Free Spirits Rowing

Like previous years, on the 14th of February there will be a special one-day CTC in memory of Carole McNally.
It's usually a straight 1402 m row. Seeing as it's 10 years since she died now, I can imagine it will be something different this year.

If you'd like to read more on the lady in question and why the CTC dedicates a yearly memorial row to her:
https://indoorsportservices.co.uk/motiv ... le_mcnally

It's worth pointing out that Free Spirits are always highly represented on these special occasions. While our usual participation on the monthly CTCs is between 7-9% of all contributions, on the 14th of February it has been 26%, 26%, 18% and 22% in the last four years.

Well said Rodger

Don't forget! Here's to a bright light that keeps shining, 10 years on.

Thanks for the reminder!!

Tako wrote:Thanks for the reminder!!

Yep - it would have slipped my mind

1402m 4:49.1 1:43.1 30
0300m 1:01.6 1:42.6 28
0600m 1:02.1 1:43.5 30
0900m 1:02.5 1:44.1 31
1200m 1:01.9 1:43.1 31
1402m 0:41.1 1:41.7 34

In memoriam

Just set up a RowPro session for 19:00GMT for it. Hope others can and will join!

1402m Tried to make it an honest effort

Used this as an idea if where I stand 2k wise. Felt pretty good but would definitely have to back off a second to survive.


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Jonathan, Jennifer and I all did the challenge this afternoon. We're now all perched in boat 2 with Strider waiting for a lightweight or female (Jennifer's a twofor) to set us afloat.

There you go, family Victory (the Victories?). Plus Alan.

Figured I should be able to get under 1:51.0 pace and exceeded that with a big sprint finish (I even saw a 1:39 in there!!) and got to 1:49.8

5:08.0 total time

Nice 5k cool down after in 21:30

I often miss this, but glad to get it in today (as my wife's birthday I should never forget )
Did it as a warm up at the local gym, as my erg is now in store following a house move

Apologies, I would have taken part in this special CTC today but when I was queueing at the checkout this morning, the very elderly lady in front of me, put her mobility scooter into reverse, instead of forward and cannoned into me.

I have nothing against the use of mobility scooters, they are an independent means of getting around for many people, which is great. I just wish there was some control over who is allowed to use them.

Well done to all who have been able to enter a time so far. =D>

Did not make my own RowPro session for this due to the kids (bad excuse), but the anger helped. First warm up 1402m and then first (and as it seems) last attempt where I for a while thought I could make a fitting 1:40.2 pace but ended after almost HDing on 1:40.6 which I am pretty happy with

Strong participation by Free Spirits today =D> 5:12.0 for me. Beats my time from last year by 2 seconds.

Excellent turn-out by Free Spirits! Woot! =D> =D> =D>

I managed just under a 2:00 pace ( 5:35.8 ), which was my goal but was far slower than I'd hoped. (I've done very little rowing the past two months and it shows. )

But I also talked my wife (Mrs Mutant, aka Teri) into giving it a shot.

This was her first time ever on a rowing machine! She told me to shut up with the lesson already and just let her row, and if I wanted to make suggestions I could, but I wasn't doing any good talking about it!

She came in at just under 10:21. She actually said it was fun! (She's kinda sad we're not going to Madchester this year.)

-----

I broached the subject by mentioning to Teri that it was Feb 14th. That got me a big smile. But when I started going on about some woman named Carole McNally, the smile turned to suspicion. I quickly interrupted myself and explained that Carole has been dead for 10 years (the suspicion turned to doubt)... We finally got it all straightened out, but it sounds like we might be going out to dinner later.

Cheers,

Well done to Mrs Mutant for getting one more boat off the shore =D> =D>

Too bad with your "accident", Jill, hope you are both all right

Great to see so many full boats (half of them) in this challenge are Free Spirited! =D> About a third of all individual entries were Free Spirits (32%).
And if not for mobility scooters we would have had 5 boats floating.

Welcome to Teri! Doing an indoor rowing challenge surely is an unusual Valentine's gift for a wife to give her husband.

Special kudos to Barbara for getting her time up there even after the administrator of the CTC website had rolled back the challenge to the February one, hours before the 14th was done in the USA. I suggest that next year, our American members are allowed to row this challenge on the 13th.
Having said that, looking at the overall participation this year, I have to wonder if there will be a next year for this particular row. Where are the big teams on occasions like these?

I rowed this really slowly as my cooling down. The training schedule gave me no other choice. But I did participate!

sander wrote:I rowed this really slowly as my cooling down. The training schedule gave me no other choice. But I did participate!

I wondered what happened when I saw your time!

A special thanks to the lovely Jennifer!

Barbara - who did you have to threaten to open the board back up just for you?

Hope you're feeling better today, Jill!

Hi Tako, good idea to make a row pro row...wish i could have participate, but i think it is a very reasonable excuse putting the children to bed...which is happening to me nearly every day so i cant be part of the genfit 1930 row...but perhaps we could open a new row pro session here ...

i did the row after work,,,row pro made 101m splits,not worth showing it (made a screenshot for FB) overall it was a 4:47.2, happy with this one, 10s faster then last year...

last year the 14th Feb. was a Sunday...is this the reason why the number of total entries decreased so much this year ?

Claudius wrote:last year the 14th Feb. was a Sunday...is this the reason why the number of total entries decreased so much this year ?

I think you're right. Last year (Sunday) and in 2015 (Saturday), the numbers were much higher. The two years before that (Friday and Thursday) the numbers were comparable with this year's.

First & foremost - Jill are you OK? Sorry to hear of the ... entanglement

Zoot - WOW - great to see Teri log a time! Give her a big high five!

I did the row at 5:30 pm after an 11 hour workday, and hadn't noted what is apparently a traditional time zone restriction -- for sure a tough window for me on a busy weekday. It was a bummer to find it already shut before 6pm. I created a user login on the other forum -- and asked Dougie if he'd add it, which he kindly did.

Also saw references to doing a one-day tribute row for Bob Spenger. I'm hoping they will include a bit more helpful info on timing with that one too. I won't forget the occasions I was able to see him row in Long Beach at 90, very inspirational.

Great job to all others who fit in a time. It doesn't surprise me in the least that we have strong turnout -- a bunch of really, really good hearted people here.

Thank you Rodger!!!!

P.S. the reply I got:

The Bob Spenger 5142m row will run from 12:00GMT on 1st March to 12:00BST on 1st April (we change from winter time (GMT) to British Summer Time on the last Sunday in March).

Oh dear... well, I have a couple weeks to figure out what that window might be for me! (time zone math is not my forte)