Free Spirits Rowing

Just thought I would start one for us to chat about the ELM. Probably turn into the hate the slug and hate the Paul thread
Aiming to do an hour tonight to contribute to the one for Mr Sims. Will let you know how I get on

Stan

Cheers Stan

i have already got another 3 / 4 lined up nothing too silly just testers that we should all be able to try and complete, but they do mix it up for Paul because he hates the shorties as much as i dislike the long ones. i wont post them until about september though, i was absolutely cream crackered with all of those last month.

mind you chris's 250k is pushing it this month!

Speaking of the Mr Sims, i did an hour last nite but only managed a paltry 13446, it was bloody warm though. it now means that i have got about 9k on the whats left and time should be somehwere around 3.25.

i am off up there tonite to finish off.

slug

I moved this thread to a new forum because I wanted to post on the 250km challenge and it seemed better to have it linked to but separate from this thread.

I can move it back if people have strong feelings...

Just completed the 1 hour part of 1 for Mr Sims. Pretty happy with 14513 which is the 2nd best I have ever done. So combined with yesterdays 30 minute pb I have got off to a good start in this challenge. All goes the 250k challenge as well of course.

Hey Sluggy,

Much appreciated that new challenges need a bit of delay.
I guess lots of people will be away some time July/August.

30 mins - fair enough - it's the CTC anyway.

Hopefully it will be a bit cooler for the shorter ones later.

I've discovered my limit is my lungs...body and muscles have plenty of strength, but just can't get the oxygen to them fast enough to make any impression. Come away with lungs that feel like they've been filled with petrol and set light to!!

Any ideas for improvement?

Cheers,

P.

I think that working at 80% maximum for long periods is supposed to be the way to raise your VO2 max.

So, you do 220-your age = your supposed max heart rate (assuming you do not know it from all the erging!!)

Then you do: restingHR + ((maxHR-restingHR) x 0.8)

(I know this because it is healthy living week at my school and we had an assembly from an expert!)

Then you row at this level for a long, long time. Lots. 60 minute sessions.

e.g. my maxHR=183, resting=63

My 80% is (63 + ((183-63) x 0.8)) = 159.

Fat burn is supposed to be lower - I go over at 130 bpm.

The fittest crew I ever saw was Billy Mason's Imperial College crew. They broke the record at Henley in a dead heat, went back to the start and broke it again (or got very close) 30 minutes later. I was under Billy Mason's training regime for a little while - and it was loads of 45 mins at 80%...

Thomas

Well i completed it Paul

all combined at 3.32.06.08, what killed me though was though 1 hour and whats left, the gym was too hot, i might have been able to knock 3/4 minutes off but who cares its done.

the whats left & 2K gave me an insight in to roller coaster though not looking forward to that inital 15K & 1500 "sprint" might just have to wait for a really cold snap in august or september.

Off to see what other challenges are available

slug

My 250km pushing it! No, should be fun! Not...
I've only ever exceeded 250km once in a month (last month, previously highest was 220km) as I only tend to row 10km on average in a session (lunch-times) during the week and the weekend I tend not to have the motivation and rarely row at all (too much beer the night before). So, considered a personal challenge and there do appear to be many team members that row regularly and many meters.... so thought suited to most.

We can easily remove challenges that don't seem to be popular and yes there were loads last month, probably too many, so agree with the suggestion about not adding more or delay for a month or two. I thought that I would also add the CTC challenge on a monthly basis as this keeps a focus for that month, within the team, and against the other CTC 'boats'.

Hope that you all enjoying, so much has come out of Michelle being kicked out of WISE and then a number of others leaving and we setting 'Free Spirits' up. I know I have benefitted...

Ahh
Many apologies - hadnt realised there had been a suggestion to not post challenges so I just posted blue riband II, to finish end of August. Not sure how to remove it but Chris seems to be suggesting it can be so I will try if asked to do so. Once again sorry everyone.

Stan wrote:Ahh
Many apologies - hadnt realised there had been a suggestion to not post challenges so I just posted blue riband II, to finish end of August. Not sure how to remove it but Chris seems to be suggesting it can be so I will try if asked to do so. Once again sorry everyone.

I'm just speaking for myself here, but I don't mind there being a 2000m challenge for this month. There's normally a good turnout for the 'standard' races like the 2k, 5k, 30mins etc.

I find the other challenges get in the way, so I'd be quite happy if someone wants to clear up the table a bit be removing some of them.

ChrisB:

I like the distance ones and I think setting a target for the month is an excellent form of motivation ( Perhaps this can be increased by a couple of K every month ). Will be interesting to see who posts a result first ( Probably Nigel "Wing Commander" Ferris if you can get fit for 4 days - GET WELL SOON ). Thought from Simmsy "Who is going to have the quicker times ( Sprinters or distance rowers ? - )". Should try casting a vote!

Rob ( Derrylad )

PS. Great times by the way.

Morning All...

Agreed the 'normal' challenges of 1,2,5km etc. get a good reception. All for them!

I have no preference either way. I just think it is better that challenges set are popular, otherwise it does get a little busy on ELM and there are 4/5 challenges that have no participants... However, the owner of a challenge can delete their challenge. If you look at the challenges themselves, each challenge has a DELETE, RESULTS and EDIT option.

Robert, yes like the idea of having a monthly TOTAL DISTANCE challenge... although speed wise I am struggling to match your times/distance. I'm only 5ft10 and 82.5kgs! So, makes a difference! Wasn't born a rower... but I'm aiming at that 30mins distance you've set. All good encouragement. Keep up the excellent work = MoreBeer@Weekends...!

Cheers

Chris

no offence on the challenge, i am all in favour of it, i meant that i would be pushing it to complete, primarilary because i am like you in that i am 3/4 day a week rower with time off on weekends, but for this challenge i meant it would be pushing it for me without having to change my daily plans

still i have done 25k so far, down 15k on my daily requirement of 8k x 7 days per week.

slug

ChrisB wrote:Robert, yes like the idea of having a monthly TOTAL DISTANCE challenge... although speed wise I am struggling to match your times/distance.

How about a monthly "time on the rower" challenge - this would not be affected by stature fitness or gender! You could sit on it and watch TV!

How about a monthly "time on the rower" challenge - this would not be affected by stature fitness or gender! You could sit on it and watch TV!

Thomas

i can see all (5) the televisions from where the rowers are in my gym only problem is they are about 30 yards away and my eyesight although good, is not that good.

the tellys are above the running machines and i am not taking up running with nearly 100kg on my poor knees.

slug

Stan wrote:Ahh
Many apologies - hadnt realised there had been a suggestion to not post challenges so I just posted blue riband II, to finish end of August. Not sure how to remove it but Chris seems to be suggesting it can be so I will try if asked to do so. Once again sorry everyone.

Hello Stan

Thanks for adding the Blue Riband II, not all of us are able to do the huge meters rows, I would not be able for 250K in 2 months at the moment not to mind in one month.
The timing is great also as I have been planning for the last month to do a 2K PB attempt today

Hey Chris,

Well you've pushed my limits through the roof!
I have to do my 250k in 10 days.
I will have over 1/2 of it done tomorrow morning (5 days).
The overall time will be really poor - have little strength left now this week. Hope it's a bit better next week.

As I'm running out of time, going to combine challenges, e.g. the Everest and Boat race - I'll set the distance for 8848m and the split distance for the Boat race - that way I can read off the Boat Race at the end. It will give me a worse time, but at least I'll record something.

Ditto for the metric/imperial mile.

To share one of my objectives with you - I have set myself a challenge to attempt EVERY ELM Challenge there is. Deeply regretting that now as there are so many - but I'm going to stick to it. Slug - PLEASE don't add another 50 challenges whilst I'm away!!

Steve - well done on the Mr Sims - hard ain't it!

Stan - Blue Riband 2 is OK - just a question of listing out what we have and prioritising them. It gets done when I come back in August.

Cheops is the one I'm dreading - and it has to be done by end July.

PSims wrote:going to combine challenges, e.g. the Everest and Boat race

After the chat about too many ELM challenges and it becoming confusing, I deleted 'the boat race'.

I may put it back, but the problem is that the metres in the challenge are unrealistic given the boat race is rowed with the tide.

I may look up the record/average time for the race and redo.

Stan

Hey no worries. I realised what you meant by the 250km and pushing it. It is for me... I think I've completed 54,764 since Sunday. 12km today after two days having a go at the CTC... A little tired. Fortunately out of the office tomorrow so rest day! Enjoy

I know Jonnie Prouse wanted to do the Boat race (he was asking me for the exact distance). He's injured for about 2 weeks, so how about putting it up again in August?

How about a "How many metres can you clock in a week" cheallenge.

Not really an extra one - just an alternative to Chris's 250km.

The only query I have with the 250k is that it favours the sprinters.
Times are going to be better for e.g. 125 x 2k than 25 x 10k.
Anyone going to do 250 x 1k ????

PSims wrote: The only query I have with the 250k is that it favours the sprinters.
Times are going to be better for e.g. 125 x 2k than 25 x 10k.
Anyone going to do 250 x 1k ????

Paul I don't think you realise how extremely long 250k in one month is to sprinters.

PSims wrote:I know Jonnie Prouse wanted to do the Boat race (he was asking me for the exact distance). He's injured for about 2 weeks, so how about putting it up again in August?

OK. But I think it should be time based when it reappears since they never row the boat race on still water. Still think it should be done at a rate above 34 with the resistance on 1 though!

steve the slug wrote:they are about 30 yards away

Yes, rowing machines are very much second class in gyms I find. No TV, not maintained properly (if at all). One of those oddities in life given they are so muc better for you than plodding along on a treadmill.

Thanks for the comments on the blue riband. My main reason for posting it was to encourage myself - its my weakest distance and I really want to improve it.
I must admit I had the same thoughts about the 250k favouring short to middle distance rowers but I think John is right - nobody is going to do 125 x2k.
Continued with the one for Mr Sims today, doing the 10k in a pb of 40:34.4
Just the 5k and "the rest" to do
Thomas - I would like to see the boat race back at some stage. We cannot expect to exactly mimic "on water" conditions but it would be nice to do the distance.

Stan wrote:Thomas - I would like to see the boat race back at some stage. We cannot expect to exactly mimic "on water" conditions but it would be nice to do the distance.

How about a "Classic boat race" (true distance, any way you like) and a "True Boat race" (time based, rating 34 with a setting of 1 to mimic rowing with the tide)?