Pete Plan Autumn 2015

[G-dub]

Jack - My schedule is: 4 x 2 Wednesday (tomorrow) and Hard Distance on Saturday. Start Week 3 on Tuesday with the always enjoyable 4 x 1K.

[jackarabit]

Got all sorts of targets for 4x2k!

On 10 Nov. I did: 2:11.6

5k PB + .5": 2:12.4

2k PB + 5": 2:09.4

Average: 2:11.1

Choices, choices! Thinking 2:12 first because last time I went:

1. 2:11.4
2. 2:11.3
3. 2:12
4. 2:11.7

Putting the 2:12 first up should give me a chance to dip below 2:11.6 by a few tenths of a second. Best git er did before we start tripping on tryptophan (groan).

[mdpfirrman]

Glenn - not sure I'll catch you. I'd be happy just to be where you are now, not where you're going to. I can't imagine too many catching you that are over 50 like us.

Just did the W2 D2 SS workout. 2:11.3 (around my 2K PB + 20). Entire thing around 23 SPM with occasionally drifting aimlessly into 24 SPM but overall not bad. 8K work (keeping distances to a minimum for now).

[jackarabit]

W2S3
Endurance intervals
4x2k/5'R
Pace target 2:12-->2:11
Df 112
2.5k WP; CD in final rest period

A sad tale! On track to go best case 2:10.3 or maybe 2:10.5 in the final rep. Left calf knotted @ 1k remaining. I yanked my foot out of the strap and stopped. Rubbed out the cramp. Av. had jumped to 2:18 by the time I restarted with the left foot unstrapped but it was going to seize again so I took the pressure off and short stroked my way down to 2:15 with the right leg only. Right quad AND hamstring then also wanting to cramp. Had those oppositional cramps years ago on a bike ride. Very funny--not! Couple hundred meters of very gingerly warmdown without additional grief. A sitzbath w/ epsom salts is called for after I post here.

I think this might have been worst case a Fly&Fade but it wasn't going to be an F&D. I thought I had enuf left in tank to match the pace of #3 when I cramped.

I had my annual stress test and cardiac photoshoot this morning. I wonder if the dye had something to do with the cramp? If so, a Fly&Dye, right? Or no coffee in the previous 24 and no food this morning except some peanut butter crackers until after I got home? I didn't have an intimation of leg cramps in our first week.

[bisqeet]

Time for some extra magnesium, Jack...
First day on week2 (this is day 4) that I rowed less than 20k.
Mostly due to a bottle of Dornfelder, some cheese and the wife cuddling before the fire.
Sometimes a break just had to be done. Tomorrow is another HM . Target 2:00/500 pace

[Tyche]

W2D3

4x2000 5' Target 1:50

1:50
1:49
1:49
1:50

2K PB was taken @ 105 DF, checked it today.

[G-dub]

No worries Jack! You had a good one going there and would ah e no doubt brought it home. Not the best nutrition today it doesn't sound like! Some do say that magnesium helps with cramping.

[G-dub]

Rest / Recovery

Easy 5K (at least the monitor said so) to stay loose and keep the blood flowing.

[jackarabit]

"Yes we have no bananas" (potassium) but I have 1.75L bottles of Florida Grapefruit juice which I cut 1:1 with water to make three quarts. No Aspartame, no coloring, no chemical cocktail, 6% daily magnesium, 8% potassium, too much sugar. I don't think I was dehydrated. Vamp had no trouble sticking the vein. 2:10.8 would have been fine but not to be today. Next time.

[Fish out of water]

Pete Beginner W5D2

2K WU
4X800m, 2' rest.

Based on my last interval workout my target was 2:15 with the hope to crank it up on the last interval.

Actually went:
2:13.2 @ 23 SPM
2:12.4 @ 22 spm
2:13.1 @ 21 SPM
2:05.0 @ 29 SPM

Gives me a new target to shoot for the next interval session of a little below 2:11

[jackarabit]

Way to shut the door on the last rep, Fish! Lot of daylight between that one and the first three. Finding your erg legs now.

[Galeere]

Not a very enjoyable experience Jack, amazing that you toughed that one out with some sort of result. Strong ergs posted from Tyche and Fish also, nice work. Good luck on your HM, Dean, if you are up for it you can easily target sub 2:00.

[Bob S.]

I've come around to thinking that the combo of speed shock and intervals of increasing distance up the front side of the pyramid make it difficult to hold pace. Probably obvious and felt by all? I believe 3k+ warmup at UT2 paces interspersed with short power on bursts of 30 to 45" is helping me avoid that initial speed shock. The Eddy Fletcher warmup with paces stipulated by reference to the rower's 2k performance is what I use. The Fletcher race (2k) warmup is 19' 45". At my paces, that's 3800m of warmup. 2k takes you half the distance across the top level of the pyramid so it seems to me the Fletcher is an appropriate warmup for this short interval workout totalling 4k. If 19:45 feels overly long, it's easy to omit one 4' segment. With the big rest cushions after the "summit," the backside is a ski jump by comparison to the slog at the beginning.

I like that warmup - its a bit complex and requires sticky notes to follow, but is pretty effective.
I do admit I only use it if the session is itself is short. At 5k its usually about 2-3k longer than my normal warmup.

I try to limit my sessions to HM distances

It was designed strictly for the 2k. Shorter time trials might well require a longer warm up. Long time trials don't need that much warm up. 12 minutes aught to be plenty for a 5k

[jackarabit]

Not certain about amazing, Hardy. Maybe garden variety awsome? I remember desperately cranking the backswing and the arm pull to get to the 2:09s that pulled back 3" on the pace. Rhomboids still burning but didn't tweak my lower back. That gymrower stroke has its place as the tool of last resort!

[jackarabit]

Bob, for the short interval workouts of 3.5 to 4k total volume, I omit one 4' segment from the Fletcher Warmup. Total last time used, 3070m at my paces, conforming to the Marston prescription for speed interval warmup in the lunch hour blog, including the bursts of higher pace. I have no doubt you are correct as to Mr. Fletcher's intention. Historical awareness and critical rigor are at the service of all who honor truth, fair play, and credit to him to whom credit is due. Thank you. Jack