Training To Break 1:14 - 500m

[aussie nick]

nice update! I'm also thinking about world indoor and yep, it's a rock vs hard place with the distance/time zone for either travelling or competing in the middle of the night.

you were really precise about 3am...have they published start times yet? That might have a bearing on it, but I honestly think I may just go over for the experience. I'm not troubling the podium anyway and think it would be fun. I'm lucky enough that I could go over a week before to acclimatise and be able to work while over there

[Dangerscouse]

Thanks Aussie Nick

Just chipping in with some updates.

Disrupted Training
August started off as a great month of training. We had a few nights away so I planned on a short relaxed training week that week. That was nice...
Then my boy fell ill on the way home, really high fever. I was on seizure watch for 2 nights - pretty much no sleep.
So there went a week of training (fortunately he didn't have any seizures though), as I needed the time off to recover, catch up on work and still monitor him.
Then as I planned on getting back into solid training I caught a cold (no doubt 2 all nighters contributed to this). So it meant I did very little training. Even an aerobic row was miserable.
Towards the end of that I did manage a few strength sessions so that was good.
THEN...Tommy fell ill again. Back on seizure watch and unfortunately he had a really bad one. So I was in hospital with him (no sleep again). Now we're home but he's still ill (tonsolitis) and I'm exhausted. So more seizure watch time and rest when I can get it.

Hopefully all goes well for him and I and I can get in a few sessions this week.

500m retest
I was meant to do this last week - but I had the cold.
So then I thought this week, but my training has been all over the place, I have now pushed it back to next week. ALl going well.

Strength Training
I've spent a lot of time thinking about this of late. I was keen to mix it up and create more of a long term plan. I have used Jim Wendlers 5/3/1 before so that was my go to.
Anyway after wayyyy to much time on this (and at one point looking at 3 or 4 day a week training sessions), i've gone back to sticking with a 2 day - 1x upper 1x lower - session, but using 5/3/1 protocols for my key lifts (deadlifts and squat).

Once I have fine tuned it I will post the program here.
I will stick to my usual week routine as well:

Mon - Sprint intervals
Tues - Lower weights
Wed - Upper Weights
Thurs - Aerobic Row
Friday - extra (sprints, sprints on a bike, skill/technique work, hill sprints, more aerboic work, mobility, rest etc etc - or a combination of things)

Upcoming Dates
So at the end of October there is a virtual indoor rowing 500m event - the Oceania Champs. This is the New Zealand champs aswell.

I'm not going to alter my training for this. I'll just treat the event as my end of month big row.
It should be fun - racing again etc (even though it's virtual).

Then, I see in Feb next year the World Indoor Rowing champs are being held in Toronto.
That could be a really good goal to focus on. HOWEVER - if I were to travel over it would be super pricey for me, and with all the jet lag etc I don't know how decent my performance would be (it's 20 odd hours of flying!)
I could also try and qualify to compete virtually - but then I'd be racing at around 3am in the morning local time!!
So maybe I won't worry too much about this.

The main goal is to break the NZ record - not attend the world champs.
But racing events often bring out the best in people, and are great fun. AND give you a timeline to work with on the training front.

New Low Pull
Oh and despite all of this, I managed to get a session in practicing starts.
And I hit a new Low pull - 1235 watts = 1:05.7 (it was 1:06.4)
So that was a good plus despite the lack of training

I think thats all for now.
Hopefully I get a decent training week in this week and give the 500m a crack next week!

That's very stressful just reading about it, take care ans hopefully things are getting better. That's a very strong LP

[aussie nick]

shit, just realised that I didn't separate all the dramas you had with your son, which is clearly not a 'nice update'. Nothing worse than concerns about your kids' health. It's brutal. Really hope that the dramas recede and we get a healthy boy moving forward

[AlexFergus]

nice update! I'm also thinking about world indoor and yep, it's a rock vs hard place with the distance/time zone for either travelling or competing in the middle of the night.

you were really precise about 3am...have they published start times yet? That might have a bearing on it, but I honestly think I may just go over for the experience. I'm not troubling the podium anyway and think it would be fun. I'm lucky enough that I could go over a week before to acclimatise and be able to work while over there

Oh i just pulled that number from the ether! I think the schedule is meant to be out this year.
The time differences may not be that big of an issue actually. If my race were to be late in the day Toronto time, it would make it a late morning session for me here in NZ.

A 9am Toronto race would be 3am my time though.

I am like you and could easily go over early and work etc. But it's just 1) the costs associated with the trip, 2) it's mid summer here in NZ and mid winter in Canada at that time of the year, 3) right at this very point I'm not even leaving the room my son is recovering in in case he has a follow up seizure - so the thought of being half a world away scares me!

I have been to the Crash-B's before, and it was a fun trip. I would love to attend a world champs in person, but maybe the 2024 event would be better suited for me (kids will be a year older, my times should hopefully be more competitive by then etc).

Are you based on the East coast of Aussie? It would be a mammoth trip for you as well.

Hey and do the Crash-B's still run? What is the bigger event - the World Indoor Rowing Champs or the Crash-Bs?

shit, just realised that I didn't separate all the dramas you had with your son, which is clearly not a 'nice update'. Nothing worse than concerns about your kids' health. It's brutal. Really hope that the dramas recede and we get a healthy boy moving forward

Hey no worries and thanks!
I don't mean to share all my personal dramas with you all, but it does impact my training and also how I do my programming etc. I do appreciate all the support. I have to admit it has been a very stressful, exhausting and flat out horrible few days!

[btlifter]

I don't mean to share all my personal dramas with you all, but it does impact my training and also how I do my programming etc. I do appreciate all the support. I have to admit it has been a very stressful, exhausting and flat out horrible few days!

You'd be hard pressed to find somebody less sensitive to excuses than I am... But, kids' health concerns is an exception and trumps everything. Sending positive thoughts for health your way, mate.

[aussie nick]

Are you based on the East coast of Aussie? It would be a mammoth trip for you as well.

Hey and do the Crash-B's still run? What is the bigger event - the World Indoor Rowing Champs or the Crash-Bs?

I'm based in Sydney so yep...long trip too. I haven't checked but hopefully there are direct flights from SF or LA to Toronto. I've done a lot of long haul flying over the years, although mainly at the front of the plane on business, but I think the flight situation would be bearable...just need to leave 4 or 5 days minimum to recover and manage the jet lag. I have a credit with Delta that I need to use by next June anyway which helps justify it.

either way...long way to go. At this stage I'm just using it as a training goal and I'll make a decision in 3 months time ish.

and most importantly, I hope your son is on the mend

[AlexFergus]

You'd be hard pressed to find somebody less sensitive to excuses than I am... But, kids' health concerns is an exception and trumps everything. Sending positive thoughts for health your way, mate.

Thank you my friend
We all just went out for a farm walk (nice sunny winter's day here). And our house cow has just calved. He is happy and chirpy and finally fever free after 3.5 days. But he often gets these good periods in the day and then it comes roaring back in the evening.

Any other parent with a sick child can put their kid to bed, or give them a video and go and do things around the house (or sleep!). But unfortunately with Thomas's condition he can literally have a seizure at any point (he was sitting on the floor telling us stories on saturday night when the recent one happened). He has also had them in the middle of his sleep.
They're very serious - some have lasted more than 20mins - and he goes through extended periods without breathing. It's terrifying as we also live in a rural area an hours drive from the hospital.

Anyway the anti-seizure medication he has been on meant we went 20 weeks seizure free (a record!) but he still has them when sick. So when he's sick everything stops and I go onto seizure watch mode (my wife looks after our daughter and does the cooking/cleaning etc).

Hopefully with time he will grow out of them, and at the same time we hope we can get the medication right.

If he stays fine this afternoon I'll duck out for some 150m intervals.

[AlexFergus]

Are you based on the East coast of Aussie? It would be a mammoth trip for you as well.

Hey and do the Crash-B's still run? What is the bigger event - the World Indoor Rowing Champs or the Crash-Bs?

I'm based in Sydney so yep...long trip too. I haven't checked but hopefully there are direct flights from SF or LA to Toronto. I've done a lot of long haul flying over the years, although mainly at the front of the plane on business, but I think the flight situation would be bearable...just need to leave 4 or 5 days minimum to recover and manage the jet lag. I have a credit with Delta that I need to use by next June anyway which helps justify it.

either way...long way to go. At this stage I'm just using it as a training goal and I'll make a decision in 3 months time ish.

and most importantly, I hope your son is on the mend

Nice.
I lived in Potts Point/Elizabeth bay for 5 years. Worked at a gym there as a PT. A great city.
And like you I have done a few long haul trips - a 3 day trip to london and back just before covid hit , finland, texas a few times etc But after 2 years without travelling, two little kids, a busy little farmlet etc the thought of leaving the country kinda scares me haha.

But we'll see how things play out. We'll def have to link up if we do both head over Will you race in the Oceania champs in October? It's a virtual event:

https://www.indoorrowing.co.nz/page/events/

[aussie nick]

Are you based on the East coast of Aussie? It would be a mammoth trip for you as well.

Hey and do the Crash-B's still run? What is the bigger event - the World Indoor Rowing Champs or the Crash-Bs?

I'm based in Sydney so yep...long trip too. I haven't checked but hopefully there are direct flights from SF or LA to Toronto. I've done a lot of long haul flying over the years, although mainly at the front of the plane on business, but I think the flight situation would be bearable...just need to leave 4 or 5 days minimum to recover and manage the jet lag. I have a credit with Delta that I need to use by next June anyway which helps justify it.

either way...long way to go. At this stage I'm just using it as a training goal and I'll make a decision in 3 months time ish.

and most importantly, I hope your son is on the mend

Nice.
I lived in Potts Point/Elizabeth bay for 5 years. Worked at a gym there as a PT. A great city.
And like you I have done a few long haul trips - a 3 day trip to london and back just before covid hit , finland, texas a few times etc But after 2 years without travelling, two little kids, a busy little farmlet etc the thought of leaving the country kinda scares me haha.

But we'll see how things play out. We'll def have to link up if we do both head over Will you race in the Oceania champs in October? It's a virtual event:

https://www.indoorrowing.co.nz/page/events/

I'm on the northern beaches. I probably know the gym you worked at though - the one just under Hugo's?

re the Oceania champs I did the 1k last year, which was my first major comp and I thought it was well organised. fyi, it's actually an Open event, so while it's NZ/Aus it got quite a few European entrants last year.

I'm travelling with the family to Europe for 3 weeks from mid Sept to early Oct so I won't be in tip top form but I'll have a couple of weeks to get something together and will probably enter the 1k or 500. I actually have the NSW champs 36 hours after I return which will be more interesting. I'm a medal whore and the standard wasn't great last year, so it'll be tempting. But I can't imagine my body will be capable of much

[AlexFergus]

I'm on the northern beaches. I probably know the gym you worked at though - the one just under Hugo's?

re the Oceania champs I did the 1k last year, which was my first major comp and I thought it was well organised. fyi, it's actually an Open event, so while it's NZ/Aus it got quite a few European entrants last year.

I'm travelling with the family to Europe for 3 weeks from mid Sept to early Oct so I won't be in tip top form but I'll have a couple of weeks to get something together and will probably enter the 1k or 500. I actually have the NSW champs 36 hours after I return which will be more interesting. I'm a medal whore and the standard wasn't great last year, so it'll be tempting. But I can't imagine my body will be capable of much

The Gym was called PE Dept. Over by the Harris Farm store.

Ahh tricky. Yeah racing so soon after a a big trip will be tough, especially if it's a longer event. You might be able to row the 500m on adrenaline alone though

[Erik A]

damn thats no good about your son.
my wife has seizures although not to the extent your son has by the sounds of things.
the medication she is on stops the full blown seizures but one of the side effects is seizures which happen at night usually and she went from 1 or 2 big ones a year to one every 4 weeks but minor ones that happen when shes asleep and she doesnt know anything has happened unless i tell her. Drs dont know whats causing them either and as shes in her 50s they are not that interested. just keep adding more medication etc etc. which we are fighting as to be honest the medication isnt doing anything at all. another side effect is short term memory loss which is a bonus except that we have the same conversation several times a day sometimes within minutes of each other. however the flip side is that i can say i told her something (like a boys night out) and she has forgotten it even though i havent said anything i dont do that as thats just not fair

anyway hope your boy settles down and its not a big issue going forward
i also have had a cold that isnt going away.. had it for 3 weeks now and no letup. pretty mild its just a blocked nose but for 3 weeks...

[AlexFergus]

damn thats no good about your son.
my wife has seizures although not to the extent your son has by the sounds of things.
the medication she is on stops the full blown seizures but one of the side effects is seizures which happen at night usually and she went from 1 or 2 big ones a year to one every 4 weeks but minor ones that happen when shes asleep and she doesnt know anything has happened unless i tell her. Drs dont know whats causing them either and as shes in her 50s they are not that interested. just keep adding more medication etc etc. which we are fighting as to be honest the medication isnt doing anything at all. another side effect is short term memory loss which is a bonus except that we have the same conversation several times a day sometimes within minutes of each other. however the flip side is that i can say i told her something (like a boys night out) and she has forgotten it even though i havent said anything i dont do that as thats just not fair

anyway hope your boy settles down and its not a big issue going forward
i also have had a cold that isnt going away.. had it for 3 weeks now and no letup. pretty mild its just a blocked nose but for 3 weeks...

Oh gosh your poor wife.
Have you spoken to a different doctor? Definitely sounds like a case for another type of medication.
Thank you for your support as well.
Cold's - annoying things huh?! I think a short sharp dose of the flu is better - suffer for a few days then you're back on track. A lingering cold is just bloody annoying!

[AlexFergus]

So i managed to duck out to the gym for an hour this afternoon.
I got 6 hours sleep last night (best I've had in ages) so I thought I'd be ok...

I was wrong.

First thing I noticed was my weight - down over 3kgs since my last time in the gym (Friday I think). I haven't seen 103kg for months!! Eeek.

Then the warmup row - a 2000m row holding 200watts - felt very laboured - .. HR was also very high afterwards.

Into the sprints. First two of 10 I was red lining to hold pace.
By the 4th one I knew I was not ready to train hard. I stopped after the 5th.

I don't know what is worst - missing training because of injury/illness/or in my case caring for others - especially when training has being so good prior.
OR
Training and going backwards.



Anyway, i just need more rest (and food).
I'll aim to get some weight sessions in tomorrow and the following day.

[GlennUk]

I don't know what is worst - missing training because of injury/illness/or in my case caring for others - especially when training has being so good prior.
OR
Training and going backwards.

FWIW if it was easy there would be little point, two steps forward and one step back is entirely normal as far as i can work out, whatever your age and ability.

Not all the time but occasionally of course.

I know the problem with a child who is constantly ill, my daughter had constantly recurring bouts of tonsillitis back to back for months. Every time she fineid a course of antibiotics it returned within a few days when she was between the ages of 4 - 5.5 years. In the end a tonsillectomy resolved the problem, but for a while it was constant sleepless nights for all.

I have no doubt you will be back to form shortly, and hopefully things will improve with your son.

[AlexFergus]

I don't know what is worst - missing training because of injury/illness/or in my case caring for others - especially when training has being so good prior.
OR
Training and going backwards.

FWIW if it was easy there would be little point, two steps forward and one step back is entirely normal as far as i can work out, whatever your age and ability.

Not all the time but occasionally of course.

I know the problem with a child who is constantly ill, my daughter had constantly recurring bouts of tonsillitis back to back for months. Every time she fineid a course of antibiotics it returned within a few days when she was between the ages of 4 - 5.5 years. In the end a tonsillectomy resolved the problem, but for a while it was constant sleepless nights for all.

I have no doubt you will be back to form shortly, and hopefully things will improve with your son.

Yeah, the annoying thing was I was making good progress, and now I've had 3-4 weeks with terrible performance (on the erg at least, my gym numbers are still going up).
And then it becomes a mental game - you're in a rut, you're nervous about a session, you start off and you realise you're behind your goal pace, you fail, you feel sad etc. It repeats.

So I just need to get on and finish a session and not care about the numbers. That is today's plan!

Daughter - oh gosh. I have heard similar horror stories about kids and tonsillitis. Parenting is hard isn't it. What a journey it takes you on.