Well done Speedy , I am glad the video I sent you of me rowing inspired you to a new 500m pb.

Your Hero
Sir Pirate

Well, here I am crawling out of the woodwork at the tail end of the season...mostly recovered but won't be able to row again until after concert May 1...

Highlights from the 2004-2005 season:

1. The excitement, especially in the early days of the team, of seeing our team climb up the team meter board. Sometimes we switched places back and forth a few times a day as we battled our way up the chart!
2. Feeling the team support as we all took on the HOliday Challenge
3. Speedy's 2K record!!! Yahooo!
4. Feeling proud of all the TAffs that competed at races
5. Niall's 1M for charity
6. Going neck and neck with Martin all fall
7. Earning my first marathon mug
8. Those fleeting few moments of being ranked #1 in various events
9. Finishing in the top 20? (depending on who puts in their new pbs between now and May 1) on Nonathlon
10. Debra's 2M
11. Godfried's valiant comeback
12. Having a Taff be the #1 Nonathlete


Here's to a great 2005 season!

I think it would be cool to have a Taff Challenge again for next year, but maybe someone else should think them up? I made a good try at the first 6 but then they really got ridiculous....

Hi all,

Well that's it for me this season - 20K in the hot,humid gym up here in Queensland to finish off the season and give Dykie something to do on April 30th. Visiting Mum once again for the next 2 weeks so new season will start slowly then whooooosh (I hope).

Thanks to all the Taffs and forumites for their encouragement and fun posts this past season, it's given erging a whole new dimension.

Highlights for me include -

Playing leapfrog with Carla to get me fired up on doing lots more Kms.

Arm wrestles with Chris on the longer distances, hope I can emulate those times next season ?!

Niall's posts full of newsy stuff.

Personal achievements against the odds such as Chris's 6:44, Deb's 2M, Chippy's 3rd at SLIRC, Speedy and Mikez's huge Kms etc. Great stuff Taffs.

Goals for next season - PBs in all 10 and sub 6:50 before Chippy !! Odds on this happening ??????

All the best Tafferoons from OZtralia, see youse next season but,

Martin

Looks like the seaon is over for me too - could not make it to 1,800,000 - so decided to go to 99% - 1,782,000.

Lots of happy memories - also some bad

I think next season will be great - watch this space.

Time for another season Taffs. Hope everyone stays strong and healthy.

How about a goal of 50M meters?? Don't care how we get to them, just get to them. Sound like a plan??

Also maybe a goal of recruiting another five Taffs into the mix.

Dwayne

Happy New 'Erging' Year everyone!


Started the new season as I hope to continue with a cheeky 15k today. Followed that up with a 10 minute jog to cool down.

I'm hoping this will be the start of a strong erging year and I just hope I can stay healthy for the greater part of it.


Best wishes to everyone in reaching your rowing goals this year.

Prufrock

Happy New Season Everyone!!

Just for the record, my highlights for last season were (in no particular order):

1) Joining the best indoor rowing team in the World! The motivation, fun and support I've had form this team has been invaluable.
2) I have to mention my 1 Million Metre Challenge as this really was the catalyst for mey improved fitness, increased confidence to enter competitions and as a result of that to get Eddie Fletcher as my coach (who got my 2K PB down to 7:08.9).
3) The mini competition with Bernard / Prufrock at the end of 2004 to see who could row more metres.
4) Dwayne's 2K World Record. "Awesome" just doesn't seem to do him justice, he's a real inspiration.
5) Chris and Chippy's competitiveness.
6) MikeZ collosal rate of metres to storm up to overall second place in the Team standings.
7) Taff Attack silverware at SLIRC.
8) DarenC getting under 7:00 for 2K.
9) Carla's storming performances throughout the year
10) Godfried's graphs, he's just amazing!!
11) Carla and Martin's battle to see who would be higher up the Team Standings.
12) Dwayne being numero uno on Nonathlon (and he's from Taff Attack!!!)
13) Last but certainlt not least I have to say the support I've had from Martin (Viper!) as been exceptional, TOTAL RESPECT!!

But I'm a strong believer in looking forward so what's 2005/6 going to bring us. Here's my wishes:

1) 50M Team Total (Speedy's suggestion) is a definite as far as I'm concerned. I'm hoping for 2.5M this year.
2) It's time to drop the fledgling status of Taff Attack. This is the year where we start to be more prominent as an IR team. It's time to get more podium positions! It's time we got ourselves a website. It's time we got more serious guys (but let's not lose our fun side though

Well, you know how it is... Dad died, I got a bit depressed by that, hit a patch of "can't be bothered", then World of Warcraft came out on Feb 11th and I got addicted to that. Got a level 60 priest now, though, so I have a bit more time (level 60 being the current cap). The stuff in the garage piled up so that I couldn't even get to the machine, then they started building our conservatory...

Still, I've fixed the problem with my PM3 at least.

I did my first row since Jan 20th today... Man, it was hard work. 10 minutes for 2,295m. Back up to 13st 2lb (don't believe my signature). Damn those Irish coffees, and cheese&bacon sausages. Back to square one. =)

Welcome back, Daren! we've all missed you (and your tons of meters!) Keep us posted on your progress.

I'll be back on tonight for the first time in about 2 weeks. I feel pudgy and slow and lazy. But the Brahms/Prokofiev concert yesterday went really really well so it was worth the sacrifice!

I plan to do 40K a week from now till fall--less when I have daylight good weather time for my bike and more when it's rainy weather. We are only semi air conditioned and the only cool place in the summer is my really ugly dungeon like basement. I feel like I'm being punished just going down there to do laundry, and whenever I have had exercize equipment down there it just doesn't get used because I hate it down there so much. I love to bike so much more... but I don't want to lose to much of what erg fitness I've developed this year, so I'll be on a sort of maintanence schedule till it's not good biking weather.

Here's to 50M for the Taffs this year!

Daren,
It's good to see you back. I know many were wondering what happened to you. I hope this year is a good one for you (and your priest . Can he erg?) Good luck with getting back into the erging, PBing and metering collecting.

David

Carla,
Do we ever get to hear one of your concerts? (An audio file on the new TaffAttack web site that coming this year. Maybe with some photos/video.)
I thought you usually didn't get a chance to erg until night time - just tell yourself it is raining and miserable outside, so you might as well row )

David

Welcome back Daren. Missed ya mate!!

Dwayne

Hey Daren




Great to hear from you. I'm looking forward to trying to keep up with you and holding off that Niall this season.

I may not be able to do either but it'll be fun trying.

Tried some 500 metre sprints yesterday so only managed 5000 metres before running for 20 minutes.

I'll erg for an hour at UT2 this evening.


Bernard(Prufrock)

I can send you a CD if you really want to hear one! They are $15. Send me a PM with your address, and I'll send you a list of available concerts.

OK...tonight I'm getting on my erg and getting started! I plan to do a pokey hour row, just to get some meters in my log!

The Taff Attack is off to a great start already.

We're doing great so far this season Taffs. Keep it up!!!!

Speedy

A big (belated) welcome back Daren!! Good to hear you're back mate, missed you!

Aa for the rest of the team, it's great to see Taff Attack right up there in the Team Standings. After a slow start to the season for me (due to illness - there's always something wrong with me isn't there?! ), I'll be putting in the metres from today.

Rickster,
Love the photo of you on the Team page. You look alot like Frank Zane. The resemblance is amazing!!

Speedy

I hate the photo!

I use the team page to make the graphs, and have to edit out the photo and the empty lines.

BTW. Dwayne : your meters are divided ( now by 3 ) to keep you with the rest of us.

G
I am not on your gragh Sulking like a baby.
Glad to see you back Darren, why not get a form of for the golden mile in Evesham on July 9th,give you some thing to aim for. You know Bore da
and i will be there taking the p--s out of each other,picking a fight with the Pirate and checking out the totti.

Chippy

Come and have a go if you think you are hard enough boyo as for the totti.........I have that dept covered

Speedys Sporting Hero
Sir Pirate

Sorry to butt in, but I saw mention of the Evesham Mile and wondered if someone could fill me in on a bit of information. I have never rowed in and IR competition before, but Evesham is reasonably close and I have fond memories of the main regatta from my former rowing days! I wouldn't say I was totti, but I would love to come along for the rowing!

mallard replied by email ..... (always wanted to say that lol)......

but for those that are interested.......

http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7416

and the entry form can be found on Steve Viney's site ...

http://stevev.wirelessusers.co.uk/


Carole does helpful......... ggggg

Carole, you're like a public service announcement love, full of information!

Thanks for that Carole - have printed off the entry form and just have to sweet talk the baby-sitter! Good to hear you are making such great progress, and hope all goes well on Tuesday.

-Hey Carole! ARe you competing at Evesham? Good for you!!! I hope your leg is feeling OK and that you have an awesome season this year.

I can't believe that short 2 week break I took was long enough for me to now be developing blisters that are tearing again. Ridiculous. Back to rowing with sweat bands around my knuckles.

Hope everyone is enjoying spring (though it's 40 and raining cats and dogs here!)

Carole
Hope to see you at the Golde mile , last year thats where we met, Chris was lying
in the back of his car gasping for air after his row when you walked by.
We should have put him down then
Sir p
Last fight i lost was when i was 16 and then there was 3 of them, cant wait.

Whats happened to the MAD team , thought you would be up there with the big guns in the university challenge.To busy posing

Chippy

Well young fella m'lad, the last fight I had was when I was 3 and there was 16 of them!! so bring some mates!!

No prizes for the University Challenge, you Taff's can have that one

You staying over at Evesham Chippy?

Speedys Idol
Sir Pirate

Sir P

The Lions last test match is on July 9th so depending on the kick of time we might
come up the day before or after the match.

Chippy.

I have to remember to add a new line when a person adds his/her first meters.

Today I was one of the people not on the list.

Anyone think they can get one or two more recruits this season?

With the Iron Oarsman Clan coming on this year, we could use the help.

I'll be going to a lot of the regional UK events this season as well as the British Championships so will drum up some interest when I can. Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be many regular rowers at my gym (apart from me that is!).

I know Martin's working on some possible recruits at his gym down under.

Dwayne,

Excuse me for intruding. If this quote is right you had about 13,200,000 on 31/03 and finished 2005 with 15,616,888. That is 2,416,888 in 30 days or 80,000+ per day . Not just impressive but out of this world. Consider that only 53 people averaged more than 80,000 per week. And no Taff did that many meters in a whole year .

Color me impressed.

andy

Dwayne's a machine, pure and simple.

Identity parade time

As usual I was in my local (Cardiff) David Lloyd's Leisure gym this morning and for a change there were quite a few people erging (and my "normal erg" was being used by someone else ). Anyway, there was this guy two machines away from me going at a steady and consistent 20spm (approx). From what I could see (from the corner of my eye), he had a good solid technique. Anyway, once he'd finished his session and he stood up, I noticed he was wearing a Welsh IRC t-shirt underneath which looked like a Taff Attack all-in-one .

So, my question to all team members is, were you at David Lloyd's in Cardiff at 07:00 (BST) this morning? Let me see those hands and shouts of "I'm Spartacus!!". Don't be shy now...

Yeah, it was me.

No need to excuse yourself. Intruding is something you do.

Just kidding mate.

I didn't really put in all those meters those last few days. I had had a bunch of meters that I hadn't logged from earlier in the year that I made sure got onto the board before the end of the season. 80k a day is nuts...even for me!!

Dwayne

Thanks Carla, I kinda left myself open for that one didn't I?!

Nial
If he had hair it would not have been Chris,Grummpy or me.
Perhaps the Pirate has jumped ship and was getting the feel of being
Welsh before he comes and joins us.He sure is MAD enough

Chippy

Chippy, I think I am more qualified to join Taff Attack than a lot of people in your team, as I am half Welsh for a start, I have been to Wales about 5 times. I can also name a few Welsh castles-
Caernarfon Castle
Criccieth Castle
Carreg Cennen Cstle
Beaumaris Castle
Harlech Castle
Pembroke Castle
Cardiff Castle
Conway Castle
Plus, I am crap at Rugby!!

They won't let me in a David Lloyd centre, so it was not me

Speedys Super Hero
Sir Pirate

We are ranked 40th on the team rankings if you sort it by meters per member...

we're better than that!!! aren't we? !!


Hey great new 500 PB Dwayne!

I think we can as well.

Thanks Carla....and verified too.

Speedy

MikeZ,
Is Mike Jr. going to be erging for the Taffs this season? He did a great job last season, and we haven't seen any meters from him yet?

Dwayne

Back went out last night. I'll think about rowing again when I can walk straight...ouch

Carla,
Sorry to hear that . I hope it gets better soon. Does it also effect your ability to play violin?

David

Yes.

Really sorry to hear that Carla.
As a fellow back sufferer I can fully sympathise with your current state. Make sure you fully rest it before you get back on that erg so no rushing back (as tempting as it may seem).

We're gonna miss your metres/meters but please don't stop posting on the forum!

Best Wishes from Cardiff!

Nx

Thanks, Niall. I'm wearing a pretty rugged back support belt right now just to get through the day. But I am very encouraged in that all my flexibility work over the year means it is still possible for me to touch my toes, and do various other stretches, even though I'm not able to walk exactly upright and have to take silly little steps. I plan to not row at least a week. I am very sad that I may not be able to go on my once a year women's biking weekend. It's next weekend....sniff sniff

Probably those 100m sprints I did 3 days ago were too much for me. I had posted about them on "thanks Xeno" ....maybe a premature post! I was fine after them. The next day I biked to work, 11.5 miles each way, no big deal, avg over the two legs of the ride 16.5 mph. That night I went to row and it went out during my warm up.

I need a real live coach before I attempt any real sprints again. Obviously even though I think I am doing what Xeno, Paul Smith, etc, and everyone else say, I can't tell what my own body is doing and whatever it is can't take real hard drives. Though I must say it felt awesome to do those sprints at 1:37.

Sorry to hear about your back Carla. As Niall said, take care of it. You don't want to come back to soon.

Well Taffs...it sucks that Carla is down for at least a week. The 'Ducks in a Row' club is right on our heals. Anybody care to step up and put in a few extra meters this week? I'll do my best for an extra five minutes here and there.

Speedy

I'm in the same boat (so to speak) as you Carla. I'm fine during low spm sessions but as soon as I have to do anything which really involves some exertion, my lower back starts to ache. I'm having a few days rest right now as I did a session involving 1:55@24spm and started to feel the back. I should be doing a sprint pyramid (culminating in 1:45@26spm) but my back's just not ready for that level of stress right now .