Friday, April 27, 2007

I ergo, ergo I am

As part of our training for the Hamilton Island Cup at the end of May, the 6 women and 5 men from our club competing in the races, who are collectively known as the “Hamo” crew (“hamfisted” in my case), are all completing various on and off-water tests to gauge our fitness. The test results are humiliatingly revealed on a weekly basis and I can tell you that there is nothing more motivating than knowing the email of doom is going to appear for all to see. Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide!

The toughest, and paradoxically the shortest, test is 750 metres on a rowing machine, or ergonometer (“erg” or “ergo” in the parlance). Panicking at my signal failure thus far to get below 3 minutes, I have gone to the lengths of engaging a personal erg coach, my friend A who’s a brilliant rower and a very attractive woman to boot. For the price of breakfast (and some flattery), she’s going to teach me how to improve my wretched technique enough to scrape a more dignified time.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ergos are indeed horrible items, but once conquered become friends - honest. Everyone should try them.

It will be a pleasure (if that is the right word?) to introduce you to the virtues of sweating, fainting and feeling sick. Breakfast or no breakfast.

And I am most definitely not attractive after I have been on the ergo - but love you for the compliment.

Claire said...

Please pass on your tips to me too. I shall be with you in spirit on the erg in my gym in Edinburgh. 750m in three minutes you say...hmmm...this is a challenge I cannot resist. Hope my flabby body's up to it.

C

LottieP said...

I am pleased to report that with the assistance and encouragement of the lovely A, I managed to do 2m58s.

It seems absurd to be so pleased, but there you have it!

Anonymous said...

You should be proud of your performance, a truly excellent effort. And you didn't even need to buy breakfast, just the flattery worked. And it being really good fun too.

Ergo coach now for hire for a small fee.