What Training Have You Done Today?

[hjs]

I really don't think being beyond one's prime is quite the same as being old. If that was the case, then turning 40 would be the start of turning old. For active athletes the slide in performance from 40 to 50 is going to be very gradual. If significant change in performance is the standard for being "old," I would think that somewhere in the 60s would be jumping off point for being "old."

I also don't think that a 5:40ish 2K is a very good standard for judging getting old. Almost noone achieves 5:40 something and only then for a very short time. If that is the standard, there are a lot of very prematurely old people rowing.

Re: TJ. I see no postings for him in his 50s. I have no idea if he was ever a 5:40 rower. In his 60s, he has maintained a 2K standard very close to 6:30 for the last 6 years. His record times in all other distances have actually gotten better as he has aged. Without an exhaustive analysis, I do not see others with his kind of record.

Re Tj, ad far as I know he only started at a later age, he never erged in his prime. The 5.40 is based on what the very brst can do, tj is the very best for his age group, the bery best overall pull that 540. The group of people that do row at a later is ofcourse smaller, but that said Tk must be very talented, its not for nothing he is a class of his own among his peers. 540 is not a standard in itself, but absolutely seen it is. Tj is 50 seconds slower. Given his talent in his prime he would be a very strong rower. He declined 40/50 seconds from his max potential.

The point I make, if you are over 40 and at some point where very well trained there is no stopping the decline. Also keeping up the training is often difficult. Its not for nothing that group records from the 30 to 40 make such a big dump down.

My point is, what is wrong with getting older? Yes we decline, yes we get grey and or bald, younger man woman don,t see us stand anymore. The simple facts of life. Thinking you are still young when every proof says the opposite is silly.
That does not mean that staying fit and healthy is fine. But don,t pretent to be what you are not.

[Cyclingman1]

My point is, what is wrong with getting older? Yes we decline, yes we get grey and or bald, younger man woman don,t see us stand anymore. The simple facts of life. Thinking you are still young when every proof says the opposite is silly.
That does not mean that staying fit and healthy is fine. But don,t pretent to be what you are not.

Not to belabor all of this ad nauseum, but, first of all, I'm definitely not denying getting old or anyone else for that matter.
I think what I have been saying is that there are several levels of old: beginning (45-59); old (60-72); for sure old (73-85); ancient (86-150) - sorry Bob. Of course, those categories are flexible and do not apply exactly to everyone - TJ, for example. I just think the term is thrown around a little carelessly. Yes, Terry will not be obtaining levels he could have at age 40, nonetheless, he is not old - category 2. He is barely at the beginning of old, category 1. Sub-6:20 is not pulled by anyone "old."

Since this is a discussion for training, I add my training for today. It does stand in contradistinction to Terry, Jan 13. To be fair to me, I'm coming off of mild bronchitis a week ago. I ran out of gas on the intervals. Had to quit after 3.

2K warmup, 7:16 @1:49.

3x500m, rest 3:00
Avg 1:41.3 +/- 1.3

Not bad, but not hardly the 1:34.1 of the old Terry.

[hjs]

My point is, what is wrong with getting older? Yes we decline, yes we get grey and or bald, younger man woman don,t see us stand anymore. The simple facts of life. Thinking you are still young when every proof says the opposite is silly.
That does not mean that staying fit and healthy is fine. But don,t pretent to be what you are not.

Not to belabor all of this ad nauseum, but, first of all, I'm definitely not denying getting old or anyone else for that matter.
I think what I have been saying is that there are several levels of old: beginning (45-59); old (60-72); for sure old (73-85); ancient (86-150) - sorry Bob. Of course, those categories are flexible and do not apply exactly to everyone - TJ, for example. I just think the term is thrown around a little carelessly. Yes, Terry will not be obtaining levels he could have at age 40, nonetheless, he is not old - category 2. He is barely at the beginning of old, category 1. Sub-6:20 is not pulled by anyone "old."

Since this is a discussion for training, I add my training for today. It does stand in contradistinction to Terry, Jan 13. To be fair to me, I'm coming off of mild bronchitis a week ago. I ran out of gas on the intervals. Had to quit after 3.

2K warmup, 7:16 @1:49.

3x500m, rest 3:00
Avg 1:41.3 +/- 1.3

Not bad, but not hardly the 1:34.1 of the old Terry.

Ofcourse, but when I am at a erg race, 47 almost am among the oldest few percent of the participants. And no doibt the 16 year old see me a a old guy. Ofcourse in a old people home I would be a chicken. But in sports in general over is old, every above 30 is often called veteran.

My training was a 20 min race I pulled a 144.7. A few years back I would have easily bested that. Pesky father time stole some meters...

[dwalk]

early morning 5k
1:58-59
sr19

may hit another tonight, start the speed work back this week

[Gettingold]

First ever 10ks......37:36
My hats off to you long distance guys.

[Cyclingman1]

First ever 10ks......37:36
My hats off to you long distance guys.

I often wonder what it would like to be able do intervals in the 200-350m range - all under 1:20. With that kind of power no telling what that would translate into for longer distances like 10K. But that is not how it usually works. There is usually some sort of tradeoff between power and endurance.

In looking at the current ranking for 50-69, either weight, 10K, I see in the top 20 eight people 58 and above - two over 60. But in looking at the top 20 for 500m I see only four rowers over 52: one 59 and three over 60. There are two overlaps between the two distances. TJ Oesterling is 65. Steve Roedde, LWt, is 59.

Endurance events being at least 90% aerobic are kinder to those getting older who lose power far more quickly than aerobic capacity. But I sure wish I had some of that power.

[Gettingold]

I guess its all relative Jim. Your 10k time is brilliant. As far as power goes....I will be battling someone in the next comp who pulls 46.0 for 300m which I think works out to 1:16 or there abouts. Admittedly he is in his mid thirties and he seems to slow over the 1000m distance to 3:00 and around 6:30 for the 2000. My aim is to push him in the 500 and beat him in the 1000......or I'm simply dreaming and I'll get my arse kicked. Still that's the plan. I must admit...I am enjoying the tenacity that competition brings once more.
I looked for results for TJ but couldn't find too much....a couple of times that weren't that much better than yours....10 seconds over 2ks...it's do-able. The fact is that there will always be someone that reminds us we have our limits. You have an impressive set of times that would be the envy of many people in their twenties and at 67 you are definitely in the "role model" status.
Terry

[dwalk]

wu 2020m sr20 1:50-52
30sec on/30sec steady paddle, just did 5 intervals (just getting back to speed work)
pretty tightly bunched
sr28 1:33.8-1:34.3
cd 2011 sr20 1:56-58

[Cyclingman1]

Couple of things:

RE: TJ. Look in the Competition forum "2013 Dominators Update." It is not too far down the list. No one has ever been as dominate over a five year period as TJ. Not only does he lead rankings, he keeps setting WRs.

Re: being only ten seconds or so behind someone. Once someone has been rowing a while - not a beginner - ten seconds is quite an improvement. The increased power needed to improve is a cube function of the increased speed. I've communicated with a few top competitors who practically kill themselves to get a few more seconds.

Thanks for the nice words about my rowing - that wasn't my intent. I'll admit to being a little frustrated with my rowing. When I was 50 or less, training was pretty much a linear process. Hard efforts paid off with few setbacks. Then, I was competing in run/bike events. Speaking of winning overall - I did win a couple of duathlons against all competitors, all ages, while in my early 40s. And that was in events with several hundred competitors with no one from the Sisters of the Poor.

Now, my progress in rowing is all up and down. I've mentioned injuries. I've had medicine side effects that took a while to recognize. I like it when the rowing seems to flow - goes well, but it is discouraging when it feels like one is pulling through mud. I was hoping to push TJ when I came on the scene in early 2012. But it seemed when I got close, something would happen. 6:40 in Apr, 2012 was supposed to be the launch point, but instead I slid back.

Enough of all that. As I said earlier, we/I are very interested in your progress this year. Sub 3:00 for 1K would be quite an achievement. I suspect that you will get there.

[Cyclingman1]

Training from the other side of the age divide:

2K WU with 1st 1K@1:44. Wanted to get a check on my breathing after bronchitis about 10 days ago.

4x200m. Avg 1:35.9, Rest 1:20. SPM 34. DF 155. No gas left in tank after 4.

Not too bad after splitting wood with a 16lb. splitting maul yesterday. It's Winter in the States unlike Aus. Definitely upper body fatigue. There is hope.

[dwalk]

5012m
sr20-21
19:20

[wittengenstein]

40'' Wolverine Plan, first two 10'' sequences altering. The intensity seemed _far_ too easy, so I'll probably pick a slightly faster refpace next time...

[hjs]

40'' Wolverine Plan, first two 10'' sequences altering. The intensity seemed _far_ too easy, so I'll probably pick a slightly faster refpace next time...

If you your 2k needs a shot, if you have a serious 2k pb l4 is never easy.

[Gettingold]

20 x 1min with 1 min rest
1500 warm up
1:29.6
1:30.8
1:29.8
1:31.4
1:32.5
1:32.8
1:32.2
1:33.4 ....starting to feel it
1:34.4
1:34.6
1:34.3
1:34.9
1:34.7
1:34.5
1:34.6
1:34.8
1;34.3
1:33.9
1:32.9 ...2 1/2 mins break for the final pull
1:24.6
The breaks blew out to 1:15 roughly and I had to walk off a tightening butt cheek halfway through to workout.
This was not a pleasant workout and I would not recommend it to anyone trying to seek enjoyment from their erg.
I did however discover a comfortable work range at 1:33 - 1:34 at 30 spm
Terry

[LucasBP]

Just in my first full month of Indoor rowing, and have been going pretty good so far. Did two workouts yesterday, the first being at 6am and the latter being at 6pm. The morning workout I rowed 12,303m and on the night shift I beat my PB by rowing 12,685m in the 1 hour provided.

I have a history of running and only got into rowing because of my sister and the fact that their is a gym here locally in Georgia.

Tonight workout will involve no rowing, but a 3 miles job with P90x Ab Ripper X.