The CTC Thread

[Daren]

Cross Team Challenge (CTC)

The idea came courtesy of Nik Fleming with some input from Matt Newman and a few other forumites. Here's the deal...

There are several teams on the forum as well as many forumites who are not "affiliated". We have a monthly challenge with which we can all join in. During the month, team members post times or distances for that month's challenge, and these are used to compile 'boats' for each team. A boat is made up of 5 seats. 3 open seats, a lightweight seat (male or female) and a female seat (heavy or lightweight). At the end of the month, the qualifying boats are given a point score based upon the number of complete boats that month. If there are 20 boats, the top ranked boat gets 20 points, down to the last boat that gets 1 point.

We use the CTC web site to keep track of progress during the month.

[Matt Newman]

[Daren]

Regarding March's "Rugby Test", I assume that the drag factor must remain constant for all intervals? I ask because I know I can pull a faster 250m interval on 180df than I can on 120df, but I'll be faster at 1000m and 750m on 120df. So, if the drag can be altered between different length intervals, I can tease out another couple of seconds. =)

[little weed]

yes, i think we will be suggesting that, for the rugby test, the df is constant. i will add that to our draft guidelines (not yet available for viewing!) but we have already discussed df in our diary.

just to mention, the pm3 does the sums for you. pm2 users will have to write down the 5 splits/times and either 1) do sums or 2) use the handy online calculator. the calculator requires times to be entered as SPLIT TIMES, but it gives the overall result in both 'min:secs' and 'average split' formats.

jane

[c]

Bloody Hell

I go away for a few days and all the toys get thrown out of the pram, Jane at least we succeeded in winding up the forum on our challnege.

I actually didn't suggest this within our motley crew, but was having a sulk at where our choice was going, however when this was suggested I had to agree with it.

Ok its fiddly, but i managed pretty well in scribing all the details in between each rep, although it looked like a spider had scrawled across the page, I think all, (inc you Matt and Phil) will find this a right tough old B***ard of a challenge.

I'm glad we have started a new thread for the CTC as it was gettting soooo nitpickie on the other one.

This challenge is a real test, and it always leaves me very emotional at the end which I suppose makes me even more stupid for wanting to take it on again.

I hear people wanted some guidleines for rules for it, Jane I have posted these in our Diary on Thursday and hoped that they would ave been posted when we announced what the challenge was, so I hope all SUB7 agree

- The first interval is probably the only one that the flywheel will be stationary for from my experiece, especially if you do it on a lower df.

- the df must remain the same for each interval, but you can use as high or low as you like

- the rest periods are non active

- you must stick to the alloted rests

- you can use any spm you want

- you can use the total time and the ave (as worked out on roys calculator) to post your times

- you must drink 1/4 litre of water during each interval

- if you don't fall of the erg at the end crying in a ball of pain then you must do it again

PS the last 2 are only a joke

SO please come on all just give it a go, can't believe some of you have backed off for lame excuses like, 'I'd have to manually time my rests,'
I hate any distance over 1k oh alright 2k, but I still do them.

Feel free to dig at the guidelines but I hope they make sense and enjoy the pain all

[Sir P]

I will only do this challenge if my team needs me and my score will make a difference to my teams overall position on the CTC.

I have done the rugby test before and find it rather annoying to scribe information down between reps, I like to concentrate on the job in hand rather then faf about with the PM2 and writing data down.

If I had a PM3 I would without doubt do it a least once.

Sir P

[Matt Newman]

I continue to hope that the Mar'06 challenge gets loads of entries

[Emma C]

you must drink 1/4 litre of water during each interval

I'm glad that was a joke cos it could have got messy otherwise!

[MicroMonkey]

I think it'll get messy anyway!
Actually looking at it closer its only like one of Eddie's pyramids with longer rests.

Do em often, and with a PM2

[little weed]

i think it is very unhelpful, unsportsman-like and destructive to the ctc for people to keep stating that they are NOT going to do this challenge. if you're not going to do it, just go and do whatever you want to do during march. but please stop telling us what you are NOT going to be doing and bow out with good grace for a month.

the ctc for this month was hardly my idea of fun and during the month attention was drawn by other forum members to my position at the bottom of the table. i was actually quite upset by this, as some people know, and it could well have been a reason for me to give up participating. however I am made of stronger stuff. if i can cope with the humiliation of that, surely you can cope with writing 5 sets of numbers down on a piece of paper?

if people really want the ctc to continue to be successful then whinging about one particular challenge is not the way to do it. it's hardly going to encourage the less experienced ergers, is it?

i have suggested, in our draft guidelines, that pm2 users can enlist the help of a training partner to set the monitor and write down times. i hope the guidelines and rules will be available within a day or two so that this can be confirmed.

thank you to the many forum members who have shown positive interest in this particular challenge. as a team, sub7 very much 'enjoyed' this test back in august last year .

jane

[GeorgeD]

I am in

This is for FUN

It's all about doing it for the TEAM - GO FLYERS

George

[Sir P]

Well excuse me for stating my own opinion.
You state your view which I respect; my view is that this CTC challenge is a step in the wrong direction this early on in its life, 6 months down the line it may be welcomed as some sort of change from single distance and/or a fixed interval session.

I stated that I would row it if my team needed me.

It also seems to me that people would rather attack individuals with different views on this challenge with the hope of taking the argument away from the real issue, that being the way that the March CTC challenge is different depending on which version of the PM monitor you have.

It is not me that has caused this to become a big talking point; it is the choice of session.

Sir P

[c]

Chill Out Sir P

I thought the new thread was to be started as the last one was too negative.

I respect your opinion as do others, i guess it is just a little disappointing that a long term and respected forum member like yourself, and others, have taken this stance.

Debate is the point of the forum but some have said that they will not do the ctc this month, I know you said you'll do it if your team needs you, which is fair enough, besides participation is optional anyway.

Remember - it is only a bit of fun

We only wanted to give a real Challenge but different from what has already been undertaken.

I do have a question, Why is variable distance intervals so hard in comparison to consistant interval sessions? I find the rugny test very challenging but I also find 4x1k, 4x750, 8/10x500, 5x1500m 4x2k, very challenging too.

This is a genuine question by the way

[Daren]

- you can use the total time and the ave (as worked out on roys calculator) to post your times

Can't. Pick one or the other, otherwise everyone posting a pace will have a large advantage over those posting a time.

[SteveV]

- you can use the total time and the ave (as worked out on roys calculator) to post your times

Can't. Pick one or the other, otherwise everyone posting a pace will have a large advantage over those posting a time.

Total time would be more accurate.