Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club (UK)

[Rod]

One mile for the Indoor Rowers league (for the Sub 7 team....not someone else's....Richard! )

Time..............5:30.3
Av. pace..........1:42.6

Puts me at top Lwt on adjusted score and 3rd overall.

Didn't feel too bad at all so hopefully it tells me I've got a better 2k than my recent 6:55.7 coming...soon!

Mike................Nice set of 500's, that last rep will come good next time I'm sure!

Richard...Excellent mile me ol' mate well done. I've no idea about watts but the pace looked pretty quick and I notice it puts you top of the pile so congrats on that.

[Rod]

5k

18:03.0

Damn and blast!

Just missed getting under 18 minutes!

Oh well it's a Lwt PB so will do for now..I'll just have to try again!

[le grand fromage]

Rod, I’m with the diamonds because they asked me, always ready to help out whoever needs it but no worries, cut me and I bleed ‘Sub 7’.

Nice mile btw and yes I did notice I was top of the pile in the IRL although I don’t understand the Handicapping system. Gives Tiny Nash something to chase after anyway.

As an aside, working in watts makes the 'Maths' easier to work out when you're rowing I find. As an example I went through halfway on my 30' row this morning around 310w av. Knowing the end target was 283w this meant I could shed 27 watts from 283 in the 2nd half of the row and row at 256w and still be around the BR. Always nice to know what's needed, especially when it becomes a struggle

Knocked 229m off the British Record for Mhwt 60-69 30 minutes this morning. Gradually upping the pace as we move towards BRIC.

Saw this one a while back and pretty confident I could see it off, which proved to be the case as I easily beat my pace plan for it. The old record was 8379m which is 283w average and the plan was to go out hard for 5 mins at 330w then settle on 265w for the next 20 minutes and close the deal with 5 minutes at 310w.

Did the first 5 minutes to plan but felt pretty comfortable at 300+w so did another 5 minutes there before cruising at 280-290 watts. Built it up in the last 5 minutes for a grandstand sprint finish once I realised I could sneak over 8600m. Pretty much flat out at full ramming speed for the last minute and a half, hitting 410+ watts.

Pleasing row really

Scores on the doors

30’ – 1:44.5 – 27 – 8608 – 306 - New Mhwt 60-69 BR

5’ splits

1:41.4 – 29 – 336
1:45.1 – 27 – 301
1:46.1 – 27 – 293
1:46.9 – 26 – 286
1:45.9 – 27 – 294
1:41.9 – 29 – 331

[Rod]

10 x 500. 2'r. (All static starts)

Average pace...............1:42.3
SPM..........................36
DF............................125

This was an improvement on average pace of 1.3seconds over the last time I did this one 2 weeks ago so happy with progress.

My heart rate dropped to well under 55% of MHR during the rests so recovering ok.

I think this tells me I may have a faster 2k to come.....I'll find out soon enough though as I've got one planned for 2 weeks time.....ouch!

Richard..............Congrats on the new record that's a great row! I'll be looking to add some metres to my Lwt one soon as the 2k training should help me to hold a better early pace....but there's only one way to find out if that's true!

[MPx]

One mile for the Indoor Rowers league (for the Sub 7 team....not someone else's....Richard! )

Mea culpa. Although I distinctly remember rowing with you Rod, nominally for "the Diamonds", on the large team 100k! When I started in the IRL as an individual the Sub7 teams were fully subscribed and the Diamonds asked me so I was happy to join in. This year Diamonds were looking short handed and as Rich was the only one posting for TO at the time I asked if he was up for a switch. The Sub7 teams still appear to be oversubscribed otherwise I'd guess that we'd both be in.

Anyway that was a fast paced mile you put in Rod and even faster 10x500 - nicely done. Tough outcome on the 5k, so nearly there, but a confidence booster and great incentive to crack it next time. You're in a different league to me now on any of these pieces 2k up - most impressive.

[MPx]

Woohoo - another BR - well done Richard. I find it difficult to get my head around the idea of going at sub7 pace for 30 mins (or longer!) - just a completely different sport for you guys. Inspiring to read...keep 'em coming!

I've suffered slightly from lack of will/fight in the harder sessions a few times recently. Not really worried about it, I find these things always go in cycles but its not so much fun when you just grind out a piece at sub optimal pace cos you cant make yourself fight for it. Anyway recent sessions:
24/10 Dumbbells and 6K@20 in 23:53.1 (so near!)
25/10 5kTT Set off too fast. Slumped after 1k. Gradually built back up to finish on 18:48.0 which was only about 10secs off target but felt much worse!
26/10 5x2k r2. Target SPM 20/24/28/24/20 - Target pace 2:00; 1:55.1; 1:52.5; 1:55.1; 2:00 - hit them all pretty much spot on.
27/10 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7617m
29/10 16x250 r90. Last time managed all of these at sub 1:36 pace. Set off to do the same but wasn't feeling it. Got to 7 knowing I wouldn't make it. Did the 8th on target to get half way. Then tried 2 reps at 20spm to see if I could get sub 1:45 but couldn't do it - both ended on 22 ... and still slow! Then went back to free rate but with a soft sub 1:40 target which was fine for the next 5 so I tried to blitz the last and did it at 1:29. Shame - felt like a poor session despite some positives. I'll keep plodding on ... it'll come good again soon, it always does.

[Rod]

1k Time Trial

Time...............3:16.1
Pace...............1:38.0
DF..................125
SPM................40

New British 60-69 Lwt Record

Ouch! This was tough....very tough...but delighted to have beaten the 12 year old British Record by 0.6.

[DavidA]

1k Time Trial

Time...............3:16.1
Pace...............1:38.0
DF..................125
SPM................40

New British 60-69 Lwt Record

Ouch! This was tough....very tough...but delighted to have beaten the 12 year old British Record by 0.6.

Woo Hoo!!
Amazing what some people can do.

David

[Rod]

Back to basics today;

60 minutes capped at at 20 spm and 65% of maximum heart rate.

I managed 14188 metres which was an average pace of 2:06.8 which is not fast for an all out session but my average heart rate ended up at 127 bpm which is 64% of my maximum so this is the best I've done for this piece with this HR cap.

It's this long aerobic stuff that's made all the difference to me this year I think as I've never done it before......oh those wasted years!

Thank you for your kind comment on my 1k record David A, it was very much appreciated and a big help on my journey to....who knows where?

[MPx]

Fantastic 1kTT Rod. Looks like you're not even letting me have the short stuff my own way! Stonking to have yet another record.

The end of Oct marked two years since my return to the erg. I've largely achieved what I wanted, but of course there's always more you can do. My goals are to be strong enough to do the work around the property that needs doing and fit enough to enjoy it. My fitness marker is to be able to knock out a sub7 2k whenever that crops up on the cycle. It would be handy to be stronger, but I'm now using the heaviest Dumbbells I've got and don't want to buy any more. Currently using 20kg/22.5kg/25kg in a three set routine. In fact I cant hold my form with the heaviest so there's still loads of room for improvement - although even when I (re)started back in 2016 using the 7.5/10/12.5kg I struggled to maintain form with the heaviest so it seems that's the norm for me ! I finally managed to get back to a sub7 in May this year after 18 months and have managed a few more since so hopefully that's now ingrained - although admittedly they're only just sub 7! I'll be happy now if I can maintain this level, although its always nice to chip away a few tenths on the set pieces as they come around! Happy erging...

[MPx]

Latest training sessions :
31/10 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7617m.
1/11 5x2k r2 @ 20. Target to hit exactly 2:00 pace. Target achieved but only one time spot on 8:00.1/8:00.0/7:59.9/7:59.9/7:59.9
2/11 3x2k r2. Last time out I avg'd 1:51.9 pace. This time 1:51.8/1:51.8/1:50.7 for a 1:51.4 avg - very happy with a half sec improvement.
4/11 Dumbbells and 30 mins varipace for 7667m. I'm really being a dillon on this - why cant I stick to the prescribed session! Even doing my normal 7617m is a bit too hard for this which is meant to be an "easy" session. Me knocking out 7667 is all very well but actually very poor for a TT but way to hard for SS. HR went up to 160 at one point well over 90%! Arrgghhhh!
5/11 No time tonight so just put up a 1 min to see how close I am to my 350m ideal. 347m is the answer. Steady at 1:25.5 for 40 secs but then tailed off - shame! Gave myself 5 mins or so then had a shot at 100m. Only a 16.9 with a low pull of 1:21 so really not good - it appears I only get one shot at sprinting and then I'm done for the night! I managed to get the rate up to 46, but I understand I'll need to find a way to rate much faster if I want to get into the 15s. I'm generally in the 90s percentiles for most age group stuff in the rankings...but that only got me to the 79th so quite a significant improvement required!

[Rod]

4 x 1k.5'r

Average pace..............1:43.8
SPM.........................36

The session from hell!

This was 0.1 faster than last time 2 weeks ago, same spm but 9 bpm lower on heart rate at 173 which was 87% of max.....last time being 182 (93%) so faster for less effort with more control.

Happy with that as it's ''bedding in'' the 2k race pace nicely.

Mike..................Thanks for the kind words mate. You're still ahead of me by 0.5 over the 1k... and given how hard that was I don't feel too inclined to chase you again! Is it really 2 years now since you started back??? Doesn't time fly when you're having as much fun as we are!

[MPx]

Very fast again on the 4x1 Rod. Really looking very promising for BRIC - looking forward to seeing you shine.

Had a go at the CTC today... it being sprint night. 11x111m r1 Hit my target to get in the 1:25s avg pace, but cross that I got off to a "slow" start - part down to the static first I guess, but mostly I was just not as aggressive on that rep as I was on the rest. Amazing amount of additional effort required for each .1s at this pace!

[Amazing Amazon]

Hi everyone.

First let me say I'm very impressed by the volume of records and PB's that Rod been achieving.
I see Mike and Richard (even without much mojo) have also been plugging away to much effect.
And hoping Susan is fully recovered before too long.

To explain I've been absent over the summer as I've been out in the sunshine and not getting much indoor rowing done. In fact so little that I've been a bit ashamed at my inactivity: just about doing the CTC and that's it.

Instead I've been active sculling, have taken up sailing, cycled, swam and walked around South Devon, had a week Scottish Country Dancing in Scarborough, a week's canal boating in the Midlands and 7 days of walking up mountains im the French Alps.

Meanwhile, my indoor rowing summer didn't start off too well as I failed to record a HM for the May ITC, which I attempted on the 31st pulling out after 10k as my pace (2:18.8) was just too slow to make continuing worthwhile. I don't know whose idea it was to move the HM from December to March but its always been part of my build up in December as I work my way through the longer distances with the HM at thee end and obviously I hadn't done the prep in May. I still plan to have another go in December.

End of June had another go at the 10k for the CTC. No warm-up as such, just did the first 4k at warm-up pace. Overall 45:17.3, 2:15.8 pace.

End of July, did Sub7's awfull CTC (the 555/111/444/777/333/222/666m one). Who came up with the idea for this mad piece? 3108m at pace 2:01.4.

End of August, again the CTC. 6x1'R1'. 1602m, done at 1:52.3 pace.

7 September. 5000m in a not very fast 21:23.9 (thinking about the Devon IRC to come).

28 September. Did the George King CTC (2818m) for the Diamonds at 2:04.0 pace. This was under a pseudonym, so as not to opt out of Sub7 permanently.

29 September. Devon IRC. Did the 5000m in 21:01.3 (0.3 seconds faster than in 2017). I had been aiming for sub 21 minutes. Did the 1000m in 3:59.4, having aimed to keep it under 2 minute pace. Slighly slower than 2017, whebn I did 3:58.8.

30 September. 4 minutes for the IRL. 1008m at 1:59 pace. again fractionally slower than last year.


More recently I've been a bit busier on the erg, and I'm starting to hit form as a result:

23 October. The Sub 7 1TC. 10x1'R1'. 2610m, done at 1:54.9 pace.

28 October. Had a go at the IRL 1609m. 6:30.1 at 2:01.2 pace. Not happy with that.

30 October. Another go at the IRL 1609m. This time took 6:26.2 at exactly 2:00 pace. Faster than in 2017, whern I took 6:29.2.

31 October. CTC. Odd distances, 1924/2206/400/200R2. Aimed for a 'good for me' 5k pace for the first two intervals (2:06.2, 2:05.6) then sprinted the last two at 1:56.2 and 1:49.5 pace respectively. So 2:04.4 overall (my 2017 SB pace).

3 November. CTC. 10x111R1'. Averaged 1:43.8 pace.

5 November. 5k in 20:52.1. Splits were pretty even until the sprint at the end: 2:05.9 (25), 2:05.5 (27), 2:05.8 (27), 2:05.4 (27), 2:03.4 (29). This was still a bit slower than my 2017 SB (20:44.4, done on 31 December) but the same Nonathlon points (1010) and a big improvement on what I did at DIRC.

[Rod]

500m Time Trial

Time................1:30.9
SPM.................44
DF...................145


Ouch!...500m for the Lightweights monthly challenge and the Nonathlon.

It came as a bit of a shock as I'm no sprinter and not exactly ''sharp'' at the moment...and boy oh boy was that last 100 an ordeal!

I'll try again soon as I'm sure I can beat it.

http://www.nonathlon.com/ranking.php

Marjorie................Nice to hear from you. I like the sound of some of those holidays! Well done on all the rowing since you've been back...see you at BRIC.