Row class, row coach, finally a row

 Last Thursday I travelled to Dublin for work, that night I headed to Greystones to do a class with an old row friend, Mike Creamer at Community Rowing - really enjoyed it and got very very sweaty 😆 

Friday after work I headed to a Concept2 certified instructor course held by Niall O'Toole of Crew Class which was held over the Friday and Saturday with 10 other coaches, concept2 enthusiasts from around Ireland, wonderful course and fun to boot, wanted to try and pick up a few things for my own technique and development, which I now want to put into practice. 

That leads me to tonight, was going to row last night when the son had his swimming class, but the machine has been taken away to get fixed, hopefully it is... so tonight I jumped on late and wanted to check something on my own stroke technique so settled into a 30r20,  went well, away tomorrow and Friday with work so hopefully they have a c2 at the hotel gym...

World Rowing Virtual Series Heartbeat 8by1min

 So lunchtime in work I fancied a bite at the 8by1min with 1min rest, flying the Irish flag I thought it would be a good idea to go after a rep total of dirty tree and a turd aka 333m 😆 20 seconds into rep two brain got distracted, so in order to save something I decided to complete the session and row every other split ie 1, 3, 5 and 7 while hitting the first 20seconds of the 2, 4, 6 and 8th - but at the end I decided to pop the last one also. So, now I've laid out my target, I'm going to have to complete it in the next two weeks... wish me luck 

And yes, I should really aim for a spm of dirty tree... (33)

Crappy gym erg 30r20

 Just some meters while my son had his swimming lesson on the crappy erg in the gym 

30r20 TT Open HR

 Tired tonight, busy weekend sorting garden Saturday and Sunday full on, life stresses of cars not working, work etc takes it toll... still headed off with a pace of 1:51.7 to beat from the last TT had it in my head to set off sub 1:50 pace at the start, held that for 12 minutes then it bit, a few head wobbles, got myself past the HD demons and finished hard, beat the target but not a SB

Finally completed antibiotics today after getting another 3 days worth so thats good, finger still bleeding through though 😆 

. 

August 2025 C2CTC 8by5000m 2r

 So figured I had enough time to squeeze this in at lunchtime, just, but only time for a 1k warm up. Decided 1:40 pace should be manageable, went slightly quicker on the first rep so held onto that, dropped it on the 7th then opened up on the 8th, haven't done this session for years  😀 in fact I used to do it with 1:30r so found the 2min a bit boring. Still job done and happy to get a time up for paddypower and a marker for myself. Oh yes, finger still hasn't healed, leg has cellulitis and my left shoulder is a bit knackered 😆 

30r20 75% HRR on the dodgy gym rower

 Tonight so I took my son to his swimming lessons and then up to the gym, for a change there was a guy on the one and only rower..  as usual they lasted only 5 minutes so then on I popped after weighting it down etc drag is about 100 ... so not great but got stuck in and pleased with the result, less movement for the rower may have helped.

30r20 Open HR

 So Monday is 30r20 open HR, nasty, especially when tired 😆 managed to open quite well, grinded through the middle and emerged to save the SB so not delighted but happy enough. Onwards and upwards 

30r20 HRR 75%

 An easy one tonight, haven't had a chance to erg since Wednesday, busy with life, leg still sore and even managed to slice through the tip of my left finger tonight, only about 60% so hoping it will glue itself back on 😆 

September 17th row, hard 30r20 

30r20 70% Tis but a scratch

 So slight accident today while taking down a shed, gust of wind combined with slippery surface and one hand holding a reciprocating saw meant I had what I described as a old man injury.. ye I fell over and scraped my leg, well shin, along the corner of a concrete slab, so ye that brought forward a few choice words... 😆  so this evening just a gentle paddle to keep it going 30r20 70% HRR 

A photo of the scratch is in the blog in case you're interested 😆 

60r20 75% HRR Ergzone what a mess.

 Well used ergzone tonight, was quite nice being able to see the ave splits from previous segment as I rowed along, unfortunately a disaster on the OCD effort, although highly pleased with the HR performance 😀

30r20 HRR 75%

 Just some training on the base of my pyramid today, 30r20 HRR max 153. All I'm gonna say is stupid splits... 😆 

8 by 1min on 1min off - training

 The session is the World Indoor Virtual Challenge No4 Heartbeat, but for me today this was a training session on getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and hitting the OCD target, job done 😀

30r20 open HR (TT)

 So Monday training called for a 30r20 open HR (Time Trial of sorts), absolute aim is completion of the piece, secondary aim is pain.... I mean gain on previous weeks, bearing in mind sickness/fatigue, stress etc

Initially I aimed at 1:52.5 to hit 8k, I haven't rowed 8k in any 30 min piece since starting back, found it hit 1:51.4 on split one without thinking I was about to die.. so new target acquired, pretty happy with that, late in the evening again and tired legs, but let's Just Get It Done.

Ignore the 7th rep... 😆