Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

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bellamylv
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Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

Post by bellamylv »

Hello to all!

I'm newbie on this forum, so apologize for my question if it is already answered somewere on history.. ^O^

At first off little intruduction of myself:

I'm 29',1,87m, 83kg from Latvia (Eastern Europe).

Year ago on december of 2015 was my first "date" with indoor rower and it was start for long term friendship :)

This year I have already rowed ~1,18million meters and completed many different distances including few HM & FM.
I was using different training methods (including Fletcher plan) and it gave me good results, 17:56:5 @ 5k, 1:21:41@ HM
2:57:10 @ FM

Now I'm preparing for our biggest indoor rowing competition on 17th of december on Half marathon distance.
My target is to make distance sub 1:20:00.. - all i have to do, drop 2 seconds from pace..

How do you think, which are the best training methods for fast pace improvements before race?? :wink:
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gregsmith01748
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Re: Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

Post by gregsmith01748 »

Hi,

Welcome to the forum. Getting ready for a HM is a long term endeavor, and it sounds like you've been doing some great training. The best thing you can do is to maintain the aerobic fitness you have and make sure that you go into the race as rested and ready as you possibly can be.

You might want to take a look at the last 2 weeks of the marathon training plan from the indoorsportservices.co.uk site.

https://indoorsportservices.co.uk/train ... _110_taper

Anoher thing would be to make sure that you know how much hydration you can stand before you start. You want to be well hydrated, but not feel bloated or need to go to the bathroom. If you have a choice in ergs at the venue, try to scout out the one with the best airflow. Finally, where as little clothing as you legally can. Any energy that goes into keeping you cool will not be going into the erg.
Greg - Age: 53 H: 182cm W: 88Kg (should be 83Kg)
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CamiCrew
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Re: Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

Post by CamiCrew »

Wow - there is a race for half marathons?!

Welcome to the Forum! I really hope you'll post a race recap next month.

I can't think of anywhere in the US that I'd find people racing an HM together, or at least not on my coast.

Agree with Greg. You'll do better if you haven't pushed your body to the point of exhaustion before this particular event. Sounds like most of your prep is done. Good luck in the final weeks!
-barbara

F Hwt 53 yrs 5'10"
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bellamylv
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Re: Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

Post by bellamylv »

gregsmith01748 wrote:Hi,

Welcome to the forum. Getting ready for a HM is a long term endeavor, and it sounds like you've been doing some great training. The best thing you can do is to maintain the aerobic fitness you have and make sure that you go into the race as rested and ready as you possibly can be.

You might want to take a look at the last 2 weeks of the marathon training plan from the indoorsportservices.co.uk site.

https://indoorsportservices.co.uk/train ... _110_taper

Anoher thing would be to make sure that you know how much hydration you can stand before you start. You want to be well hydrated, but not feel bloated or need to go to the bathroom. If you have a choice in ergs at the venue, try to scout out the one with the best airflow. Finally, where as little clothing as you legally can. Any energy that goes into keeping you cool will not be going into the erg.
Thank's for advice Greg, 8)

Hydration is vital - 500ml 30min before workout and 100-150ml on every 15 minutes + "snickers" on half of 20k+ distance :)

I was working for aerobic base training from summer so I think my "aerobic fitness'" is on best possible quality of this moment and there will not be huge achievments on few weeks..

Now I'm training my speed with doing short burst intervals and 5k-10k distances on negative splitting or top speed.
Perhaps You have some advices directly for power training?

Br,

Andis
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bellamylv
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Re: Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

Post by bellamylv »

CamiCrew wrote:Wow - there is a race for half marathons?!

Welcome to the Forum! I really hope you'll post a race recap next month.

I can't think of anywhere in the US that I'd find people racing an HM together, or at least not on my coast.

Agree with Greg. You'll do better if you haven't pushed your body to the point of exhaustion before this particular event. Sounds like most of your prep is done. Good luck in the final weeks!

Yeah, this is fourth year in row for this competition called "New Year Rowing Latvia"

Usualy there are two-three possible distances (2k/5k/)small ones and "main - 21k row".

This year event will be special and big! Not counting best crossfiters and fitness entusiasts from Baltic states, there will participate our best national rowers and even our Lithuanian neighbourgs - silver RIO medalist Saulius Ritter (Men's double sculls) on 21k distance
and RIO bronze medalist Milda Valčiukaitė (women double sculls) on 5k distance.

There will be more than 80 participants, main 21k distance will have 25 men & 5 women 8)
Competition will be tough..
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gregsmith01748
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Re: Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

Post by gregsmith01748 »

bellamylv wrote:
gregsmith01748 wrote:Hi,

Welcome to the forum. Getting ready for a HM is a long term endeavor, and it sounds like you've been doing some great training. The best thing you can do is to maintain the aerobic fitness you have and make sure that you go into the race as rested and ready as you possibly can be.

You might want to take a look at the last 2 weeks of the marathon training plan from the indoorsportservices.co.uk site.

https://indoorsportservices.co.uk/train ... _110_taper

Anoher thing would be to make sure that you know how much hydration you can stand before you start. You want to be well hydrated, but not feel bloated or need to go to the bathroom. If you have a choice in ergs at the venue, try to scout out the one with the best airflow. Finally, where as little clothing as you legally can. Any energy that goes into keeping you cool will not be going into the erg.
Thank's for advice Greg, 8)

Hydration is vital - 500ml 30min before workout and 100-150ml on every 15 minutes + "snickers" on half of 20k+ distance :)

I was working for aerobic base training from summer so I think my "aerobic fitness'" is on best possible quality of this moment and there will not be huge achievments on few weeks..

Now I'm training my speed with doing short burst intervals and 5k-10k distances on negative splitting or top speed.
Perhaps You have some advices directly for power training?

Br,

Andis
I agree the hydration is vital, but I think pre-hydration is what you need. From what I have seen, the impact of dehydration on performance over a 80 minute HM is much smaller than the time impact of taking drink breaks. I do not stop during HMs.

In the marathon training plan that I linked, it recommends doing 2 power sessions per week during the last few weeks before the event. This is the description of the power workouts...

Power

2 x (6 x 1'/2') @ 30spm means row hard for one minute at 30 strokes per minute, then row lightly for two minutes and repeat this six times. Take a break (five to ten minutes of light rowing) and repeat the whole set.
8 x 90 sec/3' @ 34spm means row hard for 90 seconds at 34 strokes per minute, then row lightly for three minutes and repeat this eight times.
4 x 3'/5' @ 30spm means row hard for three minutes at 30 strokes per minute, then row lightly for five minutes and repeat this four times.
Greg - Age: 53 H: 182cm W: 88Kg (should be 83Kg)
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bellamylv
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Re: Suggestions for speeding up pace in 3 weeks

Post by bellamylv »

Thanks, will try those workouts and will post final results ;)
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