Sunny, Hot and Humid. Wind from the SSW at 6 to 8 mph. Headwind going upriver.
The Plan for today was supposed to be rate ladders. But I wanted to ease into it a bit more gently, so I switched for Wednesday’s 4 x 3K steady state session. I also lowered the target stroke rate from 20 to 18 so I could get used to being back in the boat after a 10 day absence. I wanted to keep the pace faster than 2:30, and I rowed with a hard HR cap at 155.
Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_0940_|_05:17_|_2:48.4_|_094___|_17.8_|_10.0_|_117___|_warmup
00960_|_2900_|_13:56_|_2:24.1_|_255___|_18.3_|_11.4_|_140___|_tail wind
03860_|_0060_|_00:20_|_2:45.0_|_004___|_12.1_|_15.0_|_120___|_turn
03920_|_2900_|_14:17_|_2:27.7_|_269___|_18.8_|_10.8_|_147___|_head wind
06820_|_0100_|_00:32_|_2:42.5_|_010___|_18.5_|_10.0_|_117___|_turn
06920_|_2840_|_13:41_|_2:24.6_|_258___|_18.9_|_11.0_|_149___|_tail wind
09760_|_0100_|_00:36_|_3:02.0_|_009___|_14.8_|_11.1_|_128___|_turn
09860_|_2980_|_15:01_|_2:31.2_|_283___|_18.8_|_10.5_|_152___|_head wind
12840_|_0980_|_05:24_|_2:45.4_|_109___|_20.2_|_09.0_|_145___|_cool down
Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00940_|_05:17_|_2:48.4_|_094___|_17.8_|_10.0_|_117___|_warmup
11620_|_56:55_|_2:27.0_|_1065___|_18.7_|_10.9_|_147___|_Main set
00260_|_01:29_|_2:50.6_|_023___|_15.6_|_11.3_|_122___|_rest meters
00980_|_05:24_|_2:45.4_|_109___|_20.2_|_09.0_|_145___|_cool down
13800_|_09:05_|_2:30.2_|_1291___|_18.7_|_10.7_|_144___|_Total
Mission accomplished. The wind seemed a bit fresher during the last up river leg, but maybe that was just me getting tired.
Tomorrow: 5×1500/5′ rest @ r26. Target Pace: faster than 2:15.
Quantified Rowing 
As a thought experiment, what would you have lost if you would have thrown yourself in the high rate session and just done it? Or handed down after accomplishing 3/4 of the session? Or did it at slightly lower rate?
Welcome back on the water! On to your head race season.
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Nothing would have been lost, really. I just wanted to go a little easier on myself. I am also still working on rate discipline. Notice how all my r18 turned out to be more like 18.8? In the boat, that was my rate drifting up to 19 whenever I focused on something else, like steering or balance.
On the erg, rate ladders are necessary relief from the boredom of long steady state. Trying to row well at r18 was far from boring yesterday.
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