Indoor Rowing Race

Gingface

Anyone heard of this??

Rowing Race

They don't have a boards sports section so i think it'll do here!

Put a last minute entry in with one of the lads in work for crack and thought i'd see if anyone else is too! There's a section for 'previous & expected' score so I assume they won't group me with an olympian

The Guvnor

This is basically part of the CRASH-B's which have been running for years.

CRASH-B - stands for Charles River All Star Has Beens and is a reference to former Ivy Leagure rowers (mainly harvard) in the US.

Tiff Wood set it up:

http://www.crash-b.org/web/about/c-r-a-s-h-b-history/

It is basically THE indoor rowing barometer and the irish event follows the same principles and would be a great but brutal event to enter.

Best of luck!

mgmt

Gingface wrote: »

Anyone heard of this??

Rowing Race

They don't have a boards sports section so i think it'll do here!

Put a last minute entry in with one of the lads in work for crack and thought i'd see if anyone else is too! There's a section for 'previous & expected' score so I assume they won't group me with an olympian

Don't be under the illusion that this will be fun. 6-7min of pure hell.

The Guvnor

6 mins may be optimistic!:D

I had a look at the irish records on concept 2 and it appears that no Irish person went under 6 mins in one of the c2 races. 6 mins even was the best time so far, what a kicker that must have been, just 0.1 faster and he'd have a 5m59.9!:)

Gingface

The Guvnor wrote: »

All Star Has Beens

Haha what a name!

mgmt wrote: »

Don't be under the illusion that this will be fun. 6-7min of pure hell.

.....I'm expecting dancing fairies and smiles all round!!

Maars

I did this event a few years ago when it was in UCD, you'll be lumped in with your age group and weight division so if you are under 30 and over 75kgs you'll more than likely be racing against the fastest guys on the day. This year it is doubling as Irish trials so you could well be in with an Olympian...but there will be all levels at it.

Save something for the last 500m..

The Guvnor

I read that as well Maars, all high performance rowers must compete on the day!

I think this is a good idea - puts the pressure on them which is never a bad thing imo.

I'd do it but - sock drawer needs re-arranging or something!:D

osotogari

Whats the distance?

Hanley

2k in < 6 minutes... SICK. Literally.

osotogari wrote: »

Whats the distance?

2km as far as I know.

token

The Guvnor wrote: »

I had a look at the irish records on concept 2 and it appears that no Irish person went under 6 mins in one of the c2 races.

Can you post a link to the records?

Maars

http://concept2.co.uk/records/2000_irish

Not sure how accurate that list is though..I'd guess there are plenty of serious on-the-water rowers that don't bother reporting their rowing machine bests to Concept II. Perhaps its only records from the indoor rowing championships.

Parsley

Maars wrote: »

http://concept2.co.uk/records/2000_irish

Not sure how accurate that list is though..I'd guess there are plenty of serious on-the-water rowers that don't bother reporting their rowing machine bests to Concept II. Perhaps its only records from the indoor rowing championships.

i know a lot of those guys - they are on-the-water beasts too. couple olympians in there. They're a few years out of date though, Finbarr Manning, the guy on the top of the list, pulled that time when i was on the irish junior squad with him. He's going for sub-6 quite soon. It helps that he's 6 foot 5 inches with a nearly 7 foot armspan :pac:

The Guvnor

I believe it's accurate.
Albert Maher never went under 6m for 2k iirc.
I don't know why no heavyweights have cracked the 6m mark yet - it must be possible.

The Guvnor

I should say we know it is possible as many UK/EU athletes are going sub 6 some even sub 5m40!

It's not like these guys are much bigger if even than the the Irish guys.

Maars

It could just be that the IARU have never focussed on erg scores(outside of perhaps some early season trials) and likewise the rowers themselves just saw it as a means to an end e.g. using the rowing machine when they couldnt get out on the water for a training session. I cant imagine the majority of Olympic hopefuls turning up at previous Irish Indoor rowing championships unless the IARU made it mandatory(Albert Maher perhaps being the exception Guvnor?).

As far as I know, this is the first year that the IARU have officially been involved in organising this event, so perhaps it will start getting taken more seriously.

Parsley

The Guvnor wrote: »

I believe it's accurate.
Albert Maher never went under 6m for 2k iirc.
I don't know why no heavyweights have cracked the 6m mark yet - it must be possible.

Eamonn Joyce did - heavyweight U23. He fecked off to New Zealand to row senior for a few years after that though.

The Guvnor

Maars wrote: »

It could just be that the IARU have never focussed on erg scores(outside of perhaps some early season trials) and likewise the rowers themselves just saw it as a means to an end e.g. using the rowing machine when they couldnt get out on the water for a training session. I cant imagine the majority of Olympic hopefuls turning up at previous Irish Indoor rowing championships unless the IARU made it mandatory(Albert Maher perhaps being the exception Guvnor?).

As far as I know, this is the first year that the IARU have officially been involved in organising this event, so perhaps it will start getting taken more seriously.

Might also explain the lack of success in the heavyweight section of rowing. I think to even have a chance of success on the water a heavyweight needs to be sub 6m.

Technique is vital as we all know but Rob Wadell may not be the best technician but with his power he gets by!:D

To put this in perspective Tim Foster was a small heavyweight and he did get sub 6m albeit just.

I think forcing all IARU athletes to compete is good for them and good for indoor rowing as well!:)

The Guvnor

Parsley wrote: »

Eamonn Joyce did - heavyweight U23. He fecked off to New Zealand to row senior for a few years after that though.

When and by how much? Is he still competing?

Don't get me wrong here - 6m or 6m10 or less is still a great time just not when looking at the international scence.

Parsley

The Guvnor wrote: »

Might also explain the lack of success in the heavyweight section of rowing. I think to even have a chance of success on the water a heavyweight needs to be sub 6m.

Technique is vital as we all know but Rob Wadell may not be the best technician but with his power he gets by!:D

To put this in perspective Tim Foster was a small heavyweight and he did get sub 6m albeit just.

I think forcing all IARU athletes to compete is good for them and good for indoor rowing as well!:)

Well the high performance director has just scrapped the heavyweight squad, so eh... yeah. we've never been good heavyweight, noone's really sure why.

Rowers who try for the national squad have always had to submit monthly erg scores for 2ks, and 5ks in the winter time. If you think 2ks are hard, a 5k is a whole other animal. It's the 7th level of hell.

The Guvnor wrote: »

When and by how much? Is he still competing?

Don't get me wrong here - 6m or 6m10 or less is still a great time just not when looking at the international scence.

Back in about 2000-2002ish i think, only by a second or less. He was back in Ireland about 2-3 years ago, i was training with him as it was my first year on the senior squad... he kicked everyone's hole in training, but he wasn't on the same form he once was. not sure what he's at now.

The Guvnor

Thanks Parsley.

Are you are a lightweight?

I've done my share of 2 & 5k's!

Cracknell's 15m09 for 5k is awfully impressive!

If you are a lightweight rower this is for you mate!:D

AntiVirus

I wouldn't mind doing this for a laugh some time. I'd do some rowing in the gym after my weights session and my best time for 2000 meters is 7:06. How would that compare to the other amateur's? I'd be 75kg and 38 years old?

Parsley

Guvnor, i used to be. back injury forced me out of rowing though, and into power/olympic lifting. I had a bright enough future in rowing, bit of a shame really. ah sher! The erg was never my thing though. serious ergophobe like most lightweights, but I could hockey a good few heavyweights around on the water.

Maars

There's been a lightweight sub 6min now too..Henrik Stephansen, don't know how the Danes keep producing such lightweight talent..or rather, don't want to know.

I've done a good few 5ks and 10ks too in my time but still always found the 2k added enough of an anaerobic element to make it the most painful. Having said that I once had a crack at a 1k and by the end of it I couldnt actually see the monitor, vision had completely gone...ahh good times.

The Guvnor

AntiVirus wrote: »

I wouldn't mind doing this for a laugh some time. I'd do some rowing in the gym after my weights session and my best time for 2000 meters is 7:06. How would that compare to the other amateur's? I'd be 75kg and 38 years old?

1st most years based on the online c2 ranking for ireland and your age/weight.

Slice 16 seconds or so off that time and you'd do well.

AntiVirus

The Guvnor wrote: »

1st most years based on the online c2 ranking for ireland and your age/weight.

Slice 16 seconds or so off that time and you'd do well.

No way, that can't be right or I must be on some easy setting?

Is there any settings on the C2 that I may be missing. The only one I use is the damper which I put to 10. I know some people put this to 4-6 but I find I do the fastest 2k time on 10.


PS: It wouldn't just be me racing against me! lol :-D

The Guvnor

On the concept 2 uk website you can see the irish times submitted yearly for your age and weight and YES 1st most years with a couple of entrants.

6m24.8 is the Irish Record. Honestly 6m40 is a top time for a lightweight imo.

Given you do the erg at the end of a session and also that your technique could be improved it is feasible to get you down to this level.

Maars

AntiVirus wrote: »

No way, that can't be right or I must be on some easy setting?

Is there any settings on the C2 that I may be missing. The only one I use is the damper which I put to 10. I know some people put this to 4-6 but I find I do the fastest 2k time on 10.


PS: It wouldn't just be me racing against me! lol :-D

If you come in under 75kgs on the day..and you will be weighed...you'll be in the lightweight 30-39 division. Thats the division I raced in and its very hit and miss quality wise. I was one of only two guys in the race one year. the following year there was a field of 7 or so and 2 of us went sub 6:40 which was a reasonable effort.

Maars

Erm..Entries are closed.

AntiVirus

I went down to the gym at lunch time to try out the old rowing and I was surprised to get 7:30 considering I'm recovering from a rotary cuff injury and also bicep tendonitis in the other arm from over doing the chin ups. It was my first time rowing for about 2 months.

The only rowing I ever do is 2km which I used to do about one and the odd time twice a week. Can you give me any advice on what would be a good type of workout to improve my times. I don't think it should be to hard for me to get under 7 minutes.

Also I don't think my form is the best, I seem to push off from my toes and about mid way push from my heels? Any good links for tip

Thanks for the advice!

Maars

Antivirus, theres a bunch of things you can do to improve your stroke/form..

• don't over-compress/over-reach at the beginning of your stroke, as a rule of thumb don't let your shins go too much beyond vertical
• the sequence of actions on drive and recovery should be legs-arms-arms-legs i.e push with legs first and as you are almost straight legged then pull with your arms then do the opposite as you slide back in
• On the drive get your heels down into the foot plate as quick as possible and push from that part of your foot - think of a deadlift or squat..you dont want to try them on the balls of your feet
• Try rowing with your feet out of the foot straps. It takes a bit of practice but it will help you develop good form; so that you aren't trying to pull yourself back in by your feet(lean forward and let the chain pull you in) and you aren't pulling too hard at the end of the stroke(waste of energy)

You'll find much more discussion on the concept 2 forums here
http://concept2.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=4 ... have a search around.

In terms of improving your 2k times, better form will help a lot but other than that you just need to do lots of rowing. I found higher power stuff very benficial, so things like 30mins at 20 SPM. And then some short sharp stuff is helpful closer to a race say 8 * 500m. You can vary the recovery to target different aspects of your physiology.

With regard to drag factor(essentially, where the lever is set on the machine - depending on how well the machine is maintained) you'll find that as your form improves it becomes easier to row at the lower levels.

I'm sure I've missed some obvious stuff, Guvnor and Parsley might add their thoughts..

The Guvnor

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055856297
This thread has some good advice.

AntiVirus

Excellent stuff there Maars!

I'm pretty much sure my form is not good as my spm seems very high so I'm going to focus on my form for a bit and do some longer rows.

Thanks for the reply.

AntiVirus

The Guvnor wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055856297
This thread has some good advice.

Reading it now!

The Guvnor

Realistically people rate (spm) 28-32 for a 2k piece, guys at the heavier end would be more on 28.

Just keep telling yourself that rowing is all legs!

AntiVirus

The Guvnor wrote: »

Realistically people rate (spm) 28-32 for a 2k piece, guys at the heavier end would be more on 28.

Just keep telling yourself that rowing is all legs!

Yeah, I was on 36 spm the other day for my 2km. So I'm going to spend an hour on Sunday trying to get better form and find out which damper setting suits me best.

On one website it said you should set a pace of 2mins for 500m which would be 28 spm and try doing it with different damper settings to see which one felt best. Off for a quick runch now :-D

Parsley

well testing standards are a drag factor of 120 for lightweights and 130 for heavyweights...

AntiVirus

Parsley wrote: »

well testing standards are a drag factor of 120 for lightweights and 130 for heavyweights...

I'll mess about with the drag settings as well and see how I get on at the 120 setting and post back my results, thanks.