Did a 30r20 HRR 70% before work - the splits where down and not sure if this was because of early morning, lack of sleep or illness but jsut went with the HR.
Then at lunch I rowed a 1k TT – I’m happy enough with the row and confident of breaking the 2:50 barrier when the situation is more favourable
Issues today:
1)Lack of sleep for last few nights – even by my standards
2)Throat infection which is travelling to the chest
Now also to note other things of possible importance – the warm up left me with a lack of confidence in my power today – not sure if this was illness or nerves – probably a combination. I took an energy gel before going down to the warm up along with a black filter coffee – also took a caffeine energy gel between warm up and TT. Also I weighted down the erg on the front with two 20kg plates on the feet. Drag was at 145. Legs seemed to hold up pretty well as did the HR – the lungs weren’t too bad considering. Oh you can’t do 50m splits – I did set it up on the monitor with 50m splits but it defaulted to 100m splits.
So through 500 at 1:25.8 but then next 200m was at 1:25.5 then 1:25.0, 1:24.5 and 1:24.0 – although the final stroke was 1:26 I was holding 1:24 up to that last stroke but wasn’t seeing the predicted finish drop under 2:50 which was demoralising at the end
It actually showed 2:50.7 on the PM at the end but recorded at 2:50.8 - a PB and Irish Record but I know there is more in there.
Due to being up late after crap nights sleep and having a sore throat I cut the 50r18 session planned down to try and get this done at lunch.
So I dropped the 50min r18 down to 30min r20 and then did the 3by1min - originally I wanted to do the 50min before work and then do the 3by1min at lunch with some weights
30r20 70% came in at 8298m - ave HR 139 (143 is cut off) ave 1:48.4 - I liked that
I also liked this
although I could taste blood on the last rep - through the line holding 1:24's/1:25's
The weekend did it's usual job on me in terms of training and I can't see it being any different until after the wedding now - priorities Paul - priorities ... so no training.
Into work early enough this morning to get a 40min r20 70% workout in - still working on technique and it still seems to be making me tired for the amount of meters I get - still gotta take the baby steps now
So then lunchtime came around and it was time for the 30r20 - something I've been remiss in completing recently - in fact the 11th of August was the last 30r20 TT and looking back I aimed at 1:43.5 after starting that day - wish I saw that before starting today as I aimed at 1:42.9 - that got a bit tough - who am I kidding - it was a complete grind - almost HD'd a few times - at 9 minutes to go the swerve was definitely downwards but luckily got my head together and carried on - better to come back up to work having finished it no matter what the pace.
Just before the end the ergdata connection went and I had to try and make sure I got in spot on 600 strokes
Then I re-plugged and got the stroke count - bang on 600 - phew
This also qualifies as a new Irish 40-49H 30min record - which is nice
40r18 at 70% HRR at lunch 10,850m ave 1:50.5 - mucked up for about 14 minutes as I thought my 70% was at 136 (which is my 65% lol ) still working on technique - still finding it lumpy
Then 500m targeting 1:26.0 and again technique work - found my stroke rate too slow and got behind on the pace so drilled it home - 1:25.8 r32
Had to go back to May 29th to find a similar session - that was 2x4x2:30 [0:30] [3:30] r20 that came out at 1:38.4 so as I wanted to try and bed down the new technique I figured a pace around 1:39 would be good to start with and see how we felt at half way - we felt sweaty - very sweaty lol by the end even my eyelids seemed to be sweating! Tough session but never out of my control, Will push on to 1:38.5 next time all going well. Please note every rep was spot on r20 ie 50 strokes.
HR strap still not kicking in - 1:41.6 is current 30r20 PB
OK so I went a little too fast at the start and maybe that and trying to correct my technique and possibly a little fatigue from the weekend made this worse than a "normal" training day - but by the last 4 minutes I was blowing out of my $r$e almost literally. The last three and a half minutes I went back to my old "drive through the balls of my feet" technique otherwise I just wouldn't have finished - yes I probably just have stuck with technique and let the pace drop but even then I'm not sure I would have had the power left to finish as the new technique for the moment takes more out of me.
I took the last stroke with about 5 seconds left on the clock but just let it tick over - on finishing I tried to work out how I did a straight 30 at that pace ?
So in before work with time to do 30min - HR wasn't picking up - probably need new battery in the strap - so I started hard and then backed off - probably about 75% HRR maybe 80%. body still tired after the weekend and trying to get the new technique down is probably adding to the tiredness.
So 40r20 HRR 70% at lunch - still very tired from the weekend so getting up and in early is a struggle - still working on technique - feels like I am rowing short and compressed but the stroke length says different - also upper back is sore but that could be from weekend lol
Then tried to use the technique in the 2by1min 1r and felt strong with it - able to punch power through the legs
Started today to adjust the technique and try and get those damn heels down which appears to have come about from opening my back to early so 30r18 on 65% HRR (and still tired from the weekend also aching a little) a bit messy split wise and finding it awkward but will persevere - feels like my stoke is shortening - but ergdata says it's not - gonna take some concentration as I increase pace/power - 8011m 1:52.3
There are now videos of the 2k - 1k and 500m in my Bristol blog
Quick blog will fill in details later but good day out - Sam Blythe pipped me by 0.1 to fastest 2k - damn him :lol:
2k 40-49H 6:04.6 (PB)
1k 2:54.9
500m 1:18.3
The details ..
Well I'm sat here waiting to board the plane back to Cork - looking forward to seeing the Mrs and baby seems like I've been gone a week but it's only been two nights. Set off on Friday afternoon after a day in work and landed in East Midlands to be picked up by Jen on her way down from Durham. Got into the hotel about 9pm to meet up with Q and the team. Quick catch up with everyone then into bed probably got to sleep about 1am after chatting with Q (room buddy) woke at 5 but back to sleep till 8am beds where quite comfy.
Got to the venue on time and scoped out the set up. Same as last year. Bank of 8 or 9 race machines with about 7 or 8 warm up. Seemed a smaller crowd than last year but ever so friendly as these events are. Met up with a few new and old friends then on to business.
5k race warm up done felt very hot and dry in the warm up area. Thankfully the doors where open so the race area had a breeze and was a little cooler. Set up drag and got ready to race. Wore headphones for the first time in a race and found them a help. Plan was to attack the first 1k and try to settle to a lowish stroke rate of about 32 but I think adrenalin got the better of me and probably brought the rate up. First 500 at r34 on 1:31.3 which was about where I wanted - maybe a fraction slow. But then I seemed to slump into 1:32 1:33 and I think I mentally played it save through 1k at 3:03.9 I was way off where I wanted to be and so started to formulate a attack. This was to start a build from around 800m out - well more of a slow burn with a real drive from 500m. This plan seemed to work and from 600m out I started the countdown. So every stroke from then I tried to apply more and more power and when I eventually came to the last 100m I was still thumping through 1:28 pace but the burn in the legs was deepening and I did slow slightly through the line although I did take a final stroke with only 2 or 3 meters left. A PB by 0.4 seconds. Final 500m of 1:28.3. Beaten by 0.1 on the clock for overall fastest 2k but Gold and Irish Record in the 40-49H. It also reminded me of the power I have in the final run in and a way I can draw on that :-)
During the break Q and I worked on my technique and we've identified a lovely little area which should if I develop it correctly pay some dividends across all pieces ;-)
Then to set for the 1k - I had no markers in the 30-40's as I was in the first wave but after seeing a guy in the 60's group lay down a 3:08 (I believe British Record) I had to re-access my 3:04 cruise and so targeted sub 3. Started with the 1:30 split and through to about 500m on 1:29.5 then figured I'd try my new home straight approach - thump at around 300m out - split down to 1:18 and then I held low 1:20's and finished the final 500m on 1:25.4 with final stroke at 1:26 and another Irish 40-49 record with 2:54.9.
So then the 500m again the plan was to hold 1:20. But once on the machine the adrenalin got hold. Second or third stroke was 1:12 and I slowly backed off to hold 1:16 - 1:17 trying to break my old PB of three years ago (1:18.0) I held it sub 1:18 until the last three or four strokes and it finally clicked over to 1:18.3 FFS! Final stroke 1:25. But I notice from the video that about 10 strokes from the end I lost my seating and this caused me to stop with the full leg drive and finish on arms. In the end I was probably more miffed with that then missing the fastest 2k by 0.1 lol still another Irish 40-49 record and on race software.
At the end the calculations where made and I managed the fastest 500m and 1k, won the triple challenge and also 40-49H. A good day followed by a good evening.
As always it important to note the massive amount of work Q puts in to this for me and the team. And also the positive affect of the team itself being there to help each other out. Also a big well done to all who competed and helped out on the day.
