INDOOR ROWING NEWSLETTER #130 ======================== 23-September-2005 ========================= _________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S 1. 2005 British Indoor Rowing Championship 2. The Biggest Loser 3. Tel's Tales 4. Peter Avery 5. Cartoon By Rog 6. Carole McNally 7. Concept 2 British Rowathlon Series 8. British Indoor Rowing Championship Training Camps 9. Schools Indoor Rowing League 10. Forthcoming 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, send an email to subscription@concept2.co.uk with HTML as the subject title. 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. Indoor Rowing Glossary ***************** A guide to some of the more common terms used in indoor rowing can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowing/glossary.php ========================================================= 2005 British Indoor Rowing Championship ========================================================= There's now just over four weeks to go until the close of entry for this year's British Indoor Rowing Championship. If you haven't yet entered, make sure you go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/entryform.php where you can either enter on-line in a matter of minutes or download a postal entry form. If you do enter on-line, you can now enter your mobile phone number to get your race position and time send to you as soon as possible after your race. As well as the individual 2,000m race, you may not be aware that there is a team event. The Redgrave Team Challenge took place for the first time last year, and will be reappearing in 2005. The Redgrave Team Challenge is a four-person 1,000m team event. There are two categories in the challenge, J16 (Year 11) and Corporate/Fitness, and these both have male and female subcategories. The J16 event is open to anybody under the age of 16 as of August 31st, 2005, while the Corporate/Fitness event is open to all businesses, health clubs or fitness clubs. It is not open to rowing clubs, universities, or indoor rowing clubs. The Redgrave Team Challenge will be run under a heat and final format, with the fastest 10 teams going through to the final. Engraved tankards will be awarded to the first, second and third placed teams in each event. All entry fees go to the Steve Redgrave Trust (http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowing/redgrave.php), which is working to improve opportunities for young people across the UK, so even if the idea of competing on your own over 2,000m is not appealing, you can still get together some of your workmates and enjoy the day. For more on the Redgrave Team Challenge, including an entry form, go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/teams.php. One other final thing, which applies to both competitors and spectators, is that we will be selling the race machines off after the event. All the machines are brand new at the start of the day and can be bought for £799, a saving of £140 on the regular retail price. For more information, or to buy one, contact Concept 2 on 0115 945 5522 or info@concept2.co.uk. ========================================================= The Biggest Loser ========================================================= The Biggest Loser is a new TV series starting on Living TV on October 9th. Rather in the manner of those terribly amusing adverts for Kellogg's Special K, the "loser" of the title refers not to some hapless no-mark sat in their office writing an overdue email newsletter while wondering if that incredibly ominous rattling sound their Vauxhall Cavalier made this morning means they won't get back in time to see Outtake TV with Anne Robinson. No. Instead it's one of those shows which takes 12 very unfit, very overweight members of the public and, over the course of the show, puts them through a complete lifestyle change with (we're guessing here) the winner being the biggest loser of weight. Although these sort of shows do tend to deal with extremely overweight members of the population, a lot of the information and strategies for weight loss and fitness are generally very useful and, apparently, the Indoor Rower features quite predominantly in at least one episode, so they obviously know something… More information on Living TV can be found at http://www.livingtv.co.uk/ and, while we're plugging stuff, you can find the weight loss section of our website at http://www.concept2.co.uk/weightloss/ which includes our free weight loss booklet. ========================================================= Tel's Tales ========================================================= Tel's Tales is the question and answer column written by three-times Olympic rowing coach Terry O'Neill. If you've got a question or point you'd like to make to Terry, send it to terry@concept2.co.uk. Phil Dyer: "My job situation has forced me to reduce my normal training routine. After much frustration I have decided that this may be a blessing in that it forces me to get more out of the work that I do. Does that make sense? Can I get more from less?" Terry O'Neill: I think you can although this is not conventional wisdom. However conventional wisdom is all derived from experience with top elite athletes. In this case there has already been a process of elimination; you don't find many 5'4" basketball players or 6'7" jockeys. So at elite level you have by this process of elimination a very specific group who are genetically orientated to the sport. With indoor rowing this is not the case. We have people competing from 9-90 and all different shapes and sizes therefore there is no universal training plan that will serve everyone. I think once you have passed your peak in terms of age, (over 30), then you will not improve your aerobic base especially if you have been training regularly for several years. All of your capacity does not decay at the same rate so your aerobic capacity will decay faster than your strength. This is why veterans on water race over 1,000m not 2,000m. If you are relying on more strength rather than endurance to compete then it would make more sense to increase intensity so that you improve your anaerobic functions of lactate tolerance and shunt mechanism. This is why I wrote the high intensity programme (see http://www.oarsport.co.uk/training/) and the point of failure system (see Newsletter #102). I think these will give a better return for your time. ****************************************************************** C Moulton: "My husband and I are considering purchasing an Indoor Rower. I've never used it, and I'm a bit nervous that it might aggravate some foot injuries I've had over the past 2 years. I've had problems with one heel (plantar facilitis) and with metatarsal pain with both feet. "Does your rower put stress on the feet? "Does it put the feet through a stepping like motion?" Terry O'Neill: During the rowing action, as you come forward to the beginning of the stroke, the weight on the foot stretcher moves up to the ball of the foot. This means that the angle of the foot to the shin closes whereas in running or bounding as you come up onto your toes the angle of the foot and shin opens. The other difference is that when walking or running as you come up onto your toes you are bearing all of your body weight and it is this action that stretches the planta facia and causes inflammation. The rowing machine is non-impact and the load on the feet is much less than standing or walking. The heel restraint is flexible and allows the heel to rise as you come forward. By limiting your forward movement you can further reduce any stress on the foot. My advice is to try it and see either by visiting a local health club or local rowing club but my feeling is it should not cause a problem. ========================================================= Peter Avery ========================================================= Peter Avery has always considered himself to be a very outgoing, larger than life character. It wasn't until he began a serious weight loss programme using the Concept 2 Indoor Rower, though, that he realised how much larger than life he was. Peter, a 50 year old Assistant Head Teacher from Sheffield, went to the doctor last year to get a prescription for a minor ailment but was shocked when the doctor told him there was little point in helping him as he could have a heart attack at any time. It was a shock that Peter didn't see coming and it was enough to make him realise he needed to make some major changes to his life. He embarked on a low calorie diet and training programme and lost an amazing 13 stone in a year. "At 49 years old, I weighed 29½ stone," explained Peter. "I'd never considered my weight to be a problem. If anyone made any jokes about my size, I just laughed it off. "When the doctor told me it was seriously affecting my health and I was actually at risk of a heart attack I started a low calorie diet and began a training regime." Playing contact sports all his life has meant Peter has always had a well-built frame. But after a few years of not playing sport regularly he began to put on weight but didn't really notice how much. Peter joined a gym and discovered the Concept 2 Indoor Rower and began training on the machine regularly. "With the Concept 2 you really feel like you're working – unlike swimming when all I felt like I was doing was getting wet! You've got to maintain your pace throughout the workout and work against the machine. "Now I love the machine and have even bought one for my home so I can train any time of day. Each morning I row 2,500m in under 10 minutes and thanks to the training I've now lost more than 13 stone in 12 months! "Obese people obsess about food. You need to transfer that obsession to something else in order to lose weight – I transferred my obsession to the Concept 2!" Peter's affection for the Indoor Rower has stretched to his work too. A colleague has also bought a Concept 2 on the strength of his recommendation and Peter is working to open a sports suite at the school and introduce his pupils to the Concept 2. "I'm really keen for our pupils to start using the Concept 2. I recently organized an indoor rowing event at the school where a group of pupils and I rowed the 9,000 mile distance from Sheffield to our twinned school in Africa. "The pupils loved doing it. Rowing on the Concept 2 is something they can do without feeling self conscious of their weight. They don't have to wear sports gear and you can row on the machine comfortably in your school uniform if you wanted to," said Peter. "Personally, I'm now aiming to keep the weight off and continue my training on the Indoor Rower. I'm more of a distance rower than a time-trialler but if I keep working out on the machine and get a bit faster I'll be racing at the British Championships soon – hopefully with some of my pupils!" ========================================================= Cartoon By Rog ========================================================= http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/images/cartoon130.jpg ========================================================= Carole McNally: New 100,000m Record ========================================================= On the 10th of September, Carole McNally set a new British record for the individual women's 100,000m row, a time of 7:55:59 just a couple of minutes inside Elaine Thorpe's mark of 7:58:14, which has stood since 2000. More importantly, Carole also raised over £1,500 for Manchester children's hospitals in the process. A delighted but sore Carole said after the row "It's absolutely fantastic. Not bad for a fat, old broad eh? I'm so proud of myself, but I do have a sore bottom! "Towards the end I had around 60 people cheering me on. It felt wonderful." Carole first took up indoor rowing in 2003 with the aim of keeping fit, but has been hooked ever since, winning silver in the 2004 Concept 2 European Open. ========================================================= Concept 2 British Rowathlon Series ========================================================= The third race in this year's Concept 2 British Rowathlon Series took place at Reading on September 10th. Full results can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/results.php. Round 4 of the series is at Thruxton this Sunday, while the final race is in Marlow on Sunday, October 2nd. As well as the individual races, winners of each overall senior race category will win a free trip to Copenhagen along with £100 of expenses to take part in the 2005 Concept 2 European Open (http://www.concept2.co.uk/euro/). The best three results from the five results in the series count. Current rankings can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/rankings.php. ========================================================= British Indoor Rowing Championship Training Camps ========================================================= Fletcher Sport Science will be holding four one-day training camps for British IRC participants on Saturday the 22nd October and 5th November and Sunday 23rd October and 6th November. The training camps will be run by Eddie Fletcher and Anna Bailey. During the day you will learn how to - Get the best out of yourself by understanding the physiology of a 2,000m row. - How to structure your pre race warm up. - How to row your race to optimise your performance. As well as working on your technique and breathing. There will be two practical rowing sessions. The morning row will concentrate on technique and stroke rate development and the afternoon session will be a full training session based on the type of session needed at this stage of preparation. Places are strictly limited on a first come first served basis and restricted to 12 participants on each day. The venue is Colmers School and Sports College in Birmingham and the cost is £65 per person. Ring Eddie on 01386 40050 or email info@fletchersportscience.co.uk to reserve your place and request an application form. ========================================================= Schools Indoor Rowing League ========================================================= A quick reminder that the closing date for the first round of the Schools League is 12pm on Monday October 3rd. If you're associated with a school in anyway, and know where the pupils can get access to an Indoor Rower for at least one day a month, then make sure you let them know about the League. Don't worry either if you can't get a team together before then, however, as teams can join in at any point in subsequent rounds. The Schools League is a national tournament in which boys and girls race in year group teams in relay format on one Concept 2 Indoor Rower. Teams race in their own school, submit their results via the website and entry is absolutely free. Round by round and overall results are then available for the separate year group leagues within a day of each round closing. The tournament consists of 6 rounds from September to March. Each round has a different race format and a team doesn't need to consist of exactly the same rowers in all rounds. Round Years 10/11/12-13 Years 6/7/8/9 Closing Date Round 1 2,000m - (8 x 250m) 1,000m - 8 x 125m October 3rd Round 2 3,200m – 8 x (2 x 200m) 1,600m - 8 x (2 x 100m) November 7th Round 3 4,000m – 8 x 500m 2,000m - 8 x 250m December 5th Round 4 6,000m – 8 x (3 x 250m) 3,000m - 8 x (3 x 125m) February 6th Round 5 8,000m – 8 x (2 x 500m) 4,000m - 8 x (2 x 250m) March 6th Round 6 16 minutes - 8 x (4 x 30secs) 16 minutes – 8 x (4 x 30secs) April 3rd For more information, go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/league/. ========================================================= Forthcoming Races And Events ========================================================= Name: Thruxton Rowathlon Date: 25/09/05 Venue: Thruxton Distance: 3k row, 21k bike, 3.5k run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/ Name: Enfield indoor Rowing Gala Date: 25/09/05 Venue: Southbury Leisure Centre Distance: 500m, 1000m, 2000m Organiser: Frank Birch T: 020 8886 8499 E: Frank.Birch@Myho.me.uk W: www.enfieldIndoorRowing.org.uk Name: Marlow Rowathlon Date: 02/10/05 Venue: Marlow Rowing Club Distance: 4k row, 25k bike, 7.5k run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/ Name: Nottinghamshire IRC Date: 29/10/05 Venue: Newark Rowing Club Distance: One mile, 500m, Team Relay Organiser: Graham Price T: 020 8886 8499 E: gprice@itwpromedia.com Name: 9th BluRed IRC Date: 06/11/05 Venue: Grenville College, Bideford Distance: 2000m Organiser: Nigel Cann T: (h) 01237 473805 (w) 01237 428667 E: ncann@tycoelectronics.com W: http://www.concept2.co.uk/racing/calendar_uk.php?id=175 ____________________________________________________FEEDBACK You like? 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