Free Spirits Rowing

Very strong HM Dave and a well deserved SB! Like Fred said, the crazy bear challenge is paying off!

What distance are you aiming at for the 60 minutes?

I haven't really committed to Crazy Bear as I lost the first two weeks doing a handful of interval sessions for WIRC. I've only done 8 now in total so hardly "pushing it"

For 60 mins...hmmm...assuming I can switch my brain distraction techniques from counting down metres to counting down minutes and it's another one of those days when everything goes well - maybe 14750...kinda-ish

Well, I had a go at the 60 mins and managed 14737m - a 125m improvement over my previous season's best and actually a 3 year season's best. Neg splits as well. The last 20 mins were tough and seemed to last an eternity (the difference between watching metres count down and minutes seems vast!).

Bagged me a few more Nonathlon points too.

Nice one Dave! It seems your prediction of 14750m was spot on!

14750m sounded like a very ambitious goal - but you really were storming, Dave Though you have a lot of SBs made recently, I would guess there are even more to come soon

You were right Erik - but slightly by default. As I was using up my last day of free choice holiday and had precisely nothing to do - I decided to do my annual marathon on a whim (as usual).

It was mostly OK until my idea of putting double socks on bit back and I ended up with my shoes being way too tight after 30km and no amount of shuffling was curing it - so took them off - which removed one problem but created no end of others owing to my wonky leg drive. All the stopping to take them off/ put them back on, remove socks etc cost me a good couple of minutes - but I ended up with a 2 year SB of 3:05:28.3 - 5 and half minutes faster than last years best (well, only FM to be fair)

Considering all the agony a great row again, Dave.

Very nice FM Dave, considering the circumstances you‘revery close to the three hour barrier. Are you going to row again this season?

Am I right that a certain Mr. Bee might have been at least part of your motivation to row this FM?

Grobi wrote: ↑Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:28 pmAm I right that a certain Mr. Bee might have been at least part of your motivation to row this FM?

I think plummy should sit around eating cake for a month

Very well done Dave

After weighing myself immediately after the FM, sitting around eating cake might be necessary as I weighed in at 67.9kg!!!

I ate and drank plenty after and still only managed 69.2kg almost fully clothed.

If I can manage it I might paddle 10.5km tonight as it would be nice to see a 100km week for the first time in ages. I had a terrible night's sleep so may be too tired to be honest.

plummy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:42 amIf I can manage it I might paddle 10.5km tonight as it would be nice to see a 100km week for the first time in ages. I had a terrible night's sleep so may be too tired to be honest.

Good luck if you do.

Meant to post my improved HM time of 1:28:22.0:
...which is a little over a minute improvement. Given the uneven pacing, I'm thinking I can nibble a bit more off (after Christmas..... ).

Well done Plummy and Ian both

The "little people" are putting up some storming efforts .

Paul G

plummy wrote: ↑Tue Dec 19, 2017 3:31 pm It was mostly OK until my idea of putting double socks on bit back and I ended up with my shoes being way too tight after 30km and no amount of shuffling was curing it - so took them off - which removed one problem but created no end of others owing to my wonky leg drive. All the stopping to take them off/ put them back on, remove socks etc cost me a good couple of minutes - but I ended up with a 2 year SB of 3:05:28.3 - 5 and half minutes faster than last years best (well, only FM to be fair)

Yes, well done, Plummy! Also read about your endeavours (and problems) on Facebook - if anyone is capable of going through a crisis like that it´s you

A 30 min SB today - once again had a power failure over the last third - Still doing strapless at DF 300 for the 30 mins and above so fairly happy with the result.

Tale of the tape :

Distance : 7756m
DF : 300
SPM : 26.6

Paul G

Great SB Paul, well done! Now put those straps on and go for +8k!

Went for a season's best at 30 minutes today, since it's one of the remainig yellows in the meta-nonathlon. Thought I'd start with a 1:56 pace and a negative split. Realized that negative split up till the last five minutes. Improved my SB from 7746 to 7852.
Thought Christmas was the reason it felt more difficult as expected until I looked at my attempts of earlier seasons when I was ready. Found out it was the best one since april 2008 and my third distance ever.
No wonder it was a bit hard, and I thought of giving up a couple of times during the last 10 minutes. Glad I didn't

Did 32 HM during the Crazy Bear Challenge in November/December and managed a new PB on one of them with 1:23:37.9.

And today something strange happened. I'm feeling pretty tired and exhausted since I have been rowing almost 500k in December. So, I was about to skip training completely today. But then I decided to do a relaxing 10k. Just before I reached for the handle, something came over me and I was suddenly fixated on rowing a new PB. I started rowing and had no idea what my current PB was. And I gave it all and managed a new PB at 38:15.9 though still not understanding how this is possible giving the way I feel right now. I feel even more tired right now, but also deeply satisfied

Very impressive, Juergen. Both the crazy bear and the new PB. . Now some relaxing till the next year ?

Well done Juergen - that 650 km that you did for CB at a good pace has given you a very solid base to work off - I reckon you will be well under 38 mins for 10k quite soon.

Paul G

Very impressive 10k Juergie. Sometimes the stars align when you least expect it and a cracking performance appears out of nowhere (although I think you deciding to "go for it" plus the base training was more the reason!)

"Last year" on the 25th of Dezember, I rowed a a new HM SB 1:20.07.5 (the old was 1:21:10.3) at RG Germania Frankfurt.
It really was unexpected, I had some good rows already (but not exactly HMs during the Tour the Estonia) and didn't even check the old SB before the row, because I did 1k prep during December.
Anyhow I started on the save side, but the strong guys had a hard time to keep going after the 1st half and with some nice songs on the radio I kept my self entertained, rowed some power 10s, cheered for the struggling guys and had a lot more fun than at home in basement.

Thank you for the nice feedback.

Well done on your SBs, Ralf and Juergie

For me 100m SB today (by default): 15.7

Another SB by default today...: 200m 32.9.

Not up for a full 2k - took the easier way out to join the 200m race. And for the first time again met with the guy who performed CPR one year ago - and made a "promise" to make the same act once again... Only been practicing for a couple of days, so no time and energy to practice race starts... Had an awful start today, but still managed "not to" get the last place: http://ergometertider.dk/?page=results&loeb=13261

Felt happy to be back there - but no specific plans for a greater comeback. Must see in a year or two how things look

Have tried some times to take on the FM this season, but didn´t get very far, but yesterday got around it. Not used to being supra 3 hrs, but "had to" pick an "easy" approach. Having picked on Tako earlier on, didn´t want to get to long over the 3 hours - managed 3hr 05:33.5 and got me some well-deserved 100 Nonathlon points...