10k TT - Irish Record - Age Group PB - 21 million lifetime meters - CTC

Think the title sums it all up - after yesterday's aborted lunchtime row (too many "distractions" in the gym and was pretty bloody tired after the weekend) I realised I was only 10,718m short of 21 million meters - and today the rain caused a delay getting into work so that pretty much set up the session itself - 718m warm up then 10k TT - no point celebrating 21 million meters on a paddle - maybe it's my coming of age number :o) I went through 20 million meters on the 3rd of August - on the 19th August I was in hospital having part of one of my discs removed ... so by my calculations I've covers a million meters since the op lol

The row itself started of well enough - I knew my 40-49H Irish record was average of 1:44.3 (no not amazing by all standards) so set off rating 24 and found myself sitting at around 1:42 so then I figured I'd clip the 5k for the CTC as well.... got that and backed off as my little legs where tired - but made myself stay under the 1:44.3 and although tough - I was more tired than beat so kept the pressure on and managed a little lift inside the last 500m finishing on a 1:28 split - with a lot of sweat!

30r20 70% HRR

Thanks to all those who have passed on such great messages to me - means a lot.

Back to 30r20 70% HRR this morning - body a bit old but that's what happens with age I guess lol

As for the Irish 2k Open I'm still intrigued as to how I went from 4th to 3rd - so taking into account last year’s results – below – and what I have been told about the finish – I’m thinking that Philip Doyle basically collapsed just before the line and dropped from 1st to 4th – dying to see the split data to confirm – just goes to show if you dig in and keep going through the line you can get a reward - I think he was trying to break sub 6 and the overall Irish record so fair play to him.

2015 results
(6:01.7) Philip Doyle
(6:03.5) Eimantas Grigalius
(6:05.1) Oliver Tiernan
(6:09.4) Kevin Coughlan
(6:10.9) David Neale
(6:11.3) Turlough Hughes
(6:15.2) Dave Meehan

2016 results
(6:02.9) Sam McKeown
(6:03.2) Oliver Tiernan
(6:09.6) Paul Buchanan
(6:10.7) Philip Doyle
(6:13.0) Damian Browne
(6:13.1) Kevin Coughlan
(6:17.0) Turlough Hughes

Irish 500m Silver

Well you can only plan and execute your own race - can't influence what others are doing.

Plan was 1:19 - first 100m 1:18 and then hold the decline. Had a great start but noticed I dropped to third pretty quick - no worries the other two will decline at the end more than me - one did one didn't - I did my part lol - through the line on a 1:21

Spoke to Damian after to let him know he broke the Irish 500m record and asked which age group he was (he looked over 30) he's 35 - bugger no chance of getting that back :-) big guy - little taller than me and more muscle I'd say - his first race so hopefully we'll see more from him

Irish Bronze - 2k Open

So waking up this morning with a 2 hour drive ahead I hear my daughter calling me "daddy, daddy, don't go to work today!" shes breaking my heart...  Nearly didn't get in the car but she drifted of and so of to "work" I went. That is what today was about - a job - rowing a 2k from start to finish following a plan as best as I could - plan was hard start and settle to 1:32 at 250m then keep the 1:33's tapping away until between 500m and 300m before the end and lift.

So once at the venue and registered I took myself of to a quite place and sat down relaxed and waited to warm up - during which I noted the Irish Heavyweight team also warming up and a line from monsters Inc came to me

"if I lose no one will remember but if you lose know one will let you forget"

Not that I have anything against the young guys but it was more for me to remember why I picked the open and not the 40's group - it was the "I have nothing to lose"  mentality also meant I could focus on the process and ignore the placing - I've rowed in races where I've been leading and backed off pushing myself to make sure I finished - it's a silly way to race in those circumstances. Not today. 

Today was a job. And surprisingly I enjoyed it - stuck to the plan - I'll admit I wasn't it real hellish trouble (which I have been in 2k's) but that again what want today was about - I stuck religiously to my goal - ignored largely the other guys positions (although noted I started in first place and spotted myself in 4th or 5th most of the way)

Not to worry - wasn't expecting a medal - so with 500m to go I lifted - down to 1:32 and 1:31 and then about 300m out I went again and hit a few 1:28's maybe - still solidly in 4th by 14m I drove on to get a sub 6:10 score (my own silver for today - my personal gold would have been 6:07.7) 6:09.6 so 2 seconds of ideal time but walked away having completed a 2k inside 6:10 and nicked the bronze in the open at the same time ;-) still not sure how or who but one of the guys in the top three apparently stopped with a stroke left - be interesting to see the split data.

I'm currently chilling in my car - going back for the 500m open in two hours - time to let the Wulf out....

A mention in the results piece in afloat.ie

Last session before the Irish - 5k with a bump and a race start

So last session today before the Irish tomorrow - the Open 2k is on at 11:44 I believe and the Open 500m at 15:21 - oh wait I just remembered I didn't do any 500m training - whoops
 http://www.iirc.ie/list-of-entrants-by-race-category/

So today was planned as a 5k paddle with a single burst at about 4k. Then do a single 200m start, looking for 1:32 by 1800m. Paddle down to 1000m to go, but then stop there. Now my darling daughter did have me up at 2am this morning so feeling a bit frazzled this morning I went down and jsut ticked the boxes - the 5 was fine although the bump wasn't very smooth - oh wait it's a bump ... the race start was possibly a little over egged - ahem lol - so try and get an early night tonight and then up and 2 hour ish drive tomorrow for a spin out on the erg

 

30r18 65% HRR with a minute at race pace

Simple task - fitting it in on a day off was the hard bit!

look familiar - race practice sub 6:30 2k

Well yesterday "life" through a few spanners in the works - all sorted for now - but a bit stressful - still managed to get two rows in before that - 20r20 and a 30r20 both at 65% HRR just ticking over.

Today Q called for a repeat of Monday - so 1250m at "race pace" and then back off to a paddle with 250m pump at the end - as usual really didn't want to do it but convinced myself to go down and get on with it "step in the process" so through the warm up (during which the C-Breeze came off twice) then stripped that off, headphones out and set up the row. Reminded myself of the plan a few times - adjusted the Bat Logic shoes and set off - hard 6 with another 10 strokes below race target then settle to 1:32/32 to 500m in - back to seeing 1:33's and combated any 1:34's with a slight lift - through the 1k and then 1250m - could of kept going but backed off as the race is Saturday - not today - wasn't 100% about lifting the pace at the end but then thought sod it ....

Blue Monday - race practice sub 6:30 2k

Blue Monday is a name given to a day in January (typically the third Monday of the month) reported to be the most depressing day of the year. The concept was first publicized as part of a 2005 press release from holiday company Sky Travel which claimed to have calculated the date using an equation.
The idea is considered pseudoscience, with its formula derided by scientists as nonsensical.

Well woke up late, got soaked walking dogs (even through my wet gear), got held up at home, stuck in traffic, had to get fuel on the way to work, missed morning row because of all that and basically felt fed up all morning in work - considered pulling out of the Irish as I'm no where near where I would like to be (are we ever) physically or mentally - no erg'ing at the weekend yet still knackered from it lol  - so ye when I hear it was "Blue Monday" I had to agree.

Still - it's a process and not a race - so even if I don't get the score I want on Saturday I still need to take that step - and in order to take that step I needed to take today's - a session I am notoriously bad at (anything other than standard times/distances wreck my head) but I wanted to go through a possible race plan for Saturday - that being a hard first 16 strokes - settle to 1:31/32 and then back to 1:33 with the odd 1:34 without panicking. Row through the 1250m and then paddle home. So down I went and changed I got - warm up done I took off my headphones as I am going to race without them on Saturday so need to get used to my panting lol last few times I wore them they seemed to get interference from somewhere - I'm guessing the Bluetooth from all the PM5's but not sure.

So off I set - half of my head dealing with counting, pace, breathing the other half telling the little demons to feck off - about the 500m was probably the worst for those but the as I got to the 1km mark instead of the usual panic throwing down of the handle I went through calmly and securely - even contemplated going through to the 1500m mark - but decided no - stick to the plan .... well then as I was paddling away I saw the predicted finish and worked out if I hit the last 250m at 1:30 pace I would go sub 6:30 ..... so I brought on the power - nice little erg cough and feel a lot better about Monday now :o)

It's a process not a race - 4by750 3r - Irish entrants list

Well the entrants came out for the Irish last night - I entered the 2k Open and 500m Open - sure why not 5 months ago I was having surgery on my back to remove part of one of my discs so might as well go for broke until I am broke :-) as Colin Williamson said to me many moons ago - "do you want to live on your knees or die on your feet" - I'm choosing to die this time round - also I hoped at the time of entering that there would be a few guys in and around the 6:10 mark I can try to get into the mix with - I tend to get a better result that way - as it turns out there are at least 8 guys who have pulled 6:11 or faster and the winner (6:01.7) from last year is in again with another two guys on the 6:05 mark. So that should be fun.

Today I pinged Q a email and said "So – should I smash the legs up again – 8by500 on 1:31.0 pace?"

the reply "Would prefer 750s, but otherwise 500s. Make is a hard work day, and rest at the weekend, a couple of 1:31.5 or so, then a squeeze, then put yourself on the floor in the last."

That's pretty much as it went - had to tell myself when the time came that this was a process and not a race. Felt it but not uncontrollably - no big adrenaline rush today - just a grind - I missed the last stroke on the third rep and the last I was cruising at 1:33 after the first 30 seconds if memory serves – I went to 1:32 from 300m out and took the last 10 to 15 strokes at 1:29

Job done.