Row row row your boat

I seem to do this a lot on here, but it's CONFESSION TIME.  I have NEVER used the rowing machines in the gym.  NEVER.  Made up all kinds of excuses as to why I can't; sore back, too hard, not fit enough, but the truth is, I was intimidated by the bloody things.

Last night after work I made an unprepared dash to gym with the intention of completing Michelle's week 5, Monday, lean & fit program.  Normally I'd at least check it out before I go and semi-memorise the program.  not this week.  So I get there and I check out the prescribed warm up on my iphone (HOW we ever lived without one I just don't know) and get started.  And we're walking at 6kph for 5 minutes.  Cool.

At about the four minute mark I scroll down to the next segment.  It's a 5 minute steady state jog at 9kph.  Cool.

Again, I get to the four minute mark and sus out the next stage.  Gulp!  It's something new.  Rolling intervals on the treadie.  A progressive running drill divided into two parts.  Part one is a pace increase at an incline of 1%, starting at 9kph and increasing by 1kph every minute and dropping back to a resting speed of 6kph in the 6th minute.

Part two is a static pace with an increase to the incline every minute.

We're at 10kph (which is manageable) and a 1% incline.  Cool.

Minute 2 is 3% incline, and every minute increases by 2% until you get to 9%.  3%; cool.  5%; okay not quite so cool.  7%; blimey I'm going to pass out and there's NO WAY I can do 9%.  So I take a 1 minute break back to 6kph, same incline, and then I'm ready to tackle this.  AND...with lungs completely busting, I get it done!

So by this point I'm pretty much spent.  And then I check what's next...ROWING MACHINE.

Double gulp.  I don't know how to operate this thing.  I'll look like a dick.  I'll fall off.  It's peak hour at the gym, blah, blah, blah.

So I just go and do it.  I flip back the damper thingy on the side to 5 (I figure this is the done thing) and press reset on the screen.  Strap my feet in.  THEN realise that you have to put the handle on the little holder thingy so you can actually reach it.  Out come the feet.  Position the handle.  Feet clipped back in.  MASSIVE deep breath and we're off.....

The challenge here is to row hard for 1km, have a 2 minute rest, then go again for another kilometre, trying to beat your first km time.  First km = 5:28.  And it's hard.  REALLY hard.  Legs aching, lungs burning, hands raw, but I'm doing it.  And no-one is standing there laughing at me.  That 2 minute rest felt fantastic!!! The second km started out feeling great.  I had a bit of technique happening and was in a zone.  Nearing the 900m point I'd full on had E.Nough. But I sucked it up, did a quick calculation of my current pace and realised that I was on target to beat my first km time.  And I did. 5:11.  Happy with that.

You'd think that would be the end of the workout right about there, but NOOOoooooooooooooo.

Internal sprints on the treadie, which goes a bit like this;

30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, recovering on the sideboards.  1 x 12kph, 2 x 14kph, 2 x 16kph.

Now, I've never cracked the 16kph mark.  Too hard, I'll fall off, I'm not fit enough, blah blah (sound familiar).  The first set of 16kph, I wimped out at 15kph.  But you know what, I decided to give it a go, AND GOT THROUGH IT.  It may not sound like much to those that have been running for years, but for me this is a MASSIVE achievement and I'm really really proud of myself.

Rowing machine - you're not so scary.  Maybe even a second date coming up soon??