Ducks In A Row - Introductions

[[old] mischa]

I just discovered this forum and the team. I'd been looking at the team stuff a week or so ago and wishing I had a team to join and I found one today!<br /><br />I'm Mischa/Michelle. I'm 30 years old. I started rowing about a year and a half ago through an exercise program my company made available to us. I discovered I liked it! I bought a rower and now I row at home. I try to keep myself motivated with monthly meter goals, the C2 Challenges, and an overall goal of finally making it into the Million Meter Club.<br /><br />I use an MP3 player while I row. I used to stuff it down my shirt (which caused some interesting imprints on my breasts) but I eventually broke down and bought a Case Logic armband holder for it, which works pretty well. The earphones I use are bud-style over-the-ear headphones (<a href='http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000U ... oding=UTF8' target='_blank'>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000U ... ng=UTF8</a>). They are much more comfortable than regular earbuds as they don't really have to be completely in your ear. I set it so the cord is behind my head/against my back so it doesn't get caught in anything. I am amused whenever I can feel it bouncing against my back. <br /><br />Nice to meet you!

[[old] woolsmith]

Hey Mischa!<br /><br />Welcome to the Pond! Lots of very nice, knowledgeable folks on these forums, and the Ducks are the BEST! <br /><br />Glad to have you in the pond. <br /><br />--jen

[[old] Krysta Coleman]

Welcome aboard, Mischa! Always good to have more ducks. <br /><br />I am guessing you are "M C" on the team page? Those 120k (plus your future meters) will sure help us to get back into 8th spot. Are you going to do the Skeleton Crew challenge?<br /><br />- Krysta

[[old] mischa]

Yup. I'm M C. <br /><br />I am indeed doing the Skeleton Crew Challenge. I put the certificates up on my office door at work as a motivation.

[[old] Bufflehead]

Wow Ducks! We are gaining in numbers again!! Hello to all the new Ducks, and Mallard - it's good to see you're back!<br /><br />I'm afraid the old Buffle isn't helping out much lately. Still having those annoying knee problems. It's kinda hard to row if you can't straighten your leg. I'm experimenting with a modified technique, but not having much luck. Oh well, just watch out next year after I get my bionic knee!! <br /><br />Keep up the great work! I still enjoy keeping up with everyone's progress. Hmmmm - maybe I'll waddle over to the Duck Pond one of these days and update my situation.<br /><br />Later!<br />The Buffle

[[old] indygirl]

Before I go off for my 4th day of erging, haha, I thought I would jump in and say Hi. I am totally entranced with rowing all due to my son who just started rowing on a high school team. I was too late in the season to start on water so I thought I would switch my exercise from walking/eliptical to the erg. I am working on technique, trying to figure out what all these numbers mean etc. <br />I am almost 54 years old, 5'8" HW and have always been athletic though not as much in recent years. I grew up as a competitive swimmer and the idea of being out on the water really, really appeals to me. It took me about 26 minutes yesterday to do 4,000 meters. I thought that was pretty good, but when I look at these numbers posted, I have a long long way to go. Any words of wisdom to be shared would be much appreciated. Off to the Y I go

[[old] Canada Goose]

Indygirl,<br /><br />I don't know if I have any words of wisdom, but I would like to encourage you. Don't fret about all those hard-core rowers who are so fast. The way I figure it, there will always be somebody way faster than me and also people who can log way more metres as well. Don't let it discourage you! You are just starting out and it is great that you are working on your technique because that will help your rowing all-round.<br />I remember when I first started doing ranked rows that I thought it would be a miracle if I could get to the point where only 75% of the people in my age class were faster than I was! On my last ranked row only 36% of the others were ahead of me! It is fun to keep track of these kinds of things, so that you can look back and see how far you have come.<br /><br />Keep rowing <br /><br />Shannon

[[old] indygirl]

<!--QuoteBegin-Canada Goose+Nov 1 2005, 05:06 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Canada Goose @ Nov 1 2005, 05:06 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Indygirl,<br /><br />I don't know if I have any words of wisdom, but I would like to encourage you.  Don't fret about all those hard-core rowers who are so fast.  The way I figure it, there will always be somebody way faster than me and also people who can log way more metres as well.  Don't let it discourage you!  You are just starting out and it is great that you are working on your technique because that will help your rowing all-round.<br />I remember when I first started doing ranked rows that I thought it would be a miracle if I could get to the point where only 75% of the people in my age class were faster than I was!  On my last ranked row only 36% of the others were ahead of me!  It is fun to keep track of these kinds of things, so that you can look back and see how far you have come.<br /><br />Keep rowing <br /><br />Shannon <br /> </td></tr></table><br />

[[old] woolsmith]

<!--QuoteBegin-indygirl+Nov 1 2005, 04:05 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(indygirl @ Nov 1 2005, 04:05 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Before I go off for my 4th day of erging, haha, I thought I would jump in and say Hi.  I am totally entranced with rowing all due to my son who just started rowing on a high school team.  I was too late in the season to start on water so I thought I would switch my exercise from walking/eliptical to the erg.  I am working on technique, trying to figure out what all these numbers mean etc.  <br />I am almost 54 years old, 5'8" HW and have always been athletic though not as much in recent years.  I grew up as a competitive swimmer and the idea of being out on the water really, really appeals to me.  It took me about 26 minutes yesterday to do 4,000 meters. I thought that was pretty good, but when I look at these numbers posted, I have a long long way to go.  Any words of wisdom to be shared would be much appreciated.  Off to the Y I go <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hey there, IndyGirl!<br /><br />I've always got words, but can't say as I've got much wisdom behind 'em! <br /><br />Anyway, hang in there! These C2 ergs are so great at giving a total body workout, that you can spend less time than walking, but accomplish more, imho. <br /><br />I'm 48 and Hwt. When I started out, I only rowed for about 10-15 minutes. That's what the website and the owners' manual recommended, because you're using more muscles than what ya might be used to. They were right! I thought 10-15 mins was pretty darn easy, but I could tell the difference the next day. Nothing too painful, but I could feel those muscles.<br /><br />I row for fitness and health, not for "training," or entering races. One of the nice things about joining some of these virtual rowing teams (like Ducks in a Row) is that they are noncompetitive. The team in essence allows you to compete with yourself, but at the same time, all of your meters get added on to the team total. It's nice to see that grow as well as to see your own improvements being made.<br /><br />Right now, I row a fairly comfortable 5200-5400 meters in 30 minutes, and I've been rowing since May. I think I could do more if I pushed it, but at this time, I don't wanna. I occasionally do some interval training, but for the last month, I've just been plugging along, going more for distance and endurance than speed. My heartrate's been running anywhere from 135-150. I think I should be able to hit my first million meters before Thanksgiving!<br /><br />I'll warn ya though, these C2s are addicting!<br /><br />--Jen

[[old] Iliana]

Heya FowlGrrls!<br /><br />I'm returning to rowing, and to my log book, and to the forums after a long hiatus. It feels so GOOD to be rowing again! I'm a one-legged rower, and at the height of my rowing, I actually drove down to Boston and participated in the c.r.a.s.h.-b's which was a complete blast --not just the racing, but meeting so many excellent rowing pals from near and far.<br /><br />I fell waaaay off the wagon for a whole host of reasons, and my health has suffered because of it. And now, somehow, I've gotten all reinvigorated, and so last Thursday I cleaned off the plants, clothes, books, fishing poles, telescope parts, and DVDs off my erg, and I rowed a cautious but fun 5 minutes. Then, in an unrelated bath-tub event, I injured my lower back/sacral region really badly, and was laid up with uber-pain. Owie! I was also really annoyed & discouraged that the injury came just as I was gearing up to get rowing again. Thankfully the injury has responded well to ice & rest, and so I did 7 minutes on Tuesday --carefully, but it seemed clear that the rowing wasn't impinging on the injured part of my back. In fact, I'm hoping that the gentle stretching & cardio will help me heal.<br /><br />Anyhow, I'm rowing to lose about three billion kilos (give or take a billion), and to regain my health. My first attmept at rowing (for 6 months or so almost two years ago) had helped me to go from being diabetic (type II) to being completely non-diabetic (that is, great blood sugar numbers, and no meds). I'm highly motivated to do this again, 'cause I'd like to live to be 900-and-something. This time around, I'm going to be more agressive with my diet, because I'd like to lose weight faster than I last time around. I have a brilliant diet with regard to content, only, I eat enough brilliant stuff to feed a small country. Oka, a really small country, but you get the idea..<br /><br />That's all I can think of for now --I had a great 10-minute row today, and it felt so terrific that I wanted to just keep going, but having experienced knee injuries from over-rowing last time around, I'm being very very careful to ramp up sensibly.<br /><br />I'm 40, and definitely a heavyweight, though I'm working to change that. Actually, at 5'9" and sturdy, I'll prolly always be a heavyweight rower, and that's kinda cool. And I live in Vermont!<br /><br />../iliana<br />

[[old] indygirl]

<!--QuoteBegin-Canada Goose+Nov 1 2005, 05:06 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Canada Goose @ Nov 1 2005, 05:06 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Indygirl,<br /><br />I don't know if I have any words of wisdom, but I would like to encourage you.  Don't fret about all those hard-core rowers who are so fast.  The way I figure it, there will always be somebody way faster than me and also people who can log way more metres as well.  Don't let it discourage you!  You are just starting out and it is great that you are working on your technique because that will help your rowing all-round.<br />I remember when I first started doing ranked rows that I thought it would be a miracle if I could get to the point where only 75% of the people in my age class were faster than I was!  On my last ranked row only 36% of the others were ahead of me!  It is fun to keep track of these kinds of things, so that you can look back and see how far you have come.<br /><br />Keep rowing <br /><br />Shannon <br /> </td></tr></table><br />

[[old] indygirl]

Shannon, Thanks for the encouragement. I did realize that my time included stopping for a short break here and there. For now I am trying to stay under 3 minutes for 500 meters. I just jumped right in and started rowing 20-30 minutes, probably a tad too much too soon as I try to improve my technique. We go the Y and are thinking of buying an Concept2 after the holidays. I just love it so far. In fact, I enjoy the erg more than my son. He really prefers being out on the water.<br />Iliana, I am also trying to lose weight so maybe we can encourage each other along the way!! <br />I did buy a DVD which I am anxiously awaiting! <br />I loved the book Mind over Water. It helped me learn more about the sport itself.<br />Off to the Y.<br /><br />Sally who needs lots of encouragement<br />

[[old] Bufflehead]

Always glad to have newcomers in the Pond!<br /><br />Hey indygirl - are you really from indy? I was hatched there a long, long time ago... <br /><br />I really got a kick out of the brilliant food plan, iliana. That's exactly what I'm doing right now - brilliant food, but enough for everybody! This last ten pounds just doesn't seem to want to go away. Hmmmm - do you think it's something I'm doing? Seems like a lot of us are in the same boat - har, har - get it? Sometimes I just quack myself up!<br /><br />No - seriously - I think we can all help each other while we add meters to our little flock of ducks. I've had my C2 for almost a year, and it's the best investment I've ever made for my health. Now if I could just get this weight thing under control! <br /><br />Great to see folks chatting again! It's been awfully quiet out there lately.<br />Later, The Buffle

[[old] indygirl]

Not from Indy but am here now. Actually, I am from your neck of the woods. Grew up in D.C. Now not only am I having to figure out this rowing thing, I have to figure out how to reply and do smilies, and do pictures. I guess I am just a slow duck all the way around BUT I will figure it all out!! quack, quack... now if I could only figure out how to lose weight too <br />Sally

[[old] LittleBit]

Hi all Ducks! Just joined DIAR today. Got my new Concept2 D on 11-1, and have been starting slow so I don't overdo or over hurt! I'm 51, 5' 1 1/2", a HW+ - too many lbs. back on in the last year where I don't want them. That started from a misunderstanding with my motorcyle 9-04, and I just never got healed up enough to get consistant with a running/walking progam or any other workout plan since then. I had used an erg several years ago, and loved it. Main focus right now is fitness/weight loss, so slow & steady til I get the form down & some muscles used to work again. I will have to come up with a "duck" name later! Any advice or suggestions gladly welcome.