The collars/sleeves on my oars are getting a bit rounded and the stabilizers are off all the time now. I've been reading a delightful little book "With Two Oars" by William B Irvine (About $9 on Amazon) - in it he focuses on "set". I think this is huge. He has some great exercises to cure flipophobia which he thinks is the root of all bad technique. I tend to agree! Great read.

The Oartec Slider is installed next to the wife's elliptical and I've had a couple of goes so far - trying to calibrate it to feel like the Edon which of course has a bit more drag than a 1x. The Florida summer is well and truly here and the option of air-conditioned rows if I get up too late is great. It's not the same as on-the-water though - I'm very fortunate to be able to launch in my back yard.

I've just ordered an Oartec Slider rowing machine for the bad weather days down here in Florida. I was initially going to just get a used Concept2 D with a PM4 and started looking on eBay for one - I was attracted to C2 by their holding their used prices and the ability to use RowPro. Then I looked at the C2 Dynamic the started googling opinions then discovered dynamics and sliders in general and a few opinions on the rowing boards (on the water people). Then checked out the Oartech videos. I think in the end, the balance of opinions on the Oartech’s perceived superiority with ref to on the water swung it. I like the feet together thing and also the overall size. Plus, it looks cool :-) The one big and only negative point was the clunky looking monitor and no RowPro hookup - any outlook/intent for an upgrade in the future I wonder? I look forward to delivery and will be blogging on my progress with it. I’m an old person just rowing for fun/fitness really and am using an excellent Edon TS515 which is a robust "kayak-material" training scull that fits your garage. I’m hoping the Slider will compliment the Edon nicely and help my on-the-water times.

I thought I'd mention a great USA made product I've been using - New Grips - they basically save your hands from blistering - especially if you have some time away from rowing then come back (as I did with my 4 week trip to UK). 

They are at http://www.newgrip.com/rowing_gloves_oars.html, are very reasonable and they have great customer service. I tried them at first and they felt a bit awkward. If you get some, once they have been used a few times, the neoprene conforms to the grips and everything feels much better.

I have no connection with these guys apart from being a happy customer.

Temptation.. temptation... ok, I was in UK and spotted one on Row2K not far from where I live. Got extremely excited about it - reading everything I could - the ideal next boat! 

However when I got back to the US I measured my boathouse/garage and the Maas would only fit diagonally! I'd only just be able to open the door if it were in there. 

Rats.. Still the seller was kind enough to show me around the Sarasota Rowing Club and I got to actually try and lift it. It was extremely unwieldy with a fragile fin and no handholds - really a two man job to be safe (especially in a wind). And, although it was only 38lbs, I found it much harder to pick up. So, I'm kind of glad it was too long. Back to the Edon :-)

Whistled round my 4.6miles in record time today. Hadn't been out for a couple of days, got up earlier and it was cooler, almost dark. Didn't get as hot as usual (pretty humid down in in Fl) and after setting my best time over the first 3rd decided to ignore my heart monitor's beeps and go above the training rate. I normally slow down at 136bpm but let it drift (Ha) up to 148. I could see from the Speedoach the difference it was making to ave pace so carried on; After 41m06s crossed my finish line with my best time so far. I got on one of these HIGI monitors at the local supermarket yesterday and it wasn't impressed with my weight or blood pressure so I think I'll up my training rate band on the watch permanently. There can't be many more pleasant ways of taking vigourous excercise than bashing away on an Edon in the early light with complete calm and the sun lighting up the horizon in salmon pink. Onwards!

Just got back from my 100th row in the Edon. Pretty pleased as my time was my 2nd best ever and conditions wern't ideal. I've lately been feeling that my hands have been on too high a plane and accordingly I tried raisng the oarlocks about 3/8" - feels much more horizontal and the times have generally improved with less exertion (well lower HR avg anyway).
Although I had the training floats off for a while, I put them back on just for safety's sake and they are still on. I wouldn't like to fall in right now - I think it's alligator mating season :-)
Onward!

Thinking about something else and forgot about the last piling before clear water. Struck the oar first between orarlock and hull then the rigger. Luckily I'm still using the floats or I would have got wet (and there are alligators in the lake).

From the sound of the impact I thought I'd ripped the mounting out of the hull. Apart from a tiny mark on the (Dreher) oar, no damage. Try that in a regular composite shell.. I'm further impressed with these Edons.

Another minute off of my 4.3mile course (beautiful morning here in FL, sun just coming up, no wind, mist on the water  (a bit like the end of Phantom down under the Opera House)) - again with the FLOATS ON. Geting more comfortable with the changes to the stroke - basically hands away earlier and lower, more core compression and a little longer reach at catch, followed by a more horizontal stroke.

Anyway the point of this post is to say how pleased I am with the Nielsen Kellerman Speedcoach XL2 It is just SO useful to be able to get immediate feedback on how effective the last stroke was. I've been using that along with a cheap ($50 Amazon) Polar HR monitor. I row along just under the top of my training rate (136bpm) and try out changes to the stroke. The XL2 displays the HR which makes it easy.

I'd never paid much attention to the average pace display (an option you can set) up until now but as I can now get around the whole 4.3 miles without stopping for a wheeze, it's a huge incentive to be able to know that if you just keep the SR better that the last average, your time around the course will be better. Obvious! Doh.

A big point to make is this works from an impeller in the water - while this is not as accurate at measuring distance, it is the only way of getting accurate info on that last stroke. GPS based systems (even the latest) just aren't accurate enough over the distance covered by one stroke.

Loving this rowing thing.

When I "graduated" to removing the floats, I thought they'd just gather dust. I was a beginner no more! Well, it's winter down here in Florida and that means the water is cooler (65deg) but more importantly my normally perfectly smooth conditions have been replaced by breezy and somewhat choppy areas in places. 

I've been trying to improve my stroke to get hands away and keep my knees together. It's slowly getting better as I get a bit fitter and the inches away around my waist reduce. Anyway, one result of this is a longer stroke but a feeling of insecurity just before the catch when its choppy. Together with the wind getting under the blades on the recovery (especially in a side wind) this made me think I'd try the stabilisers again for a while. I was amazed (the Speedcoach doesn't lie) to find my pace improving with a lower heart and stroke rate. I've been out three times now with the floats on and have recorded my best times ever around my 4.3 mile course. Interesting huh?

Just a little update - to all those ancient (I'm 60) and unfit peeps taking up rowing late in life - don't overdo it! I was so enthusiastic I was going out every morning and rowing to my HR limits for 45 mins. In November I could hardly row at all - my legs had this really weird feeling. The back  of my right thigh could hardly rest on the seat of my car without pain.

I stopped rowing completely (quite worried) for over a month and have just finished about 6 wks of every other day, gentle rowing. Starting to get back to where I was when I started... doh.