I’m 6ft.

When I was cross fitting I was 83/84kg and that was very lean and then for most of the past decade I’ve been between 85 and 88 and that usually entailed 1 or 2 ‘diet’ patches per year where I’d drop from 89/90 down to 85.

I haven’t done that this past year and while I’m doing way more cardio than before, I’m eating a lot more carbs. I’d like to get down to and stay at 88 for the second half of the year and then if I’m taking the world champs seriously I might try to add 5kg on before next Feb/Mar and then commit to cutting a load of weight immediately afterwards

160 = 72kg? I reckon that’s about as low as I could get to if I had some giant money weight loss bet but I’m not even sure I could get to that tbh - maybe 75?

I'm 5'9, actually probably 74-75kg (165 lbs) and a couple of kgs overweight after eating like a madman when I had covid and didn't get any activity.

I remember as a fat guy in college and trying to cut, my only wish was to be able to eat whatever I wanted and not gain weight. That has kind of come true with how much exercise I am doing. I am however constantly just fatter than very lean because I don't care enough.

Is it accepted in the rowing world that adding 5kg of fat and muscle helps rowing?

Length is more important than weight but they have the two weight classes for a reason.

I can’t see any way that me at 92kg with more weight on the second pull and probably a little stronger too, isn’t going to pull more watts per stroke than me at 87 if both ‘mes’ are training the same

Yeah I have no doubt that you would be faster at shorter sprint stuff. But what about a 10k? I am not convinced that you putting on 5kg will help. If it does, then where is the line? 15kg? Unlimited? Time to bulk to 160kg like the heavyweight weightlifters then and dominate.

All other things being equal 6ft and 100kg is gonna be faster than 6ft and 90kg at 10k as well. And then you should get increases in power and strength if you’re heavier too. You only have to look at the difference in the times on the world rankings for heavyweight and lightweight to see the difference that extra weight makes

Obviously there’s mobility to consider and IDK how much extra stress it puts on the CV system being 10+kg heavier makes and if that reduces capacity etc etc. But the best shorter distance rowers are in the main also the best longer distances rowers and what defines them all is that they are tall and heavy.

Cam Wharram came second in the Open 500m at the world champs this year. And he also had the fastest (or top 2/3) marathon times in the 21/22 ranking year. And he’s 6ft 4 116kg. Same as Isaiah Harrison the American teenager with almost every world age group record at every distance.

I’m sure there’s some level of diminishing returns and there certainly is for me. I’m 50 and rowing doesn’t define me. I want to be healthy and don’t want to be fat. But 5kg of extra pudding is fine for a while!

got the Booster shot on Monday which hadn't been my intention (took son to get his vaccination and he refused to get it unless I got a jab first). Had a minor reaction to it...ie very light covid symptoms so have kept it light

Tues 5k UT3 2.10.4/500m
Weds 40min UT2 2.05.6/500

was planning on doing a 5k tt on Friday to try to improve on my June CTC score but not sure I'm going to feel up to it. We'll see

happy to do an easy 60 min steady state today after feeling a little off all week after having my booster. Which seems a little strange to say but I've had a tightness of breath and the same hungover feeling I had post my first two shots and also when I had covid.

either way, I basically just sat on the rower today with no plan other than to hope it felt ok and it did. Watts per stroke was lower than usual but I'll take it.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
1:00:00.2 14,231m 2:06.4 173 895 20

incomplete 10kr20 today.

started feeling a very light shooting pain down my right groin as I was driving my legs and decided it was better to HD than continue and risk injury. I warmed down with a very slow 5 mins after and there wasn't any pain. Niggles come and go all the time...particularly as the years advance, but the groin feels like an area to be especially careful of.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
29:13.4 7,285m 2:00.3 201 991 20

4x2 Power Clean - 90kg
3x5 Deadlift 120
3x8 Bent over Row 80
3x6 Press 50
3x7/7 Preacher Curl/Hammer Curl 40/16
3x9/9 Tricep push down/Extensions 35/28kg

25 cal assault bike max effort - 19 seconds.

I haven't done the assault bike for a while and thought it might be fun to have a blast.
30 mins later I still have the shakes. I actually think 25 cals is worse than 50 and I know 50 is worse than 100.

Only 4 hours sleep last night, both groins feeling tight, lower back also felt a little compressed and I was generally sore after weights yesterday. Happy to at least get a little seat time and I'll take a rest day tomorrow.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
40:02.8 9,287m 2:09.3 162 856 17

Weds rest day

Thurs
HD on a 5k tt

3k warm up and then got through 3k at my current PR of 1.48.8 which was the plan but I hadn't been feeling good for about 1500m and I knew it wasn't there so decided to stop, so that I still had something in me to do some hard training sessions over the weekend. Not sure why it wasn't there because I do think I've got a 5-10 sec faster 5k in me on the right day. Two theories

- My resting heart rate has been 3-4 bpm higher this week...maybe that had something to do with it?
- I had a rest day yesterday. This is a weird one and is just a theory I'm working on but I've found my best rows come the day after I've done a steady state...or even the day after something harder?


Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
11:05.3 3,033m 1:49.6 265 1213 26

3:37.0 1,000m 1:48.5 274 1243 26
3:38.0 1,000m 1:49.0 270 1230 26
3:38.3 1,000m 1:49.1 269 1226 27
0:09.1 33m 2:17.8 134 759 13

I then stopped for 2-3 mins and did a 2k in 1.48/500, just to prove to at least finish 5k at the right speed...even if it was truncated



Fri

I started out today as a medium intensity 10k r22. I felt relaxed and easy through 5k, so I turned the screws at half way and then went a lot harder for the last 2k. Due to the absence of a formal 10k tt this is the fastest I've covered the distance but I owe myself a PR attempt at some point.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
39:03.8 10,000m 1:57.1 217 1048 23

7:58.1 2,000m 1:59.5 205 1005 21
7:58.0 2,000m 1:59.5 205 1005 22
7:53.5 2,000m 1:58.3 211 1026 23
7:46.4 2,000m 1:56.6 221 1059 24
7:27.8 2,000m 1:51.9 249 1158 27

4x2 power clean - 90 92.5kg f
3x5 deadlift 120kg
3x7 bent over row 80kg
3x4 Press 55kg

felt a little tired today. missed 92.5 when I thought I'd get 2 and was planning on going to 95 and then was totally washed by the time I'd got through the rows

Sunday morning steady state

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
1:00:01.0 13,979m 2:08.8 164 863 18

4x1k 5r

managed a small PR in this interval today, which I'm really chuffed about. I haven't done much speed work over the past 6 weeks and this particular workout has crushed me the past 3 or 4 times i've done it and I actually haven't managed to get through all 4 splits since last Oct.

given this, I'm slightly annoyed that erg data chose today to update itself and because I didn't have my password on me in my home gym, I haven't got the session downloaded.

previous PR was 1.42.2/500 I managed 1.41.8/500 today. the splits were

1.41.9 at 31
1.41.9 at 33
1.42.2 at 33
1.41.4 at 34

interesting that my stroke rate was so much higher today and my drag was a few points higher too...128 today compared to 122 9 months ago. Power per stroke seems to be lower....perhaps because I've been doing more longer distance stuff, or maybe because my conditioning is better. IDK ultimately, the only important thing is getting to the fastest time but some stuff to think about

Weds

weights plus 5k r18 - 20.52 2.05/500

Thurs

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
45:01.5 10,604m 2:07.3 169 882 16

Fri

did a 1350m at 2k pace and rate to get my head back into the distance

was at 1.40.2/500 at 1350 and while I can't say I felt 'good' I do think it's there physically once it's there mentally. Not having done Pete's Plan for a month or so, I haven't been doing enough intense sessions and my mind isn't totally there yet.

the plan is to get two good weeks of intervals at/below race pace and then see what I have by the end of July

also 3k warm up, 2k warm down

Sat

squeezed in a slightly frisky 30min row before hosting a huge lunch where the first guests left at 9.30pm

Time Meters Pac e Watts Cal/Hr S/M
30:01.5 7,543m 1:59.4 206 1007 21

10 hour lunch on Saturday and felt so bad on Sun I had to drink too.

very cruisy 30 min session on Mon just to sweat out the worst of the excess

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
30:00.9 7,026m 2:08.1 166 872 14

Tues

4x2 Power Clean to 95kg. these felt really good and I might see if I can get beyond 100 next time

3x5 Deadlift 120kg. need to move up tbh

3x8 Bent over Row 80kg

3x5 Strict Press 55kg

3x8/6 45kg Barbell Curl/16kg hammer Curls

3x8/6 40kg Tricep Push Down/30kg Extensions

I'm enjoying the sessions more since I cut out the painful bench press but realistically, if I'm only lifting once a week, I probably need to get some more pressing into this program

It's a struggle only getting to the gym once a week. All I can really do is tick over/maintain when another session would help me get stronger. But I think rowing 5x per week is necessary for the next 6 months for the main goal, so unless I can find the time and freshness for a double day, I think the weights need to be sacrificed. But what I'd really want to do in the 2nd weight day is more lower body and I think I need to be realistic about what my 51 year old body can recover from

early morning steady state. was a real struggle...only about 11 hours after I finished my weights and only 10 mins after I woke up.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
45:00.7 10,431m 2:09.4 161 855 16

5:00.0 1,120m 2:13.9 146 801 16
5:00.0 1,166m 2:08.6 164 865 17
5:00.0 1,171m 2:08.0 167 873 16
5:00.0 1,181m 2:07.0 171 887 17
5:00.0 1,143m 2:11.2 155 832 16
5:00.0 1,183m 2:06.7 172 890 17
5:00.0 1,157m 2:09.6 161 852 17
5:00.0 1,148m 2:10.6 157 839 16
5:00.7 1,163m 2:09.2 162 857 16

semi frisky 30r22.

I like doing work in the 'hard but not max' area. Really need to get my HRM battery so I can start logging HR again

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
30:00.0 7,772m 1:55.8 225 1075 22

6:00.0 1,560m 1:55.3 228 1084 22
12:00.0 1,565m 1:55.0 230 1091 22
18:00.0 1,550m 1:56.1 223 1069 22
24:00.0 1,542m 1:56.7 220 1057 22
30:00.0 1,555m 1:55.7 226 1076 22

July CTC

10x199m 1r

honestly had no idea how to pace this. one of my sub7 teammates said 500m pace +6 but I haven't ever done a 500m. I estimate about 1.26 so I thought I'd gone out too quick the first two. Then it felt comfortable mid way through and I thought I'd gone out too slow. Then reps 7,8,9 killed me and I was looking to hang on, before the inevitable free spirited last rep.

currently 39/426 worldwide

my other results since I joined sub 7 have been 79/585 in the 5k and 86/651 in the 10x100m. I'm guessing this will be my best relative score, but we'll see

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
5:54.6 1,990m 1:29.0 495 2003 38

0:35.6 199m 1:29.4 489 1983 39
0:35.6 199m 1:29.4 489 1983 37
0:35.6 199m 1:29.4 489 1983 37
0:35.5 199m 1:29.1 493 1997 37
0:35.3 199m 1:28.6 502 2026 37
0:35.5 199m 1:29.1 493 1997 37
0:35.6 199m 1:29.4 489 1983 39
0:35.4 199m 1:28.9 497 2011 39
0:35.4 199m 1:28.9 497 2011 39
0:35.1 199m 1:28.1 510 2056 39

Nice! Now do 1990m in 5:54 without the rest

I thought about that after doing it. The fact that people can row faster than that pace all out for a 2k is mind boggling. Both huge power per stroke and also giant engines

Fri - bust two bullets in traumatic fashion in 2k mtt. 2 outed on river for 140bb pot in bullet 1, 4 outed on river in 120bb pot bullet two. got very drunk.

Sat - upper body weights. strength felt lower than earlier in the week. continued drinking to numb pain. did not work.

Sun - 4k at 5k pr pace (1.48.8) plus 4k warm up/cool down

Mon - rest.

Rate ascending 10k.

It was supposed to be 20,22,24,26 but I pulled a few too many strokes on the second 2500. I had two days off Mon & Tues and felt fresh and strong.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
38:52.1 10,000m 1:56.6 221 1059 23

9:53.6 2,500m 1:58.7 209 1019 20
9:45.8 2,500m 1:57.1 218 1049 23
9:42.8 2,500m 1:56.5 221 1060 24
9:29.9 2,500m 1:53.9 236 1113 26