GODZone...

mossym wrote: »

feck. was pretty up to date on most of your coenames, and who they were. another new one now i'm going to have to figure out

LOL, nemesis, the tecnician, the maco, the body, waterpolo boy... stay tuned!

Rowing
Biked over to the University boat house after work. Bigger group this time. I coached a few on the indoor tank before we hit the water in 2 8s. (8 people + a coxwain*). *A coxwain is a small shouty bossy so and so. I stroked one 8 and nearly came to blows with our cox. He was the experienced cox and knew waht he was doing. He was trying to get me to drive teh rate up to 22, up to 24, 26, 28, 30 etc... all while rowing a short stroke to accomodate newbies dippping the oar into the water without actually pulling it. I soon figured out he was purposely trying to get one of them to catch a crab.

Catching a crab is not digging your 14 foot oar into the water to look for crustaceans. Its what happens when the oar is dropped into the water with the spoon at an angle. You pull your end, the other end disappears beneath lifting the handle you are holding. Pull with enough force and you could be swimming. I've seen someone lifted clean out of his shoes and thrown into the water.

Anyway, some of the experienced girls at the back of the boat, some 50ft away from me and the evil Cox were giving out. I took control again and rated low enough for the panicking newbies to breathe and focus on simple things. Next time he tries something like this I'll just reach forward and throw him in myself. Cocky little sh!t :cool:

The cox in the other boat, ghetto superstar, is lovely and learning to boss the crew with respect.

Its a short 1.5km stretch of river so up and down a few times for 5.45km. More time spent turning teh baost at either end of the stretch than actually rowing! Cycled home and pegged up a short hill to beat my cousins segment time on Strava. Sad, I know but at least its one segment in the city I now own

joey100 wrote: »

Never seen any like that indoor tank before! How does it work? With the boat held in place what happens with the forward momentum from the strokes??

Hey Joey. We didn't have it back in my day but its a brilliant facility for stroke analysis and correction for coaches.

1) The water is moving. It is pumped forward at assigned levels
2) The blades are hollowed out so the resistance is hugely reduced

The water displacement is thus almost nullified. The erg is for work, the tank is for technique. On the water for both

My log used to be about training for simple stuff like triathlons. Simple as in I knew what to do and how to go about it. It was just a matter of execution and going hard.

These more recent forays into the unknown are stretching. I'm in that place between concsious incompetence and concious competence. Rogaine 24 hours was the latest stretch. My body hurts like hell but I learned stacks.

It was atraining exercise for Team #TriHarder. Wicklow National Park is beautiful but brutally tough. Add incessant rain and wind during a night on the hills and it will show you just what you are made of.

I've only been up to Glendalough to swim around a lake so the rest of the region is a mystery. I very much deferred to Warren who had been up around these parts for the Art O'Nell a few times. The Setanta Orienteering gang are simply salt of the earth good people, hardened by the hills and 100% participant focused. I woulnd't be a fan of pot noodles but I was handed a pack , a spoon and a jug of boiling water to DIY. I feasted on Hoisin Duck noodles while the midges feasted on me

Was it fun? Sometimes
Was it tough? Brutally and utterly so
Would I do it again? Yes!

I won't go into details because its covered in Kate and Sinead's logs. We basically nabbed 90% of our total CPS in the first 8 hours and then walked for another 11. It involved leg sapping route 1 ascents of 600-800m summits, saddles and then some.

The hills I get are tough and it was by far and away the longest time I've ever spent on my feet. So I anticiapted the general discomfort. The terrain taught me a few things. Like never trusting bog. Getting over or around the Peat hags at night in driving wind and rain was tough enough without stepping and sinking into wet bog. Truly energy sapping.

I found the holes and burrows in the ground just annoying after some time falling and legs disappearing. I swore a lot and I rarily swear! At night the falling was often a result of distraction from the 2 green lights appearing everywhere. Sheep or Deer. It felt like those pointer lights people use for presentations, mocking you wherever you looked.

We could have done better if I had been in better shape after the night section. By 8 hours we had collected 13 of our 15 CPs. By 11 hours we had climbed up Arts Cross in the dark collecting another one. We went 4 hours without another and I mentally clocked out. We had enough learned and banked to take to the Beast. My feet were not great, I was dehydrated and my legs were spent. It was just a matter of another 3 hour trek over another mountain back to base and finish.

Swim
Feeling able bodied again! The last 2 days I was in bits. Yesterday I had some inflammation in my left hip that was pressing on some nerve causing mad pain to shoot down my thigh all day. Ibuprofen 400mg helped and it felt better this morning, thank god.

Got to the Arena a bit late and then distracted reading the front page of the paper stand inside the door. A shooting at the Arena at 7am! Drug related but 4 shots fired at a guy heading to the door. Jesus :eek:

After zero warm up I hopped in for the main set of
2x200m in on 3:14/3:21
4x100m in on 1:38/1:39/1:38/1:38
2x200m in on 3:19/3:19

then same again
2x200m in on 3:18/3:19
4x100m in on 1:37/1:41/1:39/1:40
2x200m in on 3:21/3:25

The initial 200m was quicker because I was fixing my goggles, then chased the group. The body wasn't down so they all pointed me up to the front after the first 200. I lead from there on in. I just swam steady and focused on distance per stroke. I figured from the pool clock I was around 1:40 pace and that was good enough to get both fitness and stroke benefit. No real RTs, just 10 secs after the 100s and 20 after the 200s. The group gradually fell off leaving me swimming on my own for the last few reps. My concentration waned and with it the effort.

Overall a decent swim though, as much a return as I could be getting from swimming once a week :rolleyes:

Swim Group
I probably should be doing drills for my warm up and bringing down toys etc.. but with just one swim a week, its just swimming!
400m mucking about
4x100m in on 1:33/1:38/1:39/1:40
2x200m in on 3:18/3:17
800m in 13:28 - 1:41 pace
4x100m in on 1:39/1:41/1:41/1:42
2,400m total

I think my lane are cursing me, well besides the 2 on my feet the whole set. The lane goes off 1:50 but most of the back end don't seem to make it. I also lose track of my RTs when the set is varied distances. Ok when I'm following feet. I just follow. When I lead out I just let the clock count 10 secs and go. With the longer RTs a 2k main set can feel like a plod fest and there is too much hanging around. I haven't got time for that with 1 40-50 minute swim window a week. I have to be around for the Child Minder every other morning unless Caz is off. No takers for a lead out this morning so we did it my way

I did leave 20 secs after the 800 because I was knackered. I kept up with back end of the fast lane on the other side of the rope for the 800 but I was working. 1:40 pace is aerobic stuff over there :cool:

Only a short Ergometer session over the weekend. I wasn't feeling the best. It was a weekend of kids and DIY** and I was catching 10 minute naps when I could.

**Brownie Points needed topping up

3 weeks to the Beast...

@mossym - yeah. Not my preference because it has to be late evening and impacts family time. I used to do 2 evenings a few years ago. OW with the club and a late masters set. I'll have to find a group during the winter. Trying to do a session in public lanes drives me nuts.

Bike
Got my turbo back from superwoman and her rehab. Calibrated twice and jumped on for 2 hours Z1-2. Average effort 132hr 204watts. I borrowed Cazs IPod and watched naughties music videos for distraction from the constant whirr of 90spm. I kept it rock steady to see what song would hit max watts. If I connected with a beat or lyric my cadence would naturally lift a little. For ages it was Nelly Furtado but in the end it was Britney Spears "toxic" video that won. The sh!te you do to occupy hours on the turbo :rolleyes: Happy to last 2 hours. It was more mentally than physically taxing

Rowing
Long day at work today so short session this evening. Out on the water stroking the fun 8+ again. We had the club coach out with us in a launch so the newbies got some tips. 30 mins moving time with some single stroke drills. The boat sat up at times so I was able to dig my oar in and drive the legs. Enough to work up a sweat. Not that it was difficult to do that on such a muggy evening. The coxs timing on calls was off and newbies rushing to take their next stroke. I had to be quite stubborn with the rhythm.

Bike MTBo Nave Practice
https://www.strava.com/activities/349308363
A usual bike out to the in-laws is an hour and a bit main road roadie. Today it was a 2 hour planned route on the MTB avoiding main roads and a taking in a CP to make it a scenic route. Kitted up as though it was a leg of the Beast. Map in cling film in the map holder and off I went. Warm, breezy day and it flew by concentrating on the Nav. My CP was located at Lough Gur behind the visitor center, up a steep trail with steps to a stone. Biked most of it and hike-a-biked just the last bit. The second half was a variety of back roads to the in-laws. Felt great. Tested a Zipvit expresso gel and boom! 20 mins later, juice! Pushed it to make it a session and challenge the concentration to spot turns that were not signposted. Happy to nail the route. 49.19km in 2:05 avg 23.4kmh. Very enjoyable session and daytime bike nav felt easy in comparison to the night nav practice The Beast terrain and route is undoubtedly going to be very challenging but feeling good about it

Swim Group
2,000m as
400m in 6:32
6x200m in on 3:17/3:19/3:11/3:09/3:13/3:14
4x25m hard, 25m easy
200m easy

Late down so straight into the main set. I had to catch up so pace was fresh from the start. Fell in behind the group for the first 2 200s. A new guy went out hard and dropped the group on rep 1 but was heaving. He died on rep 2 so it slowed things down. I took over the lead and hit the next 4 at about 1:36 pace dropping the group each rep. No body or nemesis down though. Felt good and stayed for the few short sprinty bits. I'm barely swimming once a week but getting a little form back.

Row
Short 30 mins Z2 capped erg at 20spm. 7,447m is a best mark for the session so base fitness is improving. Pace 2:00.8/500m. Felt good again.

Swim 'Group'
I doubt I'll ever make the warm up for these sessions again. Zoe dictates proceedings in the house and it means 7am in the pool just aint gonna happen. Still, I get down for about 20 past and the start of the main set. A 2.4km main set today. The body was there and was going to lead out until it was suggested I do. She let me off with a "going to make you commit" look in her eyes and a big grin. I set off for 2 sets of 2x200m/4x100m/2x200.

I have no clue what I was doing with my watch but it recorded that I swam 200m in 45 mins. So no splits but I know the whole lot was sub 1:40 pace. The first set was strong and I easily dropped the group, even pulling away from the body who also left the group behind. I had to work for the second set and teh dwindling group started to come back to me. Good swim