2K challenge week 51

Gerhard · Post by **Gerhard** » December 10th, 2007, 10:00 am

Congratulations Tom!

Great pacing once again. I checked the NKIR results, finishing at 1:46 is very impressive. You rated 29 SPM; is that normal for you? I hope to average 31SPM on my PB attempt in week 51, don't know why but considering my 38SPM on 500m and 34SPM on 100m it just sort of seems to make sense

.

I think I've completely recovered from my cold. I did 3x2K yesterday,

7:51.8
7:51.8
7:46.2

Rest intervals of 8 to 10 minutes, 26 SPM and heartrate 'under control'. I'll do a few more 2K intervals and a few sprint intervals this week, hopefully increase pace and rate. It's time to prepare myself for a sub 7:20 2K by the end of this week...

tomhz · Post by **tomhz** » December 10th, 2007, 11:34 am

Gerhard wrote:Congratulations Tom!

Great pacing once again. I checked the NKIR results, finishing at 1:46 is very impressive. You rated 29 SPM; is that normal for you?

29 SPM is just about normal for me. My previous PB I did at 27-29.
Raising my SPM on the 2K was (and still is) a goal for me. I sometimes try a 2K@31-32 but it doesn't work for me yet. Your target of 31 is pretty average for most people.

Tom

Gerhard · Post by **Gerhard** » December 10th, 2007, 11:45 am

tomhz wrote:
Gerhard wrote:Congratulations Tom!

Great pacing once again. I checked the NKIR results, finishing at 1:46 is very impressive. You rated 29 SPM; is that normal for you?
29 SPM is just about normal for me. My previous PB I did at 27-29.
Raising my SPM on the 2K was (and still is) a goal for me. I sometimes try a 2K@31-32 but it doesn't work for me yet. Your target of 31 is pretty average for most people.

Tom

I'm not a proponent of SPI-based training, bit IF you are able to keep your current strokepower and increase SPM from 29 to 31, then you are in for a 6:55 2K

tomhz · Post by **tomhz** » December 10th, 2007, 12:54 pm

Gerhard wrote: I'm not a proponent of SPI-based training, bit IF you are able to keep your current strokepower and increase SPM from 29 to 31, then you are in for a 6:55 2K

I think my stroking power need a bit more work before I can go sub 7.
But I agree: there must be room for improvement as I do the middle part of a fast 2K at 28 SPM now.

next year together at the BIRC maybe?

Tom

tomhz · Post by **tomhz** » December 10th, 2007, 6:47 pm

Did 3x2K again today:

7:34
7:32
7:31

andyb2004 · Post by **andyb2004** » December 10th, 2007, 7:08 pm

tomhz wrote:Did 3x2K again today:

7:34
7:32
7:31

Nice workout - you must be a 2k addict

I would be happy to see the 7:31 for a single 2k attempt - hopefully soon

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » December 10th, 2007, 7:57 pm

Gerhard wrote:finished in 7:24.2

Be sure to update your signature.

Gerhard · Post by **Gerhard** » December 11th, 2007, 6:19 am

Downhell sprint interval, lots of rest and easy paddling in between. Total time for workout and rest intervals 45 minutes.

4min - 1147 meters - 1.44.6 R12
3min - 859 meters - 1:44.8 R10
2min - 572 meters - 1:44.9 R8
1min - 299 meters - 1:40.3 R5
---------------------------------
10min - 2877 meters - 1:44.3

Improvement of 21 meters / 0.75 seconds pace.

Gerhard · Post by **Gerhard** » December 11th, 2007, 6:20 am

John Rupp wrote:
Gerhard wrote:finished in 7:24.2
Be sure to update your signature.

You are right. I got an error on make_image, I'll send Darren a message or go back to a good old fashioned text-signature

KR · Post by KR » December 14th, 2007, 10:34 am

Hi guys,

New to the forum and just want to communicate my "feelings" about rowing to someone

Rowing is a nightmare and I mean that literally... I'm a cyclist/half ass triathlete and bought an erg last year because my buddy talked me into it and I thought it might strengthen my core and help my arthritic lower back...

Also, to row the state indoor championship as well.. So I rowed for about 4-5 weeks and went into the race. Now, I've been racing bikes for 10-12 years and know all about intensity and going into the pain cave, etc. So when they said "go" for the 2K I went completely nuts on the erg... And died a thousand deaths towards the end... Luckily I held off a smarter, better rower by 3 seconds and got the medal... I also laid on the ground for 15 minutes trying to breath, went right into a sore throat and coughing, and caught the flu the next day.

So for a year now, I've been worried about having to go do that again... Now, I didn't row much this summer, but have since been pretty steady since September, like 4 days a week for 10K. I should have a million meters this year, for what its worth. The goal here is to have less pain on Feb 2nd and go as fast or faster and not immediately get the flu...

The question is, will it hurt the same this year? Will I be able to beat or exceed my time from last year?

Anyhow, now that I have "emoted" please carry on, thanks

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » December 14th, 2007, 10:57 am

KR wrote:
Also, to row the state indoor championship as well.. So I rowed for about 4-5 weeks and went into the race. Now, I've been racing bikes for 10-12 years and know all about intensity and going into the pain cave, etc. So when they said "go" for the 2K I went completely nuts on the erg... And died a thousand deaths towards the end... Luckily I held off a smarter, better rower by 3 seconds and got the medal... I also laid on the ground for 15 minutes trying to breath, went right into a sore throat and coughing, and caught the flu the next day.

Pacing should be the key here. Your description sounds like a classical fly and die situation. From the point of view of just plain physics, even pacing is the most efficient way to get a good 2k score on an erg. However, rowing coach Mike Caviston has done an extensive study that indicates that a slight negative pacing is more effective. Do the first split (i.e. 500m) at a pace that you know you can maintain for the duration of the 2k, then try to speed up just a bit (about 1 second of pace) on each of the three succeeding splits.

The 2k has been traditionally called a "sprint", but anything that lasts for well over 5 minutes and up is not truly a sprint. Going all out from the start is a sure way to come up with a less than optimal performance.

Bob S.

KR · Post by KR » December 14th, 2007, 12:31 pm

what about the flu, bob? does the machine always give you that?

thanks for your insight, i rowed a 6:38 last year, so i guess i need a sub 1:40 pace... that hurts thinking about it.

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » December 14th, 2007, 3:07 pm

KR wrote:what about the flu, bob? does the machine always give you that? :-)

thanks for your insight, i rowed a 6:38 last year, so i guess i need a sub 1:40 pace... that hurts thinking about it.

Any all-out physical endeavor has the potential of a subsequent infection, since that kind of activity often seems to temporarily weaken the immune system. Another factor is the usual being in a crowd in the winter, so the flu doesn't come as a surprise.

I don't see that you need a sub 1:40 to start. If you can start with 1:40 in the first split and cut 1 second off each of the next three, you would end up under 6:38, even assuming the worst case, i.e. 1:40.9/1:39.9/1:38.9/137.9 for a total of 6:37.6. I don't know if the real time pace reading is rounded or truncated, but I think that it is truncated, which is why I picked those values. With software like Paul Smith's Ergmonitor, I believe that you can get real time pace readings to the tenths of seconds, which would give you a better idea of how you were doing. Paul S can chime in on this if he reads it.

In any case, you know that you can average 1:39.5 with fly and die pacing, so if you start with 1:40, you should be able to hold that and still have enough in the tank for a good sprint.

Are the split times available from that satellite regatta? It would be interesting to know just what yours were.

Bob S.

Gerhard · Post by **Gerhard** » December 14th, 2007, 4:57 pm

KR wrote:
The question is, will it hurt the same this year? Will I be able to beat or exceed my time from last year?

I'm very sorry but the answer is yes, it will hurt. Maybe just as much. But with training you will be able to handle the pain and enjoy the passing of the 2000 meter mark, even though it will take 15 minutes before you are able to stand up and a full day to get rid of the cough.

I just finished my 2K about 30 minutes ago. I've been (barely) able to get down the stairs without medical help, the cough is getting less. But hey, I'm happy.

I finished in 7:14.2 and as far as I'm concerned, that's the end of my 2K challenge. As much as I enjoyed it, enough is enough. Goal achieved, pretty good target prediction considering that the target was set 4 months ago

! I'll post 100 meter split and other race details tomorrow.

Good luck with your 2K's guys !!

Gerhard · Post by **Gerhard** » December 14th, 2007, 5:04 pm

Bob S. wrote:I don't know if the real time pace reading is rounded or truncated
Bob S.

It is rounded on the PM3. Online races on rowpro show the pace with one decimal.