Damn that one hurt! Why do we do it?! Just finished my 3rd and final session of the week. Not the 5-6 I would have wanted but I am still protecting my back and restricting my time on the erg.
Having spoken in depth to my chiropractor and physio at work we have highlighted that I am surviving the next few weeks and after BIRC will strip down to address the underlying problem(s) – muscular imbalances, spine and jaw alignment issues, core stability of a wet slippery eel and some under/over firing muscle groups all contributing to lower back problems.
Back to the session- it was hell and I maybe under estimated it! Does anyone else get mega nervous before a simple training session?! After spending the morning with butterflies and feeling slightly nauseous I entered the erg room (or spare room as Mrs O likes to call it!).
Plan was for 4 x 3 min at 6.20 race pace (1.35) with 3.30 rest. I know this session well having used it as a marker last year before the Worlds. Scanning my diary I found the 2 sessions I did around four weeks out from Boston and I could have told you the splits and how it felt and where I was and what I was wearing and the time of day without even looking! This indicates they are memorable sessions – and not for the right reasons!
Extract from training diary dated Wed 19 January 2011 (4 ½ weeks pre Worlds)
Wed 1430 Ergo
4 x 3 min (3 min rests) DF 136
1.35(0) @ 29 no probs settled well
1.35(0) @ 30 all ok like first settled well
1.35(0) @ 30 legs building lactic fast, told myself it was the last – not doing 4th.
1.35(7) @ 31 was shitting myself, didn’t want it, hurt from the off, still not recovered from 3rd. Gave it everything, legs lactic from 100m in. Pure hell- collapsed after – shouldn’t have as I couldn’t recover for ages. Very painfull.
I would go on to pull 6.17 a week later at EIRC and 6.15 at WIRC.
So back to today – for some reason I felt I could match, if not better the session. I don’t know why – maybe because I had given myself an extra 30 secs rest and had felt strong on the sprints in the week. Also I had set the monitor to 947 metres rather than 3 mins which is 1.35 pace. I thought this might mentally make it easier – it didn’t!
Results went:-
1.34(8) @ 30
1.35(0) @ 30
1.35(0) @ 31
1.36(9) @ 31
It went well in the first, even the second was ok, but the third was horrible! At half way I had already told myself I wouldn’t be doing a 4th and believed myself – it was biting hard and not pleasant. I was done after and got of the erg and stumbled around catching my breath with my legs screaming. However I got a grip of myself with 1 min rest time remaining and said I would go again – this time compromising and settling for a slower pace. That pace was 1.37 although at 500m to go I was seeing 1.40’s. I once again got a grip and hit the 1.37 target with a 10 stroke attempt at a sprint to nick in just under and then flop around making odd noises and grunting and groaning!
Anyway enough about that, I am reasonably pleased and still convinced I am 6.20 pace and with 3 weeks left you never know I might nick another few seconds off.
All things considering I am happy.
Here is the rest of the week:-
Mon – 2 x 2k @ 1.40 (5 rest) rate 29
Wed – 8 x 1 AN (1 rest) @ 1.31
Thur – Weights
Sat – 4 x 3min (3.30 rest)
Working away now until Wed so next erg session Wed pm. Not ideal but working with what I got.
