Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Training - Rowing bikes???


My legs are really feeling sore after the ergo test and circuit in one night, I think that was trying to be a little too hardcore!! My calves are ridiculously tight, although the rest of me is suffering more mildly.

Perhaps I should consider one of these as cross-training type devices...
rowing bikes of the world [follow the link to see a whole lot more 'special' machines]

Monday, October 30, 2006

Cheering squad - a requirement?

Tonight I endured a session that showed the value and benefit of a crowd or cheering squad... I did a 2k ergo test by myself... it was mentally much harder than having someone cheering over your shoulder. The lack of shouting and encouragement translated into a time of 7min 7.7sec, which is a full 4 seconds slower than my first effort 2 weeks ago!!!

I did know that I was off to the circuits straight afterwards, which could have been in my head whilst I was trying to better my previous time. The circuit went pretty well considering, but my calves were very tight for most of the session. I did have to take it easier on several exercises but kept going :o)

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Proud to be damaged ??!?!?!?

The strangest side effect of yesterdays outing on the Taff was the blisters on my fingers... not strange that I had the blisters, but instead that I was so flamin' proud of them. They were in the right locations to show that I was holding the blade in the correct way... yippee, the pain meant that I was holding the oar properly!!!! ;o)

It is so very strange that you can see such strange things as victories, if I get the same chance to row every week then perhaps I'll have some more tangible sporting advances to cheer about, hehehe!!!

Bay and drunkeness

Yesterday saw training in the bay, there were actual rotations which seemed to work very well for most, there was a good buzz afterwards which might imply it did the squad good.

Later in the day saw the Captains dinner, an annual club event that involves lots of dressing up and consuming of food and drink whilst listening to speeches of the after dinner variety. There was an awful lot of drunkenness, and in a couple of cases to horrible excess. There will be an awful lot of sore heads this morning, hahaha!!!

It was good to enjoy the party in moderation knowing that my rowing and fitness is making moves in the right direction ;o)

Thursday, October 26, 2006

20/20/20 personal best

Thursday's fun that is the 20/20/20 showed a continued progression of improvement through the three part torture :o)

20's = First run circuit in 19m 06s, Ergo 5105m in the 20m, second run 19m 34s.

Very happy with this at least ;o) First 20's over 5000m in the middle twenty :o)

Am I bovvered? Am I bovvered, though? Do I look bovvered?

L: Am I bovvered, though, Look at my face, does it look bovvered, though? Look at my face. Look at my face. Look at my face, though.

S: I'm looking at your face.

L: Does any part of it look bovvered? Am I bovvered? Ask me if I'm bovvered. Go on, ask me if I'm bovvered. Ask me. Ask me if I'm bovvered.

S: OK, I'll ask you if you're bothered. Are you bothered?

L: No, I ain't even bovvered.


Thank you so much Catherine Tate... [quote 'borrowed' from HapFairy Productions Ltd - Monthly Feature]

...do I look bovvered that I am not picked to row the Taff Small Boats Head? Of course I am flaming bovvered, see my face, bovvered, YES!.

What can I do about it? Not a lot, there's no 'I' in 'team' and all that... though team or squad might imply rotation / flexibility / strength in depth... perhaps someones trying to tell me something without the will to say it?

Tomorrows blog more Ying to this Yang... where's that joke blog???? Bovvered????

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

On a theme

Carrying on yesterdays a brighter blog theme... this is how many smileys you can fit in MSN messenger... I didn't manage to train last night as I have a presentation to give in work today and was feverishly swotting (ah ha!!). Have to say the night off was good, I need a long hard look at my training intentions & schedule (once I get the presentation done - no I am not task avoiding, honest!?!?!).
PS. No!!! I have not counted the smileys ;o)

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

A brighter day

Most of my recent entries have been introspective and dry so I went looking for something brighter.... and found a cracker...

'Borrowed' from crazy-jokes.com

Monday, October 23, 2006

Quite where do I go?

I am left wondering what I have to do to get a decent row, the squad has deteriorated into several crews leaving some on the fringes looking for scraps. It may all change after the next race event, but those left in the cold are getting rusty and dis-spirited.

Of course the whole thing has a fluid nature so this time next week, I could be cooing about the opposite, but I do doubt that.

I am determined to keep working hard and trying to get a place, but it looks like being a long tough and somewhat lonely process... the lonely furrow element is really the part that leaves me wondering "can I be bothered?" - the answer for the moment is yes, but I don't know how long that might hold true :o(

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Aches - Weights - Webcams

I have the beginnings of some interesting post circuit aches, I still don't think someone of my build should be doing the Irish lightweight circuit. But what does kill ya makes you stronger and all that ;o)

Got on the scales this morning to an awakening, I am definitely now up around the 15st 9lb mark consistently. The training leaves me feeling so tried that I feel I need the food, perhaps I am over doing the perceived compensation... and eating the wrong compensatory foods, hmmm... this one needs some thought...

Everyone is web-cam mad (and I don't just mean dodgy ones) my father-in-law is sporting one, and amusing my wife no end with his stationery office antics... and now the Llandaff Rowing Club has finally gotten things together and re-vamped theirs (I have updated the link) LRC Webcam... there was even signs of a boat earlier!!! hehehe

Monday, October 16, 2006

Weekend = 3 seat

The two training sessions over the weekend saw me trying out the 3 seat, on Saturday I had to wait my turn, which was cool until I got in the boat and discovered my head was Swiss cheesed. The session on the water was brief, we had a second seat swap which helped somewhat, but being properly warmed up by then I was always gonna row a little better perhaps.

Sunday, I was seated in three again as there were absences I looked forward to a full session in a seat working out some of my many stroke issues... unfortunately another crew member cramped up and we didn't complete the outings planned. I had felt I was relaxing and improving through the session, and felt a little raw that it was cut short, but these things happen.

I am short on water time, and I guess I will have to engineer more (sadly, I couldn't take up a pair offer on Sunday as I had to leave to visit my grandad in hospital)... just gotta keep on chillin' and pullin' ;o)

Friday, October 13, 2006

20/20/20 + 2k test :o)

Last night was my second attempt at the "20/20/20 = ouch" night, only I did my overdue 2k test before I set off!?!?!

Stats:
2k test = 7m 3.3s
20's = First run circuit in 21m 34s, Ergo 4984m in the 20m, second run 20m 40s.

I was really very pleased with my efforts, not sure quite how I'm gonna up the 2k time in a week (the penalty of being late doing the first is that the next one is next week - we are supposed to do a 2000m test once a fortnight!!).

After a topsy turvy week - hence no blogging - I was chuffed to bits with my work... though I fear it'll hurt later, hahaha!!! ouch!!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Circuit bashing fun

Sunday saw yet more pair rowing, I was fluctuating between doing good and rubbish work, but hey it was progress... we went up to nigh on maximum pressure, and it went okay. Gotta work on my slide timing a little again though - consistency is still the big issue.

Last night saw circuit night 10-15 blokes leaping around like mad things, would probably make a pretty silly YouTube video put to the right music!!! I didn't feel too bad afterwards, obviously shattered, but I worked a little more within myself to try and even out the three loops of the circuit. I managed more bunny hops between exercises through better pacing and ironically better breathing... essentially exhaling during every upwards motion. A few more weeks and I think the fitness will be showing ;o)