MaxDev's Erging (and other things) Blog

Final session before BIRC

2007-11-14T22:08:00.000Z

Missed my session Monday night as I was feeling shattered from the weekend still. Did think about going Tuesday morning, but that didn't happen either, so left it until tonight, and this will be my final session before BIRC.

Wasn't feeling great though. My housemate Karen has had a cold recently, and I think I might be getting it now. Also feeling a bit of a dodgy stomach today, but that might have had more to do with the curry last night than any illness.

Warm-up:
4K 14:55.0 (1:51.9)

Apparently there'd been an open evening at the gym on Monday. While I was doing my warm-up, a few of the regulars who were taking a break from doing weights close by were discussing a challenge that had been run during it, which was a 1K row. The gym had marked up on the C2 club chart the competing scores... best was a 3:18.1, which they were all saying was really quick. They see me on the erg a lot, and know I'm pretty serious, which I think was why they were discussing it right behind me, so I threw in a comment while I was erging about it being fairly quick, but that I could go a few seconds faster without too much trouble.

Had been planning to do something like 4x500 as a speed session, but after this bit of bravado I thought I'd better show it wasn't all mouth, so, even though I wasn't feeling wonderful, after a drink of water I set up for a 1K.

1K 3:12.0 (1:36.0) 36 188

Not too bad considering. Rating quite high, but felt pretty controlled still and just a shade off being full power. As I already knew, my PB of 3:11.5 is looking pretty weak after this... definitely there for the taking next time I feel like having a go.

1K 3:52.0 (1:56.0)

Was planning a steady state 4K, then 1K warm-down for 10K total, but really not feeling all that great, so just did a 1K and left it at that.

Metres: 6,000
Alcohol: Mon: 5; Tue: 4; Wed: 0

Short session and chess

2007-11-11T21:23:00.000Z

Running a bit late yesterday morning, so only had time for 10K. Decided on the EF warm-up, followed by a hard 2.5K at hopefully sub-7 2K pace, and a 2.5K warm down.

5K 19:19.2 (1:55.9) 27

Getting better at this - maybe another second on the split and it'll be sensible.

2.5K 8:43.0 (1:44.6) 31

Very nasty. Expected to be able to do this easily at sub-7 pace, but really struggled. I hate mornings! Difficult to see how I'm going to break 17:30 for the 5K if I can barely manage half the distance at that pace.

2.5K 10:08.1 (2:01.6) 26

Steady warm-down.

Not going to report too much about the chess, but was actually a fairly successful weekend. Had demoted myself to the second team for one game after my abysmal results all year (not that this means any easier games as they are also in the top division), but actually managed to play a couple of okay games this time, drawing both against higher-rated opposition (one a FIDE Master like me, the other an International Master). Still not terribly inspired, but a whole lot better than it has been.

Team results were good too - the first team won one and drew one against two teams in the top half of the table, although dropping our first match point of the season means we slip from first to third in the division, and the second team won both matches to move from the bottom of the table to a very respectable mid-table position.

Metres: 10,000
Alcohol: Sat: maybe 10 (quite restrained by 4NCL standards); Sun: 4 (finishing off a bottle of wine)

Chess weekend

2007-11-09T22:42:00.000Z

Second weekend of the UK national chess league (4NCL) season this weekend. Took a day off today to give my brain a rest beforehand, but still not feeling particularly like playing any chess at the moment, and likely to have two tough games both against higher rated players, so not sure I will do very well.

Early morning session at the gym in Royston tomorrow, followed by picking one of my teammates up and travelling up to Birmingham. Don't remember the hotel we're playing at having any internet access, so will probably be Sunday before I log and report on tomorrow's session.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: Thursday: 5 (leaving drinks for work colleague); Friday: 5 (wine with dinner)

How I learned to stop worrying and love the 2K

2007-11-07T22:18:00.000Z

Heart behaving oddly when I put the monitor on at the gym. First reading 104, then a few seconds later it was down to 82, then back up into the low 90s. Strange. Felt pretty good though.

Gym was busy, so again no EF warm-up. Decided on 2x3K instead. First one at a steady pace, then the second a bit slower but with a few sprints to get the blood flowing.

3K 11:25.0 (1:54.2) 27
3K 11:24.7 (1:54.1) 28

Still warming up too fast, and 6K is just a little too much, but 1:54 pace is a whole lot better than 1:52 - just need to add another three or four seconds and it'll be verging on sensible.

Then the main event of the day - a final 2K test before BIRC. Determined I wasn't going to handle down this time, so started with an aim of sub-6:45. Still felt like quitting from around 1000-1200m, but pushed through and managed a bit of a sprint at the end.

2K 6:40.6 (1:40.2) 33
500m splits:
1:40.8 33
1:41.0 33
1:40.7 33
1:38.2 36

Very pleased, as even though I've been expecting to be able to hit this pace for a while now, the reality has been a bit different. Also a season's best by almost four seconds, and my second fastest 2K ever. My PB of 6:36.3 set earlier this year is still a bit of an anomaly... other than that I'd only previously done 6:40.7 which was several years back, and another few times in the low 6:40s. Partly down to (in the past at least) hating the 2K with a passion that meant I rarely ever did one.

Didn't even feel too knackered after a few minutes rest, so set off for a steady 4K. Started at 1:57 pace, but picked it up in the second half.

4K 15:15.5 (1:54.4) 29

Finally, a 3K warmdown.

3K 11:44.3 (1:57.4) 28

Definite confidence booster for BIRC. Looks like I should be able to break my predicted 6:40, but still a fair way to go to threaten the PB.

Metres: 15,000
Alcohol: 0

Minor injury - nothing to worry about

2007-11-06T19:00:00.001Z

Middle finger of left hand was feeling a bit sore before yesterdays session, and quite a bit worse afterwards and today. Had this before - mild tendonitis I think... uncomfortable, even a bit painful to grip the handle especially at race pace and rate, but shouldn't affect the erging too much.

Hoping that even if it does flare up after the next few sessions, the few days I'll be taking off before BIRC (final four sessions before are probably tomorrow evening, Sat morning, Mon evening and Wed evening) should let it settle down again before the big day.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 6 (fancied a couple of glasses of wine)

Low energy - not enough eating

2007-11-05T21:48:00.001Z

HR was good tonight (88 again), but I didn't eat well at the weekend (skipped a couple of meals) and was very tired (yawning all morning at work), so wasn't expecting too much from this evenings session, and so it proved.

4K 14:30.9 (1:48.9) 29

Silly pace for the warm-up again. Didn't do the EF one as the gym was so busy and it's just a bit too long if someone wants to be a nuisance about the 15 minute rule...

4 x 500m 2' rest
1:37.9 35
1:37.8 36
1:37.5 36
1:37.7 36

Hit a fast pace, but really struggled with these - HR wasn't recovering well - only down to 140ish. Quit after the four, though I'd originally planned 6-8.

4K 14:54.0 (1:51.8) 29

Finally found someone who might be a challenge at the gym. He's about 6'6", and his technique isn't bad either. Have seen him a few times before, but never really full-on on the erg. He came over when I was 1.4k into the 'easy' 4k (about 1:57 pace at that point), set up for 2.5k, waited until I'd just reached that to go, and then began.

He had the monitor set on calories rather than split so it was a bit difficult for me to judge, but when his first few strokes were at a relaxed 1200 to 1250 cal/hr, I knew I had a challenge on. Was pretty knackered after my preceding 7.5k, but upped to about 1:51 pace. This seems to be pretty much where he was, as our distances stayed within 10-20m for most of the way. I upped the pace in the second half to 1:47ish which seemed to give me a little cushion, and sprinted down to 1:30 for the last 200, with HR hitting 195.

First time I've actually been pushed at the gym, and he didn't even look too out of breath at the finish - think he would definitely have won tonight had he gone flat out, assuming his technique held up, as I didn't have a huge amount more. Given the state I was in, I shouldn't have tried to race, but you know me! We exchanged a few words afterwards though I was pretty out of breath... will have to find out more (like his 2k time) when I next see him.

2K 7:54.1 (1:58.5) 29

Even this warm down was beginning to seem like a struggle... definitely too few carbs recently.

Metres: 12,000
Alcohol: 0 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and today - excellent!)

Making my first million

2007-11-03T09:03:00.000Z

Metres, that is, not pounds. I only wish contracting were that lucrative! Needed just under 18km last night to reach the season million, so was determined to get there. Pre-exercise HR was good again (88), but I could still feel the effects of Wednesday's session and didn't quite seem to have the pace.

Tried the new Eddie Fletcher-style warm-up. Based on my 2K, it was supposed to be 5K at 1:57-2:04, with bursts of 1:48, 1:42 and 1:36. Went a bit quick (probably about 1:55) during the steady stuff, even though I was consciously trying to slow down from the way I usually do it.

5K 18:56.2 (1:53.6) 27

Tried a 2K then, to get a time on the board for CTC, but wanted to make it a good one. Started at 6:40 pace again, but it was too much of a struggle to hold it. Did just over 1200m, and then facing a 6:44 I jacked it in. Should have stuck it out, but just didn't feel like it.

That left 12km still to do to reach the million, but I wasn't really up for anything too hard, so decided on just 3 x 4km - a quick first one, slower second and warm-down final.

4K 14:29.8 (1:48.7) 29
4K 15:08.4 (1:53.6) 28
4K 16:14.2 (2:01.8) 27

Last season, I got to the million metre mark in early January, having only started in mid-October. This year it's taken half the season to get there, and at the current rate of progress I'm not going to exceed my total metres for last year (just over 2.4 million), but things will be different after Christmas when I'm not working.

Metres: 18,221
Alcohol: 0

Hoping for the best

2007-11-01T22:43:00.000Z

Reading Thomas' blog today about how he's not feeling well at the moment, and knowing what I was like with just a minor virus last week, I'm just praying I'm fit and well for BIRC. Would hate to go and do a crap time. Can't imagine I could fail to break 7 mins, and probably wouldn't go if I felt that bad, but I really want to be confident of sub 6:45.

Could feel the effects of last nights session today, but in a good way. Because I generally do so rubbish in the morning sessions, and don't need the extra time with the shorter, more intense sessions at the moment anyway, I'm considering skipping my Saturday morning session in favour of one tomorrow evening instead. Friday's generally a pretty quiet night at the gym on the few occasions I have been.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 3 (one BIG glass of wine again)

Bad training but good results: sub-7 twice

2007-10-31T22:03:00.000Z

Felt good when I arrived at the gym. Normally by the time I'm changed and the adrenalin is starting to flow my HR is in the mid-90s. If it's over 100 I know something's not quite right, but tonight it was 87.

Got into a race again in my supposed warm-up. I should really know better, but some of these guys at the gym see fat old me in my AIO and just think they're going to be able to show me up. Started out at 1:53s but then took it down into the 1:40s, negative-splitting all the way.

4K 14:09.3 (1:46.2) 30 195
1K splits:
3:42.8 (1:51.4) 27
3:33.2 (1:46.6) 30
3:29.2 (1:44.6) 31
3:24.2 (1:42.1) 33

Pretty damn pleasing given the slow first km, and doing the second 2K in 6:53.4 was a great confidence booster for BIRC. Compares very favourably with the 1K intervals I did yesterday morning, and this with no rest at all and from cold. HR did go a bit crazy though... 195 is high, even for me.

Followed this up with:
3K 11:27.2 (1:54.5) 28

Then took it easy with:
2K 7:56.3 (1:59.8) 27

This was all leading up to a CTC attempt. Not very clever given the 4K starter, but I decided to give it a go anyway. Handled down after just over a minute though. Not sure why - solid 1:35s to there, but maybe I'd done myself mentally, thinking I'd never hold the pace after the previous pieces. Oh well. At least it means I've still got something to aim for there - the O'Neill "excellent" rating eludes me for the moment.

Then thought I'd have a go at a few low pull attempts, in light of Paul Gould's recent thread on this on the forum. Played about with a few different foot positions and damper settings, but wasn't really attacking it at all. 1:19s were the best I was getting.

Started on another steady 2K, but settled in fairly fast at 1:48s. After about 800m, seeing the projected finish reading 7:12, I had a really crazy idea that maybe I could go for another sub-7. Not the brightest move in the world when you're already nearly halfway through, but:

2K 6:57.1 (1:44.3) 33
500m splits:
1:48.4 30
1:47.4 32
1:43.7 34
1:37.5 37

Big sprint finish needed to get there, but I made it, and with a bit to spare! 1:20 split at the end, which is madness - how can I pull 1:20 at the end of a 2K, and yet only 1:19 when I'm trying to do a low pull? Not sure on the HR, but from checking the monitor later it wasn't higher than the 195 I'd got in the 4K.

Needed a breather after that, then did some supposedly easier work to round out the session, though it was all beginning to feel a bit hard by this stage - the rate was climbing but so was the split:

3K 11:18.6 (1:53.1) 30
4K 15:13.4 (1:54.2) 30

Finally a short warm-down:

1K 4:06.5 (2:03.3) 26

All in all, an excellent session from a results perspective, but I really do need to work on my self-control and not get drawn into racing when I'm supposed to be warming up. Never going to happen though.

Metres: 19,390
Alcohol: Tues: 3 (better!); today: 0 (even better!)

Morning session - more intervals

2007-10-30T08:50:00.000Z

Did manage to get up at 6am after a slightly patchy nights sleep, and got to the gym shortly before 7am.

5K warm-up: 19:09.0 25

Decided on some longer intervals this morning - 1Ks with 3' rest. Set a pace boat for 1:45.0, but thought I should be able to go a second or so inside this.

3:27.0 32 186
3:26.9 32 189
3:26.8 32 191

Blew up just before halfway of the fourth one. I blame this on not having decided in my own mind whether I was doing four or five of them in total. Started the fourth one almost flat out as if I was just doing four, then realised I'd never manage a fifth going at that pace, so throttled back. Did so too much until I was below target pace (and by that stage only pulling 1:45s), and then didn't feel like making the effort to claw it back again.

These were pretty hard work anyway, as the HR proves. Four would probably have been a more sensible target at that pace.

2K warm down: 8:12.5 25

Metres: 10,467
Alcohol: Mon: 3; today: none yet! It's only 9am

Missed another one

2007-10-29T18:31:00.000Z

Not blog entry, though I did that too yesterday, but session, as I didn't go this evening. Had been feeling a bit under the weather again Saturday evening and yesterday (though fine again now) so had already decided to give it a miss before I woke up this morning.

Will try and get an early night, wake up extra early tomorrow and go for a session before work. Haven't done this during the week for as long as I can remember, so it might be a complete disaster, but I'll give it a go. Reason for this being that I don't want to go tomorrow evening as I'll miss Spooks (which I love, even though it's completely silly), and I do want to go Wednesday evening as it's Halloween and it'll keep me out the house for most of the evening, which is a good thing as I'm a miserable miserly bastard and hate children and being disturbed, and can't think of anything worse than being disturbed by children wanting free stuff. Well, not quite perhaps, but I really don't see the point of Halloween.

Metres: 0 (both days)
Alcohol: 0 (Sunday); maybe some later tonight

Serious intervals

2007-10-27T11:40:00.000Z

Went to the gym without a real plan for this mornings session. Only decided on intervals after the warm-up piece.

5K warm up: 19:18.9 25

On to the intervals. No namby-pamby 1:42s today. It wasn't like I'd had a failed race piece in advance of them like the last couple of times, so these were full-on, race pace, race rate plus. Decided to up the rest from two minutes to three, and set the pace boat at 1:40, because I pretty much always make sure I beat it.

10x500m 3' rest

1:39.2 34
1:39.4 33
1:39.0 33
1:38.8 33
1:38.6 33
1:38.3 34
1:38.3 34
1:37.2 35
1:36.9 35
1:35.4 38

Very pleased with these. Considered quitting after 6 and 8, but stuck it out for the full 10, and found something extra for the last few. Wasn't wearing the HR monitor, but suspect it was pretty much all 180s, though the extra minute rest makes a big difference on the recovery.

5K warm down: 19:54.8 26

Despite my general intentions, I've noticed that I'm sub-consciously moving towards doing shorter more high-intensity sessions in the last few weeks before BIRC. I like to think this is probably a good thing.

Metres: 15,000
Alcohol: 0

Glug, glug!

2007-10-26T22:39:00.000Z

That's the sound of me falling off the wagon tonight. Not just a minor technicality either, but a whole bottle of wine. Oh well. Gym in the morning should make me pay for it.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 10

Not too bad considering

2007-10-25T20:42:00.000Z

So much for feeling better yesterday... felt really bad. Went to work for an hour or so for a crisis meeting then came home again and spent the day in bed. Better today, though incredibly tired. Probably due to not eating more than anything, but I had a decent amount of lunch and malt loaf (yum!) during the afternoon and decided I was going to go to the gym anyway, but take it fairly easy (yeah, right!).

Fast 4K warm up in just under 15 mins. Then decided that since I'd failed on my 2K test on Monday, I should make sure that no matter how I was feeling, I could still do a sub-7. Was a bit harder than I thought it would be, took it steady for 1500m and then put on a little burst to knock a few seconds off at the end... came home in 6:56.4. Felt reasonably happy with this considering the day or so of sickness and lack of food, but I know I need to do a proper 2K test in the next week or so.

Another sub-15 4K to follow that, and then a couple of 2.5K warm down pieces at around 10 minutes each. Decided that was enough and I shouldn't overdo it. Think I will go and do a longer session on Saturday morning.

Metres: 15,000
Alcohol: 0 (but I'm having crispy duck tomorrow, and just can't not have a glass of wine or two to go with it, so the no alcohol regime is sure to end).

Feeling a bit delicate

2007-10-23T21:51:00.000Z

Nothing like as bad as last night though. Had a protracted debate with myself this morning about phoning in sick, but the contractors' incentive won out in the end and I eventually dragged myself out of bed and off to work.

Bit off colour all day, but bearable.... definitely feeling better this evening though. Assuming I'm going to be pretty much okay again by tomorrow. Probably going to give training a miss in the evening though, and go on Thursday instead to give myself another day to recover from whatever it was.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 0

Failed 2K test; not too well

2007-10-22T22:42:00.000Z

Supposed to be doing a 2K test today to see how things are going in the run-up to BIRC. Didn't feel wonderful, and HR a bit elevated, but decided to try anyway and see how things went. Aim (at least before feeling like I did) was to go sub 6:40, maybe even PB.

4K warm-up at close to 1:56 pace. First 500m of the 2K in 1:40.0. Supposed to then up the pace to 1:39, but just didn't seem to have anything extra there. Second 500m in 1:41.5, but by that stage I'd already given up. Handled down at the halfway mark. Could probably have got close to 6:45, but not where I was expecting to be at all. Bugger.

Did a 3K at sub 1:54 pace to round that piece off to 4K, then thought that as the gym was fairly quiet I'd have a go at 8 x 500m 2' rest. Again, having failed on the 2K, I decided not to push it, so set a pace boat for 1:43:

1:42.1
1:42.2
1:42.2
1:42.2
1:42.1
1:42.1
1:42.0
1:41.1

HR into the mid 180s for most of these. Definitely a bit on the high side, but it seemed to be recovering quite well, down to about 120 in the rests. Much more consistent than the previous set of intervals I did.

Followed that up with a steady 4K at around 1:56 again, then a quicker one at sub 1:51 pace (there was someone spoiling for a race - he wasn't at all bad compared with most people in the gym, and not the biggest guy in the world - managed 2K at 1:54ish without totally killing himself), and finally finished off with 2K at just sub 2:00 to warm down.

Later... stomach cramps. Not feeling good at all now. Maybe something I ate, or sickening for something. Might explain the HR and missing edge in my performance this evening.

Metres: 22,000
Alcohol: Sun: 0; today: 0 (still! going well so far!)

Still no motivation...

2007-10-20T22:35:00.000Z

...so didn't erg today at all. So much for a lot of metres this long weekend. Oh well... at least I should be fresh the next time I do feel like it. England lost the rugby too, as expected.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 0

Missing motivation

2007-10-19T21:49:00.000Z

Day off. Went into town to do some shopping, get my hair cut and drop financial statements / CT return off at the accountants in the morning. Back home for lunch and then went out to the garage to row at about quarter past two.

No idea why, but just didn't feel like doing it though... no motivation at all. Everything was fine; felt great physically; very sunny day but the garage was still quite cool, but for some reason I just didn't want to be out there. Gave it a nice slow 5K r23/24 in 19:35, and still didn't feel like it, so jacked it in. So much for a long row today.

Metres: 5,000
Alcohol: 0 (should I try and have a dry month in the run-up to BIRC? Whaddaya think?)

New kit

2007-10-18T21:20:00.000Z

Got home to Hereford this evening. First time I've been back for a while, and all my recently ordered kit was waiting for me:

Two more Free Spirits AIOs (bringing my total to five) and on these ones I got my name added. Will have to keep one of them in near pristine condition for BIRC... I find even with hand-washing and then rinsing in the machine the colours run in a few months.

Two pairs of Gripmaster hand pads. My original pair were only six months old, but starting to fall apart. I'd already ordered the new ones when I left the first lot at the gym last Saturday. Asked about them on Monday, and one of the fitness instructors had found them and thrown them out because they stank so much! Two sessions without them, and I've already got a few blisters again, having been blister-free almost since having the pads, so very glad I've got the new ones now.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 0

Short, hard session

2007-10-17T22:12:00.000Z

Started tonight with two 3K warm-up pieces (a bit too quick for warming up - at my usual steady 1:52-1:54 kind of pace) to really get the blood flowing before the sprint.

Then the 500m PB attempt. Didn't get a great start, and was only pulling 1:25s rather than the 1:23/24s I'd been pulling on the one I handled down on a while back. Legs felt heavy, and faded quite a bit in the second half, with a lot of 1:27s and even 1:28s showing up. Even coasted the last couple of metres to the line rather than rowing through, which probably cost me another tenth.

1:26.6 41 spm

The PB was so weak before though that this was still a new one by a whole 0.5s, but I definitely think that sub 1:26 ought to be easily doable.

Once I'd got my breath back, I followed it with a steady 2.5K to round out the distance, another steady 3K and finally a 3K warm down to finish. Didn't have the energy to have a go at the CTC too... would probably have struggled to get much over 1200, so there didn't seem to be a lot of point.

Metres: 15,000
Alcohol: 0

Days off - lots of erging

2007-10-16T18:14:00.000Z

Looking forward to the weekend already. I'm taking a couple of days off (Friday and Monday), just because I feel like I need a break, and going home (which I failed to do last weekend) so plan to get lots of erging done on at least a couple of days.

Since that'll mostly be just distance I think, I need to go for a few sprints tomorrow, but which ones? There's another CTC attempt, 500m PB attempt (which should be really easy to get on a good day), 1K PB attempt (bit harder, but eminently doable), and 2K test all needing doing. Best maybe to try and take the 500m, then see if I've got anything a bit later on in the session to have a go at the CTC.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: Sat night: 3; Sun: 5; tonight: 0 so far, probably 5 later

7x3K revisited

2007-10-15T22:42:00.000Z

Repeating last Tuesday's workout with this one, and aiming to try harder and get somewhere close to the pace targets I set after last time. Arrived rather late (7:30ish) and there were a couple of girls on the erg who (and this is something of a rarity in my gym, male or female) actually seemed to know what they were doing and be capable of pulling some decent splits. Especially the bigger of the two, who had thighs like tree trunks (MUCH bigger than mine) and seemed to be pulling 2:06s without any real effort. Not quite so sure about their endurance though, as I only saw them do a 250, 500, 750m set.

Didn't quite hit all the pace targets I aimed for... missed on the quickest ones, but this was probably because a) I wasn't up for feeling much pain and b) the average pace was actually pretty quick, as I went well inside some of the other pace targets. I reversed the planned target paces for the 3rd and 4th sets (better recovery for the second flat out one), though this made the 3rd pretty hard, and I didn't hit that either.

11:11.0 (1:51.8) (-3.2)
10:36.0 (1:46.0) (+1.0)
11:17.2 (1:52.9) (+0.9)
11:34.8 (1:55.8) (-1.2)
10:44.9 (1:47.5) (+0.5)
11:21.7 (1:53.6) (-3.4)
11:56.3 (1:59.4) (-0.6)

Almost a second quicker on average than the planned pace targets, and a very healthy 1:52.4 split over the seven pieces, including the warm down. Feeling pretty pleased with that.

Metres: 21,000
Alcohol: 0

A mixed bag

2007-10-13T17:41:00.000Z

Started bright and early at 8:15am with a 30' warmup. Aiming for 2:00 split, and managed to hit it spot on for 7500m. Now thoroughly warmed up, unlike last time, went for a CTC attempt at sub 1:36 (1250m+). First two minutes were spot on - 313m then 314m, then about 10-15 seconds into the third minute, just when it was starting to hurt, I decided to quit. Definite mental weakness when it comes to morning rows.

2K loosener (8:03.3), and then thought that since the gym was so quiet, I could try some sprint intervals, which I hardly ever do, and decided on 10 x 500m, 2' rest. I guess this should probably be done at 2K - 1 pace or something like that, so 1:38 or so for me, but having already handled down once today, I thought I wouldn't risk a second one, and so take it easy and do something I knew I should be able to achieve comfortably (I know, doesn't that defeat the point of intervals?), so started out aiming for 1:45:

1:44.1 34 172
1:43.1 34 173
1:43.5 34 172
1:43.8 34 173
1:43.2 34 175 (must try a bit harder)
1:43.2 34 177
1:42.9 34 179 (still too easy)
1:42.7 33 181
1:42.2 34 183 (still quite a lot left)
1:34.0 40 189 (now I'm done in)

Definitely think this shows I wasn't pushing myself enough. 2 minutes isn't enough for my HR to get back to pre-exercise levels (generally it was dropping to 130 instead of 110), but still managed to negative split most of them, and had loads left (aerobically at least) for the last one (was pretty much half-sliding it by the end though, as my calves were starting to lock up).

Finished with a 5K cooldown (4K @ 1:57ish then 1K @ 2:06ish) to take me over the 20K.

Metres: 20,218
Alcohol: 0 (but the rugby's on soon!)

Feeling fat

2007-10-12T19:53:00.000Z

Not sure I actually am getting fatter... just feeling it this week. Definitely been piling on the calories though. Long session planned for tomorrow morning to try and offset it... not sure what exactly yet - just going to turn up and do what I feel like. Need to do a sprint piece as well though, either another CTC, 1K PB attempt or 2K test.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 5

Rowing talk

2007-10-11T22:07:00.000Z

That's how most of the evening was spent, as Thomas, Shrek and I got together for a drink or two and a meal. A pleasant time, and the meal at Ware Tandoori was pretty good too. I ate too much, but that's just par for the course.

Metres: 0
Alcohol: 5