Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club (UK)

[Rod]

60 minutes restricted to 20 spm (or lower)

Metres.............14701
SPM................19
DF..................130
Average pace.....2:002.4

Target pace was 2:05.0 as I haven't done this one ''properly'' for a long time so very happy with the 2:02.4 I ended up with.

Too many recent sessions have not gone well so need to re-build a bit....and this was a good start. My best for this is 1:59.4 so will be working back towards that...and beyond!

Mike.................Terrific 500! Well done me ol' mate that's pretty rapid!

[Rod]

10k

Time...............37:52.9
Av. pace...........1:53.6
DF...................112
SPM.................34


My 2nd (and last!) go at the 10k for the Lwt ranking group challenge and the ITC.....abysmal result....it was 30 seconds SLOWER than my first go earlier in the month!

Oh well....at least I finished it and tried my best...even if my best ain't all that good at the moment.

As mentioned last time.......Re-building is needed!

[MPx]

Having never bettered 38mins Rod 37:52.9 looks awesome to me...but I know how you feel when its just not as good as you know you can do. I still don't understand how the cycles work. When its good its easier to do well than it is to do mediocre when the cycle is against. Very odd - but as you know just stick with it and it will come good again. 2:02.4 @ 20 for an hour ain't too shabby either!

I had my third and last go at the 500m for the IRL on Tuesday. Absolutely determined to crack 1:30. As usual died over the last 100 or so but was still predicting 1:29 right up to the last stroke...but the PM made it a 1:30.0 result. Such a shame...but still the best of the three so will have to do.

Then:
25/4 Dumbbells and 30mins varipace for 7576m (missed target by 1m)
27/4 3x2k r2. Last time managed 1:53.0 avg. This time 1:52.8; 1:52.5; but then 1:56.2 for a 1:53.8 avg - just didn't have the fight to stick with the target.
28/4 Dumbbells and 5k @ 20 in 19:49.2 (missed target by .1s)

[bojam]

Well done Marjorie on the perfect set of 1000s in the Nonathlon... 9300 points ... I didn't think you would do the FM.

Toby

[Amazing Amazon]

Sorry, I've not been posting here since early May. That partly reflects a lack of erging activity on my part.

Firstly can I offer belated congratulations to Susan for her achievements in Starnberg and in Rome, both in getting there and rows done in testing circumstance. Performing on the road is never as easy as at home.
Also congratulations to Mike on his British Record.
And to Rod for his continued persistence and achievements in the longer pieces, which I hope will be rewarded when he does his HM next month.

As to me:
I had three attempts at the WR virtual 1000m sprint between 7th and 11th March. I was looking to improve on the 3:52.6 SB I did in January and ideally to equal what I did last year (3:48.7).
The first attempt I crashed out after just 300m and just paddled home.
The second was on target at 3:50.6 (splits: 1:56.7 (28), 1:56.0 (28), 1:55.7 (30), 1:55.5 (30), 1:52.5 (32)).
The third, when I was pushing to improve on that and get under 3:50, I blew up with 300m to go. However my one ‘good’ result enough to secure the gold medal.

14th March I had a go a the March CTC (shortest of 2x15mR3m). Based this on my 30 SB (2:06.8 pace), but got my pacing completely wrong, by assuming that 3 minutes rest was meaningful: so went out far to fast for the 1st rep (and sprinted ah the end) and paid for it in second:
Rep 1: 3,593m, 2:05.2 pace, 26 spm.
Rep 2: 3,541m, 2:09.6 pace, 25 spm.
Resolved to have another go.

Spent the 17- 24th March skiing in Dolomites, staying in Corvara. Wonderful weather (even when it snowed the visibility was good) and I averaged 51k skiing and 8,400m descent each day. Recorded 2nd best performance for the week for users of the Super Dolomiti ski app.

28 March. 2nd attempt at CTC. Looked in more detail at my 30 min SB: had flat paced it for 25+ minutes and then sprinted at the end. Clearly I needed to do both reps at about the same pace. With slight negative splits this did work:
Rep 1: 3,538m, 2:07.1 pace, 24 spm
Rep 2: 3,541m, 2:07.0 pace, 24 spm.

29 th March. 5,500m in coxless scull x4.

30th March. Did the 10k for the IRL Challenge. Didn’t achieve a SB (by 12.5 seconds) but got under 43 minutes: 42:55.8 (2:08.7 pace. Splits: 2:09.4 (22), 2:09.7 (22), 2:10.4 (23), 2:08.8 (25), 2:05.5 (27).

31st March 5,500m in coxed scull x4.

[Amazing Amazon]

Continued...

5th April. 5,600m in double scull.

7th April. Coastal scull (4+cox) racing around Teignmouth. Did 8,000m race stroking for 3rd women’s crew and 4,000m race in 2nd mixed seniors (50+) crew. Our boat was last in both races (against much younger crews).

17th April. 5,000m in 20:58.6. I seem to have no problems getting under 21 minutes but have only gone significantly faster once this season (20:44.4).

21st April. My 67th birthday. Did 5,750m in flat conditions in a single scull.

24th April. Not done any ergo work outs recently so needed to practice some faster stuff in preparation for a before end of month 500m attempt for the IRL. Did 5 5x200R2, negative split reps for an average 1:48.5.

25th April. 500m. Did 1:49.7, which was 0.2 seconds faster than I did at BRIC, though it should have been even faster without a race start and with a much better warm-up.

26th April. 6,080m in coxed scull x4.

27th April. CTC: 2000R1, 500R2, 500R3, 500. Was aiming to do the 2k at 2:03-2:04 pace, the first 500m at sub 2:00 then see how much I could accelerate for the 2nd and 3rd 500m reps with more decent interval rests. Did 2k at 2:03.6 (nearly losing it somewhere between 1000m and 1500m), then 1:59.9, 1:56. 9 and 1:53.4 for a total of 14:04.7 (2:00.6 pace)

28th April. 6,000m stroking a double scull.

29th April. Decision time: do I attempt my first ever Marathon to grab the lead in the Nonathlon? My rowing mate Brian (81) says I should. Decide to give it a go. To get 1000 points I would need to row it in under 3:39:26.8. My projected pace (based on my 1k and 10k times) is 2:16.9 and would imply finishing in 3:12:35.4. Not having done anything like this distance before I decide that a more conservative 2:28 pace (with a couple of water breaks added) for a 3:30 time is deliverable and would still give me well over 1000 points.

Set off at that (no warm-up) and find that I can in fact row faster. I take two short water breaks at 28 and 14k to go. In the 2nd break also open a window as the room was steaming up from my respiration. Didn't actually take on much water, when I tried to take a bit more in the second it felt like lead in the stomach. 1st break cost about 35 seconds, the 2nd about 55.

The main problem I noticed was that I was feeling increasingly fidgety on the seat. I was just using my regular thin fixed cushion pad. When I fidgeted I slowed my stroke rate. However I was still able to up the average stroke rate (no ‘wall’ at this pace) and I could also sprint the last few hundred metres.

Splits pace (spm) were:
2k 2:29.1 (20)
4k 2:27.8 (20),
6k 2:27.3 (19)
8k 2:26,4 (20)
10k 2:25,6 (21)
12k 2:25.1 (21)
14k 2:26.7 (22)
16k 2:33.2 (20) water break
18k 2:24.0 (22)
20k 2:26.8 (20)
22k 2:27.8 (20)
24k 2:24.0, (22)
26k 2:23.6 (23)
28k 2:25.4 (21)
30k 2:37.9 (22) water break
32k 2:22.5 (24)
34k 2:22.6 (24)
36k 2:24.4 (21)
38k 2:21.1 (23)
40k 2:20.4 (24)
42k 2:19.9 (23)
42,195m 2.00.0 (29).

Overall time was 3:24:34.3 at 2:25.4 and 21 spm. The Nonathlon score for this FM is 1073 and my overall score is now 9300.

Afterwards showered off and had a nice Sunday roast beef dinner and red wine The only reaction I’ve noticed is some chafing under my armpits from rubbing against my singlet and some stiffness in my elbows.

[Amazing Amazon]

Well done Marjorie on the perfect set of 1000s in the Nonathlon... 9300 points ... I didn't think you would do the FM.

Toby

Thanks Toby.
Until yesterday afternoon I didn't think I'd do it either
Have now posted an update including yesterday's FM.

[bojam]

Until yesterday afternoon I didn't think I'd do it either
Have now posted an update including yesterday's FM.

I knew you could ... but I thought you would have had a BR/WR sometime in your career and didn't want to do it again... I'm digging a pit.
Well done on your first FM. Sorry to steal your deserved thunder.

Toby

[Rod]

4 x 2k with 2 minute recoveries

Average pace.......................1:51.2
Average rep time..................7:25.2
Average HR.........................177 (95%HRR)
SPM..................................34

My first interval session for 6 weeks.

It felt a bit odd as I'm not used to going so fast and I was never certain I could hold the pace but I needn't have worried as it went very well so the re-build is going ok....although this was only the first session of it!

Marjorie.............Well done on the Marathon, I'll be doing one this week but not too seriously.....just to get the Nonathlon bonus points!

[Carol]

Huge congratulations Marjorie for coming 1st place in the Nonathlon (I'm assuming the season is completed and no-one else can post any other times now). And to get over 1000 points for every distance is amazing. Really well done! You've had a very successful season all round. Best wishes for the same (or better) next season

[Rod]

Full Marathon (42195 metres)

Time........................3:08:26.0
SPM.........................31
DF...........................108
Average pace..............2:13.9


My once a year Marathon....glad that's out of the way!

I have to do one to get the bonus points in the ''Nonathlon'' ....which has just been won this year by Marjorie so well done Marjorie!

[Amazing Amazon]

Huge congratulations Marjorie for coming 1st place in the Nonathlon (I'm assuming the season is completed and no-one else can post any other times now). And to get over 1000 points for every distance is amazing. Really well done! You've had a very successful season all round. Best wishes for the same (or better) next season

Hi Carol, very decent stab at the Nonathlon yourself.
I've noticed that the 1000 point targets get easier faster than I slow down with age (despite there being new records set) so look forward to seeing what you do in future years.

[MPx]

Lots to catch up with there Marjorie - highlight appears to be that amazing overall win in the Nonathlon with well over 1000avg - stunning result and very well done. Impressed that you took on the marathon. I did one once (slower than you but mainly because I kept stopping to ease the aches and pains) and I wont be doing another! Looks like we didn't quite do enough in the IRL for the Diamonds to hold the 10th place we enjoyed for quite a while. Only 6 entries for the last few rounds has taken its toll...some great scores from you though!

Great set of 2ks there Rod - again faster than I can do even for just 3 reps. Nice. ...and I've just seen a marathon from you as well - awesome, but you're welcome to it, just not worth the aches and pains in my book!

The big news from me is that I finally nailed a Sub7 2k tonight. Woooppppeeee woo! I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get back below 7 min so absolutely delighted to have that particular monkey off my back. Paced right at my limit - in my "sprint" over the last 100m I managed to drop my stoke pace from 1:46 to 1:43...so barely noticeable and nothing left to give! But great timing for such things as the start of the new year means I can hide behind it in the rankings for a full 12 months!


My only other session since last report was on 29/4 when I did a steady 10k in 39:39.2 (obviously annoyed at missing the .3 target!) @ 1:59 pace.

[Amazing Amazon]

Full Marathon (42195 metres)

Time........................3:08:26.0
SPM.........................31
DF...........................108
Average pace..............2:13.9


My once a year Marathon....glad that's out of the way!

I have to do one to get the bonus points in the ''Nonathlon'' ....which has just been won this year by Marjorie so well done Marjorie!

Rod, I've noticed that it's much harder to get a +1000 point score in your category than mine so perfectly understand why you don't go all out on the FM (I've usually chickened out and not done it at all).

Nevertheless would love to have done your time myself (would have been a new BR).

Best wishes for that HM record attempt you are planning.

[Amazing Amazon]

Mike, great result there with the Sub7 2k. After all that's what this club is about.

I'm supposed to be racing a 2k myself on Saturday but would be surprised (and very pleased) to get sub 8.