Category Archives: Motivation

Rest Day 10/25: Do you have a different 2k Race Plan for CF Competitions vs. CRASH-B’s?

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What’s your 2k Race Plan?

Get hydrated, eat well, and get a good sleep.  It’s been a solid three days of training/testing.  Be sure to take the time to mobilize those quads, hips, and hamstrings.  In training we ask a lot of our quads whether it’s rowing or running stadiums.  Show them some love even if it’s painful.  Do it!

For those that have been following the Rowing WODs you’ve probably noticed we are in the middle of a testing week.  We tested the 5k on Monday, the 1′ domain and 1 RM for our lifts on Tuesday, and our general fitness on Wednesday.  If you’ve missed those or are looking for the ultimate test, Friday will be a chance for you to attain 7 or 8 minutes of glory.  Start thinking of your goal and developing a race plan that will get you there.

Post thoughts on rowing at CF Competitions vs. CRASH-B’s to comments!

Rowing WOD 10/22: 5k Row – Post your results

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UVM Alumni 8+ on Saturday!

Rowing WOD 10/22:

5k Row

It’s been over a month since our last 5k, how has your aerobic capacity and endurance improved?  Today’s assessment will give you an idea of both your aerobic capacity and endurance.  Set your monitor for 5,000 meters and get after it.  Be sure to record your time, average 500m split, average stroke rating, and average watts.  This will give you an idea of your work capacity over about 20 minutes.

The Head of the Charles was this past weekend and it was awesome.  Beautiful weather, tons of boats, and lots of hard work paying off.  For many crews the Charles is the end of the road in the fall or at least the last big regatta.  Before we head indoors for the winter it’ll be good to know where we stand.  That’s what this week is for.  Also, if you’ve never done a 5k this will give you a sense for what the Head of the Charles is like.  Just imagine an ever-changing stadium around you with killer bridges and collisions galore as you row.

For those wondering why we’re doing such a long test and how to attack it, think of this as a Girl Wod like “Mary”.  The athlete who can efficiently and effectively move their body weight will be able to consistently do more work aerobically without having to dip into anaerobic energy stores.  Also, when tackling “Mary”, good competitors will go in with a game plan based on what they know they can maintain.  The first couple of rounds may be used to ease into the work without flying and dying.

Whether you’re a Vet or Novice, the goal should be to maintain a consistent 500m split and stroke rating throughout the whole piece.  If this is your first 5k aim to build your confidence by negative splitting.  Start the first 1k at a moderately hard pace that you can consistently hold.  Then every 1k after that try to pull a little bit faster, perhaps 1 split second every 1k.  What you should avoid is going out to hard, say 1:45 /500m, and then dying half way through to limp in at a split of 2:00 /500m.

Novices should try to maintain a stroke rating of 24 to 26.  Vets should work on executing a race plan, maintaining their splits, and rowing at a stroke rating of 26 to 28.

Let us know how you do!  Post your results to Comments.

Rest Day 10/21: What’s your favorite Event at the Head of the Charles?

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Rest Day 10/21:

What’s your favorite Event at the Head of the Charles?

Crews Warming Up on Friday

Rest Day 10/18: Checkout the Head of the Charles this Weekend! How do you get motivated?

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Rest Day 10/18:

The Head of the Charles is taking place this weekend in Boston.  A lot of rowers have used the Head to get motivated by setting goals to place in the top 20, top 10, or top 3.  Come check it out and witness one of the most awesome rowing events in the world.  Below is an excerpt from a great blog on motivation by Alex Black of Wicked Good Nutrition.

How do you get motivated?

The Land of Motivation

Motivation can be tough. It can be hard to find your way to Motivation-land, and once you get there, it can be even harder to stay. It takes at least a month to turn a behavior into a habit, and that month will typically be rife with challenges. Because, you know, the minute you decide to give up sugar or beer the next three social outings your friends plan are a baking pot luck and outing to your favorite craft beer bar…

On top of that, some research suggests it can take up to 3 yearsto reset your body’s homeostasis (sense of balance) at a new weight. What this means is, if you lose 20 pounds, it can take 3 years before you body recognizes this as its new and healthy weight.

But all that aside, there are a few tricks you can use to help you get motivated and stay motivated. These include:

…Read More Here…

Rest Day 10/14: What’s keeping you from going Paleo?

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Rest Day 10/14:

Here’s a great post from Alex Black of Wicked Good Nutrition on going Paleo!

Sometimes the hardest thing about going Paleo…

Is cooking awesome food. So try this Paleo chili…

It’s not that you can’t ever make and eat awesome Paleo food, it’s that you have to know how. Changing how and what you cook can be a huge challenge, and a lot of first-time Paleo eaters end up eating the same chicken, vegetables, eggs, and fruit everyday. Well, that gets boring fast. So, since it’s October and finally getting cold again, it’s time for some awesome chili!

The first Paleo recipe I made was a chili, and let’s just say I used a bad recipe and it was not delicious. This time, I teamed up with a man who had a better recipe, and let me tell you, this was some of the BEST chili I have ever had. It’s not the typical “short, easy, fast” recipe I like to post. It takes about an hour of work and a few hours to simmer, but it’s well worth the wait. Give it a try, and share how you liked it. Or, if you think you have a better recipe, share that too!

Continue Reading Here …