The Road To Boston 2008

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » January 13th, 2008, 11:48 pm

I crashed my van Saturday morning on black ice. I'm fine and so is the van, thank goodness, but it certainly scared the crap out of me! All of a sudden, I thought the power steering died, because I was just all over the road, across the yellow line, sideways, this way and that, and then, I remember thinking very clearly, "I am actually crashing!" as I stove the thing straight into a snow bank. I missed a retaining wall on the right by 6" and a mailbox on the other side by about the same amount.

I don't like ice. A few years ago I slipped on ice hidden under some pretty fluffy snow, out for a walk in the most fairy tale like falling snow; somehow it actually threw me up in the air, I did a 180 and landed facing exactly the opposite direction than I had been walking, all on one wrist, which of course broke.

I really don't like ice!!!!!!

Deborah, you are truly an Amazon, 1500 at 1:49.8/30 is tremendous. If I had managed that I know I sure as hell would not have had any interest in the 1000 and 500 that followed it!

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 14th, 2008, 12:10 am

seat5 wrote: Tomorrow I have 2 (6 x 1) AN. I guess the rests are supposed to be 2 min? and how long between the two sets? I don't quite get this workout.

First things, first. I'm glad you are ok Carla. And congratulations Deborah on the 1500.

Carla, Use the AN workouts to get comfortable at higher rates and faster paces. Don't worry about how much rest to take between intervals and sets. Pick some number and be consistent. Whatever physiological adaptations are supposed to happen will happen.

The key is to improve your technique. Rate higher and go faster than 2k pace. Thus when a 2k comes along, you will feel more in control.

You must do some similar exercises when practicing your instrument. You want to develop muscle memory. Don't worry about extraneous crap--like meters per stroke or heart rate.

Drive slow, everyone.

Rowmaniac · Post by **Rowmaniac** » January 14th, 2008, 1:09 am

Wow, Carla. I am so glad you were not hurt. As I was typing that post, I was thinking about how truly frightened I am when I go with my husband to Connecticut for the Christmas holidays, as the snow usually unnerves me on the road. (He implores me to calm down constantly, which of course does quite the opposite.)

Be careful, all, in the coming winter days.

Tom, thanks for the insight on how to handle the rest intervals on those AN pieces. Your insight and suggestions are always welcome.

ranger · Post by **ranger** » January 14th, 2008, 4:41 am

I'm moving into work at higher rates now, in preparation for Boston. After working for five years at lower rates, I will be interested to see what happens.

For whatever reason, I found my distance stroke this morning. The advance was rhythmic. I just needed to hold to three four-beat measures in the metrical beating (a 3-to-1 ratio, if temporal values are kept constant). When I do this, everything is as smooth as silk and I go along, 1:48 @ 20 spm (14 SPI). If I accelerate the tempo of these three four-beat measures, I can get all the way up to 25 spm without breaking the rhythm, so this stroke is good all the way to AT rates. This will be _very_ useful for background rowing as I sharpen for Boston.

The rhythmic break for me, then, comes at 26 spm. I need to shift to two four-beat measures (a 1.7-to-1 ratio, if temporal values are kept constant). I can then use this meter all the way up to 36 spm. So for me, 26 spm is a rhythmic watershed, a move from a training/distance beat/rhythm to a racing beat/rhythm. Locked in the 1.7-to-1 ratio, at 36 spm, I go 1:30 (13.34 SPI)

This year, my goal during sharpening for WIRC will be to try to get to 8 x 500m, 3:30 rest @ 36 spm (1:30/13.34 SPI). Rhythmically, this is at the _upper_ limit for the maintenance of the 1.7-to-1 ratio or two four-beat measures.

1-2-3-//4-1-2-3-4

drive-----recovery

Before WIRC, I also want to get to 4 x 2K, 1:38 @ 28 spm. Rhythmically, this will be near the _lower_ limit for the maintenance of the 1.7-to-1 ratio with the two four-beat measures.

At WIRC 2008, I will race at 32 spm, at the midpoint, inbetween.

ranger

Rich Cureton M 56 5'11" 170 lbs.
2K pbs 6:27.5 (hwt), 6:28 (lwt)

RR · Post by RR » January 14th, 2008, 4:59 am

How did Elkhart go?
RR

ranger · Post by **ranger** » January 14th, 2008, 5:09 am

RR wrote:How did Elkhart go?
RR

Elkhart was very early this year, about a month before it usually is. This is really too early for me, as far as racing goes (I haven't done any organized TR or AN rowing yet), but I still wanted to go and do a 2K.

So I just kept the rate down and did a kind of workout, AT, 2K, 1:42 @ 26 spm.

Happy with that, I guess.

We rowed on dilapidated, reconditioned C's, no hook ups, just punch in 2000m and row to zero.

ranger

chrisheth · Post by **chrisheth** » January 14th, 2008, 6:06 am

Happy with that, I guess.

Liar, Liar, Pants on fire.

Juvenile I know - but pithy.

ranger · Post by **ranger** » January 14th, 2008, 6:20 am

chrisheth wrote:
Happy with that, I guess.
Liar, Liar, Pants on fire.

Juvenile I know - but pithy.

No, just juvenile.

ranger

mikvan52 · Post by **mikvan52** » January 14th, 2008, 6:38 am

ranger wrote:
RR wrote:How did Elkhart go?
RR
I just kept the rate down and did a kind of workout, AT, 2K, 1:42 @ 26 spm.

Questions:
Do you recall the range of paces you pulled?: ie: Was it 1:42 the whole time or was it broader, such as 1:36 - 1:48?

Same question for stroke rate.

Also, was that "1:42" a 1:42.0 or a 1:42.9 or what? (ordinarily a time for 2k is reported, not a pace without tenths). Did you break 6:50 (1:42.5 or less)?

Did you weigh yourself on race day before the race?

ranger · Post by **ranger** » January 14th, 2008, 6:42 am

mikvan52 wrote:
ranger wrote:
RR wrote:How did Elkhart go?
RR
I just kept the rate down and did a kind of workout, AT, 2K, 1:42 @ 26 spm.
was that "1:42" a 1:42.0 or a 1:42.9 or what?

1:42 flat/6:48

ranger

ranger · Post by **ranger** » January 14th, 2008, 6:50 am

id you weigh yourself on race day before the race?

No attempt to row as a lightweight at this point. I will have my first weigh in three weeks from now at Toronto.

Weight reduction is coming along great. My cross-training stepping routines are now at full length. I add 2000 calories of burn a day with these routines. That's 40K calories or so, just in these additional routines, from now until Toronto. That should put my weight in good shape.

If I am at weight in Toronto, I'll get a lightweight stamp and take a slap at the 55s lwt WR, although I will still row in the heavyweight race. I'll do the same at Boston. I'll also race at Cincinnati and Chicago.

I _definitely_ want to be at weight for Chicago. If I can break the 55s lwt WR in Chicago, I win $2000.

Nice!

ranger

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 14th, 2008, 10:02 am

Oh crap! Have I destroyed this thread by posting on it? Nothing for more than a day. Harkens back to High School days when I'd sit at a table in the cafeteria and everyone else would get up and leave in disgust.

Whoa! Given the overnight activity I guess this could be used as a classic example of 'Be Careful What You Wish For.'

Carla, tough luck with the car. And of the heels of the stolen car not too long ago. Hope that all the bad luck is out of the system. If you haven't done the AN workout yet, 2' rests seem reasonable and recommended, with about 5' between the two sets. Give it Hell.

Deborah, great time trial. You're smokin'.

The snow was late in starting, so it only took about 15' to get Denise's car work-ready. The big load will be later this afternoon. If I was as smart as Tom I'd get a snow blower. But I'm not as smart as Tom.

As such, it turned out to be a benefit for the morning workout instead of a detriment as I got be a bit better warmed up and feeling chipper because of the crisp outside air.

12,000m 51:25.8 2:08.6 23spm

S10MPS with the monitor covered except for the meters. Drag factor of 82, ribs wrapped for support, Temperature 53 degrees F, Classical music blaring in my ear. Felt decent.

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » January 14th, 2008, 12:28 pm

Hi all! In the light of my recent crash, I called in today--I just don't see a point in being out there in the white stuff right now.

I got up at 6 anyway and did my2(6 x 1). It isn't my first AN workout but I did do it with 2 min rests and 5 minutes between. Target for me on AN is supposed to be 1:47 no matter which chart I go off.
1723 1:44.4/3 average
287 1:44.5/40
288 1:44.1/39
283 1:46.0/37
288 1:44.1/39
289 1:43.8/38
285 1:45.2/37

1720 1:44.6/38 average
284 1:45.6.41
288 1:44.1/38
289 1:43.8/37
285 1:45.2/35
287 1:44.5/36
290 1:43.4/35

I skipped my lifting afterwards as I will be shoveling some this afternoon. I'm pretty pleased with these results but wish the stroke rate was more consistent. It always amazes me how this sort of workout can make me feel like I'm going to heave when I have a perfectly empty stomach.

Happy shoveling, Rick...
Ditto on the overnight activity...

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 14th, 2008, 3:31 pm

Yankeerunner wrote:
But I'm not as smart as Tom.

If that were true, you'd be in big trouble.

Nice job on the AN Carla. Amazing how well the training can go if you don't have distractions like work to worry about.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 14th, 2008, 8:40 pm

plan was to do 2x2k, but the flesh was un-willing and the mind is weak.

2k-1.54.6
(rest 6')
1k-1.54.8 (handle down midway)
(rest 4')
1k-1.53.4