Free Spirits Rowing

Hi Folks,

I do not know if anyone has done this before, but after being off my machine for many a year I looked at my Log History and saw that the first row I did was 14 years ago.

I set up my machine to see if I could recreate that day in history.

14 years ago I rowed 6009m in 34:32.6 at a pace of 2:52.4

Today I rowed 6009m in 34:31.6 at a pace of 2.52.3 (1:00 s off

It was a slow row but was very meditative and focussed. Perhaps something others would like to try.

If you feel like trying it, look at your history and on your anniversary post your original row and recreate it!

Happy Valentine´s day all!

Woj

And I just broke 2,500,000m

Great idea Woj. Although you are now committed every valentines day! At least you will have an entry to the Carole Mc ctc every year

Misinterpreted the title. Took me back to to the inevitable wedding anniversary arguments of married life. Thought you might be looking for some kind of adjudication. My mistake. Carry on...

That made me giggle! Just did not read it that way!

Woj

Interesting.

The first recorded log entry I can find is Star Wars day in 2004.

That was 5,000 in 21:44.2.

I can safely say that I would not be able to match that today. If I broke 22:30 I'd be overjoyed.

I then got to wondering why that distance/time is the first entry on my log. It seems to suggest to me that it was not my first time on a C2.

Perhaps the log has a cut off as to how far back you can go?

I remember recording my earlier rows (2000-2003) on a training log from the concept 2 magazine - amongst those rows I did 4 or 5 FM's with a best of 2:53.
The first time I jumped on to an erg and recorded the time was in 1998 when I went up to the gym to watch the rugby after a power failure at home - I remember doing 10k in about 46 mins( I think that was on a Model B) - that is pretty much what I am doing most days at present - 10k in 44-46min.

Paul G

My first row on my own C2 is recorded on April 16 2006. 979 meters in 5:00 min. Not very hard to copy.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn FP3 met Tapatalk

The first row in my log is 6:18.9 for 1667m in 2007. I didn't understand the concept of steady rowing and considered anything slower than 2:00 pace as demeaning. I had been going to the gym for several months before this. The PT had said I should leave the rower alone until I was fitter. 6 months later to make a point I won a gym challenge by doing 3900m in 15 min, the best for anyone over 40 (due to a combination of apathy and atrocious pacing and technique). Looking at this now, I think it is comparable to my Carole Mac Challenge performance, so about my current level. Shame it took 18 months of specific rowing training to get back to where I managed on a more general regime in a couple of months. In addition I think the early times should have been more flattering as my approach was to row until I could nolonger keep the pace below 2:00 so the first 1500m would have been a more challenging target!

I rowed at College (1987-90) where the erg (a model C with PM2) was seen as machines for trying out for the different boats (except for the best oarsmen who did 20-30 min logged rows each week, but I never got close to that status). I don't have records from then, but my first few were 2ks, but I had been rowing OTW for over a term before I found the erg and so had built up some strength, fitness and technique.

I remember that my initial challenge was to try and stay below 1:50 throughout and it took a few before I managed that. Initially I started around 1:45 and flew and died to mid 1:50s, so I suspect I was a little under 7:20. I used to row at 28SPM, my actual PB was 7:07, unfortunately I knew nothing of the memory and so do not know the tenths. So to match my actual first row I would have to get close to my "PB" at 9.5 SPI! Oh to have my youth back!

I bought my first Concept 2 erg in 2009, having never previously seen one in the flesh, never mind actually sat on one. Before I started cycling in 2006, the previous twenty years had been a largely exercise free zone.

After unpacking the boxes and setting the thing up in the spare room, my first ever piece was a 2k in 7:53.6, on 4 March 2009. No technique whatsoever, zero fitness, life insurance topped up, just went as fast as I could, then fell off in a sweaty heap.

All my fastest times were set in 2009, and my stats show that I have been gradually slowing down in the twelve years since then. I don't really enjoy all out, fast as you can rowing these days. I never really have. Much prefer to hit “Just Row” and mix it up according to how I feel on the day, be it one long piece or a few shorter ones, maybe working to heart rate, or tempo, or whatever pieces fit best with what’s on that day’s playlist...

That having been said, this season’s best 2k, without pushing myself to the limit, is around 8 minutes, so maybe I will try to replicate my first ever row on my 12th anniversary, a fortnight this Thursday. Note to self - top up the life insurance again before then...

I feel I am in exalted company.

Certainly I was never that quick and 16 years on the clock since that first record means that I'm not getting close to any lifetime bests.

However, I need 3m (exactly) to get to 10m before my official retirement day (25th November 2022) so I need 4,636 a day - every day.

Challenge accpted.

Sounds a good target. I am sure you know full well, but personally I always "conveniently forget" that in any significant period there will be events that curtail rowing. Injuries, illnesses, work crises, support required by friends, even use of rowing room conspires to stop the plan, so I always try to build in 15% capacity to be used when required as otherwise it is easy to give up when I fall behind the daily target.

Hope it goes well, we will be watching!