For the last three years, I rowed each day of December (2020, 2021, 2022) by starting with a base number of meters on the first of the month and adding that amount each successive day. The base was 325 in 2020, 375 in 2021, and 400 in 2022.
As I noted last year, I wanted to try something different and go for speed so I chose 100 as the base.
How it Went
Like years past I wasn’t in rowing shape but in OK runing shape. For the first couple weeks I did a HIIT or short row warmup prior to each workout and after that just the warmup. I got sidelined by fever two weeks in and had some other scheduling challenges so some days I doubled up and ended up going into January before wrapping up.
On the 20th day (actually the 25th) I did a 2K and managed to take 7 seconds off my previous PB. Keeping up the pace atfter 2K day after day was tougher than I thought it would be. This was as hard as previous year’s challenges but in a different way; more physically demanding than mentally challenging.
Closing Thoughts
Much like the last couple years, toward the end of the month, I started feeling better/getting faster and then had some slower days scattered in.
So what’s the plan for next year? Speed! Maybe as little as 100 meters for the base to get to a 2K on the 20th or maybe 200 to get to it sooner.