Marathon

[brad_herring]

I am 15 years old and a novice sophomore in high school. 5'8, 132 lbs, and attempting my first marathon row with a group of friends over spring break. I've only done an hour erg piece once and that is the longest I have rowed, however I chose not to include the meters in my signature because the rating was capped at 15 so they are not very good. If the rating were around 24, I predict I could get at least over 13,000 meters. I have rowed a 45:00 piece another time with meters at 10504 on a bad erg (straps kept coming loose and even detached at one point ) and felt fine except for the final sprint. I believe with proper training I can break 4 hours on my marathon and maybe even get sub 3:30:00. Can anyone provide me with some workouts to reach my goal? Thanks.

[Bob S.]

The best way to work up to a marathon is to do a series of pieces of increasing length. You have already done a one hour piece. You should do the next one for 1:10 and then one for 1:20, and so on, spacing them a week or so apart. By the third or fourth long row, you would be in half marathon territory and would have a fair idea of what you are getting into. The toughest part of such long rows is that they are increasingly painful to your seat. And, when you do anything much longer than a half marathon, staying hydrated is also a problem, so you also have to learn to deal with that as well.

Your 45:00 distance is promising for your 3 1/2 - 4 hour goal. With the right preparation, you have a good chance of completing a marathon in well under 3:30:00.

Bob S.

[DanielJ]

With those trials you'll also figure out what's best for you logistically in terms of nourishment and hydration.

Have a bottle of something like Gatorade next to you, and reach for a mouthful (of the Gatorade... just making sure) every so often. You may want to have a bag of dried fruits by your side too. om nom nom nom nom.