Very odd row today...not good then not bad (did someone mention pacing?)

I thought that I had been progressing well, so would try for the 4 minute C2 challenge today. I looked at my distance from the start of the month (1,185 @ 1:41.3) and thought that it was beatable. I thought I would, indeed, try to match it and try to keep sub 1:40 for the whole way.

I stopped, unexpectedly after 500m. Not even half way! That mental barrier of 1:40 splits must have been preying heavily on my mind. I had also told myself that I was pretty tired after working in the garden and a late night on Thursday, but I suspect they are excuses.

So, what to do next?

I paddled for 1,000m whilst pondeinr life. My rowing was not going too badly, though I am clearly well down on my best. I am lacking strength and mental toughness. Fitness is deeply bnuried, but I believe there is more there than I think when tugging away.

Then it struck me!! PACING!! (I am sure someone mentioned that before).

Since I am clearly NOT at my best, but know what I should be capable of, I should negative split (slow, fast, faster, flat out). I was not too tired after a very early wimp out, so I set the PM3 to show 1 minute splits, and planned a 1:42, 1:41, 1:41, 1:40 row, with flat out for the last 30 seconds. This was more achievable.

I started rowing, and locked on to the PM3 splits. The first minute sailed by at 1:42 by the end of teh second minute I was hurting, but was catching the pace boat (my first row on 4th Sep) so felt good given I had been a length down when I had glanced up at 60 seconds. The third minute at 1:41 I was hanging ont to, and not looking forward to the last blast. I uped the power, not the rating and got down to 40 seconds left and had edged a canvas clear of the pace boat. I was hurting but thought "that's about 20 strokes, I can do that!" and started to up the rate. Faster and faster I went and was splitting at 1:34s for thel ast 15 seconds.

My distance? 1,197m @ 1:40.2, which I am very happy with. VERY. I was bang on target for the first three minutes but did 1:37.2 for the last minute! So, there is still hope. Sub7 in the bag for BIRC I think, but still a long way to go.

Metres today: 3,719