2k test - well all the other boys (and girls) are doing them .....

So with the Irish provincials last weekend and the Welsh this weekend I was feeling left out of the 2k world :lol: I also need to get used to these little beasts again after a while away - in fact I haven't rowed a 2k TT since Boston - and that didn't end well at all at all prior to that I managed a 6:12.1 in the Euro championships in January 2015 - so yes definitely time to start getting used to them and putting a few fears to bed from Boston. I was hoping to get under 6:30 so the target from the start was 1:37.5 pace and rate 28 (as I have no race prep work done i knew my breathing would be laboured) race warm up completed and set the 2k with 250m splits and off we set.

As expected the body wanted to accelerate more than I'd planned so needed to get control of the pace and managed to get into a decent rhtyhm also as expected the breathing became heavy and this continued for the piece - in fact the breathing was more of a hindrance than legs or heart so will be needed to be worked on before any thoughts of racing are entertained. I planned on lifting the pace and rate come the last 500m and was happily relieved to find I was able to do this reasonably comfortably - sitting sub 1:30 for the majority of the last 300m.

So all in all a good session - yes I'm 24 seconds off sub6 - and yes I rowed 3 out of 4 2k's with 5 minute rest faster than this back in June 2014 (link) but there again - 3 months ago I could not sit down after the back operation (19th August) - onwards and upwards!

follow your heart 30r20 75% HRR

was awake at 3:30 am this morning - daughter woke and needed a bottle of milk so I duly obliged - got back to sleep for another hour then managed to drag myself up - got to work and set up the 30min row aim was 75% HRR and r20 - but this morning I wanted to go very hard from the start and was hoping to get the HR up to the cap (153) on the first split - just missed out - then it was a target to hit every split on the 153 - missed a few - ow well lol kept it interesting although wasn't the most effective in terms of distance scored it was more effective in terms of training effect earned - which I need to do as I don't seem to be getting any longer rows in at the moment.

rookie mistake - 40r20 70% HRR

Don't drink a large cup of coffee before a HR restricted row .... ooops

Updated the fenix 3 and 910 to have the same user profile values before the row - still came out with different readings ......

30r20 80% HRR - pre work

It's funny in a way but I am a bit disappointed with this - I'm compiling season best and age group bests to try and keep track of my post operation row and on doing that saw I rowed a 30r20 80% HRR on the 9th November and covered 8483m - today a mere 8414m - OK the other row was a lunchtime session as opposed to half awake but still lol anyway job done and certainly got sweaty

It's also brought into question the accuracy of the fenix 3 again - just emailed there support guys

8by500 r1:30 r28

Went down stairs for my lunchtime session not really feeling "it" but these are the days you just need to put your head down and get on with it - so after a 2k warm up of bursts I set the 8by500m and checking on my previous result of 1:33.9 overall average targeted that from the outset - managed to get the first three spot on then messed up on the fourth so just went with the negative split and a determination to finish the last one sub 1:30 - tick - feel better now :o)

8by500m r28 r1:30 1:32.8 ave

New Handle Syndrome - 30r20 75% HRR

Won a concept2 facebook comp a few weeks back - as I already had the prize they offered to send me something else - I wanted to swap the wooden handle on my model B at home for a plastic one so opted for that - when it arrived I actually put the new handle on my model D in work as I knew I would wear it in quicker that way - and i have worn it into my hands lol - this always takes a week or so to wear down firstly my hands get worn down and then the handle.

The row itself was sweaty and grunty and puffy - just as it should be  :-D my new Fenix 3 reckons I need 31 hours recovery time - it's a lot to learn - or maybe it picked up on the blisters ....

8,375m 1:47.4 30r20 75% HRR HR Ave 149 HR Max 155