Oct 22 2017
Training for Red Bull Head of Prague – turning an eight
So we signed up for this race, to be held next weekend.
The course is interesting: 
Four kilometers downstream towards the center of Prague, then a U turn (in the eight) and finally two kilometers against the stream.
They also have a fun video with beautiful shots of eights racing into the great Prague skyline:
We will compete in the Mixed category. So on today’s session we decided to
- Row a 3k at head race pace
- Work on our turning technique
First, we did a 2k warming up:
Then on to the 3k:
Workout Summary – media/20171022-1625510o.csv
–|Total|-Total-|–Avg–|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
–|Dist-|-Time–|-Pace–|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR–|-HR–|-DPS
–|03166|12:47.0|02:01.2|000.0|27.9|173.3|185.0|08.9
W-|03000|11:08.0|01:51.5|000.0|28.0|173.5|185.0|09.6
R-|00166|01:38.0|04:57.7|000.0|26.5|167.7|185.0|03.8
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|00500|01:50.6|01:50.6|000.0|27.2|150.4|169.0|10.0
01|00500|01:51.5|01:51.5|000.0|26.6|171.7|174.0|10.1
02|00500|01:50.0|01:50.0|000.0|27.3|175.3|178.0|10.0
03|00500|01:51.8|01:51.8|000.0|27.9|178.7|181.0|09.6
04|00500|01:52.2|01:52.2|000.0|28.9|181.1|183.0|09.2
05|00500|01:52.7|01:52.7|000.0|30.2|183.1|185.0|08.8
That was a good workout, and I think we found a sustainable pace for the 6k, especially given that we have some team members who are significantly older than I.
The next part was trying out the turns, which looked pretty spectacular as a few times we came quite close to one of the big tourist boats, our cox demanded a turn in three, two, one, and we did a water splashing turn. Quite a few of the tourists took pictures. Here is our course:
We had the feeling that we were improving, but looking at the close-up charts, the turn took us around 30 seconds every time. In the first one, we started going straight too early, though.
That was fun! Doing the turn, we have to remember to lean on stroke side so that the bow side can take quick strokes and actually turn the boat, while we on stroke side are trying to keep our blades and oarshaft under water and help. Big risk of ejection crabs for us on stroke side.
There was another fun aspect of this row. I recorded it with my NK SpeedCoach, then used the NK Android app to download the data to the phone and send it to rowsandall.com by email. By the time I was showered, I had the workouts on the site, including the charts, and I have been able to write this blog including the charts on the iPad, without the need to boot up the computer to run the LiNK PC software. There had been a NK app for over a year, but it didn’t export the Empower metrics, nor did it export coordinates. I like a little map with my Row, and I like to look at Empower data (although today they weren’t there, as the eight is not equipped with Empower oarlocks). The export worked like a charm. I find that very cool, although I must say that the user interface in the app is not the most intuitive. (Which may be a case of the pot telling the kettle it’s black, as the rowsandall.com user interface has been criticized as well.)
Oct 24 2017
The Power of Habit
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Now, at the start of the winter off season, the most important thing is to keep working out regularly, keep sticking to the plan and building the habit. Coming back from illness, this is hard. On Monday, I actually decided to take a rest day to finish some fine tuning of a new feature on rowsandall.com. My plan allows for this sort of flexibility. I simply took the rest day on Monday instead of Wednesday.
Today, I listened to this Rowperfect rowing chat with Charlie Simpson and Jim Flood who have published a new book on rowing coaching. At the end of the podcast, they come to talk about Rowing Data. What they said made a lot of sense and I am excited to see that rowing data starts to be discussed more and more frequently.
The session was the usual 2 stretches of 30 minutes. In the first set, I rowed Wolverine plan rate ladders. I started doing the same in the second set, but noticed my heart rate rising to above 170 bests per minute, so I took down the power to stay under 165 beats per minute.
First 30 minutes:
Workout Summary - media/20171024-1835500o.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|07232|30:04.0|02:04.7|180.6|19.9|157.7|172.0|12.1
W-|07233|30:04.0|02:04.7|180.6|19.9|157.5|172.0|12.1
R-|00000|00:00.0|00:00.0|000.0|00.0|000.0|172.0|00.0
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|02399|10:00.0|02:05.0|177.4|19.3|144.8|161.0|12.4
01|02421|10:00.0|02:03.9|182.4|19.8|160.3|167.0|12.2
02|02413|10:04.2|02:05.2|181.9|20.6|167.2|172.0|11.7
Second 30 minutes:
Workout Summary - media/20171024-1835500o.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|07224|30:04.0|02:04.9|180.6|19.9|157.7|172.0|12.1
W-|07226|30:04.0|02:04.8|180.6|19.9|157.5|172.0|12.1
R-|00000|00:00.0|00:00.0|000.0|00.0|000.0|172.0|00.0
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|02395|10:00.0|02:05.2|177.4|19.3|144.8|161.0|12.4
01|02413|10:00.0|02:04.3|182.4|19.8|160.3|167.0|12.2
02|02417|10:04.2|02:05.0|181.9|20.6|167.2|172.0|11.7
Heart rate drift was 8% in the first interval (warming up effect) and 2% in the second one. I am not 100% sure how relevant this metric is, but rowsandall.com reports it, as it was requested by a user, so I take note of the values.
Before the session, I visited an exhibition of art work made by my daughter and her classmates.
By sanderroosendaal • rowing • 0 • Tags: concept2, erg, OTE, rowing, steady state, training