Concept2 Marathon Challenge

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gregsmith01748
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Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by gregsmith01748 »

I didn't see a topic for this, so I started one. If there is one already, you all have my sincere apologies.

I've made the switch to spending more time rowing my boat, and less time on the erg, but today I decided to turn my usual 4x20' steady state snooze fest into a relaxed Half Marathon. And then I posted my piece to the concept2 website and dutifully went to look for my name on the HM challenge list. Silly how happy I felt when I saw it there.

It was a sedate affair. I rowed with a HR cap at the top of my aerobic range. Then I gave myself a break and let the dogs out for the last thousand meters or so.

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Output
Workout Summary - May 03, 2015
--_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_--Avg--_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_--Avg--_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
--_|_Dist-_|_-Time--_|_-Pace--_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR--_|_-%HRR--_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
--_|_21097_|_86:20.7_|_02:02.8_|_189.1_|_19.9_|_148.5_|_ 74.1% _|_12.3_|_09.5
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_05000_|_20:27.4_|_02:02.7_|_189.3_|_19.4_|_134.7_|_ 64.3% _|_12.6_|_09.8
02_|_05000_|_20:25.9_|_02:02.6_|_190.0_|_19.6_|_148.2_|_ 73.9% _|_12.5_|_09.7
03_|_05000_|_20:32.2_|_02:03.2_|_187.1_|_20.1_|_152.6_|_ 77.0% _|_12.1_|_09.3
04_|_05000_|_20:41.9_|_02:04.2_|_182.7_|_19.9_|_154.6_|_ 78.4% _|_12.2_|_09.2
05_|_01097_|_04:13.4_|_01:55.5_|_227.2_|_23.2_|_164.0_|_ 85.1% _|_11.2_|_09.8

First erg session for a while. I think I might do a full marathon sometime in the next couple weeks.

Note: If anyone is interested in my on the water doings, I post most days here: https://quantifiedrowing.wordpress.com/
Greg - Age: 53 H: 182cm W: 88Kg (should be 83Kg)
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InlineJinn
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by InlineJinn »

Thanks Greg for starting the topic. I don't have a boat, but now that the weather is getting nicer, I feel an itch to get out to inline skate. Too bad that won't help with my rowing meters.

I'd capped off my first season at just over 1M meters, and had done an HM a couple months before. It seemed I should be able to pull through a FM, even though I hadn't done any specific training--just a lot of 13-15K rows. I was coming off a couple days of rest, so what the heck? Breakfast was tea, coffee, oatmeal w/ butter, nuts, and fruit. Temperature was 70, humidity about 50%. Loaded the C2 with a Pro Bar, some water, and some Shot Blocks (carbo/caffene/electrolytes chews), took a deep breath, and set off. First thing I noticed was that my HM pace was going to be too fast, and I watched the pace boat slip into the distance as I settled into 2:45/500m, which slowly mounted to final average of 2:56 including breaks. My HR started at 116 for the first split and I tried to keep it under 130 (last split HR avg was 129, resting is 60, max is 170). I had to laugh at the Concept2 website Marathon Training page that says, "...if you can maintain an average pace of 2:05..." when 2:05 is my PB for 500m.

The breaks started at about 13K, and became more frequent as time passed. By the end, I was taking a couple minutes off the erg every 5K. The PM5 shuts off at 2 minutes, so I set a repeat timer for 1:00 to remind me to push PM5 buttons while on break. By 20K I was out of my comfort zone, and into the long trudge. Finished one movie, listened to an audiobook, tried to get into the "zone" but that eluded me so back to Netflix. Any distraction was a big help. Felt lots of discomfort on my fingers despite switching between overhand and underhand grips. No real blisters, although I did start to get one on my R heel (Duck Tape is great for stopping a rub from turning into a blister). I pushed the water, drank more often than I felt thirsty, and ended up downing 2-3 quarts, half a pack of Shot Blocks, and most of the Pro Bar.

My hands suffered the most, followed by my back, arms and hamstrings. This wasn't fun by any means, and the last 15K depended on equal parts of determination and muscle endurance. From the feel of things, I was deeply depleted by the end, and took two days of rest before erging again... and while there was a little soreness, I felt surprisingly strong.

Lessons learned? Rowing a FM is really boring, much more so than bicycling a century. Line up four hours of entertainment before starting. Full finger gloves or some additional padding on the handle would be good (I used cycling gloves). Having someone row the FM with me would have been a lot more fun, so if you can, invite a partner. Finally, getting a C2 and joining Free Spirits has been terrific. Thank you for this group!

John B.
63, 5'8" lwt, C2 D PM5, started 1/2015, certified mileage nut but then I found hot yoga but then I hurt my shoulders but then I had surgery and now I can still row and do hot yoga yay!
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Paul Victory
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Congratulations on completing your first FM John. =D> =D> =D> I agree that boredom can be an issue and the fact that after an hour on the erg, you're not even close to half way is very daunting. It becomes a huge trial of mental endurance and, after a while, of trying to find a comfortable position on the seat.

It doesn't necessarily get any easier, but at least you now know that you CAN do it, so the mental challenge is not unite as great next time around.

Great write up, by the way.

Paul V
M 68 6'1" 124kg (May05), 92kg (Feb06), 122kg (Aug10), 95kg (Sep11), 117kg (Jun13), now 98kg
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by gregsmith01748 »

John: well done sticking it out for your first full marathon. I've only done three of them, and the first was the worst!

I agree with Paul. Great write up!
Greg - Age: 53 H: 182cm W: 88Kg (should be 83Kg)
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by dr3do »

My contribution for FS was…
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mardix
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by mardix »

Since my birthday falls during the Marathon Challenge, I took a vacation day from work and rowed a FM as a birthday gift to myself. I really should think of better things to do on my birthday.

My first 10k was at 2:25 and I slowly eased into a 2:20 pace for most of the rest of the row. I took 1-2 minute breaks every 45 minutes to stand up, stretch, take a drink of water, and eat an energy chew. Also, for sanity's sake, I added some variety with 250m spurts at 2:10 every 2000m, then went back to 2:20.

In the last 5k I remembered why I don't do more than one of these a year; my back was seriously protesting. I slowed to 2:30 and, with the breaks, ended up at 2:34 overall. Hardly a speed demon and in the 18th percentile for my age group in the C2 rankings, but this annual ritual is not about pace for me, it's about getting to the end.

Every year I tell myself that I won't bother, and every year I do it anyway.
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by dr3do »

mardix wrote:I took a vacation day from work and rowed a FM as a birthday gift to myself. Every year I tell myself that I won't bother, and every year I do it anyway.
THIS is true addiction. Image Image Image

Well done, Mardix.
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Well done to you both. You top the list in terms of number of marathons and half marathons done during the challenge. Overall, there were 48 Free Spirits who completed the challenge, 9 of whom did both the HM and the FM, 3 of whom did the FM only and 36 who did the HM only.

The full list is as follows:

Name FMs HMs
Boris Lewandowski 2 3
mardix 1 4
Christopher Lloyd 1 2
Andrew Barton 1 1
Guy Blackburn 1 1
Lee Taylor 1 1
Phil Lamb 1 1
Piotr Potapinski 1 1
Rob Cullen 1 1
Craig Robertson 1 0
Frank Nadolski 1 0
John Biederman 1 0
Martin Melchner 0 6
alan wisniewski 0 3
Bonnie Martinez 0 2
abbi wells 0 1
Adrian Moore 0 1
Boris Bossi 0 1
darren baldwin 0 1
David Carrière 0 1
David Penlington 0 1
David Taylor 0 1
Fred Koene 0 1
Geneviève Carrière 0 1
George Weekes 0 1
Gregory Smith 0 1
Haico Aaldering 0 1
James (JD) Liddil 0 1
James Flax 0 1
Jaromir Sychra 0 1
Jill Underwood 0 1
John Steventon 0 1
Kevin Parker 0 1
Marcello Clarizia 0 1
Martin Saxton 0 1
Michael M. Gunther 0 1
Mikkel Ellesøe Hansen 0 1
Nick Shuker 0 1
Ólafur Hrafn Júlíusson 0 1
Paolo Cecchini 0 1
Paul Victory 0 1
Phil Richards 0 1
Richard Lindner 0 1
Richard Meier 0 1
Richard Underwood 0 1
Robert New 0 1
Tim Symington 0 1
William Dolan 0 1

Totals: 48 13 59
M 68 6'1" 124kg (May05), 92kg (Feb06), 122kg (Aug10), 95kg (Sep11), 117kg (Jun13), now 98kg
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by mardix »

List of all people who rowed 2 or more FM during the challenge. Congratulations to Boris for being in that crazy list ^O^ =D>

The most number rowed was 10. :shock: He was obviously lazy, taking 5 days off like that. :lol:
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by mardix »

Paul Victory wrote:Overall, there were 48 Free Spirits who completed the challenge
Great stuff!!! Congratulations to everyone who participated =D> =D>
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by Paul Victory »

Just thinking that my earlier list placed too much emphasis on FMs and not enough on number of times the challenge was done. The following table is sorted by total meters:

Name FMs HMs Meters
Boris Lewandowski 2 3 147681
mardix 1 4 126583
Martin Melchner 0 6 126582
Christopher Lloyd 1 2 84389
Andrew Barton 1 1 63292
Guy Blackburn 1 1 63292
Lee Taylor 1 1 63292
Phil Lamb 1 1 63292
Piotr Potapinski 1 1 63292
Rob Cullen 1 1 63292
alan wisniewski 0 3 63291
Craig Robertson 1 0 42195
Frank Nadolski 1 0 42195
John Biederman 1 0 42195
Bonnie Martinez 0 2 42194
abbi wells 0 1 21097
Adrian Moore 0 1 21097
Boris Bossi 0 1 21097
darren baldwin 0 1 21097
David Carrière 0 1 21097
David Penlington 0 1 21097
David Taylor 0 1 21097
Fred Koene 0 1 21097
Geneviève Carrière 0 1 21097
George Weekes 0 1 21097
Gregory Smith 0 1 21097
Haico Aaldering 0 1 21097
James (JD) Liddil 0 1 21097
James Flax 0 1 21097
Jaromir Sychra 0 1 21097
Jill Underwood 0 1 21097
John Steventon 0 1 21097
Kevin Parker 0 1 21097
Marcello Clarizia 0 1 21097
Martin Saxton 0 1 21097
Michael M. Gunther 0 1 21097
Mikkel Ellesøe Hansen 0 1 21097
Nick Shuker 0 1 21097
Ólafur Hrafn Júlíusson 0 1 21097
Paolo Cecchini 0 1 21097
Paul Victory 0 1 21097
Phil Richards 0 1 21097
Richard Lindner 0 1 21097
Richard Meier 0 1 21097
Richard Underwood 0 1 21097
Robert New 0 1 21097
Tim Symington 0 1 21097
William Dolan 0 1 21097

Totals: 48 13 59 1793258
M 68 6'1" 124kg (May05), 92kg (Feb06), 122kg (Aug10), 95kg (Sep11), 117kg (Jun13), now 98kg
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Re: Concept2 Marathon Challenge

Post by dr3do »

Paul Victory wrote:Overall, there were 48 Free Spirits who completed the challenge, 9 of whom did both the HM and the FM, 3 of whom did the FM only and 36 who did the HM only.
Well done all Free Spirits, nice contribution. ^O^ =D> :fsbgrin:

Thanks for "numbercrushing", Paul. ^O^
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