Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club (UK)

[MPx]

Thanks for the congrats Richard...and the mention in your newsletter Rod. I actually feel even more of a fraud than before. I had thought I'd just got in before some faster people noticed it was there for the taking...but the newsletter linked to the Sub7 records and its clear that when Richard Steventon was racking up all of the records 3 years ago he also did an impressive 1237m 4min piece....presumably he just didn't bother to submit it. So in truth the record wasn't really available and should stand at 1237 not 1197. My 50s PB was 1220 and although I think I could crack the 1200 again I dont think I'll get back to PB now so I'll be very pleased when LGF pulls a 1240+ and puts it all to rights!

Well done on another international winning medal against the odds Susan - impressive determination just to get there. Glad to hear you're on the mend lurgy wise and can get stuck back in properly.

Impressive marathon sessions as always Dean - including an actual marathon unusually for you! What sort of HM time will you be posting in the ITC next month?

Congrats on the way the distance training is going for you Rod. Awesome 10kTT, just sooooo much faster than me, as ever!!!!

[MPx]

Training log :

25/3 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace 7557m
27/3 5k@20 19:28.9 varipace
28/3 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace 7575m
29/3 3x1500 r5. After a couple of wobbles in recent goes at this was back to my best 1:48.8; 1:48.7; 1:47.1 which almost exactly matches the SB but is actually a whole 0.5 secs quicker over the entire active period of 16:13.6 against 16:14.1 before!
31/3 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace 7575m
2/4 10kTT intended for the ITC but so poor I'll have to do it again. Seemed OK and comfortable at 1:56 pace for over 5k but lost the fight at about 7k and had to really grind. Did a remarkable sprint over the last 250m to recover to 39:00.3 which flatters an appalling session.
3/4 Dumbbells and 5k@20 for 19:39.1 varipace

[Rod]

10k Time Trial (For the Lightweights League)

Time......................37:23.4
Pace......................1:52.1
SPM.......................34
AV.HR.....................175
Peak HR..................186

First go at the 10k for the Lwt's League.

3 seconds faster than the one I did last week but 3 seconds slower than my seasons best from February so ok I suppose but hope to go faster next time.

186 is a new max HR (but only been measuring it for a week).

Mike......you did it, you claimed it...the record is yours without a doubt so enjoy it...it was a fine effort and the certificate is very well earned!

[MPx]

Nice going Rod...anything sub 38 is properly quick in my book and you're scorching it!

Latest sessions for me have been:
5/4 8x500 r3:30. My SB at this was at 1:40.4 avg. Set off trying to keep it at that or just under and managed 7x but the last was a real fight just for a 1:41.8. Nevertheless according to RowPro it worked out as a 1:40.3 avg so happy to be chipping away in the right direction.
6/4 6k@20 - Should have been my usual dumbbells session and 30 mins but after a day handling very heavy sleepers I was just too tired. So a steady one to keep my hand in targetting a nice number and hit 23:45.6 spot on. (@158.8)
8/8 Still on the sleepers and feeling too weary to tackle more weights. Thought the CTC would be a quick session so went for that. Tough pacing decisions as ever. Decided to be ambitious and try to keep it all below 1:48 avg. Managed slightly better than that in the end so very pleased.

[Rod]

90 minutes

Metres....................22,497
Average pace............2:00.4
SPM.......................32
Average Heart rate....153

Another journey through the gates of Hell (I'm there that often lately I'm on first name terms with the bloke who opens 'em!)

This one was 0.3 on average pace faster than last week,46 metres further, 1spm less and the same average heart rate so happy with the progress as it's another step towards a decent HM by the end of the month.

Mike.................Great session of 8 x 500, you'll be under 1:40 pace for this one soon....now that will be really motoring!

[bisqeet]

90 minutes

Metres....................22,497
Average pace............2:00.4
SPM.......................32
Average Heart rate....153

Another journey through the gates of Hell (I'm there that often lately I'm on first name terms with the bloke who opens 'em!)

This one was 0.3 on average pace faster than last week,46 metres further, 1spm less and the same average heart rate so happy with the progress as it's another step towards a decent HM by the end of the month.

Mike.................Great session of 8 x 500, you'll be under 1:40 pace for this one soon....now that will be really motoring!

whats the current RPE for that piece?
looks as though you were working hard, but not too hard with the HE - could be deceiving thou.
very good work though, you'll be loving the long stuff soon

[Rod]

whats the current RPE for that piece?
looks as though you were working hard, but not too hard with the HE - could be deceiving thou.
very good work though, you'll be loving the long stuff soon

Thanks for the interest Dean but I've no idea what ''RPE'' or ''HE'' are?

I've been enjoying going up to 90 minutes (just over HM) for a while now and am going to give the Full marathon a go next month as it's the next challenge in the Lighweight ranking group that I run.....but not so sure I'll ''really love'' going that far!

[bisqeet]

whats the current RPE for that piece?
looks as though you were working hard, but not too hard with the HE - could be deceiving thou.
very good work though, you'll be loving the long stuff soon

Thanks for the interest Dean but I've no idea what ''RPE'' or ''HE'' are?

I've been enjoying going up to 90 minutes (just over HM) for a while now and am going to give the Full marathon a go next month as it's the next challenge in the Lighweight ranking group that I run.....but not so sure I'll ''really love'' going that far!

RPE is rating of percieved exertion (Borg) - I usually note the RPE of my rows as i find them
6 being easy peasy
20 being maximum exertion.

that way I can look back and compare rows that have similar outputs.

I find its not as easy to say - oh the last 90minutes i did was easy, very easy, slightly easy - i tend to forget the feeling with time.
If i add a rpe to my sessions, that i can say - oh - last weeks 90' was 22k and RPE 8, this week it was RPE5.. must be getting fitter.

Its just another tool- one i think is quite handy

HE = HR with fat sausage fingers that miss the keys...

[Rod]

RPE is rating of percieved exertion (Borg) - I usually note the RPE of my rows as i find them
6 being easy peasy
20 being maximum exertion.

that way I can look back and compare rows that have similar outputs.

I find its not as easy to say - oh the last 90minutes i did was easy, very easy, slightly easy - i tend to forget the feeling with time.
If i add a rpe to my sessions, that i can say - oh - last weeks 90' was 22k and RPE 8, this week it was RPE5.. must be getting fitter.

Its just another tool- one i think is quite handy

HE = HR with fat sausage fingers that miss the keys...

Thanks for the reply Dean,

Based on that I guess the 90 mins was ''20'' as I couldn't go any faster!

The max HR I've seen in the 2 weeks I've been wearing a chest strap is 186 and my resting seems to be around 40 to 45, still not sure yet.

I don't know what this says about the 153 average for the session, it was 82% of max but not sure if that's a lot or a little....sounds like a lot to me but it was a tough workout.

[MPx]

I don't know what this says about the 153 average for the session, it was 82% of max but not sure if that's a lot or a little....sounds like a lot to me but it was a tough workout.

I know both methods are used, but I think that the % of Heart Rate Range is considered more accurate than a straight % of max. For you...if you reckon your min is say 42 and max (at least) 186. Then your HRR is 144 - that's a very big range for someone of "our" age and likely an underestimate if you've not done a max HR test. So your 153 avg for the session equates to (153-42)x100 / 144 =77% - that's a very hard Aerobic session, but not quite up to Anaerobic which is usually considered 80%+. Of course your actual (rather than avg) HR will be much more telling as you probably experienced quite a bit if upward drift over the piece and would probably have strayed well into anaerobic for a while - hence how tough it felt.

[Rod]

75 mins Time Trial

Average pace.......................1:55.5
Metres...............................19,479
SPM...................................33
DF.....................................109
Average HR..........................171

75 minutes at the same average pace as last weeks 70 minute piece (1:55.5)

Av.spm was 1 less and av.HR 1bpm lower so I'll take that as progress.

I just need to keep it going for another 1618 metres and I can have a go at the British 60-69 Lwt record of 1:21.21.9 (1:55.7 pace) so...next week....I'll see what I can do......''gulp''

Mike...........thanks for the HR comments. I can't see me ever being a ''kept it under the HR cap'' type of person as I tend to think more in terms of pace and how I feel about where I am with my fitness.....plus I'm very old fashioned....and thick! But....it's all interesting info so going to keep on with it and see what it tells me.

[DavidA]

75 mins Time Trial

Average pace.......................1:55.5
Metres...............................19,479
SPM...................................33
DF.....................................109
Average HR..........................171

75 minutes at the same average pace as last weeks 70 minute piece (1:55.5)

Av.spm was 1 less and av.HR 1bpm lower so I'll take that as progress.

I just need to keep it going for another 1618 metres and I can have a go at the British 60-69 Lwt record of 1:21.21.9 (1:55.7 pace) so...next week....I'll see what I can do......''gulp''

Mike...........thanks for the HR comments. I can't see me ever being a ''kept it under the HR cap'' type of person as I tend to think more in terms of pace and how I feel about where I am with my fitness.....plus I'm very old fashioned....and thick! But....it's all interesting info so going to keep on with it and see what it tells me.

Just... WOW!
I expect to see you beat the record soon.
Good Luck.

David

[Rod]

Just... WOW!
I expect to see you beat the record soon.
Good Luck.

David

Thank you David that's kind of you to say, I hope to give it a go next week so fingers crossed!

[Rod]

90 minutes

Average pace...............2:00.4
SPM..........................32
DF............................110
Metres.......................22422


90 minutes this morning which even at 7:30am and with 2 fans on me was tough in the rising heat.

It was all of 15 metres further than last time 12 days ago plus 1spm lower on average so happy enough as it's progress....just about!

I mentioned having a crack at the British record for the HM but don't feel I'm ready yet so postponed it for a few weeks.

[MPx]

Couple of good sessions there Rod. That 75min @1:55.5 an absolute stunner so I'm sure you'll be fine for the BR whenever you think the time is right. The heat should dissipate quickly now in your area - so not quite such hostile conditions to contend with.

My training has been a bit interrupted recently ... just normal life getting in the way so no worries. What I have done is:
9/4 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7575m.
11/4 16x250 r90. Wanted to try for a sub 1:36 avg. Managed for 12 but then 1:44.9; 1:42.4; 1:38.8; 1:35.6 for a 1:36.9 overall which is over half a second off my best.
12/4 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7575m.
13/4 500m for the IRL. Would have been happy with anything sub 1:30 but sadly I died too much at the end and got 1:30.3.
15/4 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7575m.
17/4 500m for the IRL. Hopeless! Was off the pace by half way and paddled in! I'll have to have another go...
21/4 10k for the ITC. Wanted significantly sub 39mins. Was going fine @1:56 pace to 7k but then suffered and finally finished with 38:57.0. Acceptable but a fair bit off my SB.
22/4 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7575m.