70 odd days to go

I have recently set myself a 'little' challenge... namely to lose a stone by my birthday. This could prove difficult given my weight loss trend over the years has involved a consistent Christmas period 'wobble'. The challenge is my way of trying to combat this 'wobbly' phase of the year and see me through to the spring in good shape.

With all the training, I am figuring that the only real change necessary is to stop the snacks and watch the food intake a tad... sounds simple but for a man with a 2-3 chocs, pack of wine gums, 3-4 soft drinks habit a day its gonna be a bit of a struggle.

Way I am going about it? With prepared food from home, a set daily menu if you will... this combined with four meals a day... that's right four... breakfast, lunch 1, lunch 2 and dinner. The trick I aim to employ is the two part lunch... one at eleven a.m. roughly and the other at two p.m. roughly... cutting lunch in two and smoothing out the consumption rate and any energy / glucose dips through the working day.

We'll see what happens... start weight was 15st 7lbs.

Very, very on the move

The last few weeks have been a little hectic, training and even competing. I have taken part in the Cardiff (Taff) Head of the River and the Fours Head of the River (Thames, London), both in the end with the same crew.

Cardiff (Taff) Head of the River went okay, though we were beaten by the same crew minus me with a different bloke in three, which personally was disappointing. Not bad given patchy training boat time wise (i.e. very little time in a four, or any boat!!).

Fours Head of the River (Thames, London), great experience, its one of the bigger races in the calendar, I am happy that I got the chance to do it. It was all a little too last minute, but I feel I gave a good account of myself. Our coxed four did it in 21:25.51 only a few seconds behind our coxless four and quad (which was brilliant)... great result again given the last minute changes and my patchy preparation (fit enough, just again not enough time in a boat!).

Winter training starts proper now I guess.... :o)

Training....

Did the weekly pain of the 20/20/20 last night in the first cold snap of winter, although the cold inspire more personal bests...
First run = 17m47s, Ergo = 5085m, second run = 18m55s

Fantastic, I can feel the fitness building and coming back, there are gains each week in all aspects.

200th post

I have nothing to add to this post except it is my 200th :o)

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]

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)

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)

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????

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)

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

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(

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

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)

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!!

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)

Mixed up week

Wednesday saw me playing squash and playing with hand weights at home. Thursday saw me in work late and not able to make the twenties squad session (apparently only five or so did, which is a little worrying). Friday was supposed to be squash also, but I didn't have time with the crew meal / end of season session... as it was I out on my feet - between work and the training I was ruined.

Saturday morning saw me turn up for squad not knowing what to expect and finding myself in a pair, my first experience of pair rowing. It went pretty well for my first time, and we got some decent pressure and technique going at times. We'll only wait and see what we'll get up to next?!?!?!


We didn't look quite like this GB crew, but you get the idea ;o)

Monmouth Head result, tough training and a question

Sunday afternoon saw the Monmouth Head and it went okay in as far as we won in the eight and collected a medal. I can't say that I rowed well because I didn't, my oar hit the water on just about every recovery, I was rowing about half stroke (what with missing the catch and washing out), I even managed to hit my own knees twice. The rating was 36's or higher all the way down the 2500m course, which just doesn't suit me currently, I still prefer the longer, slower, stronger strokes to get the power in more efficiently!! - until I get fitter and find some form of sprint ability.

Tough training is the Monday night that is the circuit, the Irish lightweight circuit no less (the Irish lightweights being current world champs apparently... I am however every inch the heavy weight and the spring needed for forty five minutes bouncing up and down is a little considerable for someone of 15 and a half stone!!!!!

The question now is what will my 2k ergo test result be next week??? I did three reps of 2k tonight aiming to stick to 1m 55s splits all the way... I did 7m 37s, 7m 45s, and 7m 46s which was pretty tough... I went a bit quick on the first one and they did get tougher, but I was pleased to get through the three without getting overly troubled... the question now if how can I do over a 2k one off maximum effort test????

All systems go :o)

I turned up for my first squad training session this morning at 8am, thinking I would be single sculling as everyone was in crews for tomorrow (the Monmouth Head). But as I arrived I found they needed a sit in for a four, I sat in bow and thoroughly enjoyed myself (first sweep outing in a month all!!).

The four session was a little wobbly at first, but the "front loader" is a lovely forgiving boat. I got my hand heights together able to see everyone and see what was affecting the balance and what would best resolve the tipping. We went to half pressure and the trickle under the boat was a torrent... sweet :o)

After the session it became clear they were one short for the eight on race day... yippee... I get to a race at the Monmouth Head. Perhaps being available and happy to row either side will help keep me in seat reckonings ;o)