Week 18 - More metres, more achievements

102640m for Anita this week, 107040m for me.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday (We decided not to do Tuesday as planned due to neither of us feeling particularly well) were all 3 x 30' sessions.

On Monday Anita did the 1st and 3rd intervals with really nice control (2:21.5, 2:22.1) and her 2nd interval was a quick 2:16.3. I went 1:57.5, 1:58.5 and 1:59.5 with gradually increasing stroke rates for a bit more transition to fast leg power from my arms. Both of us felt pretty good after this session.

Wednesday was slightly different. Both our 1st intervals were relatively unremarkable (2:18.6 for Anita, 1:57 for me) but the 2nd intervals was something else.

I started of planning to do a 1:58, but looked over at Anita going great guns, and started racking the pace up a bit, getting tro half way at 1:53.3. I was feeling so good I pushed on with sub 1:50 pace, and for the last 7 minutes went sub 1:45 (Sub-7 2K pace) to end on an overall 1:50 average, for 8183m, a PB by 109m, where I only rowed PB pace for 24 minutes out of the 30!! Lots more to come on the 30' I think!. Anita also ended up with a PB (2:15.1, 6663m) by 40m, at 24spm, showing great power and control yet again. Anita finished her 3rd interval in a 2:21, I went on the X-Trainer for a 30' Fat Burn at 122bpm heart rate to warm down.

Friday was a warm up for today's (Saturday) 3hr 30min session, but we still rowed really strongly (Anita 2:20 and 2:22 twice, me 1:54.5 at a slower-than normal stroke rate (22), 1:56.4 and 1:56 to finish) - We found the days rest on Tuesday and Thursday really helped the quality of our workouts this week.

Then onto the Big Boy/Girl Pyramid Session - 30', 45', 1hr, 45' and 30', with about 4' rest between intervals.

I was OK for the first 3 intervals up to 2:15 done, at 1:58, 1:58.5 and 1:59.5, but I really hit the wall on the 4th interval and struggled to a 2:03.5. I then chose to finish with a X-Trainer warm down again, rather than push myself to only do a 2:05 or lower.

Anita was a picture of stoic calm - Each interval was at 23spm, and at 2:21 or 2:20.9!! She is a machine when it comes to ultra-endurance, and I really envy her ability to lose herself in either music or the TV. I have no worry about her completing the 100k, and it really is now just how fast she will complete it :)

Same again next week, then a week off for good behaviour :)

Anita & Andy

www.justgiving.com/Anita-Wells