Snowed off

Due to a rather annoying illness and an inability to go anywhere on the bike without risking serious injury I have not been able to get to the gym this week. In addition, my planned training of playing two rounds of golf has, unsurprisingly, not been possible.

However, one update left over from before Christmas:

24/12 - 40 minute erg - 9,923m. Paced it slightly better than last time but still think I can do a 10km one if I can limit myself for the first 10 minutes or so.

I also watched the Everton v. Liverpool (mis)match but not from the pub but from the floor of my living room trying to do the spherical puzzle of the globe which my sister got me for Christmas. You'd be surprised how difficult it was - not putting the pieces in but making them stay there. That's the limit of my post-Christmas training - balance!

Happy New Year

Matthew

Still need a haircut

Training so far this week:

Fri: 30', 7325m, 2:02.9 at 21.
Mon: Fuelled by turkey and sausage cakes from Boxing Day dinner, I did 40' rating 21, 9759m - 2:03.0.
Wed: Did 60' at 2:05.8 rating 21. Harder than I expected, my average HR was 171!

It's been snowing loads up here so no chance of going on the river, or going running/cycling, so I'll have to stick to the ergo for the time being. Been reading It's not about the bike so that's inspired me to do more training!

Here I am in action yesterday. Notice I still need a haircut and my power-source on the right hand side.

Some stuff I did before Christmas

Mon: Sculling, lock and back
Tues: Sculling, lock plus reach
Weds: Sculling, lock and back

Since then I haven't really done much as I have been a home enjoying Christmas. Therefore this weeks training has so far been:

Mon: Pub
Tues: Pub
Weds: Pub plus football match (Everton-Liverpool in the pub)

However I will be back in Cambridge on Friday and will then rapidly shed any Christmas weight and will become lean and mean, so you had better watch out!

Also - what does the 'A' stand for?

I've got Chester-Le-Street A***** Rowing Club. I looked into joining the local club but it is very expensive, the river water is dirtier than the Cam and the boathouse looks a bit like what that guy did to win the Turner Prize recently.

And also I haven't got a brother who would be willing to make up a two - so if anyone is a member of a decent club in Kent then let me know!

Matthew

Three weeks without rowing

I know how you feel Mark. I got back home looking forward to seeing everyone at my tennis club. I went last Saturday and found out that the courts we are using close from about now until early January, which means I won't be able to play again this holiday.

By the way - is everything OK for us guys in Keynes for rowing week - I e-mailled John Buckley to ask but haven't had a response yet. I'm coming up on the 7th anyway - even if I have to kip somewhere like the TV room!

Matthew

The week so far

Mon: Did 10km in 40'43.8" (2'02.2"), rating 22.
Wed: 2*30', 2:03.6 and 2:03.9 rating 21 and 22.
Thu: 10' warm up then a 19' pyramid average pace 1:59.8, then 20' at 23, pace 2:01.7.

Probably no sculling or rowing this week as CLSARC is closed over Christmas and New Year, which means my next row will be whne I'm back in Cambridge. Three weeks without rowing, what shall I do!?

Training since last week

I don't like the sound of 210 press-ups and sit-ups per day, whichever way I look at it! However, I have done one or two things over the last 7 days which aren't quite as painful:

16/12 - 5km erg of 19:44.2 plus weights (a combination of pec deck, shoulder press, chest press, leg curls, bicep curls, tricep thingies, calf raises depending on how I feel, how much time I have etc.).
17/12 - Cycled to and from tennis (20 mins each way + 2hrs of tennis).
19/12 - 30 min erg - 7540m, 22s/m plus weights. Managed to do 5 6min splits of over 1500m, so paced myself well for once.
20/12 - Hour or two playing football with friends so can claim useful exercise for leg muscles.
21/12 - Played golf - it's a hilly course and quite a long way to carry my bag - especially the route I take round the course!
22/12 - Cycled to and from the gym - 2*20min erg with 2 min rest - 5,006m @22 and 5010m @23 plus weights for 20mins or so.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Matthew

A better week

Having recovered from illness I managed a little more this week:

Mon: Sculling- to the lock and back
Tues: Erg- 10k, rate 21, split 1.55.2 (slides)
Weds: Was gong to erg but felt in need of a stretch, so I wamed up with 2k, rate 23, split 1.51.3 (slides). In the evening i did weights, see comment.
Thurs: Sculling- lock and additional reach.
Fri: Nothing, was snowed under in the lab.
Sat: Sculling- lock and back (at a fairly swift pace)
Sun: Weights (see comment) and erg 10k, rate 20, split 1.55.8 (fixed)

The sculling in particular has been really nice as the weather has been nice and clear, the water flat and the river very quiet. After getting past the P+E on Saturday I only saw one other boat for the whole outing.

More training

15/12 - 40' 2:03.4, 9727m rating 21.
17/12 - 2*20' rating 22, 4892m and 4940m.
18/12 - 12km in a pair with my brother.

training

hey, been on the varsity trip this week so 6 days of pretty solid skiing has been my training this week, no idea if that is any good for rowing fitness. i can't afford the gym prices around here (essentially i pay 70 quid just to join) but my mum's bf is thinking of getting a concept 2 (yes, he's loaded) and i'm gonna lean on him til he does! until then cycling and some other stuff will have to do, i'm gonma try and do a twenty to one every day (20 press ups, 20 sit ups, 20 burpees, 19 press ups, 19 .... down to 1) and some cycling, perhaps be religiously lazy on sundays. let me know if there's something better i could be doing!

Paul

Training at home

For those interested, my latest efforts to get/keep fit have been as follows:

4/12 - 30 minute cycle ride including Dargets Hill (350m @ 15%).
5/12 - Gym induction.
7/12 - 5km erg in 19:57 including cycling there and back (15-20 minutes each way).
9/12 - 30 minute erg of 7,528m plus various weights.
12/12 - 3*2km erg with 2 minute rest periods - 7:49, 7:53 and 7:52. Weights afterwards.
14/12 - 40 minute erg, stroke rate 22, of 9,863m (particularly bad effort for pacing myself). Cycled each way.

Off to watch England lose another cricket match and get some reading done. Hopefully will have some more updates early next week.

Matthew

Training since I got home

Hello; ergo update number one:

• Monday: 40' at rate 20, 9683m or 2:03.9
• Tuesday: back sore off yesterday so didn't erg. I think not being used to erging minus sliders or leaning too far back are the possible causes.
• Today: 2*20' at rate 22, 2:02.7 for each one.

Let's get blogging people!

Training Week Beginning 5/12/05

I was somewhat ill after Fairbairns and so my training has been a bit slack. However I have managed:

Mon: Weights at Fenners
Fri: Outing in 4+
Sun: Weights at fenners plus 10k, rate 20, split 1.54.7 at fenners after weights.

I have included details of the weights sessions as comments to the post as otherwise it would take up too much room.