Skierg option - 10k and 30 min HRR 70%

The Mrs is in hospital at moment, 26 weeks pregnant and needs a bit of observation but all is well now we believe. This means that I can't get out to the shed with the daughter in bed to row but I can complete this weeks session by jumping on the skierg - was supposed to be a 45 min r18 2r 30 min r18 70% HRR so I converted that to be a 10k and 30  min on the skierg - I ended up rating around 36 and just tried to push the HR up to 146.

10k r36 TE 3.2 Ave HR 133 Max HR 147
30 min r36 TE 3.3 Ave HR 140 Max HR 149

I believe, by virtue of no one else logging/claiming them, they are Irish 40-49H records

10k run for a fat lad (110kg)

Garmin link

trials and tribulations - AGPB - Irish Record

So yesterday I was in the kitchen literally in tears from the pain down the right hip/lower back/leg/knee from merely doing a bit of housework – so back to the drugs and a early night. Today I managed to struggle through a 30 minute r20 piece – probably came out about 75% HRR with 8228m. So lunchtime I wanted to crack out a 10k piece – partly because I haven’t ranked on this season and partly to get my 20 million meters sorted out and so decided to target a hard one. Looking at this years 40-49 ranked 10k’s the obvious “carrot on the stick” was “Nik Fleming” with 36:00.0 (not sure if that was a r20 piece or what – but a nice pace target for me 1:48.0) as I set off I found myself knocking around the 1:45 pace at rate 24 and just went along with it – but just after halfway I really started to struggle both in terms of pain in knee (right one) as well as basic fitness – I actually put the handle down – for about 3-4 seconds – but then picked up and got back into the grove from just under 3k out I just started counting down the strokes – one stroke being over 10m meant from about 2800m I was simply counting backwards from 280 – managed to ramp it up a little at the end – and to my surprise bagged a Irish record (Just checked and I set that during the “Trying To Stay Strong” charity event - TTSS) so that was a nice surprise then :o)

oh yes - that puts me on 19,940,226m - getting there

 The mornings row

Trying To Stay Strong - 9 Irish records in 24hrs

The breakfast before the off

So - I did it - just - and it was a heck off a lot tougher than I thought or some people may have thought when comparing my PB's (mostly set within the last year) to the old records - there a scientific reasons for that which Q know best  :-D

See his views here Q-Power

The set up

Watched the TV during the Marathon - Film "2012"

Big thanks to all those who supported, rowed alongside, donated and basically helped me get through what I think was my toughest challenge to date - arguably tougher than the 100k and possibly not as bad as the 24hr - but then I didn't complete that one. Q as ever was immense with his approach and organisation but also there where guys on Facebook and Rowpro who helped probably more than they realised (too many to name all) but Adam Mell and Darren Simmons where huge - Adam actually rowed all the distances himself which was great inspiration and Darren's use of Twitter got us encouragement from some of the top rowers including Team GB. Also of course the Mrs who allows me to do these daft things and supports me during them.

So how did it go - well we had been up to Dublin (3hr one way trip) on the Thursday and Back on the Friday after a appointment at the childrens hospital (no huge emergency) - also I could still feel the effects of the 6k TT from earlier in the week (19:42.5) - but when am I ever rested :lol: so started off OK with the 6k bang on target and no issues, other than realising I could not see either predicted finish or ave pave rowing online - hmm - tried to sort it out to no avail. 1of 9 - 6k Record Taken ave 1:44.9

Then the 500m - without the pred finish or ave I was at a loss as to where I was - and I although I thought I had secured the record I found myself 0.1 too slow feck! 

So then the 1k - made sure I was comfortably under for this one. 

Then it was back to the 500m and nailed it keeping the pace under by a second. 

So onto the FM - had the Mrs in contact with Q to try and work out where I was with the split due to still not sorting it out and got that one knocked off - Rowpro was becoming a pain - tried to enjoy it and even took some selfies as I rowed lol. There would be a rest of just under a hour then the 10k.

Back in for the 10k and saw a few friendly faces online which was good as I needed them logged in and ready to go - READY - ROW - err I'm still sat there! FFS crashed again so set up a stand alone 10k and nailed that - so much easier with pred finish and ave pace. 

OK we'll do the 30min online - again some friendly faces and I'd also managed to get ave 500m pace showing - set off and it was tough but I got it. 

But after this is when Q and I needed to take stock so the first phone call was put in. The body was showing that it wasn't coping well with the pressures - two choices where revealed - one was to push the break out and do the hour and then the HM and 5k - the other was to swap the HM and hour round. I decided to crank the 5k out, rest and recover then hit the hour.

A bath and rest at this point.

OK back for the hour and from the start it was a struggle - I managed to get almost to 40 minutes - but with pace plummeting and HR soaring I had to make a decision - just finish it or bin it and get the HM done then push the hour out to the final hour of the 24. 

I took the second option - another quick call to Q - then went off on the HM - what's noticeable is that the 2:00.6 pace was a struggle for me and that the HR was actually dropping as the pace increased towards the end - a sure sign the body was close to being a bit naughty. Still HM completed and then left with the hour to do before 9am in the morning.

Up at just after 6 - weighed in and lost 2.5kg - quick breakfast then out with the dogs. Felt surprisingly well with the body - the skin not so much - I'm raw on my butt to the point of bleeding also the hands as well as two large areas on my chest where the HR strap rubbed. Still got dressed and then out to shed so not to wake the baby and got set - couple of technical issues meant I was delayed starting until about 7:55am - at 8am my phone alarm went off after I was about 4 minutes into the row - I tried to swipe at it three times to turn it off - no good as it was just too far so almost at a stop I got to it - turned it off and then back to the row - up to this point I was going quite well (target of 1:46.9 for the start) the pace boat was now over 10m in front of me and it took me till halfway to get level again - bearing in mind I needed to be 1:46.4 this wasn't helping. I had to dig in pretty deep and had more demons in my head than a row at this pace (for me) necessitated - but with the reasons being the row I put them to the fore and dug in - pretty much on my TT limit for the entire row I managed to get within the target and with two minutes to go called on Beowulf to carry me home - got it - thank god and thanks to all those people out there who believed in me and supported me.

Having done this challenge it really brought home to me how depression can set in - again looking at those old records they are so within me on a good day that it seems a simple task - but when you stack them up one on top of another - even though you know there are people out there supporting you and would be willing to do the task for you - ultimately you (I) are alone and sometimes that means you need to rearrange, sometimes you need to put that call in for help, I could well have failed today, would people think less of me, some may, others have more admiration for the fact you get so far, my one piece I would say is - if you need help don't be afraid to make that call - it can save something precious to you - samaritans website 

Just Giving Page for donations

Total Meters - 124,054 Rowing Time 7:44:44.3 Ave 500m 1:52.4

Written by Ad Mell