4 lots of 20' tonight, 2R - 2:25, 2:18, 2:21 & 2:25 for Anita, 2:01, 1:55, 1:58n and 2:01 for me.
Quite a nasty one tonight, which is exactly its purpose - to train the body over 80 minutes to try and reduce/flush out lactate.
The first 2 intervals weren't too bad, but 3 and 4 became uncomfortable in both the arms and the legs - Breath & Heart Rate wasn't an issue, just aches :)
Anita says Ouch!!! :) She was surprised about how much she had to exert herself to complete the session due to leaden limbs - Now everything hurts :)
We've passed 500 miles cumulative tonight (As per the title) - Next milestone 1MM cumulative next week.
Anita: 16884m
Andy: 20226m
Cumulative: 837734m (520.66 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym - Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Premeaux-Prissey, Cote D'Or, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premeaux-Prissey
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Day 27 - Real Progress.....
4 lots of 15' tonight, 4R - 7' 2:15, 8' 2:25 for Anita, 7' 1:52, 8' 2:01 for me.
Very good showing tonight - The 1st interval is rapidly feeling the hardest as we've not really warmed up too much before-hand, but Anita said she is really feeling the difference with regards to her recovery time, with steady breathing even though her heart rate is elevated during the fast 7 minutes. She now has the strength in her arms to the fast 7' at low stroke rates (22) as well, so she is quickly becoming a rowing monster.
I feel able to do 4 lots of 4k in 15 minutes now - 4k always used to be the benchmark and I've only been over 4k about 4 times before - It all bodes well for the 6344m challenge series piece for November, where I'll be looking for sub-23 minutes, Anita sub-28.
Anita: 13012m
Andy: 15599m
Cumulative: 800624m (497.6 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Saint-Apollinaire, Cote-d'Or, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Apollinaire,_C%C3%B4te-d%27Or
Very good showing tonight - The 1st interval is rapidly feeling the hardest as we've not really warmed up too much before-hand, but Anita said she is really feeling the difference with regards to her recovery time, with steady breathing even though her heart rate is elevated during the fast 7 minutes. She now has the strength in her arms to the fast 7' at low stroke rates (22) as well, so she is quickly becoming a rowing monster.
I feel able to do 4 lots of 4k in 15 minutes now - 4k always used to be the benchmark and I've only been over 4k about 4 times before - It all bodes well for the 6344m challenge series piece for November, where I'll be looking for sub-23 minutes, Anita sub-28.
Anita: 13012m
Andy: 15599m
Cumulative: 800624m (497.6 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Saint-Apollinaire, Cote-d'Or, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Apollinaire,_C%C3%B4te-d%27Or
Monday, 7 November 2011
Day 26 - Fat Burn Monday
2 lots of 40' today 4R, 2:28 for Anita, 2:04 for me.
The Monday and Saturday distance pieces in the Eddie Fletcher Marathon plan are now long slow fat burning pieces, with nice easy breathing and quite a low heart rate.
It is also a bit boring if the wrong music comes on! It's also a bit of a pain in the arse, especially for me in my left glute :) definitely getting a seat cover/cushion for the marathon in January.
Anita's words about today's training - 'A walk in the park' - 22 strokes/min and only some minor aches in her knees to show for 80 minutes rowing.
Lastly before the distances Anita lost 1.6kg last week, me 1.3kg :)
Anita: 16223m
Andy: 19361m
Cumulative: 787612m (489.5 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Bèze, Cote-d'Or, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A8ze
The Monday and Saturday distance pieces in the Eddie Fletcher Marathon plan are now long slow fat burning pieces, with nice easy breathing and quite a low heart rate.
It is also a bit boring if the wrong music comes on! It's also a bit of a pain in the arse, especially for me in my left glute :) definitely getting a seat cover/cushion for the marathon in January.
Anita's words about today's training - 'A walk in the park' - 22 strokes/min and only some minor aches in her knees to show for 80 minutes rowing.
Lastly before the distances Anita lost 1.6kg last week, me 1.3kg :)
Anita: 16223m
Andy: 19361m
Cumulative: 787612m (489.5 miles)
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Bèze, Cote-d'Or, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A8ze
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Day 25 - 5 weeks down, 18 to go :)
2 lots of 30 mins today, with 3mins rest between, 2:28 for Anita, 2:04 for me.
The Monday and Saturday dual pieces have become quite easy over the last couple of weeks, both at UT1/2 so good fat burners - http://www.fletchersportscience.co.uk/uploads/img4731d3f5392f41.pdf - The Eddie Fletcher Marathon training plan suggests the 5th session of the week is always optional - Not on my watch :)
Interestingly my hands have really calmed down - the callouses have leveled out, and though my hands are in a state they've rarely been in before there isn't any discomfort doing rowing from them now. My calves however really fasciculate (twitch) on the way home from the gym, and the feeling is like very small electric shocks, almost like a fluttering feeling. Slightly off-putting if strangely amusing to watch :)
Anita is really feeling the benefits - we had to go into Colchester Town Centre this morning to do a quick bit of shopping, and in doing so we pretty much power-walked from the car park into town, around the shops and then back again - Anita commented on the way back that she would have been out of breath before after walking a decent distance as we did, but now there were no issues. I think her being able to maintain a low heart rate is making all the difference, and that at least a 1kg per week weight loss for her over the rest of the training is a distinct possibility, putting her well below 11 stone by the end of March, 3 months before our wedding :) Weigh in tomorrow morning :)
Also cumulatively we went over 3/4 million metres today, done since 3rd October :)
Anita: 12165m Today (342408m, 212.8 miles total)
Andy: 14521m Today (409620m, 254.6 miles total)
Cumulative: 752028m (467.4 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Aujerres, Haute-Marne, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aujeurres
The Monday and Saturday dual pieces have become quite easy over the last couple of weeks, both at UT1/2 so good fat burners - http://www.fletchersportscience.co.uk/uploads/img4731d3f5392f41.pdf - The Eddie Fletcher Marathon training plan suggests the 5th session of the week is always optional - Not on my watch :)
Interestingly my hands have really calmed down - the callouses have leveled out, and though my hands are in a state they've rarely been in before there isn't any discomfort doing rowing from them now. My calves however really fasciculate (twitch) on the way home from the gym, and the feeling is like very small electric shocks, almost like a fluttering feeling. Slightly off-putting if strangely amusing to watch :)
Anita is really feeling the benefits - we had to go into Colchester Town Centre this morning to do a quick bit of shopping, and in doing so we pretty much power-walked from the car park into town, around the shops and then back again - Anita commented on the way back that she would have been out of breath before after walking a decent distance as we did, but now there were no issues. I think her being able to maintain a low heart rate is making all the difference, and that at least a 1kg per week weight loss for her over the rest of the training is a distinct possibility, putting her well below 11 stone by the end of March, 3 months before our wedding :) Weigh in tomorrow morning :)
Also cumulatively we went over 3/4 million metres today, done since 3rd October :)
Anita: 12165m Today (342408m, 212.8 miles total)
Andy: 14521m Today (409620m, 254.6 miles total)
Cumulative: 752028m (467.4 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Aujerres, Haute-Marne, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aujeurres
Friday, 4 November 2011
Day 24 - Bicep Buster :)
4 lots of 15 mins tonight, 2:15 6' 2:25 9' DF 150 for Anita, 1:52 6' 2:01 9' DF 155 for me, 4' Rest between intervals.
Really felt it in the arms tonight, but put that down to a low-carb lunch (Chopped Salad) meaning lower energy levels than normal. As such I had to up the stroke rate a bit (27/28) to maintain the 1:52 pace (though in reality this was nearer 1:51). The 1st rest was a bit longer than it should have been due to a work phone-call, and because of that I found the 2nd interval the hardest (as my heart rate had dropped to normal)
Anita again completed everything asked of her, declaring the first interval felt like a warm-up :) She is now immensely strong in her arms, and I'm confident in her maintaining 2:14 (28:20 Total) for the November Challenge Series 6344m (I'll be looking at 1:48/1:49, 23 mins Total)
Anita: 12933m
Andy: 15464m
Cumulative: 725342m (450.8 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym Colchester, Essex, CO4 9ES
Finish: Bugnieres, Haute-Marne, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugni%C3%A8res
Really felt it in the arms tonight, but put that down to a low-carb lunch (Chopped Salad) meaning lower energy levels than normal. As such I had to up the stroke rate a bit (27/28) to maintain the 1:52 pace (though in reality this was nearer 1:51). The 1st rest was a bit longer than it should have been due to a work phone-call, and because of that I found the 2nd interval the hardest (as my heart rate had dropped to normal)
Anita again completed everything asked of her, declaring the first interval felt like a warm-up :) She is now immensely strong in her arms, and I'm confident in her maintaining 2:14 (28:20 Total) for the November Challenge Series 6344m (I'll be looking at 1:48/1:49, 23 mins Total)
Anita: 12933m
Andy: 15464m
Cumulative: 725342m (450.8 miles)
The Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym Colchester, Essex, CO4 9ES
Finish: Bugnieres, Haute-Marne, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugni%C3%A8res
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Day 23 - Confidence Booster :)
3 Lots of 20 today, 2:25, 2:18 and 2:21 for Anita, 2:01, 1:55 and 1:58 for me.
I failed to finish last Wednesday (See the blog for Day 18) so today held a little bit more than a usual training day for me.
The first 20 minutes felt like a warm up, the 2nd 20 minutes felt like the main event and the last 20 minutes felt like a warm down - A very satisfactory feeling that I can now quite easily pop a sub 1:55 20 minute piece out in the middle of a session, where my best 30 minutes ever is only at 1:54.3 (7876) - Indeed in 6 weeks time the middle 30 minutes of the 3 on that day should be at 1:54, which will be my best 30 minutes ever :)
Anita again monstered it at a very low strokes/minute (21/22) and I'm getting more and more confident in her ability to go the Marathon distance and longer, and hopefully she is too :)
Anita: 12744m
Andy: 15302m
Cumulative: 696945m (433.1 miles) - Since 3rd October
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Pont-la-Ville, Haute-Marne, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont-la-Ville,_Haute-Marne
I failed to finish last Wednesday (See the blog for Day 18) so today held a little bit more than a usual training day for me.
The first 20 minutes felt like a warm up, the 2nd 20 minutes felt like the main event and the last 20 minutes felt like a warm down - A very satisfactory feeling that I can now quite easily pop a sub 1:55 20 minute piece out in the middle of a session, where my best 30 minutes ever is only at 1:54.3 (7876) - Indeed in 6 weeks time the middle 30 minutes of the 3 on that day should be at 1:54, which will be my best 30 minutes ever :)
Anita again monstered it at a very low strokes/minute (21/22) and I'm getting more and more confident in her ability to go the Marathon distance and longer, and hopefully she is too :)
Anita: 12744m
Andy: 15302m
Cumulative: 696945m (433.1 miles) - Since 3rd October
The Journey:
Start - Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish - Pont-la-Ville, Haute-Marne, France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont-la-Ville,_Haute-Marne
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Day 22 - Time for reflection......
4 lots of 15 minutes today, 6 mins/9 mins split, 2:15 & 2:25 for Anita, 1:52 and 2:01 for me, with 4 minute rest periods between intervals.
Apart from slight fatigue in the last minute of the 6 fast minutes in last 2 intervals it was quite easy fo both of us, and got me thinking back to 3 years ago, when for the Charity Week at work a number of us rowed over 500km in the 40 working hours of the week, each taking 15 minute intervals, with some of us taking 3 intervals per day.
I wasn't much heavier then than I am now, but my best interval for the week was 3823m, with most of them in 3600m region. It was the first time for me on a Concept 2 rower.
Tonight my lowest 15 minutes was 3850 metres (following the Eddie Fletcher plan), and my highest 3902, rowing 4 intervals with only 4 minutes rest between them!!!
Anita only rowed a couple of intervals that week, and both rows were in the 2800/2900m region.
Tonight she rowed 4 intervals with the lowest at 3208m, which would have been the furthest rowed in 15 minutes by any woman doing the challenge 3 years ago!!!!!!
We've both come some way, but I'm under no illusions that we've got the hard miles yet to come to get ready for the 100km in March.
Anita: 12898m
Andy: 15465m
Cumulative: 668899m (415.7 miles)
Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Éguilly-sous-Bois, Aube, France, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89guilly-sous-Bois
Apart from slight fatigue in the last minute of the 6 fast minutes in last 2 intervals it was quite easy fo both of us, and got me thinking back to 3 years ago, when for the Charity Week at work a number of us rowed over 500km in the 40 working hours of the week, each taking 15 minute intervals, with some of us taking 3 intervals per day.
I wasn't much heavier then than I am now, but my best interval for the week was 3823m, with most of them in 3600m region. It was the first time for me on a Concept 2 rower.
Tonight my lowest 15 minutes was 3850 metres (following the Eddie Fletcher plan), and my highest 3902, rowing 4 intervals with only 4 minutes rest between them!!!
Anita only rowed a couple of intervals that week, and both rows were in the 2800/2900m region.
Tonight she rowed 4 intervals with the lowest at 3208m, which would have been the furthest rowed in 15 minutes by any woman doing the challenge 3 years ago!!!!!!
We've both come some way, but I'm under no illusions that we've got the hard miles yet to come to get ready for the 100km in March.
Anita: 12898m
Andy: 15465m
Cumulative: 668899m (415.7 miles)
Journey:
Start: Topnotch Gym, Colchester CO4 9ES
Finish: Éguilly-sous-Bois, Aube, France, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89guilly-sous-Bois
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