It was COLD this morning.  About 28F, with a thick layer of frost on the dock.  After I finished rowing I noticed that the water on my oar blades was frozen when I put them into my car.  They were lying on the dock or about 10 minutes while I put away my boat.  That’s cold.

It was also dark.  I could not see very well until I was on the water for about 15 minutes and the sun got a little closer to rising.  On my way out of the lagoon where I launch, I saw that one of the fours from Brandeis had rowed way off into the weeds in the dark and was stuck up against the shore line.  That’s how dark it was.

Plan for today:

1. 4 x 2500 / 5′ rest
2. pace target: 2:10
3. rate target: 28

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_0980_|_05:32_|_2:49.6_|_104___|_18.8_|_09.4_|_118___|_warmup
01000_|_0580_|_02:41_|_2:18.6_|_063___|_23.5_|_09.2_|_151___|_false start
01580_|_2200_|_09:39_|_2:11.6_|_257___|_26.6_|_08.6_|_164___|_Interval #1
03780_|_0220_|_01:53_|_4:16.8_|_030___|_15.9_|_07.3_|_124___|_rest
04000_|_2500_|_11:07_|_2:13.4_|_307___|_27.6_|_08.1_|_168___|_Interval #2
06500_|_0500_|_03:41_|_3:41.3_|_065___|_17.6_|_07.7_|_131___|_rest
07000_|_2500_|_11:02_|_2:12.5_|_311___|_28.2_|_08.0_|_168___|_Interval #3
09500_|_0500_|_03:55_|_3:55.4_|_067___|_17.1_|_07.5_|_126___|_rest
10000_|_2500_|_11:09_|_2:13.7_|_314___|_28.2_|_08.0_|_168___|_Interval #4
12500_|_1460_|_08:38_|_2:57.3_|_164___|_19.0_|_08.9_|_134___|_cool down
Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00980_|_05:32_|_2:49.6_|_104___|_18.8_|_09.4_|_118___|_warmup
09700_|_42:57_|_2:12.8_|_1189___|_27.7_|_08.2_|_167___|_Main set
01800_|_12:11_|_3:22.9_|_225___|_18.5_|_08.0_|_133___|_rest meters
01460_|_08:38_|_2:57.3_|_164___|_19.0_|_08.9_|_134___|_cool down
13940_|_09:18_|_2:29.1_|_1682___|_24.3_|_08.3_|_153___|_Total

So, I am a bit disappointed.  Last time I did this workout (September 22nd), I managed a 2:11.1 avg pace.   Today, was 2:12.8, with roughly the same HR. I’m not sure why.  There was a little bit of cross wind, but not enough to really write home about.  I think I was just having trouble getting the boat up to pace.

One small issue was during the first interval.  I wanted to let the coach from Brandeis know about the stuck four, but they were already heading down river by the time I got to the start point for my interval.  So I cranked it up, but then stopped to talk to the coach once I caught up around the 400m point.  I extended the interval until I ran out of river, but ended up a couple hundred meters short.  The rest of the time, I just couldn’t find that extra second of pace.

Oh well.  Tomorrow is another day.  At least I didn’t quit on the intervals or blow up.

Tomorrow:  Steady State