Starnberg, German long distance championships

[H2O]

Who is going to Starnberg on February 17 (30 min championships)?
It's always a good race with international participation.

I will be going if I am healthy (which currently I am).

[bisqeet]

thinking about going.
there isn't that many competitions anymore -
I was thinking about ketwig, but its a long way for 1k.
nunchritz doesn't look like there will be an event this year either (HM)
Leipzig maybe

[Two Pudding Kid]

H20 and Dean - I am going to Starnberg. Just got to make lightweight to be in with a shout of winning. Weather looking poor, so sightseeing might be limited.

[bisqeet]

H20 and Dean - I am going to Starnberg. Just got to make lightweight to be in with a shout of winning. Weather looking poor, so sightseeing might be limited.

its not too bad in the alps. starnebrg is wet and miserable though

[H2O]

Sorry for the long rant but I hope it is amusing for you though it certainly wasn't for me.

Starnberg 30 minutes was the big race I prepared for and I was perfectly prepared.
As a baseline I used NavHaz's 8190 in 30r20 since I did not want to be beaten by 30r20
which is quite a bit slower than a 30 minute free rate.

I was however confident that I could surpass it since I already pulled 8226 in practice,
thereafter pulled sub 1:49 splits to 22:30, 20, 15, 12:30, 10 min while tapering down always without problems and ending in a condition that seemed like I could go on to 30 mins.

I also practiced a soft start: 2:15, 2:00, 1:50 then 1:48 until the pace was at 1:49.0 and had this down perfectly hitting 1:49.0 within about 2 minutes.

Contrary to custom I was tapered, slept well.
Finally I knew (from experience) that there can always be the unexpected and was psychologically prepared for that also. No matter what happens I would first of all relax, then asses the situation and make the proper adjustments. It's that simple.

Therefore I was bullet proof. Nothing really bad could happen to me. The only problem was getting there. Sure enough the traffic report was catastrophic everywhere except for the interstate I was on. Even so the drive was a little strenuous due to a snow storm in Bavaria which got worse and worse the closer I got to the destination. I got there with minimal delay and 90 minutes before the race. Everything seemed to fall into place.

The unexpected struck immediately. While changing my shoes I had a back incident which I caught just in time before it became disabling. This happened twice. That was odd. I hadn't had any back problems in a long time.

However I was not worried. I would get on the bike and warm up and the problem would surely go away. It didn't it only got worse. On to the erg. The problem manifested itself now and then but not in a disabling fashion. I decided to test it under full load and pulled 2:30 into the piece. Nothing happened.

I noticed that I had more power than usual hitting 1:46 quickly and decided that my only problem was that I had to keep the pace down in the beginning. In retrospect this now seems fairly funny.

Still 1 hour to go. I chatted with some of the leading German age group rowers (Joachim Ringer, Bernhard Köhler) and received some advice on stretching and training.

A second round of warmup was in order. The back problem was unchanged (threatening now and then). As the race approached it got worse. The lower back began to cramp up. This added a whole new angle to the race full of anxiety and suspense. With literally only 10 minutes to go I did some yoga stretches which in the past have done me no good whatsoever and miraculously felt much better.

Now it was time to get on the erg. I was mostly preoccupied with the back problem but was optimistic since rowing often improves such a condition. I decided on a super soft start and carefull body position.

Off. 2:13, 2:01, 1:50. Things seemed to be going according to plan. 2 mins in I took a look at the overall split which still was at 1:52. That was odd. Normally I am at 1:49 at that point. Worse still I was rating 30spm. I had to do something. I paid more attention to back swing and started to pull harder at the finish. This solved the problem. Stroke rate dropped to 28, pace to 1:48.

Six minutes in I was at 1:48.8 overall. I also noticed that I was ahead by 71m. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. 7:30 in I decided to make an effort to relax. It is always a good idea to be as relaxed as possible. The pace dropped to occasional 1:50s.

The important milestone of 10 minutes arrived. At that point I was supposed to have an overall spit of 1:49 while being completely unaffected, now starting to take the pace down to 1:48.

But in fact I felt a little ill. I did not digest this information properly. You can feel slightly nauseous halfway into piece when going faster than usual and decide to hang with it. But you should not feel nauseous one third in while going the usual pace. Rather than thinking the situation over I took the pace down to 1:48 as planned.

From now on my memory is a little spotty. 12:30 in I was cooked, finished and toast. I had the sudden realization that I was not going to make it to the end of this piece. This row was a disaster in motion and walking away from it the only solution.

I was now seriously thinking about handle down. But then it struck me. What would that look like. Here you have an imbecille that goes off at 28-30 spm pulling fairly flat splits to 12:30, then handles down while still in first place. No, a better "plan" was to handle down in 5 minutes when it would be clear that I have massive problems. But then it became clear to me that that was not an option either, handling down was not an option now, or in 5 minutes or in fact ever in this race and the clock read 17:30 to go.

That's when I knew that I was in for a whole new experience of unpleasantness and pain. Not the good pain that you know and handle and which is a sign that you accomplish something. No, I was in for 17:30 of the bad pain which you did not know exists and is like a disease, a pestilence which does not seem to get any better no matter how slow you go.

Upon this I seemed to have blacked out since my next memory is of 15 minutes another important milestone for which I was psychologically "prepared". Should things not be going well, the pace was to be relaxed slightly until 10 minutes to go. Things were not going well. Overall split was at 1:51.1, current condition: abject weakness. Dimly I was aware that second place had caught up with me and was passing me, that was OK, was inevitable in any case.

Current splits dropped to 1:55, occasional 1:56s then 1:57. At 11:30 to go I had serious thoughts of handling down again, when a new startling event saved me: a 1:58 split showed up. Think about this: 1:48 hoped for, 1:58 actual. A full 10 seconds slower. This revived me enough to take a look at the overall split. It was 1:52.2.

A new gruesome reality was taking shape: failure to breach 8000m. This was too much. I decided to fight back a little and brought the split down to 1:55. 10 minutes to go came and went. I seemed to have gotten the splits down to 1:52-1:53 but don't remember anything. Next conscious memory: 5 minutes to go.

Normally at this point this thing is in the bag. There is no way you will fail to finish that close to the end. Actually all I remember is how very long the minute from 5 down to 4 minutes to go was. It seemed like an eternity. It dragged on and on. 3rd place was closing in, now 21m behind, now 17m.

At 1:30 to go I accelerated a little. 3rd place was 7m behind, now 4m. I decided to fight back. Undoubtedly this is was what pushed me past 8000m.

I don't remember if I held him off. My last memory is of a 1:43 split. It is a false memory.
I was hallucinating at this point. Final split 1:52.1, 8029m and a good lesson that no matter how much you believe you are prepared for the unexpected, expect it to surprise you anyway.

In retrospect some warning signs were there beforehand. I felt a little tired lately, not really happy to erg and the race pace pieces got shorter and shorter due to taper and therefore not really informative. Probably slightly overtrained or in a biorhythm down cycle.

Basic mistake: goals too optimistic, adjustments not made in time in the race.
I doubt I could have done much better with a different pacing strategy but might have been less unpleasant.
The only good thing: I am not 60 yet, so it does not really matter.
But can't afford to mess up the next time, that's for sure.

[bisqeet]

how was the air...
i had serious problemy with the stuffy air, dry throat etc.
was seriously thinking about hd-ing jsut to get some water...

[H2O]

The air was a little dry but did not bother me.
I checked up on my condition today in perfect air, was even worse
than in Starnberg.

[lindsayh]

Sorry for the long rant but I hope it is amusing for you though it certainly wasn't for me.
Basic mistake: goals too optimistic, adjustments not made in time in the race. I doubt I could have done much better with a different pacing strategy but might have been less unpleasant.
The only good thing: I am not 60 yet, so it does not really matter. But can't afford to mess up the next time, that's for sure.

Not amusing! Sounds tough but it is amazing that you fought the demons for so long and got to the end Can mark it up as a learning experience at least - maybe we learn more from the bad than the good!

[Two Pudding Kid]

H20 - I was at Starnberg for the first time in 4 years and noticed several people HD. Also some people looked like they were about to pass out. For me the air was warmer than I would have liked but the door by the stage was open by my race at 14:40.

Like you I would have been wary about starting a race with a known back problem. I hope you havent suffered with your back since. Feeling ill during a race is another nightmare - especially early on. Hard to say why that happened if you hadnt prepared differently from training, (and unlike me have to eat later than I would like to make LWT).

Hopefully you be back to your normal routine and succeeding at races again soon.

Dean - not sure whether you were at Starnberg as cannot see you in the 40-49 or 50-54 HWT results. Sorry if I missed you.

[Two Pudding Kid]

Leading up to the race in training I had hit 6953m which is 2:09.4 pace and only 1m less than in 2014 race. Looked like preperation was going well, (although really geared towards Hamburg ergomarathon 3 March). Didnt have any problems with the journey, (contrary to opinion that I should stay in Munich and take the train on the day I always consider this risky as if for whatever reason the SBahn isnt running the S6 service it would be a very long and expensive cab ride as an alternative). Was a bit concerned on Friday that my legs seemed so tight that going upstairs was slow and painful but managed to stretch this off early Saturday.

Race day - not a lot for breakfast as no way of knowing if I was a LWT for sure, (living on the edge of the limit is always tricky and no stripping to underwear for this race as I got myself into trouble trying to loose 200g in my first visit 2012). Managed to get a trial weigh-in 3 hours before the race and was 700g under , so liquid refreshment such as a coffee and a few slurps of lucozade were in order before the real weighin. Warm up went brilliantly and I topped on more refreshments.

With only 1 other competitor in the 50-54 LWTs I knew I had a chance of gold, which proved to be the case . Set off with a flying start and then stepped back to 2:09-2:12s. It did struggle a bit at times with pace but never under threat and pulled off 6946m (2:09.6) and a 543m lead over 2nd. Gladly collected my medal, T-shirt and certificate. Saturday night was a celebratory food fest Ok - I make LWT in the morning only, so must try a little harder

Post race I seem to be suffering a little with a hoarse voice and cough - had to duck Tuesdays 2k TT and might not be up for a 100% performance tonight.

[bisqeet]

H20 - I was at Starnberg for the first time in 4 years and noticed several people HD. Also some people looked like they were about to pass out. For me the air was warmer than I would have liked but the door by the stage was open by my race at 14:40.

Like you I would have been wary about starting a race with a known back problem. I hope you havent suffered with your back since. Feeling ill during a race is another nightmare - especially early on. Hard to say why that happened if you hadnt prepared differently from training, (and unlike me have to eat later than I would like to make LWT).

Hopefully you be back to your normal routine and succeeding at races again soon.

Dean - not sure whether you were at Starnberg as cannot see you in the 40-49 or 50-54 HWT results. Sorry if I missed you.

Hi Susan,
it was my intention, but i was still in switzerland on a business trip. had to give it a miss.

[H2O]

@TwoPuddingKid:
Congratulations on your excellent performance.
It's too bad the weather was not nicer for you to have a more pleasant trip.
My back is still bothering me but not when I am rowing.
I can already laugh about my own experience. I deserve a reality check now and then.