Concept2 Forum

I GET SO BORED!!!!!!

if it weren't for boredom i would be rowing 10k + a day. but i'm only doing about 6k a day because that seems to be the most i can do without losing focus. i listen to my favorite music but i just get so frustrated that the meters aren't going faster (during long pieces) it gets to the point where 1000m seems to take twenty minutes. should i try covering the time when i'm doing timed pieces and cover the meters when i'm doing meters pieces and just concentrate on keeping a steady split time?


help!


BR

I used the "cover-up technique" this past weekend when I did my first marathon and it helped infinitely. A small piece of masking tape over the elapsed time..and one over the total meters...and off I went. Managed not to peak until 2hr15min into it. Had I been able to see the minutes and meters ticking along...I would have strangled myself with the chain LONG beforehand!:)!

Give it a try...the worst that happens is it doesn't help!!!

Others have mentioned erging somewhere with a tv or with a good view. My C2 is in the basement looking toward a cement wall...so I definitely can see where they're coming from! So you may also want to see if you can re-orient your setup to give yourself something to look at (assuming you're in a similar situation as me)!

Just my thoughts...
-Dan

Have you considered breaking up your SS into intervals? Say 5-7' on and 30" to one 1' off? It isn't ideal but it will get the general effect of your training in and helps to pass the time by giving your mind a break now and again. Same can be said for AT work. Instead of 20' do 10 x 1:40'on/20" off or 4 x 4'on/1'off or some other mixture thereof (45"on/15"off maybe).
How about mixing it up with cross training. Say 3-4k of erging, 20' running/cycling/circuits then another 3k of erging. Honestly I commend you for sticking it out and erging some every day, but to really see your times drop a couple workouts a week need to be over 40'.

As for music and tv, I take a mixed view on those. When I'm feeling good or doing a hard (short) piece I will often put them on. However if I'm doing SS or in a lousy mood I turn it off. I find that either music or TV provides a sense of time passing while on the machine (ie: 2 songs done, must be 6 minutes) while turning off the music lets me just sort of get lost in what I'm doing (ie: where'd those 40' go?). Its different for everyone, but try a few pieces with intervals and with the music off, then just focus on one technical item you want to improve and keep working on it. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't but it's worth a try.

The monitor and what I am doing are interesting to me, and I don't watch tv or anything else, except for the option of using the remote to put the garage door up or down.

One thing that helps a lot with boredom is to make sure of not straining or trying to go to fast for the benefits that result from the training. This can be done by covering the PACE and stroke rate that show on the monitor, and letting go of all conceptions of how fast you are trying to go.

Meanwhile, leave only the time or meters uncovered, so you can keep your interest in how far you are going; i.e. when your goal is the distance then focus on the distance not the pace.