Ranger's training thread

[lancs]

What's the plan for your 2k test tomorrow Prof?

[hjs]

Drop the bottle rich............. you have a bad drink, did you apologise ?

On the other hand, as I pointed out in my earlier post, why did Byron agree to go rowing with a "particularly dishonest and obnoxious" individual?

Maybe in ranger's training thread it's only natural that people don't say what they mean or mean what they say. When in Rome...

Byron is not a stupid man maybe it's a trick ....................

[Carl Watts]

What's the plan for your 2k test tomorrow Prof?

Fly and die....die before the finish that is.

[hjs]

What's the plan for your 2k test tomorrow Prof?

Fly and die....die before the finish that is.

100% certain he has zero interrest in even touching the pm, in the batcave he does only "just rows", so he even can,t do a 2k test

[mikvan52]

What's the plan for your 2k test tomorrow Prof?

It's delayed (surprise!)
Rich has some "unfinished business w/his bathroom scale. and "juice-lady".

But really, ranger: Do it overweight!
We all would like to see what you've got under the hood (bonnet) of that Indy machine of yours....

Bet you can break seven! ... 1:45s!!!
Stroooong Stuuuuf!


What stroke rate will you need to maintain to hold your SPI at "lucky" 13....?

Answer: 23.2 spm and 1:45 pace/500m is 13.0x spi

Interesting and oh-so unlikely for 175 lb. 59.xxxx year-old, barking-mad professor.

[Byron Drachman]

Over the next six weeks, and then in the event itself, it will be interesting to see whether I can do the Head of the Grand course at 1:57.

I agree it would be a good idea to row the course more times. It would be easy to get farther away from the shore at the bend than necessary so familiarity with the course would be an advantage. You mentioned that you would start using a mirror, which should help with steering and would help with having a safe row. If you come on a weekend the river sometimes gets busier in the morning with fishing boats and with MSU varsity rowers and also MSU Crew Club rowers, and a good mirror lets you know what is happening all around you. The coaches and coxswains appreciate it when we wear high visibility clothing. When viewed from above, the traffic pattern is counterclockwise. The MSU crews do a good job of adhering to the pattern and we try to do the same.

I have a couple of rowing tips for you but was reluctant to offer unsolicited advice. I can make the suggestions on this thread or if you prefer and are interested, I can send them in a PM.

I am guessing that if you do the Head of the Grand, it will be way more fun than you expected, even if you take some bad strokes or have to make some corrections while steering and don't do as well as you are expecting.

[leadville]

Over the next six weeks, and then in the event itself, it will be interesting to see whether I can do the Head of the Grand course at 1:57.

I agree it would be a good idea to row the course more times. It would be easy to get farther away from the shore at the bend than necessary so familiarity with the course would be an advantage. You mentioned that you would start using a mirror, which should help with steering and would help with having a safe row. If you come on a weekend the river sometimes gets busier in the morning with fishing boats and with MSU varsity rowers and also MSU Crew Club rowers, and a good mirror lets you know what is happening all around you. The coaches and coxswains appreciate it when we wear high visibility clothing. When viewed from above, the traffic pattern is counterclockwise. The MSU crews do a good job of adhering to the pattern and we try to do the same.

I have a couple of rowing tips for you but was reluctant to offer unsolicited advice. I can make the suggestions on this thread or if you prefer and are interested, I can send them in a PM.

I am guessing that if you do the Head of the Grand, it will be way more fun than you expected, even if you take some bad strokes or have to make some corrections while steering and don't do as well as you are expecting.

Byron - you are a true gentleman and a sculler. I respect your ability to turn the other cheek.

What rangerboy does not know is most scullers often race on courses they've never rowed on before, or perhaps raced on or rowed over once or twice. That's part of the fun - and the challenge - of it.

rangerboy's made much of his coming dominance of the HOCR without having rowed the course once. Perhaps now he has a bit more appreciation for the challenge inherent in Head racing, where one must steer, strategize, scull well, and do all while deep into oxygen debt.

Even if he does, we all know he won't admit it.

Pride cometh before the beaching.

[NavigationHazard]

Rowers from Boston have a tremendous home advantage on the Charles course, I think. It's like playing "h-o-r-s-e" on the funky basketball court you grew up on in the back yard, leaves cracks wires wind thornbushes wasps and all. I'd still beat Dwayne Wade there if I got to go first. He'd break his ankles on the 'jump off the fourth step of the back porch and hit it one-handed from 25 feet and slightly behind the backboard -- while in midair.' Even if you regularly row the Charles I think you can still create trouble for yourself. Just ask Michelle Guerette, who's made a habit the past couple of years of penalties for aggressive passing. Or Karonnen (sp), who lost to Sevigny in the Championship 1x last year because the latter stayed on the course and he didn't.

Heck, even on the Passaic, where our head-race course is pretty benign, there are three bridges, four or five bends, a couple of no-passing zones, mud flats, course buoys, and a potentially vicious current/tide/wind combo to contend with. (On a river with flow, the fastest path between two points on the banks isn't necessarily the straightest line on the water.) And that's not even counting the other boats that have to be taken into consideration....

[Byron Drachman]

Rowers from Boston have a tremendous home advantage on the Charles course, I think.

Hi Jon,
I saw a video or heard an audio, I don't remember which, with a coxswain describing the course and how to row it. I do remember him saying that at a certain bridge if you are going straight through the bridge the then you have made a mistake.

Speaking of home advantages, the last time I did a bike race I was in a stage race in southern Ohio. The people running the event wanted the local racers to win. During the road race there was a steep downhill curving so you couldn't see very far ahead. All of a sudden there was a severe cutback and if you were going fast you crashed. They "forgot" to warn the out-of-towners about that curve. There were lots of crashes, broken bones, road ash, wrecked bikes, etc. There was a long line at a first aid station for those who could still stand.

[ranger]

Perhaps now he has a bit more appreciation for the challenge inherent in Head racing, where one must steer, strategize, scull well, and do all while deep into oxygen debt.

Why would I assume anything easier?

Have you done any other sports competitively?

ranger

[ranger]

Byron--

So what pace can you hold for 5K, just out on flat, open water in your 1x?

And what do you do for 5K on the erg?

What pace do you expect to hold for the Head of the Grand?

ranger

[ranger]

I have a couple of rowing tips for you but was reluctant to offer unsolicited advice. I can make the suggestions on this thread or if you prefer and are interested, I can send them in a PM.

A PM would be better, I think.

I also have some tips for you.

Should I give them here, or would a PM by better?

ranger

[ranger]

On the other hand, as I pointed out in my earlier post, why did Byron agree to go rowing with a "particularly dishonest and obnoxious" individual?

Sure, my quips at Byron are just returning the favor.

What goes around, comes around.

It's a two-way street.

ranger

[pmacaula]

Byron--What pace do you expect to hold for the Head of the Grand?

Rich - Good smack talk, I like it.

If I were Byron, the reply would be silence. The time at the end of the race is what counts, not
the forecast. Not that you care, but my first head race was into a 30kt headwind - my pace was
not close to what I had hoped/expected, but just fine relative to the competition.

All the best for fun and speed in your first head race. Glad you are getting out and mixing it
up on the water.

Cheers. Patrick.

[ranger]

Byron--

What SPI (rate and pace combinations) do you row at OTW, you know, when you are taking good, strong strokes, say, rowing at your anaerobic threshold (or even beyond), as you would in a head race?

Everyone rows at pretty much the same rate.

So your SPI determines your accomplishment as a rower.

For me, 8 SPI would problably be perfect rowing OTW.

Can you do 8 SPI (e.g., 2:00 @ 25 spm) OTW?

If not, how much do you fall short--and why?

What pace are you doing when you are rowing 25 spm, as you would, give or take, in a head race?

ranger