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Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:11 pm
by Paul Victory
Is anyone taking part in the Crazy Bear Challenge posted by Stuart Thorpe on FaceBook?

The challenge is to do 30 HMs in 45 days between 10th November and 24th December. I think plummy did it last year and completed all 30. But everyone knows he just loves that kind of challenge. :lol: I don't expect to get anywhere near 30, but I'll try to get as many as possible done and I did my first one today in 1:26:11.1 @ 2:02.5 pace, 26 SPM, AHR 155, MHR 166.

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:33 pm
by plummy
My name is on the list and although I did all 30 last year (it was great training prep for the million), I doubt immensely that I will get anywhere near 30 this year.
I've pretty much given up on the idea of being quick ever again and think I ought to stick with what I'm half decent at, so a few HM's may be good to get me in the groove again for next year...
First one tomorrow if all goes well.

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 7:42 am
by CamiCrew
I signed up Paul and promptly left town! #-o But the timing can't be helped, and my goal would not be 30 anyway -- I have other training and a race to knock out in that timeframe. However it's a great opportunity to see what I can do at a distance I've only attempted a few times total. Excited for the extra motivation to row at holiday time!

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:54 pm
by strider77
Well done Paul-considering your recent problems that is amazing.

I can not do all days now but may start tomorrow with one :oops:

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:27 pm
by plummy
1st one done last night. Not done a HM for 5 months and only 3 since Feb. Set out at 2:04 (more in hope than anything else) and by 40~50 minutes it became a struggle. Actually had to back off twice and grab a drink and grinding out the last 6k seemed an eternity. Boy, I'm outta condition.....
1:29:23.1 - hardly speedy!

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:32 pm
by strider77
Well done on doing it Dave =D>

I only managed an hour last night :oops:

May try again at the weekend 8)

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:43 pm
by Paul Victory
Did my second HM today. I decided to do this as a capped HR piece, with a HR cap of 140. As time went on, I found I had to go slower and slower to keep my HR under 140 and it actually became quite boring, but I persevered.

Early on, I was averaging 2:06 pace,but this gradually crept out and I was having to slow to 2:15 pace or thereabouts over he last few kilometers in order to keep within the cap. I eventually finished in 1:31.06.7 @ 2:09.5 pace - almost five minutes slower than Monday's HM.

I can't see myself doing another 28 of these over the next 41 days. :roll:

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:20 pm
by plummy
I completed #2 today also and despite not setting out with a heartrate cap because I was struggling all evening on Tuesday after y first I decided to start a bit slower this time (2:07 rather than 2:04) but I ended up slower again with the last 40 minutes being slower and slower.
I didn't have the sore finger/potential blister issue repeat so that was the one tiny positive (plus finishing it I guess). Like you, I'm pretty certain I will not do 30 and may only manage about 10 - I'll take each one at a time.

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 5:50 pm
by CamiCrew
Did #3 this morning in the 3 days since I've been back. I'll take them one at a time, see how it goes. Three is also the number of HMs I had done prior to this challenge, total, ever in my lifetime... :shock: :lol: so 3 in 3 days is a fun personal stat to ponder.

Gives me a lot of appreciation for people like Joi Bear and those logging over an hour of rowing every day for years. Takes discipline and willpower for sure.

Cheers

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 7:01 pm
by plummy
That's pretty epic Barbara. 3 in three days against 3 previous lifetime is very, very impressive. =D>

I managed #4 yesterday but have decided on a max of 4 per week (one per training session). Mainly as I am time limited and utterly useless at training early morning

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 11:25 pm
by Paul Victory
Well done Barbara and plummy. I did number 3 today in 1:25:14.4 @ 2:01.2 pace and then went to play bridge for the first time in about ten years. Totally brain dead for the last half hour or so. Probably not a good idea to do a HM about an hour before heading off to play. :roll:

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 10:48 pm
by cherwinski
Hello, Im brand new to this board and rowing in general. How do I join this challenge?

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:47 am
by Paul Victory
Hi and welcome to Free Spirits. It's a FaceBook challenge set up by Stuart Thorpe. The target is to row 30 half marathons in 44 days between 14 Nvember and 24 December. Failing that, the objective is to row as many as you can.

If you are a member of the Rowers group or the Concept 2 Logbook group on FaceBook, you should be able to see the challenge and enter it.

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:56 am
by plummy
A quick correction to Paul's post above. The time period is from the 9th November to 24th December (I know it's the 19th now so the prior dates are a bit irrelevant now)

The link to join the event is as follows:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... hV3c#gid=0

The above link is editable by anyone who has it (please don't amend any formatting, just your name and the HM quantity entries)

Just add your name to the bottom of the participants list. If you row 21097m as a single sitting just put a "1" in the relevant date box against your name. If you do a full marathon you can add a "2" (as it is 2 x half marathons)

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 9:03 am
by Paul Victory
plummy wrote:A quick correction to Paul's post above. The time period is from the 9th November to 24th December
Thanks plummy. Maths was never my strong suit!

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 4:34 pm
by CamiCrew
Paul Victory wrote:Thanks plummy. Maths was never my strong suit!
Not expecting to hear that from my favorite Mathemagician. :wink:

#s 4, 5 and 6 done. Rowed parts of each and most of #6 with my feet out, thanks to a blister on my heel. I suppose that's not much in the grand scheme of things I could have to complain about.

And congrats to Joshua, noticed you jumped on board and have done quite a few yourself!

Cheers.

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 2:25 pm
by Paul Victory
Number 4 for me today. Managed to knock 0.7 seconds off Monday's time, thanks to a mad final sprint. :roll: :lol:

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 5:44 pm
by strider77
Just my second so far done yesterday HR capped at 140

1:27:22.2-2:04.2-26

Still managed to sweat out a good pint or two :oops: :lol:

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 7:13 pm
by plummy
Nice one Alan =D> .
I'm up to 8 (in 15 days) but my tank never seems to quite get filled back up before the next one comes along so they are getting tougher and tougher.

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:31 pm
by Paul Victory
strider77 wrote:Just my second so far done yesterday HR capped at 140

1:27:22.2-2:04.2-26

Still managed to sweat out a good pint or two :oops: :lol:
Nice one Alan! =D> =D> =D> When I tried capping my HR at 140, I kept slowing right down and ended up taking over 1 hour 31 minutes to do it. :oops: #-o

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:22 pm
by CamiCrew
HMs #7, 8 & 9 done. Enjoying movies along the way, and to be honest, paying very little attention to the PM or the numbers rolling by on it. Feet still on top of my shoes so the blister on my heel can get better. #9 didn't hurt as much in the final 5k and the aftermath. Can officially say I'm not afraid of HMs anymore. :D It's just a matter of squeezing them into the fringes of the day (really early or late) and pacing them around practice on the water, which I'm still doing as well for a race coming up.

Way to go Alan, Paul, Plummy!

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:36 pm
by strider77
Barbara you are showing us the way to go ^O^ ^O^ ^O^

Thanks Dave and Paul, will try doing 3 this week, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday might not be quick though :oops:

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 4:48 pm
by plummy
Superb effort Barbara ^O^ =D>

I'm due to start #9 in about an hour and can't say I'm looking forward to it one bit....

Still, if it was easy, it wouldn't be a challenge (he keeps telling himself)

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 4:56 pm
by dr3do
CamiCrew wrote:Can officially say I'm not afraid of HMs anymore. :D
This is great!!! =D> =D> =D>

Re: Crazy Bear Challenge

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 4:59 pm
by dr3do
plummy wrote:I'm due to start #9 in about an hour and can't say I'm looking forward to it one bit....
Take a look to the meterboard… I'm straight behind you. So, keep on. :D