The benefits of volume, by a mileage monster

The benefits of volume, by a mileage monster

Rowing Session Liberation Day 9 May 2013

When I used to do triathlon I used to train between 14 and 18 hours a week. When I switched to Ironman my peak weeks were 20 hours per week. This is pretty hard when you’ve got a full-time job, and family. People said I was mad training such volumes and told me that quality matters more than quantity. But I would plough on regardless and produced some pretty good results for an amateur athlete.

Shortly after Nick Saunders, a professional triathlete came to Jersey and made my efforts look part-time. He was better at quality and quantity.  But his results meant that people didn’t think he was mad, they thought he was (and is) brilliant. Nowadays the volumes that I did are regarded as normal for a triathlete and low for an Ironman. I guess I was ahead of my time.

Years later I’ve switched to rowing and here too I find the benefit of volume. I’m a bit older and slower, but the stamina is still there and I still manage to train over 15 hours per week. For the 19mile Sark to Jersey race last year I did several weeks of 60,000 meters per week (plus run, swim and bike) to give me both physical and mental stamina and it paid off with a new record for me an rowing partner Charlotte Bowman.

So today I’ve done another 20,000 meters to bring my weekly total of rowing to 79,000 meters in the last 7 days. My total for the week are 14.3hrs 79k row ;87mi bike;12mi run; What is interesting to note is that I am aware now of other members of the rowing club now rowing 3 x a day, and at least 60,000 meters. If I am ahead of my time, I’m not sure I’m going to maintain my lead if everyone else ups their game too!

One of the reasons I like doing 20k sessions on the rowing machine is there is no excuse. No tide. No wind. No rowing partner to help. No 100meter effort and then slack. It is unrelenting and demanding and rewards only consistent effort. If you’re going to do the 19mile Sark to Jersey race this year I recommend 70,000 meters a week and at least 2 sessions of 20,000 meters and at least one of those should be on the rowing machine.

Your programme might be

Mon: Rest (I go to a spin class)

Tue: 15k on sea

Wed: Rest (I go to a spin class)

Thu: 20k on rowing machine

Fri: 5k on sea  (or rowing machine if its rough)

Sat: 10k on sea  (or rowing machine if its rough)

Sun: 20k on sea  (or rowing machine if its rough)

About

Tim Rogers is a keen rower and member of the Jersey Rowing Club. This posting is offered to share for anyone interested in rowing and maybe some of the sessions, courses, distances and training information above.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/JerseyRowingClub/?fref=ts

http://www.jerseyrowing.com/

http://www.timhjrogers.com/training.html

Rowing Session Monday 6 May

Rowing Session Monday  6 May

 Notes

A good solid working session with repeated practice of Diamond To Balaine until we got it right with the aim and turn. These sessions are good for learning the run of tide as well as the exact locations of the marks and the bearings we need to take to get to them. Must start rowing with a compass on board to really fine tune and verify the course sufficient to hold a straight line rather than zig-zag up as we fight the tide running across us.

Summary

Distance 13000 Time(Mins) 90 Meters Per Min 144 Meters Per Sec 2.41 500m Splits 03:27

Weather Summary: Sunny at first, mainly fair overnight, becoming cloudier by morning.

Min: 10°C Visibility: Good. Wind: East light F1 to 3, backing northeast for a time this evening and increasing light F3 to moderate F4 , veering southeast overnight and decreasing light F2 to F3 by morning. Open Sea State: Smooth or slight.

Detail

This is the course and the bearings. Remember you face backwards on a rowing boat and need to take account of tide and wind.

From End Breakwater To Diamond NM 0.826 Mts 1529.752 compass 260 steering 80

From Diamond To Balaine NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 compass 37 steering 217

From Balaine To Diamond NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 compass 217 steering 37

From Diamond To Balaine NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 compass 37 steering 217

From Balaine To Diamond NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 compass 217 steering 37

From Diamond To Balaine NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 compass 37 steering 217

From Balaine To Diamond NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 compass 217 steering 37

From Diamond To Grune NM 0.358 Mts 663.016 compass 255 steering 75

From Grune To Cigarette NM 0.986 Mts 1826.072 compass 364 steering 184

From Cigarette To Beach NM 0.785 Mts 1453.82 compass 65 steering 245

From Beach To Vrache NM 0.606 Mts 1122.312 compass 123 steering 303

From Vrache To Start NM 0.286 Mts 529.672 compass 79 steering 259

About

Tim Rogers is a keen rower and member of the Jersey Rowing Club. This posting is offered to share for anyone interested in rowing and maybe some of the sessions, courses, distances and training information above.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/JerseyRowingClub/?fref=ts

http://www.jerseyrowing.com/

http://www.timhjrogers.com/training.html

Rowing Sessions – Sectors, Distances and Bearings

Rowing Sessions – Sectors, Distances and Bearings

Select from any combinations of these to set yourself a course. Don’t forget to adjust for wind and tide!

From Back St Aubin To Beach Dist NM 0.956 Mts 1770.512 Compass 81 Reverse 261
From Back St Aubin To Grune Dist NM 1.2 Mts 2222.4 Compass 158 Reverse 338
From Balaine To Beach Dist NM 0.893 Mts 1653.836 Compass 352 Reverse 172
From Balaine To Cardinal, off Castle Dist NM 0.31 Mts 574.12 Compass 31 Reverse 211
From Balaine To Diamond Dist NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 Compass 217 Reverse 37
From Beach To Back St Aubin Dist NM 0.956 Mts 1770.512 Compass 261 Reverse 81
From Beach To Balaine Dist NM 0.893 Mts 1653.836 Compass 172 Reverse 352
From Beach To Diamond Dist NM 1.19 Mts 2203.88 Compass 186 Reverse 6
From Beach To Start Dist NM 0.832 Mts 1540.864 Compass 108 Reverse 288
From Beach To Vrache Dist NM 0.606 Mts 1122.312 Compass 123 Reverse 303
From Cardinal, off Castle To Balaine Dist NM 0.31 Mts 574.12 Compass 211 Reverse 31
From Cardinal, off Castle To Vrache Dist NM 0.382 Mts 707.464 Compass 42 Reverse 222
From Cigarette To Beach Dist NM 0.785 Mts 1453.82 Compass 65 Reverse 245
From Cigarette To Diamond Dist NM 1.01 Mts 1870.52 Compass 151 Reverse 331
From Cigarette To Grune Dist NM 0.986 Mts 1826.072 Compass 184 Reverse 4
From Corbiere To Quesnes Reef Dist NM 1.12 Mts 2074.24 Compass 112 Reverse 292
From Diamond To Balaine Dist NM 0.408 Mts 755.616 Compass 37 Reverse 217
From Diamond To Beach Dist NM 1.19 Mts 2203.88 Compass 6 Reverse 186
From Diamond To Cigarette Dist NM 1.01 Mts 1870.52 Compass 331 Reverse 151
From Diamond To End Breakwater Dist NM 0.826 Mts 1529.752 Compass 80 Reverse 260
From Diamond To Grune Dist NM 0.358 Mts 663.016 Compass 255 Reverse 75
From End Breakwater To Diamond Dist NM 0.826 Mts 1529.752 Compass 260 Reverse 80
From End Breakwater To Diamond Dist NM 0.826 Mts 1529.752 Compass 260 Reverse 80
From Grune To Back St Aubin Dist NM 1.2 Mts 2222.4 Compass 338 Reverse 158
From Grune To Cigarette Dist NM 0.986 Mts 1826.072 Compass 364 Reverse 184
From Grune To Diamond Dist NM 0.358 Mts 663.016 Compass 75 Reverse 255
From Grune To Pigeot Dist NM 0.366 Mts 677.832 Compass 257 Reverse 77
From Pigeot To Grune Dist NM 0.366 Mts 677.832 Compass 77 Reverse 257
From Pigeot To Quesnes Reef Dist NM 2.19 Mts 4055.88 Compass 282 Reverse 102
From Quesnes Reef To Corbiere Dist NM 1.12 Mts 2074.24 Compass 292 Reverse 112
From Quesnes Reef To Pigeot Dist NM 2.19 Mts 4055.88 Compass 102 Reverse 282
From Start To Beach Dist NM 0.832 Mts 1540.864 Compass 288 Reverse 108
From Start To Vrache Dist NM 0.286 Mts 529.672 Compass 259 Reverse 79
From Vrache To Cardinal, off Castle Dist NM 0.382 Mts 707.464 Compass 222 Reverse 42
From Vrache To Start Dist NM 0.286 Mts 529.672 Compass 79 Reverse 259

About
Tim Rogers is a keen rower and member of the Jersey Rowing Club. This posting is offered to share for anyone interested in rowing and maybe some of the sessions, courses, distances and training information above.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/JerseyRowingClub/?fref=ts
http://www.jerseyrowing.com/

Rowing Session Monday 6 May

Rowing Session Monday 6 May

Notes

This is our planned Corbiere route, which is the basis of our training for Sark to Jersey.

Summary Target

Distance 18000 Time(Mins) 105 Meters Per Min 171 Meters Per Sec 2.86 500m Splits 02:55

Detail

This is the course and the bearings. Remember you face backwards on a rowing boat. Don’t forget to adjust for wind and tide too!

From End Breakwater To Diamond Dist NM 0.826 Mts 1529.752 Compass 260 Reverse 80

From Diamond To Grune Dist NM 0.358 Mts 663.016 Compass 255 Reverse 75

From Grune To Pigeot Dist NM 0.366 Mts 677.832 Compass 257 Reverse 77

From Pigeot To Quesnes Reef Dist NM 2.19 Mts 4055.88 Compass 282 Reverse 102

From Quesnes Reef To Corbiere Dist NM 1.12 Mts 2074.24 Compass 292 Reverse 112

From Corbiere To Quesnes Reef Dist NM 1.12 Mts 2074.24 Compass 112 Reverse 292

From Quesnes Reef To Pigeot Dist NM 2.19 Mts 4055.88 Compass 102 Reverse 282

From Pigeot To Grune Dist NM 0.366 Mts 677.832 Compass 77 Reverse 257

From Grune To Diamond Dist NM 0.358 Mts 663.016 Compass 75 Reverse 255

From Diamond To End Breakwater Dist NM 0.826 Mts 1529.752 Compass 80 Reverse 260

About

Tim Rogers is a keen rower and member of the Jersey Rowing Club. This posting is offered to share for anyone interested in rowing and maybe some of the sessions, courses, distances and training information above.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/JerseyRowingClub/?fref=ts

http://www.jerseyrowing.com/

Rowing Session Sunday 5 May

Rowing Session Sunday 5 May

Notes

I decided we should start rowing courses to be accurate about distance and time and also to practice navigation. This is better than random rowing all over the place and helps us get familiar with the marks, the turns and all the things we need to think about when racing the same marks. What is interesting is to see the distance, time and average pace from the session. We felt after 1.5 hours we had done 15k. The actual truth is sobering!

Summary

Distance 13207 Time(Mins) 90 Meters Per Min 146 Meters Per Sec 2.45 500m Splits 03:24

Detail

This is the course and the bearings. Remember you face backwards on a rowing boat!

From Start To Beach Dist NM 0.832 Mts 1497.6 Compass 288 Reverse 108

From Beach To Back St Aubin Dist NM 0.956 Mts 1720.8 Compass 261 Reverse 81

From Back St Aubin To Grune Dist NM 1.2 Mts 2160 Compass 158 Reverse 338

From Grune To Cigarette Dist NM 0.986 Mts 1774.8 Compass 364 Reverse 184

From Cigarette To Grune Dist NM 0.986 Mts 1774.8 Compass 184 Reverse 4

From Grune To Cigarette Dist NM 0.986 Mts 1774.8 Compass 364 Reverse 184

From Cigarette To Beach Dist NM 0.785 Mts 1413 Compass 65 Reverse 245

From Beach To Vrache Dist NM 0.606 Mts 1090.8 Compass 123 Reverse 303

About

Tim Rogers is a keen rower and member of the Jersey Rowing Club. This posting is offered to share for anyone interested in rowing and maybe some of the sessions, courses, distances and training information above.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/JerseyRowingClub/?fref=ts

http://www.jerseyrowing.com/