Newbie-Lurker Intro / 2k Advice Needed

[robyoungiii]

Vitals: 42M, H:73in/185cm, W:199/90kg

Thought it was about time to contribute to the community after lurking the UK and US boards for the past month or so. My thanks to the thoughtful replies that the experienced rowers give us "new guys". I'm definitely hooked already. The joke around my house is whether I'm trying to just lose a few pounds or training for London in 2012!

Background:
Bought ModD/PM3[rowpro and polar hrm] Dec '09 to lose a few pounds and get in shape (14 so far). No consistent cardio/endurance background and no OTW experience. Sporadic strength training and brief forays into running (don't like) and cycling (like).

Been sticking to the Beginner's Pete Plan (on Week 10). Have not tried to go out and set pb's on any particular piece (obviously, when I re-row a distance as a part of the plan, it typically is faster so "pb's" are somewhat misleading at these early stages of my "career")

Toying with idea of rowing a 2k as a "race" on Sunday to celebrate the CrashB's and get a watered down taste of rowing a piece to set a pb. Made a preliminary goal to break 7:45 after looking through my logs and messing around with the Paul's Law and pace calculators. 3x2k 4'r was on the BPP schedule today and surprised myself a bit with the results:

1) 7:39.4 [1:54.1, 1:57.3, 1:55.8, 1:52.2] 27spm
(after the 1:54.1 - backed off b/c thinking of 2 more intervals, then thought F it and rowed harder. note: i have not done much over 30spm; been doing the PP distance pieces focusing on leg drive and b/w 18-22spm mostly, UT1/AT)

2) 8:12.8 [2:03.2] 24spm
(backed off intentionally, funny how "slow" this felt after the first one)

3) 7:55.4 [1:58.6] 26spm - not too much left in tank, but some; had strength training circuit after and didn't want to be completely worthless)

Q: Based on info presented, do you think 7:30 [1:52.5] is achievable and should I set a pacing plan for it (suggestions) or pace for say 7:35 and adjust on the fly? I don't really have a good history of meaningful pieces with which to predict this - as likely to go 7:29 as I am 7:59.

[johnlvs2run]

Based on info presented, do you think 7:30 [1:52.5] is achievable and should I set a pacing plan for it (suggestions) or pace for say 7:35 and adjust on the fly? I don't really have a good history of meaningful pieces with which to predict this - as likely to go 7:29 as I am 7:59.

Yes, maybe, yes.

I'd aim for 1:54's, and then pick it up the last 500m.

[walterchaos]

I agree with John. I think you can do it but as you are not experienced you should negative split. Try 154, 153 152 151 (or faster if possible). Even split is faster but negative split is safer.

[robyoungiii]

thanks for the advice! did 7:29.2 this morning. Learned many "mini-lessons" within that time span - esp how hard it is to recover in last 500m from being off just fractions of seconds in earlier segments. Looking at the 100m splits, my pacing was pretty erratic but had enough left to pull it off. Will start woriking towards 7:15.0 now.

[1:54.5]
[1:53.0]
[1:52.7]
[1:48.9]

[walterchaos]

Good work. If you try again, start at 1:52.5, try to hold this pace throughout and pick up the pace at the end. Don't slow down in sections 2 and 3.