Team Overlord

30/11/2025

***100k debrief***

Today is the day after rowing 100000 metres and I still cant switch off. Im not in big pain just the usual aches but its like my body hasnt realised the battle is over. My head is still locked in that zone from yesterday dont stop dont break dont quit. Even now the switch wont turn off. So Im sat here at stupid o clock writing this while everything still feels raw 😅

Its now 03:30 and as Im sat here writing this my chest has tightened up. Im asthmatic so this is nothing new but after a day like that it just joins in for the fun 🙄. I was fine during the row because the adrenaline kept everything wide open but now the adrenaline has gone and I got cold after the event my lungs have decided to have their say. Annoying, just one more thing adding to the night.

My legs have divorced me my butt has gone AWOL and my back has filed paperwork with the UN for crimes against humanity 🫠. Honestly I cant even argue with them.

On top of that my knees are bone on bone after years of surgeries and today they have both blown up a bit. Slightly swollen and sore which is no surprise after 100k. They held out the whole row which Im grateful for but they are definitely reminding me what Ive put them through.

Yesterday morning I woke up thinking what the f**k have I done 😳. Not exactly the mindset of a man about to row 100k. But everyone who knows me knows this once I commit to something I carry it out. Even if I regret it halfway through.

I trained to pace at 2:35/500 but the gym had other ideas. Everyone was rowing, biking, SkiErging. At one point Roo Stainton smashed her final SkiErg marathon finish and of course my brain went right lets match that then 🤦. Smart?. No. But the atmosphere pulled me along and it felt good at the time 😅.

At around the 60k mark when everything still felt good and I was in a solid rhythm Roz Hall and Pauline Laughton turned up with cake 🎂. And yes I absolutely face planted the cake mid break and took a massive mouthful. No shame. Probably the most joy I felt all day🤣

By 80k I was well and truly in the hurt locker. By 90k someone had bolted the door and thrown away the key. I was deep in pain and completely on my own in there. No pacing strategy no comfort no rhythm just hanging on and trying not to break.

Then came the final stretch and this is where reality punched me in the face like a steam train.

The last 10k was brutal in a way I can't sugar coat. My pace dropped by 5 seconds per 500m and that hit me harder than any pain. It felt like failure creeping in like I was letting the Chard Community Hub down. My legs were screaming my back was tight and my butt felt like it was trying to leave my body for another planet. Every single stroke felt like my body was asking why are we still doing this 😫.

So I stopped chasing numbers and went into survival mode. One stroke then another then another. Each one felt heavier slower and it was pure stubbornness that kept me moving. That last 10k broke me down to the basic version of myself no ego no pacing no heroics just a bloke refusing to quit.

By the end my legs werent rowing they were just attached to me. It was one long argument between my body and my mind and my mind won but only just 🤏.

But somehow with 500m to go something lit up inside me. Nothing noble nothing inspirational it was pure anger. I was pi**ed off with myself for the pace drop and for letting my head go. So I just snapped and refused to let the row beat me. I hit 2:05/500 then 1:45/500 for the final 100m. Still dont know how because my tank was empty hours ago. It was anger that dragged me through that finish 🔥.

All the way through my RAF Ensign was hanging on the wall. Per Ardua ad Astra. Through adversity to the stars. Felt very literal yesterday ✈️⭐.

Rowing time 8 hrs 25 mins. Total time 9 hrs 25 mins. Average pace 2:31.5/500. Last 10k 2:36.5/500. Total strokes 9595. Final 10k strokes 992. Avg HR 138. Max HR 171. Calories 7004. Basically enough to power a small village 🔋.

After finishing I tried the ice bath ❄️. Even though my kit wasnt soaked once I stopped rowing my body dumped all the heat it had been holding. For 9 and a half hours it had one job keep me warm and the moment I stopped everything shut down. Heart rate dropped adrenaline went muscles switched off and it hit me like a wave. I started getting cold on the way home and by the time I took a couple of layers off by the ice bath I was shivering like mad. It honestly felt like my core temp had crashed and my body said not today mate we are clocking off 🥶.

For anyone wondering if skipping a cool down played a part in how fast I went cold afterwards the honest answer is yes. But it wasnt a mistake. I simply had nothing left to cool down with. I was empty. By the time I stopped I had nothing left in my legs nothing left in my back nothing left in my head. I was done both physically and mentally. I couldnt have rowed another 30 seconds never mind a 5 to 10 minute cool down. My body went from full heat production to zero in an instant and thats why I started shivering so quickly. It wasnt poor planning I was just done.

Today my body has made its feelings very clear. With a training readiness of 1, a body battery of 17, HRV at 25 and stress sitting at 38 its basically telling me to sit down shut up and do nothing. Those numbers mean my system is still in full recovery mode. My nervous system is fried my muscles are traumatised and my energy reserves are at rock bottom. This isnt a normal tired. This is deep internal fatigue from an extreme effort. I wont be anywhere near fully recovered for at least 5 to 7 days and thats being honest. The legs will ease sooner but my nervous system and energy levels will take longer to come back.

What I got through. 1800g hydration electrolytes carbs. 800ml water. 12 SIS gels. 1 Mars Bar. 2 salt tablets every 5k. And somehow no cramps. Still shocked. My body was too confused to cramp 😅.

Afterwards I demolished pizza and cake in medically questionable quantities 🍕🎂😂. I earned it. Probably needed it.

How I trained. No coach. No nutritionist. I wanted to try something different so I used ChatGPT. It built my sessions adjusted everything from my HRV planned my food and kept me on track for 4.5 months straight. A different approach but it worked. Even if it did drag me through hell one session at a time.

This whole thing hurt more than I expected. Physically mentally emotionally all of it. I doubted myself. I struggled. I nearly broke. But I didnt quit 💪.

Per Ardua ad Astra. Through adversity to the stars.

lastly thank you to everyone whos already donated. Your support genuinely kept me going ❤️. And if you still want to donate its not too late every pound helps the Hub support families this Christmas 🎁.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andy-webb-417?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL

28/11/2025

Today’s a quick explanation before Saturday’s 100k row, and this one’s important. I’m not a competitive rower, I’m just a bloke who’s trained hard for months to raise money for the Chard Community Hub and because of that, my approach to the 100k has to be sensible, safe and evidence-based.

A lot of people imagine a 100k row means sitting on the machine non-stop for 8–10 hours. In reality, that’s not how most non-competitive rowers do it, and it’s not what the research and long-distance rowing guidance recommends.

British Rowing’s long-distance guidelines recommend short rest points every 30 minutes, during ultra-endurance rows to take on fluids, food and electrolytes. There are also indoor rowing coaches and long-rowers who break 100k into segments, taking brief 1–2 minute resets every 5–10k to hydrate, stretch, and prevent cramps. Even ultra-row case studies show that recreational 100k attempts use regular micro-breaks to keep energy stable and avoid late-stage muscle fatigue.

I row hard, I row consistently, and I’ve done the big rows — but I’m still very much a recreational endurance rower, not an elite athlete. On my 7-hour row I cramped in both legs in the final stages, which is pretty common for heavy sweaters like me. Because of that, I’ll be taking structured micro-breaks at the end of each 5k on Saturday. They’ll be short — enough time to drink properly, take electrolytes, reset my posture and get straight back on it. These breaks actually improve performance over the full 100k by stopping cramp, controlling hydration and keeping energy levels stable.

So if you see me pause for a moment every now and then, I’m not slacking — I’m doing exactly what long-row guidance says, and exactly what works for real-world rowers, not professionals.

It’s still 100,000 metres. It’s still hours in the hurt locker. And I’ll still give everything I’ve got for the Hub.

26/11/2025

This week’s training is officially the most boring thing I have ever done.
Six kilometre rows.
Zone 2 only.
No pushing.
No sweating.
Just gently floating along like a man who has been put on time-out by his own coach.

And then there is the carb loading.
Endless pasta.
More pasta.
Pasta for dessert.
I am basically turning into a lasagne with legs.
By Thursday I will be arguing with my plate like it is personally responsible for all my life decisions.

But all of this is to get ready for Saturday’s 100 kilometre row for the Chard Community Hub.

Boring week now, absolute chaos at 08:00 in Lift Crewkerne.

Now the serious bit.

A huge thank you to Paul from Row2Grow Fitness who has serviced my rower and made sure it is in perfect condition for the 100k.
Paul has supported every one of my endurance events since 2018, always keeping my machine running better than I do.

24/11/2025

Right… the countdown has begun. 119 hours until I attempt to row 100 kilometres this Saturday at 08:00 in Lift Crewkerne for the Chard Community Hub.

This week I am conserving every calorie like a squirrel guarding winter nuts.
No CrossFit.
Just gentle 6k Zone 2 rows to keep the body moving without wasting fuel.

From Wednesday the real challenge starts: carb loading.
Glycogen. Pasta. Rice. Bagels. More pasta.
I normally eat half this, so forcing down 300 to 400 grams of carbs a day will feel like speed-dating food I am not even attracted to.
By Thursday I will be arguing with a bowl of spaghetti.

Add in a few five minute ice baths, some stretching, and mentally preparing my backside for nine hours on a rowing machine, and that is my taper week sorted.

And just so you know…
I will not give up.
No matter how long I am in the hurt locker, which strangely is my happy place, I will keep going until the full 100 kilometres are done.

Now the serious bit.

I am rowing for the kids and families in our community who are struggling this Christmas.
The Chard Community Hub is a lifeline, and every donation helps put food on tables, warmth in homes, and hope where it is needed most.

If you can spare anything, even the cost of a coffee, it truly helps.
Every pound makes a difference.
Every share helps spread the message.
And every bit of support will push me through the hardest moments of the row.

Do it for the kids.
Do it for the families.
Do it so my carb-stuffed, ice-bathed, hurt-locker self is not suffering for nothing.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andy-webb-417?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL

20/11/2025

Today was my last CrossFit session at Lift until after my 100k row next Saturday. Training is officially done, the taper has begun, and now it is just me, a rowing machine and a very long day ahead.

I want to say a massive thank you to Olly at Lift. He has supported every one of my ridiculous endurance ideas over the years. He pushed me through my very first marathon row back in 2018, then stood by me through ten marathons in ten days, a 24 hour tandem British record attempt that turned into a solo row when my partner came down with norovirus forty eight hours before, and even a 25 hour WODathon. Most people would have had me quietly sectioned by now, but Olly kept showing up.

He has also agreed to row a full marathon alongside me next Saturday during the 100k, which says a lot about the man. He has given me space in the gym to train, encouraged me on the bad days, adapted sessions when my knees or back kicked off, and been patient when health issues meant I could barely row 2k in June without my heart rate exploding.

Fast forward to now and I have rowed 800 kilometres in four and a half months, lost four and a half stone, and had to buy an entire new wardrobe. Anyone who knows me knows I would rather row another marathon than go clothes shopping, so that sacrifice alone deserves donations.

I am now as fit as I am ever going to be for this challenge. The 100k should take between nine and nine and a half hours, and every stroke will be for the Chard Community Hub and the families who rely on it.

Thank you Olly. Thank you Lift. And thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey. The big one is nearly here.

Iʼm raising money to Chard Community Hub. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.

19/11/2025

I’m rowing 100 kilometres on Saturday 29 November for the Chard Community Hub, and I’m asking from the heart for your support.

Over the past few years, especially since Covid, I have seen the real impact that hardship has had on families in our town. I have watched parents sit in front of volunteers, holding back tears because they never imagined they would need a food pantry. I have also seen children who cannot put their struggles into words, whose eyes say everything. No verbal plea, just tears that quietly ask for presents, warmth and a bit of hope at Christmas.

No child should feel that way. No parent should carry that weight alone. No one in Chard should have to choose between heating and eating.

The Chard Community Hub steps in for those who fall through the gaps. Food support. Warm spaces. Mental health support. Community connection. A place where people are treated with dignity and without judgement.

That is why I am doing this 100k row. Nine and a half hours on a rowing machine is nothing compared to what some families face daily. If this effort can raise enough to carry the Hub through the winter, then every kilometre will be worth it.

If you can donate, even a small amount, it will make a real difference to a family in Chard this Christmas. Your support could help a parent feed their children, or help a child wake up to a day that feels a little brighter.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. The donation link is below.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andy-webb-417?utm_medium=CR&utm_source=CL

09/11/2025

Sunday Row Session – My All Time Favourite 🚣‍♂️🔥

Session aim: To build power, endurance, and control, combining short bursts of speed with longer efforts that teach the body to recover under pressure and the mind to stay focused when it hurts.

Today I went back and completed the session I had to stop last week due to fatigue, and what a difference a week makes. No quitting this time, just pure stubbornness and a lot of rowing 😅

The format looked like this:
1 x 1000 m
10 x 100 m (30 s rest)
4 x 250 m (30 s rest)
4 x 500 m (1 min rest)
4500 m steady
250 m
and 2 x 125 m to finish – a total of 10,000 metres.

Each block hits a different gear, short sprints for explosive power, medium intervals for control, and the long row to test endurance and patience… mainly patience.

Legs felt great throughout, no fatigue, no tightness, and no complaints from the glutes for once. I even managed to get through it without questioning my life choices too many times. Finished it all off with a 6 minute ice bath, which is basically controlled suffering but it does the job ❄️😂

Easily my all time favourite session, every set has a purpose, every stroke makes you stronger, and by the end you are equal parts proud and frozen. 🚣‍♂️💪🔥

Next week it is back to endurance mode with my last semi long row before taper, a half marathon in zone 2. It does the job, but let’s be honest… rowing in zone 2 is sooooooooooooooo boring 😴🚣‍♂️

06/11/2025

CrossFit Thursday – Partner Pain and Progress 💥🏋️‍♂️🔥

Today’s 36-minute partner grind was one of those “who thought this was a good idea?” sessions — alternating every 6 minutes between ski, bike, and row before diving into rounds of dumbbell snatches, box step-ups, and medicine-ball sit-ups.

Heart rate hit 176 bpm, I burned 782 calories, and at one point I’m fairly sure I could hear my soul trying to escape through my ears. 😅💀

But here’s the win — after four months of graft, I’m finally back to CrossFit RX, not scaling. That’s been the goal since day one, and today it clicked. 💪

The whole crew pushed each other hard — no hiding when this lot are in the room. And in a rare twist of fate, Olly didn’t use his favourite phrase… “Bonus Round!” 😲 Clearly he’s saving that for something special.

Although he might be rethinking it — because in front of witnesses, Olly has now agreed to row a full marathon alongside my 100k row as payback. 🚣‍♂️🤣

So if you see him stretching nervously over the next few weeks, you’ll know why. As for me — I’ll be in the ice bath questioning all my life choices. 🧊🥶

04/11/2025

Training Log – Monday Strength and Glutes 💪🚣‍♂️

Today was a solid Back and Glute Strength session, a real engine builder for the 100k row.
Started with a 5k row at stroke rates 16 to 20, pace 2:34 to 2:21, drag factor 125, keeping heart rate in zones 2–3 for controlled endurance.

Then into the main circuit:

Bent over rows – 4 x 8

Romanian deadlifts – 3 x 10

Weighted glute bridges – 3 x 15

Bird dogs – 2 x 12 per side

Back extensions – 3 x 20

Finished with a full hamstring and hip mobility flow

Felt strong throughout with great control and no back tightness.

Flynn and Skye were never far away, and during the floor work they decided the best place to support was right on top of me ❤️🐾

Another step closer to the 100k row. Strong body, stronger mindset 💥

02/11/2025

Today’s Training Attempt – Lessons, Not Losses 🚣‍♂️💭

Today’s plan was a solid interval session:
1k warm-up, 10 × 100m, 4 × 250m, 4 × 500m, 4,500m steady, 250m, and 2 × 125m, with 30-second rests between sets, built to develop rhythm, pacing, and controlled effort.

Normally, I hold my 100m sprints around 20 seconds, keeping my heart rate steady in Zone 3 (70–79%), right in the aerobic power sweet spot. But today, my HR shot straight into Zone 5 (over 90%), which it never does in this workout. That was my cue to stop and reassess.

After last week’s 80k row, I did things right, rest Sunday, two recovery rows (Mon & Tue), and two CrossFit sessions midweek. But my old training partner, ego, decided that wasn’t enough and convinced me to squeeze in a third CrossFit session on Friday.😅

Turns out, that wasn’t my brightest idea. My body’s built more like Mo Farah than Usain Bolt🏃‍♂️💨 steady, controlled endurance, not explosive speed. Forcing it into Zone 5 right now is like trying to tow a caravan in a Formula 1 race 🏎️😂

So tomorrow’s plan is active recovery, a 6k Zone 2 row (60–69%) to keep blood flowing and clear out muscle fatigue, followed by an ice bath (10–12°C for 5 minutes) in the evening to help the legs bounce back.

That combo keeps fitness ticking without compromising recovery all part of the taper towards the 100k row.

Every session teaches something. Today’s takeaway? Yes, I can be sensible… at times 😂🤣

The body whispers before it shouts, listen early, recover smart, and keep ego on a short leash 💪🚣‍♂️

01/11/2025

October – Phase 2 Summary

October was one for the books, 245,409 metres rowed, two huge endurance milestones, and plenty of lessons learned along the way.

5-hour row: 58 km of steady rhythm and focus
7-hour row: 80 km of endurance, grit, and a very sore backside

That 7-hour row was the real test. Around hours 5–6, the legs started cramping and my mid-back was screaming for mercy. From hours 6–7, it was a battle of willpower, pure stubbornness and determination. The body was done, but the mind refused to quit.

Mid-month, a chest infection tried to derail things, cutting volume by around 50k and limiting CrossFit sessions. It slowed me down but didn’t stop me, recovery came faster than expected, and I came back stronger.

Physically, the results speak for themselves, 6 inches off the waist, and my wallet has taken an absolute hammering. Nothing fits anymore, and I really hate shopping.

Phase 2 was all about endurance, resilience, and mental toughness.
Now it’s time for Phase 3: The Taper.

Tapering means less training volume and more recovery, allowing the body to absorb all that hard work so energy, power, and focus peak right on time. The fatigue fades, the mind resets, and the engine is ready for the 100k row in November.

Body conditioned. Mind focused.
Now it’s just me vs the meters.

26/10/2025

Seven hours. 80,883 metres. One very numb backside 🚣‍♂️😅

Saturday was my big test — a full seven-hour row and the final milestone before tapering for the 100k in November 💪 Average pace sat at 2:35 per 500m, stroke rate 16, drag factor 125. This one was all about control, not chasing speed.

The first five hours felt great — energy steady, fuelling on point, rhythm smooth. Then came hour five when both legs started cramping, my mid-back ached, and I questioned every life choice that led me to this rowing machine 😬

Fuelling was constant — 8 SIS gels, HBCD mix, electrolyte tabs, SaltSticks, a banana, a Mars bar, and one Mango Monster 🍌🍫🥤 About 50g of carbs and 1,100mg of sodium every hour kept the engine running, even when my stomach started rebelling against yet another gel 😖

Hours six to seven were pure stubbornness — running on grit more than glycogen 💥 I pushed harder, finishing with just over 80km, legs screaming, back tight, and a seat that felt like it had vanished altogether 🪑🔥

One hour later came the next challenge — an ice bath at 10°C for five minutes 🧊 The initial shock was brutal but the payoff was instant. Within minutes I felt fresh, alert, and mentally switched back on — the perfect reset after a long day in the hurt locker 🧠✨

There were highs, lows, cramps, and moments of doubt, but that’s what endurance gives you — it strips everything away until it’s just you and your determination to keep moving 💭💪

Phase 2 complete ✅
Phase 3 — taper and refinement — starts now 🚀

Come November, it’s 100k or bust 💯