Event 2
2k row
50 pistols
30 hang cleans @ 135lbs
When I first saw this workout I was really bummed about the row as I do not enjoy nor yet consider myself to be stellar in rowing. However, I was relieved after meeting with James as he pointed out that this workout is not about the row and even advised me to pace on the row "no grunt efforts". Sweet!
I was initially a bit unsure about the pistols as we have not done any in training once this year. However, I am good at bodyweight exercises and we use pistols as one of the assessments pre/post manual therapy at the Stay Active Clinic. So I do at least a couple post workout every so often. James put them into my training the week after the OPTathlon & I gained the confidence that I would do 50 straight through.
One of the areas I want to improve for my next competition is to plan my warm-ups or at least have some options beforehand, as that is still an area where I have uncertainty. I thought they were going to put the top 12 from the first workout in the same heat together as they did at the SE Regionals the week before. So I was anticipating being with the last group. However, they kept us in the same heats as Diane and I was in the 2nd to last group. This forced me to rush my warm up a bit.
Corey was there and when I gave him a "what should I do?" he had me start with a 3 minute row getting faster over each minute. I went something like 2:30 pace, 2:20 pace, sub 2:10 pace last minute. Then got off the rower and did 5 pistols per side, then walked over and did 2 hang cleans at 135 (I had previously warmed up to 135)
He then said, "I would go through that a couple more times."
I had no desire in rowing 3 minutes again so this time I did 3 45s intervals getting faster over each like above. 10 pistols, 1-2 hang cleans.
Walked around and eyed the other competitors for a few minutes. It seems that very few people warm up much at competitions. But I know I do better after a good warm up so I went through it one more time with an even shorter row:
3 sets of 30s row getting faster over each. Pulled 1:50-1:55ish my last 30s. 10 pistols, 1 hang clean.
Time to line up.
It was somewhat comical as they would call us out and have us check in and then we would go and stand in these corrals corresponding to our assigned lane. Lined up like race horses to make small talk with the girls next to you. People have always been quite friendly at CF competitions, but I felt like this year the girls were friendlier than ever. I would say this is simply due to my chilled out perspective. more on that in a separate post.
Out onto the floor we went. We met with our judge and demonstrated one hang clean & one or two pistols per leg. No problem. They turned on the rowers and we stood behind them until the ever famous, "3, 2, 1…go!" Sit down, strap in & start pulling.
I kept the stroke rate low (25-27) and eased. My splits have escaped me by now but it was something like 2:07-500m, 4:20 1k and somewhere around 8;45 overall.
My original plan was to row 2:05-2:10 but I kept dropping down to 2:13-2:16 and would hear all my negative thoughts sink in like old habit. I remember at one point thinking, "Well, here I go again. I'm not going to get through this. At least it will be over in 17 minutes."
But then I would shut it out and refocus. James had told me that my word for this workout was, "intent" I knew I just needed to get through the row and get to those pistols.
Girls starting getting off the rowers just over 8 minutes. There was maybe one more girl rowing when I got off. Pamela Gagnon was in the position beside me and got off the rower just before me. She was the only person I could see during my pistols so it became my focus to not stop and move faster than her. I quickly found my groove on the pistols and just focused on breathing and staying efficient throughout.
When I finished I turned to head to my bar and realized I was the first person done with the pistols although Pamela was right behind me headed to the bar. At this point i turned my back on her and faced the rest of the field. I picked up the bar & knocked out 5. It felt good, but I wasn't able to replicate that again. Went 3 on the next set or two and a bunch of doubles from there. I specifically remember being at 18 and thinking 6 sets of 2. You can do this Each set started to get a bit harder With one set of two to go. I got the first one and thought, "just one more". I caught that last one forward on my shoulders and low but I was determined to stand that sucker up and I did. (Corey got a bit too excited and missed that last rep on video. :)) Sprint maybe 15m to the opposite side of the floor and it was done.
I had thought I won my heat but round out later that another girl finished just before me. It's so hard to know what is going on out there. It's all really a blur.
This was my favorite workout this year. I almost gave up on myself, but stuck it out and worked for it at the end.
Like I do with all my workouts I have looked back and wondered if I could have gone faster. I feel like I could have rested less between the sets of hang cleans, but at the same time I think the fact that I had to dig for my last rep shows that I was working right at my threshold. My max (although hasn't been tested recently) is just under 150 (I think 147/148 for a hang squat clean) and I do not have any recollection of ever doing a HPC of more than 135. So this load was 90% or more of my max. With the video replay I figured out that this was 30 reps of 90+% in ~4:25.
Learnings:
Stay positive & stick to the plan with less worry!
Keep getting stronger!
awesome work, awesome!
ReplyDeletegood sideline coaching as well :)