1,000,000 metres
You are reading this, presumably, to find out more about the possibility of sponsoring Chris George for his 100,000 metres in his contibution to the Thames Rowing Club 1,000,000m ergometer sponsored row done on Sunday 19th February 2006 to support Water Aid (50%) and TRC (50%). (equipment fund)
Thames RC organised teams of 10, each to row 10,000m after their normal Sunday outings. The various squads each put in teams. I was due to go and visit a friend in Burnham-on-Crouch that weekend, so did not join a team. My friend in Burnham had to cancel late as he was ill and so I thought, “OK – I will make up my own team – of one and I will do all ten 10,000m rows”. (For the non-rowers, each one takes 40 to 45 minutes and is considered quite a hard workout in its own right.) My target was 100,000 m in the day! That two marathons back to back - plus some.
This required some careful planning. I worked out that I should do this all at UT2 intensity (65% of maximum heart rate and with lots of fat utilisation) to stand a chance of survival and this equated for me to a pulse rate of 125 to 130 and splits (the time it takes to row 500m) of 2m 15 seconds. That sounded rather too easy, so I upped it to 2m 10 seconds to make a nice 'under 45 min.' total.
To ensure the session was not wasted technically, I got two mirrors, one to check body rock over and one overall technique. It was clear to me that weight management was a key issue and so I weighed myself before and after every session and tried to drink enough fluid to maintain my weight. It was not easy! This is a trick that the very successful Thames HPP and women's internationals do.
I am on a fat-burning, low insulin production diet, so drinking CHO was not an option. I was interested to see just how long it would take me to run out of muscle glycogen, if at all, on my present set up of drinking small amino acids and proteins (micro filtered whey protein with marmite!), eating cheese and other easily eatable protein. Just in case, I did bring along some complex chain CHO and some buns. It was lucky I did!
I had three thermos flasks of hot drinks and two 2-litre bottles of cold drinks.
Bum soreness was (not very well) overcome with a bum pad and two towels but was still a problem but provided one did keep sitting up with the back straight and sitting on the pelvic bones, it could be kept under control.
For the first 5, I aimed for about 10-15 mins rest, stretching and drinking between sessions. The times actually spent were recorded and can be seen in the table below.
It was interesting to note that I had absolutely no problems whilst I drank the protein drink but, when this ran out at about the end of my 5th one, I noticed it getting harder and by the time of my 7th one it was clear to me that I needed some carbo. and so I had a drink of complex branched chain CHO and a cold cross bun! The effect of this was, as they say, sudden and quick and akin to an anaesthetic - in that I felt much much better within 10 minutes and had no problems with the remaining three ergs. I noted, however, that the pulse rate required for the same performance crept from 120 to 142 between 1 and 9. For the last one I decided cane it and with Will King and Zoë who were supporting (thanks) got below 42 minutes. Note that on this one I started at 18 and upped the rate every four minutes and ended at about 26 for all but the last minute where I tried to clock over 40.
The day was made all the more pleasant with the plethora of Thames Juniors who had been organised by the incredible Dr Malt to come in squads over the day and managed to knock off the Junior 100,000 m. The last one of these was pulled in a joint effort where some 7 of them were all pulling on the erg at the same time - see a photo of the last stroke just done on this epic!
Each session was recorded and charts of power v stroke length or rate can be seen for each below. I have put in one of all (actually 9 of 10 as the software failed on No6) for power but it is a bit difficult to visualise the colours.
For those techies interested in the ".stg" (training files) where you can look at up to 25 different variables I have included a link to download all the original 10 stg files and a link to the Row-ware site to download the software to enable you to use the files.
I started at 0745 and finished at 1845.
If you have read this far, you are either a keen rower or deserve a medal for perseverance but here goes! Any contributions gratefully received - even just a couple of quid - one for each cause would help as I will have emailed well over a thousand persons. Pass it onto any (rowing) friend if you think they will be willing to support one or both causes. You can email me for my bank details and directly transfer fund to my account, pay Water Aid direct (and let me know how much) + pay Thames RC direct (The Embankment, Putney, London SW15 1LB), send me the two cheques or send me one cheque payable to CJD George at 15 Baskerville Rd London SW18 3RJ which I will split and pass on. A list of donors will be put on the website unless you wish to remain anonymous. If so, let me know. Best wishes - Chris
List of sponsors to date
Those from whom I have recieved the donation with many heartfelt thanks. (It is amazing the commonality of remarks made about my sanity on most of the notes!) In approximate order of reciept... Two of the most generous were for £200 or more. What stars!
Ruth Greenhous (TRC)
Anonymous “TC” (water aid)
Gary Harris
Richard Lewis
Phil Turner
David Townsend
Rory Clarke
Nigel Press
Steve Bond
Miles Preston
George McGill
Andy Steed
David Warbrick-Smith
Derek Stanley
Ali Boileau
Gillian Smyth
Peter Halford
Jamie Silk
David McCarraher (TRC)
Pauline Churcher
Chris Barnett
Philipa Sondheimer
Gervaise Sawyer
Andy Mountford
Peter Halford
Si Gillett
Fraser Brown
David Wright
Steve Kirkpatrick
Graham D St J Bagnall
Catherine James, Lucy & David Edwards
Romina Dawson-Hall
Joe McCarthy
Alex Hoctor Duncan (TRC)
Margaret Goslett
Anthony Garner
Theresa Grant-Peterkin
Ruth Doyle (water aid)
Les Hill [BWPDA]
Simon Nightingale
Simon Barker (the elder one!)
Jim Harlow
AnonymousHB
Paul Rayner
Jm Harlow
David Brown (a particularly generous offering that got us to the 2k finish line)
Alistair Hammerton
Brian Cox
Peter Egbe (who generously donated far more than the number of seconds that separated us in the Scullers Head!)
Desmond Hill
Jack Wilshaw
David Cummings
Catherine Lurie Alt
William Jacques
Sally Warnock
Eoghan Hannigan
Flicke Pleydell-Bouverie
Danny Vaz
Richard Phelps
Peter English (water aid)
Total raised and in hand £1979.31 and £110 promised
Those who have kindly promised but we hopefully await the cheque
Alison Drake
Tony Evans
John & Maggie Wych
Myles Elliot
Thomas Hart-George
Dan Gaffney
Total £110 plus
If all is recieved total will be £2089.31
| Number | Weight Kgs | Finish Time | Time for 10k | Rest (mins) | No. of Strokes | Stroke rate | Power watts |
| 1 | 72.5 | 08.40 | 44m 21.5 s | 18 | 826 | 18.6 | 143.6 |
| 2 | 71.3 | 09.42 | 44 20.1 | 11 | 840 | 18.9 | 143.8 |
| 3 | 71.1 | 10.39 | 44 17.7 | 8 | 875 | 19.7 | 144.2 |
| 4 | 70.9 | 11.32 | 44 16.2 | 11 | 877 | 19.8 | 144.4 |
| 5 | 70.7 | 12.28 | 44 16.4 | 30 | 836 | 18.9 | 144.4 |
| 6 | 70.4 | 13.43 | 44 18.0 | 20 | 888 | 20 | 144.20 |
| 7 | 69.8 | 14.50 | 44 14.0 | 29 | 976 | 22 | 145.9 |
| 8 | 70.4 | 16.19 | 44 13.1 | 17 | 822 | 18.5 | 145.9 |
| 9 | 70.5 | 17.21 | 44 12.6 | 29 | 860 | 19.5 | 146.2 |
| 10 | 69.7 | 18.35 | 41 50.4 | all night! | 966 | 23.2 | 171.6 |
Power time charts
No 1 sl Power (red) and Stroke length [sl] (cms:blue) v time 826 strokes done
Note temporary shorten at 42 mins as rate goes up
No 1 sr Power (red) and Stroke rate (cms:blue) v time 826 strokes done
Note: I got a bit enthusiastic and pushed the rate up for the last four minutes to be sure of beating 45 minutes a I had slightly tailed off from ny start power
.
No 2 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 840 strokes done
No 2 sr Power (red) and Stroke rate (cms:blue) v time 840 strokes done
Note: I had to push the power up for the last four minutes to be sure of beating my first time but managed this time to keep the rate controlled.
No 3 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 875 strokes done
No 3 sr Power (red) and Stroke rate (cms:blue) v time 875 strokes done
Note: I relaxed on the power output (as I had slightly overdone it) from four to two minutes to the end but then realised I had relaxed too much and had to push th last minute but kept the rate down.
No 4 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 877 strokes done
Steady increase in stroke length is good.
No 4 sr Power (red) and Stroke rate (cms:blue) v time 877 strokes done
Note: I relaxed on the power output (as I had slightly overdone it) from four to two minutes Good steady reduction in rate with no power decrease.
No 5 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 836 strokes done
Note: I faded slightly over the second half on the power output and had to push the last minute with an increase in length but kept rate much lower than the previous one.
No 5 sr Power (red) and Stroke rate (cms:blue) v time 836 strokes done
Note: I faded slightly over the second half on the power output and had to push the last minute with an increase in length but kept rate much lower than the previous one and in fact reduced rate. This was probably the best one to date in terms of power v rate and length. Average rate was good.
No 6 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 888 strokes done
Starting to feel the tiredness. See the fade over the piece and the too high rate? and a need to push at the end to get a score better than the last - and just failing! Had to push the rate up for the last four minutes. I suspect this is where the absence of food started to have its effect.
No 6 sr Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 888 strokes done
Interestingly the stroke rate goes down quite nicely (with the power!) and when pushing in the last minute is kept lower than average so the power is clearly achieved with length.
No 7 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 976 strokes done
This was a hard one and I was flaking slowly until the end when I had to pull hard to keep my score improving each time as I was trying to achieve. Had to push the rate up for the last four minutes. The absence of food had its effect and I could tell quite clearly I needed CHO.
No 7 sr Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 976 strokes done
Complete flake here and a need to push rate right up to get the score. Took a long rest, some CHO drink, biscuit and a bun after this.
No 8 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 822 strokes done
After my much needed supply of carbo. I was in fine form and well on the rate - nice and low with good increasing lenth. I was able to drop rate back to 18 but at the end I had to pull harder to keep my score improving each time.
No 8 sr Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 822 strokes done
No 9 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 860 strokes done
Not bad. A bit of a flake at the end of the first half but pushed the second half nicely with same lenth and even went longer at the end
No 9 sr Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 860 strokes done
Not bad. A bit of a flake at the end of the first half but pushed the second half nicely with same lenth but had to psh the rate for the last two minutes.
No 10 sl Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 966 strokes done
A good start and as the rate increased (see below) the lenth was steady
No 10 sr Power (red) and Stroke length (cms:blue) v time 966 strokes done
I set off at 18 with the aim of going up one pip every 4 minutes and keeping the length. Rate ended up at 26 until the last minute blast.
All (or 9 of them) power curves plotted.
It is difficult to see on the GIF but those intertested can download the sofware to look at a .stg file. See later.
What relief! An empty gym and a hard effort to get showered and all my gear into the car in the pouring rain!
Good sense of achievement and not too knackered feeling (that came later on Tuesdays 3 x 6k!). Imagine doing this every day and night 2 hours on 2 hours off across the Atlantic for 60 days! - I have huge respect for Crackers and especially for Ben Fogle, who was not even a rower to start with! Every one of those guys the did that crossing must have something very very special to be able to carry on day after day.
I went home and I got a right old rocket (for being so late and "stupid at my age") so will keep quiet at home about the plans to do the next .... shush everyone don't let on!
Chris
If you are interested in the sofware that produced these graphs, below you will find the 10 original ".stg" files (up to 25 variables can be stored!) and so you will need to download the free sample software at Row-ware.com and play to your heart's content.