Cyclical Adventures

 Originally, I assumed, it was going to be for the month of August. Then,  August turned into September. Now, it's already half way through October and it looks like it is going to continue long into the future.    The next adventure is about to begin.
I have been enjoying the break from serious training and getting to spend quality time with my wife Amber.  Since we got married on Sept. 1st of this year we have been able to go on some great outdoor adventures together. This would not have been possible trying to maintain a 2-3x/day six days a week training schedule I had with rowing. In my mind, it is has been the healthiest thing I have done for myself in along time... and it involves NOT heavy training.  I feel really good and actually have been feeling more motivated  and confident for racing/training in the future. But, in what sport(s)?  

I have decided to make the commitment to not commit to one sport.  I know I said that "I'm Back" recently, but I will only be rowing recreationally for cross-training in the next few months. I love the other things in life too much to focus only on one activity.  Turns out, I live for those days that multiple activities can be enjoyed while not worrying if I'm going to break an arm or injury myself.  I have a feeling that I will still push myself at something in the future (cycling, running, triathlon, or rowing...) But, it will involve a creative (read exciting & non-traditional) training program.   As of recently I have been racing bikes in a local circuit of Cyclocross.  I would like to (running) race in the Island running series: Frontrunners Island Race Series.

It may be time to change this blog to Outdoor Pursuits. Lets see how soon that happens. 

Hill repeats on our local Mt. Tolmie in Victoria. 

The Circle of Life (Part II) - A Riddle and Learning new tasks

One point of neurological interest to me is how fast humans can learn a new task.  This is all in the name of increasing my ability to learn "proper" technique in rowing (whatever this is).  With proper focus and attention along with the right coaching it looks like a new task can be replicated quite quickly using something called rapid instructed task learning (RITL) or "rittle". Using two tactics the brain adapts to the new step by step way to learn; first by mimicking another person with imitation and secondly by verbal instruction. In this Blog Article MW Cole explains the process in detail.

So, If I watch a whole bunch of previous Olympic and World Championship rowing on YouTube I will be able to internalize the techniques I want to mimic.  Next, I need to have a very accurate and verbal coach to keep focused on replicating the skills that I would like to have as permanent.  It seems fairly straight forward but after a few years of hyperfocus I'm still in a position of needing many technique tips to work on. When will it be enough!?  I think the answer to that is.... never. This is, however, more related to the long term enjoyment, benefit, and value of sport I have talk about previously.

In a recent book on success, by Malcom Gladwell, it is often mentioned the "10,000 hour rule" claiming to have success in any field is a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.  I think Gladwell has the right idea, but it is more than just slogging through a certain number of hours doing the same thing. I feel it takes conscious focus while doing the activity - but then unconscious focus while going through the rest of the day not doing the specific activity.   When I was a student, I liked to re-write my class notes into something more understandable to me (also something that was legible).  Similarly with rowing, I like to write out the skills learned each day/week to make sure I'm keeping fresh and mentally stimulated with learning the new techniques.  When I look back at the pages of notes I have jotted down, I have gone over the same six things a bakers'-dozen times;  the catch with hand levels, leg drive first & no body open, strong finish etc. etc. ad infinitum. 

The transfer of information of this learned skill first starts at the brain and follow the Central nervous system (CNS).  The nerve signal full of information travels down the spinal cord then synapses onto a peripheral nerve and sending the signal at last to the muscle.  The final result of the cascade of events occurs at the motor end plate where a very specific muscle firing pattern causes physical motion of the legs/body/arms thus causing a efficient and effective movement  ie. the rowing stroke.  All this happens, in the biggest nerves, about 1/100th of a second, or traveling at 100 meters/second. Fast! Now, I want to make sure this very speedy nerve impulse is the RIGHT ONE inducing correct rowing technique.


In the next few weeks I want to spend time exploring and documenting what I feel is a perfect rowing stroke. That is why I'm here, right?   This may take a while actually find out... stay tuned.