Indoor special GET SET: EVERYONE WELCOME!
BRIC is back! Take part in the British Rowing Indoor Championships at the Lee Valley VeloPark – 12 December 2015
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INDOOR SPECIAL
BRIC competitor Helen Mangan welcomes you to our special supplement...
PHOTO: PETER SPURRIER
COVER PHOTO: SIMON WAY
O
n Saturday 12th December the Lee Valley VeloPark will welcome thousands of indoor rowers, all focussed on competing at the second British Rowing Indoor Championships. Once again the Olympic Velodrome will be filled with the furious hum of hundreds of rowing machines as competitors from all over the country put their fitness to the test. If you were at the first ever BRIC last February then you will know how it feels. The thrill of competing in a national event at a truly iconic venue is something very special. This was the main reason that I decided to enter 13 years after my last indoor competition back in 2002! The racing aside, I also enjoyed seeing everyone else involved in the sport from the juniors and adaptive competitors through to the gym rowers and of course the Olympians and GB Rowing Team. It was fun to chat to other people in my race, including the gym rowers – their zeal and camaraderie was inspiring. As a masters rower at Upper Thames Rowing Club and former international lightweight, the rowing machine has been a flexible training tool over the years. I still train on the same Concept2 machine that I bought in 1990. It has served me well – I have used it for the hard core international training and the ‘ticking over’ sessions, while working long hours, through to the more substantial training that I am doing at the moment. So I’m looking forward to 12th December and determined to improve on my 7:41.5 time from the first BRIC. See you there!
ARE YOU READY? Above: Helen Mangan at BRIC in February
Juniors from the Yorkshire Region competed at last February’s British Rowing Indoor Championships... BRIC is great because it allows juniors to compete on the same stage as our idols. Sam
My favourite memory was finishing my erg and seeing that Lyn, my coach, was excited. I thought that it might have been because I’d just won my race, but no, it was because Katherine Grainger was being interviewed a few metres away.” Sarah
It’s a great opportunity to connect with, and compete against, other athletes of your own age but also to see GB rowers competing in the same arena.” Fern
Favourite memory? Watching Sarah and Sam’s faces when they realised that they had won gold medals.” Lyn Volunteer coach
Helen won the 2k 55-59 lwt women’s event at BRIC in February 2015 in a time of 7:41.5 In 2001, she set the world record for the 40-49 lwt event – 7:12.7. Although this was broken in 2005, it still stands as a British record.
Helen Mangan
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BRIC FORMAT
GET INVOLVED!
It’s easy to enter the British Rowing Indoor Championships – simply decide which race you want to be part of and click indoorchamps.britishrowing.org/enter
T
here is something for everyone at BRIC – from shorter races for juniors and 500m sprints to the adaptive and 2k races. And if you fancy being fast and furious then how about the ultimate relay challenge?! BRIC is a festival of indoor rowing for all ages and abilities – you don’t need to be a member of a gym or rowing club to join in.
OLYMPIC DISTANCE
Take a look at these event categories to see which one suits you. Entries are open until 10am on Monday 30th November. You can find out more about the race formats at indoorchamps.britishrowing.org/ format
UNDER 23 SIXTH FORM
OPEN LIGHTWEIGHT
2000m
MASTERS
30+
SPRINT
ADAPTIVE 1000m
UNDER 23
OPEN
JUNIOR
LIGHTWEIGHT
500m
ADAPTIVE
MASTERS
30+
RELAY Race over time
4000m +
2000m
TEAM
JUNIOR Race over time
RACES & TEAM EVENTS
MY FAVOURITE BIT OF BRIC WAS WHEN I FIRST WALKED INTO THE VELODROME. THE SIZE, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND THE NOISE WERE AWESOME! IT’S SOMETHING I’LL NEVER FORGET. Brian Forbes, Gateshead Community Boat Club
@BritishRowing
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BRIC BEST TIMES
From 8 February 2015 BRIC best times
From 8 February 2015 2k Open Men Sbihi (Molesey BC) – 5:45.4 2kMoe Open Men Moe Sbihi (Molesey BC) – 5:45.4 2k Open Women Flood – 6:53.3 2kDebbie Open Women Debbie Flood – 6:53.3 2k Lwt Women Busst (Q-Power) – 7:15.4 2kClare Lwt Women Clare Busst (Q-Power) – 7:15.4 2k Lwt Men Dodd – 6:28.4 2kJames Lwt Men James Dodd – 6:28.4 Men’s Relay Mad Relay Team (MAD IRC) – 5:08.5 Men’s Mad Team (Seal Pt) – 5:08.5 Women’s Relay GB Rowing Team – 5:45.4 Women’s Relay GB Rowing Team – 5:45.4 Mixed Relay Avon Relay County Rowing – 6:20.2 Mixed Avon County Rowing – 6:20.2 1k Adaptive LTA Women Clough RC) – 3:28.6 1kGrace Adaptive LTA (Nottingham Women Grace Clough (Nottingham RC) – 3:28.6 1k Adaptive LTA Men Hester (Upper 1kOli Adaptive LTA MenThames RC) – 3:01.1 Oli Hester (Upper Thames RC) – 3:01.1 2k Junior Yr 12-13 Boys Digby (Abingdon 2kTom Junior Yr 12-13 Boys School) – 6:05.7 Tom Digby (Abingdon School) – 6:05.7 2k Junior Yr 12-13 Girls 2kCharlotte Junior YrHodgkins-Byrne 12-13 Girls (Gloucester Hartpury) 7:03.4 Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne (Gloucester Hartpury) 7:03.4 2k Masters 30-39 Women Lewis30-39 (MADWomen Team IRC) – 7:02.1 2kAnna Masters Anna Lewis (MAD Team IRC) – 7:02.1 2k Masters 85-89 Lwt Men Towler 2kWeston Masters 85-89(Seaford Lwt MenDowns LeisureTowler Centre) – 9:08.5 Weston (Seaford Downs Leisure Centre) – 9:08.5
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GB TIPS
IT’S ROWING TIME!
PHOTO: SIMON WAY
ZAK LEE-GREEN
Get the wheels in motion for BRIC... Nick Hartland asked GB rowers Zak Lee-Green and Jess Leyden for their top tips on going fast and their top tracks to train to.
“There’s nothing like the eerie silence of a hundred ergos all sitting there in the middle of the velodrome, with 2,000m on the screen,” says lightweight rower Zak. “I love that moment when everything goes quiet, waiting for the go, and then hearing the enormous roar echoing around the place carrying you through the first 250m. It feels like you’re in a battle with everyone around you, as if you’re racing side by side on a 50-lane lake.”
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1. ‘Tekkers’ first
6. Drag level
Get your head around the technical movements first before trying to turn on the gas. It’s a lot easier to pull big scores rowing properly than it is rowing like a headless chicken – bonus point is that your back will last longer too.
Use a low drag (105-115) for training because it’s good for your back. You can choose your own drag factor in pieces and racing but the wise person wouldn’t go above 138 for men or 130 for women.
2. Practice makes perfect A good way to be good on the ergo is simply ... do lots on the ergo! There’s much to be gained from cross training and weights, but 99% of your improvement comes from sitting and staring at that unrelenting screen.
3. Pacing Whether it’s a 60-second dash or a 60-minute slog, pacing is your saviour. At some point you’ll have paid the price for going off too hard and ‘blowing your doors off’, so be smart. ‘Go hard or go home’ doesn’t work here. ‘Go hard and you won’t get home’ is more like it. Don’t pretend that lactate doesn’t touch you; it will get you in the end!
4. Good abs aren’t just good for the mirror! A strong core is what connects your strong legs to the handle you’re holding onto. You wouldn’t choose to tow a car with some cooked spaghetti. You can’t build a house without the foundations! Crunch that core!
7. Listen to your back Aches and pains are part of training. Keep on top of it with decent stretches and mobility, even a couple of minutes before and after a session could really make the difference!
8. Legs not arms Let the big muscles do the big work. No matter how many curls you’ve done there’s little chance you’ll be curling more than you squat so use your pins and save the arms for shaking hands with the people you’ve beaten.
9. Rhythm That magical part of rowing that is impossible to describe, but you can FEEL it. The better the rhythm, the faster and longer you’ll be hanging onto those splits! Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up, it’s rowing time!
10. Going hard Don’t be afraid of emptying the tank when you can see the finish line. When you start seeing the splits going down it’ll only push you on to go harder, so don’t leave it too late.
5. Choose your session Have a variety of ‘go-to’ sessions. There’s more to the ergo than a 2k test or an hour of power. So steady sessions of 30-60 minutes where you can focus on technique and getting fit should be mixed in with ‘pieces’ or interval training.
You can follow Zak on Twitter @zakleegreen – and find out more at www.britishrowing.org
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GB TIPS
Jess’s playlist
In Too Deep – Sum 41 One Day – Asaf Avidan Kryptonite – 3 Doors Down Mr Brightside – The Killers Blue – Eiffel 65
Sail – AWOLNATION Ten Thousand Hours – Macklemore No Diggity – Blackstreet Crazy in Love – Beyonce In the Summertime – Shaggy featuring Rayvon
PHOTO: PETER SPURRIER
JESS LEYDEN
Zak’s playlist
“One of the most fun parts of last season was competing at the inaugural BRIC in the Olympic Velodrome. The competition is tough and the atmosphere is incredible!”
Check out British Rowing’s Spotify indoor rowing playlist via bit.ly/1llqURU
1. Set yourself a long-term goal
8. Eat well and drink enough
It is important to set a score that is achievable yet challenging.
Take on enough fuel but take something that isn’t going to upset your tummy. Don’t eat within an hour of your race time and keep sipping your drink. I like having a good bowl of porridge in the morning and little snacks to keep me going.
2. Practise! Practise longer pieces, for example 1,500m and 1,000m, to get your general pacing for the race. This will give you a good idea of what split you need to be on throughout the middle 1,000m.
3. Interval training Sessions such as 6 x 500m, with a minute’s rest, will increase your lactate tolerance. This will not seem difficult in the first couple of pieces, but by the time you get to the last two, dig in and hold your 2k split.
4. Practise your warmup before the event
9. Mentally prepare... Get your head in the game – 2k ergos are hard. You don’t get many opportunities to see what your body can do; embrace the pain.
10. Enjoy it! There’s no better place than the Olympic Velodrome to compete at the British Rowing Indoor Championships. Use the atmosphere and your competitive streak to achieve or better your goal.
This will give you one less thing to think about on race day. It gives you structure and routine before your race.
5. Make a race plan To achieve your goal, write down a plan considering all of your training on the ergo to date and most importantly... STICK TO IT! Everybody feels like a hero in the first 500m.
6. Wake your body up It’s important to be up at least five hours before your race start time. Doing a longer ergo or a 15-minute walk in the morning will help you feel raring to go.
7. Get there early Soak up the awesome atmosphere and get excited! Arrive at least two hours prior to your race start.
@BritishRowing
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You can follow Jess on Twitter @jessleyden – and find out more at www.britishrowing.org
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PERSPECTIVES
MAX YOUR DAY... BRIC is an event for everyone – from gym rowers right through to the volunteers who make the day possible. Caroline Roberts finds out about their different experiences
EVERYONE WAS WATCHING EACH OTHER’S RACES AND CHEERING EACH OTHER ON Left: “It’s friendly competition,” says gym rower David Collins Right: Volunteering has given Helen a chance to get involved with rowing again
The rower... Gym rower David Collins trains on the ergo to keep fit. BRIC 2016 will be his third indoor rowing competition – he took part in the 30-39 age group 2k at the 2015 event, followed by the 500m at the English Championships in March. “I saw it on the internet and just thought I’d give it a go,” he says. For David, it’s more about taking part than winning. “At BRIC, I was last with a time of about eight minutes, which was what I expected to do. It was more about the experience of going in, giving it a try and seeing how it went. “It’s a very positive environment. Obviously, there’s the competitive aspect, but it’s friendly competition. Everyone was watching each other’s races and cheering each
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other on.” And being at an Olympic venue was special, he adds. “You just don’t imagine that you are ever going to be competing in a place like that.” So what advice does he have for other first-timers? “You know you can do the distance, but it’s a very different environment from rowing in a gym and it’s easy to get affected by all the excitement. What I did wrong was to set off a bit too quickly and was struggling afterwards. Make sure you stick to your plan. Apart from that, just enjoy it and soak up the atmosphere.” He’s now preparing for the 2k and 500m on 12th December. “If I can better my time at the next event that would be great, and hopefully I’ll get a better placing.”
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PERSPECTIVES
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS FANTASTIC The volunteer... BRIC is also a very rewarding experience for supporters of the sport who prefer to help out rather than take part. Volunteering at the inaugural event brought Helen Bristow back into contact with rowing after many years. “I once did some physio work with the GB squad, but that was way, way back,” she says. “I’ve always had a great respect and affection for British Rowing and the way the sport is run.” So when a friend suggested she volunteer at BRIC, Helen jumped at the chance. “I was a Trailblazer and a Games Maker for London 2012 but I was doing admin so I was very much behind
@BritishRowing
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the scenes. It was a chance to see inside the Velodrome and get involved with rowing again. I rowed occasionally when I was younger, and I’ve got an ergo upstairs but I don’t use it as often as I should!” Her role at BRIC was to support the arriving competitors through the registration process and to help manage the queues. “It was great to be back in a sports volunteering environment and to have the opportunity to support the competitors,” she says. “As a volunteer, I felt really well looked after. We were given a briefing when we arrived, had T-shirts to wear, and got a lunch break. As it was the first time the venue had been used, the
organisers were very quick to gather our feedback on how the process could be improved for future years.” For competitors coming in teams, it worked well when someone was sent on ahead to get everyone registered and do a recce, she says. And volunteers should bring something warm to wear as there can be a lot of sitting in one place. “I did actually get into the Velodrome towards the end and the atmosphere was fantastic. One thing that struck me was that it was great to see an Olympic venue being used by another sport. It’s a very positive thing.”
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BRIC GALLERY
Scenes from February’s BRIC by Simon Way and Peter Spurrier – you can also watch the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdhfN26FWAs
Above: Paralympian and GB Rowing Team para-rower Tom Aggar
Above: The MAD Team on their way to victory in the relay
Above: Olympic champion Katherine Grainger Above: TA rower Scott Meenagh shakes hands with a fellow competitor
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BRIC GALLERY
Above: GB Rowing Team para-rowers Rachel Morris (left) and Grace Clough
Above: World champion Moe Sbihi acknowledges the crowd
@BritishRowing
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PHOTO: SIMON WAY
NUTRITION
FUEL UP... World champion Moe Sbihi reveals his race day nutrition. The 27-year-old set a personal best at BRIC of 5:45.4 in the open men’s 2k. James Lee reports
1. The night before “It’s really important to have something not out of the ordinary and nothing too heavy.” Moe’s preference is something simple like chicken, rice and peas: “I know it’s easy to cook and it won’t take too much effort.”
2. Get set “Within the squad, we always do a pre-ergo, so I have to be prepared for this.” Moe makes sure he has plenty of fluid, a coffee and something light to eat. After the pre-ergo he will have a white bagel with honey. “It’s quick to digest and a fast source of energy.” He has another coffee just before the ergo.
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“I try not to have sweets just before an ergo. Lots of people recommend them, but in reality they just make you crash. I used to have them as a junior, because that’s what everyone else did.”
3. And stop! Post-race, Moe will make sure he flushes out the lactate on the bike or ergo and will have a milkshake and a Science in Sport energy bar. “The 20-minute window after the ergo is key to recovery. At Caversham we are really lucky to have our chef Omar, so I will have whatever delights he has prepared.” Read on for Omar’s special recovery recipes!
Find out more about Moe at www.britishrowing.org and follow him on Twitter at @moesbihi
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NUTRITION
A great, tasty post-ergo hydration fix that can be very easily and quickly made beforehand and kept in a plastic container for easy drinking after your training session. Ingredients (one serving) ■ ½ cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped ■ 2 wedges of sweet watermelon ■ 8 mint leaves, roughly chopped ■ 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and roughly chopped
Nutritional content per serving
How to make it 1. Place the ingredients into a food processor and blend on full power until you have a smooth puree. You can add more water if you prefer your smoothie less thick.
216
kcal
47g
carbohydrate
5.4g
protein
2.1g
fat
Is this recipe good for rowers? R&R nutritionist Jacqueline Birtwisle says: “It’s high in vitamin C (80mg) and potassium as well as providing other minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The amount and type of carbohydrate gives this drink a high glycaemic index* and glycaemic load – this means the carbs get to do their job quickly in this refreshing drink.”
Quinoa and sultana bars
Ingredients (one serving) ■ 1 breast of chicken, cooked ■ 4-5 slices of chorizo ■ 1 tomato, roughly chopped ■ 1 handful of baby spinach leaves ■ ½ avocado ■ 3-4 tbsp of Greek yoghurt ■ 50g cooked butterbeans ■ 1 tbsp lemon juice ■ 2 tortilla wraps or wholewheat pitta bread
Ingredients (makes 10-12) ■ 80g sultanas, chopped ■ 100ml water ■ 75g quinoa, cooked and cooled ■ 75g hazelnuts ■ 150g porridge oats ■ 75g pumpkin seeds ■ 75g sunflower seeds ■ 240g honey ■ 40g toasted sesame seeds
How to make it 1. To begin, slice the chicken breast and roughly chop the chorizo slices and place into a large bowl. Now roughly chop the spinach leaves and the avocado and add to the chicken and chorizo, along with the tomato, butterbeans, yoghurt and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Give the mixture a good toss ensuring the yoghurt and lemon juice has coated all of the ingredients. 3. Warm either your tortilla wraps or pittas and fill.
How to make it 1. Place the quinoa and hazelnuts in a food processor along with the water and blend on high power until smooth. Remove and place into a large bowl. Add the sultanas and all of the remaining ingredients and fold them together. 2. Once the mixture is evenly combined, line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Spoon the mixture into the lined tray and gently compress the mix with the back of a spoon. 3. Place into a pre-heated oven at 160°C for about 15-18 minutes. Remove and cool before indulging.
962
kcal
79g
carbohydrate
75g
protein
40g
fat
A great sweet treat after a gruelling session on the rowing machine.
Nutritional content per serving
Cucumber, watermelon and mint smoothie
Chicken with chorizo, butterbean and tomato flat breads
Nutritional content per serving
GB Rowing Team chef Omar Meziane suggests some tasty recipes to help your body recover well from a tough ergo session
(using 0% Greek natural yoghurt)
Jacqueline says: “This meal is high energy, high carb, high protein and has lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, iron, zinc and carotenes (for vitamin A). It has around 3:1 saturated:unsaturated fat. “This, plus the cucumber smoothie, will provide around 120g carbohydrates, and so at least 1-1.5 grams of carbs per kilo bodyweight for any rower weighing 70kg or more. “All in all both recipes contain essential supporting nutrients for rehydration, refuelling and repairing.”
316
kcal
40g
carbohydrate
8g 16g
protein fat
(assuming 10 bars are made)
Jacqueline says: “These bars are high in the glycaemic index and glycaemic load for fast carb-refuelling. Plus they have vitamin E, manganese, zinc, fibre, magnesium, phosphorus and have a non-dairy supply of calcium. All good for bone health and longer-term repair too.” Read Omar Meziane’s recipes in Rowing & Regatta every issue by joining British Rowing or subscribing via www.britishrowing.org/rowing-and-regatta
* The glycaemic index is a way of rating carbohydrate foods. It shows how fast each food affects your blood sugar (glucose) levels. @BritishRowing
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PHOTO: ROW2K.COM
RELAY TIPS
RELAY MADNESS The MAD Team Indoor Rowing Club won the men’s relay event at the first BRIC. Who better to ask for tips on changeovers? Team member Jon Goodall gives advice 1. Decide in advance what your tactics are Shorter reps, like 100m, mean that your recovery per go is quicker than if you did, say, 200m. Work out what is best for you.
2. Make a mental note of what you are doing at all times Apart from when you are rowing, you all have to share the seatholding and footstrap-holding duties. It is important to be fully aware of your job at all times as any mistakes will lose you time.
Above: The MAD Team in action last February
is hugely important as any mistakes cost time – but even more crucially (especially if you are a guy), landing on the monorail without a seat being there for you really, really, really hurts! (Did I mention it hurts?!?)
4. Taking the handle and rowing When it’s your turn to row again (always scary), try to think of your changeover in three steps.
3. Seat-holding
Step 1: Grab the handle. Step 2: Put your lead foot straight onto the footplate. Step 3: Sit down.
Usually you will hold the seat for the person in front of you when it’s their turn to row. This
(Step 4 should be fairly obvious at this point!)
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5. Stay relaxed during a changeover Be calm, as this approach usually ends up being faster than trying to rush it and then making mistakes.
TAKE IT FURTHER Why not check out the MAD Team’s video from back in 2004 when they set the 100,000m team world record in 4 hours, 12 minutes – www.youtube.com/ watch?v=g2_stWLtGfc The MAD Team met Rob Smith at R8 Fitness before BRIC to learn more about technique and power – visit www.facebook.com/ RobSmithPersonalTraining or www.r8fitness.co.uk
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13/11/2015 16:36
XXXXXXX KITBAG
BAG IT! What to take to BRIC? Eric Kent opens his kitbag
1. Registration form Don’t leave home without it! Without this form you can’t get your race card to have your name or time verified after the race.
2. Shorts My favourite, comfiest pair of shorts – I can’t take any chances with chaffing and rubbing in the ‘wrong places’ during the race!
3. Shoes A few years ago adidas released some training shoes called ‘Rowing ST’, modelled on the shoes used in rowing boats. They have a very thin sole and heel which makes for a great connection through the feet on the drive. Mine are falling to bits inside and have been repaired twice, but I can’t part with them!
4. T-shirt For the same reason as the shorts, the T-shirt has to be comfy.
5. Watch I have had a Suunto T6D for a few years which I use for all my training. The best thing with this watch is the ability to download my session to my laptop and analyse how my workout went. I will do this with the race and see how my body was doing as well as how I felt during it.
7. Phone or tablet I ask one of my friends to try and get some video of my race, as I do like to check up on my technique, especially when under pressure.
8. Money Always good to have some cash with me for drinks or any unforeseen circumstances.
6. Fuel
9. A change of clothes
I make a note of my race time and eat accordingly to fuel my body. I start with a good breakfast and make sure I have my snacks prior to racing. I always like to have bananas before the race as they settle well in my stomach. I have oranges afterwards for a quick sugar intake. I do indulge in something like Soreen after a hard session, so I would probably put that in my bag as well.
As racing on an ergo is usually a sweaty affair, I like to have a shower and change so I bring a towel and toiletries bag plus clean clothes with me.
@BritishRowing
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10. One final note Metaphorically speaking, the last item should already be ‘in the bag’. A sound training plan will enable you to row your race to a successful outcome.
Eric Kent rows at Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club. A personal trainer for over 20 years, he also runs a regular crew class in Longridge, Lancashire. Find out more via www.facebook.com/plmfitness/
WIN WIN WIN! We have a pair of Monster iSport Freedom headphones to give away to one lucky reader! These wireless headphones for athletes are perfect for your workout. Worth £149.95, you can find out more about them at www.monsterproducts.com To be in to win, mail magazine@britishrowing.org by midnight on 10 December. Editor’s decision final. The winner will be announced at BRIC.
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