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.

Conditions:  Warm, muggy, cloudy, wind NNE 6-8 mph (headwind going down river)

Plan:

1. 3 x 500m / 500m rest
2. Race Pace and Rate or faster (<2:00, > 30 spm)
3. Technique:  Work on race starts, getting out at the catch, rowing smooth above 30 spm.

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_0999_|_05:51_|_2:55.4_|_111___|_19.0_|_09.0_|_116___|_drills
01019_|_1954_|_09:47_|_2:30.2_|_218___|_22.3_|_09.0_|_149___|_warmup
02973_|_0517_|_03:33_|_3:26.4_|_064___|_18.0_|_08.1_|_123___|_slow roll ups
03490_|_0500_|_01:51_|_1:50.9_|_057___|_30.8_|_08.8_|_165___|_500 #1
03990_|_0501_|_03:47_|_3:46.9_|_064___|_16.9_|_07.8_|_133___|_rest
04491_|_0500_|_01:54_|_1:53.9_|_058___|_30.6_|_08.6_|_164___|_500 #2
04991_|_0499_|_04:00_|_4:00.7_|_069___|_17.2_|_07.2_|_136___|_rest
05490_|_0500_|_01:59_|_1:58.8_|_062___|_31.3_|_08.1_|_166___|_500 #3
05990_|_2122_|_12:22_|_2:54.8_|_241___|_19.5_|_08.8_|_134___|_cool down

Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
03470_|_19:11_|_2:45.8_|_393___|_20.5_|_08.8_|_134___|_warmup
01500_|_05:44_|_1:54.5_|_177___|_30.9_|_08.5_|_165___|_Main set
01000_|_07:48_|_3:53.8_|_133___|_17.1_|_07.5_|_134___|_rest meters
02122_|_12:22_|_2:54.8_|_241___|_19.5_|_08.8_|_134___|_cool down
08092_|_45:04_|_2:47.1_|_944___|_20.9_|_08.6_|_138___|_Total

Same warmup today.  power 10s at r18 up to r26.  Then power 20s at r28, r30, r32.  I liked it.

Then I did the first 500 with a tail wind.  I started in front of the Watch factory and rowed the straight section there.  It’s about 650m long, so plenty long enough for my purposes.  I nailed the start.  The secret really seems to be to not push too far forward for the first stroke.  Between the good start and the tail wind, I was looking at 1:47 after 5 stroke, and stayed in the 1:40s until around the 15th stroke.  I tried to calm down and settle my rate and pace per my race plan.  With the tail wind, 1:55 felt a lot like 2:00 so I settled at that pace and r30.  Then it was just counting out strokes and trying to stay nice and long at the catch.  I resisted the urge to up the rate and sprint over the last 20 strokes and just rowed it out.  With the tail wind, I set a new PB for a 500m with a 1:50.9.

I then paddled through the s-turn, had a quick drink and set myself up for the next interval, again with a tail wind.  Again I was happy with the start.  I know I still can massively improve in this area, but this was pretty comfortable.  Again, I was in the 1:40s after about 5 strokes, bt this time I settled to race pace more crisply.  Again, I tried to stick to race rate through the whole piece and not sprint the finish.  1:53.9.  Not as fast as #1, but still faster than any other 500s I’ve ever done. (Thanks, tail wind!)

I felt like it was the the right and proper thing to do to do my last 500 into the headwind.  I have to admit that I was tempted to just paddle back and do it downwind.  I was having fun looking at the nice fast splits.  But in the end, the desire to have some fresh experience getting to the “right” pace in a headwind won the day and I did the right thing.  The start went well.  The boat felt much heavier and I tried to trust myself in terms of the pace.  I tried to keep the same stroke as much as I could.  From the RIM data, it looks like I basically did.  These three acceleration and velocity plots are for a single stroke around the 20th stroke of each of the three intervals.  The green lines are into the wind

The accelerations look about the same, and as I would expect, the velocity into the headwind is lower.   The head wind was very close to straight on and was between 2.5 and 3.5 m/s.

Tomorrow: 2×500/500m rest

Another glorious summer morning!  It started out quite cloudy, but the sun broke through the clouds as I was warming up. It was warm and humid and there was just a whisper of a breeze coming from the SW.  The water was glassy smooth.   “no excuses” kind of conditions.

Plan:

1. 4 x 500m
2. race pace and rate (> 30 spm, faster than 2:00/500)
3. 500m rest (plus turning around the boat and getting set up)
4. Work on solid. conservative starts and a nice long reach at the catch.

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_1075_|_06:04_|_2:49.2_|_113___|_18.6_|_09.5_|_114___|_drills
01095_|_1934_|_09:21_|_2:24.9_|_212___|_22.7_|_09.1_|_146___|_warmup
03029_|_0969_|_05:56_|_3:03.7_|_114___|_19.2_|_08.5_|_117___|_slow roll ups
03998_|_0500_|_01:57_|_1:56.7_|_060___|_30.8_|_08.3_|_160___|_500 #1
04498_|_0490_|_03:24_|_3:28.6_|_062___|_18.2_|_07.9_|_132___|_rest
04988_|_0500_|_01:56_|_1:56.2_|_060___|_31.0_|_08.3_|_163___|_500 #2
05488_|_0507_|_03:49_|_3:46.1_|_062___|_16.2_|_08.2_|_133___|_rest
05995_|_0500_|_01:55_|_1:55.3_|_061___|_31.7_|_08.2_|_137___|_500 #3
06495_|_0502_|_03:43_|_3:41.8_|_068___|_18.3_|_07.4_|_127___|_rest
06997_|_0500_|_01:54_|_1:54.2_|_060___|_31.5_|_08.3_|_164___|_500#4
07497_|_2215_|_13:31_|_3:03.1_|_281___|_20.8_|_07.9_|_135___|_cool down

Dist___|_Time_ |_Pace__|_Strks__|_SPM_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
03978_|_21:20_|_2:40.9_|_439___|_20.6_|_09.1_|_129___|_warmup
02000_|_07:42_|_1:55.6_|_241___|_31.3_|_08.3_|_156___|_Main set
01499_|_10:56_|_3:38.9_|_192___|_17.6_|_07.8_|_131___|_rest meters
02215_|_13:31_|_3:03.1_|_281___|_20.8_|_07.9_|_135___|_cool down
09692_|_53:31_|_2:45.6_|_1153__|_21.5_|_08.4_|_135___|_Total

Basically the same warm up as yesterday.  Today, I experimented with 10 stroke rests between the 20 stroke high rate bursts.  This pushed my HR a bit higher.  I think I liked the change.  I’m feeling more and more in control at r36.

Then I paddled back to the start point working on slow roll ups and really precise finishes.

Again today, I setup for the starts with feet flat on the stretcher and my arms out to a comfortable degree.  Trying to make sure that I was in very good balance through the first stroke, then into quick strokes with early finishes and short slide for about 5 strokes.  Over the next 5 strokes extend out to full slide and slowly reduce the rate down to around 30.  From the tenth stroke, allow the pace to settle back down to my 1K race pace, around 2:00, and just pound it out.

I was well behaved in the first 2 intervals and settled appropriately.  In the third interval i hit the tiniest bit of headwind as I was starting and the splits were hovering around 2:00.  I decided I could do better and brought the rate up a bit.  I then noticed that I was a bit off the desired line and steered gradually through the strokes 40 to 50 and maintained that through the last 10 strokes.

In the final interval, I got the best start of the lot and saw splits in the 1:40s through the second 5 strokes.  I settled the rate gradually, but really worked on trying to get “out there” for each catch and the splits stayed nice and fast.  I let the rate rise by pushing through the recovery faster, but still reaching for the catch.  I was stunned see the splits hovering around 1:50 through the last 20 strokes.  Those splits might not be that impressinve in a general sense, but for me it was a little magical.  I think it’s the fastest 500 I’ve ever done…1:54.2.

Tomorrow:  Business trip, just for the day, to North Carolina.  On Thursday, I will continue the taper with a 3×500.

Oh my God, it was beautiful this morning!  Sunny, temp around 65F, no wind…at all, water glassy smooth.  A no excuses kind of morning.

Plan:

1. 2 x 1000m
2. Race pace and rate –> 2:00/500 and 30 spm
3. Work on clean start, getting to race pace crisply, managing through the lactate rush, staying long, keeping the rate up, and finishing with a kick
4. As much rest between pieces as necessary.

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_3973_|_21:00_|_2:38.5_|_419___|_20.0_|_09.5_|_128___|_warmup
03993_|_1000_|_03:59_|_1:59.4_|_121___|_30.4_|_08.3_|_088___|_1K #1
04993_|_1475_|_09:21_|_3:10.3_|_180___|_19.2_|_08.2_|_124___|_rest
06468_|_1000_|_04:03_|_2:01.6_|_125___|_30.9_|_08.0_|_168___|_1K #2
07468_|_2601_|_14:38_|_2:48.7_|_301___|_20.6_|_08.6_|_138___|_cool down

Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
03973_|_21:00_|_2:38.5_|_419___|_20.0_|_09.5_|_128___|_warmup
02000_|_08:02_|_2:00.5_|_246___|_30.6_|_08.1_|_129___|_Main set
01475_|_09:21_|_3:10.3_|_180___|_19.2_|_08.2_|_124___|_rest meters
02601_|_14:38_|_2:48.7_|_301___|_20.6_|_08.6_|_138___|_cool down
10049_|_53:01_|_2:38.3_|_1146___|_21.6_|_08.8_|_130___|_Total

Tried a small variation on the warmup.  I did 10 on / 10 off for all the stroke rates up to 28.  At 28, 30 and 32, I did 20 on / 20 off.  This brought my HR up a bit more and gave me more strokes to get acclimated with the higher stroke rates.  I think I will keep it that way.

Then I paddled back to the down river end of the 1K straight section.  I set up for the start.  Based on looking at Ben’s excellent starts, I decided to try to take my first stroke from a position a bit less compressed.  Essentially with my heels down vs up.  This seemed to work great.  I was able to pull through that first stroke and be more balaned at the finish.  I settled at 10 strokes and continued to count.  At 20, I felt great.  At 30, the drowning feeling started.  At 50, I was hurting and needed to do a bit of steering, and my splits slowed down.  By 60, I consciously dropped the rate a bit and smoothed out my stroke.  This took me out to 80 and by then, I felt like I had it in the bag.  I gradually brought up  the rate and and pace over the next 40 strokes to the end.  End result 3:59.  I’m happy with that.

During the start, my water bottle started rolling around in the bottom of my boat and knocked off the HR pickup for the speedcoach.  Here’s the data from the RIM app.

My HR was relatively low.

I paddled back to downstream end of the 1K course mostly doing slow roll ups.  I had a drink and psyched myself up for another one of those.  The second one was basically like the first.  The start was better than the first rep.  Again I did the first stroke with feet fully planted.    I settled faster and played it a bit more conservatively than the first and the lactate rush was much less pronounced.  Around the 60th stroke, I must have caught a weed on the impeller because the speed reading shot up to a 3:30 pace for a couple of strokes and then popped back down.  You can see the transient on the Speedcoach data, but not on the RIM plot.  From there it was just grinding out another 60 strokes.  I needed to do a bit of steering right around the 100th stroke and I slowed a bit.  The end was near so I started to force the pace more.  Unfortunately, when I got to stroke number 120, I saw that I had another 100 meters to go!  I counted off another 10 strokes right on the ragged edge.

This rep timed out to 4:03, but this included the weed glitch. Based on the GPS data from RIM, it was closer to 4:00, and this is upstream against the current.

Tomorrow:  4 x 500 / 5min rest, race start, race pace / rate, no sprint.