Concept2 Forum

Greetings from Paul Randall, Elkhart, IN. Home of the ancient mariner (me).<br /><br />Thanks to all involved for the new Development squad; it greatly encourages all the more mature exercise nuts like me to hang in and work hard in our sport--Oh yes, the indoor rowing!<br /><br />My backround is mostly running, some 20 years of it. There was a period of 5 years when I ran at least 50 miles a week, adding up to 10,000 miles; during that same period I ran 11 marathons--all this after age 60! (Too old to win) In those days, they didn't even have an age group for me. I needed a challenge.<br /><br />I won an ERG in 1988 (age 71) in a local contest, so that was a very large incentive and I now had my challenge and a chance to continue to win.<br /><br />As Concept 2 knows, I set a world record that lasted 4 years (until some "young" guy came along and beat me). By now, my old model B has been up-graded and allows me to train at home. I also spend time on my treadmill as well.<br /><br />I am an instuctor at the Elkhart YMCA and lead 2 rowing classes a week, use the Cybex machines and attend Aerobics classes. <br /><br />It is quite comforting to live so close to the St. Joe and Elkhart Rivers, but most of the fun on the water comes after the outboard motor starts and off we go--hoping they're biting on minnows and worms. No oars, no rowing.<br /><br />At a recent health fair we took 2 ERGs out and did some demonstrations off and on all day.<br /><br />My new regimen: Repeats of 500 meters x 5(or 10); next will do 1000 x5 (or 10) and between race pace trials, do 5000 meters with intense speed bursts to break the monotony.<br /><br />I have been to 8 or 9 Crash B's and am happy to look back to Feb '05--Won my age group and got invited to a new and greater challenge--The Development Squad!!!<br /><br />Paul Randall<br />88.5 years young<br />(2000@ 9:23.8)<br /><br />

Hi Paul,<br /><br />I am glad to see at least one other octogenarian aboard. I have felt a bit lost here since joining a couple of weeks ago. Since the CRASHB, my major training regimen has been a couple of days a week on a treadmill at a local fitness center and lots of high altitude day hikes with a moderately heavy (day) backpack. I haven't done too much on my old model B erg, but I did the recommended 20/24 for July last saturday - just barely getting it done before the month was over.<br /><br />This Dev Squad business has given me the incentive to start getting up early enough to do some real erg work when it is still cool enough. This week I started the program suggested to the group by Mike Teti. I have to sort of wonder if a "one fits all program" really works for all ages. It has lots of 10 and 20 minutes pieces, but nothing that gets your pulse up into the zone for the required 30 minutes - unless you take extremely short breaks. Often just stopping to record time or distance and reset the monitor is enough to drop my pulse out of the zone (112 for me, 105.6 for you).<br /><br />I have no way of telling how I compare with the competition nowadays. I did only about four 2ks before the contests and my best time here at 4000 ft was over 8:50. But at sea level in both the satellite Beach Sprints at Long beach and in the CRASHB itself, I was under 8:20. I don't think that altitude should make that much difference, so maybe my 15 year old model B needs its first servicing.<br /><br />regards,<br /><br />Bob Spenger