That was a nicely executed 10k E-clair, well done! =D> Nine rows a week is a lot, good luck with your further progress, but just don't overdo it.
Had my fourth go at this month's ctc last night. My time to beat was 40:25.5 and I set myself three goals:
- bronze: get a new SB (40:18.8 )
- silver: beat Dave's time of 40:08.0
- gold: go sub 40 (plus a platinum goal of beating Alan's time (39:29.6), but don't tell him!)
Plan was to start slightly faster than my last effort (2:01.2), hold that for 6k (bronze goal should be in the bag by then), work on the silver goal for the next 2k and maybe (if the pain hadn't arrived) work on the golden goal for the final 2k. That's how it went:
_2k / 2:01.0 / 27 / 165
_4k / 2:00.8 / 27 / 169
_6k / 2:00.6 / 27 / 174
_8k / 1:59.9 / 27 / 179
10k / 1:56.5 / 29 / 188
Total: 39:55.9 / 1:59.7 / 27 (SB by 24.9 seconds)
The first 2k felt comfortable so I decided to speed things up a bit earlier and increased the pace by 0.2 seconds for the second and third split. At that point (after 6k) I was in SB territory, time to start working on the silver goal. To beat Dave's time I needed a 1:59.2 for the fourth split. I still felt ok, but my heart rate was pretty high already, so I played it safe in the fourth split with a 1:59.9. Once the remaining meters go below 2k it always gives me an additional motivation (in a 10k). I ordered myself a pace of "no slower than 1:57" from now on. All went fine until 1100m to go. Silver goal was in the bag at this point but my heart rate was well above 180 now and the pain and its friends (h/d demons) had finally arrived. As a result I had to slow down to 2:05/2:06 for three/four strokes. When I pulled it back to 2:00.4 overall pace (silver goal pace) I suddenly noticed the projected finish time to go below 40:00!
Well, I hadn't seen that in quite a while. I realised I had to pull a 1:55 to keep it below 40:00. OK, game on! Less than 1k to go, another boost motivation wise, stay below 1:55, an occasional 1:53 to dig deeper in sub 40 territory, 400m to go and the overall pace is at 1:59.9, now give it all with 1:50 and below, 200m to go, just counting strokes now. Really knackered afterwards but happy bunny time in Grobitown!