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"Tiger Woods has already persuaded his fellow professionals that it is virtually impossible to win a major without spending the first two hours of the day strapped inside a gymnasium rowing machine."

Daily Telegraph, 07/04/2005
http://tinyurl.com/6n7zp

The address we gave last week for the Interactive Weight Loss Programme was missing a small, but vital, slash. It should have been: http://www.concept2.co.uk/weightloss/interactive.php.

Samuel Johnson was well overdue on delivering his dictionary, taking nine years to complete it and overshooting his original deadline by a full six years, making our one week seem positively virtuous. It also explains why one of the phrases he uses to illustrate dull is "To make dictionaries is dull work". Hear, hear Samuel, and it only took us half an hour to do ours.

Anyway; here's the first attempt at compiling a dictionary of indoor rowing. From now on, we'll include a link to this at the start of every newsletter, so if there's anything we've missed out, and our ghast would be well flabbered if we hadn't, then let us know at editor@concept2.co.uk.

2K/2,000m - the standard race distance on both the rowing machine and on-water. 2,000m World and British records can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/racing/records.php. Tends to hurt.

Aerobic - Exercise that uses oxygen. Low to moderate intensity activity that can be sustained for long periods. It is the foundation of most training programmes. A 2,000m race is 80% aerobic.

Anaerobic - Exercise without oxygen. Hard work done over very short periods, which cannot be sustained. A 2,000m race is 20% anaerobic.

AT/Anaerobic Threshold - The maximum intensity of exercise that is sustainable via the aerobic system, i.e. without a build up of lactic acid.

BPM/Beats Per Minute - The number of times your heart beats in a minute. Monitoring your heart rate is pretty essential for anybody who takes their training seriously, as it helps you to both control and assess your training programme.

BIRC/British IRC - The British Indoor Rowing Championship. The biggest indoor rowing race in the world, the next one takes place on the 20th November at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. For more information, especially if you're wondering how big the swimming pool needs to be, go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/

Core Stability - The ability to use the postural muscles to maintain the stability of the spine. Often neglected, Core Stability training helps improve rowing technique through good posture and also increases spinal stability during exercise, helping to prevent back problems. An introduction to Core Stability can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/guide/guide.php?article=core_stability

Drag Factor/Damper Lever - The damper lever is the thing on the side of the flywheel that controls the drag factor, which is to say it controls the amount of air that flows through the flywheel. The single most commonly misunderstood thing about indoor rowing, there is no set drag, either for training or racing. For a decent article on the basics of drag factor, go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/tels_tales.php?id=12.

Drive - The application of power during the rowing cycle: http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/technique.php?stage=4

Erg/Ergo - Another name for the Indoor Rower.

Fartlek - A Swedish word that means Speed Training, this is a training technique in which periods of intense effort alternate with periods of less strenuous effort in a continuous workout. Can cause school children to giggle in GCSE PE.

Finish - The end of the Drive phase and the beginning of the Recovery phase of the rowing stroke: http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/technique.php?stage=1

Hwt/Heavyweight - Indoor rowing races frequently have heavyweight and lightweight categories. To be a lightweight you must be under 75kg (11 stone 11 pounds) for a man or under 62.5kg (9 stone 9 pounds) for a woman. Anything heavier than that is classified as heavyweight. In competitions, you must weigh in less than two hours before your race.

HRM/Heart Rate Maximum - The fastest your heart will beat on the Indoor Rower. A rough estimate for this is 220 minus your age. A more accurate way of gauging it can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/tels_tales.php?id=3 .

HRR/Heart Rate Range - The difference between your resting heart rate and your Heart Rate Maximum.

Lwt/Lightweight - See Hwt/Heavyweight for more details. Have a tendency to only talk about food in the days leading up to a major championship.

MHR - Maximum Heart Rate. See HRM.

Recovery - The time between the Finish and the beginning of the next Drive.

Stroke Rate/SPM - The number of strokes per minute you take while rowing. This will vary depending on both what sort of rowing you're doing, and also your body shape. Taller, heavier rowers will tend to have a lower stroke rate than smaller, lighter rowers.

Training Bands - There are five main training bands. In ascending order of difficulty, these are:

UT2 - Utilisation 2. Light aerobic, low intensity work. Sustainable and fat burning
UT1 - Utilisation 1. Heavy aerobic work using more oxygen.
AN - Anaerobic (without oxygen). Short bursts of maximum effort. Unsustainable. Burning carbohydrate.
AT - Anaerobic Threshold. Harder work. On the aerobic limit. Pushing into anaerobic area.
TR - Oxygen Transportation. Working hard. Unsustainable for long periods.

For more on Training Bands, see http://www.concept2.co.uk/guide/guide.php?article=training_bands

Training Log - A diary where goals, objectives and training are recorded. You can download (for free, naturally) a Training Log from http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/log.php or you can use the Online World Ranking and Log Book at http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/log_start.asp.

VO2 Max - The maximum amount of oxygen that can be used by the body in one minute. Matthew Pinsent has a VO2 Max of eight and a half litres, the largest ever recorded in the UK.

WIRC/World IRC - The World Indoor Rowing Championship, also known as the CRASH-Bs. Currently held every February in Boston, USA. You can found out more at http://www.concept2.co.uk/wirc/

The Indoor Rowing News has always been an inquisitive cove. As a child we loved comparing things. Who'd win a fight between The Incredible Hulk and The Mighty Thor? What was faster, a Lamborghini Countach or a Ferrari Testarossa? Who could paint better out of Tony Hart and Rolf Harris? Although this was eventually to get us banned from every public baths in three counties, we've never lost the desire to know how people stack up. Which is why the Concept 2 British Ranking is such a big deal for us. Featuring all the best times from individuals up and down the country over nine individual and four team events, the Ranking provides a snapshot of the state of rowing in the country.

The entry deadline is April 30th and there are a number of different ways to make sure your time is included. Firstly, if you're on the On-Line Ranking and Logbook (http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/) and your nationality is down as British or Irish, your best times from there will be automatically entered. Secondly, you can use an official Ranking Entry Form, available from either http://www.concept2.co.uk/ranking/ or by contacting Concept 2 on 0115 945 5522 or info@concept2.co.uk. Alternatively, all competition times are entered automatically.

For more on the Ranking, including archived results from the past couple of years go to: http://www.concept2.co.uk/ranking/

After months of testing, the final version of RowPro 1.7 has now been released. RowPro is the software programme developed by Digital Rowing that allows you to wire your PM3 up to your computer and access a whole host of gizmos and gadgets. This latest version provides the eagerly awaited Internet Racing module that's fully compatible with the earlier Concept 2 e-Row programme.

e-Row and RowPro users anywhere in the world are able to race or train with each other in real time, with up to eight participants in races ranging from 500 metres to full marathons.

Digital Rowing has worked with Concept 2 to ensure full compatibility with the earlier e-Row Internet Racing system. In time all remaining races will move from the old 'e-Row only' Race Server at Concept 2 to the new 'e-Row + RowPro' Race Server at Digital Rowing.

Even if the idea of internet racing doesn't appeal, RowPro have recently opened an online Rowfile Library that will contain downloadable stroke-by-stroke records of every competitor at major indoor rowing races like the British and World Indoor Rowing Championships.

This means, for example, people who competed at one of the races covered by the Rowfile Library can get the Rowfile for their own race, and the Rowfiles of any other contestants in their race, put them into the lanes beside their own boat in RowPro, and race against them stroke by stroke as part of their preparation for the next year's event.

The Library opens with the complete set of Rowfiles for every competitor at the 2004 British IRC and the 2005 World IRC, so if you've ever fancied seeing what it would be like trying to keep up with, say, Pavel Shurmei, or Graham Benton, or the 2005 Oxford Boat Race crew, now's your chance.

For more about RowPro, visit http://www.concept2.co.uk/rower/rowpro.php.

One area where indoor rowing has traditionally flourished is in the Prison Service, with both inmates and officers regularly to be found taking part in charity events and competitions. To mark the popularity of indoor rowing, PEO Ben Steadman has started the Prison Service Indoor Rowing Club (PSIRC) for prison officers all over the country. As well as a regular newsletter, the PSIRC has also started its own ranking structure with the assistance of Concept 2. Although there are no prizes for the top rowers, there will be a bimonthly focus on a particular distance and anyone entering a time at that distance will be entered into a prize draw, with prizes coming from Concept 2 and the PSIRC.

As well as all this, the PSIRC are also trying to organise a rowing weekend on the 17th/18th of September and have also come up with a rowing format of their own: Gener-Eights.

The idea is that you formulate a team of two x 20 year olds, two x 30 year olds, two x 40 year olds and two x 50+, each of which has to row 500m of a 4,000m piece. The race will be on a rapid change format but no one person can row more than 500m.

For more information on the PSIRC, contact PEO Ben Steadman at HMP/YOI Onley or email benjamin.james.steadman@hmps.gsi.gov.uk.

If any other institutions want help in setting up their own clubs or rankings, contact Concept 2 on info@concept2.co.uk.

This year's National Indoor Rowing Marathon Day is on Sunday, April 17th, with sheer luck once again meaning it's on the same day as the Flora London Marathon. For an event with a long name, it's simplicity itself. Simply row either a half or a full marathon, either individually or as part of a team, on or around the 17th, and submit it to us before April 31st (see the Ranking Deadline article for ways to submit your time).

More information, along with rules, an entry form, training advice and last year's results, can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/marathon/

One group of people who will be taking part is the Countrywide MAD Team, the current 100,000m world record-holders. Phil Morris takes over to say what they're doing:

"The MAD Team originally developed from a MAD band of hardcore training enthusiasts into its current form for the 100k World Record Attempt in January 2004. We were successful in that attempt, setting a new record and, more importantly, raising nearly £10,000 for the National Deaf Children's Society.

"The intention of the MAD Team has always been to keep trying to break records and to keep raising money for charity.

"So, time for us to have another go. On 16th April, the MAD Team (pretty much in its entirety) will be descending upon David Lloyd's in Portsmouth, England. The day is a great opportunity for us all to get together and enjoy each other's company, but we are also looking to raise money for a worthy cause once again.

"The charity we are supporting this time is Cancer Research. Cancer is a disease that has or will affect each and every one of us at some time in our lives - some have already lost loved ones, some people will in the future and some people may be affected personally. We all feel very strongly that this is a worthy charity and one that we are keen to support as strongly as possible. I hope that you feel the same.

"The day is not just about enjoying each others company; there is work to be done and we are going to have a bash at a few records - four in one day to be precise. Firstly, we are going to attempt to break the men's, women's and mixed four person marathon records. And, in addition to this, we will be looking to create and set a 50k relay record. The relay team will be a real mixed bag of MADers including Lightweights and even maybe some women, so we are hoping to have some fun setting a standard that will encourage other teams to stage their own attempts in the future ... possibly at the Coleshill event in the summer. But remember, each of these attempts still represents between two and three hours rowing for everyone concerned, so are worthy of your support.

"Once again, we have set up a Just Giving page so I would encourage you all too please visit it and show your support for our very worthy cause: http://www.justgiving.com/madweekend

"Thanks in advance for your support. You can follow the build up to this event on the Concept 2 UK forum at http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7288."

The current marathon records can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/marathon/records.php.

Of course, if you really can't get enough of marathons, then the one thing that might hit the spot for you is the endurancelife 7x7x7 event in Devon in which competitors compete over a different marathon distance event every day for seven consecutive days. The event starts on Sunday the 3rd July, Each day people compete against each other in a different marathon distance event.

The events are:

Day 1 - Off road running marathon
Day 2 - Mountain biking marathon
Day 3 - Open water kayaking marathon
Day 4 - Traditional road running marathon
Day 5 - Cycling time trial marathon
Day 6 - Indoor rowing marathon
Day 7 - Multi-Sport - kayak, run, bike marathon

It costs £400 to enter, which includes staying in endurancelife's tented village in South Devon with food, physios and medical staff provided.

For more information, visit http://www.endurancelife.com/races/seven/overview.asp.

Incidentally, if anybody does decide to take part, let us know at editor@concept2.co.uk as the whole thing sounds bonkers and we'd quite like a report on the event.

Oxford beat Cambridge to win the 2005 Xchanging Boat Race on 27th March. Their time of 16:42 was the third fastest time ever and gave them their third win in the last four races. Oxford led from the start and, although Cambridge came back at them slightly, but Oxford made the killer move at Chiswick Steps to win by two lengths.

Now; far be it from us to shout loudly and confidently after an event, but Oxford, apart from the advantage of Concept 2 Oars hem hem, showed at the British IRC in November that they had a stronger crew, with five of their squad beating the fastest Cambridge rower. In 2004, however, it was Cambridge who not only did better at the championship, taking four out of the top five places, but finished victorious by six lengths.

Whenever the Indoor Rowing News walks into any bookmakers in the land, you can see the bloke behind the counter measure himself up for a new suit, so any tips given by us should be taken under advisement but: if you want to get in at the ground floor for next year's race, we'd advise you to study the results from Birmingham in November very closely indeed.

The 2nd South London IRC took place on March 27th 2005 at Sutton Arena and Leisure Centre in South London. Here's organiser Phil Morris's report on the event:

"This year, the organisation team wanted to do something different from what competitors are normally used to at indoor rowing events. Rather than your standard 2,000m or 1,609m (mile) events, we opted for a 'Rower's Bleep Test'.

"In simple terms it worked like this: based on a season's best 2,000m time, a starting split was worked out-

8:00 or more = Group 1
7:30 - 7:59.9 = Group 2
7:00 - 7:29.9 = Group 3
6:30 - 6:59.9 = Group 4
6:29.9 or less = Group 5

"So, for example, Group 5 target splits were

Level 1 = 1:34
Level 2 = 1:33
Level 3 = 1:32
Level 4 = 1:31
Level 5 = 1:30
Level 6 = 1:29
Level 7 = 1:28
Level 8 = 1:27
Level 9 = 1:26
Level 10 = 1:25
Level 11 = 1:24

"This was just like an interval training session, one minute on then one minute rest, then you went again at a faster split. This kept happening until no one was left.

"The winner of the Bleep test event was Andy Sangster (Countrywide MAD Team) who got down to level 10, managing to complete it at 1:26.3 pace, followed by Neil Ride (Old Wrecks IRC) who also got down to level 10 but his time was in the 1:40s. Third place went to Rob Smith (Countrywide MAD Team) who got level 9 but failed to start level 10. With only two guys left at level 10, it came down to whom was the closest to the target split of 1:25, hence Andy Sangster taking the win with his 1:26.3

"There was some other great performances from other competitors to, including an amazing performance by Tracy Watkins, a 30-39 Hwt Woman (SUB 7 I.R.C) in Group 2 (7:30 - 7:59.9) who got down to level 9 (1:40) in her first ever competition.

"The S.L.I.R.C also ran a 1,000m race and a 1,000m Pairs Relay, where a team of two rowed 1,000m, but they had to change over between the distance of 450m - 500m, this proved to be entertaining as one team (Team Oarsome) thought it would be fun to row this event while eating a plateful of cakes.

"A full list of results can be found at http://www.myho.me.uk/

"You can also read some feedback of the event on the Concept 2 Forum at http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7279 .

"This event will be run as a Bleep Test next year, so make sure you get your name down early!"

Due to popular demand the indoor rowing training camp in Banyoles has been resurrected. It will take place in September and will be run by Keith Lyon. For more details, contact Keith on jkeithlyon@aol.com.

In Indoor Rowing News #120 we told you about Neil Rhodes's attempt to run a marathon at the North Pole, and to row a 10,000m piece while he was there. Unfortunately, due to a dispute between the French and Russian authorities at the North Pole, all activities there have been postponed. Although Neil's obviously disappointed, he'll hopefully be able to take part in the rescheduled race in April 2006. There is no truth in the rumour that they heard he was coming and panicked.