how fast can you row 2000 metres ?

[Driller]

I don't want to be a killjoy but may I suggest that we only have times that people have posted recently?

The main purpose of these lists was to get a bit of competition going to motivate us to improve, it's not going to have the desired effect if the times are not recent.

Why not have a go and post up the new time and then have fun getting back to where you were and beyond

[Highway Star]

Ok, will have a go on Tuesday in the gym at work instead of a run and post back then.

[Driller]

Good stuff

[MacGee]

40 mins today with 10280 m covered...ave was 1:56.7 at SPM25. chuffed as negative split every 10 minutes.

[Flook]

Started feeling the breath of clonmult & Driller on my neck - so had another go this morning - with well laid plans on flat splits in mind - boy did that ever go wrong...

Started off at about 1:43 for the first 500m - feeling no pain, couldn't seem to slow down without dropping the rate to a rediculous degree - second 500m & starting to feel it, settled at about 1:45 / 1:46 - about 1100m to go, breath coming very short, legs hurting now, splits climbing to 1:50+, last 800m or so just clinging on, not sure of splits, think about 1:53-ish, no chance of any increase in pace for the finish.

Afterwards, had to go and lie on the gym floor for about 10 minutes, absolutely ruined.

Next time (yes, there will be a next time!) will go for strict discipline on the flat splits, just to see if if makes the last 800m more bearable!

2000m Top Ten:
1) Fergie87 - 6:25.2 (76kg) (24 years)
2) MacGee - 6:47.6 (6'3") (103kg) (50years)
3) samwilliams - 6:53
4) Flook - 7:12.8 (5'10") (70kg) (43 years)
5) clonmult - 7:18.8 (6") (100kg) (42 years)
6) Driller - 7.23 (6'3") (82kg)
7) dtmpower - 7:34.1 (6'1") (100kg) (31 years)
8) AJLintern - 7:38 (6") (67Kg)
9) Halb - 7.45 (6'3) (114.5kg)
10)

Not on the pools: louiebaby - 6:11.4 (6'8") (96kg) (24 years) (7 years ago)
Highway Star - 6.28.6 (6'2") (73kg) (20 years) (14 years ago!)

5000m Top Ten:
1) Derek Chevalier - 17:29.9 (@R26) (6'3") (97kg) (37 years)
2) MacGee - 18:22.9
3) samwilliams - 18:59
4) clonmult - 19:48
5) Driller - 19.55
6) louiebaby - 20:00 (@R17) (6'8") (108kg) (31 years)
7) dtmpower - 20:41 (6'1") (100kg) (31 years)
8)
9)
10)

Not on the pools: louiebaby - 16:05 (6'8") (96kg) (24 years) (7 years ago)

500m Top Ten:
1) Derek Chevalier - 1:17.5
2) Fergie87 - 1:27.2
3) MacGee - 1:28.6 (silver at English indoor 2012 in HWT 50+)
4) Halb - 1:29.2
5) dtmpower - 1:34.1
6) Driller - 1:35.8
7) clonmult - 1:36
8) AJLintern - 1:42
9)
10)

[clonmult]

Flook said:

Started feeling the breath of clonmult & Driller on my neck - so had another go this morning - with well laid plans on flat splits in mind - boy did that ever go wrong...

Started off at about 1:43 for the first 500m - feeling no pain, couldn't seem to slow down without dropping the rate to a rediculous degree - second 500m & starting to feel it, settled at about 1:45 / 1:46 - about 1100m to go, breath coming very short, legs hurting now, splits climbing to 1:50+, last 800m or so just clinging on, not sure of splits, think about 1:53-ish, no chance of any increase in pace for the finish.

Afterwards, had to go and lie on the gym floor for about 10 minutes, absolutely ruined.

Next time (yes, there will be a next time!) will go for strict discipline on the flat splits, just to see if if makes the last 800m more bearable!

2000m Top Ten:
1) Fergie87 - 6:25.2 (76kg) (24 years)
2) MacGee - 6:47.6 (6'3") (103kg) (50years)
3) samwilliams - 6:53
4) Flook - 7:12.8 (5'10") (70kg) (43 years)
5) clonmult - 7:18.8 (6") (100kg) (42 years)
6) Driller - 7.23 (6'3") (82kg)
7) dtmpower - 7:34.1 (6'1") (100kg) (31 years)
8) AJLintern - 7:38 (6") (67Kg)
9) Halb - 7.45 (6'3) (114.5kg)
10)

6 seconds. I've only got to find 6 bleedin' seconds.

Tomorrow and Wednesday I've got boxercise classes, they're normally pretty darned intense. But I could always get on the rower after the class. At least I'd be thoroughly warmed up.

So, do I give it a go today? Have a good all round weights class then a row, or maybe try to do a 10k and get closer to the 40 minute barrier?

Decisions, decisions ....

[clonmult]

Worst. Work. Out. Ever.

No energy for anything, could only just scrape under 2min/500m pace for 2k. Tried running, but legs felt drained trying anything much above 11km/h. Cycling was equally lousy.

Grrrr. Grrrrrrr.

[MacGee]

I find Monday the worst day for a challenge due to the excesses of the weekend. Thursday or Friday my optimum ...

[clonmult]

MacGee said:

I find Monday the worst day for a challenge due to the excesses of the weekend. Thursday or Friday my optimum ...

Kids with me all weekend, so no excesses .... but being woke up early is a biatch. I got the day off to a bad start anyway, overslept so had to rush out the door ... just an italian shower before getting dressed for work.

Both Thu and Fri may be out, I should really be cycling into work, and caning it on the rower at lunch when I've got a 22 mile ride at the end of the day is a killer. But then no pain, no gain .... so maybe I should go for it regardless, been telling myself that I need to up the level on my workouts.

[MacGee]

Thirty mins at 1:57.spm24. Decided to pace slow but pull hard. Sweaty again.

[JonnyFive]

My fastest 2000m was 10:30 when I started.. Have got it down to 8:45 at the moment, still improving though. My target is 8 minutes at the moment.

[Halb]

JonnyFive said:

My fastest 2000m was 10:30 when I started.. Have got it down to 8:45 at the moment, still improving though. My target is 8 minutes at the moment.

There is space in that top ten board.;)

2000m Top Ten:
1) Fergie87 - 6:25.2 (76kg) (24 years)
2) MacGee - 6:47.6 (6'3") (103kg) (50years)
3) samwilliams - 6:53
4) Flook - 7:12.8 (5'10") (70kg) (43 years)
5) clonmult - 7:18.8 (6") (100kg) (42 years)
6) Driller - 7:23 (6'3") (82kg)
7) dtmpower - 7:34.1 (6'1") (100kg) (31 years)
8) AJLintern - 7:38 (6") (67Kg)
9) Halb - 7:45 (6'3) (114.5kg)
10) JonnyFive - 8:45

5000m Top Ten:
1) Derek Chevalier - 17:29.9 (@R26) (6'3") (97kg) (37 years)
2) MacGee - 18:22.9
3) samwilliams - 18:59
4) clonmult - 19:48
5) Driller - 19.55
6) louiebaby - 20:00 (@R17) (6'8") (108kg) (31 years)
7) dtmpower - 20:41 (6'1") (100kg) (31 years)

500m Top Ten:
1) Derek Chevalier - 1:17.5
2) Fergie87 - 1:27.2
3) MacGee - 1:28.6 (silver at English indoor 2012 in HWT 50+)
4) Halb - 1:29.2
5) dtmpower - 1:34.1
6) Driller - 1:35.8
7) clonmult - 1:36
8) AJLintern - 1:42

[JonnyFive]

Halb said:

There is space in that top ten board.;)

Top 10! There mustn't be many of us in this competition!

My 'stats' as per everyone else, 5'10", 120kg and 22 years old

[Driller]

Good idea Halb.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a top ten list. Let battle commence!

[MacGee]

Bugger.....dont think I could do sub7 at the minute!

[Driller]

Neither do I!

[clonmult]

Reckon if I cut out the smoking for the morning running up to a session, and with a good enough warmup and motivation (couple of the girls down the gym offering me a one-on-one after would be excellent motivation) I'd maybe brush the 7 minute barrier.

Got to keep a regular 1:45 pace, at the moment I'm doing just under 1:50.

Driller, Fluke, dtmpower - you know you can do it!

My other motivation is in equalling/beating the gym manager - he rarely does rowing, and put in a 6:58, late 20s, 6'6 .... and we've got an ex england under 18s rower at our gym, well out of practice, and he's putting in 7:03 iirc.

We'll have a quality PH rowing team in no time!

[Flook]

clonmult said:

Reckon if I cut out the smoking for the morning running up to a session, and with a good enough warmup and motivation (couple of the girls down the gym offering me a one-on-one after would be excellent motivation) I'd maybe brush the 7 minute barrier.

I reckon you're definitely not giving yourself the best chance at the minute (boxercise class before 2000m, smoking, cycling 22 miles to work on day of attempt, etc) You've got a 'right conditions' sub-7 mins in you, no problem...In fact you're going to make the rest of us look bad....Hold on a minute, have another cigarette - no, have two!

[Homer Simpson Voice] Mmmm...lovely ciggies...Mmmm [/Homer Simpson Voice]...

I'm off on hols next week, so will try one more time before I go for an even paced attempt - but I definitely think I'm getting close to the point of tiny improvements only.

[MacGee]

check out your technique on youtube videos posted before...that way you can see if you are giving it the best you can. Good form could knock a few more precious seconds off!

[Highway Star]

Halb said:

There is space in that top ten board.;)

2000m Top Ten:
1) Fergie87 - 6:25.2 (76kg) (24 years)
2) MacGee - 6:47.6 (6'3") (103kg) (50years)
3) samwilliams - 6:53
4) Highway Star - 6:55.8 (6'2") (83kg) (34 years)
5) Flook - 7:12.8 (5'10") (70kg) (43 years)
6) clonmult - 7:18.8 (6") (100kg) (42 years)
7) Driller - 7:23 (6'3") (82kg)
8) dtmpower - 7:34.1 (6'1") (100kg) (31 years)
9) AJLintern - 7:38 (6") (67Kg)
10) Halb - 7:45 (6'3) (114.5kg)
11) JonnyFive - 8:45

5000m Top Ten:
1) Derek Chevalier - 17:29.9 (@R26) (6'3") (97kg) (37 years)
2) MacGee - 18:22.9
3) samwilliams - 18:59
4) clonmult - 19:48
5) Driller - 19.55
6) louiebaby - 20:00 (@R17) (6'8") (108kg) (31 years)
7) dtmpower - 20:41 (6'1") (100kg) (31 years)

500m Top Ten:
1) Derek Chevalier - 1:17.5
2) Fergie87 - 1:27.2
3) MacGee - 1:28.6 (silver at English indoor 2012 in HWT 50+)
4) Halb - 1:29.2
5) dtmpower - 1:34.1
6) Driller - 1:35.8
7) clonmult - 1:36
8) AJLintern - 1:42

It's now a top 11, but MY GOD WAS THAT HARD

Went down the gym on the ground floor of work at lunchtime the last two days to get 're-acquainted' with the ergometer and after a steady 20 minutes yesterday, did the 2k today.

15 years ago, when I was young(er), fit(ter) and thin(ner) being on the cusp of the lightweight/heavyweight split my best was 6.28 which would work its way up to about 6.35 when I was down at race weight. Now, I'm back swimming competitively and started running a couple of months ago, but I know that ergos are a different kettle of fitness fish.

IPod plugged in with top motivational tune playlist cranked up to 11 and off we went. First 500 was fine and went through 1000m in around 3.25, feeling ok and like I'd crank it up before holding on in the last 500 (after all, you make your move at 1k don't you?). But I cranked it too hard too early and come the last 250, I was barely hanging on, legs absolutely screaming and my knuckles white from gripping too hard. Promptly vomited on finishing, just like the good old days and spent about 45 minutes cooling down outside before returning to my desk a sweaty gibbering wreck.

Safe to say, I will be sticking to swimming and running, but it was good to do it again, nice to prove I could still get sub-7 and know that when in a few weekends time I row for the first time in 15 years with my old crew against the current incumbents, I should be able to hold my end up reasonably.