New Personal Best! Brag About That New Pb!

hjs · Post by **hjs** » August 29th, 2006, 4:00 am

saucecmu40 wrote:HAHA, no I rowed a 2k for time, then had a 10 minute cooldown, and then rowed a 500 for time. My 2k splits were 1:41, 1:42, 1:43, 1:42 I believe.

Good pacing,

and if you were capable to row 10 min after that 2k a new 500m pb does mean that this was no 100% effort.

So more in you , good to know.

saucecmu40 · Post by **saucecmu40** » August 29th, 2006, 1:46 pm

Yep, the 2k wasn't 100%, but it was still a personal best meaning that I've made some good improvement. I've been training for a 6k for the last few months, the 2k distance didn't hurt nearly as bad as it used to!

HammerHead Sk8r · Post by **HammerHead Sk8r** » August 31st, 2006, 3:23 pm

15000 m 1:07:13.3

First PB in a unrecognized distance...totally arbitrary selection on my part but I was working toward developing longer row pieces to work up to half marathon and ultimately a marathon either later this year or at the beginning of next (Jan). I know this is a odd distance but what the heck, it was something to shoot for.

Disclaimer: Brand new to rowing..got my C2 Model D in late July. Been traveling the majority of August to skateboard races so my total meters is only 111,000 over 22 workouts.

So far my PM's are:
2000m 7:43.0
5000m 20:32.3
6000m 25:02.5
10000m 43:11:.5
15000m 1:07:13.3
60"= 14,011m (thought I was going to die on this one)

Yes, I know...I suck..but hey, got to start somewhere!

HammerHead Sk8r · Post by **HammerHead Sk8r** » September 2nd, 2006, 2:53 pm

Well, as they say in this neck of the woods, I felt pretty froggy today and tackled the half-marathon, 21097 m. Man did that hurt! I need more 10000, 12,000, and bigger before tacking such a distance. I truly believe this one broke me of my newbie obsession to test the distances rather than just pace, train, and build my base meters. Of course, this distance will build my base meters for sure!

1:38:06.4 but for the first 16000m or my projected finish was low 1:30:00's. Needless to say, I blew up in the last 5000m and had to work hard to get back on pace. My 500 pace for the whole exercise was 2:19.? but I had a stretch in there that that blew up to 2:26 or so...that was when I considered handling down...but muddled through.

You guys are an inspiration!

M

jbell · Post by **jbell** » September 5th, 2006, 5:39 pm

Well, we had timed 6k's today and I'm proud to say I got a new pb: 22:38.5

The peice was badly paced (I'll post avg 500m once I get them from my coach). I planned on holding 1:53 for most of the whole thing, but it ended up being 1:54. When the last 500m came around, I knew I had to pull something out of nowhere, and I did: Last 500m was 1:46

. Either way I'm happy with that time and plan on getting low 20's next time (heck, maybe even high 10's).

RowtheRockies · Post by **RowtheRockies** » September 6th, 2006, 3:28 pm

8 second PR in the 2K today. Pulled 7:15.6. I was a little disappointed because I really thought I was capable of a 7:10 but what the heck I'll take it. This PR was very important to me not so much for the time I rowed but it helped to get the psychological "handle down" monkey off my back. The last couple of unrestricted 2K's I attempted ended in a handle down and were demoralizing. In fact, yesterday I attempted to do an Unrestricted 5K and ended up handling down after 3K so today was very good.

My stats were:

Avg. HR 166, Max HR 174, Avg. Watts 271, r26
Split 1 1:50.8
Split 2 1:49.6
Split 3 1:48.8
Split 4 1:46.5
Avg. 1:48.7

I am happy about the pacing. I went out at what I thought would be an ultra conservative pace but it ended up being close to ideal.

One thing I have learned is that all the r20 work I have been doing has definintely strengthened my stroke but my top end cardio seems to have suffered a bit. I think I will add in a day of intervals to the mix just to get some practice at rating higher.

In two weeks, I will be in Orlando for one week on business and found a hotel that has a model C so I will do another 2K and will have a good sense of what a 2K time done at 7000ft. relates to at sea level.

Rich

Edit Note: David, thanks for catching the typo. Yesterday was an unrestricted 5K attempt, not 2K

DavidA · Post by **DavidA** » September 6th, 2006, 3:48 pm

RowtheRockies wrote:The last couple of unrestricted 2K's I attempted ended in a handle down and were demoralizing. In fact, yesterday I attempted to do an Unrestricted 2K and ended up handling down after 3K so today was very good.

If you didn't handle down until long after you were done, what was demoralizing?

Congratulations on the PB!

David

jjpisano · Post by **jjpisano** » September 7th, 2006, 12:06 pm

RowtheRockies wrote:8 second PR in the 2K today. Pulled 7:15.6. I was a little disappointed because I really thought I was capable of a 7:10 but what the heck I'll take it. This PR was very important to me not so much for the time I rowed but it helped to get the psychological "handle down" monkey off my back. The last couple of unrestricted 2K's I attempted ended in a handle down and were demoralizing. In fact, yesterday I attempted to do an Unrestricted 5K and ended up handling down after 3K so today was very good.

My stats were:

Avg. HR 166, Max HR 174, Avg. Watts 271, r26
Split 1 1:50.8
Split 2 1:49.6
Split 3 1:48.8
Split 4 1:46.5
Avg. 1:48.7

I am happy about the pacing. I went out at what I thought would be an ultra conservative pace but it ended up being close to ideal.

One thing I have learned is that all the r20 work I have been doing has definintely strengthened my stroke but my top end cardio seems to have suffered a bit. I think I will add in a day of intervals to the mix just to get some practice at rating higher.

In two weeks, I will be in Orlando for one week on business and found a hotel that has a model C so I will do another 2K and will have a good sense of what a 2K time done at 7000ft. relates to at sea level.

Rich

Edit Note: David, thanks for catching the typo. Yesterday was an unrestricted 5K attempt, not 2K

Rich:

Congratulations. You definitely have put in a lot of good quality training.

I wonder if you had rowed with more even splits as another thread suggests as an optimum 2k pacing strategy, then you would have done even better.

I'm really looking forward to you coming off your mountain and doing a 2k at sea level. Do you have any idea what's a good pace to go for?

The physics of rowing website may be helpful for you to figure out a pace for your sea level 2k.

Good luck, Rich.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 7th, 2006, 1:53 pm

Rich--

Well done. There's a lot to be said for simply finishing a hard 2k. As Jim notes, your splits could be more even, but a conservative start got you an excellent result.

Did you say you rated 26 spm? That is low for a 2k. Some shorter intervals to get you comfortable at 30-32 spm would help, I expect.

Are you preparing for a specific event, or just trying to get faster?

Tom

RowtheRockies · Post by **RowtheRockies** » September 7th, 2006, 3:23 pm

Jim, Tom Thanks!

Tom, right now I am just trying to get faster. I plan to do the Rocky Mt. Sprints in Denver in Feb. and plan on a sharpening period about 8 weeks out. In the mean time, Just as you recommended, I am going to change one of my 6 days to a 500M Interval session makes good sense to me.

Rich

RowtheRockies · Post by **RowtheRockies** » September 7th, 2006, 3:38 pm

Jim,

I checked the Physics of Rowing site and it gave a figure of 20% improvement in power and 7% improvement in time. That seems pretty high to me and I know this was discussed before on some other thread. A 20% improvement in power would put me at 325 Watts for around a 6:50. I'm not buying that. I remember reading something on here that 2 to 3 second improvement per 500M is more realistic. So maybe I will start out at 7:07 pace and evaluate at each 500M. I would not want to have another fly and handle down experience.

Rich.

jjpisano · Post by **jjpisano** » September 8th, 2006, 8:36 am

Today I did 5k @ 234.1w & @ 21 s/m - which brought me in at 19:03.4. That's a 1:54.3/500m pace. That's this season's 5K personal best for me.

My personal best from two years ago was significantly faster but was at an unrestricted stroke rate

I've actually done other workouts longer than 5k @ 234w & @ 21 s/m but this time I specifically went out to do 5k so that I could post something in the rankings.

This weekend or Monday AM, I'll do my time trial 2k at the end of this cycle of work. I'll be shooting for 302w which brings me in at around 7:00/7:01.

HammerHead Sk8r · Post by **HammerHead Sk8r** » September 8th, 2006, 2:26 pm

jjpisano wrote:Today I did 5k @ 234.1w & @ 21 s/m - which brought me in at 19:03.4. That's a 1:54.3/500m pace. That's this season's 5K personal best for me.

My personal best from two years ago was significantly faster but was at an unrestricted stroke rate

I've actually done other workouts longer than 5k @ 234w & @ 21 s/m but this time I specifically went out to do 5k so that I could post something in the rankings.

This weekend or Monday AM, I'll do my time trial 2k at the end of this cycle of work. I'll be shooting for 302w which brings me in at around 7:00/7:01.

For both of these workouts where was/will be your damper setting? I am no where near your level yet but I suspect part of it is my newness and my total lack of technique. I have been working on generating more power at a stroke rate in the range you mentioned (20-22) but need alot of work.

Also, I think I have seen it on here before but any suggestions on indoor rowing technique and/or training videos?

RowtheRockies · Post by **RowtheRockies** » September 8th, 2006, 3:45 pm

Jim,

Nice Work! especially at 21 SPM. If you were going to go for an unrestricted 5K PR, what would you shoot for for rate? Would you row at the same SPI of 11.14 or would you row at a lower SPI?

The reason I ask is when I did my unrestricted TT K the other day. I was shooting for the same SPI as I do in training but a higher rate. My rate was only 26 (SPI 10.4) which I understand is low for a 2K. Would I have been better off lowering the intensity of my stroke but upping the rate.

Rich

jjpisano · Post by **jjpisano** » September 8th, 2006, 5:01 pm

HammerHead Sk8r wrote: For both of these workouts where was/will be your damper setting? I am no where near your level yet but I suspect part of it is my newness and my total lack of technique. I have been working on generating more power at a stroke rate in the range you mentioned (20-22) but need alot of work.

Also, I think I have seen it on here before but any suggestions on indoor rowing technique and/or training videos?

When I use a Model C or D, my drag factor is at 130. I use a Model B at home - I use a drag factor of 104 to 106.

Regarding technique, strapless rowing helps but a good coach looking at you and giving you pointers would be even more help.