Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club (UK)

[Two Pudding Kid]

21 Feb - 3 x 1k r2 at 2:07.7 and 29spm. Very happy with that as a finish before the World Championships
26 Feb - the big one. Lucky it was afternoon race slot as there always so much to do with the shopping, cleaning etc. No weigh-in as I had opted not to get involved in proving LWT. Loaded up on coffee and chocolate to keep me going from 11am, (race 2:48). Arrived at trainer's garage at around 1:45, in plenty of time to set up the race system and video, as well as a 12-15 min warmup. It was a long hold on the start, but then we are off. Due to the chaos about the roof, mums fraility etc I decided that I couldnt take any chances with my back, let alone that I would have to do much faster than an SB to catch up anyone in front of me. Stuck on around 31spm and 2:08s with pulling a little back at the finish. Result 8:33.8, (probably the sort of palindrome you would be proud of, but not quite the 8:32 hoped). 8 out of 8, but relief that I had avoided Covid/injury etc, and the technology worked, (2 laptops and a test run required) https://worldrowing.com/event/2022-worl ... mpionships and go to 4 hours 49 to see.
28 Feb - not ever going to find much pace but 4 x 1500m r2:30 at 2:12.5 did here as working towards a 6k
4 Mar - now mum admitted to hospital I had to take my chance on getting out for a session. 10k here we come - and 16 secs off my SB . Very nearly got the sub 45 minutes, but just couldnt find the power at the end and needed to settle for 45:02.2. Ecstatic about that, especially the steady pacing at 28spm.
6 Mar 30 mins for C2CTC. Only 36 hours after the previous session was always going to be a trial. Doing great for the first 21 minutes and then had to ease off. Target was 6754 rather than 6724m which I actually did, but not far away. 2:13.8 pace and only 20m shy of a SB. Another go beckons, and was LWT too.

Mum now home after IV Antibiotics for a foot infection. Treatment is carrying on at home, but hoping to get at least some sessions in. Thursday I think is 3 x 2500m, and then some sort of attempt on 4:10 for a 1k result at the weekend. I am beginning to notice problems probably related to my right hip now wearing but hoping to avoid the operation for a while yet. Walking continuously for an hour is now painful and slow, and range of motion is being rather affected in that joint.

[Two Pudding Kid]

1k at r24 - I know there was a reason, but I think this was training rather than a challenge. Half marathon to come soon.

Excellent work on your 8x500 3:30r and 1:41.4 average. Your 5 x 2k r2 at 2:02 pace is looking good. 3 x 3333 r3 at 20spm sounds interesting.


Sorry to hear that you needed to go outpatients for washing out sawdust out of your eyes. A very creditable performance on the 9 x 1k r0.

Hope spring is round the corner, and that your back is much better than a couple of weeks ago.

[Two Pudding Kid]

10 March - 3 x 2500m r2:30. Target was 2:13 and actually made 2:12.6 Hard work but pleased. Good test before the 5k, 2k 500m in the Somerset 525 challenge in 2 weeks.

Sunday will hopefully do the 1k.

[MPx]

Thanks for the update Susan. Glad that your back issues appear to have receded again as no mention of it affecting recent efforts. Also good that your Mum is some way down her recovery path. But less good news on your (other!) hip but I guess waiting as long as poss will pay back in the end with less replacements every 10 years or so.

Impressive 10k SB and so close to that 45min target. Of course the crowning glory was the 8:33.8 - a far better result than 8:32 given all the OCD points that attracts! Enjoyed watching the race - thanks for posting. Well done too for sticking with the 30 mins for the CTC despite the dead legs and not a bad result at all. And well inside that pace for your 3x2500 shows that you could have done it faster if fresher.

Best of luck with the 1k tomorrow...

[MPx]

Latest from me:

24/2 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm with 14 min targets. So near, just one 0.1 over.
25/2 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.1
28/2 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm with 14 min targets.
1/3 16x250m 90"r 3x 1:39/8/7/6/5 and a faster last for a 1:36.9 avg
2/3 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.1
3/3 30 mins varipace from 1:55>2:04 and back and back for 7575m
4/3 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm 21 min targets
5/3 30 mins for the CTC. Trying for a 1:54 pace and managed 7878m @ 1:54.2 so happy enough with that.
6/3 6k SS @ 20 spm UT2 with 25min target
7/3 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.2
8/3 4x250 90"r @ 2:00/1:50/1:40/1:30 as 1k prep, then 5k @20 spm with 21 min target.
9/3 1k TT for the Sub7 ITC and WRIVS. Stuck to my race plan of 200m each @ 1:36/7/8/9/40 and came in with 3:15.8. Not my best this year but near enough and good enough for a Bronze in the 60+ WRIVS. Yippeee!
10/3 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm with 14 min targets. Spot on !!
11/3 4k/3k/2k/1k @ 18/20/22/24 spm and 2:07.5/2:05/2:00/1:50
12/3 30 mins varipace from 1:55>2:04 and back and back for 7575m
13/3 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.3
14/3 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm 21 min targets
15/3 6k SS @ 20 spm UT2 with 25 min target
16/3 RS sprint pyramid 250>1k and back 90"r per 250m. Targets 1:39/1:41/1:43/1:45 and back. Avg achieved 1:41.8 Good!
17/3 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.3
18/3 5x2k 2r @ 20 spm. Target 8:08s but after 2x 8:07.9 stuck with that and nearly a full house ... just one .1 under.

[MPx]

Its been a while ... again, so here's the latest:

19/3 4min TT ...aborted. The 4min is the only ranking distance that I've not done myself justice at this season. I need to try one on a good day...but sadly this wasn't it. Bailed early and just targeted 1111m - somewhat short of the 1200 needed!
20/3 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm UT2. Targets were 14 mins. Near enough.
22/3 6x500m 2r. Started sub 1:42 and managed to keep it there with a faster last for a 1:40.9 average. Pleased with that as only been sub 1:41 avg a few times in recent years.
23/3 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.3
24/3 5k @ 20 spm UT2. 21 min target.
25/3 2x5k @ 20 spm UT2. 21 min targets.
26/3 6k @ 20 spm UT2. 25 min target
28/3 10k TT for the IRL and FMMC. Set off at 1:55 pace but it wasn't happening so slowed to 1:59s after 2k. Pushed the last 1k back to 1:54, but finished at 39:06.6 - very disappointing to not even dip under 39min. Oh dear!
29/3 10x1min 1r. Target was 301s. Managed 301s and 2s with a faster last for a 3029 total - that's more like it!
30/3 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.2
31/3 30 mins vari pace from 1:55>2:04 and back and back for 7557m
1/4 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm with 14 min targets - almost spot on but total rounded down .1
2/4 5x3m 1r @ 27/30/33/30/27spm for the CTC. Tough to work out what was possible. Decided I would target 1/5 as 810 @ 1:51; 2/4 as 825 @ 1:49 and 3 as 1:46.6. for a 4114m total. Stuck to targets but mild overshhots meant I hit 4123m total. I may have been able to get a few more meters if I'd attacked harder, but it was a good 95%+ effort.
3/4 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.7
5/4 8x500m 3:30r. Too tired for this really but just set a slightly lower target of 1:44.9s with a faster last. Avg was 1:43.5.

[Two Pudding Kid]

Oh dear - another long gap since I reported, (good news is that I have still been doing my ergo madness).

13 March - 1k in 4:10.6 35spm for the World Ergo sprints, (keep missing the sub 4:10)
17 March 3 x 1609mr3 at 2:09.7 ave 29spm. Killer practise for 5k training
18 March 7 x 750m r1:30 2:13.3 at 28-29spm
20 March 30 mins at 2:12.9 pace 27spm 6772m. SB. Could be a 92% ranking.
25 March 5k in 21:54.2 [(Day 1 of Somerset challenge and fastest 5k of season)
26 March 2k in 8:38.8 (Day 2 of Somerset challenge and under my 8 mins 40 secs target)
27 March 500m in 2:04.8 (Day 3 of Somerset challenge, not what I wanted but couldnt stick the pace)
28 March first go at 27/30/33/30/27spm for 3 mins r1 challenge 2:12.3 average
31 March 4 x 2k at 24spm sub 2:20 pace 12 pressups in rest breaks

[Two Pudding Kid]

A bit more:

1 April - to celebrate Fools Day I did 100 floors on the stairclimber in 20 mins and 15 secs to give indoor rowing a rest after the previous day
3 April - Half marathon ergo in 1:39.59.2, which is 2:22.1 pace. Just snuck under 1 hour 40 mins but started off too fast. Practise run for Finnish virtual race which was just inside target.
6 April - the 27, 30, 33, 30, 27spm for 3 minutes each marlarky that was the C2CTC. 3489m in total for the 15 minutes averaging 2:09 pace
10 April - 6k in 26:33.1 which was a SB although dearly wanted 26:29, (now on a mission to achieve that by end of May)
14 April - 4 x 2500m at sub 2:15 pace and 2 minute rests, what a killer
18 April - having hoped that the previous session would set me up nicely for 10k I fell apart and did 45:28 which was disappointing
23 April - Finnish ergo halfmarathon. With 3 other virtual contenders there was no way of knowing what I was up against. Pleased to do 1:39:31.1 which is 2:21.5 pace and SB for silver, (bit lucky as I was 6 minutes late uploading the result as I am so useless with phones ) Medal in the post and million meters in the season sorted.
28 April - varipace 7k with 32 minutes split into 2 minute segments of spm 20, 26, 21, 26, 22, 26, 23 , 26 twice round. Nearly thought I had gone a stroke short once, but turned out ok

2 May - half marathon again for the love of it. First one on Sub7 website for current challenge. 1:39.55.1 which is 2:22.0. As my brother had tested positive for COVID I had to rush this out so to fit in with getting food for him. Amazingly I am 1 out of 16 in the 50-59 ranking - keep expecting to see a faster time but hanging on in there. Plan to do another half marathon in May.

[MPx]

Glad to see you've been ticking along nicely on the erg Susan. Looks very much you back to normal, knocking out HMs for a pasttime. Congrats on the Silver medal and No 1 ranking!! Best of luck for the sub 26:30 6k by the end of May and also to your brother for a speedy recovery. Take care of yourself and do your best to avoid catching that lurgy.

Latest from me:
6/4 5x2k 2r @ 20 spm targets 8:08. So close, just 0.1 under on the last.
7/4 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.4
8/4 6k @ 20 spm UT2 target 25 min
9/4 6k TT. Target sub 23 mins, managed 22:41.7
11/4 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.3
12/4 30 mins varipace for 7333m
13/4 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm UT2 targets 14 mins. Just 0.1 under on the last (again!)
14/4 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm UT2 targets 21 mins. Spot on.
16/4 500m TT for the IRL/FMMC. Target sub 1:30, managed 1:28.9.
17/4 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm UT2 targets 21 mins.
18/4 6k SS @ 20 spm UT2 target 25 mins.
19/4 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.4
20/4 30 mins varipace from 1:55>2:04 and back and back for 7575m
21/4 5x2k 2r @ 20 spm targets 8:08.
24/4 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.1
25/4 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm UT2 targets 14 mins.
26/4 Was supposed to be a final attempt at a decent 4min score before the end of the season - usually a strong event for me but not this year for some reason and the only ranking piece I'm not satisfied with. Anyway, another epic fail - backed off the pace at the half way point. Used the anger afterwards in a 100m sprint and equalled my PB!
28/4 4x1500m 5r. I've been avoiding hard long intervals fortoo long and have decided that has to stop. With such a long gap since I last did this piece, setting a target pace was awkward, but it went about right - very hard but able to finish! @ 1:52.3; 1:51.9; 1:51.0; and 1:48.8 for a 1:51.0 avg. Also made my season meters upto 2,525,252 which is the furthest yet.

New Season
1/5 5x2k 2r @ 20 spm with a rate and pace pyramid 20/22/24/22/20 2:02/2:00/1:56/2:00/2:02.
2/5 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.2
3/5 10x100m 1r for the CTC. Very hard to get the timing of the first stroke right and there's a half second to be won/lost there. But overall happy to keep all 10 at 17 secs or below for a 2:48.7 total. Wasn't that long ago that my 100m PB was high 16s just for one! But very tough on the back!
4/5 30 mins varipace from 1:55>2:04 and back and back for 7557m
5/5 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm UT2 targets 21 mins.

[Two Pudding Kid]

Mike - I might get uptodate one day.

Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.x - seems like your all-time favourite session. Well done on your 3x3333m 3r @ 20 spm successes for spot on 14 minute intervals. April C2CTC was definitely an experiment on possibilities. I can see lots of variation on 10k and the 30 mins theme. Brilliant 1k TT for 3rd in the World Sprints 60+ and great work on the 10 x 1 min 1r for 3029m.

[Two Pudding Kid]

Mike - well done on going sub 23 minutes for the 6k TT and sub 1:30 TT April challenges. Nicely landed 2,525,252 for the season, (way over my 1 million which I just scraped in). The current C2CTC - definitely back safety first on that but hats off to anyone going sub 3 minutes.

Me -

6 May - 3k, 2k, 1k 1r at increasing pace. Disappointing not to be able to average 2:13 pace but only 4 days after half marathon
8 May - 10 x 100m r1. Was always going to be laughably bad at this. Even with long flying starts only managed sub 24 secs 3 of the reps. 4:02.8 total
9 May - "Death by Calorie" challenge. First min 1 calorie, 2nd min 2 calories, 3rd min 3 calories etc with no rest. Got to 14 reps and then missed when I didnt come racing out on the 15th. Not my idea but the first week of the "Viking Challenge" https://www.vikingergchallenge.com/
10 May - narked by the fact that 15 calories a minute should be doable (about 2:06 pace) went in for the 2nd attempt and grimly hung on
12 May - more 6k training 2k, 3k, 1k r1. Pleased to keep to 2:12 pace for the 3k. Total 26:37.6
15 May - half marathon in 1:39:58.7. Gutted to die in the last 500m but my body just said "no" to a decent finish. 3 secs slower than previous.

Need to find a 6k TT tonight. Anything close to 26:36 or 2:13 pace would be great.

[MPx]

Thanks Susan good of you to note my nonsense. In my program I do two Dumbbell sessions per week and typically follow the weights with an 8k SS piece so that's why it comes up so often. The interesting bits are Sprints (typically Tuesdays) and supposedly long intervals towards the end of the week - but I find them very hard and have become imaginative in finding reasons to leave them out. I often do one of the monthly competitions on a Saturday. Otherwise is all UT2 stuff cut up in whatever way appeals on the day. Any day that's a 6k SS just means I was knackered before I started and its a de-minimis before my shower! On all of the slow stuff I'm trying to hit specific numbers - typically palindromes or OCD screens - for absolutely no reason other than making me concentrate on anything other than the boredom or pain! Biggest change for this season will be to try to get back to a regular hard session of long intervals once a week - easier said than done.

Looks like you are still hitting most of your targets even if at second attempt on the Calorie challenge. That's very good going considering most of your sessions are hard - very little UT2 filler, so each piece is likely to bite. Hope your 6k worked out as you hoped (2:13ish pace) - but my thought is so soon after an HM might make it a stretch. Although given you do them so often, maybe not. Whatever, keep 'em coming.

[MPx]

Latest from me:

6/5 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.3 (spot on!)
7/5 6k SS @ 20 spm UT2 with 25 min target
8/5 3x2r 5r. Long Intervals! Target Sub 7:30s. 7:29.9/7:29.4/7:28.6 for a 1:52.3 avg pace.
9/5 6k SS @ 20 spm UT2 with 25 min target
10/5 3x3333 3r @ 20 spm UT2 with 14 min targets
11/5 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.1
12/5 6k SS @ 20 spm UT2 with 25 min target
13/5 30 mins varipace from 1:55>2:04 and back and back for 7575m
15/5 HM for the Sub7 ITC and C2 Century Challenge. Set off too fast and suffered badly for it. Managed to hang in and grind it out but only 1:25:31.1 which was much slower than last year. Very disappointing - should be beyond schollboy errors at my age and after 25 years erging!
16/5 6k SS @ 20 spm UT2 with 25 min target.
18/5 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.4
19/5 30 mins varipace from 1:55>2:04 and back and back for 7557m
20/5 AWL Pyramid @ 20 spm. Pace 1:57 up, 2:00 down with 32 min target
21/5 4x1k 3:30r. The dreaded long intervals. Was doing these avg in the 1:46s previous seasons but avoided all last year so decided to try to neg from 1:48.5. After struggling through the first (!) revised target and managed to hit all four spot on 3:37.0 @ 1:48.5. Another disappointment, but something to build from I guess!

[MPx]

And some more:

22/5 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.0
23/5 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm Targets 21 mins
24/5 16x250 90"r. Target was 3x 1:39/8/7/6/5 and a faster last - got all that with a 1:36.9 avg
25/5 3x3333 3r @ 20 spm UT2 targets 14 min.
26/5 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.8. Did this at lunchtime (early for me) and before a blood donation in the afternoon.
27/5 6k SS @ 20 spm Target 25 mins.
28/5 5x2k 2r @ 20 spm Targets 8:08 min
29/5 Dumbbells and 8k @ 20 spm in 33:03.1
30/5 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm Targets 21 mins

As usual heart rate elevated (up to 10bpm more than last week) on all pieces following the blood letting but hopefully will drop back to normal soon.

[Two Pudding Kid]

Mike - A lot of catching up to do. Seem to be going through the doldrums at the moment, but a few good things have happened.

18 May - 6k in 26:31.5 27spm - lovely TT for long section of American challenge, couldnt ask for more
19 May - 600m in 2:32.8 or 2:06.7 pace - the sprint section of week 2 of American challenge, poor
20 May - 30 mins r20 2:22.5 pace - no power
23 May - Easy 1 min 4 min x 4 - 2:16.0 pace - a test piece of fast and slow
27 May - 1 min 4 min x 4 average 2:12.5 pace - continual 20 minute piece of varipace
29 May - 6000m + 500m in 29:19.5 no rest - test run for German challenge, better than last year
30 May - 2k at 20spm 2:19.9 pace - rather a slog
1 June - 6k in parts in 26:37.5 - really couldnt hack that
4 June - 6k in 27:25 followed by 500m in 2:09.8 German challenge for June, just couldnt accelerate at the end even though slower in 6k
11 June - 2k at 2:23.7 pace and 22spm (post back issue) just pootling after minor back strain
13 June - 5k in 22:29.9 and 29spm getting back into it
16 June - 6k in parts in 26:26.5 promising
17 June - Easy 20 mins just burning a few calories
19 June - 4 x 2k r4 slowest to count 8:57.6 yippee, a very impressive result
20 June - 6 x 500m sub 2:10 ave sounds easy but puffing away here
23 June - 6k in parts in 26:14 thats how to do it 2:11.2 pace
27 June - 2k warmup and mobilise looks like treacle so didnt pursue the 5k TT
29 June - 5k TT in 22:05 paid for being cocky that I could go sub 22 minutes. Last 1500m was dire.
30 June - 3k in 13:14.5 fast and slow sprint that should have come in under 13 minutes but fell apart in middle. Good idea but bad execution.

Now needing to do a 5k, 100m, 2k at the weekend. Noticing that my strength seems to have disappeared particularly in upper body so will need to work on that more. Hoping to find my sparkle again.