster. That is the essence of "There Is No Try." Each interval is a four-step progression building from threshold to all-out effort. Not only does each interval progress in effort, each interval is longer than the previous up to  an 8:00 interval (4x 2:00). After that bit of hurt, then intervals descend. Oh no, they still progress in effort, they just reverse order in terms of length. By this point you are so burnt, while you are thankful for the shorter intervals, you can't really say they are easy.

Elle: This was my first time doing this workout and it was a special treat for me because this year (like last year), I watched the Tour de France live, every day. I'd get to work, put on my headphones, and watch the live, streaming feed on my huge, studio display monitor. And after every stage I posted a photo of the stage winner up on the wall in my office. So doing this workout was a crazy, cool experience, since I remember watching it all go down: Wiggo's inspired TT, Froome pulling Wiggo up the mountain, Sagan's victory celebrations, Jensy on the Champs Elysee, and who could forget...... TACK-GATE!!!!!!! The only thing missing was that big, black dog that tried to take out Philippe Gilbert (they had to hold him back when he started yelling at the dog owner, it was crazy). Oh, the drama of the 2012 Tour de France!

Webb: Even with yesterday's no-show behind me, I had no plans of jumping right back into the fray. I'm saving myself for the final day's 105 minutes, including what could end up being the most painful 30 minutes of all of Sufferfestukah. Day 9 was about getting the legs back. So I reduced my effort by at least a factor of one for each interval. That was a good idea. In fact, on one of the final intervals (i.e., 2:00, or 4x :30) I attempted it as prescribed and was pretty gassed after it. That told me I was not quite ready for another hard day.

Elle: This is a tough workout, lots of good, hard suffering. And I'm starting to wonder if 10 days of Sufferfestukah is too many...

Next up:  Hold tight to your self-esteem boys, you're about to get chicked in "Hell Hath No Fury" followed immediately by the torturous "The Long Scream."