Keep Calm and get Back on track 8by500's

Tuesday lunchtime I hoped to test the 2k the aim was 6:19.9 and so headed off on 1:35 pace with a view to dropping to 1:36 through the middle 1k but a combination of a lunchtime meeting knocking back my training time and a slight stomach ache/discomfort put pay to that and after the second attempt where I got through the 1k marker at sub 1:36 pace I stopped.

Wednesday was a mess started a 60r20 pre work and my headphones got caught up with necklace 10 minutes in. Lunchtime about halfway through a 60r20 I just got bored more than anything. So then a opportunity to train before leaving work came up and I headed down to do 8by500 but then I hadn't as much time as I thought and that ended.

This morning no time to train as I waited for the guy I am giving a lift to. So - lunchtime - time to get back on track - 8by500 1:30 rest target was last attempt so 1:32.8 or less and of I set - won't say it was easy but the reps where short enough I didn't have to think to much. The last rep I put myself onto the floor - holding 1:30.6 at halfway and then turned on the gas.

testing the engine 30r20 70% HRR

And the engine appears to be coming back online - 70% HRR and sub 1:50 pace - that'll do nicely

Now if I do look back I did a 30r20 70% back in June 2014 at 1:47.5 8,368m - be lovely to get back there :o)

Start of the week 60r20 75% HRR

Well due to being a lazy bugger this morning I wasn't in work with enough time to row anything worthwhile before starting so i simply showered and got to my desk - banking the extra time for a longer lunch row - the target was the 60r20 at the start I found it quite breezy easy and thought about opening it up a little but then reminded myself that I've only done a few of these length of sessions so lets stick to the plan - pleasantly surprised to go through the halfway point with over 8300m's on the clock (8,365m on checking) stuck to the plan and could see from 15 minutes out that I would be coming in under 1:50 pace :o) 1:49.6 16,411m Ave HR 148 Max HR 156 (target 153 for 75% HRR)

not feeling it this morning (30r20 75% HRR) felt it at lunch! (4by1k 5r) (with video)

Got in and on the erg the morning feeling tired and it showed - struggled to get any power on at the start so rather than the usual dip into low 1:40 splits I sat at the high end and sweated my way through it - felt a lot harder than it should. 

8,281m 1:48.6 r20 - 30 min 75% HRR

So then lunchtime and i had been dabbling with a 2k test at 1:36 pace with a thump on the end - but after this morning I didn't want to tempt that so the next choice was 4by1k and get used to the higher rating needed - target was a 1:36 arbitrary figure r30 but as I set off on the first I found without pushing too hard I was able to come in under 1:35 - first rep felt pretty OK - second one felt like hell lol serious thoughts of binning the session but after the long rest I was ready to go again and dug in to keep the negative splitting - so for the final rep I set up the camera to check my fat belly and crappy technique (as at this point I've not watched it back) maintained the low 1:34 needed through the first 500m and then increased the pressure - felt tough but under control - back a little sore but not too bad.

 

not feeling the love - 3 HD's and a 8by750 r20 1r

no training opportunities yesterday so last night I went to bed determined to get up and have a crack at a 30r20 pushing beyond the 80% HRR of recent times - but combination of events left me very short of time and interest - so although I got changed and sat on the erg I soon got off and headed to my desk (after a a quick shower and getting dressed)

So lunchtime beckoned and love for the erg was fast diminishing so instead of the mainstream training I have at the moment I thought I'd give myself a challenge and go for the CTC - idea was to pitch an effort towards the top of the rankings but rate restricted - seeing the current top score was 1:36.1 ave I aimed at that (ye - bad mistake at r20) mucked about at a kind of warm up then set the session - in a bad frame of mind which got no better as I started the first rep - although I was hitting the target i found the rate was heading to r22 and in order to get it back on track I had to drop a stroke and that meant a drop in pace and that wrecked my head. HD No1. OK regroup - why not 1:36 at r22 - set off and then I found I was missing the pace FFS HD No2. Sooo then I went for r24 1:38  target .... HD No3. Fine enough buggering about - r20 1:40 split - I mean I held 1:41.6 r20 for 30 minutes surely I can do 8 by 750 with 1 rest at 1:40 ....

That was tough - but more mentally than physically - thankfully I got it done 1:39.1 r20 8 by 750 1 minute rest

Interesting fact on the short sprints

Lunchtime I only had a short session planned so decided on testing bottom end power while keeping a watchful eye on the back - basically race warm up and then a few 1 minute sprints - although I managed a low pull on Saturday of 1:08 today I couldn't get the bloody thing under 1:17 lol

So after a few different approaches - now here's the interesting bit - as I wanted to see the splits I tried a few ways to get them to show on a single one minute - but it kept defaulting to 1 min split - then I set up a variable interval of 20 seconds with no rest - having completed it I hit the button you do to get a verification code and up it popped!

At the end I went for a rate capped (36) piece - as I rowed it on ergdata again it is verified as a single piece of one minute - now during it on the changeover I saw the split flick from 1:23 to 1:16 - and although this might not make any difference over a longer row - surely on a 100m or a 1 minute it could drastically alter the result?

Control is needed - 60r20 75% HRR

Bit of a crappy day yesterday all round - nothing major - just lots of niggles starting with the guy I was supposed to be picking up on the way to work being still asleep when I sat waiting for him - meant I missed out on pre work training - tried to catch up at lunch but wasn't working (attempted a 60r24 sub 1:45 split row but after about 23 minutes just HD'd) so this morning I was determined to take back control - 60r20 and restrain myself to 75% HRR - this is the longest single piece I have done since the operation - in fact I've only done two HM's and three other hour pieces this "season" (starting in May 2015) so no wonder I was a little out of sorts lol - must try and get one of these longer rows back in once a week.