Ranger's training thread

[mikvan52]

This ranger quote is particularly hilarious:

I have no intention whatsoever of rowing as hard as I can (today)!
That would be dangerous!

maybe we should revise our ranger prediction for 3.4k from 15 minutes to 16 minutes.
7 years of sculling and he won't try to max!
The man who regularly "sees" 1:58 pace in the Windbagger decides to attempt a Tinman head at 2:15 pace!

[ranger]

Nice 60min on my Kurt Kinetic at 18 mph (HR 135 bpm), after erging.

Another couple of hours OTBike when I get back from Lansing.

ranger

[mikvan52]

Those of us who are addicted to this sad soap opera probably have noticed that when major events, like BIRC, get closer, the tone of ranger's predictions get less and less certain:

IF I break Rocket Roy's 55 lwt WR at BIRC 2010, even by a tenth of a second, it will be _wildly_ unprecedented, given that I am only a couple of months shy of 60 years old.

IF I break Roy's record by 10-15 seconds, it will be amazing, gobsmackingly good.

And IF I reach my goal of 6:20 and break Roy's record by 15-20 seconds, well, my gosh, folks, it will be hard to know what to say.

IFI do that, I suspect that it will never be done again--ever, by anyone.

So: We should wonder, too, what pace will ranger go out at in Birmingham (BIRC).
1:34 (6:16)?
1:35 (6:20)?
1:36 (6:24)?
1:37 (6:28)?

An erger cannot get to 6:28 if he goes out at 1:40 pace!

Nor will ranger ever commit to a race plan in these volumes of posts that he writes...
It would make him look even more ridiculous when he doesn't come through...
He must think that he's a man of mystery. Trouble is: we've seen the pattern repeat itself so often that he's entirely predictable. Bluster months before, then back off as the event is nigh.

A 6:16 2k erger doesn't wonder out loud about "a tenth of a second" in and around a 6:37 2k effort!
Just as a 2:05 pace sculler doesn't say, in effect: "I have to take it easy on myself"....

ranger is truly _one_ _of_ _a_ _kind_.

[ranger]

7 years of sculling and he won't try to max!

No problem with the physical side of it,

I don't have any experience with everything else, especially steering, passing, starting, finishing, etc.

I don't want to hurt my boat or someone else's.

So I'll just have a nice paddle, enjoy watching and talking with others, and come home.

ranger

[mikvan52]

7 years of sculling and he won't try to max!

No problem with the physical side of it,

I don't have any experience with everything else, especially steering, passing, starting, finishing, etc.

I don't want to hurt my boat or someone else's.

So I'll just have a nice paddle, enjoy watching and talking with others, and come home.

ranger

I applaud your good sense. But, my comment stands. 7 years of sculling ordinarily leads to a sculler who can steer...
What makes you think you can pass?

You've clearly over-inflated your skills both OTW and OTErg.

Following your wise choice to scull to your ability, why enter the HOCR next year? You won't have the necessary steering skills if you've never raced using them... IMO: The Charles is not a place to learn how to steer at one's full race pressure.

Map of Charles...It's not straight when you need it most (the last third of the race)

http://hocr.org/pdf/10HOCR-RacecourseMap.pdf

Do you have a string of 5k regattas with lots of turns and bridges in them lined up for early next season?
It would be wise to commit to working up to being able to race.
Clearly we can see from all this that sculling is not just watt production on a fixed metal rail.

[Citroen]

So: We should wonder, too, what pace will ranger go out at in Birmingham (BIRC).
1:34 (6:16)?
1:35 (6:20)?
1:36 (6:24)?
1:37 (6:28)?

An erger cannot get to 6:28 if he goes out at 1:40 pace!

He's going to end on 1:40.2 (6:41), no quicker than that.

You're also missing the options that a) he won't turn up, b) he won't start, c) he'll handle down and finish some way over 7:00 or d) he'll handle down and fail to finish.

[snowleopard]

You won't have the necessary steering skills

Clearly he has steering issues on a bike too. Who in their right mind spends three hours on a stationary bike?

[mikvan52]

Who in their right mind spends three hours on a stationary bike?

IMO: You do what you are comfortable with.
The artificial light in a basement or a garage results in an artificial comprehension of what one is able to do in the full light of day.
Perhaps this is what means when he says that for him "rowing is an art": Shorthand for "an artificial endeavor"...

..but what do I know anyway?
All I've seen is an empty seat next to me at Crash-B.. reserved for HRH, TSO, Darth Erger:

The record of no-shows at Crash-B is as long as I've been seriously competing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzBeDL8wdV4&NR=1

Seat #4 was to be "himself"... in the flesh...

[bloomp]

Any update from the course? Did he show? Did he get into his shell without flipping? More than one penalty yet? It's a shame they can't factor "useless postings" into his handicap. I think they display a factor of youth in the man, why should he get the full benefit of his 59 years? With his number of posts they'd ADD seconds to his time.

[KevJGK]

Did he show?

Is the pope a catholic?

[bellboy]

I started to worry about his participation in the event when he said he was just going for a "paddle" instead of giving it a crack. I was going to pm Byron and tell him to take his BBQ and some burgers because of the genteel nature of the day. Quite why someone who is "rowing as well as anyone in his age group and that includes Jim Dietz and Mike VB" would just take it easy im not sure. Is it a technique issue? It can't be a fitness issue surely? Mmmm? I wonder if spitting out challenges at 4am in the morning whilst cradling a cocktail is coming back to haunt him. I could be spectaculally wrong though. He could have torn through the field like Jack Nicholson at the Playboy mansion or he could have sat on the edge with his tootsies dangling in the water? We await the result with bated breath.....

[mikvan52]

Ok Byron, you're on...
Tell it like it is
... and it's not "cocktails" : it's Crock-tales

[Byron Drachman]

The course has only one gradual turn in it. It was the one and only place Ranger could have gotten into trouble and did he ever. The river is very wide but Ranger managed to cross to the other side of the buoys at the gradual turn, heading for the shore, and he ran into an eight that was on its way to the start. They fished him out of the river.

The whole thing was so avoidable. I even told MikeVB in advance that I knew exactly where Ranger would run into trouble but he refused to row the course more than once. Actually, he only did half of the course the one time he did the course with me. I think he was tired and didn't want to do the rest of the course that day. I was going to give him some advice on steering after that one visit and in particular discuss that one gradual turn with him, but he made it very clear that he does not want any advice from me.

I feel a little guilty about encouraging Ranger to do OTW regattas. I did suspect he would be a menace on the river but I didn't appreciate the extent of his ineptitude. He is not ready, and will not be until he realizes he cannot steer. The insurmountable problem is that he is not interested in hearing about his deficiencies.

[mikvan52]

I hope everyone is ok and that no equipment was damaged.

Accidents like this dictate that I stick to wishing everyone well.
Rich:
Better luck next time. Don't let it discourage you. There are collisions under even the best conditions.

[jliddil]

The course has only one gradual turn in it. It was the one and only place Ranger could have gotten into trouble and did he ever. The river is very wide but Ranger managed to cross to the other side of the buoys at the gradual turn, heading for the shore, and he ran into an eight that was on its way to the start. They fished him out of the river.

The whole thing was so avoidable. I even told MikeVB in advance that I knew exactly where Ranger would run into trouble but he refused to row the course more than once. Actually, he only did half of the course the one time he did the course with me. I think he was tired and didn't want to do the rest of the course that day. I was going to give him some advice on steering after that one visit and in particular discuss that one gradual turn with him, but he made it very clear that he does not want any advice from me.

I feel a little guilty about encouraging Ranger to do OTW regattas. I did suspect he would be a menace on the river but I didn't appreciate the extent of his ineptitude. He is not ready, and will not be until he realizes he cannot steer. The insurmountable problem is that he is not interested in hearing about his deficiencies.

Ha. What comes around goes around.

7 years OTW and he can't steer? He buys a $7000 craft he can not handle?

Guilt, WTF? All he has done is put you down after you have been more than a gentleman. I had already lost all respect for this a$$hole. I can't wait for the excuses. Go ahead and put me down in your diatribes mr. cureton. Save your energy replying since you'll need it to recover from the hypothermia.