There are three questions that you should ask yourself about this workout:

  1. Should you be able to do a half marathon row?
  2. Is the half marathon the right choice for your training?
  3. How will we execute this workout in group classes?

  1. Should you be able to do a half marathon row?

In the gym we are preparing for the unknown and unknowable. With this in mind unless we are injured we should be physically capable of doing the half marathon or even a full marathon row.  We probably will not break any land speed records as our training is not exclusive for these tasks. But if you wanted to train to be faster what we do, in the gym, will help your body be healthy and help you be ready for the training to accomplishing this task faster.

  1. Is the half marathon the right choice for your training?

Unless you need to prove something to yourself or are looking for a test I would say no. Sometimes we see the great results we got from training in the way we do and think if we do a little more it will be even better. Unfortunately better is better, more is not better. The goal of training is to get the minimum effective dose, not to bury ourselves. What will you get out of a half marathon that you could not get from a ten or fifteen km?

A marathon or half marathon is a great test but not really training. How we get faster is by be faster in short distances then stretch it to longer ones. Or as I have heard before if we train to run slow we will just run slowly. I have rowed a few half marathons and a full marathon and it just tires me out for the workouts that would add more value to my training. Do you need a test or training right now?

  1. How will we execute this workout in group classes?

“Coach I don’t have an hour and a half to sit on a rower today. How will this workout work for me?” Glad you asked, for Thursday’s workout we will do 40 minutes of cardio. It will work by each member of the class picking a rower, bike, ski or run and you will be scored by the class’s total meters. We will put time zone verses time zone and you will record the meters you contributed in your notes.

If you were to ask yourself these three questions about the half marathon row what would your answers be?

 

Thursday

Warm up/tech

2 rnds

1min of each

Rocks

Stand ups

High knees

Then

Set up cardio equipment

 

Wod

40 minutes of cardio

Meters row, bike, ski, or run

 

Or

 

Half marathon

21,097 m

 

Note: meters will be added up by all class members

Add total score to leader board with personal meters in notes

 

Cool down

Calf drops

Downward dog

Cobra pose