The Road to Boston 2007

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » November 5th, 2006, 1:22 pm

Nice job on the test, Chris! negative splits, that's how I would like mine to go. How much improvement was there over your original test?

I've been doing all UT1, UT2, and AT strapless but plan on testing and doing TR and AN strapped in.

As for your shoulder/neck pain: it is fine to try for extra reach at the catch, but your head should be level and your shoulders relaxed and down. Your body angle, once set (which should probably happen by the time you are moving up the slide on the recovery) should not change. So if you want more reach, have more of a forward lean from the outset, with back straight, shoulders relaxed but not hunched forward. The body angle should stay set the same way as you drive back with the legs, the back only opening out once there is no further potential of moving the handle back with the legs; then when the back is no longer able to pull the handle back (without actually lying down on the rail), the arms are allowed to pull into and past the body to complete the stroke.

I have found myself tensing my shoulders sometimes, and when I remind myself to relax the shoulders, I see an immediate drop in the pace/500 of about a second. Part of this is due, I think, to the fact that when the shoulders are relaxed, you get a better follow through at the finish of the stroke, allowing the handle to come in to the body further with the elbows continuing past the body in an effortless way. If you try to purposely reach forward at the catch to get more reach and then to pull back further at the finish it isn't as effective as just relaxing and allowing these motions to happen, and having the body angle set properly at the catch without a forward lunge. At least that is how it is for me--but I'm not a coach or an expert so take this with a pound of salt!

ChrisH · Post by **ChrisH** » November 5th, 2006, 1:55 pm

Hi Will,Tom and Carla,
My PB is 7:32,25spm, at a race in 2003. My goal for this year is 7:2_. My stroke rate continues to be an area for improvement. At the end of todays test I felt very strong legs, but the problem is getting enough air. I always monitor my HR but for this test I left it off. I was concerned that the numbers would be unacceptable.

Generally my legs felt unstressed but I was gasping for air at the end. What does this indicate?
Carla- thanks for the advice. I always enjoy reading your posts. My last test was a 2:03.6 at 25spm after taking the Summer off from training. Wish I hadn't done that now.
Chris

TomR · Post by **TomR** » November 5th, 2006, 3:39 pm

You are going into oxygen debt doing a 2k--approx 20% of the energy is anaerobic. So if you improve your aerobic capacity, you'll be able to go faster, but you'll still do about 20% of the 2k using the anaerobic system and end up gasping to make up that oxygen debt.

In addition, according to my rudimentary understanding of physiology, gasping means, among other things, that you've got a lot of lactate building up in your system, which through a magical process breaks down into CO2 in the blood, which somehow arrives in the lungs, forcing you to exhale madly, i.e. gasp. Apparently, you are not simply gasping for air, but you are expelling by-products that compromise your performance.

The grim fact is there's no way to do a hard 2k w/out gasping.

I'd welcome a correction if I've got this wrong.

Tom

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » November 5th, 2006, 6:13 pm

Well, I couldn't reisist, and decided to switch today's dull 3 x 10 UT1 with a 30 min. with a straight 30 min AT. Max target for AT is 1:59/26. I wanted to break 7500m in 30 min so I aimed for 2:00/25 spm to hit the magic 10MPS at the same time.

I really think UT1 is a waste of time at this point, especially broken into bits.

It went well. Only the last 2 minutes were uncomfortable but I was determined that the only way I was going to get more meters was to drive harder, so I kept the metrenome set at 25.

7534m (slides)
1499 2:00.0/25
1500 2:00.0/25
1501 1:59.9/25
1505 1:59.6/25
1527 1:57.8/25

It was worth 998 Nonathlon points and ended up ranking #1 for my age group. For fun I ranked it against all women, all ages, all weights and came in #2 of 650 behind a 20 year old that pulled 7700+ meters. Of course I'm sure I'll get bumped down soon enough! I have a v-code for it but that function isn't working temporarily, or so the ranking page said, so I'll have to add that later.

Now that was fun, and I'll be good and do what the IP says the rest of the week.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » November 5th, 2006, 6:16 pm

Chris -- welcome aboard! I was hoping some additional people would join in as we get closed to the competitive season. I really value the help I get from people on the forum and this thread is great for accountability...there have been a number of sessions when the thought of quitting crossed my mind....multiple times (like with each stroke). Had it not been for needing to record it, I might have hopped (or rolled) off the erg. Unless I am wrong, I think I am the only one who ergs in public (at a gym), but I rely on the forum and online rowers for instruction and lots of sympathy!

Today I had a great row---it just felt really good, but of course UT1s are my favorite. But, I've been in a bad patch (exhausted), so I was glad to finish with lots of gas in the tank. Qualitatively, I felt like I should for a UT1 (warmer, may sweat, working-- but I wasn't breathing hard or under any duress which I should have according to my HR.) Quantitatively my HR averaged 173 which HAS to be over 80%...so I am still struggling with the HR numbers....and wonder if the IP plan will truly result in improvement if I continually exceed the bands. The more I look at the numbers, the less it all makes sense!
The plan called for a 2:17 and I guess about a 160HR. It just felt good to go a wee bit faster--4x11' 4 minutes rest
2453 (2:14.5) 24spm 164
2451 (2:14.6) 24spm 170
2451 (2:14.6) 24spm 176
2455 (2:14.4) 24spm 179

Biggest difference was pulling longer strokes which was Bob's advice and perhaps that resulted in a better row.

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » November 5th, 2006, 7:44 pm

My last test was a 2:03.6 at 25spm after taking the Summer off from training. Wish I hadn't done that now.

I'm a fan of taking the summer off from erging to do other things, and I find I come back refreshed. It takes a while to get back in the swing, and at first always think I'm not going to actually be able to get back into it, but after a week or two I'm raring to go. I think it's good to take a break.

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » November 5th, 2006, 8:10 pm

Seat5 - nice 30min row. Lots of nonathlon points. I have not ranked anything in awhile other than my last 2k test.

Anne - glad you had a good workout, you were due.

I ended up taking today off instead of racing. I had a headache most of the day and felt a little off. Hopefully I will feel better and ready to row tomorrow.

Byron Drachman · Post by **Byron Drachman** » November 5th, 2006, 8:18 pm

I'm a fan of taking the summer off from erging to do other things, and I find I come back refreshed.

Hi Carla,

Do you have access to on-the-water rowing? It's another great way to get outdoors and makes a nice complementary exercise to your cycling. Considering your erg scores, you would be a sensational sculler. Most rowing clubs are friendly to new members and offer learn to row courses.

Byron

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » November 5th, 2006, 8:20 pm

Hi Byron,
Well, during the summer months I usually work 10 hours/day, sometimes more....there's blessed little time left over. I have more free time in the winter. Rowing on the water is a big time commitment. You have to get there and mess around setting up and all that. Maybe down the road...

TomR · Post by **TomR** » November 5th, 2006, 11:52 pm

Yesterday did UT1/3X12. Avg was 2.04.8 (rate 21) pretty fast for me under the current HR limits. Always can go a bit faster the day after a rest day.

Today did AT/2x10. Avg 2.00.0 (rate24).

I'm seeing a bit of improvement in training paces.

Nice 30 min piece, Carla. Anne, why don't you leave your HR monitor at home and just work to pace and perceived effort?

Tom

Anne · Post by **Anne** » November 6th, 2006, 12:00 am

TomR wrote:Anne, why don't you leave your HR monitor at home and just work to pace and perceived effort?

makes a lot of sense....will do!
Anne

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » November 6th, 2006, 1:21 pm

Monday Morning
10min WU - 2263m
AT 2x10min / max pace 1:50 / 26-28spm
Target:- 2x10min / avg pace 1:51.0 / 27spm / 3:30min rest
Actual:- 10min / avg pace 1:50.9 / 27spm / 2706m
Actual:- 10min / avg pace 1:50.8 / 27spm / 2708m
Total session: forgot to write it down

Start of Week 11. Nice early Monday morning workout. Pace felt good, stroke rate jumped around a little, but still averaged out to 27.

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » November 6th, 2006, 6:45 pm

I did the 2k test that is in my IP schedule for today, but it was such a crap piece that I don't feel up to posting the miserable details. Erratic pacing, starting off too fast and falling off drastically in the middle. Rate control fair, but not up to par. Pulse got up too high in the middle, with no good reason. On top of it all, such a short piece, even with warmup and cool down, does not add much to my season total, <8500m. Not an inspiring day!

Bob S.

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » November 6th, 2006, 7:06 pm

Will--I guess you are feeling better then?
Bob--did you have the "it's going to be a lousy piece" feeling beforehand, or were you expecting a good row? It's so much worse if you are surprised by running into trouble than if you were feeling iffy about it in the first place. Then of course you can't help but be comparing it with the great 2K you did at sea level.

Tomorrow is another day...

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » November 6th, 2006, 7:58 pm

seat5 wrote: Bob--did you have the "it's going to be a lousy piece" feeling beforehand, or were you expecting a good row?
Tomorrow is another day...

I wasn't exactly expecting a lousy piece, but I must admit that I wasn't hyped up for it. I had hopes of doing well, but hopes were not the mental preparation that I needed. The erratic progress of the piece is strong evidence that I was not properly focused. Motivation is a powerful tool and the lack of it often leads to mediocre performance.

Bob S.