Q-Power meet in Bristol - plus guest star

So Q-Power meets up in Bristol (and also Matt from sub7 - guest star  ;-)  ) and after a quick bite to eat - Ollie, Dave, Jo, James and myself pop down for a quick session - race warm up then a race start - then we went through the relay and errr .... well this happened *no ergers where harmed*

Race warm up and a 500m - one training day left to Bristol

So Q asked me to do a race warm up and a 500m today - he didn't say if it should be a 500m TT or a 500m race pace - so I went to the middle ground :lol:

 

HR racing and the body is preparing for Saturday - still some soreness in the right hip and lower back on that side - but only when I am not erging - which I will be doing plenty of on Sat  ;-)

3by500 - Bristol Schefule

The Schedule -http://indoor.bristolrowing.co.uk/schedule.php

 

So I am doing

 

Race 2 10:00 2000m MOpenH

Race 9 11:45 2000m M30-39H

Race 14 13:00 2000m Team Relay

Race 25 15:00 1000m MSen

Race 32 16:10 500m MSen

 

should keep me out of mischief  :-D

 

Today was a simple 3by500m on 1:30 rest - legs still feeling heavy - but the old bones seem to be holding out for now

A gentle 30 minute paddle

was what the boss asked for - so 30@18 HRR 70% he got  :-D

 

still popping pain killers and anti inflams - I may be the only person who requires assistance to the ergs on Saturday  :lol:

 

Don’t poke the wounded beast – 30r20 PB

So – after a weekend away from the erg due to hip/back/knee/ankle pains – (and lots of anti inflams and pain killers) – I still ended up doing more chores than I’d like to have or than was good for me – but you don’t get “sick notes” from life (so I ended up laying two laminate floors, cutting the grass, fixing the washing machine and cleaning the house etc.) so today I have to row – have to – I’m going to Bristol on Friday – I will be rowing – I may not be as fast as I’d liked – but row I am – so I needed to steady the ship this week and what better than a good old 30r20.

 

Now after last weeks hissy fit on the erg I knew I’d done something to one of the “hang bolts” (part no. 99 on here -http://therowingcompany.com/shop/parts/model/c ) when I looked at it on Friday I figured I’d bent it – see picture

Oh no wait – I sheared it !

Oh no wait - I sheared both of them

So this became my warm up (AKA “the poke” )

After finding some bolts – well threaded steel and getting the top one replaced – I left the bottom one as it felt secure enough – I thought I’d best crack on with a quick warm up – so 1k done and tested 1:45 split for r20’s – found it OK on the back and hip and decided this was a better bet than anything fast for the first row back – it would enable me to feel through the stroke and detect any weakness – and off I set with the intention of going around 1:45pace – I found myself a tad quicker and went with it – no idea what my PB was other than it was faster than 1:45 I kept it going and on the final stroke I hit 8706m – I then did a cool down and on walking back to the changing rooms checked my 30r20 PB – 8699m – lovely – beware the wounded wulf !!

 

So the new PB – bang on 600 strokes – I actually stopped with 5 seconds left lol

40r18 HRR 70 (146) mind control

Well with the announcement of a large contingent of the University of Bristol Boat Club entering the fray in the Open on the 19^th at the http://indoor.bristolrowing.co.uk/startlist.php Bristol Indoor Rowing Challenge the race now feels all the more real (there was only 5 entrants in the open before – now 19) – that alongside the knowledge that I only have two more “red” sessions left and the mind starts to wander to imagining the start line at the race – not helpful when you are trying to keep the old HR down for a 40r18 HRR 70% (146) but having done a few of these I have a few techniques to keep the mind in check. Wasn’t feeling to great this morning – usual lack of sleep combined with a bit of a sore throat – ahhh race build up – got to love it. Also good to see Sub7 in the mix for the team event   

8by500 pain without the PB

After the 4by750's on Saturday my legs have not been the best of friends with me - I think they may well block me on Facebook now after putting them through the 8by500's at lunchtime  :roll:

 

My target as always was my PB of 1:29.9 which in actual fact was more 1:30.0 than 1:29.9 so 1:29.8 it was  :lol: went down and warmed up - leg still not "liking" me and dialled in 8by500's - the back up plan if the legs locked up was to take two minutes break and finish the set @24 on 1:39.8 pace.

 

It went as expected - first rep was as much about settling the nerves and finding the rhythm - second set was smooth - third set the legs started their complaints and feels like someone's turned down the oxygen levels in the air - fourth set and the battle was over - legs gone - was all I could do to get through - what was also annoying was that on the final stroke the first two reps showed a "pred finish" of 1:29 FFS

 

 

 

- so then it was time to bury the dead - and by that I mean man up - buck up and bury the legs on every single stroke - which was the way it went for the last four reps - after about 30 seconds the legs started their lactic burn and I just had to drive them through by will alone - no PB (0.4 seconds off) but plenty of MT points to take with me

 

*MT- Mental Toughness  :lol: