Foggy and calm.  A light 2-5 mph wind from the SSW, which was a bit of a head wind heading up river.  It’s getting darker and darker every morning.  I’ve started using my lights to try to reduce the odds that the Brandeis crew will run me over.

Plan:

1. 5×1500/5′ rest
2. pace target: <2:10
3. rate target: 28

The purpose of this workout is to push hard.  As hard or harder than I would push in the race.  Try to work on stroke efficiency at race rate and get used to the feeling of rowing above my LT for extended periods.  It worked.

This weekend, I was originally going to row in Textile River Regatta on Sunday, but they cancelled the masters events in favor of running them as part of the US Rowing Master National Head Race at the same venue on Saturday.  So, I have one less day than I thought in the plan.  I used this as an excuse to cut out one of the 5 intervals.  Actually, 4 was plenty enough this morning and I was toast by the time I started the fourth.

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_0980_|_05:52_|_2:59.8_|_103___|_17.5_|_09.5_|_114___|_w
01000_|_1500_|_06:26_|_2:08.7_|_176___|_27.3_|_08.5_|_163___|_m
02500_|_0500_|_03:03_|_3:03.4_|_056___|_18.3_|_08.9_|_131___|_r
03000_|_1500_|_06:27_|_2:09.0_|_178___|_27.6_|_08.4_|_171___|_m
04500_|_0500_|_03:19_|_3:18.8_|_059___|_17.8_|_08.5_|_129___|_r
05000_|_1500_|_06:29_|_2:09.7_|_176___|_27.1_|_08.5_|_172___|_m
06500_|_0500_|_03:16_|_3:16.0_|_059___|_18.1_|_08.5_|_139___|_r
07000_|_1500_|_06:32_|_2:10.8_|_184___|_28.1_|_08.2_|_175___|_m
08500_|_1600_|_09:53_|_3:05.2_|_193___|_19.5_|_08.3_|_130___|_c

Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00980_|_05:52_|_2:59.8_|_103___|_17.5_|_09.5_|_114___|_warmup
06000_|_25:55_|_2:09.6_|_714___|_27.6_|_08.4_|_170___|_Main set
01500_|_09:38_|_3:12.7_|_174___|_18.1_|_08.6_|_133___|_rest meters
01600_|_09:53_|_3:05.2_|_193___|_19.5_|_08.3_|_130___|_cool down
10080_|_51:18_|_2:32.7_|_1184___|_23.1_|_08.5_|_149___|_Total

I hit my pace target in all the intervals except the last one.  In that one, I was pushing and pushing, but I had a lot of trouble getting the splits below 2:11.  I was even wondering if the speedcoach had fouled, but a check of the GPS data dispelled that notion.  The only other thing that might have slowed me down was that the SSW breeze was getting a little stronger, but I suspect that my legs were just toasted.

Looking at the rate chart you can see how the rate goes up in the turn.  It’s about 1000m into the rep for #1 and #3 and 500m into the rep in #2 and #4.  There were some real life disruptions in the reps.

In rep #1, when I went through the S-turn I came upon 2 pairs, a 4+ and a laucnh coming the other way.  I had to do some steering to avoid them.  This impacted rate and effort more that speed.

In rep #2, right near the end, I managed to cut too close to an area of weeds that protrudes into the travel channel and that screwed up a few strokes.

Rep #3 and #4 were pretty clean, but I was getting really tired.  In rep #3, I decided that 4 was enough.  Based on how my legs feel now, I think it was a good decision.

I haven’t done that many minutes in the AN zone for a while.  Ouch.

This afternoon, I think I will do a nice slow recovery 30r18 to try to get loose.

Tomorrow:  The taper starts and plan calls for 4×500 at race pace.  I may end up doing that as 4 x 2′ on the erg because the weather is going to be terrible.

Speaking of the weather.  This weekend the forecast is for the fringes of Tropical Storm Joaquin to be over New England with rain and 20mph winds from the Northeast.  That’s basically a pure headwind for the head races in Lowell.  Great.