L4s, etc...the Wolverine(sque) Plan

[colin bradley]

I was going to do that session over the W/E but feel free to set me a target as I'm working on 4 seconds slower /500 split than you, we are talking about the 4x1 neg split session followed by the 4x3mins arnt we.

[billwright]

Just ticking over out here on the rig with about 12k per day. Trying for a 30min session each day with WU (not that you need it) and CD (which you do need):

Date Time Distance SPM Split
23/07/2010 30:00.0 7544 24 01:59.7
22/07/2010 30:00.0 7348 24 02:02.5
20/07/2010 30:00.0 7209 23 02:04.8
18/07/2010 30:00.0 7345 24 02:02.9
17/07/2010 30:00.0 7322 24 02:02.9
16/07/2010 30:00.0 7268 25 02:03.5
14/07/2010 30:00.0 7129 17 02:06.2

Today was the first day I felt like giving it a bit of yaldy - hence the sub 2 min av split.

Have fun

[strider77]

Well done Bill-keep it up

Colin-here are the details of last night's 4 x 1k r2 followed by 4 x 3min r2 splits-you are NOT going to like this-the techicolour yawn is on the menu

4x1kr2

#1-1k at target 2:00/500-achieved-3:57.3-1:58.r-r23
#2-1k at target 1:55/500-achieved-3:49.3-1:54.6-r23
#3-1k at target 1:50/500-achieved-3:38.9-1:49.4-r25
#4-1k at target 1:45/500-achieved-3:29.1-1:44.5-r31

r2

4 x 3mr2

#1-3mins-target 820m-achieved-821-1:49.6-r28
#2-3mins-target 830m-achieved-838-1:47.3-r29-going to pay for this !!!
#3-3mins-target 840m-achieved-847-1:46.2-r34-do I EVER learn-almost met Hewie
#4-3mins-target-850m-achieved-855-1:45.2-r34-emptied the tanks-met Hewie and his sister

r2

2500-target-9:10-nothing left legs had gone-so an agonising 9:42.4-1:56.4-r27

Over to you Colin matey-enjoy

[colin bradley]

Oh dear what was I saying about easy maybe not after reading this, I was down for a 2k TT this W/E on RP but now think that is going to get put off till later as this intv session is going to take some serious effort and recovery

So well done Alan on getting through it cant wait to see Garys Stats on this one, I think we can let him out of his cell for the day hope the Hols went well Gary.

[strider77]

Waiting Colin.........

Gary smahed this one and finished with a sub 9 mins for the 2500 so I had to do a 2500 TT on Saturday as my effort was so lame

2500-8:55.2-1:47.0-r29

Splits :- 1:47.4/1:47.2/1:46.8/1:46.3/1:47.6

Quite pleased with this more to come

Tonight is Bleep Test 2-30 secs on 10 secs off, starting at 2:30 pace and getting as far as you can -5 mins rest then same again

Last time managed 1:40 as best 30 secs on both attempts so looking to improve on that

[colin bradley]

The limit was reached on this session today but at least I got though it with a little bit of extra rest on the last interval (one minute) and an extra min before the 2.5k the erg room was so warm today (midday)so loads of sweat the order of the sessions were 4x1000 then the 4x 3mins and last the 2.5k

GD ints 2673.JPG (12.61 KiB) Viewed 156 times

GDints 2672.JPG (33.87 KiB) Viewed 156 times

GD ints267.JPG (35.66 KiB) Viewed 156 times

[colin bradley]

One more graph of my HR shows the work rate quite well me thinks

hr267.JPG (93.52 KiB) Viewed 155 times

[nomugie]

I would tell you guys that you are crazy, but I think Gary is the crazy one! Impressive all around boys...


Today for me...

4K L1 warm up. I wanted to see what would happen since I haven't done one in FOREVER. Turns out it is as horrible as I remember...

Then 8K in 7 seat in the "bad" boat....

[strider77]

Well done Colin-quite a testing session isn't it

Emily-of course we are all mad for doing this wonderful erging lark

If our summers were all like this I MIGHT do some OTW but generally they are not and I got wet enough during several years as a runner so dryness is important to me these days

Bleep test 2- 30secs on 10 secs off starting at 2:30/500 pace and ended at 1:36.1/500 pace with 156m in the final 30 secs, then rest 5 mins and repeat got the same result so happy with that-improvement to level 20 from level 18 in 4 months

Now if I can repeat that 2 level improvement between now and November-BIRC- I will be happy

[spidermac]

Handled down 1100m into a 2k - 1.42 average but think I still have my 1k PB in the legs. (grrrrrrrrrr!)
So decided to do a Lvl4 to rescue the session.
4k wup
1.1k @ 1.42

then Lvl 4 ref pace 1.42
40:00. / 9903 / 18 / 162HR / 02:01.1 split/ 976 Cal/ 197Watts
180 seq 10:00.0 2465(+23m)18 166 02:01.7 968 194
184 seq 20:00.0 2467(+9m) 18 162 02:01.6 969 195
188 seq 30:00.0 2473(+1m) 19 158 02:01.3 974 196
192 seq 40:00.0 2499(+11m)19 163 02:00.0 996 202
CD - 1k
Comments so +45m over target. As always got a good sweat on & feel better after the HD demons. Think I will have to rest up a bit more before next go at 2k.

[nomugie]

Alan, I am sure that 2 level increase will actually be 3!

Mac, L4s are good for the soul nice work. You'll get that 2K next time around.

Recently for me...

Yesterday, 7K in a 2-. It was a starboard rigged, so I was stroke. I did a pretty good job again (couldn't the rating down quite enough, but pretty close). Then 3K in a single, got some good feed back from the coach. Then 6K in a single the coach was focused on another sculler whose first time it was. Both single rows, I carried the boat back up to the boathouse. Muscles are TIRED today.

Friday... nothing.

Thursday. 10.5K in 5 seat in a 8+. The coach tried to put me in a good 4+, but 2 other people showed for practice and so we were 6 in a 8. The row actually turned out to be not bad! : )

Weds... 7K in a double with my erg guru! It was incredibly windy, I am not a great sculler and he is not a great sculler, so it wasn't perfect, but overall it was quite lovely.

Tuesday.... 7K in a pair with the same woman as yesterday, except I was in bow and steering. It was VERY frustrating as the coach had us to 3K of pause drills, during which we were very floppy, but gave us no specific pointers as to what we are doing to fix it. And I was having a hard time processing what instruction he was giving us, so after practice we went to the erg room and it took 20 minutes off back and forth to get to I open up too early. I had suspected as much for quite a while, but making the correction has mad a world of difference.

My deck is bird central right now I love it!

[nomugie]

This week for me...

Monday, 6 seat in the "bad" boat. 11K. Port for the just the 4th time this season. I had done pretty well the previous times, but Monday was pretty bad. I kept missing TONs of water, but whatever.

Weds, Coach needed port volunteers so I said I would try it again. It was even worse. I had no body control. The oar got in the water but I don't know how. Then I would try to fix it and something else would go wrong. The coach switched me out after about a 1/3 of practice and was going to switch me back in for the last third, but I decided the better part of valor was to just stay out. I couldn't really feel my right forearm so I couldn't figure out feathering at all. (3K total)

Thursday, I was supposed to be bow of the "good" boat, but there were storms so people didn't show. The coach was going to put people in a pair and I WAS NOT ONE OF THEM, but he did ask if anyone wanted to scull. I volunteered. 6K. I was pretty frustrated, but the asst. coach actually got me to understand ratio. I also felt the benefits of a straight back.

Friday, nothing... End of a bad week, was happy just to get home.

Saturday. 7K sculling. Was in a completely inappropriate boat. Another sculler normally takes the boat I was going to scull in and duped me and the coach into thinking it was a lightweight boat. It was like rowing a freight truck, but I did okay. Then 15K in 5 seat sweeps. I was not great, the lineup was not great, but at least I feel like I had to quit the sport.

Today for me... 5K sculling. It was crappy. I was in the boat I had been duped out of yesterday, and it turns out it is an icky boat! The wind was also really strong over 30kph. I dug my port oar really badly, but I did have a couple of good strokes.

It has been an incredibly bad week. 1) I had made a decision to try to go out (is everyone sitting down?) for the competitive rowing team at the boathouse. I was ready to commit to it. To get up at 4 a.m. and to work harder than I like to work, but I am going on vacation the first week of tryouts so it won't work. I was/am beyond disappointed. That was Monday morning and the week just went down hill... I'll just share the highlights. 2) Weds my boss yelled at me, literally, while accusing me of lying by omission and threatening that if layoffs were to happen I might be one of the first to go. I didn't sleep much. On Friday I made him sit down with me to talk. I showed him PROOF that I hadn't been deceptive. He apologized, but it made me realize how much I hate my job. (I am watching a hugely bad movie called "I Really Hate My Job"). 3) My body had been hurting since May because of the rowing on starboard--my whole left side was tight so I went to the massage lady, and she saved me. Both sides of my body feel normal now; it was amazing. She found muscles (in my armpits actually) that I did not know hurt. But it turns out I have golfer's elbow in my right arm. It does explain why I couldn't feel my forearm on Weds rowing port. 4) I was supposed to take my captain's test today, or at least I thought I was supposed to. The coach (another one) said that I had to schedule a private lesson to take it (not to mention the wind and the crappy lesson--probably a good thing). I had been looking forward to taking a single out alone, because the 2K loop I do while sculling is slightly boring. Okay so the morale of the story is "woe is me". Hopefully I will snap out of this phase soon....

[Iain]

Really sorry to hear about your trials. you know that all at FS are right behind you willing you on in all of your pursuits. Sweep oar is a very strange thing to do to your body. My physio could tell which side I used to row 20 years ago from my lob-sided musculature! You seem to have been doing a lot of distance recently, so if you are starting to get injuries, easing off for a week or 2 would seem the sensible approach to me. I find that stress at work has a huge impact on my erging, so don't try and push it.

Your boss sounds like he is either a poor manager or had a particularly bad day. I don't think there is ever an excuse to talk to anyone like that. Glad you managed to get your side across. If you still feel that you dislike your job, try to stay positive. In a similar position a few years ago, I actually found it helped to know that my job would be no great loss. This started me looking for another job and was the key to a great 3 years with a very different operation.

As for the trials, really sorry they didn't work out. If an exception is out of the question, just try and put it behind you. Upping training, decreasing sleep and potentially extra stress at work is not a good combination and if this had lead to a disappointing first competitive season it would have done more harm than good. Taking your posts over a reasonable period, you are making progress. This is never linear. Next year you should be better placed to really make a difference to the competitive crew.

Best wishes

Iain

[strider77]

Emily

Sounds like you have had a really bad week-Please know that we are here for you

Things will get better, it is at times like this that you need to be kind to yourself.

It sounds like you need to keep an eye out for a more rewarding job, they do not deserve you that's for sure

Reagarding the rowing, you have been doing an amazing amount OTW and I can only stand back and admire

I hope things brighten up for you soon-THIS TOO SHALL PASS

[daffyducky]

Hi Emily!

Just to echo Iain and Alan - they speak and write wise words! This was just one week in your life - there are more good ones to come. Go get 'em, girl. You're doing just fine!

Daffy

[Doc RowSlo]

Hi Emily,
It just goes to show what an incredibly technical sport rowing can be. Clearly then, there are going to be times when things just don't go right for no particularly obvious reason.
In my experience these things have a habit of working themselves out. Good luck.

[Scoop]

Wow Emily. I only look on this thread very rarely which is wrong because there is so much good work going on here.

Sorry to hear about your various frustrations and upsets. But reading your post has amazed me. Who shows the level of dedication that you're showing - I certainly don't.

They say that bad things happen in threes and you've had at least three so you're in the clear now. Start looking forward to blue skies and calm waters and get on with doing what you love OTW - it's always going to be a challenge.

I remember when you had some kind words for me when everything seemed to be going wrong. Things are going better for me now although I never would have believed it could happen at the time. And don't forget that if there was never a bad week then you wouldn't enjoy the good weeks as much

[Liefcat]

Hi Emily,

Very wise words from Iain, Alan, Jane, Doc & Laurence

I just want to say that I admire your determination to get through so many of the "bad" OTW sessions I can´t manage that level of determination

Obviously we know you better than your boss We know you won´t lie to get any kind of advantages

What decisions you may take after these experience you are the best to judge

Have a great week, Emily

[nomugie]

Thanks guys. It will get better, and soon I will be back to my smart-ass, wise cracking self, and people would wish I was still non-verbal and sullen. I do apologize for the verbal vomit. I think I have made one small decision that will allow for needed major changes.

Anyway, yesterday for me...

OTE 2K wu

Then 10.5K in 3 seat in the good boat! Unfortunately we weren't that good down to starboard almost the entire time. But from what I heard the bad boat was REALLY bad.

[spidermac]

Can only echo comments above Emily - & am also in awe of your OTW training - REAL ROWING!!
For me 30min R20 in a very hot gym. Only decided once I sat on the machine
1k WUP
6min - 1.55.9
12min - 1.55.6
18min - 1.55.5
24min - 1.55.3
30min - 1.54.7
1k CD
30min R20/1.55.4/7795m PB just!!
Comments Previous PB was 7785m/1.55.6 - I have never worked so hard for a measly 10m improvement!!! Think I could do better in a cooler gym. A great wout as always

[Grobi]

Emily, you have done a lot of OTW rowing lately, partly under bad weather conditions. Don't be frustrated if it's not running as smoothly as expected. Rowing with wind and waves is quite demanding. We went out in our coxless fours yesterday, all of us experienced rowers with 25 years of rowing experience at least. It was crap! The strong current made the water very turbulent. But what? Next time it will be better! So don't be too hard on yourself. And if you have problems with the asymmetric load when sweeping, why not quit the sweeping completely and go for the sculling? It's more demanding technically (and therefore more satisfying if it works) but a symmetric load for the body.

Stress at work surely is the last thing you want to have and has a big impact on your mental comfort. But so much bad has happened to you lately, speaking statistically you should be troublefree until christmas at least

Spider, well done on your PB under so heavy conditions!

[strider77]

Bumping this one up as it seems to have gone to sleep

L1-last night and at last some of my MOJO is coming back

A lot less humid so I am guessing that helped a lot.

4 x 1k session -aiming to beat Peter's session so did it with 5 mins rest for direct comparison

w/u MC 4k warm up for L1 in 16:38.8

#1-3:29.4-1:44.7-r31-conservative start df a little too high reduced it from 140 to..we'll find out at the end !
#2-3:27.4-1:43.7-r32-that's a bit better
#3-3:28.0-1:44.0-r32-only one to go it's going to be OK
#4-3:26.3-1:43.1-r33-quite a good finish really trying to keep the rate down, would normally be r36 on the last one !

So total 13:51.1-average of 1:43.8-r 32-quite pleased and the df was 132 for the last 3 as it turned out

I'll pop across to the Pete Plan and see how I got on against Peter's time now