Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club (UK)

[MPx]

Couple of great sessions there Rod even if the 10k was a bit down on last time. Your old ticker is going extremely well at 189 - I don't seem to be able to push mine above 170 at the moment although I had a 173 a few months back.

I've been distracted again with house works and visitors so several planned sessions have been missed. The heat isn't helping my enthusiasm so I'm probably finding the excuses too easily! All I've managed recently is:
6/6 Dumbells and 30 mins varipace (slightly faster than usual) for 7618m
9/6 10k for the CTC. Was thinking my 3 days off would have helped...but seemed to be the opposite. Started out on 1:56s but had to slow after 5k and only managed to finish in 39:09.4 @1:57.5 after a fast last 500.
13/6 Dumbbells and 5k@20 in 19:39.4 @1:57.9
14/6 16x250 r90. Have been trying to beat my best avg of 1:36.0 for a few goes at this. Managed 13 @ 1:35.8/9 but then had to do two slower before a faster last which give me a new best avg of 1:36.0 - B****r!

[Rod]

10 x 2k. with 75 second recoveries

Average pace....................1:54.3
SPM...............................32
AHR...............................167
DF.................................114
Average 2k pace................7:37.2


The rests were 15 seconds shorter than 10 days ago.....but the reps were 0.1 faster on av. pace and 1 bpm lower on av. HR so a big improvement.

This was 0.2 faster pace than when I did it with 2 minute rests a month ago so happy with progress.

Mike............Well done for hanging on with the 10k and nice 250's....you'll smash that average next time no problem!

[Rod]

Half Marathon (21097m)

Time...................1:22:14.7
AV. Pace...............1:56.9
DF.......................109
SPM.....................33
AHR.....................167

Happy to report this was a Lwt PB so my fastest for 8 years.

Still 52 seconds behind the British 60-69 Lwt record though so more work to do!

[MPx]

That's great erging Rod. I can't hold that pace for 10k let alone the HM! But with your 10x2s @1:54.3 you've clearly got the BR within your grasp sometime soon. Good luck with it and congrats on making the solstice challenge.

My recent sessions have been:
15/6 Heavy work in the day and too tired really so just a 30mins steady (no weights) for 7676m
16/6 Dumbbells and 30mins varipace for 7575m.
18/6 3x2k r2. Previous period best was a 1:53.0 avg pace. This time 1:52.7; 1:52.5; and 1:51.6 for a 1:52.3 overall avg which puts each 2k at 7:29.8. I'll try to go sub 7:30 for all of the reps next time.
19/6 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7676@1:57.2 (faster than usual!)
21/6 2kTT. Last time out I finally posted my first sub 7 since 2012 with a 6:58.9. There's nothing quite like having done a sub7 for giving the mindset to do another! This time I actually set off to improve targetting 1:44 flat pace. I was on target through 1200 but didn't have the fight to keep going and backed off to 1:48/9 pace. Previously that would have been the session blown, but this time I noticed that meant my avg pace only dropped to 1:45 with 500 to go and I managed to increase my stroke pace again to 1:45s and sprinted the last 100 to post a 6:59.0 (PM3 showed 6:58.9 when it stopped but rounded up in the log). Good!

[Rod]

10k Time Trial

Time.............37:37.1
Av................1:52.8
SPM..............33
AHR.............180

A Seasons Best by 12 seconds and a new max heart rate of 193 (previous was 189 3 weeks ago).

Still 17 seconds slower than my Lwt PB (from February) though so more work to do and 2nd on the world rankings for 60-69 Lwts.... I'll have to try again!

Mike............Some good training there and a fine 2k so well done me ol' mate........you're well on your way to a much faster one!

[MPx]

Fantastic 10k Rod - just 0.2secs too quick for the target palindrome number! 193 is a stonking max HR too - what's your resting HR? You must have a very impressive range for an old fart like us - I count my HRR as 130 (which might be a stretch) and I thought good, but I'm guessing you're well beyond that?

Recent training for me:
22/6 Too tired for Dumbbells so just a 30 min piece with 10@20; 10@24; and 10 free (which for me is usually 27). Hit my usual 7575m@1:58.8
24/6 10kTT for the Sub7 ITC - much better this time with a more steady pace for 38:43.4 @ 1:56.2 which is a SB.
26/6 Dumbbells and 5k@20. 19:39.0 @ 1:57.9
27/6 6x500r2. Not really in the right frame of mind to take this on. Wanted sub 1:40.4. Did 3x 1:40.3 but then 2x 1:44.x and a 1:36.7 last for a 1:41.4 avg which is a full second too slow an average pace! B****r!
30/6 Dumbbells and 30mins steady @ 1:58.8 for 7575m
1/7 4x1k r3:30 Previous best was a 1:46.3 avg. Managed 3x 1:46.4 and a faster last for a 1:46.1 avg so pleased with that!
2/7 Dumbbells and 30mins varipace for 7575m
3/7 Sub7 CTC. Targetted the short reps @<1:40; the middle @<1:42 and the long @<1:45. Worked out OK, but a very tough session. 10:34.3 @ 1:42.0 avg pace.

[lindsayh]

Fantastic 10k Rod - just 0.2secs too quick for the target palindrome number! 193 is a stonking max HR too - what's your resting HR? You must have a very impressive range for an old fart like us - I count my HRR as 130 (which might be a stretch) and I thought good, but I'm guessing you're well beyond that?

I agree Mike - my HRR is 130 too - (173-43) which is pretty good as I count as an older fart than you I am afraid. Rod's could easily be >140 I suspect.
(a lot of our numbers are pretty close actually)

[Rod]

Fantastic 10k Rod - just 0.2secs too quick for the target palindrome number! 193 is a stonking max HR too - what's your resting HR? You must have a very impressive range for an old fart like us - I count my HRR as 130 (which might be a stretch) and I thought good, but I'm guessing you're well beyond that?

I agree Mike - my HRR is 130 too - (173-43) which is pretty good as I count as an older fart than you I am afraid. Rod's could easily be >140 I suspect.
(a lot of our numbers are pretty close actually)

Hi Mike and Lindsay, the lowest HR I've seen in the few months I've been looking at HR is 44 when sitting on the settee. It may be lower at night when in deep sleep (and not dreaming about exiting things!) and I hope to find out soon now that Carol has mastered her new Garmin wrist device and I'll be able to borrow it.

This gives me a HRR of 149 (193 - 44). I'm doing my easy sessions within the 115- 125 range as according to the ''Maffetone Method'' that I've been looking at recently that's my optimal for developing the aerobic system and helping to condition the body to being more efficient at using fat for fuel so that you have extra power when you need it on the fast stuff and are using Glycogen as the main energy source.......it's early days but results seem quite promising.

I'm not following it exactly but some of it is influencing how I'm training at the moment.

https://philmaffetone.com/method/

[MPx]

(a lot of our numbers are pretty close actually)

Nice of you to say Lindsay but I follow your training and know the truth!...I can see that you're not only 10% older, you're pretty much 10% better at everything too - a bit of a double whammy! But at least I can match you on HR numbers exactly -

I'm doing my easy sessions within the 115- 125 range as according to the ''Maffetone Method''
https://philmaffetone.com/method/

Interesting stuff Rod - I'll read up some more when I get a moment. I'm not one for too much change from what I like to do, and I loose confidence when I see supplements mentioned (eg VitaminD) as I prefer just relying on training - but the consensus behind a good aerobic base is well established (and something I've consistently failed to build). You and Lindsay are living proof that its the biggest difference between our performance - you two have it, I dont! - so really I need to wise up a bit. My easier sessions are the 30mins I do after Dumbbells and my HR is over 140 for most of it and can drift up to 150 by about 24mins in before I back off again, which is clearly too high for an "easy" session.

[lindsayh]

Nice of you to say Lindsay but I follow your training and know the truth!...I can see that you're not only 10% older, you're pretty much 10% better at everything too - a bit of a double whammy! But at least I can match you on HR numbers exactly

Thanks Mike - I think we may have started an Old Farts Mutual Admiration Society here! (maybe as a Sub7 sub committee or should it more naturally fit in the Diamonds?)
We may be able to have a meeting at BRIC - I have been given permission to look at being there though still a bit of a maybe - looks promising.

[MPx]

Ha ha - yep, I'm fully signed up for OFMAS ! Are you suggesting breaking ranks with FF and coming over to the dark side of Sub7 or the Diamonds?? Its one of the joys of Concept2 that the community has so many members to admire and aspire to. Of course that's a double edged sword - no matter how great an achievement one of my sessions for me, someone will always be along in a minute who could knock that out for a warm up and complete their entire session at my 500m pace or better, which can prick the balloon quite quickly.

Its also not certain for me that I'll get up to BRIC this year though I certainly intend to. As ever if I'm there I'll be hiding in a corner watching not competing - but have had a great time doing just that every year that I've made it. Will look forward to saying "g-day" if it comes off...

And just to report another equal number...

4/7 Dumbbells and 30mins varipace for 7575m
5/7 500m TT for Sub7 ITC. Targetting sub 1:30. Finding that hard these days. My std approach - start hard, low pull by 4th stroke (1:24 today) back off to 1:27 and hold that for as long as poss (nearly half way today), then slow down and die as slowly as poss! Only just made it to equal you Lindsay...

[lindsayh]

Ha ha - yep, I'm fully signed up for OFMAS ! Are you suggesting breaking ranks with FF and coming over to the dark side of Sub7 or the Diamonds?? Its one of the joys of Concept2 that the community has so many members to admire and aspire to. Of course that's a double edged sword - no matter how great an achievement one of my sessions for me, someone will always be along in a minute who could knock that out for a warm up and complete their entire session at my 500m pace or better, which can prick the balloon quite quickly.

NO Mike - no moving to the "dark side" - even tho the average FF age is on the high side I think the most eligible OFs probably reside elsewhere - I'm tipping the Diamonds. Yes the depth of the IR community is a great leveller if you think you are on top of things - I have been beaten twice in the 65+ group - by a 6:39 last year and a 6:44 a couple of weeks ago - there is always someone faster unless you are TJ Oesterling at the height of your powers. Have a look at the Danish 70+ LWT who is just streets ahead and rewriting everything just as TJO is likely to do he turns 70.
It would be great to put faces to names if I get to BRIC.

[MPx]

You're right about Sub 7 having some very impressive OFs - with Rod at British record level at most distances for skinnies, and Richard (LGF) at British record level for most distances for giants, and Marjorie at British record level for most distances for full size women and Carol at British record level for petite women (although only just entering old fartdom...). Indeed some (many?) of those records are Worlds not just British.

The diamonds are by definition OFs - and who could ever compete with Joe's lifetime achievements....but overall IMO their current performances are more mainstream than leaders of the pack - though of course still very inspiring for all that!

It also amazes me how some incredible athletes suddenly turn up out of nowhere and become godlike on the erg in absolutely no time. When I was active around 2011/2 it was a (giant) chap called Eddy Ventress who suddenly showed up doing amazing times - whatever happened to him while I was away?

[Rod]

10 x 2k.1'r

AV. pace..............1:54.4
SPM...................32
AHR...................174 (90% of max)

2 months ago I did this session with 2 minute recoveries....today only one minute between reps but 0.1 on average pace faster so must be getting fitter.

The heat made it tough so glad to have got it done.

Mike........Eddie V had a bad back so he had to give up.

[MPx]

Very good going again there Rod - must be very pleasing for you to see it coming together - best wishes for your next attempt!

Shame about Eddy's back. I think that same issue is what put paid to Paul/Beowulf's world domination wasn't it? Such a shame when the guy put so much effort into getting that good. I guess we're all just an injury away from losing out on a great form of exercise.

Like everyone else in the UK I'm finding it tough to carry on through this current heatwave (not that I'm moaning about it - it makes a lovely change from a disappointing summer!) Anyway lots of work outside isn't setting me up mentally for a tough session in the Gym which is regularly showing 28degrees C ambient temp. What I have done is:
7/7 AWL Pyramid - I normally do these starting in the mid 1:40s slowing to the low 1:50s by 900 and then climbing again as the distances drop. Didn't fancy my chances at that so set off at 1:51 and slowed from there! Finished with a 1:55.5 avg which is slow for me, but about right for an 8k without any rests!
8/7 Dumbbells and 30mins varipace for 7575m
10/7 10x1min r1. My best at this was a 3052 total where most reps were 304m. Since then I've tried several times to do 10x 305m but always fail about 6 or 7 in. Same today, except today I only slowed to 301,301,302 from no 7 and with a faster last managed a 3051 total. Not so bad for another hot day!