Newbie (to Rowpro)

[old] Fran · Post by **[old] Fran** » December 15th, 2004, 3:14 pm

Hi all, I've just, really recently, acquired RowPro. 1.7 (did the trial version and got on with it so well I made the full purchase before the tryout expired). I love and am making full use of stuff like the imported rows against which I can race but the joys of real-time, Internet racing I've yet to crack, simply because despite enjoying erging immensely, and being pretty competitive, I'm completely and utterly outclassed by the current/regular RowPro race masters and participants. I'm female, fat and forty (1

, and used to doing long (10-15k) pieces, with a plodding 48-ish mins being my best for the 10... are there any, likely, online race folk out there who might mirror my profile and/or times with whom I could have a fair but nonetheless exciting thrash? Not that it’s a deal-breaker... I’m so sold on the fun notion of Internet racing that I’m determined to have a go even if it means going up against the fitter and faster... but it would be be nice to have the occasional race ‘in class’ so to speak. I look forward to hearing from [anyone]

Cheers for now, Fran (message also posted on RowPro forum)

[old] michaelb · Post by **[old] michaelb** » December 15th, 2004, 3:48 pm

Welcome to rowpro. I also like it a lot, and am waiting for beta 5 to hopefully fix the online rowing bugs. If you look at the C2 rankings page and list results by rowpro direct entry, you will see lots of slower rowers, and not so many fast rows at all. This was also true looking at the rankings for 2004 too, so there must be some reason for that that I can't think of right now. I am not really fast, and I do a lot of long slow rowing too. I agree that most of the online rows, and most of the people that have been rowing online with rowpro so far, are done at very fast paces (say in the 1:50 to 1:59 pace range for long rows up to and over an hour). So most of the time I have been left far in the back. There are not that many people though that actually post rows online, so the total pool of options is very small. I think online rowing may be a little intimidating, and more so if you fear you won't keep up at all. Plus there is the temptation to race. At least for me, you wonder if you are imposing on someone else when your pace is so different. I don't think this is true, but I understand that sentiment. I think the solution is a lot more online workouts listed, at a far greater variety of paces. We know there are at least some people out there perfectly your speed using rowpro, since they are posting their results in the rankings (7 in the 10k listing at 47+). FWIW, I row an easy 10k in about 42-43 min, so we wouldn't row together really, but if you row late at night (1-2 gmt) you are welcome to join any of my rows.

[old] SimonB · Post by **[old] SimonB** » December 15th, 2004, 4:27 pm

I agree with everything Michaelb said. When I first started rowing I could only do 48 mins for 10k Now I pull 45(at a push, or is that pull My very first rowpro race was with Michael on Monday night. Went fairly well (with a few minor glitches). I would also welcome you to row with me. I row at 9pm EST (2 GMT). (usually named SLOW_10K hehehe) S.

[old] Fran · Post by **[old] Fran** » December 16th, 2004, 2:58 am

Sounds good, you guys. Thank you so very much for the invites to join your races... going up against 40-45-minuters for a 10k every now and again would, I am certain, help push those time down for me... which is, afterall, the name of the game. I've found it's too easy to get complacent rowing with only oneself to go against (hence my 48 minutes to do the above-mentioned distance); so the hopes are that RowPro will spur me on. It certainly seems to work with the imported rows I've used; so all being well Internet racing will do an even better job??? Thus far at least (and luckily!) I've found I haven't experienced the software glitches and gremlins various folk have said they've come across with RowPro (although I did make sure I'd effected the recommended PM3 and Logcard Utility firmware updates before I got it all going) but d'you know if there's anything in particular I should keep an eye out for, bug-wise, if attempting 'live' racing? Cheers for any advice!

[old] Canoeist · Post by **[old] Canoeist** » December 16th, 2004, 9:43 am

Fran, Someone has to stick their neck out and be first. Once you post a workout, maybe others who row your pace will join. Nial has been hosting 10Ks on e-row on Tuesday and Thursdays for the last half year or so. Rowers of all speeds join. Rowers also have different goals of hard, medium, or easy. Sometimes the speeds are very different, but they all enjoy rowing togeter. I have joined the 10ks on several occasions. Sometimes I go for a fast 10K and having the audience pushes me harder. (I usually try to break 35 minutes) Usually I vary my workout so that I am totally worn out by the end, but I stay pace with the group. I do this by breaking up my 10K into segments. The first 2K will be a warm up at whatever pace the group is going. The next 6K will be intervals. For example: 6 x (250m @ 1:25, 750m easy) or 6 x (500m @ 1:35, 500m easy). Believe me, the group catches up to me all too soon after each hard portion of the intervals. I finish the workout by staying pace with the group for a cooldown. I have also rowed intervals with others who are much slower. I will give them a predetermined number of meters head start at the start of each interval, and then try to catch them before the finish. We set the handicap so that we shoulld both arrive at the finish of each interval at the same time. Have fun with internet workouts/races, Paul Flack

[old] Fran · Post by **[old] Fran** » December 17th, 2004, 3:18 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'>QUOTE </td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Someone has to stick their neck out and be first. Once you post a workout, maybe others who row your pace will join. </td></tr></table> Oh absolutely, I genuinely couldn't agree more! And I have every intention of doing just that just as soon as I can beat my PB for the 10k, which is currently ranked but which was rowed pre- RowPro; so doesn't have a 'profile' attached to it. I'm heartily ashamed to say that I'm too pitifully proud of my little victories to rank any of my more recent but slightly slower pieces simply because they'd be RowPro compatible. In my defence, though, I'm working hard to get a good/better time a.s.a.p, whereupon it'll be straight up there

[old] Ikabob · Post by **[old] Ikabob** » December 24th, 2004, 5:30 am

I'm doing some training to get a little better before I row with an audience (RowPro). I have had two "races" and I was on 3D so it really was like rowing by myself(the others were off the screen...to the right) but I did finish and felt good about it. I would love to row with those who will still be on the screen with me. So, let me know when....I'd love to row with you guys...maybe I'd ba a little competitive....who knows. Have a happy holiday! Cheers , Ron