Free Spirits Rowing

Like Dave said, welcome back Iain! Keep up the good work!

Decided for a completely different type of training and went hiking in the bavarian alps last weekend. The tour started at Walchensee about 80km south of Munich. Starting height was 802m above sea level, the summit at 1703m, meaning an elevation of 901m

On top of that we didn't take the cable car for the way down but walked instead. As it was getting late we went as quickly as possible on our way down and I have been paying the price for this for the past two days. My legs are so sore, walking down stairs has become a real challenge

But as a reward you get a great view of Walchensee from the top, there's even some snow left up there:

Good to see you around again Ian.

Peter you always seem to see some of the wonderful places in the world.

As for myself. I have done a few low rate speed sessions lately with some heavy weights, just building the power back first before increasing the distance.

8x300m with 1min rest.

8:26.7...2400m...1:45.5...r21

300m...1:47.5...r21
300m...1:45.8...r22
300m...1:45.5...r22
300m...1:46.1...r21
300m...1:45.1...r21
300m...1:44.8...r21
300m...1:44.6...r22
300m...1:44.8...r21

Got another session in today after some heavy weights.
350m X 8. With 70sec rest.

9:59.1...2800m...1.46.9...r21

350m...1:47.4...r21
350m...1:47.4...r20
350m...1:46.7...r21
350m...1:46.4...r21
350m...1:48.8...r21
350m...1:47.4...r21
350m...1:47.0...r21
350m...1:46.7...r21

Just finished in the gym again. Weights then rowing. Decided to up the rate a bit and see if there was any power there while controlling my technique.
Pretty happy with the result.

8x250m with 1min rest then 4x30sec on 30sec off.

6:45.5...2000m...1:41.3...r24

250m...1:43.0...r24
250m...1:42.2...r23
250m...1:41.2...r25
250m...1:41.8...r24
250m...1:41.0...r25
250m...1:41.0...r24
250m...1:40.6...r24
250m...1:40.2...r24

30sec...1:33.4...r28
30sec...1:33.6...r28
30sec...1:32.5...r28
30sec...1:30.6...r29

Many thanks forn the welcome back Dave, Peter & Jason. Embarassed to follow your imprerssive sessions Jason, I would struggle to pull any strokes at the pace you managed at R29!

My effort today was 5 x 750 r 3:30. Last short session 2:11 for 8 x 500 r 2', so started at 2:12. 2:08.6 average R24, final @ 2:01 pace R29. Long way to go, but happy with the progress.

Iain

Hi Jason and Iain! Nice to see your posts. Peter wow what a beautiful hike. Jason looks like Baxi enjoys the new place also.

Today was errands day. Got a lot done including servicing the car, but rowed the CTC early and then again late. The first attempt was simply to test pacing vs. my woeful lack of erg fitness. Was happier with the second go being 15 sec faster overall. Will do it again, good challenge this month.

hewitt wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 9:31 pm Peter you always seem to see some of the wonderful places in the world.

Thanks Jason and welcome back with some impressive training! Sometimes I manage to combine a nice location with a nice workout. Having said that I can report that I went to Constanze at lake Constanze together with some rowing buddies from my rowing club for a long otw rowing weekend last Thursday. We have friends at the local rowing club (RV Neptun) so we were allowed to borrow a boat which is very handy as you needn't pull a trailer at 50 mph for 190miles. When we arrived the weather was cold and windy which meant we went out on the river Rhine (which has its source at Constanze) for only 15k before it got too bad. Friday was still windy but at least sunny. The waves were a challenge when we rowed around that little cape at Constanze to make our way to the north western part of the lake. At some point we had to go on shore and turn the boat upside down to get rid of the water. After that it got better so we managed 38km that day. On the final day (Saturday) again we rowed down the river Rhine, but now farther, covering a distance of 25km which adds up for 78km in three days. So quite a good workout after all surrounded by a great scenery. Not sure I should have posted this on the holiday thread

Looks like a great adventure with good company and superb scenery. Take one oar (each) away and I might have enjoyed joining you

Hi Peter,

what a wonderfull "Wanderfahrt"- i know that Bridge on the last Photo- jumped from it several times into the Rhine , also on a Wanderfahrt 22 years ago.

Looks like a great weekend Peter!
Explains why you are so far down the meter-board

Looks wonderful Peter, far too long since I did any sculling!

4x2kr4' for me today. Targetted at 2:19 pace. Found I could go a bit quicker. Average 2:15.8R20.2. Final interval 2:11.8R23. Still struggling to get rating up, but improvement continues. Pretty happy until I realised that I am only marginally quicker average than in my 24 hr tandem with Dave!

Keep up the good work everyone.

- Iain

I know what you mean about getting the rate up Ian. I am struggling as well.

My session this morning was in a very busy gym. 8x500m with 1min 30sec rest.

14:57.5...4000m...1:52.1...r20

500m...1:53.6...r21
500m...1:52.5...r21
500m...1:52.6...r20
500m...1:51.7...r20
500m...1:52.3...r19
500m...1:52.1...r20
500m...1:51.5...r20
500m...1:51.3...r19

Then a 10min static bike ride.

Another early start for me today. 40min of cardio with rowing, bike and cross trainer.

8x400m with 1min 20sec rest.

11:37.9...3200m...1:49.0...r20

400m...1:48.8...r22
400m...1:49.1...r21
400m...1:49.0...r21
400m...1:49.2...r20
400m...1:49.1...r20
400m...1:49.1...r21
400m...1:48.6...r21
400m...1:49.0...r21

No more training till at least Monday night. Going to Newcastle tomorrow morning to watch the Magic weekend and the mighty Wigan Warriors, at St James Park.

2 more good sessions there Jason.

Today:
1k 4:19.1 R 23 r 4'
500 2:07.4 R25 r 2'
1k 4:14.1 R25 r 4'
500 2:04.4 R27 r 2'
1k 4:05.3 R29.

Total 4k @ 2:06.2 R25.7. Managed to go at faster pace on each rep, so started to slowly. The average is slightly quicker than my 10 x 1' r 1' of 26 April, but equal pace to the 3,2.5, 2k of my last completed 2015 session before my extended absence. So while still a long way from my past times, progressing.

10k LSD R 17.

Bit of good news for me. My new rowing machine should be with me in the next 10 days. .. So plenty of meters from me and more challenges entered plus I might even do a few comps in the future.

Great news Jason!
5x1.5kr4' for me today. 2:14 target, 2:12.2R22.2 Avg. final 2:07.7R25. Might even have as go at CTC!

- Iain

Still here and still plodding but with more power now. Got my own black erg and the power is coming back nicely. Just finished a session in the garden.

10x400m with 90sec rest ar r21.

Average for the session was 14:18.9...4000m...1:47.3...r21

Starting to enjoy the pain again as well. A feeling I have not looked forward to for about 3 years now.

Good to hear, Jason.

Glad you're enjoying it, as weird as that may sound in reference to pain.

Good to hear you are enjoying it again Jason.

Waterfall for me, 2:12.1 R22.1 average final 2k at 2:10.4 R24. Must try not to leave it a week next time as that was harder than it should have been.

- Iain

I thought with no hard distances to my name for 3 years I ought to do one pre CTC, so hour. 13,060M R19.2. More comfortable than expected, only started to have to push in second half and managed to accelerate 6.5S/500M for final 500M. Still very slow, but definitely starting to improve now.

Nothing to do with rowing, but just keep people posted.

Rugby Sevens season is upon us, and we poor referees have to try to keep up with the 'fast guys' from every club in the land.

So, High Intensity Sprint Intervals has been the order of the day for the last two weeks. It never ceases to amaze me how a small number of flat-out, short sprints with limited rest can do so much damage so quickly. I want to get back on the erg, but then it is roasting here at the moment so the garage is like a pressure cooker, which would be pretty unpleasant. If the garage wasn't so full of rubbish I would wheel the erg outside and row on the drive.

4x1kr4' for me. Aiming to stay below 2:06, 2:03.9 R26.7, final 2:00.8 R29

Currently in Alvor and my back has been acting up, so I haven't rowed since I got here. But it was a bit better today, so I did just over 7k 'just row' at just over 2:03 pace. Hopefully, my back will not react badly tomorrow!

I'm flying home tomorrow and at a wedding in Wexford on Saturday, so it will be Sunday at the earliest before I get another chance to sit on the erg. At this stage, I think 3 to 4 days a week is probably my limit, but I hope that at least I will be able to do that and maybe a bit more if my back improves.

Paul, I hope that you suffer no adverse reaction to your row. At 2:03 I couldn't go half as far yet, but getting faster.

4kr4'; 3kr3'; 2kr2'; 1k for me to day 1S/500M+ faster in each interval. 43:52.6 for the 10k R22 average. Struggled to increase the rating, but faster than the Waterfall from a week ago so definitely improving and positive preparation for the 10k CTC. Any idea roughly how much faster you would expect this to be to a straight 10k?