In this blog series, I take inspiration from one of the day’s Olympic events. Today: rowing, specifically the women’s single sculls. Not because I have a particular talent in this event, just because I am a) a woman and b) there’s only one of me.
In today’s heats, women raced over the 2000m course (do they call it a course?) at my “local” venue, Dorney rowing lake. I’ve coached there (open-water swimming), I’ve raced there (triathlon, 10km runs) but I’ve never rowed there.
And I still haven’t. I conducted today Olympic challenge on the rowing machine at the gym.
Earlier today, Korea’s Yeji Kim posted the fasted time for the heats (07:50:64). Girlfriend’s only 17 years old! The slowest time of the day in this event was 08:12:83. In the men’s race, the fastest time was 7:00:19 whilst plucky old Hammadou Djibo Issaka had the crowds on their feet as they cheered him across the line, last by quite a stretch, in 8:39:66. (Watch a vid here.)
Would I manage to beat Djibo Issaka’s time? Would I even beat 10 minutes? I had absolutely no idea. I do use the rowing machine quite a lot but tend to do intervals, tabatas or just a set amount of time. I really don’t ever take any notice of how far I go. I also have no idea what’s good, what’s rubbish and what’s “OMG get this girl out of the gym and into the 2016 single scull squad!”
I donned my cap (just about the only bit of kit I’ve got in common with actual rowers) and got to it.
Hm. This isn’t so bad! A bit huffy-and-puffy but it’s only 2000m! Surely I can do this.
Gosh. This is going on a bit.
Dum dee dum. Wish I’d worn my earphones.
36spm. Is that good? Is it like swimming where the slower your stroke rate, the faster you go? Or should I be pulling as fast as I can?
Hooray! 500m gone! Oh… also quite a few minutes gone. God this could be embarrassing.
I really am quite warm now. My face is really red.
Oh look, 7 minutes have passed. I’ve done 1510m. If I was in the men’s race, the winner would have crossed the line and I’d still be 3/4 of the way down Dorney.
Right, come on Nicola, pick up the pace. This really isn’t that far.
I can’t wait for this to be over.
10 minutes is approaching, oh no, come on….
Hooray! 2000m!
2000m in 9:07. Haha!
Verdict: hot, sweaty, deceptively hard, legs very wobbly after. British Rowing unlikely to be ringing me up any time soon.
How have the London 2012 Olympic Games inspired you today?
My Olympics: day two, rowing single sculls is a post from The Fit Writer blog.
Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.
Exactly my thought process, mmm, not so bad, meh, this is tough actually!
xx
And you are always slower in a single scull than on the ergo, the ergo time is really more how long you would take in a 4-….the Women Olympic single scullers will all have 6min20-6min50 2000m ergo times….crazy!
Blimey!