New Personal Best! Brag About That New Pb!

[Jbrown1215]

It's been a fairly big week mileage-wise so far but the excitement has returned and I've felt a bit fresher mentally now that the 2k is done and dusted. I've been looking forward to getting back to some of the longer distances for some time now. Out of my season's bests, my half marathon was the "softest" and was ripe for another attempt, the last one having been in July. I was going back and forth on whether to do 4x2k/5:00r this afternoon or the HM, and decided during my drive home from work to give the HM a go as I had a bit of extra time this afternoon.

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M
1:14:23.4	21,097m	1:45.7	296	1317	27
14:05.4	4,000m	1:45.6	297	1320	27
14:08.5	8,000m	1:46.0	293	1309	27
14:09.6	12,000m	1:46.2	292	1305	27
14:10.0	16,000m	1:46.2	292	1304	27
14:06.9	20,000m	1:45.8	295	1315	27
3:43.0	21,097m	1:41.6	333	1447	30

If I've learned anything from the last year or so of training, it's that I tend to do best at any sort of "test" or time trial when I decide to do it rather spur-of-the-moment. Critically, I have less time to think about it, giving less of an opportunity for my "pre-race" anxiety to take hold, and I usually leave myself *just* enough time to down my pre-workout drink, warm up for a bit, before getting right to it.

Today's HM was no exception. It's a daunting distance, and I can honestly only really "get up" for a max-effort HM a couple times a year as it truly empties the well both mentally and physically. Although I thankfully didn't come close to blowing at any point today, I was pressing close to the red line, and had to go deep into my bag of mind games to stay focused and on-pace through the middle 10-12k.

Very pleased with the execution, and this result places me 1st in the C2 HM rankings for the 40-49 age group this season (3rd across all age groups). I can safely say there will not be another attempt for some time .

I look forward to tackling the 1402 CTC tomorrow in honor of Carole McNally but otherwise it'll be a Zone 2 day at most. My glutes are killing me...

[Dangerscouse]

It's been a fairly big week mileage-wise so far but the excitement has returned and I've felt a bit fresher mentally now that the 2k is done and dusted. I've been looking forward to getting back to some of the longer distances for some time now. Out of my season's bests, my half marathon was the "softest" and was ripe for another attempt, the last one having been in July. I was going back and forth on whether to do 4x2k/5:00r this afternoon or the HM, and decided during my drive home from work to give the HM a go as I had a bit of extra time this afternoon.

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M
1:14:23.4	21,097m	1:45.7	296	1317	27
14:05.4	4,000m	1:45.6	297	1320	27
14:08.5	8,000m	1:46.0	293	1309	27
14:09.6	12,000m	1:46.2	292	1305	27
14:10.0	16,000m	1:46.2	292	1304	27
14:06.9	20,000m	1:45.8	295	1315	27
3:43.0	21,097m	1:41.6	333	1447	30

If I've learned anything from the last year or so of training, it's that I tend to do best at any sort of "test" or time trial when I decide to do it rather spur-of-the-moment. Critically, I have less time to think about it, giving less of an opportunity for my "pre-race" anxiety to take hold, and I usually leave myself *just* enough time to down my pre-workout drink, warm up for a bit, before getting right to it.

Today's HM was no exception. It's a daunting distance, and I can honestly only really "get up" for a max-effort HM a couple times a year as it truly empties the well both mentally and physically. Although I thankfully didn't come close to blowing at any point today, I was pressing close to the red line, and had to go deep into my bag of mind games to stay focused and on-pace through the middle 10-12k.

Very pleased with the execution, and this result places me 1st in the C2 HM rankings for the 40-49 age group this season (3rd across all age groups). I can safely say there will not be another attempt for some time .

I'm running out of superlatives for you. This is astonishingly good. You nearly rowed at sub 7 pace for a HM and somewhere around 5k to go you properly cranked it up. Unbelievable.

I'm also really shocked that there's two better performances

[MPx]

Stunning!

[Jbrown1215]

I'm running out of superlatives for you. This is astonishingly good. You nearly rowed at sub 7 pace for a HM and somewhere around 5k to go you properly cranked it up. Unbelievable.

I'm also really shocked that there's two better performances

Stunning!

Thanks Stu & Mike. No superlatives needed; just stubborn persistence .

The two HM results ahead of me on the overall leaderboard are light years ahead, nearly a full 2 minutes, and I'd wager are fairly safe at the top this season. Anyone who wants to challenge them will certainly have to walk through fire to do it. I just happened to edge out lightweight legend Keith Darby for the 3rd spot by 0.4 seconds. Believe it or not I hadn't checked the leaderboard beforehand, so although it may seem like it, I wasn't gunning for Keith's time. He's an animal!

[Dangerscouse]

Believe it or not I hadn't checked the leaderboard beforehand, so although it may seem like it, I wasn't gunning for Keith's time. He's an animal!

Keith is phenomenal and ageing isn't slowing him down. Year after year he keeps on achieving.

[alex9026]

lightweight legend Keith Darby

This bit stood out for me, incredible stuff. As we discussed elsewhere Justin, not to diminish from your time

The persistence, consistency and effort you put in last calendar year is really paying off now. No attempted shortcuts taken, just turning up day in day out.

[Dangerscouse]

The persistence, consistency and effort you put in last calendar year is really paying off now. No attempted shortcuts taken, just turning up day in day out.

That's something that can get lost in the mix, as it's all too easy to look enviously at results / PBs but not give enough credit for the sheer hard work that goes into getting there.

[HornetMaX]

I'm slowly recovering from an health issue and 1 month totally off, but boy ... this thread really keeps me hooked.
So many inspiring performances at any level, from amateur to enthusiast to world records !

[p_b82]

It's been a fairly big week mileage-wise so far but the excitement has returned and I've felt a bit fresher mentally now that the 2k is done and dusted. I've been looking forward to getting back to some of the longer distances for some time now. Out of my season's bests, my half marathon was the "softest" and was ripe for another attempt, the last one having been in July. I was going back and forth on whether to do 4x2k/5:00r this afternoon or the HM, and decided during my drive home from work to give the HM a go as I had a bit of extra time this afternoon.

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M
1:14:23.4	21,097m	1:45.7	296	1317	27
14:05.4	4,000m	1:45.6	297	1320	27
14:08.5	8,000m	1:46.0	293	1309	27
14:09.6	12,000m	1:46.2	292	1305	27
14:10.0	16,000m	1:46.2	292	1304	27
14:06.9	20,000m	1:45.8	295	1315	27
3:43.0	21,097m	1:41.6	333	1447	30

If I've learned anything from the last year or so of training, it's that I tend to do best at any sort of "test" or time trial when I decide to do it rather spur-of-the-moment. Critically, I have less time to think about it, giving less of an opportunity for my "pre-race" anxiety to take hold, and I usually leave myself *just* enough time to down my pre-workout drink, warm up for a bit, before getting right to it.

Today's HM was no exception. It's a daunting distance, and I can honestly only really "get up" for a max-effort HM a couple times a year as it truly empties the well both mentally and physically. Although I thankfully didn't come close to blowing at any point today, I was pressing close to the red line, and had to go deep into my bag of mind games to stay focused and on-pace through the middle 10-12k.

Very pleased with the execution, and this result places me 1st in the C2 HM rankings for the 40-49 age group this season (3rd across all age groups). I can safely say there will not be another attempt for some time .

I look forward to tackling the 1402 CTC tomorrow in honor of Carole McNally but otherwise it'll be a Zone 2 day at most. My glutes are killing me...

that pace for a HM is insane for me to comprehend - Huge congrats on the time and the obvious effort that is "unseen" day in day out!

[reuben]

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M
1:14:23.4	21,097m	1:45.7	296	1317	27
14:05.4	4,000m	1:45.6	297	1320	27
14:08.5	8,000m	1:46.0	293	1309	27
14:09.6	12,000m	1:46.2	292	1305	27
14:10.0	16,000m	1:46.2	292	1304	27
14:06.9	20,000m	1:45.8	295	1315	27
3:43.0	21,097m	1:41.6	333	1447	30

that pace for a HM is insane for me to comprehend - Huge congrats on the time and the obvious effort that is "unseen" day in day out!

Truth. Granted, I have a few decades on Mr. Brown, but I can't do 2k at 2:00, much less 20k at significantly sub 2:00.

[KeithT]

Post moved to different section

[Jbrown1215]

Keith is phenomenal and ageing isn't slowing him down. Year after year he keeps on achieving.

No doubt. My brain breaks when I try and think about being ~160-165lbs, rowing at r30 for more than an hour at a ~1:45 pace... I believe he's posted a sub-1:14 HM at some point in his 40s so he's an absolute cardio machine!

This bit stood out for me, incredible stuff. As we discussed elsewhere Justin, not to diminish from your time
The persistence, consistency and effort you put in last calendar year is really paying off now. No attempted shortcuts taken, just turning up day in day out.

That's something that can get lost in the mix, as it's all too easy to look enviously at results / PBs but not give enough credit for the sheer hard work that goes into getting there.

that pace for a HM is insane for me to comprehend - Huge congrats on the time and the obvious effort that is "unseen" day in day out!

One of the things I love about rowing (and other endurance sports I've dabbled in over the years), and part of the reason I think I've come back to the sport with such zeal, is the relative simplicity in what it takes to get faster. There are no secrets nor shortcuts (PEDs aside!), and the path to improvement is very well established, unlike my other favorite sport -- golf -- where the entirety of the game often feels like a complete mystery to me even after the hundreds of rounds I've logged...

Simple does not mean "easy", but anyone who is willing to commit the time, energy, and focus to rowing that it demands WILL make significant progress.