No ergs for a change!

For a change I have been mainly on the water recently:

Saturday- 8 outing, pretty good, worked all concerned reasonably hard, bit of power water work and so on.

Sunday- Bike ride, hour and a half at 17.5 mph. Pleasant morning but initially cold. This led to Dave wearing about 5 layers and then dehydrating.

Monday- 8 outing with Sidney Sussex. They aren't as good as us I am glad to report.

Tuesday- Pair with Andy. Having swapped seats the debate about who is the worst steerer is going strong. The current feeling is that while I nearly crash more, I do take corners better. Although I also make more of a difference when I turn round. We are swapping again tomorrow....

Bike ride

Been feeling ill the last few days so not much training. I attempted 10km last night on the ergo but had to stop after 3km, felt rubbish, nothing at all in my legs.

Anyway, to stop the "no training" trend, I decided to cycle to Consett. In all I was on the bike for three hours there and back, no mileage data as I haven't got a speedo but my average HR was 160.

Back on the ergo tomorrow I think, see if I can do 10km.

I don't like running (and 4 million regressions sounds a long way)

Right, as other people have been doing some training posting I though I would update people.

Saturday- Spent all morning cutting a substantial hedge with hand shears. If you don't think this counts as training you should try it, my forearms were killing me by the end. In the afternoon we had an 8 out on the river for a pleasant paddle.

Sunday- Day off cos I was feeling lazy.

Monday- Outing with Andy in the pair, firm pressure was interesting, we discovered new directions that pairs could travel, mainly sideways

Tuesday- 10k 1.55.4 rate 20

Wednesday- Outing with Andy in the pair, 100% crash avoidance would probably be helped by me not trying to steer by occaisionally stopping rowing....

Thursday- 10k 1.59.3 rate 22. The first 10 mins of this was technique stuff, so about the last half hour was more like rate 20-21, split approx 1.53

'I Just Ran Four Million Regressions'

Nursing a slight cold at the moment but: -

Been out on the bike three times, 1hr-ish, around 17.5MPH. Cycling at 11PM has also revealed itself as quite entertaining.

6840m/2:00.0/R22. Not the fastest that has been done (by me), not enough sleep on the other hand.

2x

Been out in the double with my brother this evening for about an hour or so before it started getting dark. All of my sculling blisters have returned while my rowing ones subside; it'l be a painful start next term!

Today's events

After watching worthy champion Tiger claim his fourth green jacket this morning, I retired to bed at about 0100 hours.

This afternoon I had a nice bike ride to Beamish and back, then I did two 5k's on the ergometer after "Fifth Gear". Both completed in 20 mins wih HR at about 170 I think, accompanied by Dream Theater for the second one.

Been rowing

Not as windy this morning as it has been so we got out in a four, me at stroke of course! Was really good fun, did some exercises on balance and the catch to get the boat moving better and then spent an hour just rowing up and down. Was fast and really well balanced - best outing I've done in a four in ages!

My Masters prediction: I meant to say this on Friday night after the first round but Tiger Woods is going to win. He's hitting his irons like an absolute God, super round the greens, but just needs to control the big dog. Should be a great fourth round!

Death Spirals!

Been trying to finish my contribution to the field of macroeconomics but: -

3x standard 1hr rides

1x ergo, 10' 1:55.6 R25, 10' 1:53.1 R28, half dozen race starts (approx 450m): lowest split generally at 1:34.0, seeking settle at 1:41.0 at R32 or R36 (both happened, not necessarily a plan as yet).

Broke turkey ban with a superb fillet steak at Varsity last night, highly recommended. Back to it tonight though, plus have been buying enough bran flakes to last until July.

Final advice: listen to Cavalleria Rusticana, particularly 'Intermezzo', or Faure, Requiem. Perhaps not while erging though.

DcL

Wind and rain

Really windy the last few days so unfortunately I haven't got out on the river. Plenty of rain at Augusta as well so while I wait for the golf to resume, I went on the ergo. Did the usual warm up then 10km. The baseball cap was requred for the first twenty minutes as sun was streaming through the window, but I completed a comfortable row with a sprint for the finish with 1000m to go, finishing in 40:39 (yes I know it's not very fast Andy...!).

Weighed myself the other morning and I'm 65kg. Therefore, any ideas of how to put on 5kg in muscle? There is the Matt method, but as partial as I am to pork pies and an apple turnover, there must be another way? Are lots of squats, lunges and press ups the order of the day?

Hope you like all the new links.

Further training

Tuesday- Pair with Pavel, went quite well. Saw a certain Mr de Mauny out jogging (well walking, I guessed he might have been jogging and some point) with his girlfriend.

Wednesday- 15k 1.56.2 at rate 21

Thursday- 2*5k 1.49.7 at rate 24 and 1.49.8 at rate 24

Today- 10k 1.55.6 at rate 21

Sessions to try

From concept2.com and ergo newsletters:

• a continuous piece which consists of 5 to 8 repetitions of (3 minutes, 2 minutes, and 1 minute, as follows. Row 3 minutes @ a low stroke rate of 22 spm (strokes per minute); then 2 minutes at a moderate stroke rate of 27 spm; then 1 minute at a high stroke rate of 32 spm. Then repeat. There is no rest between these pieces;
• Four 1000-meter pieces with 3-4 minutes rest, at about the pace you might row a 2000 meter race.
• Six 500-meter pieces with 3-4 minutes rest, at a pace 2-3 seconds faster than your pace for the 1000 meter pieces.
• One we did last year that Matt Pinsent recommends: 30', all out but at MAX rate of 20. MP can get over 9000m, over 8000m at altitude.
  

You could also try Eskild Ebbesen's "Hour of Power" - try to beat his world record 18007 m! That's a split of 1:40!

More erging

Been on the ergo twice more: 40' yesterday and 2*20' today, about 10km total for both plus 2km warm up and cool down.

That's it.

You are all sadists. My intentions have been outstanding, my achievements less so. My right arm has had a great deal of exercise though.

Managed a football match, several lengthy fights with my younger brothers, 2 6 mile cycle rides on dilapidated old bikes and thats about it. On a mountain leader course next week though so ill be hiking up mountains with a heavy bag all week

Eating has been progressing well, we have overhang on the belt now!!

Oh and for you dirty bastards who leapt to conclusions about my right arm - shame on you! Ive been painting ceilings!!

Back on the water

On Saturday we manged to get and eight out and go for a paddle. Was rather successful if I do say so myself (as organiser and stroke...).

Sunday myself and Dave went for a cycle. Usual 25 mile route at a pace of about 17.8mph (faster than we normally do).

This morning I did 8k on the erg. After 1K warm up I did intervals of 300m at rate 24-5 (split about 1:49), 200m at rate 30 (split 1:40) and then 500m rest at rate 20 (split about 2:04). Overall average of 1:54.8.

More sculling

No pair when we got there this morning so while my brother went out in a scull, I did 5km on the ergo then did 45 mins in the scull when Graeme had finished. Lovely morning for a row, sunny and flat so the shades came out for the first of hopefully many appearances.

"Last Night, She Said..."

Three things: -

My study light keeps blowing - the crappy fixture doesn't hold the bulb securely enough so it keeps on falling out. When I put it back in, it blows. I've signed for three light bulbs at P'Lodge in three days... Arghhhhh!

1x 40' R22 2:01.1

Bran Flakes at Sainsbury's: - they now have 750g size packets and they are... wait for it... £2.50 for 2!!!!!!!!!!!

That Is All
DcL

All Turkey Diet

Hmmm, not being of the Smug Grad ilk, I have been working on my contribution to the field of macroeconomics (ok, so his is probably due a bit later than mine) and it seems I haven't done enough training of late...

3x usual hour rides
1x 6840m at 1:58.0 R25

More tonight. Been maintaining interest in my all turkey diet too though eating out (the hallmark of exam season) is proving quite tempting most days.

Sculling - minus creme eggs

Went out in a scull yesterday. Could only manage half an hour as my brother had it for an hour before me and then it was getting dark. Good fun though, not bad after a year without sculling.

Tescos this morning - Nestle double chocolate mini eggs were 62p per pack. BARGAIN

Ergo tomorrow morning I think, then 2- on Sunday. Have a good weekend.

I have creme eggs as well

Though I have been training so that I don't make myself fat.

Monday: about 1.5 hours cycling at about 18mph
Tuesday: Coming back to Cambridge, lots of carrying of bike and bags.
Wednesday: 10k 1.55.9
Thursday: Pressups etc
Friday (today): 12k 1.56.4