Day 11 and improving fitness

Despite coughing up stuff from the lungs today, I feel much better and think I've truned the conrer in terms of getting the fitness back. It's not that I was unfit before, but as a smoker I had a handicap of course...

Tonight I wanted to do a middle distance piece to test the water out. I checked my blog from May last year to see what I was doign back then (as a non smoker) and compare. I'd done a 5000m row in 19 mins and 8 seconds at 20 strokes per minute. This is an average pace of 1:54.9. I targeted myself with 1:53.9 tonight which would be just under 19 mins. I managed to hold the pace for the first 4000m and then pick it up to go faster in the 5th km for a decent time:

5000m - 18:44.1 - 20spm - ave pace 1:52.4/500m

I then carried on to do the extra 1000m for a 6km time:

6000m - 22:43.8 - 1:53.6 (a bit slower as I'd pushed hard in the 5th km).

All in all, very pleasing. Faster than last year, and felt strong. 

I then did some power cleans and faield at a PB attempt of 110kg, again! One day I'll get it.

I then did a quick tabata session 20s on / 10s off at 12 spm which is 4 strokes per rep.

768m - 1:44.1 - r12 result. That's pretty powerful stuff so again happy with that.

I think next week I'll try a quicker 5km row with a higher stroke rate, maybe 24 and see if I can go 18:20 or below (1:50 pace). If so, I'll have a crack at sub 18 mins again (only done it twice before).