First Time Marathon

[jackarabit]

The semantics of pace are troublesome indeed! The qualitative vectors of pace (hgher, lower, greater, lesser, increased, reduced) run exactly counter to the quantitative vectors of accumulated split time (lower, higher, lesser, greater, reduced, increased).

Faster and slower are the least ambiguous of the several pairs of verbal oppositions commonly used to characterize pace. To produce a faster pace, one reduces t/500m (faster split time). To produce a slower pace, one increases t/500m (slower split time).

We all know what we mean to say and frequently fail to say what we mean.

[edinborogh]

been off the Erg for three weeks, and here are a few insights:
1. i couldnt row more then 5K before my heart rate gave up.
2. 500 meters and 1K pieces where actually done with better pace then expected.
3. i was very tired after each session. i needed more time to recover between sessions.
4. i need to get back to longer session soon or else this month's meters are going to be very poor...

this coming weekend HM with 2:30 pace in mind as a target. ill keep updating.

[at1839]

Now call me iron butt

I’ve been really bored with myself, unable to train as I’d like for months, too busy with work, then flued, now a problem with a tooth, antibiotics …
Yes I was bored. And It’s global marathon time.
So why not, go row and try that damn first FM instead of the usual half one.

Time Meters /500m W Cal s/m
3:18:58.7 42,195m 2:21.4 124 726 27
41:36.6 8,500m 2:26.8 111 681 27
41:10.5 17,000m 2:25.3 114 692 25
40:26.4 25,500m 2:22.7 120 712 26
39:23.2 34,000m 2:19.0 130 747 27
36:22.0 42,195m 2:13.1 148 809 29

I was VERY conservative of course.

Now my two cents.

I guess really everybody with a decent fit should be able to have a full marathon with the C2, no needs for specific training if you don’t want to push yourself to your limit. No but soreness, no need to stop, no problem with legs, arms, back. No problems at all, just a long boring session. No problem the day after, just a small blister due to wrong socks.

As a former runner, I tell you a running FM is quite a different beast.

I liked it, mean that first FM? Well, not really, was a long slow affair and mostly useless. Will I adopt a training plan specific for long distance in the future, to, say, race a sub 3h full? Nope.

But maybe next time I’m bored with myself I may sit in and do it again.

Hi. Paolo.

[gcanyon]

Now call me iron butt
Time Meters /500m W Cal s/m
3:18:58.7 42,195m 2:21.4 124 726 27

That's a great time, especially based just on sitting down to do it without prep.

I liked it, mean that first FM? Well, not really, was a long slow affair and mostly useless. Will I adopt a training plan specific for long distance in the future, to, say, race a sub 3h full? Nope.

Especially given the research that has recently come out about long-distance exercise (that it's not so good for hearts) I feel pretty much the same about full marathons. I'll probably still do one a year at challenge time for the fun of it, but that's about it.

[jackarabit]

Fortissimo, Paolo. Rating high for a looooonnngg time, 29spm over the final 8k! You are Senor Sprezzatura! Or asso di ferro. As you wish.

[at1839]

Fortissimo, Paolo. Rating high for a looooonnngg time, 29spm over the final 8k! You are Senor Sprezzatura! Or asso di ferro. As you wish.

TyL everybody.

@jack
'culo di pietra' in Italian language

P.

[jackarabit]

I guess no one wants to be an iron donkey. Sorry!

[edinborogh]

got to say that this is very impressive!!
having said that, for me, without proper preparation, training, and understanding of the effort - i would not be able to do a HM.
i have been working for the past months just to get to the point where i am reasonably comfortable with secessions longer then 10K.
this is not just a physical effort but mental as well.
i have been modifying my work outs as such:
during the week days - 4-5 times a week : 1k-2k-3k-4k-5k-6k-5k-4k-3k-2k-1k where i would sprint at the last 500meters and rest for 2 minutes between each session.

twice a week ill do a bigger pyramid where i would go all the way up to 12K as such: 2k-4k-6k-8k-10k-12k and back down at a reverse order.

once every other week ill just row to see how far can i go with a pre-defined split in mind.

results so far - a few HM, a few 25K sessions and my next goal for May is to reach a 32K-35K session.

[Galeere]

Hi,
I just chime in with my experience:
I did 3 marathons so far, the first one just to do one, a second one which is a PB in my signature line (season 2016). For the first one I prepped by doing HMs and a couple of 6x5ks but still had fairly bad trouble with all kinds of aches. The second one hurt badly because of the ambitious pace target and I almost folded due to energy depletion at the end (no sufficient breaks on that one, again due to pace target).
Then I had a bad season 2017 with plenty health issues and bearly made it to 1.8 million meters.
No significant training in 2017 and none from middle of March to middle of April 2017 due to an ill-advised meet between chain saw and left hand.
Restart by middle of April beginning with 30min and improving that to 60min by end of April. Then upped the gear by going 7 Hms and 2 1hour pieces in the first 9 days of May. I don´t do any breaks on these distances.
Then went for a two-day-trip on business and some other matters for a taper (it´s good to get your glycogen stores filled up).
As further prep
- had a good meal with pasta 3 hours prior to the row
- drank more than usual beginning 3 hours prior to the row
- had a carbohydrate drink, a banana and an additional drink with added minerals/magnesium 30min prior to the row
- placed my gel seat pad and a small folded towel on the seat,
- placed two opened 50gr-energy-gel-tubes, two halves of a banana and a open water bottle next to the rower
- started a movie on second screen
- dialled in marathon on row pro on first screen.
- set pace target mentally to be 2:10/500m (HM-SB the days before was 2:04.4)
and went off.
Hit target pace by going sub 2:10 the whole way, 2 breaks at the 21k and the 32k-markers for energy gel, half a banana and a sip. Breaks were short enough to keep average sub 2:10. Ratings on the 2k-splits between 22 and 24. Feared to hit a wall before second break at around 29k where I had to struggle with general fatigue and felt the energy depletion but was able to punch through with a rating variation. No bad aches or cramps though (like on the first two marathons over a year ago); actually was able to fairly enjoy that row, watching Gone in 60sec for the first 2 hours of it. Ended up with a total time of 3:02.20.1.
Hope there are a few hints that work for you edinborogh or anyone else reading this thread.

[edinborogh]

Hope there are a few hints that work for you edinborogh or anyone else reading this thread.
.

absolutely!!
started doing longer sessions thanks to your advice,
stopped fearing long sessions thanks to your advice,
working on consistency and small increments each week,
nutrition and things to expect are clearer,
all your advices are golden!

on top, i have lost 14 Kg ever since i started erging some 10 months ago, most of them over the past 4-5 months. i attribute that to the long sessions approach.

[batanos]

Hi everyone,

I just did my first half marathon today. I'm not a typical rower bodytype (167cm/5'7", 66kg/146lbs, age 37), and am absolutely a newbie in indoor rowing (still under 250km ). My time was 1:46:28:4 (2:31.4/500) at 25-27SPM and under 150BPM. I was overly cautious with my pacing, but it felt all right for the first time (10.000 meters was the most I rowed before in one session). I would have a couple of questions though, if you don't mind:
- I must drink a sip of water from time to time, because my throat becomes dry and sore even if I try to inhale through my nose. Is there a good strategy to do this or to avoid the problem at all?
- at about 13.000m I realised that the skin is torn from my left ankle, though I wore the shoes I row in usually with no problems before. (I changed shoes but it helped only for the next 1 or 2 ks, after that it was very inconvenient.) Might it be bad shoes/socks selection, or bad foot-cradle or setting? (I do most of my training in a Nike Metcon 3.)
- If I change to slower SPM-higher with higher power, my HR skyrockets every time. It is funny since most of my training is strength or power-related, so I practiced generating power for the last 10 years or so. Should I still experiment with lower SPM, or just live with my 25-27 SPM?

Thank you for any input!

[jackarabit]

Given your height, which incidentally should be 170cm equivalent to 5'-7"'old money, 25spm is not out of the question for long time trials but you should work on maximizing power per stroke at 18-22spm in your daily distance workouts. For most, a soft stroke is a survival stroke somewhat comparable to spinning a tiny gear on a bike. If it is your natural goto stroke, you may not yet be capable of enlisting the large leg muscles as the principal power source.

Not certain from your description of the location and nature of your "skin tear." If it really is torn skin rather than blisters or frictional abrasion from shoe contact, it may be quite serious and footwear choice may well need attention.

Pre-hydration is always the first line of defense against dehydration but doesn't address dry mouth and throat en route. I've done HMs without reaching for a water bottle but not every time. Pull the handle with one hand, drink with the other or stop momentarily and drink.

[batanos]

Thank you for the input!
Re: drinking: I'll give a try for one arm rowing while drinking.
Re: ankle: it was a torn water blister I guess, and in the meanwhile I realized that I wore a thinner pair of socks than I usually do for rowing, that may have caused the problem. (Sorry for my poor English, it might be the source of misunderstandings sometimes.)
Re: stroke rate: I observed that I can generate relatively high power but only for a limited amount of time, and then my HR goes up very quickly to the 150s and 160s, even if the SPM is s u p e r s l o w and it also feels unnatural. It probably has to do with the nature of strength training I'm accustomed to. I'll work on it, maybe it's just the lack of a couple million reps

[jackarabit]

Your command of English grammar and syntax is as good or better than mine. I have been told that that it is much easier to explain things to me than than it is understand them for me. I omitted to congratulate you for completing this nasty and painful chore so early in your erging experience. You are very fit and only require time on the seat and attention to technique.

[batanos]

Thank you for the kind words!
I try to absorb the information gathered here, and put in the miles/kms