I was unprepared for just how excited I was to be getting back to the regime of training. A new program, a new head coach (director of rowing), and most of all, a season of racing and training to look forward to.
- Heart rate monitoring: Great timing... I managed to catch a cold on on Monday, the first 2k test of the season was on the following day. Having been reprimanded for suggesting any who were not able to carry out the test to join me at a later date, I received a very useful email from the 'DOR' with a huge array of questions on it. Monitoring my resting heart rate was mentioned, it measured around 64, at least 6 beats higher than what I wold expect it to be. The next day, I stayed at home and was too ill to face work. it finally came down on Thursday, I still felt slightly off but went down to the club, rigged up my scull and did some light training. Anticipating the 2k test I had missed, I pushed hard for a few hundred meters on the erg afterward. I coughed up some unpleasant coloured globules after that. From now on, I'll be monitoring my heart rate every morning, if it's up by 6bpm, I should know that I'm getting ill and be able to rest and nip it in the bud.
- 2k and Saturday morning : straight into it. Healthy turnout for the first day of training, a minimum of 2 eights. those of us who hadn't completed/done the 2 k test were put on ergs together. I took an easy pace that I was pretty confident of managing. I mhanaged to hold it together without much of a problem till the last 500 where I really struggled to breath. I pulled a 6:53. 72kg was my weight this morning. weight adjusted, that's several seconds off where I wanted to be, but for this one time, I'll allow an excuse and chalk it down to my lungs not being free to work at full capacity. this was followed by a roughly 10k paddle in my single, hands are holding up, but several blisters burst, luckily the skin is quite thick and it should form some kind of protective barrier over the new skin before it is ready to be abused.
- Power curves: I'm always being told different power curves to aim for. this time, it's a gentle curve, peaking in the middle, no straight lines. mainly I need to watch the 'stomping' at the catch. this will be the focus of much of my erging these coming weeks, I've changed my power curve before, so don't think this should be a difficult thing to change.
That's all, it's good to be back training . The sofa does become your friend after long sessions though.
