What OTW Training have you done today

[tewbz]

It's stil very warm here. Temperature has been consistantly around 32 C(90 F) for a number of weeks now and no respite in sight. No significant rain has fallen since August last year. However that translates to very stable water/current conditions on the river I row on. Hence whenever I go out in the single I can get a really good hold of the water at the catch and push the shell away strongly with the feet/legs. Getting some good numbers on the NK stroke coach monitor.

Last Saturday we had a win in our master eight at the Henley on the Yarra regatta. Everyone is rapt about that, in particular seeing your name go on a prestigious perpetual trophy. We still have a number of races coming up for the eight which is eating into the time I get to train in my single. Yesterday was my first chance in 10 days to train in my single. I find that it takes about 30 minutes of rowing to get back into the groove after long periods away from the single. It's probably more a mental/confidence thing though than anything else. All that sweep rowing has helped me stay in tune for sculling, together with some time on my dynamic erg.

After finding back my confidence in the single, I yesterday did 2 x 2000m pieces, flat out at race pace. Although I wasn't wearing a heart rate monitor to find my max, but due to ideal rowing conditions, I felt just as exhausted and legless when I got out of the boat afterwards as I would getting off an erg. It makes for a very satisfying workout, particularily knowing that I got max physical benefit(plus being rowing specific) without using an erg or other gym equipment.

im curious to know what kind of times you got on those 2x2k in the single?

[the prawn]

I did a typical 16K this morning with a few "power 30's" tossed in before finishing. A friend is in the sunlight coming around the bend:

Deb_on_flat_water_Aug_17_2012_c_r.jpg

Where is this? Absolutely beautiful place to row.

[Rockin Roland]

im curious to know what kind of times you got on those 2x2k in the single?

Sorry for the delay in answering your question. I don't frequent this site as often as I use to. The 2km pieces were done upstream from one bridge to another which were my landmarks to start/stop the NK stroke coach monitor. Distance wasn't electronically measured or timed. I just know that it's roughly 2 km. The only measurements that I used were 500m splits and stroke rate. During the pieces there was quite a variance in 500m splits from a best of 1:55 to a worst at 2:05. Stroke rate was low 30s all the way. When I stopped the stroke coach, after approx. 2km, the 500m splits averaged out to 2:02 for both the first and second 2Ks.

Considering that I'm 51 and my true love is really sweep rowing, I'm happy enough with these results.

[mikvan52]

Dream Row yesterday morning: I crossed the Ledyard Bridge having just driven 20 miles down the Connecticut River by car... in a blinding snow storm.... I had to dream about being in my single.... Then I went home and rowed for an hour on the erg (boo-hoo)....

Can't wait for real spring... All I saw were ice floes out there, yesterday....

[Bob S.]

All I saw were ice floes out there, yesterday....

Now there's a thought. Rig up an ice floe for rowing. The rolling seat wouldn't be needed. Your rear would just slide on the ice. Got to have foot straps mounted somehow however. Otherwise it would be in the icy drink for sure.

Bob S.

[mikvan52]

All I saw were ice floes out there, yesterday....

Now there's a thought. Rig up an ice floe for rowing. The rolling seat wouldn't be needed. Your rear would just slide on the ice. Got to have foot straps mounted somehow however. Otherwise it would be in the icy drink for sure.

Bob S.

I'll head out there with Nanook of the North... right away!

[TheRocketeer]

5806 m of technique work, mostly on flat water, at a leisurely average 3:22.0 split at 16.5 spm, including stops for other boats and whatnot. Not the least interrupted workout in history, but close enough. Good times.

[TheRocketeer]

8686m, nice and steady. Averaged about a 3:10.5/500m split at 18 spm. Loving the water!

[Rockin Roland]

Yesterday afternoon I went out in my single together with one of the younger blokes that had just joined the club. I rowed ahead of him down the river first and had to call out to him several times to alert him of all the obstacles he was about to run into. He's an accident waiting to happen and not adverse to taking risks. He sculls on the river like many young blokes drive on our roads beleiving he's indestructable, owns the river and too good to have an accident. The other night he went out in one of our new club boats, in the dark, without any lights on. He wasn't open to any advice I had for him so I reckon he'll learn the hard way.

After getting over that, I had a second row, but this time in a coxed four. It was basically a scrath row with blokes that had never rowed together in a four, just to give guys that had come down to the club that evening a row. I wasn't expecting much but after a few strokes new we were in for a really good row. Before long, due to the high skill levels in the boat, the boat was rock steady in the water. The very stable platform that we created for ourselves gave us an opportunity to do some hard work in the boat. We did some 20 stroke starts and got really excited when we all connected together and got the boat up and running really quickly. We then did some longer but timed pyramid pieces rating around 30 spm at about 80% effort. It felt fantastic as the four of us got into the same groove and just kept the pressure on water getting great clearance in between our puddles. The boat run was excellent and we just didn't want the session to end.

It's funny how skilled masters sweep rowers hang around the club after work looking for a row. Nothing is formally organized . However they look around to see who's there, quitely picking their own crew, shun the less skilled or overweight unfit rowers, grab the best available coxswain and boat and head out on the water. I feel sorry for those that miss out on a row left to ponder either doing a gym session or ergo.

[ausrwr]

Hence why people scull/pair.

Yarra's OK at the moment, haven't seen your unlighted moron in 1x, but he's been more than made up for by the college crews.
Wrong way/wrongs side/no lights/no calls/no brains.

Generally 4-6 sessions a week in the 2- at the moment, nothing more than 16k in a session.
2* bungee cord session weekly of 6*3 mins 20/22/20*2, 22/24/22*2, 22/24/26 * 2, band off, 24/26/28.
2* (3 or 4*10 mins 4/3/2/1 starting at 20 or 22 and going up each interval).
Techo sessions when we can get coached.
And starting pyramids 50/40/30/20/10/20/30/40/50, starting at 24 and going up 2 each interval (rest between = about half work time)

Henley ain't going to win itself.

[TheRocketeer]

5813m, intense aerobic workout. Average pace 2:52.5/500m (measured by SpeedCoach for iPhone), at about 18 spm. 33:39 total time, including spinning the boat.

[Rockin Roland]

I did a 7 km Sculling head race a few weeks ago in perfect conditions. There was a field of 70 scullers(male, female, elite, club & masters) racing against each other with staggared starts of 10 second intervals. There were no categories so it was a perfect chance to see how you compare against rowers of all ages and ability. The results were interesting. Karsten, who won an Olympic bronze medal in the 4X in London, had the fastest time. He beat the fastest masters sculler (43 year old Shane who is no slouch and would mostly likely medal in any World masters event) by over a minute. That's the difference between open age and masters elite.

I was happy enough with my result but could have paced myself a lot better as I wasn't totally stuffed when I crossed the line. I started too soft at 2:13 per 500m average splits up the river to the island turnaround. My last 2000m was at average 2:01 per 500m splits. I should have tried a more even 2:08 split throughout the race but after coming off a masters season of 1000m racing it's difficult to gauge how you'd go for a 7 km head race with little prep work.