look familiar - race practice sub 6:30 2k

Well yesterday "life" through a few spanners in the works - all sorted for now - but a bit stressful - still managed to get two rows in before that - 20r20 and a 30r20 both at 65% HRR just ticking over.

Today Q called for a repeat of Monday - so 1250m at "race pace" and then back off to a paddle with 250m pump at the end - as usual really didn't want to do it but convinced myself to go down and get on with it "step in the process" so through the warm up (during which the C-Breeze came off twice) then stripped that off, headphones out and set up the row. Reminded myself of the plan a few times - adjusted the Bat Logic shoes and set off - hard 6 with another 10 strokes below race target then settle to 1:32/32 to 500m in - back to seeing 1:33's and combated any 1:34's with a slight lift - through the 1k and then 1250m - could of kept going but backed off as the race is Saturday - not today - wasn't 100% about lifting the pace at the end but then thought sod it ....

Blue Monday - race practice sub 6:30 2k

Blue Monday is a name given to a day in January (typically the third Monday of the month) reported to be the most depressing day of the year. The concept was first publicized as part of a 2005 press release from holiday company Sky Travel which claimed to have calculated the date using an equation.
The idea is considered pseudoscience, with its formula derided by scientists as nonsensical.

Well woke up late, got soaked walking dogs (even through my wet gear), got held up at home, stuck in traffic, had to get fuel on the way to work, missed morning row because of all that and basically felt fed up all morning in work - considered pulling out of the Irish as I'm no where near where I would like to be (are we ever) physically or mentally - no erg'ing at the weekend yet still knackered from it lol  - so ye when I hear it was "Blue Monday" I had to agree.

Still - it's a process and not a race - so even if I don't get the score I want on Saturday I still need to take that step - and in order to take that step I needed to take today's - a session I am notoriously bad at (anything other than standard times/distances wreck my head) but I wanted to go through a possible race plan for Saturday - that being a hard first 16 strokes - settle to 1:31/32 and then back to 1:33 with the odd 1:34 without panicking. Row through the 1250m and then paddle home. So down I went and changed I got - warm up done I took off my headphones as I am going to race without them on Saturday so need to get used to my panting lol last few times I wore them they seemed to get interference from somewhere - I'm guessing the Bluetooth from all the PM5's but not sure.

So off I set - half of my head dealing with counting, pace, breathing the other half telling the little demons to feck off - about the 500m was probably the worst for those but the as I got to the 1km mark instead of the usual panic throwing down of the handle I went through calmly and securely - even contemplated going through to the 1500m mark - but decided no - stick to the plan .... well then as I was paddling away I saw the predicted finish and worked out if I hit the last 250m at 1:30 pace I would go sub 6:30 ..... so I brought on the power - nice little erg cough and feel a lot better about Monday now :o)

Bit of a confidence boost for a nice change - 1250m race start and 250m race finish

Firstly this morning I managed to get into work early enough to do a 40r20 70% HRR which was steady - not sure the HR strap is picking up properly as it was jumping all over the place - but meters done.

At lunchtime I wanted to do 1250m at race pace/rate - usually these types of sessions fall apart with me - today I was tired and went down with a headache ...

hmm - that actually went quite well - that is a worry! 1250m on 1:32's then 500m paddle and finish with sub 1:30 controlled pace - might be closer to PB pace than I thought

note there was no "heroics" ie I wasn't thumping the pace at the end of the 1250's nor at the end of the 2k - all very controlled

trial 2k start and finish

Plan was "set the monitor to 2000m, row the first 750m looking for closer to 1:31 average through the first 500m (but you will achieve much of this by the first 150m fast, then 1:32), then 250m at 1:34/5.... paddle down from 1250m to 300m to go, 50m at 1:34/5, then blast the last 250m sub 1:25." I possibly went off to hard - basically counted 15 strokes and then dropped back to 1:34 with 1:35 now and then but saw some 1:36's in there - I find it awkward backing off this far and struggled to get the rhythm and was pretty glad to see 750 gone to regroup - at this point I thought the target of 1:25 for the last 250 was going to be a bit tough - started winding down to it 300m from home then counted 25 strokes at 250 to go - the odd glimpse at the monitor - the stroke was (I think) quite good technique wise and strong through the legs.