I haven't been in a boat for over a week

Since my last blog, here are some highlights of trials:

25/10 - 20' @20 - 5313m (1:52.9), then 2x20' @18, 5'r, 1:59.7 and 1:59.5 splits.
26/10 - Weights, then 45' @18 - 1:58.9 splits I think.
29/10 - 3x6k where the middle one was at 2:15s or something stupid like that (felt shattered).
1/11 - 3x25', 5'r @ 18/20/22/20/18. 1:58.1, 1:58.0 and 1:57.4 splits.
3/11 - 8+ outing where I did 2 2.5k pieces at 26/28 drugged up on Paracetamol.
5/11 - Pulled out of 2k test due to illness.
6/11 - Practiced first 1k - 3:24. Then 30' @18 - only 2:06s but my chest felt really tight.
7/11 - 2k test. 6:55 or something. 1800m knowing you will get binned at the end - not fun.

So, as a King's rower again, I set about making myself feel better:

9/11 - 2k test again, 6:49.4 (@33). PB. 15k @18 - 1h00:57.5 (2:01.9 splits)
10/11 - Outing cancelled, so did 5k @30, 17:57.9. PB.
11/11 - 3x7k @18/18/19, 5'r. 1:59.1, 1:59.4 and 1:58.9 splits.

Well that's all for now. I hope everyone else is getting keen for Fairbairns...

Interesting training from trials

Standard weekly training is six morning water sessions, two ergs, two circuits/weights sessions and a 90' bike ride. I haven't updated the blog for a while, so here are some highlights:

17/9 - First day of trials, I was in the scull for this outing.
21/9 - 3x6k, 3'r, 24:51.3, HR 156, 24:54.3, HR 162, 24:54.3, HR163.
22/9 - First morning double outing, both in the VIII.
25/9 - Ran from Downing BH to lock and back in 42:00 as part of circuits.
28/9 - 5k test, 18:43.9. Felt really bad - just blew up after a few hundred metres.
1/10 - 3x6k, @18 (2:02.9, HR 164), @20 (2:01.4, HR 172) and @22 (1:57.3, HR 174+).
3/10 - Only got to Cantabs in 1x outing, just felt like I had no control. 2k test was 7:00.7 which gave me last place (1:45.6, 1:46.2, 1:46.3, 1:42.6).
6/10 - 8+ outing, dietician talk, 3x25', 5' @ 18,20,22,20,18. 2:00.4, HR 170, 2:00.5, HR177, 2:00.2, HR178. That was 2:02 for R18, 2:00 for R20 and 1:58 for R22 (sliders).
8/10 - Did 2k test again - 6:54.4 (1:44.0, 1:44.3, 1:44.3, 1:41.8). PB, which took me up 6 places.
10/10 - 8+ outing, then subbed into M1, then 3x25, 5' @16,18,20,18,16. 2:01, 2:04, 2:06 - clearly didn't have enough lunch.
15/10 - 2x10k on linked sliders. R18, 40:49.7, HR 164 and 40:42.4, HR 167.
21/10 - Extra weights session in King's to make up for my weakness.
22/10 - 3x6k, 5'r @20, 23:22.8 (1:56.9), 23:22.8 (1:56.9) and 23:21.9 (1:56.8) with HRs 174, 180+ and 180+.
24/10 - Circuits session with uni boxing club as a change from the bike ride.

Next 2k test is at the start of November, so hopefully I can work hard over the next 10 days or so to get as strong and fit as possible. I'm looking forward to seeing what others have been doing...

Press-ups in a minutre challenge!

Right, I did 34 and paul managed 46, let's see what you've got!

Stuff what I can remember

Avoiding work is fun. Various ergs I can remember doing:

15k @ 20 - 1:56.8 splits
15', 10', 15' - 1:51, 2:05, 1:53 or something
2k, 5k, 1k - 1:53, 1:51.1, 2:02.5
2k @ 33 - 6:49.8

Some cycling

Evening all,

I thought you all (Matt, Paul, Chris...) might like to know what I've been up to since bumps, and seeing that I've not been in a boat since then either (or near an ergo HAHAHAHAHA).

Anyway, as you can probably guess, I've been on my bike. I'm not going to go into great detail but since the last day of Bumps, I've done 1340 miles, including:

* a trip to southern Spain where we did 300 miles, including two category one climbs of 600m and 800m each. Lots of cool descents though, reached 50mph on one.
* one ten mile time trial where I did 24:40.
* BUSA Team Time Trial Champs; we did 1hr 19mins for the 32 miles, 8th in BUSA I think.

A week and a bit to go now until the 25 mile Individual Time Trial, really looking forward to it. All I need to decide is whether to shave my legs or not!

All the best,

Mark

I really should note all my training and not just the ergs...

11/4 - 15k, 59.36.5 (1.59.2) @ 18
12/4 - 30 min, 8284 (1.48.6) @ 20
15/4 - 15k, 59.34.2 (1.59.1) @ 18
16/4 - 17k, 1.07.56.4 (1.59.8) @ 18, 158hr
18/4 - 4015, 15.46.5 (1.57.8) @ 18 Failed 17k. Didn't feel to good so did 3 500m sprints - 1.37.7, 1.35.4, 1.33.1
19/4 - 15k, 59.49.2 (1.59.6) @ 18, 160hr
25/4 - 2k, 6.44.1 (1.41.1) @ 27
25/4 - 10k, 39.34.2 (1.58.7) @ 18
26/4 - 15k 59.19.5 (1.58.6) @ 18

Other stuff I can remember is 2 weights sessions per week, a number of sculling outings and a race, a couple of outings and a race at Bedford in a 4.

Pre-Term Training

From monday to saturday last week, i sculled every morning, for about an hour and a half on average, and erged in the evening. i did some 2500m intervals with 7' rest, the first time getting 1:50.0 then stopping halfway through the next, then doing 1:49.1 and 1:49.7 (or something similar) then stopping on the third, and finally on friday doing 1:48.4, 1:49.1, 1:49.7. i also did a 15k on the thursday @20, with 1:57.5 splits, which i was pretty happy with. did about 10k of a gentle 15k with lil pete then stopped so i didn't miss dinner, and then had a couple of days off apart from a cricket match before the 2k test, where i got 6:53.2, which is, i think, about 18s faster than my previous pb, so again i'm pretty happy with that, i think i paced it really well

Winding down to the 2k test

So not much this week again, but what I have done has been quite useful:

18/4 - 2k test in 6:58.6 (@33). This was annoying, 0.1s outside my PB. Did weights and core and then sprinted back on the bike in 9:42 (which is a PB).
21/4 - (Back at King's) Decided to do a 5k, but couldn't find my 5k tape. I did find the 2k tape though, so did the obvious thing. Glad I did - 6:56.9 @33. That is a PB.
22/4 - 60' @19, 14,161m. HR 165. Then went to the gym to do a few weights and core exercises.

That will be my last training before the proper test on Wednesday. I like my new strategy, it works well.

I sit at 1:42s until 600-700m in. This is about the point when it starts to get harder to maintain, so I settle to 1:45s/1:46s for 600m. The plan then is to take it up 1 every 100m or so, and sprint the last 200-300m. I haven't quite sorted the last 700m yet, but I think a bit of adrenaline will help on Wednesday.

Cycling and erging

Last week I went to the gym 4 times (so 80 miles of cycling), and did an average of about 10k on the erg when i was there, in the last session did a 15k @ 20 with 2:00.6 splits. Over the weekend I rested and moved back up to Cam, and yesterday did another 15k @ 20 with 1:59.6 splits, though the rate crept up at the end. Going to start some sprint work this week, and do some sculling. I went this morning but, as chris was happy to point out, i had the riggers the wrong way round so i spent the whole outing trying not to crab.

A fairly poor week

But here we go anyway:

9/4 - 15 holes of golf.
10/4 - 4x500m, 1'r. 1:42.4 @33, 1:42.3 @34, 1:41.7 @34, 1:42.6 @35. Last one was awful. So did long weights and core session. Sprinted back on the bike in 10:00.
11/4 - Failed a 30' effort about 2k in. There was just nothing there. So did long weights and core session.
13/4 - Played a round of golf and then went to the gym. 2x1k, 1'r. Gave up 500m into the second, the first was 3:24.9 @33. So, did long weights and core session (there's a pattern developing here). Sprinted back in 9:50.
14/4 - Cycled to tennis and played for about 3 hours.
15/4 - 2x1k, 1'r (I wanted to finish this time). 3:24.8 @33 and 3:31.8 @33. Long weights and core session, sprinted back in 9:45.

I was pleased with my effort earlier - given how sore my legs were. Let's see if I can improve this week. I'd like to do a practice 2k. I have a cunning new strategy to test...

So we did lose to Sri Lanka

And Australia. And nearly to Bangladesh as well. I think the only thing more hopeless than the England cricket team is the belief that M1 might be doing some training...

2/4 - 15k @17. HR 169, 1h03:50.5. Hot and machine crap. Not using that one again.
3/4 - 4x500m, 1'r. 1:42.7 @33, 1:42.3 @34, 1:41.3 @34 and 1:40.1 @36. Weights and core session after.
4/4 - 3x10', 4'r. Rate build. R24 for 4', 26 for 3', 28 for 2' and then 30 for 1'. Up 2 for each 10' section. Got 2708m, 2730m, and 2734m.
5/4 - 5k @29 - 18:22.9. Not horrendous, but not great - 4th km went slower when I should have been picking the speed up.
7/4 - Played tennis in the morning and then went to watch the Boat Race. Saw Kiera, Sophie and Grey up there.
8/4 - Had headache so decided against training. Proved to be a good decision, spent entire morning dozing off.

Week started well and tailed off. The 4x500m was alright - came out at 6:46. I just need to work out how to do that without the rest periods...

To stop Tancock gaining total monopoly on the posting...

Lots of random bits from during term and since. There are a couple of gaps owing to going home for a week and hurting my elbow after falling downstairs. But there is still a fair bit.

15/1 - 5k, 17.24.9 (1.44.4) @ 25
17/1 - 15k, 59.02.3 (1.58.1) @ 18
18/1 - 15k, 59.34.6 (1.59.1) @ 18
19/1 - 15k, 59.08.5 (1.58.2) @18
28/1 - 15k, 59.28.2 (1.58.9) @ 18
31/1 - 15k, 59.06.4 (1.58.2) @ 18
4/2 - 15k, 59.24.7 (1.58.8) @ 18
6/2 - 15k, 59.27.1 (1.58.9) @ 18
13/2 - 15k, 59.39.9 (1.59.3) @ 18
14/2 - 15k, 58.38.6 (1.57.3) @ 18
20/2 - 15k, 59.56.3 (1.59.8) @ 18, 165hr
22/2 - 15k, 59.46.6 (1.59.5) @ 18, 164hr
24/2 - 10k, 39.33.7 (1.58.6) @ 18
14/3 - 15k, 59.40.2 (1.59.3) @ 18
15/3 - 15k, 59.30.9 (1.59.0) @ 18
22/3 - 2k, 7.45.4 (1.56.3) @ 19
22/3 - 10*2 mins on, 1 min off (idea was a min at 1.45 and then a min at 1.40), 1.42.0, 142.5, 1.41.8, 1.41.8, 1.42.0, 1.42.3, 1.42.0, 1.42.8, 1.42.3, 1.42.3
23/3 - 15k, 59.28.1 (1.58.9) @ 18
24/3 - 15k, 1.00.55.1 (2.01.8) @ 18 (slow owing to numerous interuptions!)
25/3 - 15k, 59.32.4 (1.59.0) @ 18
26/3 - 15k, 59.26.4 (1.58.8) @ 18
27/3 - 15k, 59.23.7 (1.58.7) @ 18
29/3 - 13k, 48.58.3 (1.53.0) @ 21
30/3 - 15k, 59.30.7 (1.59.0) @ 18
31/3 - 15k, 59.53.0 (1.59.7) @ 18, 161hr
1/4 - 17k, 1.07.53.6 (1.59.8) @ 18, 158hr
2/4 - 15k, 59.34.6 (1.59.1) @ 18
3/4 - 15k, 59.40.1 (1.59.3) @ 18
10/4 - 15k, 59.37.8 (1.59.2) @ 18

I have also been going down to the gym to do weights a couple of times a week for the last couple of weeks and here have also been a few random outings thrown in there as well.

Training since bumps

After bumps i was pretty lazy, only really started training again in the last couple of days or so.

After bumps:

a HARSH circuits session, i was sore for about 5 days!
bit of rugby sevens, almost everyone was either slow or rubbish so not much exercise
couple of (gentle) 40 mile bike rides between my house and croydon
a week of pretty hard skiing

start of training:

monday: 10 miles bike ride to gym and 10 back, a gentle 5k to get back into it, and about an hour and a half of weights. i wasn't going to do any erging at the gym, because the ergs were so rubbish, but i walked in and they had 2 brand new model e's sitting in the corner. they are soooo nice to use :D
wednesday: spent the morning using a post hammer to drive fence posts. the hammer is about 25kg, each post needed hitting about 20 times, did 30 posts, so 600 reps at 12kg :D. cycled to gym and back, did about 9k at 2:01 splits plus about half an hour of weights

Double and HORR

OK, post 3 of 3.

26/3 - Gentle 1x outing.
27/3 - 2 reaches in the double with Emma L.
28/3 - 2x outing - lock and back.
29/3 - Outing in Robs VIII. Only one sub into the crew racing the HORR and the outing went pretty well.
30/3 - 2x outing where Chris Smith taught us to steer properly.
31/3 - HORR race. Got abandoned after first division went off and many boats sank or didn't finish. We did not sink in the row there or back, but Rob Roy I did - which was fairly amusing.

Came home on Sunday, so am now back at the gym. Ergs aren't great, my bike has suffered from a winter in the garage doing nothing and I don't have access to a car. But I'm not moaning - I am at least getting a lot of reading done. Now to go and watch England get whipped by the Sri Lankans...

Sculling again!

Simon Hames has let me go out in the Leys school sculls - I was most pleased to get back into it.

19/3 - Light paddle in 1x.
20/3 - Sculling outing in the snow - fairly gentle.
21/3 - 15k @17, 1h03:58.4, HR169.
23/3 - 15k @18, 1h03:41.8, HR165.
24/3 - Was going to go to the gym, but it was closed, so went and did a 2k test instead. 6:59.1. I was pleased with this (only 0.6s off my PB).
25/3 - Ely cycle ride in 2h38:28 (headwind there, tailwind back). Then 15k @18, 1h03:43.5, HR 163.

I was pleased with the 2k test, because it was done with little real land training. I need to make it hurt a bit more and build up some power - there is another 10s there at least - I'm sure of it.

I'm back

After a horrendously long delay thanks to laziness I have finally got around to updating my training on here. So, here is post number 1 of 3, starting after Bumps.

5/3 - Ran King's to Baitsbite and back in 58:15.
7/3 - 15k @17, 1h03:38.8. HR 162.
12/3 - 4- outing with Rob Roy BC.
13/3 - 8+ outing with Robs.
15/3 - Comic Relief Row 1 - about 14k in 1h02, HR 155. Didn't push it as I was feeling awful.
16/3 - 4- outing with Robs. Comic Relief Row 2 - 21,098m (half-marathon). 1h26:56.5 @23, HR 181. Got through first 15k sub 2:00 splits but then blew up.
17/3 - 8+ outing with Robs including 3 pieces of the head course. Also ran around pretending to play rugby.

Not a bad start after Bumps, but needed to take the training up another level.

A bit tough at the moment

I'm struggling a bit with the training at the moment. Largely due to a bit of a bug. Additional training to the M1 outings and races include:

12/2 - Weights and core session.
16/2 - Ran with W2 IV outing - about 10k in total. Good UT2 session if nothing else.
18/2 - Winter League race with Simoco IV.

Have taken the land training down now. It won't improve anything before Bumps, and will only tire me out.

More training

Hello,

My last post was on 29.01.07. Since then I have done:

* w/b 29.01.07 - 202 miles, including 100 miles in the Peaks and a 40 mile group ride at an average speed of 21mph.
* w/b 05.02 - circuits and 56 miles. Training scuppered a bit this week due to a humdinger of a cold and an interview in Derby.
* w/b 12.02 - Circuits, a 30 mile solo training ride, two sessions back in M1, Pembroke regatta, a 44 mile group ride including three or four hard sprints, and a 32 mile group ride to finish the week.

So far this week, I've done circuits, that session yesterday over-the-lock with M1 and 34 miles this morning by myself on my bike.

Cheers,

Mark

It must be week 4

Because everyone else appears to have stopped training. The other day I was messing around with one of Chris' diamonds and managed to shatter it by squashing between my bicep and forearm. Now that's hard...

5/2 - M1 outing over lock and a weights and core session.
6/2 - 17k @17. 1h13:09.6. HR 168. Crap.
7/2 - M1 outing over lock when it got down to -7. Nice. Weights and core
8/2 - Snowy M1 outing.
9/2 - I didn't feel up to a weekly speed erg, so did a very good weights and core session. Much easier when someone else is there with you. I reckon the whole club should have a weights night where we go down and make the machines feel inadequate.
10/2 - M1 outing with Julie coaching. Interesting.
11/2 - 17k @16/17. 1h1343.6. HR163. I deliberately went slowly on this because I realised that I wasn't 100% and it was probably a better session as a result. Had to sub into M3/4 and then did some erg coaching with W2/3 as not all of them turned up for the outing.

Clearly not 100%, so will be on base fitness and weights only until I recover fully.

Still training when I shouldn't be

I have way too much work to do at the moment, but I've been using training as an incentive. I promise myself that if I get enough work done, I can go down and do an erg or weights session!

29/1 - M1 outing. Short weights and core session.
30/1 - M2 outing. 17k @17 1h11:50.8 - this was horrible, no rhythm. HR 166.
31/1 - M1 outing. Good weights and core session, going up 5kg on various exercises.
1/2 - 30' @27. 8063m - that's an all time PB.
2/2 - Poor M1 outing - tired I think.
3/2 - Newnham Short Course. Won against limited competition, with M2 and M3 doing really well. Great to have the Twigg back! Was really quite fast and a glorious day for it! Thanks for the great birthday present guys!
4/2 - 17k @17. 1h11:48.3. HR lost after 2 mins - but reckoned it was about 170 shortly after finishing.

Good work this week, am feeling good, let's keep it up and see some improvements. I'd like to do a 2k test soon, to see where I'm at.

Some cycling

Hi gents,

What's happened to everyone, there are only 5 posters! Anyway, here's what I've been up to:

• Week ending 14.01.07 - 75.5 miles, reacquainted myself with my bike and took DcL round the short chain-gang route.
• Week ending 21.01.07 - 151.75 miles, including one 6 mile TT and a 12.5 mile TT at 20.4mph average. These contributed to my selection in the third 3up team.
• Week ending 28.01.07 - 143.28 miles, two 40-ish mile CUCC rides, one team ride into a horrible headwind and one solo ride by myself for a few laps round a 7 mile circuit.
• So far this week: a 30 mile ride this afternoon at an average HR of 143, including a puncture. Going to the Peaks this weekend for a few hills...

Hope training is going well for you all.

Mark

This damn computer

I am starting to get very annoyed that my computer is so slow I could do a 15k erg in the time it takes for a Word document to open. Or even type a bloody sentence like this. Anyway, before I spend two more hours on here, training last week:

22/1 - M1 outing. Weights and core session (I think I went up 5kg on most things).
23/1 - 17k @18. 1h11:47.8. HR 160 - I was really pleased with this.
24/1 - M1 outing including a piece with M2. Weights and core session (a few 3x5 reps at another 5kg up from Monday) .
25/1 -M1 outing only today.
26/1 - 3x10' (3'r). 2705m @29, 2707k @30 and 2712m @31. I was also quite pleased with this one.
27/1 - M1 outing only. Thanks to Roger, people actually started to put some effort in.
28/1 - 17k @17. 1h12:14.1. HR165 - was a bit high. Comparable to last Sunday morning, though.

I haven't really started to make my muscles hurt with the weights sessions. I want that feeling of not being able to lift my arms! My concern at the moment is that with the hold ups in outings that those of us who are not training will lose fitness.

5 ergs and a few other bits

Due to the lack of outings this week, a little more training than usual in term.

15/1 - Did about 2.5k of a 5k flat out, to see where I am losing it. Answer 1.8k in. 15k @19. 1h01:45.8. No HR.
16/1 - 17k @18/19. 1h12:45.8. HR 165 avg, very hot down there with Hairy and Beth.
17/1 - M1.56734 outing. Weights and core session in the evening.
18/1 - 30' test. Managed to sit comfortably at 29 and it didn't hurt until about 10 minutes to go. 8031m is a PB on fixed - ability to sprint at end suggests faster is possible.
19/1 - 15k @18 1h03:56.0. HR 165. Weights and core in evening.
20/1 - Head 2 Head race with M1.62784 (Ben B-M in for Jan, so slightly closer to an M2 crew).
21/1 - 17k @17. 1h12:18.2. HR 164. Better than last time, although not quite so hot.

About to go to the gym for a weights session, so hopefully I will start to bulk up a bit soon. Until I can be sure that Matt Main is scared of me, I don't think I'll try and get too much backsplash!

(some) Training

Didn't get as much training done this week, for various reasons

ergs: 10k of a 15k @20 - 2:02 splits ish i think
15k @ 20 - 2:01.8 splits

outings: m1ish outing, not really much exercise
head-to-head race

cricket nets we're the most strenuous exercise of the week really, i was sore for 3 days after!
also just had an hour of rugby training, managed to keep my heart rate up for the duration i think

Should have been better, could have been worse

Not a lot of decent training this week due to the amount of stuff I was doing in rowing week and the erg test probably reflects this:

8/1 - Outing in VIII, run whilst coaching (about 6k).
9/1 - Ran with IV, 10k+ which included a bridge to bridge test in 7:27. At BH did 15k @18 1h02:22.5. HR 175 was a bit high, really.
10/1 - M1 outing with subs. Coached VIII on bike, then coxed IV in the afternoon.
11/1 - Weights and core due to cancelled outings.
12/1 - M1 outing and run whilst coaching of 10k+.
14/1 - 5k test @28 - 18:26.7. The main problem was that I realised I wasn't near my PB and yet wasn't really that likely to go over 18:30, so just sat there fairly comfortably.

This term, I will take the training up, with the intention of getting good at 2k tests for around Bumps time and then for Easter and the dev squad trials. And I still want to break 18 minutes.

Rowing Week Training

7/1 - stopped 6k into a 15k @20, was doing 2:02 splits i think
8/1 - 15k @ 20 - 2:04.3 splits
9/1 - 12.5k of an intended 15k @20 - 2:02.5 splits - was going to miss dinner :D
10/1 - outing with m1.5 then 15k @ 20 - 2:01.8 splits
11/1 - 10k of another intended 15k @ 20 - 2:03.6 splits
12/1 - outing with m1.5 then 15k @ 20, last 1k was at 24 - 2:00.8 splits
13/1 - 15k @ 20 - 2:00.6 splits without the 'sprint' from yesterday
14/1 - 5k @ 27 - 18:36.4 (1:51.6 splits) - 15 seconds inside my PB so I'm happy

Still erging, even in rowing week

6/1 - 15k, 1.00.29.8 (2.00.9) @ rate 20
7/1 - 15k, 59.24.0 (1.58.8) @ rate 19
8/1 - 15k, 58.59.4 (1.57.9) @ rate 19
9/1 - 15k, 59.38.1 (1.59.2) @ rate 19
10/1 - 15k, 58.34.0 (1.57.1) @ rate 19
11/1 - 15k, 58.54.4 (1.57.8) @ rate 18 (fixed erg in prep for test)
12/1 - Gave up halfway into 15k as my back was a bit stiff and didn't want to give myself an injury
13/1 - Outing with Cantabs, odd being back in a boat again!

Also this week I have got my powerball scores up to 10900 on each hand. I also bought a powerbreathe and have been training with that.

The fastest half hour erg I've ever done

It took just 10 minutes on Friday to finish, which was 3 times quicker than usual. Anyway, training for the last few days at home:

1/1 - Upchurch ride in 1h17:28. Really, really windy and lost 3 minutes out of the last 15, which was quite amusing.
2/1 - 2x10k (5'r) @19. 41:28.2 - HR 166 and 40:59.2 - HR172. I took it up (@19/20) to get inside 41 minutes and so hit 185 in the last 500m of this erg.
3/1 - 2x2.5k @30 (3'r). 8:58.8 and 9.12.7. Weights and core.
4/1 - 15k Fartlak again. 1h01:13.8. Was at 1:37-1:39 for most sprints, got down to 1:31 at the end.
5/1 - Gave up 10' into a half hour @20. Just wasn't in the mood, so I decided to do some weights instead.
7/1 - Back to the erg room in college. Decided that after Friday I needed a 15k UT2 session. 1h04:47.4, but heart rate was a pleasant 162. I actually quite enjoyed this one.

I quickly added up the ergs on the 3rd and it is inside my PB for a 5k, just. So I should be able to improve on that for the erg test if I get my training right this week. My legs now have that lovely dull ache you get after a long erg and have then fallen asleep in the afternoon listening to the FA Cup. Things don't look too good for rowing week weather-wise, but hopefully we'll get out on the water.

Posting

Hi everyone. If you want to post and could post before the Ivan Incident, all you need to do is upgrade your account to the new Blogger system (formally known as Blogger Beta). If you are new to the blog and want to post, email me (mh402) or Ivan (igcg2) and we can send you an invite.

Cheers!

Right, I am back

Okay, I have been away so my training has been a little sketchy over the Christmas period. I am now back on the blog and back in Cam and so I should start to make some inroads (not that I have got that fat really!). I did do some stuff while I was at my parents, but it was mainly powerball based (I am now the proud owner of a Powerball Techno), up to about 10500 on each hand. Here is the stuff I had on the other blog:

10/12 - 3x5k: 17.45.6 (1.46.5) @ rate 25, 193 hr; 17.51.8 (1.47.1) @ rate 26, 198 hr; 20.51.3 (2.05.1) @ rate 20 (I think), 186 hr.
11/12 - 17k, 1.07.47.6 (1.59.6) @ rate 19, 165 hr
12/12 - 17k, 1.07.24.7 (1.58.9) @ rate 19, 164 hr
13/12 - 17k, 1.07.12.3 (1.58.5) @ rate 19
14/12 - 17k, 1.07.07.0 (1.58.4) @ rate 19
15/12 - 17k, 1.07.08.4 (1.58.4) @ rate 19
16/12 - 2- with Dave Leung, did a run and a half.

And some new stuff

17/12 - 2x30 mins, 8368 @23 and 8079 @23
18/12 - 17k, 1.07.10.6 @ rate 19
19/12 - 15k, 59.24.2 @ rate 19
24/12 - 17k, 1.07.39.0 (1.59.3) @ rate 19, 165 hr
29/12 - 17k, 1.07.52.8 (1.57.9) @ rate 19, 165 hr

Dartmoor and stuff

Hey everyone. Happy new year, merry christmas, all that rubbish. So yeah haven't posted in a while due to whatever Ivan did. Since my last blog, didn't get as much training done as I probably should because of the more important task of getting fat over christmas. Got to the gym a couple of times where I did pretty decent weights sessions, plus 10 miles cycling in either direction. Also did a 30 mile bike rider from Tunbridge Wells to Croydon, a few little 5 mile-ish rides to the pub, etc. and then a 40 mile bike ride back to Mayfield. For the 40 mile ride I went at about 17 miles an hour. Now just come back from 5 days walking in Dartmoor, yesterday was a good 25km or so of pretty tough walking, plus plenty of eating. Gonna start erging when I get back to Cam this weekend, hopefully a 15k every day.

The freedom fighter triumphs

This is just a test to see if the blog works now, but I thought I'd do a spot of gloating whilst I'm at it. Here are a few facts and figures:

1. Attempt to silence me and my training posts. Unsuccessful.
2. Number of posts on this blog since this outrageous effort to remove my freedom of speech. Zero.
3. Number of posts on the rebel blog in the same period. Eight.
4. Ivan's IT ability to score - nul points.
5. My IT ability - not much better actually.

Anyway, having got that out the way, I will keep the other blog open in case this crashes or changes again and Ivan is off on one of his terrorist training camps!