October CTC - Fitness Matters' Sting in the Tail

[Rodger]

New challenge on the CTC coming up, as chosen by Fitness Matters:

'Sting in the tail'
1000m 3m rest
750m 2m30 rest
500m 2m rest
250m 1m30 rest
750m.
End Fastest time. Unrestricted rate. Rolling start allowed other than for the 1000m. Usual rules.

Not sure what is meant by "End fastest time''.

[strider77]

Its 'orrible

Also virtually the same as Feb 2014 - The RowPro Rowers Rugby Ruck

I am guessing that "End" means thats the end of the intervals so no rest after the second 750.

Fastest time should maybe have been total time with no rests ?

[Rob C]

A sprint that you can't sprint because you have to do another then another then another sprint. Nasty.

[Recess]

Ooo, I like the sound of this one!

John

[Paul Victory]

Its 'orrible

Also virtually the same as Feb 2014 - The RowPro Rowers Rugby Ruck

Yes, there's a distinct lack of originality about this challenge. For someone doing the challenge at 2:00 pace, it's identical to the February challenge except for slightly different rest periods (3/2.5/2/1.5 vs 4/3/2/1). The only good thing about it is that you get a slightly longer rest period after the 4th interval.

[Wolfmiester]

Ooo, I like the sound of this one!
John

Sicko/Psyco

[Rodger]

Its 'orrible

Also virtually the same as Feb 2014 - The RowPro Rowers Rugby Ruck

Yes, there's a distinct lack of originality about this challenge. For someone doing the challenge at 2:00 pace, it's identical to the February challenge except for slightly different rest periods (3/2.5/2/1.5 vs 4/3/2/1). The only good thing about it is that you get a slightly longer rest period after the 4th interval.

In their defense, Fitness Matters is a new team. They haven't done the RowPro Rowers challenge in February (although some individual members might have).

[Stan]

[strider77]

Stan contributed:-

What he er...said....

Take your point Rodger-perhaps a little harsh as they are Newbies

Still don't like it though but its part of the rich tapestry of life right

[Stan]

I thought the emoticon said everything that needed to be said about this one

[Liefcat]

As Joe wrote: "In essence, it's a 'Rugby Test' but with less rest before the final 750m."

I don´t think the shorter rest makes it any less ...

[Terra Firma]

Pacing ideas?? 2k split plus 1 or so?

[kirbyt]

I wonder if it might be logical to goof off on the last 250m, like say 2:00 pace vs. 1:40 pace. You'd only lose 10 seconds and have turned the rest from the 500 (2:00)+250(1:00)+(1:30) into a nice long 4 and a half minute rest. Then you'd be fresh for that nasty 750.

[hewitt]

I wonder if it might be logical to goof off on the last 250m, like say 2:00 pace vs. 1:40 pace. You'd only lose 10 seconds and have turned the rest from the 500 (2:00)+250(1:00)+(1:30) into a nice long 4 and a half minute rest. Then you'd be fresh for that nasty 750.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[Recess]

Sounds like slacking off to me!!

It'll be worthwhile trying both I think. I see value in what you're saying from a results point of view, but from a masochistic point of view I don't. If I don't fall off the erg at the end of this month's CTC I'll be terribly disappointed...


John

[Paul Victory]

I decided to have a go at this today. I used to have a tradition of doing the CTC on the first day of each month so that I could bask in the glory of being in FS1 for a day or two (or for a few minutes at any rate).

Anyway, I wasn't sure about pacing, but figured it should be slightly faster than the February CTC, which I did at 1:46.3 pace. (My current level of fitness is probably similar to last February, having been a bit better at one stage ). So my aim was to start off around 1:45 pace and see where I went from there.

I struggled to hold 1:45 for the 1k and decided to ease back a bit. Ditto for the 750m. I felt a bit better for the 500m and 250m, but was afraid to go too fast and risk blowing up for the final 750m. My big concern was that the rest intervals are a lot shorter than the PP pyramid and I didn't know how this was going to affect me.

I found that I was a bit stronger than expected for the final 750m and actually did this slightly faster than my combined time for the 500m and 250m. I'm not sure whether this proves that I got the pacing right or that I went too slow for the earlier intervals. I finished in 11:18.3 @ 1:44.35 and I'm currently enjoying my (temporary) stay in FS1. My splits were as follows:

Split Time Pace Rating
1000 3:32.3 1:46.15 31
750 2:38.7 1:45.80 31
500 1:43.1 1:43.10 31
250 0:50.9 1:41.80 32
750 2:33.3 1:42.20 33

3250 11:18.3 1:44.35 31

[kirbyt]

John said:

Sounds like slacking off to me!!

Yep, goofing off, slacking off, whatever you want to call it, but with a purpose cause the rests on this one are crazy, stupid, wrong, incorrect, and without sense so I say take the sting right out of that tail,thank you very much, Fitness Matters.

Although Paul seems to have taken the opposite approach with pretty good results so who am I to say?

And good to see you in here, Jason.

[Terra Firma]

Good job, Paul. I meant to negative split the pieces as you did, but I underestimated my fatigue curve at a sub-1:40 pace. I think the right target is about 1 split faster than the August challenge and about dead on 2k pace. Here are my splits:

1000 - @1:39.7
750 - @1:39.7
500 - @1:39.5
250 - @1:39.0
750 - @1:41.4

Total time: 10:50.1 @1:40.0.

I felt very good through the first four segments. The final 750 was very difficult. Hence the title of the challenge. I could not hold a 1:40 split through the segment and had no sprint at the end. I will try this one again and borrow two seconds or so in the first 1000 with the idea of having a sprint in my legs for the final 750.

[kirbyt]

Nice job, Chris, that's some fast stuff and painful finish. I might try it tomorrow.

What's going on with sub7, are they having some sort of ctc drive or something? I've never seen such an organised effort...Eleven floated boats on the first day, lwts, females the works--very focussed but a little crazy looking.

[plummy]

This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (then again, my pace is relatively slow) and I couldn't see the point in slacking off for the 250.
1000 - 3:41.6 - 1:50.8
750 - 2:43.1 - 1:48.7
500 - 1:46.8 - 1:46.8
250 - 0:52.2 - 1:44.4
750 - 2:42.0 - 1:48.0
Total time 11:45.5 @ 32SPM

[Rodger]

Very strong efforts from 7 Free Spirits, already!

Plummy, if Chris is right about the pacing (as a 2k), you would be doing a 7:14 2k. Would you agree that's right?

[Paul Victory]

I think it depends on the individual, Roger. For me, if my CTC time equated to my 2k pace, it would give me a predicted time of 6:57.4. I don't think I'm anywhere near sub 7 pace at present, but maybe I'm underestimating myself.

[Rodger]

Paul, from reading your posts these last couple of years, I have a strong sense that underestimating your own rowing performance is your normal outlook.

[plummy]

Plummy, if Chris is right about the pacing (as a 2k), you would be doing a 7:14 2k. Would you agree that's right?

I was trying to figure that out myself (given the pace I did 3250 vs the rests taken). I (with no science but just gut feel) came up with about 7:12~7:15 so I think you are about spot on.
My SB is 7:21 so maybe I need to turn up for a race to try and extract the necessary adrenalin to push for a better one

[kirbyt]

I did this monster this afternoon. Managed an 11:11.7 (1:43.3) which has me in boat 1 till John has a go and then there's Odd too. 2k-1 seems more likely to me...I mean 3250m with 9 minutes rest really can't be as hard as 2k no rest I would think.
I did try my "goof off" 250 strategy...well sorta:
1k@1:43.7-r32/750m@1:43.2-r32/500m@1:42.8-r33/250m@1:45.4-r31 and scorpion's tail @1:42.5-r33. So, I only went 2.2s/500m slower than avg in the 250 and since it's half a 500, lost only 1.1s overall but I didn't feel like I was hanging by a thread during the last 750m which was my fastest segment. Tail removed...