500 Meters On The 5th

[[old] sirrobin]

I started doing something my husband has been doing for a while: a 500 meter ranked workout on the 5th of every month and a 2000 meter ranked workout on the 20th. This works out for me because those are my pay days - so I get a pay off on two levels! Just like with the 30-minute Thursdays, I just try to do a little better than last time. <br /><br />I row 30 minutes or 5000 meters a day pretty consistently anyway, so, doing a ranked 30-minute workout weekly is not too much of a stretch for me. But trying to "compete" in a 500 meter ranked workout is a little intimidating for someone who is really in need of losing weight. The same goes for a 2000 meter "race". But, I am planning on losing the weight and keeping it off. So, it's good practice for my psyche to think that I can actually do a more athletic event. It helps me to believe that I can work up to being a stud like some of you ladies who are at the top of the rankings. It's a monthly step toward a long-term lifetime goal.<br /><br />Enough philosophizing... Anyone for a 500 meter "race" on August 5th? I didn't do it this month, but in June I was ranked 31 of 39 with a time of 2:23.3. If I can shave off that .3 in August, I'll be happy!<br /><br />Robin<br /><br />P.S. I think I'll start another thread to challenge us to do the 2000 meter "race" on the 20th of the month... stay tuned!

[[old] Canada Goose]

Sounds great Robin! I enjoy the fun of checking how everyone else did on the Thursday challenge, so this should be fun too. <br /><br />It might be a bit tough this month since the 5th is the day after the Thursday challenge!<br /><br />My 500 metre time is 2:02.4 and is ranked 16th out of 29. <br /><br />Shannon

[[old] Merganser]

[quote=sirrobin,Jul 24 2005, 12:49 AM]<br />Anyone for a 500 meter "race" on August 5th? I didn't do it this month, but in June I was ranked 31 of 39 with a time of 2:23.3. If I can shave off that .3 in August, I'll be happy!<br /><br /><br />Good idea. I'll have to try it on August 5th!<br /><br />Grace

[[old] Afterburner]

I'll jump on this bandwagon. Count me in for the 500 on the 5th.<br />It'll be my first one as a LW, yay! <br />Current best is 1:44.4 as a HW.<br /><br />Heather

[[old] Krysta Coleman]

I'll go for the 500 on the 5th too. I keep dying at 300m when I try that one.<br /><br />And Heather, congrats on the new LW status! That's my eventual goal too.<br /><br />

[[old] sirrobin]

Yeah! We have a "race"! Thank you Krysta, LW Heather, Grace, & Shannon for joining me. This will certainly be a challenge for me to try to "compete" with you studs. <br /><br />Krysta, maybe you should start out slower... join me in the slow boats to China! Eventually, we will improve. Afterall, it's a long way to China (a.k.a. LightWeight status) from where I live. So, it will take time to get there. But if we keep headed in the right direction, we will make it! (rah! rah!)<br />Robin

[[old] sirrobin]

The 5th is coming! So, to prepare, I do a little "mental process simulation"(1). I think about it when I'm "just row"-ing, looking at the pace I'm going and the stroke per meter and try to keep track of how I'm feeling. Then I look at the summary of that day. I noticed a pattern when I'm just rowing a relaxed workout without a goal (except to finish at least 30 minutes or 5000 meters). I go kind of slow for about 10-12 minutes then the next 10-12 minutes are my fastest pace and furthest distance, and then I slow down again to the end. It's like a pyramid. Anyway, I figure that I will Just Row for about 10-12 mintues to warm up, then set my monitor for 500 meters and pull as hard as I can for as long as I can - until the clock runs out and see what happens. Then, of course, I'll cool down a bit after that.<br /><br />Anyone else have a strategy for doing 500 meters?<br /><br />Robin<br /><br />(1) I just finished reading an article about two kinds of mental simulation. One "outcome simulation" where you visualize a desired outcome, basque in the good feelings of having completed the task, and think how wonderful it will be to have done it for five minutes every day for a week. The other "process simulation" is similar to the first, but it includes imagining the steps it will take to get the job done - every day for five minutes until the deadline. This study showed better performance among those who did the second "process" type mental rehearsing. So, my daily steps are to look at 500 meters in the middle of my daily workout as a "rehearsal" for the 500 meters to be ranked on the 5th. <br /><br />Taylor, Shelley E., et al. "Harnessing the Imagination: Mental Simulation, Self-Regulation, and Coping." American Psychologist. (April 1998) 53:4, 429-439.

[[old] Daisy Duckling]

I just got a new PB on 500 meters! and I improved my time by 9.7 seconds!!I'm 11th out of 16!

[[old] Canada Goose]

<br />Hi Ducks,<br /><br />I also got a PB today on the 500! It took two tries to get it, but I finally succeeded. I improved my time by .3 seconds which earned me 2 more nonathlon points. I am ranked 18th out of 35 (51%) in my age and weight class.<br /><br />My husband was so motivated by Princess Daisy Duckling and my efforts that he decided to try a 500 and he got a new PB too!!<br /><br />OK Krysta, now you just have to get a PB and then we will have 4 new PBs in the family today <br /><br />Shannon

[[old] Krysta Coleman]

<!--QuoteBegin-Canada Goose+Aug 5 2005, 05:35 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Canada Goose @ Aug 5 2005, 05:35 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><br />OK Krysta, now you just have to get a PB and then we will have 4 new PBs in the family today <br /> <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Whew, talk about pressure! Luckily, that seemed to be just the kick in the pants that I needed. I managed a slight 0.2 second improvement on my PB. Two more Nonathalon points, but my ranking stayed the same at 7th out of 20. My strategy was to estimate how many strokes 500m would take and just count them out in my head. Those last few strokes really destroy my pace. It seems like every one of those last strokes raises my pace by 1/10 of a sec. <br /><br />Anyway, good job everyone on this 500m Fifth day! <br /><br />- Swamp Hen

[[old] sirrobin]

I cranked on my 500 meters today! I'm ranked 28 out of 43 among my age & weight women. Last time (June 5) I did it in 2:23.3 and today I did it in 2:17.1 And I was going to be happy to shave off the .3! I "shaved" 6.2 seconds off! (Good thing I didn't cut myself shaving! <br /><br />Woo Hoo!!<br /><br />Ooops! Now how am I going to be able to beat that next month!?

[[old] LandLocked]

I did this on the 6th, since Friday was not a good day <br /><br />It was interesting, I’d not tried to row the 500. I think next time I’ll remember to strap my feet in. <br />

[[old] KathiS]

Ok, I know I am late, but I didn't see this thread until yesterday.. so better late than never, huh?<br /><br />Actually, I hadn't planned on rowing a 500 today. We rowed on the water early this morning and I came home and worked a full shift. I decided to erg after my shift due to the fact that I had a huge breakfast and a huge lunch and I didn't want to add any pounds to the ones I am still trying to lose from vacationing in July!<br /><br />I sat down on the erg and started with a reverse pick drill we do on the water (this has really helped my technique a lot). After warming up for about 1000 meters, I just decided to just row until my hubby started dinner. I got to 7525 meters when my hubby asked if I was almost done. That's when the idea hit me. I could do a 500 in a little over 2 minutes and then have about 8025 for the session.<br /><br />So I set the PM3 for 500 with my pb as a pace boat and just went for it. At about 200 meters left I thought I couldn't keep going, but I looked at the monitor and saw that my boat was beating my pace boat so something in me kept me going, and I did it!!! I finally got sub 2 minutes, just barely, but I did it!!! My time was 1:59.8, which puts me at 15 out of 48 in my group!<br /><br />Prior to this my pb was 2.00.5 (a pb I really did not think I would ever break). <br /><br />Thank you all for helping to keep me motivated!!

[[old] sirrobin]

That's awesome! Thanks for the full report. What's the pick drill?<br />Robin

[[old] KathiS]

<!--QuoteBegin-sirrobin+Aug 16 2005, 12:12 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(sirrobin @ Aug 16 2005, 12:12 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->That's awesome! Thanks for the full report. What's the pick drill?<br />Robin <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Thanks Robin!<br /><br />Yesterday I did the reverse pick drill that we do on the water. Here is a description of what it is:<br /><br />Do step in predetermined number of repititions (I did 25). In all cases the recovery is the reverse of the drive.<br /><br />1. Start at catch position, keeping arms straight slide back about 3 inches. (using legs only) <br /><br />2. Start at catch position, keeping arms straight slide back half way. (using legs only) <br /><br />3. Start at catch position with back straight, keeping arms straight, full slide back with arms and body forward (you are using only your legs).<br /><br />4. Start at catch position, keeping your arms straight, full slide pivoting back at your hips after legs are fully extended (using body and legs only, our coach calls this the Frankenstein drill)<br /><br />5. Full stroke, starting at catch position. (using arms, legs and body)<br /><br />The purpose of this drill is to get you to use your legs for power as well as getting the dynamics of the stroke ingrained into your muscle memory. My coach asked me to use this drill on the erg to help improve my posture at the catch position (which it has significantly improved). <br /><br />I hope this makes sense!<br />