Sep 22 2017
The plan: 8km hard distance OTW
Reality: 30 minutes OTE
I couldn’t leave work early enough, then ended up in traffic jams. Changed plans. Drove home for an hour on the erg.
I was frustrated. After thirty minutes of erging, I stopped to write a work related email. Didn’t resume.
Tomorrow: 8km hard distance OTW.
Sep 21 2017
Wednesday
Back on the erg. This time I was a bit better prepared. For example, I listened to a podcast from the RowingChat series. Catching up with these RowPerfect podcasts, I listened to the episode where Rebecca Caroe was the interviewee.
At one point there is a short discussion about rowing data, and Rebecca remarks that people respond well to small challenges, leading to incremental improvements. YES!! I entirely agree with that. Measuring and trying to improve is a huge motivator. And it can start with simple measures. Even counting strokes on the erg. Or counting the number of strokes you can row with clean blades.
The workout was simple. I did two full sets of 5k, with a roughly one minute break in between. In the last, third interval, I rowed 2.5km at normal steady state pace, and then started to lower the stroke rate. I wanted to generate some data to look at the new Distance per Stroke metric on rowsandall.com.
I noticed that I should clean the erg. The drag factor is a bit low.
So, here are the charts with the nww metric:
Thursday
Rode to work and back on the bike. It was nice weather, and this is a very time efficient way to get 90 minutes of cross training. I am puzzled by the 600m difference between the morning and afternoon ride. It was the same route.
Planning
I have been playing with a new training plan for the coming 12 months. I am going to try out 9 day cycles, as opposed to week cycles. The nine day cycle will enable a very simple ‘rhythm’ of workouts:
Hard/easy/easy/hard/easy/easy/hard/easy/easy
Three of those cycles (plus a few days) is a calendar month, which I plan as training blocks with emphasis on a certain type of training, with a specific goal. The three cycles will be
Sep 19 2017
Sunday & Monday
I am back on the erg. Now that Bled is behind me, and because September is a hectic month at work, I am reducing the number of water sessions and starting to row more on the erg.
Somehow, I am even looking forward to it. Playing with the lactate measurements. Improving Rowsandall.com for erg users.
On Sunday, we actually planned a row in a mixed 8+, but in the end only Romana and I showed up for the session. It was raining very hard. I put the erg on slides in the rowing club erg room and rowed steady state. Painsled (the app I use for recording erg data) and I didn’t get along very well. I was running it on my new iPhone, connected to a PM3 with the cable, and it was misbehaving.
On Monday, I rowed steady state on my static erg at home. Using Painsled on the iPad, with the PM5 without any problems.
The sessions were not exciting enough to write a long blog post about. They were short. I need to prepare my erging. A collection of podcasts to listen to. And then slowly build up the length. Perhaps use a seat pad. I seem to have become more sensitive for pain in that part of the body.
Tuesday
The core of this training mesocycle is hard distance, combined with intervals at head race pace (with short rests). Today, I was targeting a 9km in the single. I do not think that I can significantly move my fitness in the three weeks I have to prepare for this race, but by doing a lot of these long rows, I think I can work on my mental toughness. Rowing long hard distances at head race pace causes an entirely different kind of fatigue than sprint racing. Also, it is a way to calibrate my power curve and figure out the power I can sustain over 6km. And finally, I need to work on my technique at 26-30spm. It is a different stroke than the sprint stroke.
To make this one even harder mentally, I decided to go to work before it, and to row it in windy and rainy weather.
Well, that wasn’t my decision. I have a job and I like it. And there is a lot of stuff that needs to be done at the office. And the weather is the weather. It’s autumn.
It was raining hard when I drove to the rowing club. When I arrived, Romana just finished her session in the eight. The girls were very wet and freezing.
I put on enough layers, and while I was preparing the boat (putting the Quiske sensor under the seat, setting up the Android phone in its holder), the rain stopped. There was a very dark cloud to the north though, and I did expect to get very wet during the session. But I was lucky, and it didn’t happen.
During the warming up, I was passed by a double with white blades (the other rowing club). To do my 9km, I had to row a little further towards Rokle than they did, and when I started the 9k, I realized I was rowing towards them and their coach in a launch. There was a risk that I would be constantly rowing in the wake of the launch, and this particular boat from the Lodni Sporty club is a very bad one. I don’t understand why their coach didn’t take the Catamaran when it was available. Apparently this boat is more comfortable, but it is heavy, and causes pretty big waves.
I actually almost caught up with them while they were listening to some coach instructions, but then they set off. I rowed slightly behind the double and in a parallel trajectory that was about 50m more to the west, to avoid being too close to the launch. First, they were rowing away from me and I was watching the wake coming closer and closer to me, but then they slowed down slightly, I added a little pressure, and I overtook them.
Turning at Sirka, and rowing back immediately towards Sirka. This is one of the hard parts of rowing a longer hard distance row with turns. It is hard to get back to the rhythm, and the rowing seems to hurt a little more in the first 10 strokes after the short pause. Crossing the launch’s wake took only four or five stroke.
In the third interval, I got more wake. The double and the launch were going towards Rokle when I was already rowing back, but the lake is narrower there and with hard, concrete banks, so you get the reflection, and the reflection of the reflection, so there were 20 or 30 strokes where my boat was bumping up and down, turning left and right, and it caused a dip in power:
Workout Summary - media/20170919-185910-Sanders SpeedCoach 20170919 0555pmo.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|09000|39:50.0|02:12.8|228.9|25.5|178.1|185.0|08.8
W-|09000|39:51.0|02:12.9|229.0|25.5|178.0|185.0|08.9
R-|00000|00:00.0|00:00.0|000.0|00.0|000.0|185.0|00.0
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|00500|02:06.0|02:06.0|228.6|24.7|154.2|170.0|09.7 - tailwind
01|00500|02:06.0|02:06.0|233.3|24.4|169.8|173.0|09.8
02|00500|02:05.3|02:05.3|234.0|24.9|174.1|178.0|09.6
03|00500|02:03.1|02:03.1|247.7|25.1|180.0|182.0|09.7
04|00500|02:04.5|02:04.5|242.5|25.1|179.7|181.0|09.6
05|00500|02:06.3|02:06.3|231.8|25.0|179.1|180.0|09.5
06|00500|02:35.7|02:35.7|220.5|25.5|176.2|179.0|07.5 - turn
07|00500|02:20.1|02:20.1|232.8|25.3|179.3|181.0|08.5
08|00500|02:17.9|02:17.9|230.8|25.2|180.2|182.0|08.6
09|00500|02:20.2|02:20.2|234.9|25.4|181.2|182.0|08.4
10|00500|02:16.6|02:16.6|236.2|25.5|182.0|183.0|08.6
11|00500|02:17.5|02:17.5|229.1|25.8|182.5|183.0|08.4
12|00500|02:37.3|02:37.3|213.6|26.1|178.6|183.0|07.3 - turn
13|00500|02:09.7|02:09.7|215.4|26.4|178.9|181.0|08.8 - wake
14|00500|02:07.2|02:07.2|220.5|26.0|179.2|181.0|09.1
15|00500|02:06.9|02:06.9|222.0|25.8|181.5|182.0|09.2
16|00500|02:06.5|02:06.5|227.1|25.8|182.4|184.0|09.2
17|00500|02:05.4|02:05.4|226.6|27.3|183.7|185.0|08.8
It is clear from the chart that I had tailwind in the first and last 3k (3k being one lake length) and headwind in the middle 3k. A couple of interesting metric charts. I wanted to hold a little below 600J in terms of Work per Stroke, but I am seeing that this is not sustainable over more then 6k.
Also, I can see how I sit up less straight when getting tired, which is effecting mainly the Wash value:
The Quiske charts are interesting. From the above metrics and from how I felt, I had already established that the third part of the row was technically the worst. Here are the Quiske charts (red being the final interval):
I think that the difference in seat speed is caused mainly by me rowing a little shorter and a little higher rate in the third interval. Looking at the boat acceleration curves, my mind is racing, thinking about ways to minimize the deceleration dip coming into the catch …
Exciting stuff – I am really enjoying rowing at head race pace.
Sep 12 2017
I haven’t blogged in more than a week. The reason is the World Rowing Masters Regatta. There was simply so much racing and stuff going on and no time to blog. But there was certainly a lot that I want to blog about. So here we go. A series of posts about the most important regatta of the season.
Tuesday
Finally! We are off to Bled. Picked up the rowers at a parking in Brno, then the trailer at the rowing club. Our lake showed its most mirror-like water, so we were tempted to unload the boats and go rowing, but traveling to Bled won.
The drive was uneventful, luckily. I would hate an “eventful” drive with a boat trailer. The only point where I was a bit nervous was when we chose the left lane at Graz, and were diverted into a very narrow temporary highway lane, separated from upcoming traffic with concrete blocks. Romana was driving and she managed the 7km of driving in this lane with perfect calm. Millimeter precision steering, with a few cm on both sides of the trailer, or so it seemed to me.
Driving into Bled town, my passengers started to make phone calls to announce our arrival and go for a training in the afternoon.
Too early.
We were caught by the organizers and put on a temporary trailer holding area.
After about an hour of waiting, we were allowed to drive to the venue. So, all in all the wait wasn’t long, and it was a good move by the organizers. If they hadn’t done this, they would have created a traffic jam of trailers on the venue.
Boats were unloaded, and the official Bled 4×4 pulled our trailer to the trailer parking. Romana and I hopped on the bike and rode to our hotel. We checked in, took a shower, and then went into Bled for a nice dinner.
Wednesday
I went for a quick training in the morning. The official training times were between 8am and 10am. First, I took some time to rig the boat. Then I had to carry it about 500m from our rack to the dock. I did two loops of the entire lake. A few practice starts and a few 20-25 stroke intervals.
In the afternoon, we rode around on the bike. We had a nice lunch on the lake. The racing had already started, but we weren’t racing today, so it was nice to see the boats rowing their warming up.
After that, we watched some races from the grandstand. I saw a regular follower of my blog win, and watched Tom Carter race the Masters A 1x. I also took the opportunity to look around the booths and chat to rowing electronics vendors.
Sep 3 2017
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.
Aug 28 2017
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 23 2017
Hard Distance – 8km in the single
Another rainy Saturday. It is interesting. On Friday, when I had to give up OTW rowing because of work and traffic jams, it was nice and sunny autumn weather. Today it was gray and rainy. And choppy. We managed to get the rowing training in during the only window of dry weather of the day, but it wasn’t ideal.
I was going to do my 8km hard distance, and Romana’s Junior girl Iva was doing a 6k full out. We are both preparing for the same head race. We paddled a warming up paddle to Rokle and then we had to wait. Two big tourist boats were passing, and we had to time our start to minimize the risk of getting into a collision course with these boats (which do a zig-zag trajectory crossing the lake several times) or having to row through their wake. You can see their course on the map. It’s the dashed blue line.
I gave Iva a 1 minute advantage, but when I saw her steering a quite wide course in that first minute, I decided to give her 2 minutes. Ideally, that would allow her to stay in the lead for her entire 6k and help her achieve a maximum effort. So I sat around waiting for another 2 minutes.
During which a clueless kayakker paddled right into my trajectory, turned around, and stopped paddling, his back towards me and staring in the other direction. With 20 seconds to go I caught his attention and when he finally understood that I would prefer him to not be in my course, he paddled away slowly.
After 1000m I had to deviate slightly from the ideal line to avoid the worst wake from one of the tourist boats. In the second kilometer, I thought that I was gaining fast on Iva, but it was confusing. Then I remembered that Iva doesn’t row in anything else than bright, fluorescent colors, so the rowers in front of me were probably somebody else. Indeed, they were a double and a single from the other club.
I rowed into the narrow part at Sirka when Iva was leaving it. After 3km, I stopped, turned, and got rowing immediately.
About 4km in, I had to change course to avoid being caught between two tourist boats. I also rated up slightly because I wanted to cross in front of one of them.
Despite these complications, I was getting closer to Iva. About 500m after the pedalo rental was the point where Iva was supposed to go all out. Indeed, it seemed that the rate of me closing in on her was slowing down a bit. It was a great hunt. It is really good to row and compete with someone else, even when you give yourself a handicap.
Turning around to do the final 2km of my 8km was hard. I shouted a few encouragements to Iva who was finishing her 6k, and then set out to survive the 7th kilometer, and wind it up for a big push on the 8th. I did the big push, and it was mentally very hard. But as always, I was glad I did it in the end.
Looking at the pace, I am glad to see it responded quite well to the increased power. Technique was not falling apart today. I am also fascinated by the speed peak at 17 minutes into the row. This was when I had to row harder to stay ahead of the big tourist boat. I guess being distracted, not focusing on the pain, but just on passing in front of that boat, gives you a boost in boat speed.
I did use the Quiske system with the sensor under the seat again.
During the row, I had the Quiske RowP app set to show acceleration. But I have to be honest. I didn’t check it once during the hard distance row. There is too much going on when your heart rate is above 180 to look at a wiggly curve on a phone screen. Otherwise, the after-row curves, averages over all strokes per section of the row, are consistent with my feeling that I was pretty consistent. That is consistency doubled. The differences I see can be explained by rating up to higher and higher rates.
Finally, a series of metrics charts.
Pretty happy with this row!
By sanderroosendaal • Uncategorized • 3 • Tags: head race prep, lake, OTW, rowing, single, training