Pete Plan Group - Startup Aug 20th thru 22nd

[mdpfirrman]

For those of us starting up the PP again this next week. I'm planning on starting on Sunday. I've actually been doing it now a couple of weeks, so I'm just moving around the weeks of the plan to match up with those just starting it. There's another group starting 3 weeks after this so my intention is just to have this thread die off and merge with the other Fall PP group once they get going. This is just for those of us that want to start now (or like me need to start now because of a vacation in the Fall and missing a week or two then).

[jackarabit]

Mike, looks like you found a lagrange point where we can all meet up and orbit ensuite. Great .

[bisqeet]

Intro:

Dean

2k PB (2015)
6:57
2k 2016
-to be defined - not done one yet
5k PB
18:06

expectations:
target for PP

not sure - anything under 6:55 is good, under 6:50 is great - 6:45 is amazing

as mentioned I haven't done a 2k this year - mostly HM distance at UT2 (at 2:05/500m HR cap 135)
the few fast pieces i have done have been good, none slower than last years - and i'm feeling faster and fitter than i was last year.
since buying my C2 in August last year i've put about 4MM under my belt and learned a lot -
I expect to be faster than the 6:57 currently down as PB

will be starting on Monday 22.08 and probably do a minimum of 3 rotations.

[G-dub]

Hey - no fair! Does this mean Lindsey and I have to have our own thread?!

[G-dub]

Oh, I actually read your post!

[jackarabit]

Intro (drumroll):

Jack

Pulling chain since May '14. Currently at 8.25MM meters lifetime, 1.5MM since 1 May this yr. For most of the year, I "just sit on the erg all day" (<2 hrs. maximum) and "do nothing" (the aforementionned 8MM) "at a snail's pace" (bottoming out at 82watts, 2:42 pace, 45% of my 2K PB watts). With my feet held to the fire, I'll admit to rowing a considerable volume of cooldown meters at 50watts.

On the credit side of the ledger, I've done a total 23 wks. of Pete Plan beginning in November '14. I didn't take to it like a duck to water. I could manage only four/five sessions per week the first time thru and stuck at it for only four weeks. I kept coming back and made progress in the virtual groups doing PP together summer and fall of 2015. I hope to continue increasing power, stamina and the application of smart TT strategies to reach 8:00 2k and perhaps do a bucket list 2k race in age 65-69 at a local indoor rowing comp in early '17.

I'll either be in stomping form or dead by the time Glenn and Lindsay join in. I'll try to stick around to croak out a few words of encouragement.

[JohnAd]

Intro:

John
46 - 6' 1" - 94kg
2K PB 7:00.7 (2012)
5K PB 18:29.4 (2012)

Current 2k no recent test time but I think around 7:20 judging from intervals but will go fairly conservatively into speed work
Current 5k time around 19:30 will do a hard 5k tomorrow to help set targets for week 1 but will take it back a bit as there is no rush

Have been pottering in the gym for the last couple of years, have had a fair few gaps in training and had minor surgery for ongoing Achilles problems in March after which I was told not to erg for 6 months.Still can't run so just getting back into erging as a way to rebuiid lost fitness, for the last 3 weeks have been doing the BPP and making good gains but like the idea of a bit of shared pain and a group to keep me honest and give a bit of support.

Expectations

Want to get my 2k PB under 7 eventually as that 0.7 really niggles but mostly want to see how I respond to training properly as I seemed to get good results from doing the BPP in 2011-2. Would quite like to lose a bit of weight as well. My technique and strength seems to have gone a bit so I do need to work on that and I've never really got the hang of consistent pacing SS rowing. One constraint is that during the week it needs to be a lunch hour session so an hour long from desk back to desk, so I'll rarely get over 40 mins on the erg and I'll also supposed to be doing exercises for my calf strength post surgery.

Plans

I was planning to go through to December with getting somewhere in the middle in the 40-49 at the BIRC as a possible target but want to see how it goes. I'm on holiday in October for 10 days away from an erg and work and family means that a session a day won't always happen but I'm going to keep to the spirit of 3 hard sessions a week and as much SS as you can.

[S-man]

Another intro:

Sanz
52 yo 5' 10" 165 lb

2k PB - 7:58.4 (2009 when I was younger, fitter and better looking )
2k test today - 8:19
No recent 5k test

Someone's gotta bring up the rear, right? I'm hoping that consistent training will get me back under 8 min in 6 weeks, when work & life will get busy and take over for a while.
Aiming to be 7:30 by summer 2017.

[mdpfirrman]

Welcome Sanz / John! Nice to have new participants. Honestly, that's pretty exciting for all the guys coming back from last year. Meeting new folks looking to improve. No worries Sanz about speed. Last year I was the slowest one (I believe) but when I outlasted everyone on the cycles and went to close down the thread, a few people started logging on the thread and mentioned how much they enjoyed watching my journey in particular. Sometimes being the "average" guy is more powerful than being like Dean "the machine" (who by the way is superhuman).

@ John - Maybe Glenn won't feel so bad now with your .7!!

I'm 51 / 5'10" (not good at conversions). I weigh 185. Four or five years ago I was 240 and obese for my height. I started rowing after a miserable time trying to run. I have a bad / crap right knee that I injured catastrophically when I was 41 and took a year to learn to walk again (shredded my meniscus right off the bone). If I hadn't been so young relative at the time, they wanted to do a knee replacement it was so bad. So to be here where I am today with my fitness makes me quite content (but like you all, not content enough).

Last year, I was the newbie doing five days a week rowing (just started) and went from 7:40 to 7:19.1 though the course of the PP surprising even myself knocking 11 seconds off my PB on my one and only race (finished 2nd for my age group). This year, I'd like to break 7:10. I was thinking this year I'd like to break 7 but I just don't think it's going to happen.

I've actually been doing a bastardized version of PP all year now. I do 3 SS rows per week and I do one day of short speed intervals (though not as many), one day of intermediate intervals (not as many) and a timed 5K or similar one day. Since I was doing less intervals, I worked at doing a faster pace than PP recommends. This way moving toward PP this year, I was doing more of a periodization / polarization plan which has worked so well for some others.

I've been lifting the days before doing my intervals and I probably still will immediately before the speed session and the 5K session but not the intermediate session. I try to get done in one hour at lunch as well. Toward racing season (for me indoors only), I'll lift after rowing or eliminate lifting to work further on speed as right now my speed is suffering a bit with the lifting sessions.

Looking forward to sharing all the pain.

[Bloodbuzz Corio]

Rohan

• 2k PB: 7:10.7 (May 2016)
• 5k PB: 19:16.8 (April 2016)

The fact that these were both in the last few months combined with my most recent interval sessions and hard 5k suggest they're not unreasonable starting points for me for the imminent PP shenanigans.

I'm enthusiastic about the certainty and accountability of joining in here. I'm happy with the total volume of exercise I've done over the last couple of years and particularly the last 6 months, but I've often not decided what row I'm going to to till I get to the gym - I'm looking forward to a training plan where each day's workout is so well defined in advance.

And despite a good amount of exercise leading into this, the PP will still be an increase in overall workload - I'm excited to see how I react to that, and the impact on my times.

I believe I am capable of getting under 7:00 for 2k in the future - but I think of it as more of a medium term goal than a short term goal - and so consistent with the great advice in the PP interest thread will be trying to set realistic targets and rates of improvement for the interval sessions, and making the SS days solidly UT2.

I'll have to miss a week in late September (week 6) - but definitely intend to join back in in week 7, and I'll be kicking off my week on a Saturday, so will be back here in a couple of days with my 8x500m/3:30r result!

[G-dub]

Edit: I have removed the confusing sarcasm.

After deliberation I have decided to proceed as well. A soft opening if you will. The chance to share training with you guys is too tempting to avoid for another month. Have participated in the plan twice with mixed results. First time last summer was a joy but I was really fatigued. Was able to pull a PB after. Second time last fall I think I put myself in the tank. Was able to recover and pull a PB at the race I was gearing for, so all was not lost. But it made me realize that training is a means to an end and not the end itself. I want to get the 7 monkey off my back - I think I've been vocal enough about that! Last few weeks I felt something starting to click but the PP has a way of letting you know for sure. I will have some schedule challenges to work around but no big deal. I want to stick with this for several cycles this time so will ramp in sensibly. My biggest work around challenge is that my friends and I like to go mountain bike riding a day on the weekend and that really messes up my energy for erging for a day or two. So I have some decisions to make there.

[Pie Man]

Piers planning to start on Monday 22nd
49 73Kg 175 cm (161lb, 5'9")

• 2k PB: 7:42.4 (July 2016)
  5k PB: 19:32.7 (July 2016)

The 2k was done as part of a 3 x 2000m r 4:00 so isn't my ultimate time, my 5k was done as a single pb attempt so is a good data point. However I'm going to start off easy, looking at the way the maths work with the plan I will iterate down pretty quickly so no point going hell for leather while I am finding my feet.

Some background which I have covered before in various threads...

In November 2014 I stopped eating any foods with 'added sugar' and in 9 months lost 20 Kg's however I didn't exercise so it wasn't just fat I lost... As downhill skiing is my 'thing' I was shocked to discover in December 2015 how much my skiing had deteriorated. My ski instructor suggested that getting fitter would help so I joined a gym on my return and started going 3/4 times a week. By March 2016 I was a lot fitter and was 'splashing' on the erg (7:52 2k). Had another weeks holiday and the difference to my skiing was dramatic, I skied as well as I have done in a very long time if not ever. In May 2016 I found this forum as rowing was something that really started to grab my attention as the instant feedback on how each stroke has gone works for me. With some excellent help on the forum I have corrected some very poor technique though I do still need to get another video and steel myself for the feedback I generally follow the BPP and do 4/5 sessions a week along with some weights, streches etc. The BPP has been great but the iterative nature of the PP has grabbed my attention.

I would love to get my 2k time under 7:20 and to get my 5k closer to 19:00 along with a '10w' stroke (currently around 8.9w @ 19 spm) while improving my form.

[G-dub]

Not sure what you mean Paul. I was making a friendly joke in reference to something Anth F said last week - using his term sarcastically. it was not directed at you or anyone else. Its just a funny term that I got a kick out of. Please lets not escalate this. I apologize if I have offended. I have made many mistakes on this site but have never not appreciated everyone's efforts and hard work. I have edited the post to get rid of the joke so nothing more should be said. thank you.

[mdpfirrman]

Not sure what you mean Paul. I was making a friendly joke in reference to something Anth F said last week - using his term sarcastically. it was not directed at you or anyone else. Its just a funny term that I got a kick out of. Please lets not escalate this. I apologize if I have offended. I have made many mistakes on this site but have never not appreciated everyone's efforts and hard work. I have edited the post to get rid of the joke so nothing more should be said. thank you.

Agreed Glenn on the drama - no need for it here Paul. I don't think Glenn meant anything specific to you or anyone.

By the way, I'll be on vacation too (I forgot to mention) last week of October, first week of November. I'll be in Cabo, so I'm trying to locate a Concept2 there, but that might be difficult near me. I know the gym at my resort does not have one. I'm nearly through one rotation now (2/3 of the way) and I'll probably get fully through 3 before then. If I can't row during that period, I'll just pick up where all of you are at when I get back. I really hate missing two weeks right when I'm moving into indoor racing season but I also haven't had a break but one time this year from the rower (lower back) and a few days with the flu, so taking a bit of a break for my body might be a good thing.

[JohnAd]

Thanks to everyone who has introduced themselves so far, looking forward to sharing the many ups and inevitable downs of the next few months with you all.

Current 5k time around 19:30 will do a hard 5k tomorrow to help set targets for week 1 but will take it back a bit as there is no rush

5k came in at 19:20.1 down from 19:47.7 at the start of the month, somehow I don't think the next 20 seconds off that will be quite as quick to drop off.

I think I will be basing the endurance intervals off 1:56.5 to allow for the predictions being a bit off and to make sure I have something in reserve for the last rep.