I took Mike/CrossFit by 4 seconds

So everyday that you do CrossFit you are competing against either your friends, the CrossFit site or within a competition. This can spur you on to a better performance than you would otherwise do but this is anathema to most endurance workout programs. A lot of running coaches will punish their athletes if they find out they raced an easy 10 mile workout. More and more workout programs profess that the rest days are almost important because you need to give your body a chance to rest.

Mike is going to fire back at me that he rests more than I do so who am I to talk. But given that I am not going balls to the wall everyday like he and his ilk, an easy 6 miles is almost like rest. And it's not just physical rest we are discussing - committing yourself everyday to exhaustion seems like it would eventually wear at you mentally to the point that you would not want to subject yourself to the anticipated pain. Which is why people join Boxes - so that the community of the suffering will motivate and inspire you. And try and beat your brains out.

Which brings me to my run today. Mike posted his 39.54 minute five miler right before my six mile run today. My left leg is still giving me issues so I was going to shoot for 8.15 mile pace until I saw him throw down the gauntlet, which I responded to with a 39.50. Not blazing my any stretch but I took him. And accomplished nothing besides transferring the pain from the calf to my shin.

He better not run another 5-6 miles or more tonight or my leg is toast tomorrow.