Madness!!!

seagulldc · Post by **seagulldc** » February 26th, 2007, 8:38 pm

Who's getting ready for March Madness?!?!?!

A CREW R · Post by **A CREW R** » February 27th, 2007, 12:45 am

I'm working at it, my goal is to do 5000 5 days/week. But I need ideas to keep it interesting.

Today I did 2000 m then 500 sprint and repeat. I finally broke 2 min on the first 500 m!

margaret · Post by **margaret** » February 27th, 2007, 7:53 pm

Congratulations on breaking your 2:00 pace!

I've been away from the erg half of February, and am ready to commit to 50k a week. I'm trying to add variety to my exercise too, so today I rowed 3x3333m (to total 10k), each progressively ):05 faster in pace. Between pieces, I did a round of strength training, sets of 10 with 10 pounds, 10 lunges 30 seconds each, 10 pushups, and 10 jumps. The jumps are to try to get my sprints faster--need to build up more muscle power for that.

schfarris · Post by **schfarris** » March 1st, 2007, 4:04 pm

My goal is to do 5k 6 days/wk. I do a lot of stretching and a little of weight training (kettlebell). We have to go away for few days but I had a plan worked out. I found a YMCA that has C2 so hubby agreed to stop for a break while I row and do the same on the way back home. I have yet to make arrangements though and get infos. how to get there.

Aside from listening to music while rowing, I also found out that watching tv or movies makes the time go faster compared to just listening to music. I row at home so looking at a wall can be very boring. I read somewhere to also try "learn foreign language" on cd/tapes while rowing. It sounds interesting. I may just have to try that one day.

Happy rowing!!!!

kit44 · Post by **kit44** » March 1st, 2007, 4:34 pm

Lofty goal, Margaret - but I guess after 100k/week, this will seem a lot easier! I normally do my wieghts at the end of my rowing but it may make it a little more interesting to intersperse. Have you tried squat jumps? Best thing I know for building power in quads, glutes and hamstrings. A Crew R - try going to the C2 UK site for more varied workouts - they give you suggestions for lots of difffernt ways to build speed and power as well as those long slow rows to build aerobic endurance. The North American site has lots of good workouts as well - depends maninly on your level of experience and your goals
I've managed pretty close to 100k/week since the start of the HC (thanks for the inspiration, Margaret! I was originally aiming for 5 million metres by the end of March, but with your example flogging me on, I made it by Feb 14th!), so I'm ready to scale back a little for March, but do more speed work. I've also been able to PB in most of the distances, but still need to shave some time in the 1000m and 30 minutes. So that's my goal for March - row 5 days, a minimum of 5k, take one off, and work on speed and power. BTW, I'm using the UK interactive training program for both bvariety and training purposes - it's for 2k, but definitely works towards speed. Lots of luck, everyone - just remember, it's all good stuff! and life as you know it will not end if you have to miss a day or two here and there.
Kit

MomofJBN · Post by **MomofJBN** » March 1st, 2007, 7:58 pm

I'm going to stick with my 4 times/wk. It's been working well. Don't mess with success.

GMW · Post by **GMW** » March 2nd, 2007, 12:07 am

After cutting back a bit on exercise in general in February, I'm ready for March Madness. My goal for the month is 250K, however that may be a bit lofty based on the fact that my mom has been ill out of town and I'm back and forth, along with the regular work stuff, and an out of town swim meet for my daughter all in March.

Got started tonight with a 10K row along with lifting weights and some pilates...so at least off to a good start. My biggest disappointment tonight was that Grey's Anatomy was a rerun...I was looking forward to rowing all week as I miseed Grey's the past few weeks and I try to limit my TV time to time that I'm rowing...

Gail

LittleBit · Post by **LittleBit** » March 2nd, 2007, 3:34 pm

Hi to all Ducks and lurking Forum rowers everywhere!!

I have survived February, and look forward to March - perhaps this month will be a "normal" month - whatever that maybe!! All I know is that between my Federal Examiner coming in for three days starting 1-31 (instead of 4 hours like he implied), my regular 2006 audit on 2-12, my regular monthly board meeting on 2-14, a follow-up meeting with my examiner on 2-22, and the Credit Union's annual meeting on 2-26, the month was gone before I knew it, and my eating, running/walking and rowing have all suffered. AHHHHHH!!! I think I hit the "Madness " part a month early!!

Time for a new start - I'm back to trying to row at least 3 times a week, and run/walking 3-4 days a week. The one bright spot in all this gloom & doom in February is that my new cholesterol med seems to be working. November readings were total 247, HDL 47 and LDL 173. After 3 months of med, my latest report was total 145, HDL 37 and LDL 89. So where I was not that crazy about taking the med, perhaps I have misjudged it. I am still aiming to lose the excess 20-30 pounds, and get the exercise program in gear so as to hopefully get off the med. Goals to work towards!!

Any hints or suggestions to get some consistency to my program would be appreciated. I have experimented with rowing before work this week & the workouts seem to set me up for a much better day over all.

Happy rowing to all the other "Mad" DIAR members!
Catherine
Southern Indiana

Kiwi_Rower · Post by **Kiwi_Rower** » March 2nd, 2007, 6:13 pm

I want the certificate!!

So I've started with a bang and a roar on 10k today, and plan to do 6 days a week, alternating 5 and 10k distances. Good luck Ducks picking up a prize in March Madness

ciproano · Post by **ciproano** » March 8th, 2007, 5:58 pm

Hi, happy quackers! I can sympathize with everyone's issues: crazy work, crazy hours, slumping motivation, trying to find a way to fit it into my day, usually evening. Over President's weekend, I got a little carried away snow shoeing through really deep stuff and caused a flare up in my hips (probably bursitis) that won't subside, even with cutting back on rowing or even stopping altogether. I'll see the orthopedist in a few days, hopefully he'll help me get back on track.

I was planning to do the Marathon in April, so this is a very disappointing setback. But perhaps I will be able to take on the Half Marathon by that point. I'm going to try to do a slow and easy 5k this evening, just because I feel so blobby without exercise, and just about everything uses that hip joint! And rowing is probably the easiest on that joint of swimming or walking, etc.

So we just all need to hang in there...there is a pony in the pile, somewhere! We may just need to take baby steps to get ourselves back on track. For those of you not coping with such issues and rowing your hearts out, keep it up, because you are inspiration for us all!

Quack on,
Cindy

Kiwi_Rower · Post by **Kiwi_Rower** » March 9th, 2007, 3:54 pm

March Madness is keeping me inspired too - just cracked 300,000m toward my first million. Keep rowin' Ducks!!!!

kit44 · Post by **kit44** » March 17th, 2007, 5:34 pm

How's everyone doing? We're more than half-way through, but I've already used up 3 of the alloted 6 days off - don't know if I'll make it to the end with 25 rows under my belt. The trouble with this one, of course, is that there no chance to catch up by doing a long row - miss a day and you just can't get it back! So far, I'm okay - but looking at my schedule coming up, it'll be a tough to get that certificate. I'm trying to stay determined though - this is the one that has eluded me so far! As long as I don't take a rest day, I may make it!

Kit

fish · Post by **fish** » March 18th, 2007, 7:45 pm

I must be one of the mad ones.

I have rowed 16 out of the 18 days so far. Only nine more to go. It's been easier this year since the weather has been too chilly for bicycling.

margaret · Post by **margaret** » March 24th, 2007, 2:14 am

Haven't done too well with my rowing goals. Finally got back on the erg 3 days in a row. Despite my lack of success, I'm still aiming for 50k a week. 30 minutes seems a little too short to get as much exercise as I'd like, and while 50 to 60 minutes seems "ideal" it leaves too little time for other priorities.

How are others doing with their goals?

Kiwi_Rower · Post by **Kiwi_Rower** » March 24th, 2007, 4:28 pm

fish wrote:I must be one of the mad ones.

I have rowed 16 out of the 18 days so far. Only nine more to go. It's been easier this year since the weather has been too chilly for bicycling.

Great to hear Arlene - keep up the fantastic work!

Unfortunately I fell down the subway steps going to work and haven't rowed in over a week so I'll have to wait until next year for a March Madness certificate. I'll cheer the rest of you on from the sidelines!