Attempting an FM

[jlawson58]

I have done several HMs and am averaging 60k or more per week. Is jumping up to an FM too much or should I do a 30k or so before I try the FM?

How do you handle nutrition and hydration if you are going for time? Do you eat and drink while the PM runs? Use 1 hand to resupply while getting as least a few watts out of the other arm? Somehow pause the PM?

Thanks !

[jliddil]

It was on the list until I broke my hip. Now I'm about ready to get back on the erg. I ran for years doing road races and marathons. I use a camelbak that I hang from a hook in Summer for HM rows. I like cytomax for the taste to encourage drinking and keep hydrated. I guess some of the hydration depends on the time of year. Summer is different than winter. You let the PM run. It all part of the time it takes to do the distance. Like a road race if you have to stop to take a leak or drink it is time you are on the course. My preferred food is clifbars and powerbars. I unwrap them and place them next to the erg on a TV tray for HM rows. I plan to the same for the FM. If you are used to distance work then the food is not so necessary unless you experience glycogen depletion.

[Citroen]

I have done several HMs and am averaging 60k or more per week. Is jumping up to an FM too much or should I do a 30k or so before I try the FM?

Just go for it. Have lots of water bottles handy, take a 30sec handle down break to drink a pint (400ml) at each 10.5K. Sub 3 hours only needs an avg of 2:07.9 so don't go off too hard.

Best of luck.

[gregsmith01748]

I've only done one, but I think you should go for it. I had only done half marathon rows before I did mine and it worked out fine.

I took about 30" handle down break at 20k and 30k and pounded down about a pint of Gatorade in each break.
I felt pretty done in at the end, but I'm glad I joined the FM club.

I'm planning to do another one around my birthday. About once a year is probably my limit.

[chgoss]

they are really-really-really hard. 3 hours in the saddle is no joke. I've done 2 now and every time I swear it's the last one I'll ever do. My butt never forgave me..

Keep fluids handy, I went with the "grab a drink every 20 minutes or so" strategy. Banana's and power bars work well also.

The PM will stay up for a while <Citroen will know exactly how long> when you stop pulling.. certainly at least 30 seconds.

Good luck!

[c2jonw]

Fill the tank before the row- eat and drink well the night before. I've done a few FMs and never had to stop for a pee. I used water bottles filled with watered-down Gatorade and energy bars that have some moisture in them or gel packs. The new Clif Bar Shots look like they might be just the thing, but make sure you experiment with the food before the FM. Have everything you plan to eat and drink close at hand and unwrapped. If you have to leave the machine for more than a couple of minutes the monitor can be kept on by actuating one of the five display buttons AS LONG AS YOU HAVE GOOD BATTERIES. Don't go out too fast. C2JonW

[Carl Watts]

Have only attempted one so far and hit the wall 2 hours into it. I started having vision problems and felt sick and ran out of fluids. You need to seriously hydrate from about 1 hour before the start and have 3 o0r 4 drink bottles lined up within arms reach. Pace is important as the hard thing is just to finish. As above 3 hours in the seat is a long time, even if you have done alot of HM rows the FM is a whole different game.

[pmacaula]

The advice above is good, but I would make one addition.

If you are doing it alone, you are going to need something to keep the old noggin busy - TV, music, movies, whatever. Make sure you have it set up so you can keep it going for the full duration.

I have done one FM & it was with a fair sized group ( 8 or 10) on RowPro. Massive help with motivation.
Had not done anything beyond an HM before attempting it, but had been doing lots of volume six days/week, so the FM was more of a mental challenge.

All the best for a successful FM.

Cheers. Patrick.

[Carl Watts]

Yes did mine on RowPro with a big group as well at Xmas but we had some issues. Three hours is also a long time for RowPro without any problems and we lost the race server after one hour. Also the start time down here was not good and I do not recomend you start a FM at 3am ! This year I have setup a second FM at Xmas starting at 8am local time that I hope to finish so do join us.