HM beating me down

[Tim Shepherd]

So I just rowed a 1.28.59.4 marathon (6'3", 215 lbs, 40 HWT, 51%, < 9 mths on erg). I basically sat at ~170w, r25 till last 6k where I started rating up to 28-30 because my power was fading fast. Carb loaded ahead of time, drank copious water before, during and after, plus ~1 liter gatorade during, then protein, glutamine and CHO for day after.

My question is now 3 days later I still feel mentally drained - I just want to relax but need more edge/drive for work. I needed a heating pad on my lower back overnight, but now not physically sore at all. I noticed the same thing when I did a HM back in November - just feel depleted of serotonin! Normally train 1 hr or less because I work 60 hrs and have 2 kids! Am I just overtraining, or is HM just too much for me to do since my work is demanding? Are there nutritional differences I should consider to reduce this tail-end 3-5 day drag?

[hjs]

Looking at your stats, you lack overall fitness. For a 40 year old guy your height you are not very fast. So first start looking at more quality and not distance.
In itself a hm can be tough, temperature plays a role, but a fit guy should not have much trouble.

See the c2 rankings you an idea where you stand now.

[Bob S.]

So I just rowed a 1.28.59.4 marathon (6'3", 215 lbs, 40 HWT, 51%, < 9 mths on erg).

Did you mean half marathon?

B.

[Tim Shepherd]

Yes, my error, half marathon.

My listed stats are a bit out of date, but I'm sure I can improve more (now hitting 60-65% for most categories in the middle on C2, suspect I can get to 75% within another 6 months), but I'm not sure being "faster" will help with the mental fatigue? Given my personality, I will just push the new fitter version of myself harder?

[dwalk]

I agree that it is a lack of overall fitness. Your back pain is most likely due to form breakdown when you started getting tired and losing power.

[jamesg]

You lack technique, all your times are slow for someone your age and size. Fitness only serves to let you maintain the speed that your technique offers, not to go faster.

You need to learn to row: 170 W at 25 means you are pulling half strokes, it's less than what I do at age 74. You need to get a ratio of 10 at least. First stop: 200W at 20.

Technique is no joke, it makes us work unbelievably hard, so it also acts on fitness, bootstrap style. No need to push ourselves, that come in heaps anyway.

Technique involves putting the blade in quick as far ahead as possible and pulling hard all the way astern; can you imagine anything worse? The only respite is that we can wait for the next stroke, the boat will keep going if we let her.

It's likely that your problems are mostly postural and sequence; backpain is the inevitable result.

The basic rules are: low feet, low drag, back straight, relaxed; recover with hands away, swing forward onto the feet, then slide to hands near chainguard; then pull fast with legs, trunk, upper arms (not wrists) in that order. A backstop drill help help you see the sequence.

[Edward4492]

James hit the nail on the head. I made the greatest strides working at 20r and 200w. Not that there's anything magical about 200w, just a nice round number. I'm working now at 210w/20r. You may start at 160w or 180w. The point is the slow rate gives you time to really focus on putting the stroke together. A low drag seems to help. I'm at a 95 df, but I'm a 165lb guy. You're considerably heavier. The stroke needs to be an explosive effort out of the catch with a nice, continuous, slow recovery. At the catch you want everything to be tight; arms straight out, shoulders square. Jim calls this "locked and loaded", kinda sums up the feeling. Then drop the knees and drive the legs with a hard snap as you swing the back into the arm pull. These low rate rows are not easy. If they seem easy, up the wattage. Start with 5k, maybe 160w. Too easy? Next time do it at 170w, or 180. Be attentive and mindful, you'll hit stretches where you pull several strokes that seem easy and the power goes up. Focus on how and why that is happening. A 1:28 HM is a pretty hard effort. Don't be surprised that it takes several days to recover. It should....it's hard! It takes me a couple of days to feel right again after a 100%, all out 2000m race. Keep at it.....it takes time!

[CardiacLarry]

So I just rowed a 1.28.59.4 marathon (6'3", 215 lbs, 40 HWT, 51%, < 9 mths on erg). I basically sat at ~170w, r25 till last 6k where I started rating up to 28-30 because my power was fading fast. Carb loaded ahead of time, drank copious water before, during and after, plus ~1 liter gatorade during, then protein, glutamine and CHO for day after.

My question is now 3 days later I still feel mentally drained - I just want to relax but need more edge/drive for work. I needed a heating pad on my lower back overnight, but now not physically sore at all. I noticed the same thing when I did a HM back in November - just feel depleted of serotonin! Normally train 1 hr or less because I work 60 hrs and have 2 kids! Am I just overtraining, or is HM just too much for me to do since my work is demanding? Are there nutritional differences I should consider to reduce this tail-end 3-5 day drag?

Carb loading ahead of time is borderline useless for an extra 2% or so, and it should be a DAY ahead, not same day. If you really want to carb load, its an everyday thing, not a special program. Verified to triple endurance. Read my post under Health & Fitness, and what I found in research. A big meal within hours prior to rowing will just slow you down for digestive demands.
All that copious water and gatorade likely diluted your electrolytes, making you sluggish. Gatorade barely has any. Push that further, pushes into hyponatremia, or water intoxication which can kill.
If you are well-hydrated, you just need to sip some water every now and then after the first hour. Then eat and drink more after you are done.

So you likely overate, over drank, and under warmed-up for your HM.
Next time last eat a SMALL meal, low fat, at least three hours before. You can have a last pint of water 30 minutes before, but no point forcing it.
And give yourself a gradual 10-15 minute warm-up with a few short and medium sprints added in. Then cool off 5 minutes or so.

This is uncomplicated information in exercise physiology. No need to guess, or follow someone else's well-intended mis-information.

The long drain may have also been low potassium. I am very high potassium, and have played 6 hours of volleyball on consecutive days in 100 degree heat, with minimal loss of energy.

[Hillclimber]

James hit the nail on the head. I made the greatest strides working at 20r and 200w. !

Low rate, low drag - agree with Edward (and rowng convention, in fact). Big part of the weekly mix if your goal is to be faster.