Metreboard wasteland - help

[webberg]

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?

[dansims22]

I also find the meterboard to be tremendously motivating.

I am an overweight, poor health, 60-something guy who is trying to get better. I can't row a single 500m at a 2:00 pace, let alone 85 of them for a competitive FM. I can't be competitive at any distance so although the CTC and nonathlon comps seem interesting, my pace is just too sloooow.

I can, sometimes, spend more butt-in-seat time than others to slowly crank out the meters and the meterboard helps motivate... "One more 4k row today and I can move up a spot!" My wife helps too "Chores were easy tonight, go up and row."

I've been rowing for less than a year and I'm so glad I got a Concept2 erg and joined with Free Spirits. But if it wasn't for the meterboard and my "competition" I might not still be rowing...

[Carole S]

I agree, I LOVE the metreboard or meterboard, Im also a 60 something struggling with health issues so sailing along stately as a galleon is all I can do compared to our faster FS team mates
But I gave the Rowlympics more welly than usual and was pleasantly surprised to see some improvements but still not back to my pre heart operation levels
Now we are rowing to get that little pet dog icon for our stats
Good luck Team FS

[Iain]

I agree. I also do nonathlon, not least because I regularly take "pauses" (8 at last count) and struggle when restarting. The meta-nonathlon means I only have to compete against myself last year. BUt I agree that the MB is also great motivation to get the steady-state rows done and lengthened when they only have an impact over the long term and are sometimes less than riveting, but have the advantage of being possible whenever I have an hour and a bit for myself.

s for distances, as a numbers geek, I calculate how long I would need to row X metres more than the person ahead of me to catch them so setting a target. As someone who is sometimes in the top 15 there are regular gaps and it is a pleasant surprise when a "new target" is catchable in a week or less, but it is a long game. THree is also nthe benefit that those behind would need to row more to catch me!

[JonT]

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?

I'm on your tail, maybe that will be a little more motivation. When I get stuck in the Meterboard doldrums I know that grinding away will eventually close the gap on some of those ahead of my, just not necessarily the ones that are in the 10 places above. Keep on keeping on.

[webberg]

I also find the meterboard to be tremendously motivating.

I am an overweight, poor health, 60-something guy who is trying to get better. I can't row a single 500m at a 2:00 pace, let alone 85 of them for a competitive FM. I can't be competitive at any distance so although the CTC and nonathlon comps seem interesting, my pace is just too sloooow.

I can, sometimes, spend more butt-in-seat time than others to slowly crank out the meters and the meterboard helps motivate... "One more 4k row today and I can move up a spot!" My wife helps too "Chores were easy tonight, go up and row."

I've been rowing for less than a year and I'm so glad I got a Concept2 erg and joined with Free Spirits. But if it wasn't for the meterboard and my "competition" I might not still be rowing...

Having been in Free Spirits from (nearly) the beginning (thanks to Gregor's invite) I'm really pleased that the club helps.

Like you I'm a 60 something (68 in November unbelievably) and whilst 20 years ago I might have done 2k at sub 2:00 per 500 pace, I'll never see those days again.

I have done a marathon at circa 2:21 pace. That required around 8 months of training building up the distances, learning how to be comfortable on the seat (bubble wrap), keeping the discipline to stay at 2:24 in the early stages, nutrition, boredom, etc. A learning curve in many directions.

It's also encouraging to see some progress more recently as I've returned to the steel horse. My early season attempts were at around 2:25/500 pace. Now I'm comfortable at 2:20/500 pace for any distance up to about 10k. I'm not expecting that to continue but I have vague ambition to be sub 2:15/500 by the time I take an enforced break from the machine in November and December. Starting again in January will see those averages slip!

There are though still many mysteries for me on the machine. Why do some planned 10k pieces crash and burn at 6k? Why do some days feel like rowing in treacle and others I'm on the wings of gods? Why do I let external factors (weather, good/bad day at work, my team winning/losing) make such a difference?

At the moment though I'm in a happy place on the machine but I do wish that I had more MB targets in the "achievable" range.

Today for example, I'm planning 10k to 12k which will move me from 228k to circa 238k this season and advance me - NOT ONE PLACE.

I just have to trust that slow and steady will reward me.

[JonT]

Moving up the board very nicely this week Graham! 7 place increase in a week is good going! I can't keep up with you at that rate. You are almost top-50 now, but there are a couple of people charging up the board just behind you.

Keep on keeping on

[webberg]

Thanks JT

I think top 50 is about 25k away.

That is going to be difficult to do this week (work commitments).

I've done this week's Dog Days challenge (20k) and hopefully if I get the next two weeks done, I'll be looking to consolidate in the top 50.

It's very hot here at the moment though and timing is going to be tricky.

[Tina Gallasch]

Actually I’d forgotten just how motivational the meter board is. I’ve had a lengthy break, and just come back to it (seriously - I mean it this time); and already I’m looking at the meter board each morning to see who has passed me in the northern time zone, and plot how I can get my own back during our own daylight hours. The goal is always to make it into the top 100 - and of course stay there. I am in awe of the passion and dedication of the top guys.

[webberg]

Well said Tina.

I'm now thinking that the Dog Days challenge will get me into the top 50 over the next two weeks, but staying there is always a challenge.

My season target is 1m metres.

I'm sad enough to have a spreadsheet which is tracking that. I have a long break coming up -all of November and December when my wife and I will be touring the antipodes - and that is built in.

I need to do 3,748m on each available day as an average. I'm presently 9.78 days ahead of that target.

A decent sessions tomorrow and perhaps Sunday might put me north of 300k, 13.3 days ahead of target but no more than 3 places up the MB.

Such things do I contemplate sliding up and down.

[Tina Gallasch]

No, not the antipodes!! If you are in Adelaide, I could take you to a local gym to get some metres up. A spreadsheet; now that’s an idea. A good one, though it would have to be fairly simple; but it could help a lot with averages and the like. What always (bad word deleted) annoys me is that you put your metres up, and you find out that just another 500 would have got you one place higher. Like they say, should’ve gone to Specsavers. Or a spreadsheet.

[webberg]

Hello Tina - not Adelaide but Sydney for a few days in early November.

My spreadsheet tracks metres done v a target. It's all very manual and not linked to anything.

I do check the MB before each row and often after I've done the "main piece" to see if a few more "warm down" metres might make a difference.

I did that today and then this afternoon I see somebody has posted a monster 30k which has meant I'm one place down on where I hoped to be.

Oh well - back on it tomorrow.

[Tina Gallasch]

Adelaide is a world away from Sydney but never mind the thought was there. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.

In the meantime, good luck with the targets - that's the beauty of the meter board, isn't it? Endless motivation.

[Iain]

I'm having the opposite trouble with 3 of us very close and changing places. But bracing for Kay's wash as he zooms past while Oliver Leeds responds to Paul Roberts "challenge" (both were up in top 5 earlier in the season) so won't keep up for long, this just leaves Richard Healey's consistent rowing as my benchmark unless Mike (Channin) decides to come alongside for some fun! I think I preferred the smooth "water" of doing my own thing!

[webberg]

So - position of the MB as of 3:05pm UK time

47 - Eric - 339k and change
48 - Kevin - 338k
49 - Tako -336k
50 - Euron - 313 (Great name)
51 - Boris - 310k
52 - me - 310k
53 - Petr - 306k (Half a decade ago, a legend in the team)
54 - Graham - 300k

I can do an hour which with warm ups etc is around 13,500m - gets me 2 places and (just) into the top 50.

I can do the same tomorrow which - if everybody else does nothing - gets me possibly to 49th.

But - The Dog Days challenge week crossover is today and I've got this weeks' total. If I delay and do the above rows on Thursday and Friday (at the risk of upsetting some domestic plans) I can make inroads into the 40k needed for week 4. That also risks Boris, Euron, Tako and Kevin pulling away from me and Petr and Graham possibly overtaking me!

Decisions, decisions.

[Iain]

Personally I would rate
1) Domestic bliss
2) Only prioritise the dog if you don't expect to have a chance to do the 40k any other way
3) Go for it on the metreboard to make them chase you and inspire oters to row as well!

[bierik]

I'm having the opposite trouble with 3 of us very close and changing places. But bracing for Kay's wash as he zooms past while Oliver Leeds responds to Paul Roberts "challenge" (both were up in top 5 earlier in the season) so won't keep up for long, this just leaves Richard Healey's consistent rowing as my benchmark unless Mike (Channin) decides to come alongside for some fun! I think I preferred the smooth "water" of doing my own thing!

I can assure you that I won't zoom past you . Currently I have more time than usual for rowing. Soon enough I'll go back to my 6+K average per day.

[Iain]

Thanks for letting me know Kay, but you could be luring me into complacency

[bierik]

Thanks for letting me know Kay, but you could be luring me into complacency

My evil plan has been thwarted .

[webberg]

Inside the top 50 perhaps for the first time ever and certainly not in the previous 8 years.

Now I just need to stay there.

[Mike Channin]

Great stuff, Graham!

All this talk about the meter board placings has made me look back to last season
12th December 2023 - Position 103 264,345m
29th February 2024 - Position 16 1,933,530m
50th April 2024 - Position 10 2,616,170m

Made a big difference doing the double Crazy Bear in January and February...

[Tina Gallasch]

Awesome work both of you. Although I reckon it's that extra day in February that made all the difference

[webberg]

Morning.

Having negotiated a bit of a barren spot in the MB, I now find another!

The bad news is that I'm probably about two or three decent sessions from the next place in the MB with just this week doing some decent distances before switching to shorter pieces in the hope of getting a little fitter (and fitting in some normal life).

The good news is that I'm ahead of my personal target for the season and I can always take some comfort there.

[Iain]

Only 1200m between the 3 of us at the moment, so although I am ahead at the moment after 43km in 2 days, it will be a fight to keep ahead as my rowing is curtailed by work during the week!
3 sessions is nothing, I have frequently bridged gaps of a couple of weeks. The price you pay for doing better on the board!

[Tina Gallasch]

The gentle slide down the meter board has begun. I'm off for 4 weeks - and although I'd planned to keep up the training, I can see it's not going to be possible. So ... see you in 4 weeks, when the hard graft of the climb shall begin once more.