Endurance erging - A place to discuss 42, 50, 100k upwards.

[sanbornm]

PS i'm planning to row 116k, dont ask!

I saw this. That's a commendable goal you've set for yourself and a worthy cause. Incredible.
I hope you'll keep us updated and provide a debrief when you've completed the 116km piece.

Cheers,

[GlennUk]

I saw this. That's a commendable goal you've set for yourself and a worthy cause. Incredible.
I hope you'll keep us updated and provide a debrief when you've completed the 116km piece.

Cheers,

Thanks appreciated, currently just starting week 5 of the Eddie Fletcher 100k plan, am also speaking with Eddie directly about the challenge, as although its 'only' another 16k, his advice is that given the overall distance if i am not careful with pacing i wont get there in the fashion i want.

The plan is to erg 'unsupported' and non-stop, id love to be able to do it at under 2:00 splits, however the reality is i would struggle to do HM at that pace, so based on current pace in training and my 60k in May, its likely to be c.2:30/500m (fingers crossed!)

Ill post a debrief for sure.

[Tsnor]

deleted. beating dead horse.

[GlennUk]

Yesterdays sessions was 120 minutes with targets of 85% HRmax (156bpm for me) 18-20spm 2:32.5/500m (projected 100k pace).

Managed 2:22.3 pace with finishing HR of 155bpm (average 153bpm) at 19spm, so well chuffed with that result over 2 hours.

The target paces in the Eddie Fletcher plan are predicated on a recent 2k time, and mine was 7:34, so now i have to adjust my target paces for a given session to a revised 2K target time of 7:24.

Obviously, my actual pace for my 116k row will be determined closer to the time and will ultimately be determined by a pace arrived at working to 80-85% of my HR max anyway, so may be slower in reality that the 2:22.3 pace achieved for my session yesterday.

Also, seems to confirm why establishing a true HRmax value is for training against when trying to determine a HR range. I was disappointed that when working to the marathon plan that i never saw any improvement in pace of the plan although obviously my endurance implored to the extent i completed the 60k relatively comfortably.

Seeing this improvement in pace is very encouraging, although i will need to see who things pan out over the next few weeks in the lead up to the 116k attempt.

[GlennUk]

The start of week 8 is a 150 minute row with a HRmax of 156bpm for me, with 18-20spm and 2:22.5pace, based on last similar piece over 2hours.

Have had issues with nutrition, basically not eating enough i think, resulting in struggling on occasions with energy. This culminated in an aborted set of reps W7 day 5. Started and at the start of the 2nd set of reps just felt week. Could have carried on but at m uch reduced pace and HR, decided to give it a miss, eat more and then go again. This is the first time i have had to do that since starting starting for my ~116k training at the start of the year. I did find midway through the marathon training plan in the lead up to my test 60k event,m that i was finding the training tough due to insufficient intake of calories.

The Eddie Fletcher Training plan does warn about ensuring sufficient intake of protein, carbs etc, and for me during both plans at about half way it becomes really apparent. Anyone else following such pans i would advise you make sure you eat e nough if you are to perform at your best.

Anyway, the 150minute row went well, finishing at average 157bpm, 2:22.5/500m at 20spm. I was taking a drink every 30mins which resulted in a drop of about 0.2s/500m in the average pace which was recovered and some, during the next 30 minutes.

At 2 hours the average pace was 2:21.8/500m well inside the previous long distance row, but i made a mistake from which i didn't recover after my final drink.

In an effort to get a whole second off the target pace down to 2:21.5/500m i pulled quite hard to get the pace showing on the pm5 down with the result my HR shot up unsurprisingly. Whereas prior to this i was able to control my HR relatively easily and when it had gone above target it would come back down quite easily i found it owul dnot so much. As a result i had to east the pace quite a lot with the result that the average pace dropped back to target.

I suspect that if i had not pulled so hard to bring the average pace down so quickly i probably would have been able to keep within targets for HR/spm and keep the reductions in pace i had gained earlier in the sessions, lesson no.2 for this post, stick with the plan and what happens will happen, step outside and it can ruin what would have been an otherwise excellent session for me.

Another 105 minute row later this week, then week 9 and 11 are further tough weeks, with 2 x 210minute rows in week 11.

[pagomichaelh]

The start of week 8 is a 150 minute row with a HRmax of 156bpm for me, with 18-20spm and 2:22.5pace, based on last similar piece over 2hours.
...

On the food, I had noticed that on the 97 min go that I was starting to feel empty (shaky) and hungry.

Trying to come up with eating ideas, I bought (takes maybe 3 weeks to arrive) a musubi press. I figure I can cut the roll into slices like some sushi, but mine will just be plain rice wrapped in seaweed so I can pop it in my mouth without making a mess (choking) or loosing any time.

I can buy pre-made from the bush stores, but I don't think the Spam would settle out well, and who knows how long it's been sitting out without refrigeration.

[pagomichaelh]

On the food...

This young lady, https://ellenmagellanswag.com/blog/, calls it 'chipmunk eating'.

Grab a wedge of food shove it into the pocket of your cheek, making a bulge that would make an American Southerner blush with envy, and then slowly gnaw on it as you're rowing!

[Mal]

I am currently on week 10 of the Fletcher plan - feeling quite worn out to be honest. Only this week and next to get through (2 hard weeks) and then start to taper.

A couple of learnings:

- as you say, keep your food intake up, I feel I may have not done enough in this aspect
- don't plan for the hardest part of the plan (weeks 8 - 11) to be in August, the hottest part of the year
- don't get your Covid-19 vaccinations during these weeks either (I did!). It hust takes the edge off you and makes something which is already difficult - torture!
- don't try and keep working 10-12 hour days on top of training, all adds up to fatigue.

Not long to go before the 100K Sep 25.

[pagomichaelh]

Musubi press got here, I did my first 120 min. go (w5.1 EF plan) yesterday.

I made my rice a bit too wet, but it still went well (just messy), shoved a rice ball in my cheek every 1/2 hour with a swallow of black java. About 8 seconds lost per stop. Too much sesame oil, fingers were greasy.

Exceeded my target pace by almost 8 watts - whoohoo!

Trying (dryer) batch 1.1 for Wednesday.

The one's for myself are just veg and egg, I'm letting my son have the ones with the spam (I don't think the spam would settle well on the erg) for lunch at school.

If you can't/won't make your own, stop by a sushi place ask for 'California roll' (all veggie rice balls in nori seaweed).

Eddie doesn't have any advise for long distance OTW rowing with his 100k plan. There is a gap (at least on line) between the endurance erg plans, and the open ocean (multi-day) plans, that no one seems to have explored, so I'm on my own for an 8 hour, open ocean, row training. Head of the Charles is closed water, most of the coastal rowing is less than 10k. (I'm not looking for a speed record, I'm looking at just plain doing it).

[sanbornm]

Well, so far training for my 100km charitable row has been going ok. It's been hard to keep to a training schedule during the summer months with my wife (teacher) and kids all out of school and looking to take advantage of summer holidays.
I've put in a 33km day, and recently a couple 37 km days. A far cry from 100km, but feeling ok. The last 4 km of 37 was honestly a little uncomfortable.

I'm starting to pay more attention to the nutrition aspect. The squirrel eating is handy, but I definitely have to avoid a big calorie deficit. I used to use Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem in my former athletic life, so I might move towards something like that.
Any other info or recommendations on calorie intake during an endurance event would be appreciated.

So far I'm half way through my training window, and I've accumulated 550km. I'm going to have to step up the distances in the next little while to get more comfortable with the long rows.

Cheers,
Mike

[Dangerscouse]

I've put in a 33km day, and recently a couple 37 km days. A far cry from 100km, but feeling ok. The last 4 km of 37 was honestly a little uncomfortable.

Any other info or recommendations on calorie intake during an endurance event would be appreciated.

So far I'm half way through my training window, and I've accumulated 550km. I'm going to have to step up the distances in the next little while to get more comfortable with the long rows.

Cheers,
Mike

When you get past circa 32k, it almost always gets notably harder. It is a common adage in running, and the same applies to rowing, that you're training for the last 10km of a FM.

Nutrition is a tough one as we are all different. I find bananas are great along with 50% diluted fruit juice and occasional gels / Tailwind powders.

You do need to step up the distance, but you also need need be careful that you listen to your subtle reactions. So don't be afraid of resting, but you do need to instinctively learn the difference between laziness, necessary rest, and stubbornly pressing on as it's part of your programme.

[pagomichaelh]

Page 25, "Record-breaking ultra-endurance rowing", Interesting article, as well as page 38, "THE MAYFLOWER ROW"
https://irp.cdn-website.com/2720db19/fi ... gazine.pdf

[sanbornm]

Don't know is this is against the rules or anything, but at the halfway point I've finally got the website and donation infrastructure built and we're live.
If anyone's interested in checking it out, reading about the Lumara Grief and Bereavement Care Society, making a contribution, or sharing with others that may be interested, you can find everything rights here:

https://www.100kmforq.com

Thanks for the support and encouragement so far,
Mike

[Mal]

Ok, so completed my 100K - 7:27:10.3. Happy to have completed it, but the 2:13.9 splits were a bit slower than I would have liked. This was my rookie 100K and I'll give it another attempt in 2 years when I am 60. I made a few rookie mistakes, but I'll post a review in a couple of days when I have recovered somewhat... Many thanks to the Eddie Fletcher Plan - this plan gives you a real confidence that you have prepared as well as you cold have.

On to th next goal.

[sanbornm]

Oh man, congratulations on completing. I’m so looking forward to hearing about your row, and especially the lessons learned.
Ya tease.

Congratulations again

Ok, so completed my 100K - 7:27:10.3. Happy to have completed it, but the 2:13.9 splits were a bit slower than I would have liked. This was my rookie 100K and I'll give it another attempt in 2 years when I am 60. I made a few rookie mistakes, but I'll post a review in a couple of days when I have recovered somewhat... Many thanks to the Eddie Fletcher Plan - this plan gives you a real confidence that you have prepared as well as you cold have.

On to th next goal.