The Road To Boston 2008

Veronique · Post by **Veronique** » February 19th, 2008, 11:41 am

2x20' easy UT1 today: 2:12+ Just enough to get the engine running (and the calories burning). Engine took a while to get started but that was probably because I've been secretly converting most of my morning rows to evenings lately and am no longer used to it.

Just 2 more sessions planned for the rest of the week: 4x250 and 1x30' easy. That should do as a taper but I will step on a bike in Boston if necessary to make sure I make weight.

5 more days... (but who's counting?)

macroth · Post by **macroth** » February 19th, 2008, 12:02 pm

Saturday was NYAC Val. Day Massacre.

2000m: 6:40, satisfied, but I tend to start out too fast (I think?).

Today: 4x500m/250m rest. Last 500m was nasty, but then again this was after some heavy front squats. I'm a big fan of the taper, but I don't have much to taper down this time around. I'll still be taking it easier as the end of the week nears.

Rowmaniac · Post by **Rowmaniac** » February 19th, 2008, 12:30 pm

I have resolved to put my faith in the taper. After doing 3 2K races in 7 days (maybe that should read 2-2/3 races???

) my legs have been revolting that they might not even show up in Boston if I don't behave. So I'm definitely going for the "caged animal" feeling I have certainly felt in the past. Putting fears of fitness loss aside is much easier b/c this is not an endurance piece. I keep telling myself there are lots of long, long pieces ahead when I get past this race.

I've known that "caged animal" feeling before and it's a powerful way to enter a race. When you have to work hard to keep the splits UP because your legs want to help you fly, you know you're there. It may not work for everyone, but the training has been so intense for me that I long to feel that feeling once again--and I want it in Boston. The big 'ah ha' for me has been that it apparently no longer comes for me with a couple or even 3 days off. I have to guess it's the cumulative effect of all this training for 3 months. It's just going to take longer, and I am determined not to let myself screw it up. This is uncharted territory for me, but then so is almost everything else about rowing at this point.

I'm planning a light paddle OTW tomorrow. Thursday is travel day, and I might do a 3' TR piece before I get on the plane. Friday I will be in the lap pool at the hotel trying to work out any stiffness from stuffing my 5'12" body into a coach seat on a coast to coast flight. Saturday I won't even allow myself to walk around Boston for fear of exerting my legs. By Sunday if my body isn't ready to row a PB and provide me with a decent return on my investment of time and training, then I will at least know I did all I could to make it happen.

5 days, 3 hours, 31 minutes to race. Yeah, I can't help myself. I'm counting.

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » February 19th, 2008, 12:43 pm

Rowmaniac wrote: I'm planning a light paddle OTW tomorrow. Thursday is travel day, and I might do a 3' TR piece before I get on the plane. Friday I will be in the lap pool at the hotel trying to work out any stiffness from stuffing my 5'12" body into a coach seat on a coast to coast flight. Saturday I won't even allow myself to walk around Boston for fear of exerting my legs. By Sunday if my body isn't ready to row a PB and provide me with a decent return on my investment of time and training, then I will at least know I did all I could to make it happen.

Deborah,

For the past three years C2 has provided a room full of ergs available for practice at the team hotel for several days before the competition. So you can do some light workouts right there. I have found that to be a good way of getting over the stiffness from sitting to long in a coach seat. I suppose that swimming might be better, but I wanted you to know that the ergs will probably be available. They remove them late in the afternoon the day before the races, since they have to take them over to the Arena to set them up for the races. The folks from C2 are really working their butts off for this event. It always amazes me how they manage to get it all done.

Bob S

Rowmaniac · Post by **Rowmaniac** » February 19th, 2008, 4:29 pm

Thanks, Bob. That's good information and I appreciate your letting me know.

Are you on the erg most days this winter or are the snow shoes getting good use this February?

noh20 · Post by **noh20** » February 19th, 2008, 6:23 pm

any boston hotel registered guest can workout at and use the facilities of the "boston athletic club" for a $25.00 guest fee......hotel key and photo id required..........

dan

tdekoekkoek · Post by **tdekoekkoek** » February 19th, 2008, 11:17 pm

If anyone contacts me and needs an erg to workout on, I might be able to take a guest into Riverside. I do need to check on that however. Riverside is just a mile or 2 away from the arena.

Good luck to all. I've been reading about everyone's efforts and recent tapers. Seems like we're in for a good race. Although I am tapering my total distance, I was still on schedule for doing a hard workout tonight and to test ability to go sub race pace for a good portion of the race. In so doing I did not only my best 1400 so far, but possibly my best 1000 meters on the way:

1400m: 4:31.1 avg. 1:36.8 33 spm

Start + 6 high, with splits around 1:28

1st 300 1:35.5 avg 35spm
2nd 300 1:36.8 avg 32spm
3rd 300 1:37.5 avg 33spm
4th 300 1:37.5 avg 32
last 200 1:36.7 avg 34 spm

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » February 20th, 2008, 9:05 am

Tapering for everyone seems to be going anywhere from adequate to well. Nice 2km macroth, only 2 seconds off a PB? I know what you mean about not having much to taper from. It feels like I could still make progress if I had more time.

Good trial Trevor.

Drove to the Hard Nock's Gym to do today's workout, getting started at about 5:40am. A bit faster, but lower volume for me today.

3352m 15:00.0 2:14.2 24spm (warmup)
1500m 05:15.0 1:45.0 36spm (3 X 500m)
0503m 03:00.0 (1' paddles between work intervals)
2145m 10:42.4 2:29.7 20spm (cooldown)

130df, ribs wrapped for the warmup & cooldown but not the 500s, XM Satellite Radio playing hard rock. Tried to stimulate the racing systems without exhausting myself. I think I succeeded on both counts. Satisfied.
splits:
500m 1:46.9 34spm
500m 1:45.9 35spm
500m 1:42.2 38spm

tdekoekkoek · Post by **tdekoekkoek** » February 20th, 2008, 7:10 pm

warmup + 11.5K + warmdown

level 4, 20 spm 1:56 avg.

Lungs feel good. Feel the oxygen just oozing through the veins!

Probably the last day over 10K. Will do some sprints tomorrow and then off on friday. Easy 10s and 20s on Sat.

Good luck everyone.

Oh and let me know if you need erg time at Riverside!

Nosmo · Post by **Nosmo** » February 20th, 2008, 7:46 pm

Good Luck Everyone!!

Can't wait to hear how it goes for everyone. I'll be thinking of you all on Sunday

macroth · Post by **macroth** » February 20th, 2008, 7:50 pm

Nice 2km macroth, only 2 seconds off a PB?

Thanks Yankeerunner, I actually posted the wrong time, so it actually IS my current PB. My lifetime PB is 6:27 from 6 years ago, but my rowing and endurance-specific training is just too limited nowadays to bother comparing the two.

Good luck to everyone in Boston!

TomR · Post by **TomR** » February 20th, 2008, 9:22 pm

No rowing today.

Shoulder rehab routine and basic bodyweight exercises.

coggs · Post by **coggs** » February 20th, 2008, 9:25 pm

Coming down to the wire. It's been fun reading about everyone's progress. I didn't enter this year (away from an erg all of Jan.) and am starting to wish I had. I did a 8K today at 1:55.1 which indicates I could have done a respectable time - close to last years 7:02.

I'll be there Sunday if anybody needs a cox.

Good luck to everyone.

Rowmaniac · Post by **Rowmaniac** » February 21st, 2008, 12:01 am

Oh, to row an 8K in 1:55 splits. Nice! I have wondered this week if I can row a 5K in 1:55 when this crazy race is over and I can allow myself the dubious pleasure of doing some timed pieces longer than 2K!!!

Today's taper was a bit of fun on the water. I went out at 5:45am with my team and enjoyed a bunch of technique drills that kept the taper pretty much intact, notwithstanding a fun little 800m-ish race against a few men in a quad who felt pretty confident against 8 middle aged women. Ha! We held our own.

In an effort to procrastinate on packing, I had coffee, breakfast and then took out a single scull for an incredibly nice row in such sunshine that I needed shorts and a tank top again. I will very soon be in the cold Boston weather wondering how to get warm, I am sure.

I'll be rested and ready as I can be for Sunday, but I always try to come back to my center, where I am in a boat and remember with great clarity why on earth I ever sat down on an erg in the first place. It truly motivates me in a way that nothing else can.

See everyone in Boston!

TomR · Post by **TomR** » February 21st, 2008, 8:52 am

Race warm-up, 20 mins, 4025 mtrs
Then a 10-15-20-15-10 pyramid at race pace and faster.