Metreboard wasteland - help

[webberg]

You may not fall as far as you think Tina.

And you'll have some good targets when you return.

Enjoy your break

[Tina Gallasch]

True - still hopeful of a workout on the road ...... famous last words I expect.

[webberg]

Still chugging away at the MB and in a period of swapping places with Bob more or less on a daily basis.

If nothing else it helps to bring both of us closer to the little group above which is at 500k to circa 525k.

If we reach them, there is then another gap of 50k or so to the group above.

I have a nasty feeling that I'll get to around 40th position by the end of October and then I have a long break - probably until January.

When I come back, if I'm in the first 100, I'll be surprised but the long climb will start again.

[dansims22]

Due to health issues I've only rowed 4 of the last 22 days and as a result have fallen from 19th place down to 26th. But I'm back rowing today and hope to ramp up the meters and climb back up the meterboard.

Last year's Fall Team Challenge I rowed ~420k but it will be very difficult to match that this year. It is extra motivation to row, row, row...

Oh and I too use a spreadsheet to track and project my rowing meters. Doesn't everybody?

[bierik]

Oh and I too use a spreadsheet to track and project my rowing meters. Doesn't everybody?

Nope . I have a local database that has all my csv files from concept2 in it (updated once a day or whenever I want it) and that I can query to create pretty much any analysis or statistics that I want. Lots of predefined queries are defined in a python script, but any ad hoc queries can be executed directly on the database.

[Ian Bee]

Screenshot2024-09-19162832.png (71.81 KiB) Viewed 470 times

After the spreadsheet comes the overcomplicated graph

[webberg]

Now I have graph envy.

MIne is much more basic. A rising line which is a target based on average metres required each day to reach the target and then a line of actual metres done. Presently the latter is about 28 days ahead of the former, so all is good.

I have tried in the past to create visual clues as to how I perform on certain distances/times. For example I did a 10k recent in 44:12 (I was pleased) which is perhaps the quickest in many years. But I've not rowed much (relatively) in those years so how do I compare it with a 10k from say 5 years ago when I was (obviously) 5 years younger, probably a few kilos lighter and perhaps fitter?

What effect does age/weight have - really - and is this just too individual to predict and does force of will overcome lack of physical prowess and .. and ... and ..

Too many variables to graph but I do from time to time try.

[Iain]

I have previously tried to use Nonathlon to account for age, but in the last 3 years the targets (atleast for a 50s lightweight) have been improved by 30+ points on average per event and so this is nolonger possible .

[Emander]

Whilst I know the metreboard can split opinion in our team (not the least because of how we spell it), I've always found it quite motivational.

I look at the board in order to plat how many places I might rise when I complete my next piece.

Don't get me wrong. I'm never going to break into the top 25 or 50 and an end of season place in the top third would be ambitious.

At the moment however I'm just over 200k for the season.

The MB for those in 200k to say 350k range is relatively sparse and the distances between rowers significant.

Today for example I'm planning an hour or so which will probably not increase my position (but may defend me from those chasing?)

Is it just me who feels like this?

This is my first post here, but I just want say that the meterboard is an important reason for me to keep training even when the motivation is otherwise lacking (I try to best last years total of 1.2 million meters). Right now, I'm regularly switching places with you I think (I guess you are Graham, I'm Eric M on the meterboard). So right now, I use you to encourage myself to get another session in

/Eric

[webberg]

Good to virtually meet you Erik.

As I write this you are 2k or so ahead of me.

I'm planning around an hour today 20 perhaps just over 13k and with warm ups etc perhaps close to 14k.

Then I'm away from home until late on Tuesday so nothing over the weekend which will give you a chance to get a lead.

I plan (famous last words) another 150k or so before the end of October. Then I'm away until January.

I suspect by then you will be a very distant target for me!

[Mike Channin]

After the spreadsheet comes the overcomplicated graph

Like Graham, I have graph envy too. Can you explain what it shows/what it does? Looks amazing. Might be worth a whole thread (hint)

[Mike Channin]

I seem to be managing to hold on in the top 20, despite some very inconsistent training lately.

What is going on up top?? There are several people putting in some serious distances there. It would be REALLY great if they could drop in on the forum, just to tell us what they're up to and so we can offer support in person.

I also note you've managed 100k in the last week, Iain - could come in handy!!

Finally, loving that signature, Tina - had me in stitches.

[Iain]

I also note you've managed 100k in the last week, Iain - could come in handy!!

You might think that I am planning something

Mike, the competition is much less than it used to be when top 40 was an achievement. Some people have stepped up their rowing for the Autumn Challenge such as Allan (Strider) and Paul Roberts. Personally having a battle with Oliver Leeds.

[Ian Bee]

After the spreadsheet comes the overcomplicated graph

Like Graham, I have graph envy too. Can you explain what it shows/what it does? Looks amazing. Might be worth a whole thread (hint)

I certainly can do that if people are interested - and I can share the excel sheet if people so wish - but in a nutshell:

Bar graph - monthly total (cumulative)
Line graph - monthly totals
Dotted line - projected total (weighted against previous years monthly average)
Scatter graph - average monthly total

It's a good deal more active in the top 10 than previous years - makes a huge difference in the fall challenge.

[strider77]

Thanks for the name check Iain, we met at Evesham Golden Mile and BIRC back in the day.

I thought my rowing days were over after succumbing to an acute cerebellar stroke in 2018 and had a pacemaker fitted just over a year ago.

I row my pieces very much slower these days but am enjoying my Indian summer rowing,I hope to continue contributing metres to the challenge.

I think we can expect Dwayne K Adams to add a huge amount of metres in one batch at some stage as is his won't!

[Emander]

Good to virtually meet you Erik.

As I write this you are 2k or so ahead of me.

I'm planning around an hour today 20 perhaps just over 13k and with warm ups etc perhaps close to 14k.

Then I'm away from home until late on Tuesday so nothing over the weekend which will give you a chance to get a lead.

I plan (famous last words) another 150k or so before the end of October. Then I'm away until January.

I suspect by then you will be a very distant target for me!

I'm usually somewhat of a weekend warrior, but my sessions are most often shorter than the hour so I'll try to get some meters in so that I have a small buffer for next week.

[Iain]

Alan, great to have you back, I remember meeting up with you in fitter days for us both! Great to see that your recovery has been good. I remember the classic computation you had with Christine on one of the team challenges where she pipped you by doing over 100km on the last day! We have a large contingent now coming back from serious health scares. Makes me embarrassed at my sketchy training as I have not (yet) had any such excuse!

[plummy]

To Echo Iain's comments - yes, it's great to see you smashing out amazing distances again Alan.

[strider77]

Thanks Iain and Dave, it feels great to be back on the erg. Sorry to hear about your own health issues Dave. How is it going now ?

[webberg]

Great to hear from some names from the past.

I hope you are all well and enjoying the erg.

I've been away for a few days and expected to fall down the table and am pleasantly surprised to have dropped just 2 or 3 places, one of which I hope to recover this afternoon.

As Mike says, it would be interesting to know some detail about how the various platting methods work.

I'm also in awe of those at the top five of the MB who can do in a week what will take me a couple of months.

For one, if you're doing 25k/30k a day what pace is that?

A 30k piece (if I could do it which I doubt) is probably 2 hours 20mins (or more). With set up, warm down and a shower etc, that's 3 hours - a day.

When and how does that fit in?

[strider77]

Hi Graham,

A 30k piece for me these days would be nearer 3 hours !
I'm rowing mostly around 2:40/500m these days, an acute stroke 6 years ago and pacemaker last year coupled with way too much avoirdupois limiting me to this.

As I'm retired I can take my time and am probably in the gym for 2 and a half to 3hrs every day during the challenge.

Darlene Brennan who is perennially at the top of the last 20 or so years fall challenges starts rowing at 6.a.m and is on the erg for 7-12 hours a day. She has 2 ergs and a ski erg at her home and she is a sprightly 81 years of age!

I hope that you find this useful info !

[webberg]

I'm sorry to hear about the stroke but delighted that you seem to be making a recovery.

I'm not yet retired - although these days I do work four days a week - but I still struggle to make an hour or 75 mins a day to exercise.

[Ian Bee]

I'm also in awe of those at the top five of the MB who can do in a week what will take me a couple of months.

For one, if you're doing 25k/30k a day what pace is that?

From just outside those heady reaches it's bewildering.

I do around 1.25/1.5 hrs in the morning to arrive at something between 19-20k and occasionally use the erg for warming up to weights/circuit training in the evening. Overall pace (across warm up and main sessions) sits around 2.07.1 (or so my spreadsheet informs me).

[webberg]

Respect on doing circa 20k regularly.

For me that would be 90 minutes+ and I fear that my wife would assume I've left home and change the locks!

I have found that my pace over an hour has improved since May (unsurprising as I've done just north of 500k now) but as might be expected is plateauing at around 2:15 to 2:14 per 500. Realistically I'm unlikely to get to sub 2:10 by the end of October (when I shall have a two month break from rowing) and whilst I would hope to pick up again in January, again, reaching 2:10 or less seems a stretch.

Perhaps I should retire and dedicate a year to breaking into the top 20?

[Iain]

Present challenge excepted, I don't think most TTs are optimised through sheer volume. As I understand the literature, volume of training will improve the blood vessels in the muscles and the aerobic muscles capacity to generate energy from fat or carbs and oxygen, as well as increasing the bodies ability to use fats at lower intensities. What it doesn't do is increase the bodies maximum rate of pumping blood to lungs / body or the amount of oxygen the blood can carry (ie blood volume and concentration of the red blood cells that the blood uses to transport the oxygen).

As a result, potential performance will plateau based on the rate of oxygen pumped. More intense exercise is required to raise the rate that oxygen is pumped. Further, it is the latter that declines most rapidly when training is paused. As a result, what we benefit from most when resuming training (in the short term) is more intense training sessions.

Sadly it has become much easier to break into the top 20 (accommodating spouses willing). I remember when >3,000,000m per year were required, when now it is estimating 2,000,000 or less than 40,000 per week (so 8,000 per day for 5 days a week 50 weeks of the year), so not that demanding a target for anyone able to row most days.