Marathon Attempt

[[old] snappyrower]

Although I'm not thinking that I'll be ready for one by then (never know, but i'm taking it slowly so as not to burn out my enthusiasm), I did want to mention that if you leave it in May it might be a great way to start out your meteres for the year! Give you a good boost to see that great start. Just my 2 cents.

[[old] Bufflehead]

Yeah - I'm gonna have some company!! I thought everybody had forgotten about this thread, so I haven't checked it in a while.<br /><br />Hey Ritz - I still have my marathon scheduled for May 7th. It would be great to have some company!!!! Today I did 29K as part of my training. It went much better than my 27K. Go figure... Of course it helped that a friend brought "Chicago" over to watch while I rowed. I would still like to be able to do the marathon under four hours, but I think I should just be happy with finishing.<br /><br />Thanks to everyone else who is out there rooting for us! Go Ducks!!<br /><br />Later,<br />The Buffle

[[old] seagulldc]

OK. so now I'm thinking about joining you guys. I rowed my first half marathon yesterday. it was an interesting experience. With about 3 K left, I decided that I no longer cared about time. I just wanted to finish. I did manage to finish in under 2 hours but I didn't hit my goal time. Still, I was pretty pleased with myself. <br />So now I'm toying with the idea of joining in on the marathon....

[[old] Bufflehead]

Way to go Jonathan Livingston!! You're soaring now! <br />Just don't feel bad if you decide it's too early for your attempt. It's quite an accomplishment just to get the half under your belt!!! If you do want to give it a try, make sure you start getting some longer rows in. I have been gradually bumping up since January. Saturday was my longest so far - 29K. <br />Anyway, it would be great to have another duck out there joining in! And - like snappy says - what a great boost to our meters for the beginning of the year.<br /><br />Later,<br />Buffle

[[old] DavidA]

You might also want to consider C2s Worldwide Marathon Challenge at the end of April.<br /><br />David<br />

[[old] Bufflehead]

Hello to all you ladies out there interested in doing this marathon thing!<br />I have to tell you, that after doing a 31K yesterday afternoon, I'm sure that I am nuts. My arms don't want to move today! I think it will take all the encouragement I can get from you Ducks!<br />If I can maintain the pace I had yesterday for just one more hour, I will finish in just under four hours. That would be fine with me. Notice I said "if". <br />I'm not quite sure why my arms are so stiff. It was only 2000 more meters than my last long row. Oh well, I have plenty of time to sort that out! <br />Let us know how your training is going.<br />Bufflehead

[[old] KathiS]

Hi Buffle,<br /><br />I got a 30K under my belt last week, and so far have done a 20K, and 5 half marathons. I am going to try to do a 30k+ this week, if I can squeeze the time in somehow. Other than being very tired after the long rows, I haven't suffered too many other discomforts, but I don't really push myself for speed, I just do the whole thing at a comfortable pace, because my goal is to just get through it. At my current average pace it will take me just under 4 hours to do the marathon as well. <br /><br />I bought one of those Camelbaks for drinking water during the row, but it isn't very comfortable to wear. So I've set it up close enough to the rower that I can reach the tube and get water while I row without stopping (I do slow down a bit though). This has come in very handy during the longer rows. The Camelbak holds 2 liters and I usually drink just about the whole thing, so I have two extra water bottles on hand as well (I have a tendency to "dry-out" very quickly and have to drink a lot of water. I literally carry a bottle of water around with me everywhere I go because I am always thirsty). <br /><br />Ok.. as the Buffle would say.. enough from the Ritz.

[[old] mallard]

When this thread first started I just dismissed it as one that did not apply to me. But now I'm starting to wonder ...... I've only done a 50 minute row so far, but time is my real constraint I think. So if I can send my boys out for a few day trips then I might just be in with you guys!

[[old] Bufflehead]

Hey - where did everybody go? It sure has gotten quiet around here lately!<br />I did another long piece this afternoon in preparation for our marathon. I did a 33K. My arms are really tired, but other than that it seemed to go all right. I only have one more long one to go before May 7. Two weeks from today I will do a 35K, and then I back off for the week before the marathon. <br />I should have been under 3 hours today, but I ran a tad over because one of my breaks was longer than it should have been. I got to talking with my trainer and wasn't paying attention to the clock! In a couple more seconds, the screen would have gone blank. Boy, would I have been mad then! That was too close for comfort. <br /><br />Well, that's it for now. I hope you are all doing well. Take it easy!<br />The Buffle<br />P.S. Any more nutcases out there gonna give it a try? The more, the merrier!<br />Hey Harly - maybe you might want to do your half that day!<br /><br /><br />

[[old] seagulldc]

It has been really quiet. Well, I'm still not sure what I'll do come marathon day. I did a 30K piece yesterday to make my total meters 500K. Half a million. Wow. The 30K went fine. I finished in about 2:46, which is a little slower than I would have liked but I'll take it. I'm glad I finished and I felt pretty good afterwards. I'll be taking about 10 days off starting thursday since I'll be out of town. I might manage to fit in a row or 2 but probably not. After that, I'll have to see how I'm doing for the Concept2 marathon challenge and then the DIAR marathon day. We'll just have to see how it goes. Hope all is well with everyone out there.<br /><br />Rach

[[old] KathiS]

I just wanted to let y’all know that I haven’t gotten lost or anything. Apparently I strained something in my neck last week while sleeping and had to take a few days off from rowing. <br /><br />We’ve also been very busy “college hunting” for my oldest daughter, and I gotta say, it seems like yesterday that we were looking for preschools, and visiting colleges is hard on this old mom.<br /><br />I finally managed to get back on the erg this weekend and rowed about 25k. Unfortunately, I apparently, uh, er, uhm, chafed my bottom. I really didn’t think this was such a big deal until I tried rowing the next day and got to about 11K and had to stop because my bottom burned like… well you know what I mean. My poor bottom was raw and bleeding and I figured I’d better take a few days off to let it heal. I think I will try a short row tomorrow, and take it from there. <br /><br />This weekend we are off for another road trip to visit another college, so it will be a very light rowing week for me. But don’t you worry, I will be ready for the marathon!!<br /><br />

[[old] seat5]

Kathi,<br /><br />what are you wearing for shorts? If you are wearing something loose and baggy you might want to switch to bike shorts or fitness shorts, and don't wear undies under them. The extra seams and fabric rubbing you may be what's giving you saddle sores.<br /><br />You guys are all doing great at building up your endurance! C2 better make sure they have a good stock of those marathon mugs ready for you all!<br />

[[old] Bufflehead]

Thanks for the input, Carla!<br />I, too, have had a little problem with the rear end. I already wear compression shorts, but maybe I should try the no undies trick. I'm not gonna like that! But - hey, if it works... <br /><br />We're nearing the end now! This Saturday I only have to do 15K, so next Saturday is my last long row before the marathon. I will be doing 35K that day. That ought to give me an indication of how I'm going to do. I am finding that my forearms give me the most grief. They are like rubber after a long row. I just have to talk myself into two more long ones, and then it will be over! Remind me to have my head examined if I even think about doing this again!! <br /><br />Keep up the good work everybody!<br />Buffle<br />

[[old] KathiS]

I usually wear tight exercise pants when rowing. I will try the bike shorts and no undies too. <br /><br />I decided to wait a few more days to row to hopefully completely heal up and not make it any worse. The lack of rowing for the last week and a half is really gonna make achieving my goal of a million meters by June 5 a lot harder! I may have to try to do the C2 marathon at the end of April and then again in May with the ducks!

[[old] Canada Goose]

<br />I had the same problems with the "saddle sores" when I did my first Holiday Challenge. I ended up buying the C2 rowing shorts and these really helped.<br /><br />I am not going to be doing a marathon, but I will try a half marathon this weekend. (I've only ever done one other half marathon and it wasn't pretty!) I'll be thinking of you gals when you do your marathons. What an achievement just to finish.<br /><br />Shannon<br />