Small Pyramid

Probably the last training in the single before Belgium. Sunday mixed quad, Monday probably a rest day and Tuesday the Masters quad. Reduced intensity a week before the race, so I did the “small pyramid”:


20 seconds @ 40spm
20 seconds rest
40 seconds @ 38spm
40 seconds rest
60 seconds @ 36spm
60 seconds rest
40 seconds @ 38spm
40 seconds rest
20 seconds @ 40spm


Rowing in the single, I did all intervals at a slightly lower stroke rate. The 20 seconds were going to be standing start and then keep the rate high. The 40 seconds were going to be above race pace, and the minute was going to be at race pace, but with a “15 stroke move” after 15 strokes.

I had been reading in my edition of Nolte’s “Rowing Faster” (first edition) and there was a remark on “race moves”:

• A 10 stroke move is too short to change how the race is unfolding
• A 20 stroke move is too long to get the crew to really row at higher intensity/stroke rate
• The ideal is a 15 stroke move
• This has to be trained in intervals sessions in order to simulate how it feels during the race (including tiredness).

So I decided to build that 15 stroke move into my 60 seconds, imagining that I would be sprinting for the line.

I met another sculler at Rokle, and he agreed to do the 20 seconds from standing start with me, even though he was coming out of a long steady state session towards the castle. It is always nice to have someone rowing next to you. I beat him by about a length.


| Dist_ | Time_ | Pace__ | _SPM | avg HR | max HR | Remarks
| 02051 | 12:51 | 03:07.9 | 19.6 | 140 | 176 | WU
| 00096 | 00:20 | 01:44.4 | 37.8 | 129 | 159 | 20 sec from standing start
| 00064 | 00:19 | 02:29.0 | 21.4 | 169 | 171 | rest
| 00195 | 00:41 | 01:45.4 | 33.5 | 175 | 182 | 40 sec
| 00135 | 00:40 | 02:28.2 | 21.2 | 180 | 183 | rest
| 00273 | 01:00 | 01:49.8 | 33.2 | 182 | 185 | 60 sec with "move"
| 00176 | 01:00 | 02:50.5 | 18.4 | 177 | 185 | rest
| 00017 | 00:39 | 18:36.2 | 32.9 | 179 | 181 | 40 sec; GPS trouble


I do not have reliable data for the second 40 seconds and 20 seconds intervals, because the XGPS160 decided to stop measuring distance.

I am quite happy with how it went. I managed to hit my race stroke rate quite well and row a 1:49 split during the 60 seconds effort. The “15 stroke move” was intense but good. In the 40 seconds I rowed around 1:45 split.

At Sirka, I took a panorama picture of the lake:

Then I rowed next to one of Romana’s new girls for a while to give her instructions. A 17 year old who was on a rowing camp in Italy this summer and decided that she wants to continue with rowing. She’s definitely talented and according to Romana who did a 2x10min on the erg with her, her erg fitness is quite good. It will be nice for Romana to have a new beginner to take care of. If she will be a good race rower, will depend on how often she will show up at practice. So far she seems to enjoy learning a new skill.