Welcome back, Niall! I'm glad you are not on the bench any more. Did you ever get a Swiss Ball?

Hey Bernard, 7:10 is fantastic. And 2Ks feel like hell! That's why I'm not doing any till I'm ready to face that--let's see, how about in 2008. Yeah, that's a good goal. Anyway, you should be really psyched about that achievement and definitely use big writing next time! It feels great to shout from the roof tops!


Martin-- 8040 for a 30 min piece is great. What did you rate? Did you row it freely or aim for any particular rate? Just curious.
Re: 10K Of course it was not a coincidence that I got the same time--I had the pace I needed to match that time in the back of my head...when I saw the 41:40 it was a great feeling! Hit the target! Now of course I suspect I can do that for an hour row, since it only got hard the last 1K or so... hmmm. Not tonight.

Daren, I think you should really celebrate that million meters! I love to celebrate stuff like that, usually with icecream. For dinner. While I make my family eat brussel sprouts or something

Carole, good luck on your HM, I'm sure it will be sub-sub 1:30! BTW is "conservatory" British for police station or something?


Well now I have to see how far ahead Aussie Taff is so I can plan my evening...we leave tomorrow for a weekend of camping and I'm not packed, but first things first, you know!


Carla

Hey Martin,

Interesting that you vary the way you row during a piece. It's a totally different approach than I've ever taken but I'll bet the first time I do a marathon I'll do that just to keep from going nuts.

I am not sure what DF I row at, I keep forgetting that I can actually check the number since the PM1 didn't tell you that. But I usually have the damper at 3, and I think the last time I checked it it was around 120. The damper lever gets bumped into by kids or something and I'm not real good at remembering to fix it. One of these days I should really investigate what different levels feel like and pick one and then check it frequently.

To make big colored letters, type whatever you want to look that way, then select the text you want enlarged/colored, click "size" and pick one, re-select the text it if you have to, click "color" and pick one. That's all. I have to admit my husband had to show me that, I kept ending up with things like [SIZE=14][COLOR=red]blablabla[SIZE=14][COLOR=red] in my posts, and then having to edit the post and just remove the 'tags' .

Well no more meters from me until Monday night at the earliest, probably Tuesday...

Carla

Carla,

Spot on thanks Niall

Martin

Rather basic Nonathlon Question : do I update my age in my profile when I have a birthday. Or does my recorded age remain unchanged for the whole season, remaining on the value put in on 1st May 2004 ?

Martin

1,002,255m

'ave it!

*cough* Right, onwards and upwards. Here's to 2 million!

(MIT are pulling away though)

Hey there Bernie,

Aiming for any particular time for the HM or just to finish ? Good luck with it, you will experience nothing like it and feel a great sense of satisfaction upon completion if it is your first (like my recent one was).

My long standing 30 min goal was to do 8K+, now that it's done I'm contemplating a 10K late next week at about the same pace as the 30 min row, then redo the 60 min piece at 1:55 pace if possible. So a 30 mins 'redo' is well down the list. It's pretty close to my max capability anyway - I was pretty knackered towards the end ! Thanks for taking an interest - I love thinking out new goals and putting them to the test, chatting about them now and again really helps me focus.

Sorry about the (hic) 'back-of-envelope' Program Spec, send it back to the Systems Analyst for a rework ! I'm just a lowly user

Cheers

Martin

PS Bonza row Daren - get back on the erg mate, MIT are getting away !!!

Sorry Daren


For some reason I thought we were in November. I think it was caused a BIRC panic attack!


Bernard

Supercanao is looking like they are trying to catch up!!!!

I'm sure you guys will stave them off, though, especially with Niall back in the saddle!

Re: Math: Martin, I'm so simple minded about this stuff that I just assumed if I made that (&*&** monitor say 2:05.0 at the end that it would also HAVE to say 41:40.0 . That's what the pace calculator told me, and that's how it came out, thank goodness. What a let down that would have been for it to say 41:40.1 . Probably would have slashed my wrists.

Good luck on your road HM! And remember, no running ahead when your daughter stops at the rest room!!!

Bernie, how can you stand not adding your meters right after you do them? I think sometimes the only reason I get on the machine at all is to be able to hit the refresh button and see the number go up.

Godfried hope you are OK haven't heard from you in a while.

Go Taffs! Supercanao has nothing on us!

Carla

Hi all


Why do I keep doing this to myself? 1 hour 31 minutes and 16 seconds later; 21098 metres elapsed, and now all I want to do is go to sleep.

At least I've nailed another bogey man. Pah! half marathons are easy - NOT!

It was slow, it was long and it was done at about 20spm; any faster and I would not have made it, no way. I didn't break, but wish I had because my bottom is sore.

I used Godfried's method of breaking it up into 8x2500 and adding the rest in one final mad fling. So the final(9th) 2500 was only about 1250. I had a 30 second interval in between each work period which I rowed through anyway .

What I don't understand is how anyone with two neurones that connect can even attempt a full marathon . It's a good job I don't have two neurones that connect!

Carla, you're right, but you worry too much. They'll be lulled into this false sense of catching up and then... see ya, see ya, don't want to be ya! We leave them behind again.

Congratulations on the half marathon, Bernard. I've done two I think, and they were both as tiresome as the other. =) I do want to do a full marathon though, if only to say I've done one.

Ok, this is what you all asked for so prepare to be mildly amused! Actually, the man is a star!

Chip,

Heres your return interview, answer the standard stuff first and we'll move
on.

1. Where were you born, and where do you live now?
Born in Tredegar South Wales, now live in Caldicot South Wales.

2. Who are your sporting hero's, Speedy and........?
Speedy, nuff said and Lance Armstrong. Anyone who can survive the the big C
then win the Tour De France 6 times has got to be the Man.

3. When did you start erging and why?
I was training for the ultra fit challenge, ten events in the gym one of
which was 500m on the ergo. The challenge got canceled so i just kept on rowing.

4. BRIEFLY explain your training plan?
I phone you up, you tell me to row 8000meters, then you row 10,000 meters
so you can catch me up!!!!

5. What motivates you to row each day?
You do fatty. I also like to see my feet, a big belly would get in the way.

6. Whats your greatest sporting achievement, proudest moment?
First Triathlon...Full of a cold, coughed and splutterd through the
swim, crashed my bike after 400m, bleeding from every where, buckled
wheel, bent handle bars and only top gear working if i kept my hand on it. I carried on anyway. Hobbled the run, knee up like a ballon from the crash but FINISHED the race. Did not win, did not come last........Smiled all the way to the hospital.

7. Favourite 'Taff Attack' memory/moment?
First Risca Regatta of Regret when we both got PBs on the 2k.

8. Who would you like to see interviewed next?
Aussie Taff. Martin

I have tailored these questions specifically for you.

1. Chris has challenged you to be the first to 1 million meters, how does
it feel to be 50,000 meters in the lead, with only 200,000 left to row?
Whether its 50 thou or 100 thou i will not be taking it easy cos i do not
trust him!!!

2. How will you feel when he finally catches you up, and beats to the
final meter?
If he does finaly beat me to the million i will shake him by the hand
congratulate him then go home and cry like a baby..

3. Speaking as a craftsman, whats the best thing you've ever made?
The name Taff Attack even though you do not like it.

4. What REALLY gets your back up?
Football, bunch of nancy boy cheats.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. If I was to say 'odd shaped balls', whats the first thing that jumps
into your head?
Scoring a try with number 7 on my back.

6. What questions do you wish I had asked?

Why do they call you chippy?
Some say cos of my work with wood, Chris says its my luv of frying oil and
potatoes.

Cheers mate (fatty)

There you have it, a sorry tale of woe, regret, and hopelessness. Next week we'll catch up with Oz, any questions to the usual - chrisadams71@msn.com

OzT (Martin),

I been meaning to congratulate on your HM PB, but never seemed to get round to it. I've been contemplating 'aving a go at you tonite, but in all honesty, thats a serious time (4 mins faster than me), I would need to drop my pace by over 5 secs to be in the game. You never know tho, Chippy reckons Im a right sneaky b*****d! You got good times all through the nonathlon but seem to wince out on the sprints. That aside I think that your now firmly established in the No.2 spot in the TA Speed stakes - great effort mateo!
I may just go for HM PB, it will at least close the gap on chippy, or I may complete the 3 workouts I've missed this week due to Work, Work, Work, Work!!!!
Cheers, Chris.

Chris,

Great interview, beats Michael Parkinson and Terry Wogan any day and is right up there with Jonathan Ross/Woss!

I like the idea of AussieTaff getting an interview next and will certainly be contributing some probing questions.

All,

I promised I'd return with a 20-30K row over Thursday and Friday. As it turned out I completed 28K in total. It would have been 30K but my 10K this afternoon didn't go to plan. The drag factor was lower than I was expecting (115 compared to my normal 128-135) and I experimented with a more upright position on the pull (rather than leaning back and getting a fuller pull). This resulted in me completing the first 3,500m in 11:52.9 (avg pace of about 1:59) which is unheard of for me! Thinking I might be on for a PB soon disappeared as I completely blew out and ended up completing the 10K in 41:24.0

Anyway, regardless of the poor performance, these 28K metres have meant I've gone through the 400K barrier for the season and 3 Million metres overall so I'm a happy bunny!

Rest day tomorrow and back in the seat on Sunday. Back's still okay albeit a little muscle sore (not the strained lower back area though).

I have just completed the HM I mentioned above, and I really got to take my hat off to OzT. I set a pace boat to his 1:59 ave, and he was out of site within 1000 meters, having said that there was two other pace boats on the screen (rowpro is a minter!). My previous personal best (history after 5000m), and what I had hoped to achieve (caught me back up at 10,000m). I wanted to half the gap between myself and Martin, but could only quater it.

Previous Best 1:27:56, new PB 1:26:47.2

Some of the twenty splits are below:
5) 5,000m ish - 2:04.5 - HR 153
10) 10,000m ish - 2:03.5 - HR 163
15) 15,500m ish - 2:04.6 - HR 168
17) 18,000m ish - 2:02.5 - HR 171
18) 19,000m ish - 2:01.6 - HR 175
19) 20,000m ish - 2:00.0 - HR 178
Rowpro robs you of the final split, BUT the finish pace was 1:44, with 187 HR, goodnight vienna, the tank was well and truly empty.
Ave 2:03.4 - DPS 10.5 - Cal 1361 - SPM 23
Hot Dogs for tea now!!!

Oh Yeah, the PS - This has bumped me back into the Nonathlon top 50!

Great HM Chris, with 2 smashed up legs you really are THE MAN to do a HM in that time.

Just want to dash off a quick congrats as I see you are logged on, will waffle on more later when time permits. Did notice that you got faster and faster as the row progressed - go out harder !!!! (only kidding - as I said, great row )

Chat later

Martin

Back again,

Great interview - can see why you two get on so well - both true men of iron.

That Rowpro sounds like a lot of fun. Can you set a pace boat to vary its pace for different sections of a row or does a pace boat just do the same pace throughout a row ? Not that it matters if you set me up as a pace boat as I tend to do the same pace throughout a row, when I try to pick it up in the middle stages I'm usually dying ! Thats why I disappeared after the first K , you started slow then picked up the pace later on when I was just around the corner of the screen. How did the legs pull up, got another 3 mins in them ?

Half way through mine I thought 'bloody hell I'm not doing this too often' so went for a 'max' effort time so I could take it easy on later HM's without worrying about PBing. So you're got plenty of time to bridge the gap - just go out hard, pick it up in the middle and sprint home as an old coach used to say !

You're spot on with my 'sprints', just don't seem to be effective enough on the erg. Lower back gives me buggery if I thrash around too much so I try to always keep good rowing form - works for long distances not short I'll get there though.

How's your 10K time ?

Martin

Hey Martin



I hope you're right about the lesser distances being not quite so tough, because right now I feel quite tired. This rowing thing has strange effects. I thought I was going to die after the 2k test, no really I thought it was all over. However, the next morning I felt great.

After yesterday's effort I didn't feel too bad, but this morning I feel too tired to do my normal 10k row. I'll do a 4x1000 tonight.

I hope all goes well in your run.


Bernard

Happy Birthday CARLA ...

Theres so much to keep up with now!

Taffians
Just joined up,going to show the chippy how its done.
Grumpy

Welcome aboard Grumpy!!

Good to have you in the team.

Everyone's been posting some fantastic performances lately with PBs at 10,000m, 2K, HM aswell as milestones like 1 Million metres. I'm pleased to say that I'm able to contribute something to this list having completed an hour row this afternoon. My previous PB was 14361m and today I managed to complete 14671m so I'm really pleased. On top of that I also managed a PB for 30 minutes of 7440m. This additional PB was due to me going out fast (for me anyway) for the first 20 minutes (completed 5K in 20:02).

All in all, I'm very happy!!

Redmond the wrestler on the team,hello Red brilliant to hear your A O.K.
Graham and Suzi.

Just as a subnote to my posting earlier, I've just worked out that my 6000m time during my hour row is also a PB (not that hard though as I rarely do the 6000m distance). My time for the 6000m was 24:03.0.

I've added the times for 6000m, 30 minutes and 60 minutes to Nonathlon and as a result have now moved up to #129. Still a long way off most of the Taff Attack team members. I really need to do the shorter distances but it's difficult at the moment as my challenge requires me to concentrate on the long distances. Maybe I'll have a go at 2K on Tuesday as that's my rest day (I said maybe, so don't hold me to it!).

Welcome aboard the 'Taff Juggernaut' Bernie Snr aka 'Grumpy' aka 'Red' aka ...?

Looks like we've got Chris well and truly boxed in - I'll keep an eye on him for the long stuff and you/Chippy knock him off on the short !!!!

Good luck with the 10K Chris - set my pace boat to < 1:54

Top comeback 60 min row Niall, you must have been raring to go after the unscheduled layoff. Get a few more times into Nonathlon (don't have to be PB's) for the "0" categories and you should be up there with the pack (Daren, Chippy etc). What was the DF ? A 20 min first 5K is pretty quick in anyone's book.

Less said about my HM the better First K took 6:30 due to all the 'walkers' clogging up the road (over 5000 participated) so I was always behind the 8 ball for a sub 2 hour run (need to be about 5:40 pace). Stopped twice to tie up shoelaces, every old injury seemed to surface one by one each time I tried to push the pace ! Ran for quite a while near the end with someone who's watch (I wasn't wearing one) reckoned we were on sub 2 target only to find out at the finish that timepiece must have been 2 mins out !!! Ended up 2:01:20 AAAARRRRRHHHH To rub it in I've pulled up stiffer and sorer that the first one I did in July (which was 1:59:58 to boot !!!!!) Must be getting old, better stick with erging where I can sit down

Happy 44th Carla, Taffs are now putting their times in big letters for you

Well done on #3 Daren, now for #2 ? (#1 may take a bit longer).

Cheers from a very weary Taff,

Martin

Martin,

I take it you weren't allowed to erg the HM as that would have guaranteed you a much faster time! At least when you stopped you didn't do a Paula Radcliffe and give up all together so clearly you're mentally strong (or were you chasing bare midriff runners?!).

As for the DF on my hour row, it was 140. I decided to increase it from the row last week to see what a difference it would make to my times (good result there then!). The trouble with addressing the 0s in the Nonathlon is that with the exception of the 500m, they're long distances (half and full marathon's AAAAARRRGGGGHHHH). From yesterday's 60-minute row, I now know I can improve on my 5K, 6K and 30mins times but appreciate this is only going to add increments to my overall score.

Welcome Grumpy, and well done Niall. Rowing for an hour on a drag factor of 140 would do my arms in!

Hey gang I'm back!

You all have sure been busy and doing awesome things while I was gone "roughin' it". New HM PB for Chris, Daren hits his 1 Million meters, Prufrock does his first HM, and Niall gets PBs in the hour and half hour row! Plus Aussie Taff has survived his second running HM and will be pushing me on the meters again this week I'm sure.

Had a great weekend except that I crashed my bike (on my birthday, no less!) 16 miles into a 20 mile time trial. It's a 1.1 mile loop, fairly level (only 2 gears--8th & 9th) on a closed road in the campground, with sawhorses up to stop cars from coming in. One of them fell over, leaving only about 12" on the side of the road to go by. That was fine for about 10 laps, but as the light failed it got a bit harder to slip by and I clipped it at about 18 mph. It was a hard wipe out, the handlebars got wedged under the cross bar. But I was too close to the end to quit, got the thing pulled out, checked the bike was safe to go, and hit it. Still beat my PB on that to finish the 20 miles in 1:09 avg 17.3 mph.

A little sore from the fall, nailed both wrists, crick in the neck, lots of colorful bruises but should be fine to row tomorrow.

Welcome Grumpy, great to have a new member on board to stave off Supercanoa

BTW I heard from Debra, she's feeling a tad better and hopes to get really going this week, more meters for the greatest team in the Standings!

Carla

Ouch, Carla, bad news about the bike crash. Some of my greatest hits have been big offs on my bike(s). The first one I remember was when I was 5, and just learning to ride. I still recall how my knee when septic. The next big one was when a friend of mine cut me up when we were about 9 or 10. His back wheel clipped my front wheel as he went across, and I went flying into the road. Then there was the time I wiped out on the ice on the way to school; the time I was watching a pretty girl and rode into a kerb, going over the handlebars; the time I was riding down some monument steps and didn't have my weight far enough back; the time I stacked on a big downhill at about 50mph; the time I bent my handlebars around a tree; the time... Well, you get the picture. All the times I've come off my bike, and I still can't persuade myself to wear a helmet. Ho hum.

Good job on the PB despite the crash though. =)

Hi Carla



Nice to hear from you. Congratulations on the time trial. You're a real tough cookie. A pb after a crash is impressive.


Bernard

Daren,

Do your friends call you "Lucky"??

All,

As I didn't have chance to do my 10K yesterday (due to work commitments), I decided to do one today. Felt pretty good so decided to see if I could break 40 mins. Decided to try and maintain a 1:58/1:59 rate throughout and pretty much managed it apart from the last 3K. Went through 5K at 19:50 and made sure I concentrated on a relaxed form and not panic myself into a loose and inefficient stroke. Pain management and strong mental focus was needed by me and I must admit the thought of posting another PB/SB on the Taff Attack thread certainly spurred me on. Final time for the 10K was:

39:35.2

(Previous season's best was 40:05).

I also recorded a PB for 30 mins (7579m) and 6K (23:44.4). So that's 5 PBs and a Season's best in 3 days! I think I should take a 2-week break from rowing more often!

For those that are interested, my splits were:

1:58.1 (26spm)
1:57.3 (28)
1:58.9 (27)
1:59.1 (26)
1:58.5 (27)
1:58.4 (27)
1:58.1 (27)
1:59.0 (27)
1:58.9 (27)
1:59.7 (27)
1:59.3 (27)
1:59.1 (28)
1:58.2 (27)
1:58.6 (28)
2:00.0 (28)
2:00.4 (27)
2:00.3 (27)
1:59.5 (28)
2:00.5 (27) - decided to rest at 2:00 to enable me to have a quicker last 500
1:53.6 (29) - managed to get the rate down to 1:39 at the end!

So to say I'm pleased would be an understatement! I have to thank my fellow Taff Attack team members for their continued support and motivation. Without you guys, I'd still be happy with sub-41mins for 10K!

Awesome, Niall!
Your avg. split is about what my all out sprint is!

Congrats on breaking that 40 minute barrier! And boasting rights do spur one on, don't they!
Carla

Daren,

My last two best bike crashes:

When I was 18, I was doing some long rides, around 50 miles or so, and at one point got into that "zone" where you forget you're actually on the bike. Well as I went along I noticed that my handlebars weren't straight, and without thinking (obviously) just gave them a good hard wrench to fix that (as if I was standing in front of the bike with the wheel between my knees). As I flew through the air I remember laughing but it was a long walk back with the bike on my shoulders (lucky I was only about 4 miles from home) since the front wheel was shaped like a pretzel.

The other good one was another time I was trying to do a particular ride faster than before, at Acadia National Park. By this time I was 36 or so and should have known better... They are gravel roads there and there are horse carriages occasionally. You are supposed to be polite and stop and let them by when you meet them. But I was going downhill at 25 and instead of stopping I did a nice spread eagle right in front of the carriage. Those horses were bomb proof, they didn't even blink. I should have just slowed a bit and gone on by, because they wouldn't have even noticed. Yes, I did beat my time.

I ALWAYS wear a helmet, even though I've never hit my head on any crash.

Carla