The 100K

[lancecampeau]

I'm strongly considering doing the 100k again for the Century Challenge... is anyone else thinking of it?

- target is 9 hours total time (2:42 / 82.3w)
- from 0 to 50k a planned break every 5000m
- from 50k to 75k, a planned break every 2000m
- from 75k to 100k, a planned break every 1000m

The goal is 2:20 to 2:24 for the first half then around 2:26 to 2:30 for the back half. There are about 45 planned breaks and each will be in the 30 to 60 second range (I'm budgeting 22 to 45 minutes of total break time, which can be used as needed)... The primary goal is to make it to the finish line by strategically managing energy and pain with a very conservative race plan. Its not a PB attempt.

I also prepared a "row along" video guide with a meter counter paced for 9 hours and motivational mile posts @ 5K, 10K, HM, FM, 50k, 1.5 FM, double FM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTNCiIGZ3uA

[rtbrouwer]

I'd love to do a 100k sometime but not in the near future. I'm going for a simple half marathon this time.

45 breaks seems like a lot. That's almost every 2k. Wouldn't it be better to do slightly longer breaks less often. E.g. a 1 minutw break at every 5k and a 2 minute break at every 10k? That would give you less time on breaks and some real time stretch/piss/eat/drink.

[lancecampeau]

45 breaks seems like a lot. That's almost every 2k. Wouldn't it be better to do slightly longer breaks less often. E.g. a 1 minutw break at every 5k and a 2 minute break at every 10k? That would give you less time on breaks and some real time stretch/piss/eat/drink.

In essence, I've planned up to 45 minutes of total break time... so I will use it as the situation dictates... I.E. skip a planned break and bank it for the next break, etc...

One thing I took away from my first 100k back in 2018 was how much your ass will start to hurt in the later stages... so lots of short breaks to stretch you buttocks is a good way to relieve the pain and these necessary breaks need to be accounted for in your race plan if you want to make it to the end while preserving your target pace.

Lots of short breaks also helps to maintain motivation during the most difficult & painful part of the piece... the final 25k

[Huopaaja]

Yes, I am planning to go for it sometime towards the end of next week.
First I just need to get the 2k out of the way. Then the idea is to accumulate the mileage with easy longer rows (20-50k), and maybe a half-hard FM, followed by a quick rest before the actual attempt.

The rough plan is to pull around 2.05-2.07 and hope I can keep it up while minimising breaks. I think if I went slower than that, it would not feel like an effort and I'd lose the focus i need to withstand discomfort.

I am not worried about my endurance per se, as I can keep a higher wattage on a bicycle all day. However I am cognizant there could be row-specific complications down the line. I am especially worried about the glutes, but who knows if something else comes up as well.
Another concern could be overheating in my basement, particularly if I fail to recruit my spouse to keep bringing me cold drinks and snacks. At the moment, she's not keen on the idea.

[Dangerscouse]

I'm starting to seriously give it some thought again, seeing as I have got the time and it's not ridiculously hot yet in my loft conversion (where I row), but it won't be done in the next 10 days so, if I do it, it will be in a few weeks at a guess.

I'm going to see how the 50k feels on Monday and make a decision then.

[Nomath]

I will never consider to row 100K on a day. So my comment is totally uncommitted. But I would never plan so many breaks.

In cycling, 9 hrs of exercise at about 150W on a day is not that much; neither is 9 hrs in the saddle if you are used to it.
So why so many breaks? I can only think of one reason: getting dehydrated, needing a break for taking water and calories.
In cycling, replenishing water and fuel is done about every 30-40 mins.
Stopping every 1K is nonsense : it only breaks the rythm and after each restart you will feel a bit dizzy.
So my advice would be :
- as a preparation : see that your butt is used to the seat by doing daily 10K's for about 2 weeks ;
- first 50K : break every 10K for water and calories (gels?) ; then have a 30-60 mins rest for stretching,toilet, soduku's, etc.
- second 50K : break every 5K, but if you don't feel the need, continue.

[lancecampeau]

I will never consider to row 100K on a day. So my comment is totally uncommitted. But I would never plan so many breaks.

Its not a time trial! I just want to make it to the end without the relative discomfort I experience the first time I finished the 100k... At 240 lbs, lots of short breaks to stretch your legs is required to avoid numbness.

My recent 50k used only 6:20 of total break time... five breaks of 1 min and one of 80 seconds.

[mitchel674]

This is very interesting for me. What drag factor do you plan on using during this event?

[lancecampeau]

This is very interesting for me. What drag factor do you plan on using during this event?

Here are the numbers from my first 100k... Dec 2018

- 8:33:11.3 Total Time
- 2:33.9 per 500m average
- Drag Factor 110
- Stroke Rate 23
- 96 Watts average
- Stroke Power Index of 4.17 (average watts divided by average stroke rate)

Here is a video of the entire row...
https://youtu.be/2qWAH-SVBuo?t=966

I'm likely to use a DF of 100 for the next attempt.

[Huopaaja]

I also seem to be most comfortable/efficient with df around 110 and sr 22-24 for the target power, although I still need to test various alternatives on longer rows.
I guess it’s alright to change the df _during_ the row for a change of pace, is it?

[max_ratcliffe]

I also seem to be most comfortable/efficient with df around 110 and sr 22-24 for the target power, although I still need to test various alternatives on longer rows.
I guess it’s alright to change the df _during_ the row for a change of pace, is it?

Not sure, TBH. If it's just a training piece, then who cares, but I think it is against the rules for a ranked piece.

[Citroen]

I guess it’s alright to change the df _during_ the row for a change of pace, is it?

Not if you want to rank it, or are trying for a record time.

Modifications to the machine that alter its performance are not allowed.

[Dino]

I guess it’s alright to change the df _during_ the row for a change of pace, is it?

Not if you want to rank it, or are trying for a record time.

Modifications to the machine that alter its performance are not allowed.

Actually you can change the drag as long as it's you that's doing it and not someone else. it's taken me this long to find it!!

"....There is no required damper setting. You are free to choose the setting you prefer and you may change the setting during the piece as long as it is done by the person using the machine..."

It's in the rules and regulations text at the bottom of the search rankings page:

https://log.concept2.com/rankings

[Citroen]

Actually you can change the drag as long as it's you that's doing it and not someone else. it's taken me this long to find it!!

"....There is no required damper setting. You are free to choose the setting you prefer and you may change the setting during the piece as long as it is done by the person using the machine..."

It's in the rules and regulations text at the bottom of the search rankings page:

https://log.concept2.com/rankings

That's before you start not during the event.

[During the event] modifications to the machine [including damper setting] that alter its performance are not allowed.

The problem comes about from the way the model B and the PM1 measured the drag factor. If you covered the fan cage with a towel to reduce drag you could row six strokes before the PM1 would change the results. Do that every five out of six strokes and your results (as recorded by the monitor) wouldn't match reality.

The PM2 improved things as it calculates drag on every stroke.
The PM2+ with the venue racing software improved things as that records every stroke.

The PM5 with Ergdata improves things further as it records every stroke, just like the venue racing software and logs that at https://log.concept2.com.

[Huopaaja]

Mission accomplished: https://log.concept2.com/profile/973347/log/44419657

Based on that 15+50k dress rehearsal last week, I felt confident going for a sub-7 target and didn’t expect to suffer too much besides butt ache. It felt like an appealing round target, not least because seven also happens to be the most widely accepted target figure on the benchmark distance Besides, the wattage at face value doesn’t seem all that demanding, just about 176. How hard can it be?

Turns out I was quite overconfident and it became one of the hardest pieces I’ve done on the rower.

Strangely, my heart rate was unusually high from the start and drifted wildly towards the end, although the pace was quite stable. Average hr for the 7 hours was in fact 168 on a maximum of about 190, so in that sense it was like a race effort, although I was supposedly comfortably within the aerobic realm. Why?

Maybe I was a little tired from working too much and sleeping too little this week, and not 100% recovered from that rehearsal row 6 days ago. Especially my hip extensors started to ache at just about one hour into the row. There were also some technical mistakes made during the row that unnecessarily added the discomfort and potentially the heart rate:

First, I realised pretty fast I had forgotten to spread vaseline onto my bare lats and arms, so when it began to chafe I had to stop and do it. Unfortunately, I was too hasty and didn’t wipe my hands clean, so they began to slip and caused massive blisters on my fingers.

Second, I started to feel the urge to take a leak already within the first hour, but I wanted to put it off a couple of hours so I wouldn’t have to go more than once. As a result, I probably didn’t drink enough and got a little dehydrated. And when I finally went at about 3 hours, I ended up wasting about 1,5 minutes, and got dropped behind the target pace.

Then I began to stress about making up for the lost time and avoided drinking and eating enough because those breaks, even if only couple of seconds, add up and make it hard to catch up on the average split or wattage.

Thirdly, had quite a bit of caffeine before and during the row from an energy drink mix, gels and Coke (almost a gram in total), which may also have some role in raising the heart, who knows? And finally, I rowed in my basement gym with a single fan at about 22C. If I had the choice, I’d prefer way cooler. Like on the patio on a cool day. I’m sure that’s even more important in these long-distance efforts when humidity and heat have more time to accumulate.

Fortunately I got help especially in the second half from my spouse who brought me cold drinks and food to minimise the breaks and save precious seconds. She even put ice inside a ski hat in an attempt to cool me down when I felt I was overheating I doubt I would have managed to hold the target splits today without the assistance, and if I’d seen the target slip beoynd reach I might have lost the motivation to finish altogether.

As for entertainment, I watched Billions from HBO for the first five hours and switched to a metal playlist for the remainder when it started to feel physically harder.

On a positive note, I got away with surprisingly minor butt discomfort. Mostly just some beginning numbness in the last hour, when the mental struggle was already won. I had a hand towel folded twice and did not add more cushioning at any time, although I was prepared with a C2 pad with extra bubble wrap. Also, even though the the hip extensor pain developed early on, it did not get too bad at any stage. In fact I sort of forgot about it and only noticed it again after the row when it was difficult to walk for a while.

As for nutrition and hydration, I mainly relied on ice-cold sports drink with added isomaltulose and bcaa, starting with about 1,5 dl swigs every 20 mins or so. Towards the end, that got a little nauseating, so I had just water with energy gels, and Coke. I also had a protein bar and a Lion chocolate candy bar and some orange and banana bits. That felt about right, although I probably should have drank a little more.

All in all, it was a surprisingly hard row, but I feel fulfilment getting it done, especially in my target time, so I don’t have to try again. Right now it feels unlikely I could muster up the motivation to try and squeeze out a few minutes for a new PB or go for even longer rows. Never say never though.