500m and a race start

Requested -

"Can you do a race warm up, have a short rest. Then set up a 500m piece – 5 stroke start and  then settle to a 1:28 until the end. Then at least an 8 min rest… at least, please!

Then set up a 2000 piece. Row the first 650m as you would the race. So a solid aggressive start, then look for the 1:32 cruise. If you feel good and you want to push out to 750m you can, but that’s the limit. Then paddle to the end as a warm down."

Delivered

3x500[5:00] 2k, 2k-2, 2k-4

As it says on the label - target was 1:31 - 1:29 - 1:27 - beat the target but felt tired and not exactly comfortable - distinct lack of oxygen intake in the final 100m of the last 500

couple more simple rows

For some reason my upper back has been feeling tender - few anti-inflams will hopefully solve it - todays ticks

couple of simple rows

30mins: (10mins 60%, 5mins 70%, 10mins 60%, 5mins 80%)

[5:00]

1:15 (2k cruise)

took the 30min row at r20 and really enjoyed the last 5 min once I got into it and hit low 1:40's :o)

not a good day on the erg ...

5k warm up - felt OK but the main piece ... well ... ye that didn't go well at all - 1250 set up - wanted to try a race start on the PM (error no1) also my usual "music phone" hadn't charged up so had to use a different one with different music (error no2) which didn't seem to be as loud and meant I could really hear my breathing (error no3) kept thinking about what James said above lol had the splits set to 125 and for some reason decided to change my count (normally I count the strokes I take for 30 seconds so eg count down from 16 to do 32spm) (error no4)

So target wise I went with 25 sub 1:30 then settle to 1:31 - but as I found the 1:32's coming in and I couldn't work out where I was in relation to the piece and basically it was a mental drop out - I tried another 4 times and got no further than 500m on any of them.

Beat the coach, win a shirt! - Crossfit Rowing Challenge

So spotted this on the 18th Feb on CrossFitRowing page in Facebook

Beat the coach, win a shirt! Coach Jonathan just finished The Good Hurt- can you beat this score? Here's the WOD:
1000m, 4' rest
750m, 3' rest
500m, 2' rest
250m.
-Use the "interval-variable" feature on your PM3+ monitor!
-Men: beat Jonathan's score on all 4 intervals
-Women: average under 1:42.5 on all 4 intervals
-Post a screen shot to the comments, we'll get your contact info, and send you a shirt!

So once I checked they would send it to Ireland and that I could do it today I asked Q if it was OK to give it a bash he came back with a yes and some targets - and said this "Big training benefits from this session if you throw your heart and soul at it. It will require major focus and concentration."

So - the fact I was up most of the night with a sick toddler and awake at 5:45 am this morning was going to help - NOT - managed about 3 hours broken sleep i reckon last night - on the back of a lack of sleep the rest of the week - still I went down with my targets and set of on the warm up - if nothing else it's a good test of rowing and pushing the body while the mind is tired and fighting sleep deprivation.

Set of on the 1k after a warm up and all was going well - fought to keep myself pretty close to target and got through in a reasonable state, 4 min recovery of breathing and gentle paddling, Steadied myself for the 750 and off I went the start went OK and even the middle was reasonably comfortable but come towards the end the legs showed the tiredness and I was grinding through, OK 500m up and hit 1:25/26 at the start but then the legs started locking up badly and was a case of holding on for the finish - still managed to drill majority of the strokes home sub 1:30 split but I was in trouble. 250m left - 25 strokes - was hoping to light it up a bit here - but the legs where not with me and again it was a case of drill it home - I felt like I was pulling r30 but the monitor shows I was up at 35 - still not exactly blistering for 250m lol - job done - legs done - lungs done - throat done - t-shirt claimed :o)

3by2k r24 5r

Tend to find these ones a bit odd - no exception today 3by2k r24 5r - target 1:43 - when I think I've rowed a r20 30min piece faster I tend to think this should be "easy" now don't get me wrong it wasn't hard but you have to keep the concentration going and the legs do feel it and even the lungs to an extent - at least I wasn't on the floor after lol

2by750m Open Rest - Maximum Score

Session was 2by750m with open rest - figured before going down that a good target would be 1:26.5 and the rest of about 5 minutes,

Got down to the gym in work and it was induction day - it's not a big gym - luckily only two people this week - although one of them still managed to stand right next to me during my warm up - luckily it was my warm up and not the 750's so he only got a little knock - who said erging isn't a contact sport! They'd left by the time the 750's where due but the instructor was still in there. Anyhew set of on the first 750 and found myself nicely under target until about 500m then it started to slow but I managed to get control of it and drive it home for a decent score - 1:25.8

jumped of the erg and onto a stationery bike - at this point the interference started as one of the girls came into be weighed and they decided to set the scales up right at the back of the erg - as I got back on I explained that they might want to move or get covered in "sweat, snot, spit and shit" I did say maybe not the shit - but I wasn't promising. They moved a little but stayed behind the erg - I set off - about 150m in the ergdata dropped it's connection and even though I knew it was gone I kept looking at it trying to see what split I was on - then had to flick to the monitor - still conscious of them behind me (mirror in front of the erg so could see them) all the distractions became too much and the handle came down

so what to do - well first take a few minutes - got a drink and eventually the girl left and so did the instructor so I set up the 750 again - the way I figured it was that the rest was open ;o) Aiming at getting it done really but then found myself sat on 1:25/26 so tried to hold it there - before halfway I really wanted to stop - really really - but somehow managed to drive it home and flopped to the floor - never ever have i experienced so much pain in my thighs from a session - still ave 1:26.7 so 1:26.2 for the pair

I think the cool down shows the pain - this was probably 10 minutes later ...

30r29 70% HRR

Slow pace this morning - only morning I've managed to get into work to get a row done - sickness is rife through the house - not hit me ...yet!

3by10m 2r Variable

This morning I got in work early enough to knock through a 60min row - as I pulled into the car park the mrs text to say she was ill - so that hour has now gone so I can go home early - I was still aiming t to row at lunchtime - can't leave earlier than 4:30 as havre a meeting for a new project I'm working on so unless it's a emergency I need to be in work for that before you think I'm heartless lol

Also was up at 2am with Lilly till 3:30am so not exactly firing on all cylinders today ZZZzzzz.... still training to be done - the 3by10 variable session seemed like a good fit for lunchtime - no warm up (no time) so straight into it -

3x10' (2:00) 65 % incl 1' 2k +1' 2k-4 (target 1:31.0/1:27.0)

1' 1:30.9 r31 + 1' 1:26.9 r33
1' 1:30.9 r32 + 1' 1:26.9 r34
1' 1:30.9 r32 + 1' 1:26.9 r34

found myself bouncing around a little in the first one and it was hard to settle all the way through the piece - dry mouth and I'm hoping that it's just from tiredness and not a bug from the house as both the baby and wife are sick ....

8by500m plus Carole McNally memorial row

8by500m - feeling flat as today after a weekend away from the erg and a tough weekend to get through - also had new compression shorts on which I think where too "compressi" - would work fine for a recovery row - but once your on the road to hell in the 8by500's and your thighs feel like they are growing on every stroke they got a little restrictive - target was around the 1:31.0 mark - I'm not focusing on PB's or hard splits - just the process of making myself hurt - I succeeded - on the 5th rep I was done but told myself to get the 6th done as it was "respectable" besides who does a odd number of reps - so 5th I pushed to the end - 6th the same again telling myself not to let up and get to the finish on the split target(ish) the 7th I started and said I'd just get it done - found I was able to get under 1:32 and was in agony but happy - the 8th became the same until the last 100/150m where I buried myself in 1:29's until the last stroke which was 1:34 and I was on the floor - found myself going into the recovery position .... most recent fastest pace on this was 1:31.2

Followed with a recovery row of 1402m in memory of Carole McNally - two days late but I'm sure she'd forgive me

Friday the 13th blues - HD on 4by1k

oh yes - just remembered - it's Friday the 13th!

disaster of a session and i won't get near the erg again till Monday which makes it three times as bad! just feeling "empty" at the moment and tired - went down with the intention of 4by1k 5r and went through warm up - bicarb before and not sure if that messed me up more but felt bloated and stiff - pains in upper back and knee plus thighs feel solid.

6 times I set off on a 1k and 6 times I HD'd furthest I got was 480m shortest was 118m - mixed it up by just setting up a single 1k and then going back to reps - nope - nada - no go - completely mental as although the body is tired it wasn't collapsing

8by500m 1:30 - balls is alls

Target - 1:29.5

Feeling "flat" and nervous as I went down to the gym - contemplated putting it off but what's the point in that - first two reps OK although legs aching - third and fourth rep I seemed to miss time the start as I was hittin 1:29/30 on the splits all the way through but the average never dropped under 1:30 fifth and it was getting tough about 200m in - 6th the legs just buckled about 250m and slowed to over 2:00 split - managed to not HD as I know I will be without the erg at the weekend and then just dragged my ass home

so - do I take extra break or just try and get through .... ten seconds to go and I managed to pick up the handle and said "just count 50 strokes and don't look at the monitor" so basically thats what I did - although of course I flicked to have a look and once I saw I was under 1:32 pace that's where I aimed to finish and did the same for the last rep - felt rather ill after ... still do ... must be good for me - it didn't kill me

2by30r20 70% HRR 4h r

Had a 3 hours meeting scheduled this morning for 9am - so had to be at my desk early and only really time for a 30r20 70% HRR

Then the same again a few hours later

8by500m - again - but faster

Completed this yesterday but the last two reps disintegrated to 1:34 ave although overall I came in at 1:31.4 so the target today was to beat yesterday obviously but without the back end collapse - and although I felt heavy in the legs even in the warm up (did have second thoughts about starting it) I just got on and did it - first rep as always went through OK - at the start of the second rep I lost the connection on the ergdata and so although distracted I got through on target then after trying to sort it out just took the iphone off and went off the screen - this changed the session focus for me as i was just flicking my eyes to the ergdata screen and checking the split - after I took it off I needed to check the PM itself and then I got drawn into looking at the average - still I was able to hang on to 1:31's with a odd 1:32 popping up - every time I saw a 1:33 it was matched with a 1:30 or 1:31 on the next stroke - rate wise was quite low at 32/33. From the fourth rep i started the lies and said one more rep. On the 7th and 8th rep I cocked up the start and found myself at 1:35 ave after 100m even though I was hitting 1:31's. Legs where cooked and breathing was heavy - but I'm getting used to that now ;o)