Fri 1:50am

Been awake for a bit. 

Unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher. 

I think unfortunately I have a predilection for being a bit down or depressed. 

It's especially nice to be in a relationship with someone who loves me. To hear the words "I love you" is so nice,  reassuring, warm....

Wordle 1,189 4/6

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Some stress at work:

Sarsat job is late and people have been changing the tuning process. 

New GFC has too many problems. 

Old GFC had required my involvement to clean up the tuning process. 

InSolution 4G is suffering. 

CuNi monitor has a yet unsolved issue. 

This weekend Phoebe and I are going on Graham's boat with Mel.

So much good yet I still feel a little low. 

Friends. Support. Love. 

pre HOTY exercise

Date

14-9 Last Saturday AM 6585m

15-9 Sunday very slow 5984 PM dance. 

16-9 Mon AM row PM 3 sets (No men's group)

17-9 Tue AM 3 sets + ride PM ride + dance

18-0 Wed AM row PM 6535m

19 September 4am

3 sets

30 situps

5 pushups

60 squats

14 minutes. 

In each set,  Squats started shallow and gradually deepened.

Ok I'm trying to build a habit of a bit of exercise each morning and another bit each evening. This morning was a row and squats. 

Tuesday was ride to and from work. 

With a row in the morning, Wednesday felt like a good day for a 30 minute erg. 

Fed the pestering pets. Put on shorts. Gathered water and music. 

Started slow at 18 strokes per minute. At 5 minutes in took it up two and again at 10 minutes another 2 and as the dreaded 15 approached, closed my eyes. Opened and we were at 14:10 pushed the rating up to 24

Last Saturday 6585m

Sunday very slow 5984

Today 6535m

Coffee with Ben

4:20 De

5:55 arrive DIVA / AVID Coffee on Swann Rd.

No one here. 

A minute later one of the girls Anna ? Arrives.

SAT 14 - erg

 

A sore knee meant giving Park run a miss.

A trip to woolies to buy 2 x D cells.

Install batteries.

Water bottle.

Music

30 minutes on the clock

Baby let's go....

....

...

Coming up to 15 minutes was tough. Mentally I mean. The urge to stop was strong. Luckily distracted as the clock flicked past the half way mark and we are on the return journey.

.....

...

...

Last 10 minutes and we are trying minute on minute off to keep the focus.

...

.. as we hit the last minute AC DC contribute. I'm feeling I'm on the highway to he'll and by a nice coincidence, as the clock hits zero, the song words are:

"I'm on the way to the promised land"

FWK that feels good.

 

 

 

Sunday 15

SUNDAY 15

A variety of activity this morning. 

Erg session along with coach Scotty was interrupted when a learn to row kid arrived unexpectedly, complete with an entourage including little sister, both parents and a pair of grand parents. 

With no other kids around,  this week was his first go in a single scull. The day was sunny, a very very gentle breeze and very calm water and no other rowers. The perfect day to tip over and so he did. 

For me the best bit was that he smiled and with a bit of help from the tinnie, got back in and continued rowing. 

After we'd bid the family good by, Phoebe Antonieff Mitchell and I commenced a 30 minute erg. In my case, concentrating on the finer points Scotty had been tutoring me on and Phoebe just practising the basic techniques.

Back home and Phoebe cooked a couple of lovely omelettes. 

Our original plan had been to go look at Comicon but with the change of action,  I figured by the time we made it to convention ctr,  they'd be in wind down mode so changed direction and headed to Mt ominous to buy togs.  

Arrived home to see Chris and .... working on bikes which was nice to see. 

Walked to Dunlop Park Pool. It was still a lovely warm day and the water was amazingly pleasant. Phoebe stroked smoothly through 20 laps.  I splashed through maybe 10. Most of my laps were breast stroke. 

Phoebe hightailed home. 

I got ready for Monday.  Packed clothes etc. 

Then off to do a dance practice. 

Then over to Phoebe's for dinner.  She'd cooked a very beautiful shepherds pie. A different recipe to mine but really nice. 

Home and into bed

HOB Training

 HOB is 9.5km

HOTY is 8km

We have a crew that has not rowed together. 
The objectives are to row together and to do about 8km with out stopping.
A variety of pressures and rates. 
Start at Toowong Rowing Club.
Turn at the green rocks and finish at GPS
8km at a split of 2:30 is 5 minutes per km x 8 km = 40 minutes
We need to be at GPS to finish at 6am and off the water at 6:15. 

4:40 On the water
Warm up & Technique.

5:40 am Start the 8k work at Toowong.
Turn at the green rocks.
Finish at GPS at 6am

6am at GPS
6:15 back at our ramp.

 So if we are not at Toowong by 5:40, we should note the time we start and turn early and do less than 8km this time.  Closer to HOB, we would truncate the warm up but for this first time, keep the technique bit.

WARM UP

in 4's. 15 strokes at each position. Square blades
Start with Bow 4 & oars in water at the finish
Arms only
Arms & Bodies,
1/4 slide, 1/2 slide., 3/4 slide, full slide,
Add in feathering. 15 strokes.
Finish with 10 strokes at firm pressure.
Check the run.  Do Stern 4
Bring in 3&4  Flow into Inside Arm / outside Arm

INSIDE OUTSIDE ARMS
In 6's. Suggest start with stern 6 and move the unused pair down the boat so that bow 6 is the last 6.

10 inside, 10 outside & square, 10 normal.
Rotate the 6 during the normal strokes.

RUSSIAN CATCHES
In 4's.  Stern 4.  Check the boat before starting.
At the catch. Place and push but only go to 3/4 slide. ie it's a very short drive.
10 catches
On the 10th catch flow into a full stroke and then do 10 normal strokes.
Then stop. Check the boat. Turn do bow 4

STRIKES
Full crew.  Row a minute or two to relax.
Strikes are Each stroke for 10 then 10 normal strokes.
call strike for the first one and call "Row-on" for each stroke.

So 10 strikes at the Finish, then 10 normal then
10 at arms away, then 10 normal
10 at arms & bodies, then 10 normal
10 at half slide, 

Stop for drink and remove jumpers.

Here we should be at Toowong

WORK

40 minutes with a U Turn finish at GPS.
Need some variety to keep the focus.

I would suggest something like:
4 minutes at each rate 16, 18, 20, 24 = 16 minutes
Start at light work at 16 and gradually increase pressure with rate
Row light for 4 minutes (20 minutes)
then do it all again but add 2 minutes at 26 and a bit more pressure.
Now we are at 36 minutes.  I imagine about the west end ferry terminal.
Row light for a couple of minutes.
Then build up for the last bit until we get to GPS.
Consider 10on 10 off or something like that just to kick it along.
AT GPS, just row light for a minute to both get the lactic out and to get us closer to our shed

Frank 0414 329 164

 

exercise

Tue 10 sep

W=105.6kg

30 situps

5 pushups

2min squats

I would like to lose weight, become stronger and fitter, row better.  Need to create some habits. 

Need to go for a bike ride

Today maybe

5:30 dance

6:30 drive to Phoebe's.

 Take pump. 

Pump up tyres. 

Eat dinner. 

men's group

BBQ on Mt Cootha.

Good discussion. 

Warm night air. 

Lots of motor cycles. 

Brown Snake

4:30 rise and shine. 

4:45 depart corinda

5:15 Crew convene at West End Park Cafe Car park 

Cribb, Craft and Thomson ferry crews to Somerville and give keys to Sarah.  

(Austin will meet at Somerville as lives around cnr),

5:30 Arr Sommerville Shed. (in cars)

6:00 Depart Sommerville shed. (in boats)

7:08 Race

Row back to BGRC

9:00 Coffee if desired

Rowles (or sub) ferries drivers back to Somerville.

 

 

 

Phoebe took some lovely photos.

I am in 3 seat

FB Post on Suicide

 6-September-2024 I posted this on Facebook and it obviously hit a nerve as there were lots or responses.

What's on your mind?

It's 3am

Yesterday I attended the funeral of a man younger than me who'd taken his own life.  Now two high school kids will grow up without a dad.

It's a topic "we" don't talk about. I dare not use the "the word" for fear the algorithm will bury my post.   The rate is double the road toll and nothing is said.  My sarcastic interpretation is the government & public service can't make money from it.

At the remembrance service we heard about the many good things in his life. 

I wondered about the lead up.

As we stood around beforethe service, No one talked about it at all.

At other times people say things like:

It's selfish.

Could I have done something?

He suffered from mental health issues.

I think: "did he feel loved and connected"

It's a tough gig this thing called life.

For me, after my marriage crashed, I was very low.  So low that I researched ways to make sure one is successful in checking out. Luckily people saw this and stepped forward. Invited me into their lives and that helped but feelings of inadequacy, failure, wtf is wrong with me were very strong.

This fellow was a smart fellow. Lots of friends and plenty of talent. Had had a life with a ton of experience. It was suggested that because he was smart he was able to hide whatever was happening inside so all appeared normal.

It's hard to know what to do. I do know that after such events we all ourselves things like "what could I have done" and "if only I'd known".  For some maybe there are signs but obviously for others it's hidden.  An internal bubbling pot of inadequacy and failure.