Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[mitchel674]

10k of week #11 done yesterday without much fuss. I focused mainly on HR and didn't pay much attention to pace.

I've always found the next few weeks of the BPP quite challenging. Pete sits on the 10k distance but starts to add some longer interval pieces in the mix for the third obligatory row. I'm not much on intervals as I find the pacing and stroke rate to be a big question mark.

[Dalos]

Good to see everyone plugging away. First row post illness after 3 week long colds prior running up and down through my family (we all kept testing negative on RATs but I have my doubts) for me saw about a 3 second drop off from prior to all the sickness, but back at it at least. (3 whole sessions in July I managed!).Wasn't the greatest way to drop 2kg but hey, gets me closer.

Another week then I'll be working from home 5 days a week to hopefully avoid anything else nasty prior to a trip. At work we have 30-50%+ of people at any given time right now off or working from home either through COVID, Gastro, Flu, Colds or household members who have the same. Never seen the like.

Hope everyone's staying well!

[mitchel674]

Good to see everyone plugging away. First row post illness after 3 week long colds prior (we all kept testing negative on RATs but I have my doubts) for me saw about a 3 second drop off, but back at it at least. (3 whole sessions in July I managed!).Wasn't the greatest way to drop 2kg but hey, gets me closer.

Another week then I'll be working from home 5 days a week to hopefully avoid anything else nasty prior to a trip. At work we have 30-50%+ of people at any given time right now off or working from home either through COVID, Gastro, Flu, Colds or household members who have the same. Never seen the like.

Hope everyone's staying well!

Glad to see you back. Did you just pick up where you left off at a slightly slower pace?

[Dalos]

I stupidly thought I could just get back to it around the level I was running before. (I did give myself 3-4 days after I felt better before even attempting anything). I at least had the sense to test it out a bit and the first 1k felt amazing, next 2k as well and hit my HR limit around the 15 min mark as usual.

Then it was like I had no energy left, by 5k I was struggling and eased way off. I've never had a UT2 session where I just wanted it to end, always felt before like I could have gone on for the same again.

Going to ease back in and maybe just chug away at a few UT2 sessions to find my feet again before getting back to any of the harder plan sessions, will pick up again where I was. After today I can't even imagine one of the full on interval sessions. Even though I kept my HR in the UT2 zone today was brutal.

[Rowan McSheen]

How's it going, Dalos? Have you recovered your fitness?

I took a week off to nurse a slight shoulder strain. Annoyingly, I did it in the most banal way, by turning awkwardly while sat at the computer. Seems okay now and 2 x 10 mins 2 mins rest completes week 5.

[mitchel674]

Week #12 had me coming off a pretty bad muscle pull in my lower back from the 500m interval session last week. I've now had this happen three separate times. I'm sure I get sloppy with my form at higher ratings and injure my back. Oddly enough, my back did not hurt at all after injury when I would row at lower ratings and slightly lower drag factor. I was able to carry on with 8000m and 10000m rows this past weekend. I've even been able to do the 3x10minute piece at r26 with careful attention to form. My back now feels better despite rowing along with a massage targeting that area.

[Dangerscouse]

Week #12 had me coming off a pretty bad muscle pull in my lower back from the 500m interval session last week. I've now had this happen three separate times. I'm sure I get sloppy with my form at higher ratings and injure my back. Oddly enough, my back did not hurt at all after injury when I would row at lower ratings and slightly lower drag factor. I was able to carry on with 8000m and 10000m rows this past weekend. I've even been able to do the 3x10minute piece at r26 with careful attention to form. My back now feels better despite rowing along with a massage targeting that area.

Three times in the same area? Do you do much core strengthening?

[mitchel674]

Week #12 had me coming off a pretty bad muscle pull in my lower back from the 500m interval session last week. I've now had this happen three separate times. I'm sure I get sloppy with my form at higher ratings and injure my back. Oddly enough, my back did not hurt at all after injury when I would row at lower ratings and slightly lower drag factor. I was able to carry on with 8000m and 10000m rows this past weekend. I've even been able to do the 3x10minute piece at r26 with careful attention to form. My back now feels better despite rowing along with a massage targeting that area.

Three times in the same area? Do you do much core strengthening?

I'm guessing I could do more core work as this would protect my lower back. Anything in particular your would suggest? My abs seem pretty solid since I've taken up rowing a few years ago. I'm also an avid waterskier which works my core often.

[Dangerscouse]

I'm guessing I could do more core work as this would protect my lower back. Anything in particular your would suggest? My abs seem pretty solid since I've taken up rowing a few years ago. I'm also an avid waterskier which works my core often.

I'm always advocating Pilates, but your problem might be weak glutes if you do a lot of water skiing too. Air squats and lunges will be good enough if you don't do anything similar, or have weights.

[Rowan McSheen]

10,000m of UT2 done to give me a gentle runup to week 6. Heart rate is a strange thing. Last session of this type, I struggled to keep it below my UT2 cap of 120 and clocked 2:27/500m. Today I clocked 2:24 and it took the first 4,000m for the hr to even break into three figures. And it's a hot sunny day. Oh well, ho hum. Not sure what this means, if anything at all ...

[mitchel674]

Good weekend of steady state rowing. Finished week #12 with an 8k on Saturday and started week #13 with a 10k on Sunday both at 2:23 with my HR in the 140s.

No back pain and lots of stretching and planking this weekend. Feeling good!

[Dangerscouse]

Good weekend of steady state rowing. Finished week #12 with an 8k on Saturday and started week #13 with a 10k on Sunday both at 2:23 with my HR in the 140s.

No back pain and lots of stretching and planking this weekend. Feeling good!

Good to hear, and it sounds like you're passed it now

[thaloun]

Hey folks checking in after my vacation and resumption of week six of the plan. First row back I was surprised how much backsliding there was heartrate wise from just a 10 day absence. Though in terms of effort it still felt ok. By friday I was back in the swing of things. I've been looking forward to that workout for quite a while and focused on really upping my stroke rate which for me always trends slower and slower. Generally when that happens I don't even notice but seem to compensate naturally with harder strokes as it's not usually reflected in my split times. I think once I have more aerobic capacity and am both pulling hard and fast together that will not be true.

Anyways the goal was sub 2:00 pace and I managed it. Tried to go fast at the end and couldn't really so I guess that means I dialed in well? On to next week.

[Rowan McSheen]

And today's 6 x 500 optional session brings week 6 to a close. Was pleased to turn in a fractionally better pace than the last time I did these (1:59.6 versus 1:59.8). Incremental gains and all that. Not quite able to better Thaloun's pace ... next time maybe

Also pleased that the pace on the steady rows (staying strictly below the UT1 ceiling) has stabilised. Onwards and upwards, week 7 awaits.

[mitchel674]

Week 14 done today. Less distance in these middle weeks and more interval rowing.

3x2k, r4 yesterday done with average 2:15.9 pace and last interval at 2:14

Today was 4x8minutes, r2 done with average of 2:14.1 pace and last interval at 2:13.1

I'm looking forward to the 10k tomorrow and will likely aim for 2:22 pace at 22spm.