Conditions: cloudy, drizzle at the start, wind ENE 5-7 mph. This is a headwind going down river and tail wind going up river.
Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_1058_|_06:08_|_2:54.1_|_117___|_19.1_|_09.0_|_112___|_drills
01078_|_1904_|_09:28_|_2:29.2_|_214___|_22.6_|_08.9_|_145___|_warmup
02982_|_1003_|_05:59_|_2:59.0_|_111___|_18.6_|_09.0_|_117___|_slow roll ups
03985_|_0500_|_01:55_|_1:54.7_|_058___|_30.3_|_08.6_|_161___|_500 #1 – tail wind
04485_|_0503_|_03:43_|_3:41.4_|_065___|_17.5_|_07.7_|_127___|_rest
04988_|_0500_|_01:57_|_1:56.9_|_061___|_31.3_|_08.2_|_162___|_500 #2 – head wind
05488_|_0208_|_01:23_|_3:20.7_|_028___|_20.1_|_07.4_|_135___|_rest
05696_|_0837_|_03:59_|_2:22.9_|_083___|_20.8_|_10.1_|_146___|_r20 steady state
06533_|_0160_|_01:14_|_3:50.3_|_021___|_17.1_|_07.6_|_133___|_thru the cut
06693_|_0053_|_00:12_|_1:51.3_|_007___|_35.6_|_07.6_|_134___|_practice start
06746_|_0030_|_00:16_|_4:21.7_|_002___|_07.6_|_15.0_|_145___|_stop
06776_|_0074_|_00:17_|_1:54.9_|_008___|_28.2_|_09.3_|_150___|_practice start
06850_|_0769_|_04:35_|_2:59.1_|_088___|_19.2_|_08.7_|_135___|_back to the dock
Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
03965_|_21:35_|_2:43.3_|_442___|_20.5_|_09.0_|_128___|_warmup
01000_|_03:52_|_1:55.8_|_119___|_30.8_|_08.4_|_161___|_Main set
00837_|_03:59_|_2:22.9_|_083___|_20.8_|_10.1_|_146___|_Steady State
00127_|_00:29_|_1:53.4_|_015___|_31.3_|_08.5_|_143___|_Starts
00901_|_06:36_|_3:39.5_|_116___|_17.6_|_07.8_|_130___|_rest meters
00769_|_04:35_|_2:59.1_|_088___|_19.2_|_08.7_|_135___|_cool down
07599_|_41:06_|_2:42.3_|_863___|_21.0_|_08.8_|_134___|_Total
Same warmup as yesterday. Into a headwind. Worked out OK.
Then into the 2 reps. I started the first one at the downriver end of the 1K straight. This was with a 40 degree tail wind. My start was good, and I settled effectively. I have done enough of these this week that it feels really familiar. I am finding that I can devote a bit more attention to steering and technique and less on feeling like I am going to blow up at any moment. The sensations of “lactate distress” are the same, but I have a better context for them and they seem to spook me a little bit less. We’ll see about that this weekend.
I just held 30 spm. I wanted to drift down to r29 because of the cross wind, but I tried to correct that as I went along. I counted out the strokes and tried to get maximum length through the last 20 strokes. I ended up with a 1:54.7 pace, I’m OK with that.
In the second interval, I was not happy with my start. I caught a mini crab on the fourth stroke. Not sure exactly what happened, but I didn’t finish cleanly on one oar and that threw me off balance. I recovery within a stroke, but it cost me speed (and confidence).
For this rep, the wind was a cross head wind, about 55 degrees off my bow. It slowed me down a little, but didn’t have much impact on the feeling of the boat.
I’m not sure why, but in this rep, I found myself wanting to rate a bit higher. At any rate, after I settled to pace after 10 strokes, I just counted out the remaining strokes to the end. This one ended up at a 1:56.9, which I am pretty happy with the cross head wind.
Tomorrow: I will go for a quick row, probably just a warmup, and then clean and load my boat for the race on Sunday.
Quantified Rowing 
Cross headwind vs cross tailwind doesn’t seem to impact as much as head on headwind vs straight into the stern tailwind. I noticed the same in the past 2 sessions. A light cross tailwind may effectively be a side wind in the reference frame of the rower.
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I get really messed up by crossing chop. I think it slows me down as much as a head wind. My river is skinny enough that I really never see a cross chop. When I get those conditions on Lake Quinsigamond, it really screws me up.
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Agree, straight on chop is annoying but I can deal with it (the stretch I row on tends to easily chop up if the wind blows along it which happens quite frequently), however cross chop is something I don’t come across that often so when I do (i.e. like when racing on a lake like I did at the Copenhagen Open this year) I really struggled, more than I should!
The main thing I can advise is just try and stay relaxed in those conditions and get the pace back when you get the chance, i.e. if you get to a more secluded part of the course and the conditions get better, often races can be won/lost by who can respond better to unexpected conditions mid-race
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Wishing you good racing. What is the race plan?
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Thanks. With regard to race plan. I am planning on 125 strokes for the race. Less if there’s a tail wind and more if a head wind.
There are two bridges over the course that roughly divide it into thirds.
5 strokes – start
5 strokes – push r35/ sub 1:50
10 strokes – settle down to r30 and ~ 1:58
– quick check on alignment for the bridge
20 focus on catches. really get all the way to full compression and watch my catch depth. Stick with this through the first bridge.
After the bridge,
20 strokes focus on finishes. Make sure that I am not laying back too far, make sure that my hands are coming down early enough to avoid brushing my torso.
Check alignment for next bridge, adjust as necessary
20 strokes push, try to drop pace by 5 sec or so. That should put me through the second bridge. at this point, I have about 40 to 50 strokes to the finish.
20 strokes again focusing on extension at the catch and posture. I find that I start to slump and row shorter as I get tired. I need to keep it long here. If the rate drops down below 30 in this bit, I’m OK with it.
Then it’s into the sprint. I will count it as a 5 stroke build. 10 stroke push. 5 stroke push rate even more and keep that going until I hear a beep.
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