Saturday: Tough Threshold work on Quinsig

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Weather:  Warm, starting in the low 70s and climbing.  Wind was gusty, swinging randomly around from the south to the west.  Average wind was around 4 mph with gusts above 6.  There was a fair amount of chop on the lake.  There were also lots of power boats.

Plan:

  • Warmup by heading to the north end of the lake (~2K)
  • 2 x 5.5K
  • 5′ rest
  • pace target: 2:20
  • rate: start at 22 for 2k, then to 24 for 2k then to 26 for the last 1.5K

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_2150_|_10:47_|_2:30.5_|_199___|_18.5_|_10.8_|_138___|_warmup
02156_|_0069_|_00:33_|_3:57.0_|_009___|_16.5_|_07.7_|_110___|_turn
02225_|_1404_|_06:40_|_2:22.3_|_152___|_22.8_|_09.2_|_157___|_head down lake
03629_|_0847_|_05:16_|_3:06.3_|_092___|_17.5_|_09.2_|_146___|_swamped
04476_|_2134_|_10:05_|_2:21.7_|_253___|_25.1_|_08.4_|_168___|_rest of lake
06610_|_0186_|_01:42_|_4:33.7_|_021___|_12.4_|_08.9_|_125___|_turn
06796_|_5724_|_27:19_|_2:23.2_|_669___|_24.5_|_08.6_|_165___|_full lake
12520_|_2246_|_14:22_|_3:11.9_|_265___|_18.4_|_08.5_|_139___|_feet out

Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
02150_|_10:47_|_2:30.5_|_199___|_18.5_|_10.8_|_138___|_warmup
09262_|_44:04_|_2:22.7_|_1074___|_24.4_|_08.6_|_165___|_Main set
01102_|_07:30_|_3:24.2_|_122___|_16.3_|_09.0_|_139___|_rest meters
02246_|_14:22_|_3:11.9_|_265___|_18.4_|_08.5_|_139___|_cool down
14760_|_16:43_|_2:35.9_|_1660___|_21.6_|_08.9_|_154___|_Total

What an adventure.

The warmup was reasonably uneventful.  I launched and headed up lake.  The wind was behind me and I was cruising along nicely.  I pushed the pace a little until my heart rate was well up in the UT1 range, then backed off to save myself for the main event.

The plan was to do two complete lengths of the lake, 11k in total at a pace a bit slower than head race pace.  To try to conserve energy, I planned to start at 22spm, and then push the rate up to 24 after 2K, then again up to 26 after another 2k.

This plan lasted until my encounter with the new police boat on the lake.  This is a truly magnificent police boat.  Apparently a surplus open ocean patrol boat from the coast guard.  It’s big and I learned the hard way that it throws a massive wake.

I was pushing hard into the head wind.  At first, in the relatively sheltered north end of the lake, I was doing OK around 2:20 pace, but slowed considerably in the chop and breeze as I got into the second 1000 meters.  Then I saw the police boat over my shoulder.  It passed to my port side, about 40 meters away, and I steered a bit toward the wake to take it straight on my bow.  The wake was huge.  I rolled down either side of my boat, well above the gunwale and completely filled the footwell before it receded to stern.  At first, I thought I would just be brave and muscle on, but the water sloshing around was really bugging me, so I turned into the docks to empty it out.  My pace from the top of the lake to the point I got waked was a 2:22.3.

That part went just fine.  In to the dock. Out of the boat.  All the loose bits out of the boat.  Oars off, lift the boat, drain it out.  Back in the water. Oars back on.  Water bottle and shoes back in the boat.  Get back in the boat.  That is where things went awry.

I stepped into the boat and got my feet strapped in.  At that point, I noticed the dock was just barely beyond my reach to push off.  Oh well, I slowly pulled in my port side oar to push away from the dock.  I had to haul it all the way so that the blade was at the oarlock.  This position was apparently a bit unstable.  I started to push off with my blade tip, and the oar slipped under the side of the dock, and in a heart beat, I was in the water next to my boat wondering what the hell had happened.

So back to square one.  right the boat.  Repeat the drill to get the water out.  Get back in.  Feet in shoes.  Push off and row humbly away.  Very embarrassing.  I paddled out to the proper course and restarted my piece.  The wind must have swung more westerly in this section because the chop was less and my pace was better.  At least it was better until I was waked again about halfway to the narrows.  I got back up to speed and continued to the narrows before I noticed that my speedcoach seemed  to have been stopped during my whole docking/draining/flipping/draining exercise and I had not logged the prior 1000 meters or so.  Dohhh!  I restarted the speedcoach and continued.  Within a few hundred meters, I was waked hard again.  Not enough to swamp me, but enough to make me stop rowing for a couple strokes.  Things were nice and flat for the next 1000m, then another waterskiing boat nailed me with a wake as I was heading into the cove at the south end of the lake.  The last 2K was at a 2:21 pace.  I guess it must have been more of a cross wind than a head wind.

At this point the thought doing another piece just like that one was filling me with dread.  I took a nice rest, a bit longer than 5 minutes and told myself that a nice tail wind would make everything feel much better.  This lie was exposed almost immediately.  The wind was coming just about from exactly sideways, and now I was on the leeward side of the lake, so the chop was bigger.  I gave up on trying to rate down at 22 because it was easier to balance at 24.  It was a real challenge to try to keep my strokes long at the catch because the chop was throwing off my balance.  I was also having trouble finishing clean on some strokes because my oars would come out of the water at different times with the wave action.  Strangely enough, after getting waked 3 times going down lake, I was completely unscathed going uplake for the entire 5700 meters.  I was slower going uplake, with an average pace of 2:23.2.  I blame the chop!

I was very tired by the time I finished the piece at the north end of the lake.  I had a drink, pulled my feet out of the shoes and took it really easy coming back down lake to the dock.  I crawled out of the boat onto the dock.

It wasn’t easy, but I have to say it was a productive session.  Need to get practice in crappy water, and I need lots of minutes at threshold to get ready for head racing.

Friday: Long UT1 row

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Weather:  Awesome!  Sunny.  It started cool around 60F, but warmed up fast.  It was in the mid 70s by the time finished.  The wind was just like yesterday, around 2-4 mph from the West.  A tailwind going downriver and a headwind heading up wind.

Plan:

  • 90′ of steady state
  • rate: 20
  • pace: ~2:30
  • HR: <155

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00003_|_1201_|_06:00_|_2:30.0_|_124___|_20.6_|_09.7_|_132___|_warmup
01204_|_2784_|_13:14_|_2:22.6_|_268___|_20.3_|_10.4_|_147___|_tail wind
03988_|_0055_|_00:20_|_3:04.5_|_005___|_14.8_|_11.0_|_140___|_turn
04043_|_2818_|_13:54_|_2:27.9_|_280___|_20.2_|_10.1_|_151___|_head wind
06861_|_0078_|_00:31_|_3:20.6_|_009___|_17.3_|_08.7_|_133___|_turn
06939_|_2775_|_13:29_|_2:25.9_|_269___|_19.9_|_10.3_|_152___|_tail wind
09714_|_0077_|_00:34_|_3:42.7_|_012___|_21.0_|_06.4_|_143___|_turn
09791_|_2798_|_14:05_|_2:31.0_|_286___|_20.3_|_09.8_|_154___|_head wind
12589_|_0054_|_00:21_|_3:13.5_|_005___|_14.4_|_10.8_|_121___|_turn
12643_|_2822_|_13:54_|_2:27.7_|_279___|_20.1_|_10.1_|_153___|_tail wind
15465_|_0061_|_00:32_|_4:22.3_|_009___|_16.9_|_06.8_|_142___|_turn
15526_|_2315_|_11:46_|_2:32.4_|_238___|_20.2_|_09.7_|_153___|_head wind
17841_|_1683_|_09:14_|_2:44.4_|_183___|_19.8_|_09.2_|_146___|_back to dock

Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
01201_|_06:00_|_2:30.0_|_124___|_20.6_|_09.7_|_132___|_warmup
16312_|_1:20:21_|_2:27.8_|_1620___|_20.2_|_10.1_|_152___|_Main set
02008_|_11:32_|_2:52.4_|_223___|_19.3_|_09.0_|_144___|_rest meters
19521_|_1:37:54_|_2:30.4_|_1967___|_20.1_|_09.9_|_150___|_Total

I’m happy with this session.  I worked within the HR cap and felt like the boat was running well.

Tomorrow:  2 x 5.5K / 5′ rest, rate r24, pace <2:20 on Lake Quinsigamond

Thursday: Easy Technique

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Weather: Sunny, hot – in the 80s, light wind around 4 mph from the west, generally a head wind when going up river.

I was out late for dinner with a customer on Wednesday night, so I decided to sleep in, and maybe catch a row in the late afternoon after work.  I was able to get out around 4:30PM and I was on the water by about 5:15.

I was originally planning to do a hard threshold session, but I’m still feeling a bit worn down.  I’m also working through some lower back pain.  I was dreading the session enough that I found myself trying to come up with reasons to not row.  Once I figured that out, I decided that it was too nice a day to miss getting out on the water to enjoy it, and reset my plans.  I would do a low intensity technique session.

I didn’t have a ton of time, so I decided to just do one lap of river, about 9km.  It’s been a while since I did a bungee row, so I opted to row from the dock to the end of the river with the bungee and then take it off for the row back.  The main thing I try to do when I row with a bungee is to work on my form during the drive.  I want to accelerate smoothly while maintaining a body forward position, with my shoulders relaxed and my arms not bent at all, then swing my body through, and finish smooth and early and get my blades out of the water cleanly.  The big thing is avoiding opening up my back early.  Paradoxically, doing this session with a bit of lower bak pain was helpful.  Essentially, my back would remind me with a twinge anytime I opened early.

I was surprised by the pace I was getting with the bungee.  I usually lose about 15 seconds or more off pace, but today it was less than 10.  Once I turned the boat around and took the bungee off, I understood why.  I was rowing with a gentle tail wind.  Now I was rowing into the wind and frankly, it felt a lot like rowing with the bungee.  I tried to just stick at an easy 18 spm, and ignore the pace as much as I could to focus on getting the drive right and enjoying the sunshine.

 

Wednesday: 13K LIT Technique

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Weather:   cool and misty.  Around 60F, quite foggy at the start, but cleared up as I went along.  Light wind <2mph, seemingly from every direction of the compass.

Plan:

  • 2′ Square Blades
  • 2′ alternating square and feathered by stroke
  • 2′ feathered – r20
  • Objectives:  clean finishes, balance during recovery (blades high!), full compression at the catch
  • HR guideline:  Top of UT1 (155), maximize time in UT2 (137-143)

This was a nice relaxed session.  Good balance and some very nice strokes.

75′ LIT

Tomorrow:  4 x 2700 / 4′ rest @ r24, pace target <2:20, HR limit 170

Tuesday: 10K OTW threshold

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Weather: mid 60s, overcast, intermittent light rain. Light SE wind, 4 mph with gusts to 6. This was a head wind going downriver and tail wind going up river.

Plan:

  • 4 x 2700 / 4′ rest
  • rate: 24-26
  • pace: ~2:15
  • No HR cap

I had a bad feeling about this workout from the moment I woke up.  I slept well, but apparently not long enough to catch up because I was sore and lethargic.

Another bad sign.  I forgot something right before I left the house and needed to climb the stairs to go back and get it.  I felt noticeably winded by the time I got to top of the stairs.  Uh oh.

Well, those intervals are not going to do themselves, you know.  So I pressed on regardless.  I got to the dock around 6:10 and I was on the water by 6:15.  It was then I noticed that my phone had not charged overnight and was completely dead (just like me!).  Today would be a speedcoach only session.  Too bad, I was looking forward to looking at acceleration curves for r24 and r26.  I’ll loop back to that later this week I guess.

When I launched, it was raining lightly, but it stopped by the time I finished warming up.  As I paddled through the cut, I heard and felt a significant thump.  I jammed my oars to stop the boat and heard a much softer bump when the log hit the impeller, and then an almost imperceptible bump when it hit the fin.  I saw it bob to the surface behind me, a weed encrusted log, about 6 feet long and 6″ in diameter.  More about that later.

I got myself setup to go in front of the island, and took off at r24.  The boat felt heavy, probably because of the light head wind, but also I was feeling a twinge in my lower back.  I got up to speed, and was counting strokes.  Looking over my shoulder I saw a single and launch coming the other way, so I stopped after about 50 strokes, hailed them, and paddled back to the launch.  I asked if he would go looking for the log and get rid of it for me.  He seemed happy to do it.  I doubt they want to lose a fin on it any more than I do.

Anyway, back to work.  I started again and was counting strokes.  It felt like a ton of effort to maintain any reasonable pace, and by the time I came out of the S-turn, I was discouraged and very tired.  I costed to a stop, paddled a little, and then brought it back up to an r24 and rowed the rest of the way to the Moody street dam.

Boy that was hard work.  I felt miserable.  Like I was rowing in mud.  I hoped that going the other way, with the light tail wind would be a bit easier.  It wasn’t.  I rowed up to the s-turn and bailed out again.  I paddled through the turn, and then did the last 1100m original start point.  Ugh.

I thought about quitting, but that would have made me feel even worse about this session.  Onward and downstreamwards!  The wind felt stronger, but it probably wasn’t, and I was having trouble just keeping the boat going faster than a 2:25.  And in the s-turn, I saw the pace popping above 2:30 a few times.  But I had had enough of bailing out.  I started to feel a bit hopeless in front of the watch factory, but eased up the pressure a bit and tried to maintain the stroke rate.  Within 10 or so strokes, I was back on track.  Once I was through the bridge, I pushed the pace a bit harder to the Moody Street dam.  I was feeling a bit better now.  At least I had completed the full rep, even if it was slow as hell.  One more to go.

Again, I focused on rate, not pace.  I was hoping that there would be a helpful tailwind.  Maybe there was a little bit, but not enough to help me.  I did OK up to the s-turn, but slowed down a lot through that.  Coming out of it, I gradually increase pressure and rate as I counted strokes.  It takes me about 300 to 320 strokes to get from end to end in these intervals, and coming out of the s-turn, I counted my 200th stroke.  Now, I just needed to get through another 120.  You can see the HR climb through this last section as I sensed the end was near.  Thank God!

After I finished, I pulled my feet out of the shoes and paddled home, working on clean finishes and balance.

Not my best work, but partial credit for sticking it out.

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_1197_|_06:48_|_2:50.4_|_123___|_18.1_|_09.7_|_124___|_warmup
01206_|_0454_|_02:00_|_2:12.3_|_050___|_25.0_|_09.1_|_147___|_head wind
01660_|_0162_|_01:02_|_3:10.7_|_016___|_15.5_|_10.1_|_144___|_stop to chat
01822_|_1181_|_05:17_|_2:14.4_|_135___|_25.5_|_08.7_|_159___|_head wind
03003_|_0137_|_00:45_|_2:42.8_|_016___|_21.5_|_08.6_|_138___|_bailed
03140_|_1129_|_05:19_|_2:21.5_|_125___|_23.5_|_09.0_|_155___|_head wind
04269_|_0037_|_00:27_|_6:10.3_|_007___|_15.3_|_05.3_|_127___|_rest
04306_|_1457_|_06:39_|_2:17.1_|_164___|_24.6_|_08.9_|_159___|_tail wind
05763_|_0239_|_01:41_|_3:31.3_|_030___|_17.8_|_08.0_|_135___|_bailed
06002_|_1094_|_04:51_|_2:13.1_|_121___|_24.9_|_09.0_|_163___|_tail wind
07096_|_0051_|_00:47_|_7:37.8_|_010___|_12.8_|_05.1_|_117___|_rest
07147_|_2798_|_13:29_|_2:24.5_|_323___|_24.0_|_08.7_|_165___|_head wind
09945_|_0117_|_01:21_|_5:44.9_|_020___|_14.9_|_05.9_|_120___|_rest
10062_|_2760_|_13:05_|_2:22.1_|_320___|_24.5_|_08.6_|_165___|_tail wind
12822_|_1212_|_07:43_|_3:10.8_|_143___|_18.5_|_08.5_|_132___|_feet out

Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
01197_|_06:48_|_2:50.4_|_123___|_18.1_|_09.7_|_124___|_warmup
10873_|_50:41_|_2:19.8_|_1238___|_24.4_|_08.8_|_162___|_Main set
00743_|_06:02_|_4:03.7_|_099___|_16.4_|_07.5_|_131___|_rest meters
01212_|_07:43_|_3:10.8_|_143___|_18.5_|_08.5_|_132___|_cool down
14025_|_11:13_|_2:32.3_|_1603___|_22.5_|_08.7_|_152___|_Total

Today’s session: 50′ HIT, 20′ LIT

Tomorrow: The plan calls for r20 steady state, but I think I need a very low intensity session.  So I think I will switch it with my Planned Friday session, which is:

  • Square Blades / Slow Roll Up / r20 2 minutes each, repeated

 

Head Race Training: Week #3 review

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Date Day Workout Type mode Planned Workout Actual
7/25/16 Mon Cross Training (UT) xt 4 x 20′ fitness center Rest Day
7/26/16 Tue Cross Training (TR) xt 10K run 45′ Thresh run on treadmill HIT
7/27/16 Wed Cross Training (UT) xt 4 x 20′ fitness center 3 x 30′ fitness center LIT
7/28/16 Thu Cross Training (TR) xt 10K run 10K run 30′ HIT, 30′ LIT
7/29/16 Fri Cross Training (UT) xt 4 x 20′ fitness center rest
7/30/16 Sat Technique UT2/UT1 otw 80′ LIT  4 x 20′ on erg LIT
7/31/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate) 4 x 20′ on erg LIT
Summary LIT: 440′ HIT: 120′ LIT: 280′ HIT: 75′

So, significantly under on both LIT and HIT minutes.  That’s two weeks in a row.  We’ll see if I can get back on track this week.

Monday: 16K Steady State OTW

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Up at 5:15am, having gotten very little sleep.  Gotta get back into this timezone somehow.

Off to Newton for my first OTW session since July 20th!  I decided that a steady state session to just get some meters in the boat.

Plan:

  • row for about 80 minutes
  • short <1′ breaks at the turn arounds for a quick drink.
  • r20
  • pace target ~2:30
  • HR cap: 155

Weather was cloudy, 70F and 90% RH.  Another recipe for copious perspiration.  There was a light wind 2-4mph from the east.  This was roughly a head wind heading down river and tail wind going up river.

Screen Shot 2016-08-01 at 1.15.09 PM

I used RIM today to see what’s happening with my stroke.  Here are plots of a few strokes with a light headwind (purple) and tailwind (yellow)

Screen Shot 2016-08-01 at 5.26.47 PM

Not much to see at these rates really.  At least it doesn’t look like I am lurging at the catch, like I used to do.

Heart rate was high and speed was slow, as I would expect after so long out of a boat.  I tried to easy up when my HR got above 155, but it got harder and harder as I went along to row that slowly.  Finally after about 12.5K, I decided to transition over to some form drills, so I finsihed with a few 500m sets of SBR and alternating SBR and feathered rowing.  This felt pretty good and I was happy that my balance seemed no worse for the layoff.

Start_|_Dist_|_Split_|_Pace_|_Strks__|_Rate_|_DPS_|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
00020_|_1072_|_05:32_|_2:34.6_|_108___|_19.5_|_09.9_|_133___|_warmup
01087_|_2765_|_13:42_|_2:28.7_|_274___|_20.0_|_10.1_|_153___|_head wind
03852_|_3091_|_15:17_|_2:28.4_|_298___|_19.5_|_10.4_|_152___|_tail wind
06943_|_2698_|_13:48_|_2:33.4_|_273___|_19.8_|_09.9_|_154___|_head wind
09641_|_2890_|_14:33_|_2:31.1_|_282___|_19.4_|_10.2_|_152___|_tail wind
12531_|_3407_|_18:21_|_2:41.6_|_330___|_18.0_|_10.3_|_148___|_drills

Dist__|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strks_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_AvgHR_|_Remarks
01072_|_05:32_|_2:34.6_|_108___|_19.5_|_09.9_|_133___|_warmup
11444_|_57:21_|_2:30.3_|_1127___|_19.7_|_10.2_|_153___|_Main set
03407_|_18:21_|_2:41.6_|_330___|_18.0_|_10.3_|_148___|_cool down
15923_|_21:13_|_2:33.0_|_1565___|_19.3_|_10.2_|_150___|_Total

So, not a bad return to the water.  Still working on endurance base.

Tomorrow:  4 x 2700’/4′ rest @ 24-26spm  (threshold)

 

Sunday: 4 x 20′ / 1′ rest

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Was planning to go rowing but I was still really jet lagged and had trouble falling asleep at a reasonable hour.  Finally fell asleep around 2am and got up around 10am.

I went and did an erg session around 3 in the afternoon.  Goal for today was to basically do the same thing as Saturday.

Still hot ~80F and humid 80% RH.  A real sweat fest.

Today, I was going for r19 and 185W.  Basically the same results as yesterday, but started at a higher initial heart rate.  I eased off against the target power in the last 20 minutes to try to stay right at the top of the UT1 band, but missed it by a couple BPM.

 

Thursday: 10K run / walk in Kumamoto

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Weather: Hot!  80F and 95% humidity.

Plan:

  • 45′ to 60′ of threshold done as 10K run outside.
  • Objective: maximize time at HR > 165 (TR range)

The hotel had no fitness center, and Komamoto is a really beautiful city with a remarkable castle on a hill, so it was a perfect opportunity for some aerobic sightseeing.

Screen Shot 2016-07-28 at 1.47.42 PM.png

Well, that did not go to plan.  I started off fine, but it was so hot and humid that I was drenched in sweat within minutes.  Then, added to that was the challenges of road closures because of the Earthquake here in April.  The damage to the Castle and the grounds was quite extensive.  There were places where the whole castle wall had just collapsed.

160415141515-gettyimages-521253376-1japan-quake-super-169

Later in the day, I was speaking to the governor of Kumamoto perfecture, and he told me that reconstruction of the castle and grounds will cost more than $600M, but his government and the national government were committed to restoring it completely.

All of this damage also busted up the roads around the hilltop where the castle sits, so I was shuttled in all sorts of unexpected directions, but the big factor was the heat and humidity.  After about 30 minutes, I found that I could not run any appreciable distance without gasping for air.  A one point during the run, I started to wonder if I was getting a heat stroke, which seems pretty melodramatic.

Anyway, after about 40 minutes, I finally asked Google maps to get me home, which it did.  There was a lot of walking in the second half of this adventure.  It was not the session I intended, but another 70′ of mostly low intensity cross training.

run

Tomorrow:  I have an early start and tired legs, so I think I will pass on the planned steady state session.