Hello everyone. My name is Rob. I am 25 y/0 6'1" 193. I'm trying to find out if anyone has suggestions for a training plan that can balance rowing and running. I am training for a marathon in mid november and also want to row in my school's alumni boat at the Head of the Charles. In order to qualify for the boat there is a 20:30 minimum 6K. I have not rowed or erged at all in the last 2 years and for the last 4 months, I've worked out very infrequently (stupid law school)
My current strategy to tackle the marathon is to do the "less is more" or FIRST Plan which basically involves 1 day of sprints, 1 day of tempo and 1 long run per week.
During the other days, you are supposed to do a hard hour of cross training which I plan to make erging. I realize however that it will probably take more than that.
Last week I did 3 40' runs and 3 30' ergs. Both leave a lot to be desired (1:57/500 pace on the erg was pretty tiring). Over the course of this week, my goal is to repeat the running and ease my way to completing 10K, then I'll feel ready to begin tackling a serious training plan.
Does anyone have suggestions on a training plan? I can manage 10 workouts/week or about 15 hours and I'm willing to let my performance in the marathon suffer if it means a better erg score.
Thanks for sitting through the long post.
-Rob
training for a 6k alongside marathon
Hi Rob
I don't have a specific training programme for you (yours is a one of a kind problem!), but I thought I'd make a few observations.
First up, both of your goals are big asks. To pull a 6k 20:30 erg is not for wimps. I am a little taller than you (although a lot older), but I have run a marathon as well as pulled some good erg times if the past, if I can blow my trumpet. My best erg time was a 6:13, done when ergs were still a relatively new concept and training pretty unscientific.
I could run a 6-8k at a hard pace without much sweat and thought that I was easily fit enough to run a marathon. Well, on marathon day, I ran the marathon in 3h40, but I was sore and slow for weeks afterwards, recovery was very slow, because I hadn't done the mileage in preparation.
I think realistically, you should choose one of the goals and focus on THAT as your main aim. To me it looks like you're more motivated to make the crew, so set the 6k erg as your main goal. You will need to get your base fitness up and I would recommend doing lots of long pieces. Erging is not as hard on your body as long runs are, especially for someone close to 200lb, but long pieces help you to build your mental toughness, as well as your aerobic base. Once you can do a training 6k at about 21:30, you will need to change your training to develop your strength and lactic tolerance levels. This is where your short hard interval pieces must be emphasized in your programs.
I'm assuming that this will be your first marathon. I don't know whether you plan to run the marathon before or after the erg, but I would suggest you approach the marathon with a goal of preservation in mind. Don't try to achieve an earth-shattering time. Leave that to the dedicated 125 pound featherweights. If I were in your shoes, I would set my goal to finish the race - that's all - and set my pace accordingly. You must bear in mind that if you haven't prepared yourself for this race, you are running the risk of wrecking you body for at least a couple of weeks - which would be disastrous for your rowing training. So discipline yourself to keep yourself in check for at least 3/4 of the race. Do not yield to the urge to run faster, just because you're feeling strong in the earlier parts. The race only begins AFTER the halfway mark.
I don't think the other way round will work. You can't train for a marathon and then hope to pull a 20:30 erg off that training. The erg test is too performance dependent, for you to prepare for it with marathon-centred training. Beating the cut-off gun in the marathon is easier.
I also take my hat off to you, when I hear you are willing to train 10 hours a week. That's a pretty big volume. Keep your traing varied. And good luck with your endeavours.
Cheers
H
I don't have a specific training programme for you (yours is a one of a kind problem!), but I thought I'd make a few observations.
First up, both of your goals are big asks. To pull a 6k 20:30 erg is not for wimps. I am a little taller than you (although a lot older), but I have run a marathon as well as pulled some good erg times if the past, if I can blow my trumpet. My best erg time was a 6:13, done when ergs were still a relatively new concept and training pretty unscientific.
I could run a 6-8k at a hard pace without much sweat and thought that I was easily fit enough to run a marathon. Well, on marathon day, I ran the marathon in 3h40, but I was sore and slow for weeks afterwards, recovery was very slow, because I hadn't done the mileage in preparation.
I think realistically, you should choose one of the goals and focus on THAT as your main aim. To me it looks like you're more motivated to make the crew, so set the 6k erg as your main goal. You will need to get your base fitness up and I would recommend doing lots of long pieces. Erging is not as hard on your body as long runs are, especially for someone close to 200lb, but long pieces help you to build your mental toughness, as well as your aerobic base. Once you can do a training 6k at about 21:30, you will need to change your training to develop your strength and lactic tolerance levels. This is where your short hard interval pieces must be emphasized in your programs.
I'm assuming that this will be your first marathon. I don't know whether you plan to run the marathon before or after the erg, but I would suggest you approach the marathon with a goal of preservation in mind. Don't try to achieve an earth-shattering time. Leave that to the dedicated 125 pound featherweights. If I were in your shoes, I would set my goal to finish the race - that's all - and set my pace accordingly. You must bear in mind that if you haven't prepared yourself for this race, you are running the risk of wrecking you body for at least a couple of weeks - which would be disastrous for your rowing training. So discipline yourself to keep yourself in check for at least 3/4 of the race. Do not yield to the urge to run faster, just because you're feeling strong in the earlier parts. The race only begins AFTER the halfway mark.
I don't think the other way round will work. You can't train for a marathon and then hope to pull a 20:30 erg off that training. The erg test is too performance dependent, for you to prepare for it with marathon-centred training. Beating the cut-off gun in the marathon is easier.
I also take my hat off to you, when I hear you are willing to train 10 hours a week. That's a pretty big volume. Keep your traing varied. And good luck with your endeavours.
Cheers
H
Kind of same dilemma with another variable , weight
Hi H,
new on this forum and found very quickly this message that kind of suit my current dilemma !!
Quick background (be patient please since english is not my native languaje and will try to make a long story short): I am 41 years old, Woman, not in bad fitness condition, rowing for about 1 year, I am Mexican (tall for my generation that is 5.35 ( 1.63m)...I started this row fever cause I got a severe pain on my low back ...due to overweight of course!!!.
After 1 year and a very discipline diet change and row, lost 20 pounds and became one month ago to LW...already compited Nationals in Mexico for 2k 8:45 I know nothing fancy but kind of decent on my age group....already did 4 half marathons and one full marathon on the erg...and started running as part of the cross training for the next nationals in November where I expect to get better time at least 8:25.....have been running 5k and 10k maraton, 5k 25 min.....but wonder if could be wise to participate in the next full run marathon 42k in october when I will have the Nationals in november..worst part, have to keep my 125 pounds or less to compite as LW in the erg where is when I can have a chance...any advise or recomendation will be welcome !!
new on this forum and found very quickly this message that kind of suit my current dilemma !!
Quick background (be patient please since english is not my native languaje and will try to make a long story short): I am 41 years old, Woman, not in bad fitness condition, rowing for about 1 year, I am Mexican (tall for my generation that is 5.35 ( 1.63m)...I started this row fever cause I got a severe pain on my low back ...due to overweight of course!!!.
After 1 year and a very discipline diet change and row, lost 20 pounds and became one month ago to LW...already compited Nationals in Mexico for 2k 8:45 I know nothing fancy but kind of decent on my age group....already did 4 half marathons and one full marathon on the erg...and started running as part of the cross training for the next nationals in November where I expect to get better time at least 8:25.....have been running 5k and 10k maraton, 5k 25 min.....but wonder if could be wise to participate in the next full run marathon 42k in october when I will have the Nationals in november..worst part, have to keep my 125 pounds or less to compite as LW in the erg where is when I can have a chance...any advise or recomendation will be welcome !!Row, Lucy, Row !!
41y LW(finally)
41y LW(finally)