Aug 28 2017
Monday – Speed work in the double
A short training in the evening. When I made it to the rowing club after work, Romana had already rigged the boat and cleaned it after transport.
Going into the taper for Bled, I wanted this one to be an intensive but short training. I chose my beloved 45″/R75″ format. I personally think our boat moving skills are good, but Romana is unsure about some of the technique changes I have made. Due to rowing with the power meter and analyzing the metrics that the Oarlock has revealed, I have been making gradual changes in my technique, and the issue is that Romana hasn’t changed with them, as she was not rowing for a few weeks in June/July due to back issues.
After a 2k warming up with some 10 stroke bursts, we did 6 intervals. After the fourth one we had to do a quick turn because there was too much traffic ahead. Paddle boards, wind surfing, sail boats, and a pair from the other rowing club, who are also preparing for Bled. Actually, that ladies’ pair was rowing in the wrong direction, against the traffic pattern. I did point that out to them after we had completed our intervals. Told them a crash would have damaged two boats and ruined our plans for the World Masters Regatta.
Here is the summary:
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-SPM-|-Pwr-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
01|00200| 00:45 |01:52.5| 33.3| 000 | 140 | 166 | 8.0
02|00209| 00:45 |01:47.6| 33.3| 000 | 164 | 175 | 8.4
03|00206| 00:45 |01:49.2| 34.7| 000 | 162 | 173 | 7.9
04|00211| 00:45 |01:46.6| 33.3| 000 | 165 | 174 | 8.4
05|00189| 00:45 |01:59.0| 32.0| 000 | 168 | 176 | 7.9
06|00195| 00:45 |01:55.3| 33.3| 000 | 165 | 176 | 7.8
Workout Summary
--|01210| 04:30 | 1:51.5| 33.3| 000 | 161 | 176 | 8.1
After my “friendly” chat about the traffic pattern, we turned around and rowed a “500m” against the pair. Actually, we were leading by several boat lengths after about 400m when Romana had enough of constantly turning around to check the position of paddle boarders, pedalos, sailing boats, and wind surfers, and we continued to row slowly.
I had put the Quiske sensor on Romana’s scull. So here are some charts, from all the 45″ intervals as well as the 500m.
When I put the sensor on the scull, Romana joked that she hoped that I wouldn’t remove her from the selection based on her rowing data. Of course, I praised her great rowing style. (And I don’t think there is anything wrong with these curves.)
What is interesting is to compare the scull horizontal/vertical angles of a stroke between the single and the mixed double. I don’t realize it any more, but we do row a shorter stroke, as Romana is a bit shorter than I am. And here are the data:
The outlier curve is me in the single.
Sep 3 2017
Goodbye Prygl
Prygl is the nickname of the Brno reservoir. Today was the last training. Tomorrow we’ll load the trailer and on Tuesday morning, we’ll drive to Bled.
On the map, it looks like an easy drive. The familier route to Villach. Then turn left to the Karawanken tunnel, pop out of the tunnel on the Adriatic side of the Alps, a couple of hair pin turns, and we’re there.
Romana and I launched at 5pm in quite rough conditions. We decided to take shelter in the Gorge. In the Gorge, the water was flat but the wind was unpredictable. We did a 5 minute rate ladder, 3 minutes at 26spm, 1.5 minute at 30spm, 30 seconds at race pace, in mostly headwind conditions. We weren’t entirely happy. It’s a fine balance. Sometimes we get that light catch and we’re very close to flying. Sometimes, the timing is off just slightly, and it’s a slog. You don’t see it in the boat speed immediately, but the rowing is without a spark, it’s not playful, and it tires the body much faster than when the fire is on.
We turned around at the Castle, and on the way back we did a few start practices and short race pace pieces.
Then we crossed the lake in a fantastic strong tailwind, with very heavy chop. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Romana enjoyed it less, but she wasn’t as uncomfortable as usually. I just need to set the oarlocks a touch higher when there’s chop, on our double.
Oh, and I forgot to blog about what I did on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, I cycled to work, through the rain.
At work, I moderated a strategy workshop for the full day. Then I cycled home, through the rain.
On Saturday, the weather was slightly better. I took a lazy day and the only exercise I got was a short cycle tour with my son Robin. We rode into Brno, had a drink at the Selepka pub in the park, and then rode home.
On Saturday evening, we went to the movies, to see a new movie by Jan Sverak. The English title is “Barefoot on Stalks” and it is a great, slightly nostalgic, movie, telling the childhood memories of the director’s father, from occupied Czechoslovakia in WW II, seen from the perspective of a child. Here is the trailer.
So … goodbye Prygl. We’re going to Bled.
By sanderroosendaal • Uncategorized • 3 • Tags: double, lake, OTW, rowing, taper, training