"Stuck on" sounds like me. I stuck on 13st 3lb for a long while, then I took up the erg and now I'm stuck on about 12st 11lb. I'll get there eventually though, mark my words!

"There" is about 11st.

Hi all


I rowed 12.5k this morning. I feel I'm ready to start upping the pace now.

Niall, I had a quick read of your blog and wanted to know more about your training programme. Is this something that was devised for you by your coach or were you left very much to your own devices to work something out for yourself? I just wondered if it was something specially tailored for you or whether it was a general purpose 2k training programme.

I notice you've been using a powerbreathe, how has this helped your performance? I have been using one for quite a while and it has seemed to help my overall general fitness.

regs
Bernard

My training schedule is devised by my coach and was initially based on the results of physiological tests I did with him back in May. Thereafter, the schedule is based on the results of the previous schedule's results (each schedule is 4-6 weeks).

I've gone off the boil with the POWERbreathe I must admit. I've gotten out of the routine of using it and need to kickstart it again. I can't really quantify the benefits of using it in relation to indoor rowing but what I will say is that for swimming it made a significant difference. Prior to using it, I would have to take a reather every 3-4 lengths. After two weeks of the POWERbreathe I was able to swim 50 lengths without stopping. I can't think of a higher recommendation than that.

Nothing really special. I have a quick metabolism anyway (I can thank my genetics for that one). So if I just cut out the simple sugars, and most of my saturated fats...bingo bango.

I suppose 45k a day on the erg doesn't help much with weight maintenance?

regs
Bernard

Today's physical exertion:

Rower

Morning: 8000m - 34 mins
Mid-day: 8000m - 33.5 mins.
Evening: 2000m warmup - 8 mins. 10 mins rest. 1000m test. 3:36.5 SB. Fly-and-die. with a tough 250m around 1/2 - 3/4 distance with some >2:00 strokes. Picked it up in the last 250m to pull the avg split down from 1:50.1 to 1:48.3.

Run/Walking

Evening: started off at 2 mins running, 1 min walking but after 3 reps of that I reverted to 1+1. Did approximately 30 minutes of that. The damp air doesn't help my chest/breathing at all. I may see if the quacks will prescribe me an inhaler. I haven't had one since I was a young teenager, but training in cold, damp weather is hard work and makes me wheeze.

Good way to finish off the week mate. Well done!!

Hi all


Only 7.5k tonight. I finally bit the bullet and did a 4x500m. I forgot what oxygen debt was all about. The fourth one, surprisingly, was the easiest. Even stranger my warm down was 20 secs/500 quicker than I normally warm down at.

So it looks like the gloves are off; the honeymoon period is over and war has been declared on my concept2. I'll do an interval session every other day next week which should get my body used to real work.

Daren, nice effort. Great to see you putting in such marvelous work.

later
Bernard

Off to do my 10K for today. Yesterday I did it broken up in 1 and 2K pieces, not really pushing hard, but faster than I can do 10K in at one go (right now, anyway!) Don't know how I'll do it today, but for a while I don't really care how fast I'm going or anything--just do the 10K. It's junk meters but I think I need them. I think my stroke is getting smoother and I'm in a better position at the catch for protecting the lower back.

Let's keep the meters piling up!

Guys,

Can we have a roll-call for Enfield please. I've had a look at the race schedule and can only see three Taffs (myself, Chippy and Bore Da). Have I missed anyone??

although not a Taff ...... I am reigning Welsh champion ..... and I will be there... although don't think I will be doing any fast times as to used to long slow rowing at the moment...

Really looking forward to meeting you Carole! You wont be able to miss TA team members, we'll be in our team AIOs looking splendid !!

Sorry Niall...going to have to miss this one.

7000 miles too far to travel Speedy?

I've only attempted a full marathon (42,195m) once before. On that occasion I covered 33,683m in 2:42.00.0 (avg 2:24.3) before the piece got the better of me and I put the handle down. That was back on Jan 15th this year. After that I had about 5 months off the rower, and started again in June.

Well, with all the talk of Great North Runs and duathlons that's around this weekend, coupled with the fact that I found out that my family were going to be out for at least 4 hours this afternoon, I decided to have another go.

The aim was just to complete the damn 26 miles. Time wasn't of great importance, but I hoped for at most 3:30:00.0. I planned on watching my effort and making sure it wasn't getting too much too soon. Well, I didn't get off to a brilliant start. About 2 minutes in, I realised I wasn't wearing my heart rate chestbelt. So I had to stop and spend about 30 seconds fitting that.

Then I realised I needed the loo. I think I over-did the pre-row hydration, and there was nothing for it; at the 30 minute drink break, I had to go. Scratch another 90 seconds or more. I took a drink every 30 minutes, which resulted in a pause of anything between 20 and 40 seconds, and at the 90 minute mark I dashed to the kitchen for a Jaffa Cake fix. I had about 7 of them (yummy), and wasted another 90 seconds or so.

I thought the final half hour would be the easiest. You know, end in sight and all that, but it proved to be the most taxing, both mentally and physically. I was pretty tired, but there was no way I was going to stop. Not this time. Not once I'd passed 33.5km, and not after Carole did 100k!

The great news is that I did it! My final time was...

3:23:50.0

An average pace of 2:24.9, which is "OK", I guess. All the stops pulled my average down quite a way. The average pace of the splits that didn't have a drink/food/wee break in them is more like 2:21 or so. Obviously, I need the drinks, but if I can at least manage not to need a wee, and have my Jaffa Cakes readily to hand, I should be able to take a minute or two off next time.

I ranked it on the C2 site and I'm 16th out of 19th. Just nineteen ranked marathons in my category. I guess that makes me part of a pretty select group, compared to the 552 ranked 2k pieces. =)

Now I just need to claim my marathon mug!

Well done Daren. Sub 3hrs next time .

How's your arse?
How are your hands?

LOL at the idea of sub 3 hours. I'm not even back to sub-90 for the half, yet!

Hands are fine. The only problem I had with them was in the final 30 minutes or so, when then got very sweaty and greasy, which made them slip around a lot on the Model D handle.

Backside's fine, too. I prepared with a handy cushion, a folded towel, a folded T-shirt for various types of padding, but in the end I didn't use any of them. Towards the end of each 30 minute segment beyond the hour I was aching a bit, but I stood up during my drink breaks, and that seems to have been enough.

It may very well be that the prototype seat I'm using had a lot to do with it. I think it's more comfortable over the long haul than the standard seat. You can see the seat in this photo. It's in two pieces and can be adjusted to fit the individual in various ways. I don't know if and when it'll be available for us to buy though. The one I have is a very early prototype, I think - I've seen a more professional version that was sent to someone else to try out, too.

Hi all


Lazy day today - just 10k. I'll catch up tomorrow, especially after Daren's marathon. Well done Daren; great time.


regs
Bernard

Thanks, Bernard. I don't think I'll do another in a hurry, mind. =)

Hey, good going, Daren...26 miles seems so far to me right now! Are you planning to do one "for time" in a little while? I'm sure your time will just plummet when you do one with prior planning.

Another 40+K for the Taffs! Rah! Rah!

My project for the day is converting my ex-school room (all 3 kids now done with homeschooling and in college--either away, or finishing high school at the community college) into a home gym! Out go all the shelves, books, old projects, the computer table, supplies, the smelly rug. In goes my erg on its slides (where I had it before, I had to move it into the living room to use the slides--now I'll be able to leave it on the slides), TV &DVD player on the window seat, and my daughter's Wave Master kicking/punching thing. The floor is hard wood, and we're going to cover half of it with karate dojo flooring for doing situps and stuff like that.

Well done on the marathon Daren. They're not easy. And sub 3:30 to boot. Good job.

I'm going to give the men's 100k (40-49 hvy) record a shot sometime the end of Feb or start of March. Need to keep a 2:03 avg for that one. Anyone else want to join me?

2:03 average for 100k? You're 'avin' a laugh, mate! I fancy the 100k, now that I have the 42k out of the way, but I'm in no hurry!

Hi Daren,

Good one. I did my first marathon last February, a few months after I got my C2. I also wasted all kinds of time since it was my first try.

I know what you mean about the seat. Forgive me if you've already seen it, but a while ago I posted some photos once of my homemade seat, made from scrap wood and a piece of heavy leather. It is so comfortable I never even think about the seat anymore. I used air cushions, pads, etc. with the C2 seat but nothing worked for me until I simply made my own seat. Here is a link to it

http://www.math.msu.edu/~drachman/row/new_seat_version2_5.jpg

Next time I would also like to break three hours but I don't know if that is possible for me.

Again, congratulations, and isn't it nice that we get mugs celebrating the event?

Byron

Some time, yeah sure. I think I'll leave it more than a little while though. Then again, maybe I'll do it next weekend. I never can tell, 'cause I don't plan these things more than a few minutes ahead. =)

Well done Daren....

Do we need to have a row till you drop challenge to get our meters up? Challenge would be on a given Saturday or Sunday you have to row as far as possible in one session?

What do you think?

WOW! That sounds like an awesome challenge Wilko!? Quite scarey but one helluva challenge! I think I'd have to do it on a week day though so I could book a day off work for it (weekends are for family stuff so couldn't get any more than 1-2 hours rowing in). Would really want to try and do somethiong like 4 hours (or more!) even though I've never rowed more than a HM.

Let's do this! A Saturday would be good because I'd need the whole of Sunday to recover. I wonder how long I could row for at my current state of rowing fitness ... mmm.

I rowed a very leisurely 13.5k this morning to apologise to my body for giving it a pummeling last week. Hopefully a nice leisurely 10k later just to prepare it for the pummeling it's going to take this week.

Ahh, the joys of erging!

regs
Bernard Pru

Nice!!!

All I need to do is wait for the kids to finish their education (7-12 years) and convince my wife it'd be a good idea (hmm, might have to wait until h*** freezes over first!!).

I like the idea of a row-'til-you-drop challenge. We could all do it sometime during a seven day period (that way everyone can participate), then just log in the meters.

How 'bout it? Let's hear from the rest of the Taffs.

Yeh, I'm up for it. My only suggestion would be that we make it include it as a monthly challenge (i.e. we've got a month to do it). We can then decide on a monthly cycle what the next challenge will be. People can do the challenge as many times as they like and the best distance and/or time wins (we may want to introduce some handicapping system so Dwayne doesn't win all the challenges!). We can then issue points and set up a league table for publishing on the web site.

What d'ya say?

Hi all


Erged another 12.5k. Toyed with the idea of 15k, but I really do think I need to cap rows to 12ishk.

I'll complete the day's training with a few 500's tonight. I'm a bit chuffed actually as I rowded 182,500 metres in 11 days and have not really felt any fatigue or stiffness. It augurs well for the coming weeks.

regs
Bernard

Carrying a bit of a virus so have shut down for a few days:-<

Regarding the row till you drop challenge. Suggest as Niall said we set it within a one month period (each calender month) and handicap it. The easiest handicap would be to take away your average daily meters from the eventual figure you end up with. So poor old Dwayne would have to row 40K+ before he has broken even What do you think?

Mike

I'm up for that. The handicap sounds fair.

I agree, I think using the average daily metres is a good handicap. I used to be able to easily find my daily average on the C2 site but since they've reworganised it I'm at a loss. Anyone help me out??

So shall we take the average daily metres from the preceding month (e.g. if we do this for October, we take the average metres rowed per day during September)? On the first of the month we can then publish the challenge and the handicaps (I'm assuming each person entering the challenge will need to publish their own handicap).

This challenge is shaping up nicely, many thanks Wilko for the initiative

Niall, try http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/log_last.asp (the "History" link from your log page).

Niall,
The only thing I disagree on, is using last months average. That would mean that someone that didn't row at all last month could come in and clean up. How 'bout we just use our average to date?

Cheers Daren!

I don't mind which average we use as long as we're all in agreement. Reason I suggested the preceding month's average is that if someone did no rowing during September then they're not going to be able to do too much rowing in one session in the October. It also covers someone who maybe hasn't done any rowing until this month so their season's average would be really small but their September average would reflect their current fitness level.

It makes little difference to my actual handicap as mine is currently:

Season's Daily Avg: 5025m
September Daily Avg: 6299m

As I said, I don't really mind as long as we're all in agreement. The main objective of this challenge is that we add lots of metres to the team total.

Congratulations Daren!
The marathon is quite an achievment, and you had a nice time, especially with all those breaks. (I don't know how Carole did hers )

David

Nial
Bad news for sunday,its the inlaws 40 wedding anniversary and a
celebration lunch has been arranged at the local golf club so i will have to
do the family thing Not happy but got to keep the peace.

Chippy

Really sorry to read that Chippy. You'll be sorely missed my friend. Chris still on for Enfield? I'm not going to be the only Taff there now am I??

Chippy, thats a bugger mate. I will take your place if you like, I will row under Taff Attack

Sir Pirate

There's no way you're rowing under me Sir P I have a hard enough time keeping my ergo seaworthy as it is without taking on pasengers.

Hi all


I erged 12k this morning. This included a 4x500m session, which nearly killed me. I rowed these at lower than 1'50"/500, which is about 5"/500 faster than last time(Friday).

I didn't do it last night because of a once in a lifetime opportunity to play chess against a leading GM.

I learned that early morning is not the time to do fast intervals at anything like a quick pace and will not do it again! I'll row 8k tonight at a very leisurely pace.

When is this row til you drop going to take place then. Is it possible for Speedy to row til he drops? I don't mind the handicap. I'm running at 10.5k per day for September, so far. I need to row something like a marathon anyway.

I'm off to eat until I explode.


regs
Bernard Pru

Bernard, you're a star. You're putting in a load of metres and it's great to hear your progress. I've got a 2x750m session to do tomorrow and have decided to do it in the afternoon as mornings are just too hard (and not reflective of actual competition times - I can never see me competing before 7am!!).

Keep up the metres and the progress buddy! And keep telling us about it too!!

Bah, I did my "row till I drop" on Saturday! I don't know when I'll get time to attempt something like it again. Of course, I could just go off at my 2k pace, in which case I'll drop after about 7 and a half minutes... =)

I'll play "row till you drop" based on whatever average we come up with. Am I understanding this right, the handicap is our daily average of either last month, or the whole season. And that means, we have to row our daily average, and then keep going, and the meters that count are the ones after we've completed our daily average?

This month I have a goal of doing 200K, so basically 50K a week, like the Holiday Challenge, so this can only help, right?

Great idea, let's do it and watch the Taffs go up the boards!

BTW, of course I discovered that my "home gym" room actually needs a lot of work, now that the stuff's all out. The walls are 100 year old lath and plaster and need repairing and repainting. But it's going to be great when it's done!

Prufrock and Daren you are an inspiration! MikeZ, you might have noticed I'm breathing down your neck....

Congrats to Daren for breaking through the 1 Million Metre barrier so quickly since his 'comeback' to erging. Got me looking over my shoulder now, is 500K enough of a gap ??

Not sure if I can make the 'Erg til I Drop' challenge this month - I am toying with the idea of entering the Aussie IRC conveniently being held in Melbourne mid October so total exhaustion may not be the best preparation Also there's a small matter of exiting the gym with some dignity intact let alone getting home !!We'll have to see on this one. Great idea to have a monthly 'challenge' along the lines of Carla's last year (maybe not quite such gruelling ones though) and use the Taff Web site to keep track of them.

Cheers and best wishes to the TA team on Sunday at Enfield, who will no doubt do us proud,

Martin

Hi all


Only 12.5k this morning and that's me for the day. I'm feeling a bit tired from yesterday's faster paced stuff and don't want to take chances. The difficulty for me is curbing my enthusiasm as it is so easy just to hop on the erg.

First two weeks back after a long period of patchy training have gone as well as could be hoped.

I feel a lot more comfortable about doing more focussed training starting from Monday. I have two more recuperative 500 metre sprints to do between now and Sunday though, and if I can get down to about 1'45 for these, I'll also feel more comfortable about going to BIRC.

I think I should be back to reasonable rowing shape by the end of the week, though certainly nowhere near the kind of performance of this time last year. The last week of September and the whole of October are quite important for me in that I hope to have built on the work I have done so far and will reach the revised goal of breaking 7 minutes sometime in 2005.

I can't say whether this goal is achievable quite yet, everything depends on speed endurance training, which is the training I hate most as I struggle to breathe for longer than I feel comfortable with.

Anyway ...

regs
Bernard

Daren hits the one million mark!! Good on ya mate.