how fast can you row 2000 metres ?

[clonmult]

I need to start doing distance work .... but my 100m is gradually improving.

Did a 100m pb on the ski erg last night - 16.2. And on Saturday morning I knocked another tenth off my 100m - so now at a rather decent 15.2.

But the manager that I'm chasing at work wasn't satisfied with his 14.9. He's gone down to 14.7. Git.

[Fezzaman]

haha looks like you're on your own at the moment on the erg. Keeping on top of my fitness regardless though, hoping back gets better with time for me to hit the 1mil by end of year. Maybe I should get on that weight training I've been avoiding all year, especially as 'peak' beach body season has passed and the gym is already getting a little quieter....

Anyway, don't know if anyone bothered watching the finals from Henley, but this one is a cracker - watch to the end: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaZoK_MxbOQ

[Brother D]

clonmult said:

Ouch .... lunchtime maffeton HR cap 10 (139bpm), nice and boring/relaxing.

Finished off with a couple of 100m sprints. New PB, 15.3!

Colleague asked me what I was trying to achieve. After catching my breath I said "Near death experience, sorted". Deeply unpleasant, but now I'm pretty sure that in a few months I'm going to be under 15 seconds for the 100m.

Can I ask how do you get down that low? Are you doing a 'rolling start' or is it just high spm?

[clonmult]

Brother D said:

clonmult said:

Ouch .... lunchtime maffeton HR cap 10 (139bpm), nice and boring/relaxing.

Finished off with a couple of 100m sprints. New PB, 15.3!

Colleague asked me what I was trying to achieve. After catching my breath I said "Near death experience, sorted". Deeply unpleasant, but now I'm pretty sure that in a few months I'm going to be under 15 seconds for the 100m.

Can I ask how do you get down that low? Are you doing a 'rolling start' or is it just high spm?

No rolling starts allowed on ranked sprints. Its a combination of higher rate (typically around 55spm for me), less legs and pulling with everything you have.

Early this season I was stuck at around 16 seconds, just couldn't pull lower. Then watched one of Ross Loves videos (he holds the world record, an insane 12.8 seconds - he pulls down to a mildly insane 1:01 pace) and figured out what I was doing wrong all along.

Think this video he's pulling about 13.0.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMS74Kro34w

[13m]

clonmult said:

No rolling starts allowed on ranked sprints. Its a combination of higher rate (typically around 55spm for me), less legs and pulling with everything you have.

Early this season I was stuck at around 16 seconds, just couldn't pull lower. Then watched one of Ross Loves videos (he holds the world record, an insane 12.8 seconds - he pulls down to a mildly insane 1:01 pace) and figured out what I was doing wrong all along.

Was the problem beard related?

[clonmult]

13m said:

clonmult said:

No rolling starts allowed on ranked sprints. Its a combination of higher rate (typically around 55spm for me), less legs and pulling with everything you have.

Early this season I was stuck at around 16 seconds, just couldn't pull lower. Then watched one of Ross Loves videos (he holds the world record, an insane 12.8 seconds - he pulls down to a mildly insane 1:01 pace) and figured out what I was doing wrong all along.

Was the problem beard related?

I'm not putting my increased performance down to facial hair growth. Insufficient evidence to prove either way.

(the "problem" was that I was using a normal rowing stroke - full length drive with the legs, etc. - whereas the seat should really only move an inch of two)

[LambShank]

So would almost all your movement be from the waist and arms?

I knocked nearly a second off my best 100m by only doing half slide.
Going to try your method next.

[clonmult]

LambShank said:

So would almost all your movement be from the waist and arms?

I knocked nearly a second off my best 100m by only doing half slide.
Going to try your method next.

Pretty much - I'm now reliably putting in 15.3/15.4/15.5 - but so much hinges on the first couple of pulls. My PB had the first 2 pulls at 1:44 and 1:28. Typically pulling sub 1:20 by the third stroke. Which is effectively way too slow to get a truly top time, but I'll get there with practice.

[CDC]

13m said:

clonmult said:

10x1 minute, 1 minute rest, not 10x1k ... don't think I've ever done a 10x1k.

The last 10x1 was done as a warm up before the 100m PB on Saturday morning. Barely broke into a sweat, averaged 1:42.8.

Have a go at 10 x 500 with 1 minute rest.

There is a theory that whatever you can average over the 10 x 500s is the pace you can maintain for 2k. So, if you can pull 1:45 you're on for a 7 minute 2k.

Yes I would agree. It's a good indicator of what your average will be.

10x1k or 10x3min used to be a solid Leander session i think. A real life ender. Alex Partridge would hold a 1:30 avg split.....

[TotalControl]

Not quite 2000 as I only managed half of that in 4:31, which is really bad.

Have been out for a log time (circa 6 months) and this is only my 3rd day back in the gym. I would like to heavily improve on this time.

[13m]

TotalControl said:

Not quite 2000 as I only managed half of that in 4:31, which is really bad.

Have been out for a log time (circa 6 months) and this is only my 3rd day back in the gym. I would like to heavily improve on this time.

When I started rowing last year I did all the standard distances just to record a time for each. I didn't push myself. That way I knew that when I DID push myself and improve technique I would have the pleasure of beating each of my PBs!

[clonmult]

TotalControl said:

Not quite 2000 as I only managed half of that in 4:31, which is really bad.

Have been out for a log time (circa 6 months) and this is only my 3rd day back in the gym. I would like to heavily improve on this time.

Bad in relation to .... ?

Considering the new world record for 1k is 2:39 .... everyone is really bad, even 99% of olympic rowers who could only get within 5-10 seconds of that pace.

Its all about personal development, attempting to better yourself. I was lucky for a while, having a colleague at the office gym who was broadly similar pace to myself. That made for some fun gym sessions (ie. really painful!).

Just keep going, enjoy, push yourself.

[13m]

clonmult said:

Just keep going, enjoy, push yourself.

That sentence is full of confusion.

[Brother D]

clonmult said:

No rolling starts allowed on ranked sprints. Its a combination of higher rate (typically around 55spm for me), less legs and pulling with everything you have.

Early this season I was stuck at around 16 seconds, just couldn't pull lower. Then watched one of Ross Loves videos (he holds the world record, an insane 12.8 seconds - he pulls down to a mildly insane 1:01 pace) and figured out what I was doing wrong all along.

Think this video he's pulling about 13.0.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMS74Kro34w

Ahhh ok, I've always done racing start ending up at full slide on 100m. You can see from the video he's probably not even doing a quarter slide for the whole thing (looks terrible for the back)!

[clonmult]

13m said:

clonmult said:

Just keep going, enjoy, push yourself.

That sentence is full of confusion.

I used to think it was confusing, but the enjoyment from getting a new PB on any distance is pretty darned awesome.

[clonmult]

Brother D said:

clonmult said:

No rolling starts allowed on ranked sprints. Its a combination of higher rate (typically around 55spm for me), less legs and pulling with everything you have.

Early this season I was stuck at around 16 seconds, just couldn't pull lower. Then watched one of Ross Loves videos (he holds the world record, an insane 12.8 seconds - he pulls down to a mildly insane 1:01 pace) and figured out what I was doing wrong all along.

Think this video he's pulling about 13.0.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMS74Kro34w

Ahhh ok, I've always done racing start ending up at full slide on 100m. You can see from the video he's probably not even doing a quarter slide for the whole thing (looks terrible for the back)!

Yup. The seat is only moving a few inches, rather than the full range.

My start still sucks (fastest first pull is 1:44), but following this technique has improved my pace from 16.0 to low 15s. My other half seems to think that I can get down below 15 seconds.

[13m]

clonmult said:

13m said:

clonmult said:

Just keep going, enjoy, push yourself.

That sentence is full of confusion.

I used to think it was confusing, but the enjoyment from getting a new PB on any distance is pretty darned awesome.

I am not sure whether the PB outweighs the pain I experience for 30 seconds after I finish rowing. The United Nations should get involved really, it must be a breach of my human rights or something.

[clonmult]

13m said:

clonmult said:

13m said:

clonmult said:

Just keep going, enjoy, push yourself.

That sentence is full of confusion.

I used to think it was confusing, but the enjoyment from getting a new PB on any distance is pretty darned awesome.

I am not sure whether the PB outweighs the pain I experience for 30 seconds after I finish rowing. The United Nations should get involved really, it must be a breach of my human rights or something.

I'll admit that I haven't felt anything from the recent 100m improvements. Its over and done in no time. No pain after, just slightly out of breath.

Now, a 1k or 2k trial - the pain from one of those lasts for a lot longer than 30 seconds. If the pain only lasts for 30 seconds, you weren't trying hard enough

[clonmult]

Did a 1k time trial on Saturday morning.

3:21.5, 0.2 seconds away from equalling my PB. Just couldn't pull that hard in the last 200m (which is where I normally get loads back).

[Fezzaman]

Update... After nigh on 3 months without erging (not counting 1 session where I just tried a 30" to see if my back could survive) and lots of stretching/yoga/cycling, gave a 6k a go. Managed to get to the end of it and back didn't play up. Still far from perfect and lots of stretching required before and after but if I'm going to complete this stupid challenge it's going to have to be lots of shorter sessions every week. Split/HR was worse than at the start of the year (when rowing 12k!), but such is life - did do it with feet out though. Also it seemed to take forever - I have no idea how I endured 18k nonstop couple of times a week earlier this year.

Also - thoughts on rowing without strapping feet in? Forces you to not over extend at finish? Any downsides?