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.

The weather was beautiful.  65F, light 0-5 mph wind from the east (basically a cross wind).  Partly cloudy.

I was out on Lake Quinsigamond with the Worcester Boat Club folks.  We had 10 people today, so we had a women’s quad, men’s quad and 2 singles.  I was in one of the singles.

Plan:

1. 4x2K
2. rate increasing through piece.  500m at 24, 500m at 26, 500m at 28, 500m at 30.
3. 5 minutes paddle between pieces
4. work on rowing lighter at high rates.  Get tired before rowing at r30 and just try to ride it out at that rate.

My HR monitor didn’t work today, so I was working off of just how I felt during the row, and I felt like it was pretty hard work.  I was not happy with the pace that I was rowing or the setup in the single.  I felt like I couldn’t get as much reach as I really wanted.  I guess I was a bit too far into the bow with my foot position.  I am also a bit higher off the water in this boat.  The oars hit my chest about 2 inches above the bottom of my sternum.  Definitely higher than in my boat.  But it was good to row with other people and probably a good thing to row in a different boat for a change.

No HR data, but since I was using CrewNerd, here’s all the check and bounce data along with pace and rate.

00000_|_4600_|_30:14_|_3:17.2_____|_476_____|_15.7_|_09.7_|_warmup
04600_|_0500_|_02:17_|_2:17.0_____|_055_____|_24.1_|_09.1_|_24
05100_|_0500_|_02:20_|_2:20.0_____|_059_____|_25.3_|_08.5_|_26
05600_|_0500_|_02:12_|_2:12.0_____|_061_____|_27.7_|_08.2_|_28
06100_|_0500_|_02:07_|_2:06.9_____|_064_____|_30.2_|_07.8_|_30
06600_|_1100_|_06:53_|_3:07.8_____|_140_____|_20.3_|_07.9_|_r
07700_|_0500_|_02:15_|_2:15.0_____|_057_____|_25.3_|_08.8_|_24
08200_|_0500_|_02:11_|_2:11.0_____|_058_____|_26.6_|_08.6_|_26
08700_|_0500_|_02:12_|_2:12.0_____|_063_____|_28.6_|_07.9_|_28
09200_|_0500_|_02:08_|_2:08.0_____|_064_____|_30.0_|_07.8_|_30
09700_|_0800_|_05:56_|_3:42.5_____|_093_____|_15.7_|_08.6_|_r
10500_|_0500_|_02:17_|_2:17.0_____|_057_____|_25.0_|_08.8_|_24
11000_|_0500_|_02:18_|_2:18.0_____|_061_____|_26.5_|_08.2_|_26
11500_|_0500_|_02:15_|_2:15.0_____|_064_____|_28.4_|_07.8_|_28
12000_|_0500_|_02:09_|_2:09.0_____|_065_____|_30.2_|_07.7_|_30
12500_|_0260_|_03:02_|_5:50.1_____|_031_____|_10.2_|_08.4_|_c

Distance_|_Time__|_Pace___|_Strokes_|_SPM__|_DPS__|_Remarks
4600_____|_30:14_|_3:17.2_|_476_____|_15.7_|_09.7_|_warmup
1500_____|_06:49_|_2:16.3_|_169_____|_24.8_|_08.9_|_r24
1500_____|_06:49_|_2:16.3_|_178_____|_26.1_|_08.4_|_r26
1500_____|_06:39_|_2:13.0_|_188_____|_28.3_|_08.0_|_r28
1500_____|_06:24_|_2:08.0_|_193_____|_30.2_|_07.8_|_r30
6000_____|_26:41_|_2:13.4_|_728_____|_27.3_|_08.2_|_main set
0260_____|_03:02_|_5:50.1_|_031_____|_10.2_|_08.4_|_Cool down
1900_____|_12:49_|_3:22.4_|_233_____|_18.2_|_08.2_|_rest meters

I was pretty worn out after the first 2 intervals, so I decided to only do 3x2K today.  I felt like I was getting some good strokes in at r28 and r30.  I am feeling less rushed at these rates and able to get more reach and hit the catch a bit more gently.

I am troubled by some niggling pains right now.  My right elbow is still bothering me, but has not gotten worse.  I am wearing a brace when I am not rowing and it seems to have kept the problem from getting any worse.  I am also suffering mightily from butt pain right now.  I’m not sure why it’s happening because I was pain free until a few weeks ago when I went on a outing in a double and was practically paralyzed when we got back to the dock.  Ever since then, I am really uncomfortable in the seat by the time I’ve done about 8K.

But, hopefully these will heal over time.

Tomorrow:  Rest Day.  If the rain holds off, I think I will go for a gentle bike ride.