2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

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2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by plummy »

Further to Max's timely reminder and useful prompt, I've started this new thread for how 2018/19 went (or didn't) and what aspirations and targets Free Spirits have for the new season ahead.

Using last year's format (because I'm feeling lazy) I've just fiddled about at the edges for my update:

2018/19 was largely disappointing for anything beyond a sprint (who thought I'd ever be writing that!). A quick summary of a few things follows:

2.25 million metres is my lowest since 2006/7 season but still healthy considering I was going to drop a entire session a week
Nonathlon - 8090 points (down on last year by 99 points so if I'd actually just completed a marathon I'd have beaten my score by a whole 1 point!))
500m & 1k - 500m was my best for 7 years and my greatest success (along with the non-ranking 1 min where I set an all time PB at 317m). 1k was average at 3:31.0
2000m - about where I've been for 5 years although slipped a couple of seconds with my SB at EIRC
5000m - worst since my second year of rowing (2005/6). Oddly, even my best 5km was the first 5km of a 6km row that went "well"
6000m - best for about 4 years. One of my few decent efforts
10,000m - Like anything else requiring stamina, I bailed on 10k after 10k and only even worried 40mins once early in the season with a 40:12. First year I haven't cracked 40
HM - Again, an early season attempt got me under 1:28:00 but only just. Until recently I'd only done 2 all season but added a couple more in March (both poor)
FM - as mentioned above , the first year I've not done one.
30 mins - Managed to crack 7500 twice but couldn't sneak above 7600.
60 mins - like other longer distances, my only decent attempt was early in the season with a 14782. Never worried 15km

I only attended two of races - EIRC (my home event as it's only 5 miles from my door) where I got my SB for 2k at 7:21.3 and the Starnberg 30 minutes where, having moved up an age group I managed a good result sneaking in at 2nd place with 7552m. That was possibly my best performance of the season in my opinion.

One major highlight was spotting Andrea Lewis-Coker and seeing her potential as a great powerhouse rower. She was good/brave enough to allow me to point out a few areas where I knew she could improve her times and predicted a medal (and the colour of it and predicted her finish time within about 4 seconds of her actual time at EIRC). She's been a great asset to the team's performance in the CTC and hopefully will continue to be so.

Injury and health-wise, similar to last year with no major illnesses or injuries. I feel tired all the time and never "fresh" at all though. Recovery seems to need 2~3 days but leaving that long between sessions means I'd be getting no training metres done.

For the upcoming season I have mixed thoughts. I said I was retiring from race events and that largely stands true. There are outside chances that I might attend an event IF I am going to be in the vicinity anyway (e.g. Starnberg 2020, EIRC 2020 and maybe Devon if I can co-ordinate it with a visit to my old neighbours of 17 years who live nearby). Other than that, I'm quite happy NOT to have the added pressure of having to race.

The reset of the end of the season is always a welcome boon as anything you row is an SB. That way, at least I can do steady rows without it hurting too much and use the easier target to beat on subsequent efforts. The Nonathlon will be interesting as I think a couple of the guys who've had stellar years this year might struggle a bit next where I've struggled quite a bit (bar sprints) so I have an outside chance of staying in the top 10 and hopefully might get myself above the 900+ mark again

Thank you to all the forum contributors (Jill (for the seasons millions), Rodger (for the Meta-Nonathlon), Thomas and Tako (for the technical stuff) Capt. Stan for the Global team challenges - thank you all and as a personal appeal, if there are any "lurkers" out there who read but don't contribute - please step up. This forum is where we become a "team" and share our successes and failures. With 400+ names on the meterboard I still think it's a shame that there are probably only 30~40 people who ever write anything on the forum. Don't ever think your input isn't worthy!

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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Ian Bee »

Thanks Dave - I had to remind myself of my giddy aspirations set last May:
Ian Bee wrote: Mon Apr 30, 2018 11:12 am For next year some "realistic" objectives:
- A full house of CTCs would be nice, with occasional visits to boat number 2
- A sub 3 hour FM, and a sub 40 minute 10km.
In the event, my rather sparse set of objectives proved achievable. Just.

I did indeed complete all the CTCs for the year, and reached boat two very occasionally. I'm an inadvertent beneficiary of the fantastic performances from Claudius and Guy =D> =D> , but it's good to have a both of them in the team :fsbgrin: I'll be sorting the results for this month's CTC this evening.

I can semi regularly get sub 40 minutes for 10km now, and I've snuck under 3 hours for the FM on a singular occasion. I would have grabbed that with both arms at the start of the season.

The sea of green, and some ominously dark green, in the metanonathon tells its own story. My switch from the Pete Plan to the Interactive Plan reaped considerable benefits in base rowing CV with only occasional rib injury hiccups to disrupt the flow of the year. The IP assisted my topping 13k average daily rowing for the year (also considerably above last year)

The flip side to all of this cheerful news is that, as Dave noted #-o , this year will be tough on all fronts....

Objectives for the coming season therefore:

1) No injuries #-o - tweaking the same location on the right hand ribs really should be avoidable;
2) Top 5mm for the season;
3) 850 or more on the metanonathon;
4) More than one sub 3 hour marathon.
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Juergie »

Excellent idea to pause for a moment and look back on the last 12 months.

My goal was to row 5000 km and I managed to achieve that. I also did 573 km on the BikeErg, but this device joined the family late this season in January. And I also managed 400 km on the SkiErg. Altogether almost 6 million meters.

I also managed some rowing personal bests along the way:
FM from 3:07:33 down to 2:52:30
HM from 1:23:38 down to 1:23:03
60 min from 14935 up to 15256

Looking back, this was a very brutal season. Fortunately, I only had little problems with sickness or injuries. But rowing that much led to small pains all the way long. Something was aching almost all the time. Not as much that I had to stop. But at least as much that I didn't feel comfortable.

Although I managed some PBs, they only were possible on the long rows. Rowing a lot and rowing short distances fast did not work for me at all. Trying the shorter distances in the Nonathlon almost always came with back pain.

I'm not really sure, where to go from here. At least for now, I will stick to my daily schedule. Probably a little less rowing and more biking and SkiErg. But I'm really not sure.
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by MaxMacLaren1 »

Overall 18/19 was a fantastic season and I'm not going to let April's disappointments spoil things. My goals were set very high and were really more like dreams: medal at an event, score 8,100+ nonathlon points and spend less time at the physio.

The highlight, by a million meters, was winning bronze at the Scottish RIC with a PB of 6:50.3. What an amazing day and it was great to meet Guy and Felton. It also means I have an entry in the Free Spirits Hall of Fame which I'm surprisingly proud of. My nonathlon score of 8,075 fell just short but includes 8 PBs so I have no complaints and it makes a nice goal to roll over for this season. Trips to the physio were thankfully few and far between, at least until recently. My only disappointment was being injured in April which meant missing out on achieving 2 million meters and being unable to complete the IRL and CTC.

Over the season I tried various training programmes each of which I enjoyed for different reasons:
The Original 2k plan - really helped me to build power due to lower spm.
Pete Plan - helped transition from longer slower rows to race pace.
Eddie Fletcher Marathon Plan - great for building meters and enabled me to complete my first half marathon.
My aim was to find a perfect plan but I've learned that I like the variation, and that different plans help achieve different things at different times. I also started using a HR monitor which I'm enjoying.

Looking forward to 19/20 my goals are:
1. 2 million meters for the season
2. 8,100+ nonathlon points
3. All green on the meta-nonathlon
4. It would be nice to enter the Scottish championships again
5. And finally I recently noticed that the World championships are due to be held in Paris in February. Going to the States is a bit far but Paris is relatively close and who knows when they will next be held in Europe. Being in the World Championships has a nice ring to it. The race is couple of days after my wedding anniversary so perhaps a romantic weekend in Paris is called for.
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Tako »

Thank you all for a great season; my second complete one as I started in summer 2016.

This season went really fast!
Let's have a look at the goals set earlier:
Tako wrote: Wed May 02, 2018 6:44 am
After such a great season it is difficult to see how to enter the new season as it can only get worse ;-)

Here the goals that I came up with so far (maybe too many but overlapping)
- less meters, more speed (seems to also better burn fat)
- new PBs on all
- IRL, C2CTC, C2 challenges
- my first event (maybe Starnberg or where I can meet most FSs)
- 8000+ on nonathlon (hopefully easier this year due to age ;-) )
Well it were less meters 2,567,000 vs 2,618,000 :fssmile:
More speed and PBs as well, as I managed an almost all green Meta-Nonathlon that last season only had PBs, except for the 30min where I have a PB of 8059 and "only" managed 8006 :fssmile:
Participatedin the IRL, all C2CTC (even made boat I in total for 2018), and managed as only FS to collect all challenge icons in the meterboard 8)

Did not make my first event and also did not make it to 8000 (only 7906) in the nonathlon #-o

Thanks to the great competition and motivation from you all, it has been another great and successful season!

For the coming season I hope for an all green Meta-Nonathlon (thank yu for the great job Rodger), again an averag of 7k a day, no injuries and hopefully my first race event. Did someone say Paris???
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Sandbaggerone »

Thanks for getting this started, Dave.

I have not erged regularly since 2006 (when I erged about 2.6 million meters as a 24 year old), with a few meters here and there, and a season of about 200k in 2014 or so. I struggled with some hip injuries in 2007/8, a broken foot in 2009/10, broken ribs twice, and too much time spent at work throughout the interregnum.

I erged 93,963 meters in June 2018 and then nothing until the end of August of 2018. At the end of August I started in earnest with the goal of beating my 2006 total of 2,643,130. That would require over 10,877 meters per day for the rest of the season.

My pipe dream was also to break all my personal best times from 2006 and regain lightweight status.

In the end I erged 3,345,448m total in the ranking year, breaking my previous high.
3,251,512m from August 31 2018 to April 30 2019 for 13,381m per day.

This included:
47 pieces of 20K or more
17 pieces of 30K or more
5 pieces of 40K or more
2 50K pieces

High/low-lights
I sat out most of November with a rib stress fracture.
March: rowed 2 personal best marathons and 2 50k pieces and over 800,000 meters.
April 1-19 573,097 meters. Personal records for 1K, 2K, 5K, 6K, 10K, 30', 60', Half Marathon during this period. Reset 1K on 4/26.
April 13-19: 249,593 meters in one week.
4 weeks straight with 200,000 meters or over.
800,000 meters+ in both March and April.

I also finished in position 1 of boat 1 in the CTC in April, something I never thought I would do.

Previous personal best times were all set in 2006. My 2018/19 best times all broke previous best times except the 500m (2006 time was 1:30.7 and best I managed this year was 1:31.4). Also not an official distance but completed a 50K in 3:31:23.7 at 2:06.8/500m this year. I'm still 3 lbs from being a lightweight.

Season's bests:

500m 1:31.4 1:31.4 04/23/19
1,000m 3:17.2 1:38.6 04/26/19
2,000m 6:53.1 1:43.2 04/14/19
5,000m 18:11.2 1:49.1 04/01/19
6,000m 22:04.7 1:50.3 04/19/19
10,000m 37:20.4 1:52.0 04/16/19
21,097m 1:21:52.8 1:56.4 04/07/19
42,195m 2:51:25.2 2:01.8 03/19/19
30:00.0 8,089m 1:51.2 04/18/19
1:00:00.0 15,652m 1:55.0 04/11/19


Thanks to all for providing benchmarks, encouragement, and advice. Onward and upward!

2019/20 goals:

Average 10K per day,
Complete all CTC events.

500m under 1:30
1,000m under 3:12
2,000m under 6:50
5,000m under 18:00
6,000m under 22:00
10,000m under 37:10
21,097m under 1:21:00
42,195m under 2:50:00
30:00.0 over 8,100m
1:00:00.0 over 15,700m

Cheers,
Colin
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Claudius »

Great post Colin ! Thanks Plummy for opening the thread !

Colin: you are nearly a lwt - great work you done...!

Wanted to post also last year - but couldnt find the right words... in english...well, now i just took a zoigl-beer, opened it...and write down what i am thinking.

First: thank you to the team ! Great motivation here...thats the spirit how sports becomes a sport...you will keep the flywheel spinning !

I accomplished my big points: taking part on the ctc´s regulary, back to lightwight, cracked my pb 1k of 2005, finished in two real life races: Bavarian Championship and of course Starnbergs 30min Int. German Championchip - i am happy with both results of course.

The big question is now: what comes next - and this also affected cycling - sometimes i consider cycling as my main sports (right now with a consecutive decreasing rowing pace) and sometimes it is indoor rowing( which was No1 for 3 years) - I cant answear that question because i dont know how much time i will have with the beginning of 2020 - as there will may be major changes in my life with less time for sports. I wanted to take part regulary the ctc, entering some good efforts for the ranking pieces - most of them i will do after July 15...you probably guess why (ok i will be 40 then).

So i am hanging a bit in limbo...the next goal is the MTB Race in Albstadt- German championship of physicians and pharmacists...but for my feeling this is too far away...more than 4h to drive...take the risk or loose the chance- and as ususal i still did not sign up...waiting 5 Days before Race if i could give myself a green light...

PS:for editing goals during the season:
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Rodger »

Goals for 2019/2020:
1. To stop/reverse this personal trend:
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2. To regain lightweight status
3. To get fairly close to my PBs (I'm not saying rowing new ones).
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Tako »

Good luck Rodger! To me that curve definitely looks like it is picking up again! Go for it!
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by BorisZ »

Good to see all the goals people set!

The 2018/20 started well. I was on a great trajectory when a foot bone fracture took me out of commission for 9 months. Still managed 489k Rower and 73k ski erg, mainly May/June last year.
Carefully started up again this year in April, so far so good. My humble goals for this season are to be injury free, increase my distances and gradually get faster times again. Put a 42 min 10k down on 5/1 without causing my foot to hurt - it sparked joy!
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Stan »

Last year was probably my worst ever rowing wise and its time to get a grip and get back into it. Going to be a struggle!
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by duffyoz »

The amount of time and effort Free Spirits have put in on the erg amazes me.

I tried rowing in 14/15, having always done some sort of sport, before life got in the way. Completed a part time PhD while working full time and raising 2 people from kids to young adults with hubby growing his business. Now I'm not required as a chauffeur and my work days are flexible it is time to take back time for me. Could also have something to do with the added 20+ kg that somehow attached itself to me.

A look near the bottom of the meterboard will see the Aussie flag next to my name but with an ongoing C6 nerve compression issue I am just doing 500m a day concentrating on technique with limited . I am hoping this helps bring back the habit of rowing and improves technique. The physio (after 3 weeks) has just started me on very simple nerve stretches and simple muscle building exercises. I have some how failed to mention the 500m to him :) .

Goals for this season are to firstly get back to the low base I was on before 2 min/500 and 9 min 2k. Not much compared to the marvels from other free spirits but it's a start. Next stage (perhaps pushing to the next season) is to improve enough to be competitive at the Qld State championships, roughly 1.50/500 and just under 8 min 2k (I was 54 in Jan 2019). I like the Pete plan and will be using that when I am given the green light from the physio. Any thoughts on non-erg training to help this along gratefully accepted. Also hopefully adding to the free spirits forum, CTC and other challenges along the way.

Lesley (DuffyOz)
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by jhaveman »

Last year started good for me, with PBs for the FM and 6k. Then things went a bit quieter, because I somehow wasn't able to push myself to keep going when things got hard. So I got a decent amount of meters logged and challenges completed, but rowing only at an average pace.
This April I managed to improve my results for a few distances, so that I still ended up with my all-time best Nonathlon score.

For this year I'm planning to do more interval rowing, with the aim of improving on the shorter distances. I've just set a new PB for the FM, and am hoping to manage at least another PB this year. My other aim is to complete as many challenges as possible, and to improve my Nonathlon score.

On a related note, last September we spent a few evenings at our nearest rowing club (Cambois) for a learn-to-row course. This was a great experience, we were in a quad with 2 experienced rowers at bow and stroke, and us in the middle trying to do as we were told. It's not easy and we ended up with some bruised hands, but on the occasions where you manage to stay in sync for a while it's great to feel the boat glide smoothly through the water. We're hoping to pick this up again this year, but have no solid plans yet.

Good luck to all Free Spirits in getting to where they want to be :fsbgrin:
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by paulgould »

Stan wrote: Sat May 11, 2019 8:48 pm Last year was probably my worst ever rowing wise and its time to get a grip and get back into it. Going to be a struggle!
You and me both!!
On the plus side for me, I committed to doing a cross_Solent swim so started swimming training in June - never been a great swimmer but am really enjoying the technical challenge that swimming represents and I have done 600km since I started out.
I am planning to get back on the erg again but just to use it as a strength and fitness building tool.

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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Stan »

Great to hear from you Paul!
Done 4 sessions now, each 2k time 2 with 3 mins rest between each. The last session (yesterday) was the best so far and started to see some improvement. Not going to push too hard too soon but will gradually ramp up the distance. Current pacing is around 2:25 (ugh!).
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Swinny »

Last Year for me was my first year Erging, this included alot of learning about how much my back could take. My main goal last year was to get fit enough to row a 3hour marathon and then I would have a crack at a 100km. But I injured myself to often pushing to much, I failed the crazy bear challenge by 2.5 half marathons because instead of just going for 30 I wanted 40, did to many back to back and injured by back massively. So 18/19 has been more of learning experience.
This year I have 1 goal, train hard to get marathon to 3 hours. Once I am there I will go for a 100km.
Training so far is going well, with the right breaks between longer rows my back is playing ball. So far I have 1FM, 5HM, 2 1hour longer rows done and will just keep putting in the meters with weight training and see what happens.
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by duffyoz »

I would like to edit my aspirations for this season please.

Still amazes me what other free spirits achieve. At least I am achieving more physically than I was in the last 5 years of post grad study with no exercise. After 9 weeks with the physio I am now down to monthly visits and free to erg as I like since it doesnt cause any flare ups.

Newer, higher goals for the season
- attempt every CTC from June onwards, since habits are forming this seems to fit on the weekends
- complete the beginner Pete plan (up to week 5 this week and loving it) - trying hard not to be an idiot and go too hard
- complete other concept challenges (did the summer solstice in chunks through a few hours in the morning)
- complete a HM (I believe is quite doable since SS completed)
- log times for all but FM and 100,000 on concept log book (those 2 sound just way to hard at the moment)
- work on lowering s/m to improve overall time (this gets hard :) )

Cheers, Lesley
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Jill »

Well done Lesley. :) =D>

It’s good to read that your aspirations’ list has been updated for all the right reasons.

Great start to the season and I hope that you will continue to make steady and successful progress. :)

I tell people that I have managed to get off to the season with a flying start … but not in a good way.

At the beginning of last month I tripped on some uneven paving, went flying and in order to save myself, landed awkwardly on my left knee, which was then very painful to bend. On a positive note, it could have been a lot worse; I could have ended up sprawled across the pavement and Doncaster Council might have sued me for damaging their property. :lol:

Very little rowing since but thankfully, although it has been a slow process, ( at one stage, thought I wouldn’t be able to row anymore ) my knee is much improved. Recently, I think I could have tested my knee a little more on the rower but I admit to being a bit of a ‘ scaredy cat ‘ and have on several occasions, talked myself out of trying. :roll:

I have lost fitness which I hope will gradually return, otherwise, it might be a oneway visit to the vets. :shock: :lol:

If I can achieve one million metres for the season, I shall be a very happy old bird. :)

I do hope that you will all achieve your goals as well. 8) :D

Keep motivated. Keep positive.

Jill :)
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Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by duffyoz »

Thank you for your kind words and I hope that your knee continues to improve. Keep rowing and you will turn around one day soon and realise you actually did more than you thought your knee could take. :D And thank you for all your work on this forum as well.

I have so much more energy these days, even having suffered through a C6 nerve root compression issue that has taken 12 weeks to be given the all clear from the physio. I would not wish that pain on my worst enemy. Just sticking with the beginner Pete Plan, 5 mornings a week. Loads of walking at lunch (4.2 k) and at night (5k) since the physio recommended walking as pain relief throughout the recovery. CTC or other slightly scary looking rows on a Sunday. Since I'm no longer a mother of teeenagers, but one independent young adult still at home, hubby works for himself so always busy and the dog, not so much to run around looking after any more :lol: , completed my PhD, renovated the in-laws house when they went into retirement community and now it is time for me and what I enjoy - Rowing. A sign on my desk says "Life is short, just do what the truck makes you happy" with a picture of Mr Bean on it :lol:
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Jill
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Posts: 1970
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 1:37 pm
I row on...: Model E with PM5

Re: 2018/19 Summary and Aspirations for 2019/20

Post by Jill »

Lesley, thank you for your words of encouragement. :)

I still have a tendency to be over cautious - think ‘ sloth speed, warp factor 1 but give it a little longer and I might actually hit warp factor 3. :lol: Joking aside, although it’s still a slow process , I have put far too much time and effort into this rowing lark to call it a day just yet.

I had to consult Mr Google in order to ‘ gen up ‘ on a C6 nerve root compression. I have friends whose lives are blighted by constant pain and it is therefore very heartening to read that you are no longer suffering with so much discomfort. A ‘ Happy Health Story ‘ and Lesley, long may it continue. :)

Great also to read that you are finally enjoying some ‘ me time ‘ - there must be others who have read your post and thought, “ Yep, that all sounds familiar. You go girl! “ =D> 👍

Jill :)
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