Metabolic Pathways and You

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Run 10K

Click workout for link to map.  It’s a 5K route that we will run twice.

Ariel works through the OHS, front squat, back squat medley and turns in a solid performance. 15 lifts is a LONG effort!

Metabolic Pathways and You

For some of you, you just saw the workout for today and did a double-take. Are they serious?  Yes, we are.  And we think you should be too.  Your ability to run for 45 minutes to an hour – hard, is just as developmental to your fitness as being able to pull off a 45 minute KB/pull-up/overhead squat grinder.  The two compliment each other.  In addition, if you stick to the 10 minute or less “heavy and overhead” days, you are self-scaling your results and can not expect to increase your fitness.

In CrossFit, we aim to develop a total and inclusive level of fitness.  That means athletes need to be proficient in each of the energy systems that fuel human activity.

The three energy systems, or metabolic pathways, are the phosphogen, glycolytic, and oxidative.  The phosphogen pathway is the shortest and highest power output pathway, roughly 10-20 seconds of all out work.  Examples include sprinting with a sled, 5 all out reps of backsquat, or making a tackle in football.  The glycolytic pathway takes over after 20 or so seconds and is present in moderately high powered activities.  Running an 800m for time is a good example.  Finally, the oxidative pathway takes over after several minutes and is for low powered efforts.

Prior to CrossFit, many of you were probably Oxidative Super Heroes (I know I was).  Long slow efforts for an hour or more on a run or lifting sessions that used moderately light weights and last for 45 minutes, never breaking a sweat.

With our programming, we aim to develop an athlete’s ability in all three pathways with the reasoning that an athlete needs proficiency in each and that training each system heightens an athlete’s ability in the other systems.

So if you like to run, great!  If you’re scared as all hell or dread the event, come get out of your comfort zone with some of your favorite people.  Finally, remember, this is not a 10K jog, it’s a all out 10K effort.  Put your best effort into it.

And, use the comment board to vent!  Are you dreading today’s workout?  How much are you dreading it?   Are you going to come anyway?  If so, why.  If not, why not?  Post to comments.

25 Responses
  1. Christy Vaughan

    Running a 10K seems like a big deal. In fact, there’ s no way I can do it under an hour. I will show up for this WOD, but am dreading it.

  2. Jasmine

    What if my all-out effort is the same pace as most people’s jog? I should get a head start and start running now because this one will take me forever. I’m not necessarily dreading it, but you may be waiting a while for me to finish. I’m going because I know running (oh, and rowing, too) is a weak spot for me.

      1. Jasmine

        I’m with Christy. I am slooooow (and that’s me running all-out). I’d like to try the full 10k, but it’ll take me forever. (I’ve never “run” – again, I’m slow – more than 5k). If you’re cool with waiting around for me, I’m fine with that, too. Just don’t expect land-speed records.

  3. I remember doing the 5k in the dark when I was 15 pounds lighter and had been in the gym & running regularly. So I am aware that this will suck. See y’all at 630!

  4. Gator

    I’ve never run a 10K EVER…. No better time than today! Conditions are so xfit… foggy, kinda raining, 32 degrees, new route….. not to mention the bum knee i’ll be sportin….

    Best Part — After today I can check this one off the list! I’ve been waiting 39 years for this day…..

    I’ll report back if I survived. I’m teeing off at 9am……

  5. Anonymous

    Here’s the morning report from today’s 10K action:

    Seventeen people have left the shop to do the 10K. All have made it back in one piece, breathing, and lived to talk about it.

  6. Caps

    Word to the wise – well, maybe the unwise like myself – don’t run past the big field on 9th! Alpine is before the big field!

    1. Stacey Mandel

      Note to everyone…..despite his long detour, Caps STILL managed to lap us on our first loop. (With a smile on his face.)

  7. Gator

    I was one of the 17!!!

    FIRST — I GOTTA GIVE BIG UPS TO STACEY: thanks for letting me run on your heels, thanks for your inspiration & pep talks along the way, and thanks for turning on the jets that last mile to get us in the doors in under 1 hour. YOU ROCK GIRL. Nice Job today.

    THANK YOU STACEY, THANK YOU XFIT. I finished my 1st 10K.

    Christy, Jasmine, Wendy, Allison, Everyone Else Reading this: We’ve been in this predicament before… Get out there today and do it! The whole thing. You will love the feeling when you are done…. I promise. YOU CAN DO IT.

    1. Stacey Mandel

      Let’s get one thing straight….Gator was a rock star, and if it wasn’t for her CHARGING up every hill and CHASING me the whole way, we wouldn’t have made it in under an hour. LOVED IT!

  8. I can’t believe I made it through a whole 10k. Seriously.

    Props to all the other Crossfitters who actually saw the workout in advance and still came (it was a surprise to me).

    Now back to my regularly scheduled “heavy and overhead” program 🙂

  9. Learned some lessons today on buying a pig:

    1. You want a Sow — not a Boar — Boars are stinky and taste worse (according to Valley Packing )
    2. My smoked/cured meat(ham/bacon) tasted like fish. I took it up to Valley Packing and they said it was the pig, not their process — which I believe. They said it was a boar, and may have been fed fish meal which is apparently common.
    3. While not their fault, they are replacing all of my ham/bacon. They are 100% awesome. They are going to talk w/ Frog Belly about what they feed their pigs in case that was the cause.

    So, moral of the story — Pigs are omnivores like us. You can’t really control what they eat and you don’t really know whether what you get will be better or worse than a grocery store. Presumably if they aren’t being fed tons of grain, it will be better. But, this is why Kurt Harris (paleonu.com) doesn’t eat pork.

    If you get one, you should make sure its a Sow. The guys at Valley Packing said boars are good for sausage — particularly older ones, and unless you know for sure how old it is (and how much testosterone it has as a result) Sow’s taste better. I got the impression they wouldn’t eat them given the choice.

    Just passing on some lesson’s in case anyone else thinks of buying a pig.

  10. I think I might be the only one who missed the turn…twice…and bushwacked…down the steep slope, next to the tunnel, by Eben Fine park. What a dork! I ran extra on the second lap and at the end to get my 6.2 miles. Good times!

  11. Jasmine

    I did it and lived to tell the tale. I was just glad that it was warm and sunny and not snowing/misting anymore.

    If I can do it Rx’d (for those of you who know me, you know that I run at a snail’s pace), then you all can most certainly do it. I’ve never run more than 5k before, so even though I was super slow, I finished and I call that a win.

    Interestingly, this is the first time in a long time that I’m constantly hungry all afternoon. After the run, I polished off a bowl of beef & veggie stir-fry and 2 plates of wings. And I could probably eat more….Scott, I could really go for some of that pork you’re talking about….

  12. Mollyhmcintyre

    I loved it, Nicole! I say more running…. it is missing in my life due to so many cross fit classes in my life. Thanks for throwing that in the mix