TimbukTOO Team Room

[MPatton]

Man, what a busy weekend. Unfortunately I had three days without rowing... Just means I will have to step it up every morning to make my goal. I did a 10k this morning, I was aiming at an hour row but I had to get to work so I decided a bit under 4k over my usual would have to suffice.

Hopefully I can keep up the 10k or hour rows the rest of the week so I have a chance at that 100k by the end of the month!

[BoB/335]

Who here plans their row around a time factor and who plans it around distance?

I usually plan around distance. There was a time a 5000 meter row was my goal. I now look to so 10,000 meter rows and try to be consistant in my time or a little better. (Depends if I feel like pushing a little for a better time or not)

Recently I was seeing how I did for an hour row but I am happy with acomplishing a 10,000 meter row and eventually getting my time down consistantly.

[glenmbaker]

My banter is all in good fun guys. We are havbing fun aren't we?

I would be having fun but every time I blink YOU go rowing by me! I would have thought that when I carefully rowed exactly one meter past you yesterday you would have realized that it was time for us to take a break, have a beer, and relax a bit. But when I come in here today what do I find? You've gone and rocketed 20k on down the water. Sheesh! Some of us have to work today!

..glen (just whinging)

[glenmbaker]

Who here plans their row around a time factor and who plans it around distance?

I generally start with an overall goal for the day and then do it in pieces. The problem is that there are just soooo many milestones that it goes like this:

"OK...let's try to do 10K. That's a pretty big row, I'll be happy with 10K. Let's see, today let's create a descending set, 3k, 2.5k, 2k, 1.5k, 1k with 30 seconds rest. That will be 10k, then I can go out and play".

Start rowing. While rowing start thinking. "Hmm...I took a couple of days off which puts me pretty far back. Maybe I can push it to 15k today"

Finish the row. Set up something that adds up to 5k. Think about the stats "Hey, if I do this 5k then I'm only 4.7k away from crossing 100k for the challenge. Heck, that's nothing...let's do another 5k after this".

Finish the row. Set up the 5k. Start thinking "Well at this point, if I only go 2k further I'll break 400k since I started rowing a month and a half ago"

Finish the row. Set up something that will get me across that lifetime mark. Start rowing. Start thinking "Well at THIS point I'm over 20k which is officially ridiculous. Wonder if I can get into insane mode? Let's push it past 25k for the day". Look online. Discover a 20 minute session about to start. Join the row. Get peer-pressured into rowing at a pace that pushes me well past 5k for the 20 minutes. Finish the row, note that my total is getting close to 30k for the day which is past ridiculous and approaching ludicrous.

OK, just a bit more and we'll cross 30k...what the heck. Set up the row. Get across 30k. Upload the rows. Look at the stats. "Dang...Tyrone is STILL 1004 meters ahead of me". Set up a 1005 meter row. Do it. Upload. Admire the fact that I've finally advanced exactly one position.

Dang statistics...they're KILLING me!

[MPatton]

What I row is time dependent. I go to the gym and I know I have to be off that rower and on my way to getting cleaned up for work at a certain time. From there, I decide if a time or distance goal is going to be more realistic. It changes daily.

[damselfly]

Who here plans their row around a time factor and who plans it around distance?

I generally start with an overall goal for the day and then do it in pieces. The problem is that there are just soooo many milestones that it goes like this:

"OK...let's try to do 10K. That's a pretty big row, I'll be happy with 10K. Let's see, today let's create a descending set, 3k, 2.5k, 2k, 1.5k, 1k with 30 seconds rest. That will be 10k, then I can go out and play".

Start rowing. While rowing start thinking. "Hmm...I took a couple of days off which puts me pretty far back. Maybe I can push it to 15k today"

Finish the row. Set up something that adds up to 5k. Think about the stats "Hey, if I do this 5k then I'm only 4.7k away from crossing 100k for the challenge. Heck, that's nothing...let's do another 5k after this".

Finish the row. Set up the 5k. Start thinking "Well at this point, if I only go 2k further I'll break 400k since I started rowing a month and a half ago"

Finish the row. Set up something that will get me across that lifetime mark. Start rowing. Start thinking "Well at THIS point I'm over 20k which is officially ridiculous. Wonder if I can get into insane mode? Let's push it past 25k for the day". Look online. Discover a 20 minute session about to start. Join the row. Get peer-pressured into rowing at a pace that pushes me well past 5k for the 20 minutes. Finish the row, note that my total is getting close to 30k for the day which is past ridiculous and approaching ludicrous.

OK, just a bit more and we'll cross 30k...what the heck. Set up the row. Get across 30k. Upload the rows. Look at the stats. "Dang...Tyrone is STILL 1004 meters ahead of me". Set up a 1005 meter row. Do it. Upload. Admire the fact that I've finally advanced exactly one position.

Dang statistics...they're KILLING me!

Where's the smiley for "Coffee spews out nose in explosive burst of laughter"?

I did notice you were 1 meter past Tyrone and wondered if it was by design. Shoulda known better.

In answer to Bob, my limiting factor is usually time, so I do whatever I can in what's available to me, unless my hubby is off with friends, in which case I can go into what is now officially known as "Glen Mode".

[damselfly]

You people are officially AWESOME!!! We made it to our west coast destination of San Franciso yesterday night, with a huge Sunday effort!!! We ended with 5,360,429 meters, or 3,328 miles, plunking us down right into the heart of San Francisco for the night. Unbelievable. What a great team effort!!



Here was our view over the Bay Bridge heading into the City with just a few miles to go...



But, as they say, no rest for the wicked. Time to turn the boat back east. Smitty wants to see those Florida Keys!!

I re-jiggered our route a little so we wouldn't be rowing down the I-5 (one of the most BORING interstates known to man, and also too many speed traps. David's SURE to get arrested if we go that way. ) So we're heading back over the Sierra through Yosemite, then down through Death Valley, Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, and then on to further points in the Southeast. We've got 3,200 miles to Miami, so keep those muscles warm, get that bubble wrap situated under your tooshies, and get this boat a-rockin'!!!

[The Blacksmith]

Bubble wrap-we don't need no stinkin bubble wrap!!
I usually go by the space-time continuum rule when I row (how far can I go in the time I have available-usually not far enough) today 27K. And it should be the view as we go UNDER the bridge (I like to row in water whenever possible )
Hey Heather, Love that new Snoopy pic!

[damselfly]

Speaking of the space-time continuum, we may make use of some warp drive if Bryan S gets around to uploading his meters.....

[glenmbaker]

Speaking of the space-time continuum, we may make use of some warp drive if Bryan S gets around to uploading his meters.....

Aha! You guys are messin' around with the space-time continuum. That explains why I saw this go passing by the bow of the boat (what was I doing looking that way anyway?):

[CONLEJM]

My daily plan is a lot like Glen's.

1) Check my ranked workouts and consider if I can improve any of them
2) Check lifetime meters, season meters, and challenge meters to see if I can hit any milestones
3) Check the Team board and calculate the minimum distance needed to jump the maximum number of spots.

Right now Kyle, Tyrone and Glen are driving me nuts in a crazy game of musical chairs! If I blink I drop three places.

I just try to stay grounded and remember why I am doing all this rowing in the first place: to stay healthy! And secondarily I like to see my various times/distances ranking near or above the top 10th or 15th percentile for my age/weight. That's just a personal goal I set for myself.

As far as just grinding out meters ... this is definitely made way more fun by rowing with you guys and gals. If I was not part of this Team I would definitely not be doing so many meters; it gets boring without teammates.

Today I did a 10K in 37:48.9 and then a couple of 5K intervals. I am sure Kyle, Glen and Tyrone will punish me for that!

Happy MLK day, all!

[dpw4812]

... and getting back to the body that I had when I got out of the military.....

I'm sure Yolanda will appreciate that, too!

Man, I remember seeing my son when he got off the plane after boot camp; sure, he was slim, but it was his posture that blew me away, standing and walking around so naturally poised and straight, with no puffing out of his chest; just relaxed and... Wow. I was impressed.

So you get there, David! And to help you reach your goal, Mark and I and Kyle and Jim and...and...and...and...and...will be right behind you, nipping at your oars!

Heather.

Thanks for the support....believe me, I can feel you guys nipping at my oars everyday......It is one of my biggest challenges...... "semper fi"

[BoB/335]

My daily plan is a lot like Glen's.

1) Check my ranked workouts and consider if I can improve any of them
2) Check lifetime meters, season meters, and challenge meters to see if I can hit any milestones
3) Check the Team board and calculate the minimum distance needed to jump the maximum number of spots.

Right now Kyle, Tyrone and Glen are driving me nuts in a crazy game of musical chairs! If I blink I drop three places.

I just try to stay grounded and remember why I am doing all this rowing in the first place: to stay healthy! And secondarily I like to see my various times/distances ranking near or above the top 10th or 15th percentile for my age/weight. That's just a personal goal I set for myself.

As far as just grinding out meters ... this is definitely made way more fun by rowing with you guys and gals. If I was not part of this Team I would definitely not be doing so many meters; it gets boring without teammates.

Today I did a 10K in 37:48.9 and then a couple of 5K intervals. I am sure Kyle, Glen and Tyrone will punish me for that!

Happy MLK day, all!

Some great responses here. Thanks! Gave me a few things to think about.

I "think" I'm glad that I haven't got caught up in this "battle" going on here. I exercise partly to relieve pressure. I feel the pressure building just reading those posts. If I felt I had to keep up (or more) I would be driving myself crazy.

5000 meter rows were a good time frame for me when I started but after much reading of other info, I decided that a minimum of 30 minutes at a shot every other day was better than 20 minutes everyday. So a 10,000 meter was something good for me to shoot for. I think my best time so far so under 44 minutes with 45 minutes being quite confortable and a good workout. I think if I pushed it I could probably make it to 42 minutes (maybe!) 37 and change I could never see for me.

[glenmbaker]

I "think" I'm glad that I haven't got caught up in this "battle" going on here. I exercise partly to relieve pressure. I feel the pressure building just reading those posts. If I felt I had to keep up (or more) I would be driving myself crazy.

Nah, the "battle" is all good fun. I am fully convinced that by the end of the month I'll be staring at everybody else disappearing off into the distance in front of me, but for now it's been a lot of fun to try to hang with the big dogs. Honestly I'm new to this game, just got the dang machine in December so I've been discovering my own personal limits in a way that would quite simply NEVER have happened if it weren't for all of the little carrots that keep dangling juuuuust barely within the reach of my own personal bow.

That's one of the cool things about this whole community. You can find the motivation that works for you and latch onto it, but there's really no need to feel pressured if you don't want to.

Let's put it this way: I own two pieces of exercise equipment. One of them is about 8 months old and it works great for hanging my towel while I'm rowing...

[damselfly]

I'm with Bob. I love watching the dust-up, but feel very happy paddling around in my own little puddle. I will meet and pretty certainly exceed my challenge goal, and that works for me. Do love being part of this team though!! I feel like I want to row to be a part of the team effort, and seeing all your accomplishments does in fact make me pay more attention to my form and speed, but only from the standpoint of self-improvement -- not direct competition.

But however and whyever you do it, just do it!!

Kudos to our Cap'n who came up with the challenge meter percentage tracking idea, the collective team earnings goals and tracking for the holiday challenge, and who sets some good team goals for us overall!!

Well, off to row. I had no time yesterday due to hosting a family dinner, so I'm going to try to double-up today. Wish me luck!

P.S. I saw my ex-rower buddy last Friday (Olympic team '92, but he only swims now), told him how much some of you guys row. He thinks you're NUTS!!!!