Warm up is very important! do not do what I did yesterday!!! I was in the basement/erg dungeon looking for something and the erg called to me. I was dressed in jeans and no shoes. I figured "whats 300 meteres?" and set the PM to 300 and went. OUCH! note to self: you are not a teenager any more.

Did my first ever 300m tonight, 46.4 so a pb i guess but could definatley go quicker, then 9k @1.54ish pace. Quite pleased with myself. When can i rank the time on the CTC?

Just to add a little spice to the 300M challenge our local gym had a challenge last year to see how far you could row in 1 minute. Bit like the 300M challenge it is a killer from an anerobic perspective. The gym winner did 385M, I believe Mr Tilley did about 381M. For my sins I did 329M. We were using a max DF setting....

Have a go and enjoy

Maybe you should put a warning on the C2CTC website, Daren!

And something like on the bottom of this page :

Exercise is not without its risks and performing this challenge may result in injury or death. Prior to participating in any challenge, you should seek the advice of your physician. C2CTC disclaims any liability from and in connection with any challenge set forth on this site. Your use of this website confirms your agreement to the above terms and conditions. If you do not agree, you will not participate in the challenges set forth on this site.

J. Murphy Owen! Please slow down before you rupture something ... my goodness, that's what I'd call "quick" ...

Have any large cousins or brothers or friends like you that we could put on an erg?

Hi all, inspired by you lot to have a go at the 300m challenge. Really surprised myself and got a 59.1 but the last 100m seemed to take about a week to complete. Sound advice about a good warm up. Made this newbies day! Cheers

Way to go Paul, have a beer and try again!

Thanks Mark, maybe tomorrow - the row that is not the beer!

Hi Carla,

It's been a bit of a hot/humid summer this year and an airless non aircon gym is not really conducive to flat out efforts So I've just been pottering around with the others trying to maintain 10K a day average (one of my season's goals) and enjoying a row with each person in turn.

Well done on your fantastic 30min20SPMer. It's great to see you hit top form and be in a position to knock off some of those PB's before season's end. Seems like we are both improving with age !

There are 2 types of rows I have learned (the hard way) to avoid if I want to stay relatively injury free - low SPM stuff (unless the DF is super low in which case I don't get very far !) and explosive bursts of a few 100 metres. So the last and current Challenges, though tempting from a 'competitive guy' gut reaction, will have to just come and go for me I'm afraid. I'll just have to wait to see what March has in store - maybe a HM (hint, hint) .

Family is very well thanks Carla, off to Queensland again for a few weeks at the end of Feb, so I can do March's challenge on my new Model D housed in my daughter's air con gym up there

Just a thought for when you attempt a 2K - try what I do and simply dial up 2000m after a good warm up, do a few good pulls to get started then think of it as just a solid training row at 1:55s or thereabouts. Much less nerve racking than thinking of it as a formal 2K piece and I think you may be pleasantly surprised at how good a time can be achieved - not necessarily optimum but pretty close (within a few seconds I find).

Good lick with the 300m, careful with the lower back esp. if you are seduced by high DFs for this one.

Martin

That 60 min looks like a nice soft one to fall Chris

Good work, Owen! Btw, I like your signature. I may have to put that on a poster in front of my erg for inspiration during hard sessions. "Pain is just weakness leaving the body..."

Hey gang,

Especially after reading the posts above:

I really think I'd better opt out of even trying the 300m. I am sure to destroy my back and be crippled for months--it's just not worth it. Last spring, I think in April, I wrecked it just by doing 100 m sprints (they were under 1:40) every 500 m for what started out to be a 10K (ended up being shorter, I can't remember where I quit) and ended up not rowing till the summer was about over and had to train for my first century bike ride (which was in June) with a back support belt on. I don't care for a repeat!!!!

So--it's really up to you, Krysta, Lynsey, Sue---and any other unattached female you can find....sorry....

Meanwhile I'm still having to take it really gently because something is screwed up in the back and side of my left knee--I don't know if its from the 20 spm stuff, or if it's from having lowered the foot plates, or from using the straps, or what, but it's just not working right. Meanwhile I'm rowing with only my right leg (on slides) and doing swiss ball stuff and feeling pudgy.

Bummed out in Bradford!

Just do a 300m at your 2k / 5k / 10k pace to get a boat filled.

Will do you good to see how the world is outside TAFF-I.

There are those who say TAFF has to decide the March challenge.

Ok how about a marathon at 20 spm?
Just joking

Dad was a rugby playing monster, but is now crippled by arthritis, eveyone else is pretty normal though and all far too lazy to sit on an ergo!

Saw an even better one the other day; "Row until you see God, and then sprint!"

I'd heard that too!

Can anyone confirm whether we're choosing the CTC for March?
Chris? Chippy?

I've done it!

Last night was footy night. That meant a fish & chip supper outside Anfield, so I wasn't expecting much from this morning's weigh-in.

Imagine my surprise, then, when the scales teetered on 11st 11.5lb, and then settled on 11st 11.0lb!

O M F G

To double check, I swapped the scales into metric mode, and had another go.

75.0kg! I'M A LIGHTWEIGHT! Only taken me, um, 6 or so years to lose 3 stone, but I'm finally at a milestone on my road to sub-11!

The weigh-in was witnessed by my dog, but here's a photo in case Chad's watching!

I like one that's similar ...

"Row 'til you die, then POWER 10!"

Nice work Darren! I know how this feels ... being a LW again after ... ummm ... maybe ... TWENTY YEARS! Think about that. What was going on twenty years ago? It's so long past, I can't remember. Oh, yes I can, I WASN'T YET MARRIED! Now those were the days!



It had to be one of two things ... the chips, or the batter. Do a test. Eat nothing but chips, or batter, for a week.



Welcome to the world of LW bliss. Chad thanks you for the pic.

That's fantastic news Daren, well done. I know how hard you've worked to get there and I'm so pleased for you. So we can get round to competing against each other again now and after my display Sunday I'm sure that doesn't bother you in the slightest!!)

Hehe, Niall, I think I've a long way to go and a lot of training to do before I'm back up to a level where I'm actually competing with you again. My current 2k is 7:29.9 and that's without having the handle down excuse to account for the time. =)

Still, I think I'm going to wipe my PB board clean, and start again. Write all the previous times off as heavyweight PBs that no longer count. Or is that cheating?

Don't wipe the board , just add a new row under it for your LWT times.

That was then...

Third attempt for me, today, and first as a lightweight!

0:53.5 48SPM 1:29.2 180df

100m 0:17.8 47SPM 1:29.0
200m 0:17.6 48SPM 1:28.0
300m 0:18.1 50SPM 1:30.5

Took 0.5 seconds off my old heavyweight best. \o/

Bravo Darren!

Good for you, Skinny Belinky!!!! It must be that AIO that is motivating you. Nothing like a weiner suit to make you want to go thin.

Good thing you took that photo, because if Chad doesn't believe you're a lightweight your pants will automatically get too tight again.

My scale says "Lo" when I step on it! what an ego boost. I'm not going to give it fresh batteries because it's good for my self esteem.

Bad Carla....bad Carla. What in the world are you thinking?????

Who was officiating? Without an official there...well I just don't know.

Congrats on hitting your goal mate.

Hmm. those could be other people's feet...When are we going to have proper verification of weight on this site!???

Ha ha. great job Daren, the best is when your belt goes to the next hole and you can wear those jeans you have been holding onto since the 80s because they were too tight.

I am NOT going to do anything at 20 spm again.

What does Mrs Godfried have to say about that?

Mrs Godfried does not count SPM.

Nope we get April.

The real question is, was the dog closer than 10 meters away? hmmmm????

Awesome, Daren! No more trying to sweat your way into the right weight-class at comps? Big congrats!

Dogs vs Cats

The dog's diary:
7 am - Oh boy! A walk! My favorite!
8 am - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
9 am - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
Noon - Oh boy! The yard! My favorite!
2 pm - Oh boy! A car ride! My favorite!
3 pm - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
4 pm - Oh boy! Playing ball! My favorite!
6 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Mom! My favorite!
7 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Dad! My favorite!
8 pm - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
9 pm - Oh boy! Tummy rubs on the couch! My favorite!
11 pm - Oh boy! Sleeping in my people's bed! My
favorite!
-------------------------------------------------
The cat's diary:
Day 183 of my captivity... My captors continued to taunt me with
bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while
I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the
hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from clawing the
furniture.
Tomorrow I may eat another house plant. Today my attempt
to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking
almost succeeded - must try this at the top of the stairs.
In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I
once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair - must try
this on their bed.
Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an
attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike
fear in their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good
little cat I was. Hmmm, not working according to plan.
There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was
placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise
and smell the food. More important, I overheard that my confinement was
due to my powers of inducing "allergies." Must learn what this is and
how to use it to my advantage.
I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe
snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to
return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird, on the other hand, has got
to be an informant and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he
reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room,
his safety is assured. But I can wait; it is only a matter of time.

Maybe I will row 300 meters Saturday, but I think Monday would be better, I could miss the whole week of work then.

Tried today on max drag on my machine - 205. However, I failed to improve my time from yesterday. I didn't bother with a warm-up today, though, just a cold row. That might have made a difference.

In the end, my time was 53.7 seconds. The 100m splits were 17.8, 17.6, 18.3. The first two are identical to my 180 drag attempt from yesterday, with the 0.2 seconds being lost at the end. I may have another go after a 10 minute warm-up later, but if that doesn't improve things I'll stick to 180 drag for future attempts.

Set your goals high and exceed them!!!!!

I'm still rowing one legged and half slide....

Allready some great performances in the CTC:
Owen - fine effort to get so close to Jon Goodall - He has sprint pedigree.
Krysta - great to see you slot in where Carla left off (Will Carla really be able to resist competition for 1 whole month?)
Mrs T - Another top row, sub 1 min goal for month end?

Daren, well done on the weight loss - I think I've lost about 10 grams, so I'm on the way too!

Tidy.

Good question Chris.

Carla,
How 'bout just doing one (doesn't need to be fast)? Then do one again (in, let's say another couple of days), and just try and beat that one by a bit. Then do another....and so on and so on. Before you know it, you'll be pulling sub 1:10 splits and beating us all.

Dwayne

Reckon i can take another couple of seconds off, was holding about 1:15 untill 90m then legs died, have only been on a real program (Pete's plan) for a week so i reckon by the end of the month i should be a fair bit quicker. Good luck all!

Owen

I didn't try the 300m today. Instead, spurred on by Daren's talk of resetting his PBs and starting again, I rowed a mile PB. 5:39.3.

I'm doing a HM tomorrow - meeting another rower in the gym. I may try the 300m on 180 drag from cold.

Hey Dwayne...my turn to say WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??? (OR SMOKING)


Some sort of injury to the left leg--the one that does most of the work. Not sure when I'll be able to row properly again. Hopefully before the end of the month. Until then, all I'm managing is 5--8K, alternating between right leg only and both legs on half slide. Pace is pitiful. I am having trouble being patient!!!! On the up side, my De Beriot concerto is coming along nicely with this extra practice time.

Congrats on your mile PB. And careful on the cold start 300m. Don't hurt yourself!

Owen

Top 300m - that's going to take some beating by the rest of us Hwts - what drag did you use? what spm did you pull?

Surprised there's been no mention of this afternoon's rugby match....not running scared are we

Regards

Paul B
(English Member of Taff Attack)

Well done on the mile PB Dougie. I'm sure you can go faster than that though!
5:39.3 is a slower pace than your 2K PB

Good luck with the 300m. I might just try one myself tonight.