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500m rowing.

For the first time in years I did a times 500m row on the Concept 2 at lunchtime.  1:44.3 for 500m.  Not great.  I forgot how hard it is.  The first 100m or so I was in the low 1:30's for pace and then it hits you hard.  The last 250m are a killer, each stroke seeming harder the power draining out of each pull.  It would be good to get under 1:40 again - about 10 years ago I was at 1:39.

I am amazed by the speed that some people can achieve:

Here is a 70 year old guy pulling 1:34.2



and this guy getting 1:14.4 for a world record

Comments

Asclepius said…
Do an O'Neill test!

http://concept2.co.uk/training/oneill_test
February 8, 2013 at 1:06 AM
Chris said…
I think I'll try that next week. What is your score?
February 9, 2013 at 2:40 AM
Steven Sashen said…
I've found, much to my chagrin, that tests like this don't favor the 5'5" athlete (me) ;-)
February 10, 2013 at 9:04 AM
Asclepius said…
ONT Attempt 1 - 20100129 - 1122m
ONT Attempt 2 - 20100205 - 1158m
ONT Attempt3 - 20100423 - 1200m

The scars run deep. I've not done one for three years! Must be about time for another.....
February 11, 2013 at 6:59 AM
Bill Strahan said…
I had a goal for about 5 years of sub 1:30 for a 500m. About 5 weeks ago at CrossFit we had a challenge to get under 1:35. I started out rowing a 1:28 pace, and kept telling myself to slow down so I didn't explode at the end. Instead, 100m in, I was averaging under 1:30 and I just said to heck with it and started pulling. Got pace down to 1:24 for the next 100m or so and then just held on for the ride!

I DID still explode at the end, but finished at 1:29.8!! Can't cut it too much closer. A buddy came over and said "Nice job...uh...and your lips are blue." :) Less than 1.5 minutes of work, and about 10 minutes until I felt somewhat recovered.

I'm 45, 5'10" and about 200 pounds. Nice to FINALLY tick that one of the list of goals.
February 19, 2013 at 10:33 AM
Bill Strahan said…
Oh, forgot to add one more thing: My stroke rate for a short sprint like this is about 35 strokes/minute. So one way I zone out is to treat it like 50 explosive deadlifts. I actually don't pay much attention to the distance covered on a 500m sprint, I just count strokes and know that I'll be done at 50, +- about 4 strokes. Helps to keep me from realizing how bad I feel when I'm doing it.
February 19, 2013 at 10:35 AM
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