Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club (UK)

[GlennUk]

Hi Mike

thanks for the feedback re the PP, i recall that technique, often find my early rate at any distance is much slower than average, but by halfway tend to target pulling the average down to target, then finish with a 'sprint' im not entirely convinced that is best for me with shorter distances say 3000k and under as its hard to lose a lot of time at the start and then make it up in the last half, but i figure not to worry about it too much, as i get fitter and stronger, hoping i can pull less drastic changes in pace.

As they often say, no plan survives first contact with the enemy!!

Re DF, i have been using a DF of 125 so less than i had been using, odd thing is it doesnt seem to make much difference in terms of my overall rates/pace which surprised me, thought it would throw me off big time changing it, doesnt seem to have done so yet, but then again this is the early part of the training plan so mostly lots of distances at lower rates as opposed to any TT.

We will no doubt see how it pans out shortly.

Ive been using the RowPro 'standard' exercise plans, might dig out the PP and give it a go, as thats what i used to use. something to think about i guess. Enjoy the rest of the weekend all, keep safe and well.

[Two Pudding Kid]

It has been a long time since I have been on here – too long. I have been erging again and started to get into a regular 4 days a week gym visits whenever possible. The first couple of weeks felt really weird. With only 50 minutes per session, (you can now do 2 x 50 mins as it is quiet), I have time for a class and a session or weights etc.

I began with 5k and 2k baselines and am trying to work from there. 5k best is 22:13.3 and 2k best is 8:43.6. I have got in an occasional 30 minute piece but 6620m is best so far. I am probably 85% to 90% of where I was pre-lockdown.

I have been doing some of the exercises in the British Rowing subscription Wednesday workouts, but I think these are finishing soon now that OTW is taking off. I don’t see me doing the ergo programs at present – sort of trying to get my 30 mins program that took me to a PB 4 years ago dusted off. My current aim is to get to a position where I can pull anything up to this out of the bag for virtual competition where the results are counted from a particular day. There had been plans for a Birmingham satellite event on the Scottish Championships 21 Nov but I expect that could go the way of the dodo with local lockdowns.

I haven’t done so much in the last 8 days as I seem to have tweaked my abs, (unfortunately had to limit pressups too as they weren’t helping my elbows.). Spending time on the Wattbike instead – can easily get a sweat on doing this and probably my hardest workout so far was 8 x 1k with 90 secs rest averaging nearly 35kph, (felt really shaky after that and had to sit down to avoid possibly hitting the deck).

[Two Pudding Kid]

Mike - I hope that you continue to stay fit and strong, especially in you very physical job. Happy 63rd birthday from a while back and well done on your sub 7 minute 2k and August C2CTC. 100m TT in 16.1 secs is phenomenal. Doing great on the palindromes and other similar workouts.

Glenn - 9 seconds off a 1K TT, that must have been really motoring. 4k at 18spm - brilliant improvement. My drag factor used to be 135 for everything, then 125 and now 110, (I think the drop to 125 was probably a good thing and 110 is now because I am still not able to drive as hard post hip- replacement). I didnt bother changing it for different distances even when I could, although partly because I am distance erger not a sprinter, (in fact my 100m is slower than my 500m as I cannot get that speed on in a short time). I am disappointed when I dont hit my targets or let the pace go and have to pick it up - whether through fatigue or overambitious planning, but love the buzz when it goes well. Nice result on the 60 minutes and wish you well with 2k preparations.

Lindsay - I hope you are still positive about your work and getting the training in. Still going strong.

[Two Pudding Kid]

Better 3300m x 2 at 27spm and 2:22 pace. Only 3 sessions on the erg this week due to ab/back stiffness. I have entered the Exeter and "Head of the Charles" madness which are both ergo participation that you can upload.

[GlennUk]

(felt really shaky after that and had to sit down to avoid possibly hitting the deck).

I know this feeling, after my 1k current PB, felt like it was a step too far!!!

[GlennUk]

Hi 2Pudkid

I did wonder if you had managed to get back on the Erg now gyms have opened, hopefully it will stay that way and you can build back to somewhere you are comfortable with.

Reminder to self look up the Exeter thingy.

It seems to me that anyone who continues to erg (any exercise really) despite advancing years or major surgery should be held as an example to all those who dont or cannot be bothered to keep fit and healthy. I know being on here helps inspire me to do better, keep going and also see th ebenfits.

My daughter (15) and i belong to a local Orienteering club, yesterday we took part in the Essex Way (virtual) relay. The Essex way is 82 miles long and in previous years a relay race takes place with clubs submitting teams of runners to run the whole distance as a relay. Not this year, but our orienteering club decided it would be a good idea to do something.

We (me) volunteered us (my daughter and I) to run the 1st leg for real (as did the other c.18 team members with their respective leg). For runners probably not the longest distance 7.5miles, however, the last time i ran anywhere it was in the garden running away from an angry wasp who's nest I had disturbed, so in truth i doubt i have run more than 50m for many, many years.

The idea was to jog/walk the distance in best as time as possible in support of our club. Turned out, that my son (13) and my wife (21ish ) wanted to tag along.

The terrain is a mix of hills and dips, with a lot of undulating ground, max climb 158m according to my wifes garmin. We completed in 2 hours 6 minutes, after having to spend some time waiting for the kids, who didn't realise quite how far (and hilly in parts) it was going to be.

The best bit is that we finished, with my wife and i jogging the last 20 minutes to post the best time we could. Despite being hot, i was not blowing too hard given my lack of running prep (reminiscent of my 1/2 marathon prep maybe).

All in all my wife who has always walked for fitness and has recently started erging felt pretty good considering we are not runners. Kids moaned a lot, but then again im not sure i should expect anything else, they're teenagers!

Im hoping they take a bit of pride in completing the distance, average time for that leg based on the info we had is c.3 hours so they we well inside that. Not sure they will agree to do it next year!

Anyway just finished today's session 3 x 500m @ 18-24spm r750m finishing with 2000m.

laters all, hope youre enjoying the weather.

[Citroen]

Reminder to self look up the Exeter thingy.

There's a link on the CTC page.
https://fmrowing.com/devon-indoor-rowing-championships/

[MPx]

Yes Glenn, we've had some lovely times on the good weather days, and despite lockdown have seen a few old friends who've dropped in having been in the area for various reasons. Not done anything as grueling as a 7.5 mile walk/jog however. 12k on the erg always seems such a long way, and that's sitting down, so doing the same over hilly terrain seems very worthy! Which plan did you decide to go with for your next batch of training? A mate of mine has just started the PP 5k which seems pretty tough right from the off!

Good to have you back at it Susan and seemingly getting back into your stride pre the recent Abs tweaking. Hopefully you'll be back on it soon. Sounds like you may have tried to do too much too quickly? Shame Exeter has had to go virtual as I've enjoyed the odd day spectating there - but still no plans to actually have a go myself! Best of luck with your TT - I'll try to follow what I can online.

[MPx]

Latest from me:
1/9 4min TT for the IRL and FMMC. Needed to get this one in quickly before blood letting on the 3rd. Target, as always, 1200m. Delighted to get to 1205m - my best in recent seasons.
2/9 5x2k 2r with rate/pace pyramid. 20/22/24/22/20 @ 2:02; 2:00; 21:56; 2:00; 2:02. Tried for an OCD screen - but just 14 of 18 nos spot on.
3/9 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm neg split but slow in 33:33.5
5/9 AWL Pyramid @ 20 spm - target 1:58.5 < 32 mins. Result 1:58.4, 31:58.2mins.
6/9 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm neg split but slow in 33:33.6
7/9 RS sprint pyramid 250 > 1k > 250 on 1:30 rests per 250. Did this once before in low 1:40s so targetted 1:45 this time. Cocked up the programming by missing the 2nd 750 which I had to add later as a stand alone, but nevertheless hit the target.
9/9 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm steady pace mostly <2:02 for 32:32.1
11/9 AWL Pyramid @ 20 spm - target 1:58.5 in < 32min. Result 1:58.2 31:56.3
12/9 5x2k r2 at a steady 2:02, but a poor failure to hit targets spot on, only 11/18.
13/9 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm neg split but slow in 33:23.1
14/9 30 min vari pace from 1:55 - 2:04 and back and back for 7557m
15/9 6x500m 2r. 12 days since blood so thought I'd give sprinting a proper crack. Last time 5x1:41.x and a faster last for a 1:40.9 avg. This time 5x 1:41.x and a slower last for a 1:42.1 avg. Had to dig very deep to finish the 5th on pace and just didn't have the fight to really go for it in the 6th which was 1:46.2. So I'm still over a second off the pace that I should be able to do. I need more red blood cells! The comeback continues.....slowly.

[GlennUk]

Reminder to self look up the Exeter thingy.

There's a link on the CTC page.
https://fmrowing.com/devon-indoor-rowing-championships/

Thanks Citroen , ill check the 26th am orienteering on the 27th.

Pretty certain i can make it for either 1 or 5k

[GlennUk]

12k on the erg always seems such a long way, and that's sitting down, so doing the same over hilly terrain seems very worthy!

A bit like being on here, belonging to our orienteering club means i may (do) get dragged in to do things i might not have done (should not have done?)

Which plan did you decide to go with for your next batch of training? A mate of mine has just started the PP 5k which seems pretty tough right from the off!

Still using the RowPro Plan, I used to follow a version of the Wolverine Plan as opposed to the PETE PLan. Might go back to that as im primarily interested in working on my 2k time at the moment.

As always the amount of work you do and the pace is somehtng to hope for althohg give my age and lack of training for the past 8-9 years suggests i maybe ambitious.

You going to enter for the Exeter online ?

[MPx]

You going to enter for the Exeter online ?

No Glenn. Timing is a bit off for me (giving blood early in the month has, as usual, set me back a bit), I don't like the 5k and I'm not a natural competitor anyway. Mind you I do usually put a time in for the C2 world sprints in March so suppose it would be no different to try for the Devon 1k....but no not this time. Was delighted to get my Bronze medal for the last March result this week - only medal I've ever won and I had thought the pandemic might have denied me it - but it finally arrived after all !

Latest from me:
16/9 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:23.4
17/9 5x2k 2r rate/pace pyramid 20/22/24/22/20 2:02/2:00/1:56/2:00/2:02 and 15 of 18 numbers spot on for the OCD screen!
18/9 30 mins varipace 1:55 to 2:04 and back and back for 7557m
20/9 5k TT for the CTC. Managed an 18:36 in July so plan was to start at 1:54 for 1k and reduce pace by 1s each 1k to get somewhere close to the same score. Unfortunately only got 300m in before I knew that wasn't happening. Just about hung on to 1:54 for 1k, then 1:56, then 1:58 before reversing the trend but the damage was done so only 19:05.3 - very disappointing to not better 19 mins.
21/9 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:23.1
22/9 10x1min 1r. Have been trying to get to 305m per rep on these - come close but only ever done it once. Given current form decided 303m reps was more realistic. Started OK but very hard to get the 7th. Digging deep only got 302 on the 8th and had to back off a lot on the 9th. So only 3018 total distance at 1:39.4
23/9 5x2k 2r tried for a steady 2:02 pace @ 20 spm and OCD screen. Normally do these with a decaying pace to hit the numbers and keep HR in check. Decided to do the 2nd and 4th as Neg split for a change. Shame really as they were the reps I missed the numbers on so only scored 12/18 on the OCD screen
24/9 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:23.4

[Dangerscouse]

Was delighted to get my Bronze medal for the last March result this week - only medal I've ever won and I had thought the pandemic might have denied me it - but it finally arrived after all !

Congrats Mike, well deserved too

[MPx]

Thanks Stu. Of course it flattered me a bit as some of the well known big hitters didn't post a time. But I'll still take it!

[GlennUk]

Hi All

hope everyone is keeping well.

Been an interesting few days/past week.

Decided to enter the Devon Rowing Championship, hi hopes... of not coming last!!! Dashed, although i cant complain, it was a pb over 5K and all things considered i enjoyed the competitive element, even though i was slowest on the day. Target for next comp, not to be the slowest, fingers crossed.

Also my wife, has started erging too. She has been using the erg for about 3 months and i convinced her to enter the 1K. I convinced her she wouldn't be the slowest on the day and to be fair she wasnt and despite her views, i am impressed as she has never really shown any previous inclination to endure the suffering that comes with erging. She did say she felt wobbly and sick at the end, i reassured her thats normal

I have also been posting her times on C2 for her too and she is improving gradually which is fine. Not sure shell do the next competition although i do think she is beginning to get the bug. She's doing the 100k Sept challenge, i need to srt out her logbook as its not correct but she is doing her best and will no doubt complete the 100k within the timeframes.

Sunday was the 1st orienteering outing since lockdown, so i went out, ran around the wilds of Essex for an hour, got lost and came last.... again!!! Really must remember to run in the right direction next outing.

Home and the RowPro plan wanted me to do a 2k TT but chickened out , did it on the Monday instead despite not really feeling in the mood.

Was pretty pleased, i have set myself a target of 7:30 by the end of the plan and this was the 1st TT, was really pleased with a 7:43.4. Checking back through my history the last time i did the 2k this fast was Jan 2011 ten years ago after my all time best at BIRC 2010.

Will keep going and posting, keep safe and well.