Q - Power
Indoor Rowing Team
News (2014)
30th July 2014
One normally does not expect too much over the shorter distances during the off-season, training being predominately made up of slower long distance work. This was reflected perhaps in two world records set by members of the team in the first part of this year. Paul set a new WR over 100km with an average pace of 1:51.8 in a time of 6:12.39.2, and Jen followed with a world record for the half marathon (Women's 30-39) with an average pace of 2:00.0 in a time of 1:24:25.0.
With run-of-the-mill 2k tests now featuring in the schedule, sometimes we throw in a single faster session in advance just to soften the shock (well, marginally) of increasing pace by more than 15 seconds / 500m. Done for training benefit rather than performance, and in the middle of heavy training, it is always comforting to see the benefits of the "winter" slog in these higher intensity rows (leaving aside the curiosity of the indoor rowing world that winter training takes place throughout the summer).
Off-season 1k PBs were established by more than one member of the team, but it is worth recording Clare's row which broke her own British record of 3:29.8 and set a new world record (lightweight women 30-39) in the process with a time of 3:27.2 (1:43.6).
There is still so much work to be done this season with millions of meters still to row before the World Championships in Boston in February 2015. However training is ticking along with an out-of-season race in a few months time to allow the athletes a chance to take their aerobic engines out for a spin. We have had a couple of injuries to contend with but a combination of rapid response, physio and chiropractic support and being a little inventive on occasion with the schedule, thankfully very few train days have been lost.
2nd March 2014
As the season draws to a close, Q-Power sent a reduced team of 4 athletes to the English Indoor Rowing Championships held in the Manchester velodrome. Perhaps a little battle weary at the end of what has been a long season, and only recently back from Boston, Paul and Ollie were up first in the Men's 30-39. Paul's focus was to race against the clock, although a 0930 race was earlier than we would have liked. Well paced and aggressively rowed, he pulled a PB of 6:05.0 to take the gold. Ollie had been uncertain about racing until 24 hours beforehand, but rowed a sensible piece for position and took bronze.
Clare raced next in the lightweight women's 30-39. This was a bit of an experiment with her back starting to mend but with still relatively little training in the last few weeks. An aggressive first half saw a time of 7:17.8 and the second gold of the day.
James Howard came into the day more tired than he would have liked and had a tough but determined row in the lightweight men's 50-59 event to take second with a 6:45.2.
As has become his practice in many competitions, Paul could not resist the apparent temptation of racing a second 2k in the day (no, we can't explain it either) and so he had a crack at the open. His 4th place in a time of 6:16.2 was a very respectable performance, whilst his 6:05 from the morning stood as a target for others. As it happened, and for the first time at the event, the winner of the Open deadheaded Paul's 6:05.0 resulting in joint winners for the fastest time of the day trophy.
The day was wrapped up with a pair of 500s from Paul and James in their respective age categories. James pulled a very solid 1:31.0 to take gold in his event whilst Paul finished on 1:18s to snatch victory in his in a time of 1:21.6.
So the 2013/14 season draws to a close with a collection of results that the team can be proud of. Now it's back to the drawing board for another campaign culminating in Boston in February 2015.
23rd February 2014
Just one week after the World Championships, Carolyn competed in one of two post-season races a few members of the team will be racing at. Carolyn raced at the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships, winning gold in both the LW30-39 2,000m and 500m races. Her time of 7:38.7 was comparable to her row in Boston although it left her rowing the 500m on somewhat tired legs. After some well earned rest, Carolyn will be turning her attention to a new rowing project for 2014/15.
16th February 2014
Q-Power has returned from the Indoor Rowing World Championships 2014 (the Crash-Bs) with 2 world champions (Men's 30-39 and Lightweight Women's 30-39), 2 silvers and a gold in the team event. Click here for the full report.
2nd February 2014
On Sunday Jordan competed in his first ever erg race when he raced in the "Monster Erg" event in Victoria, BC. The event featured some of the best rowers in Canada, including several members of the national team. In a very competitive field, Jordan finished seventh in the Senior A Men's event with a time of 6:00.8. The time was good enough to earn him a free trip to compete in the Men's 30-39 category at the CRASH-B event in Boston on 16 February 2014.
At the same time Shirley, recently arrived in North America from New Zealand, was competing at the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships. It was the second time she had raced there but appears to have her competitors on the run - no one turned up to race her. She writes: "It kind of threw me and with not a particularly good start the row wasn't quite as I would have liked it to be. A little 'jagged' all the way through and I was surprised to find I did actually end up with 7.56.9. It felt like it could have been a lot worse. I wasn't rating high enough - r31 or 32 was what I spotted early on but I couldn't find the grunt to rate all that much higher. The jet-lag had taken it's toll I'm sure. I did qualify for flight expenses to be paid for the trip to Boston by being 25 seconds quicker than the qualifying time, so that was a bonus." The competition in Boston will be intense - there aren't any easy medals there.
18th January 2014
As the team prepares for the World Championships in 4 weeks time, most athletes are somewhat tired at the moment and training hard. However we want to note Jordan's recent performances in testing - a 6 second improvement in his 2k with a 5:57.5, and a 19 second improvement in his 6k with a 19:34.3.
One normally does not expect too much over the shorter distances during the off-season, training being predominately made up of slower long distance work. This was reflected perhaps in two world records set by members of the team in the first part of this year. Paul set a new WR over 100km with an average pace of 1:51.8 in a time of 6:12.39.2, and Jen followed with a world record for the half marathon (Women's 30-39) with an average pace of 2:00.0 in a time of 1:24:25.0.
With run-of-the-mill 2k tests now featuring in the schedule, sometimes we throw in a single faster session in advance just to soften the shock (well, marginally) of increasing pace by more than 15 seconds / 500m. Done for training benefit rather than performance, and in the middle of heavy training, it is always comforting to see the benefits of the "winter" slog in these higher intensity rows (leaving aside the curiosity of the indoor rowing world that winter training takes place throughout the summer).
Off-season 1k PBs were established by more than one member of the team, but it is worth recording Clare's row which broke her own British record of 3:29.8 and set a new world record (lightweight women 30-39) in the process with a time of 3:27.2 (1:43.6).
There is still so much work to be done this season with millions of meters still to row before the World Championships in Boston in February 2015. However training is ticking along with an out-of-season race in a few months time to allow the athletes a chance to take their aerobic engines out for a spin. We have had a couple of injuries to contend with but a combination of rapid response, physio and chiropractic support and being a little inventive on occasion with the schedule, thankfully very few train days have been lost.
2nd March 2014
As the season draws to a close, Q-Power sent a reduced team of 4 athletes to the English Indoor Rowing Championships held in the Manchester velodrome. Perhaps a little battle weary at the end of what has been a long season, and only recently back from Boston, Paul and Ollie were up first in the Men's 30-39. Paul's focus was to race against the clock, although a 0930 race was earlier than we would have liked. Well paced and aggressively rowed, he pulled a PB of 6:05.0 to take the gold. Ollie had been uncertain about racing until 24 hours beforehand, but rowed a sensible piece for position and took bronze.
Clare raced next in the lightweight women's 30-39. This was a bit of an experiment with her back starting to mend but with still relatively little training in the last few weeks. An aggressive first half saw a time of 7:17.8 and the second gold of the day.
James Howard came into the day more tired than he would have liked and had a tough but determined row in the lightweight men's 50-59 event to take second with a 6:45.2.
As has become his practice in many competitions, Paul could not resist the apparent temptation of racing a second 2k in the day (no, we can't explain it either) and so he had a crack at the open. His 4th place in a time of 6:16.2 was a very respectable performance, whilst his 6:05 from the morning stood as a target for others. As it happened, and for the first time at the event, the winner of the Open deadheaded Paul's 6:05.0 resulting in joint winners for the fastest time of the day trophy.
The day was wrapped up with a pair of 500s from Paul and James in their respective age categories. James pulled a very solid 1:31.0 to take gold in his event whilst Paul finished on 1:18s to snatch victory in his in a time of 1:21.6.
So the 2013/14 season draws to a close with a collection of results that the team can be proud of. Now it's back to the drawing board for another campaign culminating in Boston in February 2015.
23rd February 2014
Just one week after the World Championships, Carolyn competed in one of two post-season races a few members of the team will be racing at. Carolyn raced at the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships, winning gold in both the LW30-39 2,000m and 500m races. Her time of 7:38.7 was comparable to her row in Boston although it left her rowing the 500m on somewhat tired legs. After some well earned rest, Carolyn will be turning her attention to a new rowing project for 2014/15.
16th February 2014
Q-Power has returned from the Indoor Rowing World Championships 2014 (the Crash-Bs) with 2 world champions (Men's 30-39 and Lightweight Women's 30-39), 2 silvers and a gold in the team event. Click here for the full report.
2nd February 2014
On Sunday Jordan competed in his first ever erg race when he raced in the "Monster Erg" event in Victoria, BC. The event featured some of the best rowers in Canada, including several members of the national team. In a very competitive field, Jordan finished seventh in the Senior A Men's event with a time of 6:00.8. The time was good enough to earn him a free trip to compete in the Men's 30-39 category at the CRASH-B event in Boston on 16 February 2014.
At the same time Shirley, recently arrived in North America from New Zealand, was competing at the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships. It was the second time she had raced there but appears to have her competitors on the run - no one turned up to race her. She writes: "It kind of threw me and with not a particularly good start the row wasn't quite as I would have liked it to be. A little 'jagged' all the way through and I was surprised to find I did actually end up with 7.56.9. It felt like it could have been a lot worse. I wasn't rating high enough - r31 or 32 was what I spotted early on but I couldn't find the grunt to rate all that much higher. The jet-lag had taken it's toll I'm sure. I did qualify for flight expenses to be paid for the trip to Boston by being 25 seconds quicker than the qualifying time, so that was a bonus." The competition in Boston will be intense - there aren't any easy medals there.
18th January 2014
As the team prepares for the World Championships in 4 weeks time, most athletes are somewhat tired at the moment and training hard. However we want to note Jordan's recent performances in testing - a 6 second improvement in his 2k with a 5:57.5, and a 19 second improvement in his 6k with a 19:34.3.
