INDOOR ROWING NEWSLETTER #112 ====================== 27-October-2004 ======================= _________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S 1. Newsletter Special Offer 2. AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship 3. RowPro: On-Line Racing 4. Cartoon by Rog 5. Ready Steady Row Game 6. Tel's Tales 7. Winter Team Relay League 8. Indoor Rowing Grand Prix Series: Southampton Results 9. Pat Connell 10. Tel's Tales: Making The Break 11. Education Matters 12. Gloucester Further Education College Rowathon 13. Upcoming Races And Events **************************** Feedback Back Issues Subscription Information ________________________________________________________________ With Bells On ***************** For a glitzier, HTML version of our newsletter with pictures, cartoons and all the funny jokes (possibly), go to: http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/newsletter.htm. To receive the newsletter in HTML format, click on Update Profile at the bottom of this page and change your preferences to HTML. How To Write To Us ***************** Please don't reply directly to this email, 'cos we won't ever see it. Instead send your bouquets or brickbats to editor@concept2.co.uk. ========================================================= Newsletter Special Offer ========================================================= Polar are the official Heart Rate Monitor sponsor of the British IRC and they're also the subjects of this fortnight's special offer. If you buy either the Polar M31/32 or M61/M62, you can buy a Heart Rate Interface for half the normal price. The Polar M31/32 is a mid-range watch that retails at £99.99 and it has a number of features to help you exercise more efficiently. OwnZone enables automatic calculation of your personal heart rate target zone, and OwnCal counts calories during exercise (with percentage of fat burned), and also has mid-exercise measure and the ability to record total and cumulative calorie burn-off. Other features include 'Time TZ' which calculates total exercise time and time spent in your target zone; 'Exercise Reminder' which gives gentle reminders three days after your last exercise; and 'OwnCode', which avoids cross-talk from other heart rate monitor users. The Polar 31/32 with Heart Rate Interface costs £116.44 and can be brought from http://www.concept2.co.uk/shop/polar31_offer.php The Polar M61/M62 costs £114.99 and is a step up from the M31/32, having all the features of that watch plus a couple of more advanced options. OwnZone Advanced enables automatic calculation of your personal heart rate target zone and gives the flexibility to split the basic OwnZone into 2 segments, i.e. high or low heart rate OwnZone at a faster rate then ever. OwnIndex provides the Polar Fitness Test - in less than 5 minutes at rest, this calculates your own fitness level based on resting heart rate, heart rate variability, age, height, weight, sex and activity level. The Polar M61/M62 with Heart Rate Interface costs £131.44 and can be brought from http://www.concept2.co.uk/shop/polar61_offer.php ========================================================= AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship ========================================================= H'Okay. Basically, we'll be going right big on the AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship next newsletter, where hopefully we'll be able to bring you the full line up of what's going on, so we'll keep things brief today. And that's definitely not because "Richard and Judy" is just about to start, oh no. Entry Deadline Extension ----------------------------------------------------- Anyway, with entries continuing to flood in, this year's championship promises to be the biggest and best yet. The entry deadline is supposed to be Friday, October 29th, but we've managed to wangle an extension from the people responsible for typing in all the entries, who are now forecast to see daylight in a fortnight, for on-line entries only. If you've enter via the AXA PPP healthcare British IRC website, you've got until 9 o'clock on Monday morning to do so. Hot dog. http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/entryform.php is the place to go to sign up. Incidentally: unfortunately we can't provide a race schedule until after all the entries have come in, but hopefully we'll be able to have something up on the website by the end of next week. British IRC Hall OF Fame ----------------------------------------------------- Although it's only early days yet, Noel Frost has opened up a sizeable lead in the voting for entry to the AXA PPP healthcare British IRC Hall Of Fame. With eight legends of the sport already inducted, there are two slots still up for grabs. If you haven't already done so, and you've got two minutes to spare, pop along to http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/fame.php, read up on the nominees and see who you think deserves to take their place alongside the likes of Sir Steve Redgrave. ========================================================= RowPro: On-Line Racing ========================================================= Digital Rowing have released Version 1.7 of their RowPro software. If you've never come across RowPro before, it's next-generation software for indoor rowing at home, designed exclusively for Concept 2 Indoor Rowers. RowPro has a 3D graphics display, plus training plans, a 3D coaching clinic, and a built-in rowing log. The Big News for the new release is that the long awaited ability to race over the Internet has finally been introduced. Now you can race up to seven live competitors using RowPro or e-Row, located anywhere in the world, in real time via the Internet. One of the coolest things about RowPro is that it gives you 3D on-water rowing animation that tracks your stroke action and shows you proper stroke technique as you row every stroke. If you want a squiz at what RowPro looks like in real life, check out http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6005 where Forum regular Llamatron has a video of himself attempting a 500m PB. For more about RowPro, or to download an evaluation copy: http://www.digitalrowing.com If you've got any questions on the topic, you can meet the man who invented RowPro at this year's British IRC, where he'll have a stand with a big screen running a demonstration copy. ========================================================= Cartoon by Rog ========================================================= ========================================================= Ready Steady Row Game ========================================================= As a child, the Indoor Rowing News liked nothing better than to stock up on Wham Bars and Space Raiders and stare at the loading screen of our ZX Spectrum as we waited to play Chucky Egg. Ever since those days we've been addicted to both computer games and stealing eggs from farms. It is thus most scrumtrelescent to see that AXA PPP healthcare have relaunched their Ready Steady Row game. As well as giving you the chance to bunk off work for five minutes, you can also win up to £500 pounds of JJB Sports vouchers in their free prize draw. Ready Steady Row can be found at: http://www.axappphealthcarecampaign.co.uk/rowing/ ========================================================= Tel's Tales ========================================================= Tel's Tales is the question and answer column written by three-times Olympic coach Terry O'Neill. If you've got a question you'd like him to answer, send it to terry@concept2.co.uk. Kirk Flanagan: "I have had an Indoor Rower for nearly five years but have used it little over the last two. I have found that, when I train using the heart rate monitor for a row of 20 minutes, my heart rate can climb quite quickly in a very short span of time, but I have not changed the level of work output. If I continue to row through this period but at a lower level, my heart rate does come back down but it leaves you feeling quite anxious and has been part of my reason for ceasing to use the Rower. "I do not believe I am working excessively, my 500m split is only 2:40 for a 20-minute row. I am 39 years old and swim twice a week for 30 minutes quite hard with no problems. I would like to use the Rower to increase my level of fitness (deskbound with an increasing midriff) but am concerned to do so for the reason outlined above." Terry O'Neill: The first thing I would suggest is to see your doctor and get your heart checked out. I doubt that there is a problem, but it is better to be safe than sorry. If you have a sedentary job then it is quite likely that your heart rate will soar when on the machine. You cannot compare your heart rate when swimming to heart rates on the machine, where they will always be much higher. The whole point of training is that for any given work output your heart rate will come down as your fitness level improves. But if you are anxious, it is better to get the doctor to put your mind at rest. Tim Eggins: "I have recently bought an Indoor Rower and am able to exercise six times a week. At present I am following the 40 Minute Fitness Programme. "However my aim, as well as cardiovascular fitness, is muscle growth, particularly in the arms. My question is: can this be achieved using the Indoor Rower and, if so, how?" Terry O'Neill: The rowing machine will help develop the arms and upper body. I would move off the 40-minute Programme and onto preparation for 2,000m racing in the Interactive Programme (http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/training.php) You could also supplement this with the arms and upper body exercises as laid out in the "Hour of Pain" circuit (http://www.concept2.co.uk/guide/guide.php?article=hour_pain) ========================================================= Winter Team Relay League ========================================================= The deadline to get your entries in for the first round of the Winter Team Relay League is 12:00 GMT on November 1st, so if you've not already got your team together, now's the time to do so. The first round is 2 x (4 x 500m) for fours and 2 x (8 x 500m) for eights. For more information on the Winter Team Relay League, or to get your team registered, visit http://www.concept2.co.uk/8gp/ ========================================================= Indoor Rowing Grand Prix Series: Southampton ========================================================= The third race in this year's Indoor Rowing Grand Prix series took place at the first time venue of the Southampton Institute. Races were held in the upstairs gym and started with the well- supported Go-Row races for the U12s, U13s and U14s. Coalporter Paddlers raced well and in large numbers, with Bexhill and Itchen Imperial Juniors also showing well. It's always great to see so many new faces, young and old, and hopefully they'll stay on and swell the numbers of regulars who are such great supporters of the indoor circuit. The day saw some incredibly close races, with Dan Staite just pipping Mark Mitchell to the post in the Men's 30-39 Lwt to win in 6:32.2, just three-tenths of a second ahead of Mark. The fastest time of the day, meanwhile, was set by Graham Benton in the Men's 30+ Hwt, thundering in with a rapido 5:55.8. That 30+ Hwt category looks set to be a real humdinger. Graham Todd leads the overall standings with 42 points, having finished second every race so far. Behind him are John O'Grady and Neil Ridge. After tying for third place in Newark, John pipped Neil to third at Cambridge only for Neil to return the favour at Southampton, edging bronze by just two-tenths of a second. Those two are tied for second with 38 points each, and their rivalry looks to be one of the more intriguing sub-plots in the series. The best women's race of the day came in the 40+ Lwt category, where Helen Hall, Cathy Rogers and Kelly Sapsford battled it out to the line, Helen finally taking first place in a time of 7:33.6. There's now a bit of a break until the next race in the Grand Prix series, which is the Cardiff Grand Prix on the 5th of December. Cardiff normally sees some mighty fine racing and provides you with a chance to quickly get back in the saddle after the British IRC. For more information on Cardiff, along with an entry form, go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp/cardiff.php Southampton Results: http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp/results.php Southampton Full Report: http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp/reports.php Southampton Replays: http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp/replays.php Southampton Pictures: http://www.concept2.co.uk/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=southampton Overall Grand Prix Standings: http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp/standings.php ========================================================= Pat Connell ========================================================= Big congratulations go out to Oswestry's Pat Connell who, at the age of 68 rowed 100,000m in 8 hours 55 minutes and 37 seconds, raising over £1,000 for research into Parkinson's disease in the process. Pictured right is Pat with his silver medal from the recent Southampton Grand Prix. If you've got an indoor rowing story, make sure you send it to editor@concept2.co.uk ========================================================= Tel's Tales: Making The Break ========================================================= I get a lot of letters from converts from other sports who want to get their 2,000m times down. They come to indoor rowing with a high degree of basic fitness and a competitive edge. As a result their initial progress is rapid but then they hit a plateau and struggle to knock off the last few seconds to get them onto the podium. Because of the way the machine works, the faster you go, the more power is required. In fact, you need to cube the power increase for each second. For example; if you are rowing along at a 2:00 split and increase your power by 25 watts, your pace will increase by 4.5 seconds. Whereas if you are rowing along at 1:30 and increase your power by 25 watts, then your pace increases by 1.5 seconds. It is physically very hard to get those last few seconds. When I say they come over from other sports, that is not quite accurate. They may leave the game behind, especially if it is a contact sport, but they still enjoy elements of the training they did in their old sports. I get sent example of training routines they carry out and most of them are really good. They are varied and interesting and also physically demanding. Somewhere in the programme they wedge sessions on the rowing machine and create a hybrid training programme. There is nothing wrong with this except that it will not produce the results on the machine that they are looking for. When you prepare a training programme you have to start at the finish. You need to consider the physical demands, the energy systems, and mechanical and muscular efficiency. Once you have this information you are able to construct a specific programme that will be progressive and bring about the adaptation required to achieve your aim. Regular exercise is essential for a healthy life style, but exercise is not training and being healthy is not the same as being fit. Fitness has to be related to a specific task whereas healthy is not at risk of illness. So for all the converts there is a simple choice: carry on enjoying your hybrid programme and stop searching for those extra seconds or get onto a specific programme and reach your full potential. ========================================================= Education Matters ========================================================= The Nottingham Schools Indoor Rowing Championship took place recently at the newly opened Fernwood School Sports Hall and directed by Project Development Manager Paul Walker, based at Farnborough School. More than 100 boys and girls aged between 12 and 16 competed for places in the city team to row at the AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championships in Birmingham on November 21st. There they will face stiff competition from Birmingham Schools who are supported by the Steve Redgrave Trust. In a hotly contested and enthusiastically supported event, Fernwood School Wollaton, squeaked home ahead of Farnborough School Clifton, with Nottingham Bluecoat School third and Trinity School fourth. Smaller teams from Elliot Durham, Emmanuel and Hadden Park put up spirited performances. The next Nottingham City Indoor Rowing competition will take place on November 16th and should provide more close racing and exciting finishes. ========================================================= Gloucester Further Education College Rowathon ========================================================= Hartpury College won a Rowathon recently to raise money for Amberley Ridge School near Stroud when The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Gloucestershire challenged all six of Gloucestershire's Further Education Colleges to a rowing head to head. The event aimed to raise money to renew and improve Amberley Ridge's swimming pool, for which £30,000 out of a total needed of £92,000 has been raised so far. Amberley Ridge is a day and residential special school for pupils from 5-11 who have moderate learning difficulties with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Because many of the children struggle academically, swimming is a fantastic way to develop confidence and a real sense of achievement. Five Colleges – Hartpury, Gloscat, Stroud, Forest of Dean and the National Star College – each represented by an eight-person relay rowathon team, were pitted against each other and a team from the LSC – over a distance of 25,000 metres. The event took place in the Sports Hall at Hartpury College on Monday 11th October. The final results were: 1st: HOGS (Hartpury Old Gits): 1 hour, 19 minutes and 42 seconds 2nd: TOPCATS (Gloscat): 1:35:01 3rd: FOREST FLYERS (Forest of Dean): 1:40:32 4th: LSC OARS (LSC): 1:40:55 5th: STROUD AND PROUD: 1:45:02 6th: TEAM STAR (National Star College): 1:55:00 ========================================================= Upcoming Races and Events ========================================================= If you've got an event you'd like adding to the Event Calendar, the full version of which can be seen at http://www.concept2.co.uk/racing/calendar.php, then e-mail editor@concept2.co.uk. Name: South Eastern IRC + Able To Row Date: 17/10/04 Venue: Maidstone Leisure Centre Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Nick Bird T: 01622 683959 E: nick.bird@ceridian.com Other: Entries close 1st October. There is a full range of categories from J11 to 80+ with good quality prizes to be had. The Able to Row event is aimed at disabled athletes who want to participate in the Championships. These would be particularly welcome. Name: South East Of England IRC (GP 3) Date: 24/10/04 Venue: Southampton Institute, Southampton Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Nigel Mayglothling T: 0115 951 5516 E: nigel.mayglothling@nottingham.ac.uk W: http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp/ Other: Southampton Grand Prix. The third race in the 2004/05 Indoor Rowing Grand Prix series. Name: Abergavenny IRC Date: 14/11/04 Venue: Abergavenny Leisure Centre Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Ian Parfitt T: 01873 735365 E: ianparfitt@monmouthshire.gov.uk Name: AXA PPP healthcare British IRC Date: 21/11/04 Venue: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Concept 2 T: 0115 945 5522 F: 0115 945 5533 E: birc@concept2.co.uk W: www.concept2.co.uk/birc/ Name: Cardiff Grand Prix Date: 05/12/04 Venue: Channel View Centre, Cardiff Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Mike Hnatiw T: (H) 029 2021 0233 (W) 029 2078 8146 E: mhnatiw@cardiff.gov.uk W: www.concept2.co.uk/gp/ Name: Date: 12/12/04 Venue: University College Dublin Distance: 2,000m Organiser: John Holland T: +353 (0)87 259 2755 E: irishindoors@eircom.net W: www.concept2.co.uk/gp/ Closing date for entries is Wednesday 1st December 2004 Name: Concept 2 European Open Date: 18/12/04 Venue: Amsterdam Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Concept 2 T: 0115 945 5522 F: 0115 945 5533 E: info@concept2.co.uk W: www.concept2.co.uk/euro/ Name: Glasgow Grand Prix Date: 23/01/05 Venue: TBC Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Ronnie Goldie T: 0141 886 3878 F: 0141 886 3878 E: Smallprintrenfrew@ntlworld.com W: www.concept2.co.uk/gp/ Name: 8th Amstel Ergo head Date: 23/01/05 Venue: University Indoor Sport Centre - Amsterdam Distance: 6,000m for seniors/masters and 20 minutes for juniors Organiser: Rv De AMSTEL - Amsterdam E: allaround@planet.nl W: www.amstelroei.nl/ergohead Name: Surrey IRC Date: 30/01/05 Venue: Whitgift School, Croyden Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Jesse Elzinga T: 0208 688 9222 ext. 2148 E: elzinga@gmail.com ____________________________________________________FEEDBACK You like? 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