New Personal Best! Brag About That New Pb!

[aussie nick]

Tsnor, Putridp, Aussie Nick, Sakly, Dangerscouse, Winniewinser, Nick Rockliff - thank you!

was this the first PB since May or have there been any in between? If the former....then as well as the physical achievement, it's also a significant show of mental strength IMO....to be able to commit from the first pull of the row to be so much faster than you've gone before is really impressive.

congratulations again...and while I'm sure you have other goals at other distances too, you must have half an eye on 17.59.9 now you've got so much closer?

This was my first time erging a timed 5k since May. I reviewed recent training sessions before deciding on a race strategy, and had a relatively recent 4x2000/5:00r at an average 1:48.2 pace, and a very recent 5x1500/5:00r at an average 1:47.6 pace. That predicted a slightly faster overall 5k, but it was fast that I had a hard time believing that I could hit it, and decided to go out a little slower to prevent hitting a wall. Afterwards, I was questioning whether my inability to pick up the pace more at the end was physical or mental. I'd love to break that 18min barrier as well.

one question ELizabeth. You mentioned adopting Tsnor's recommendation of doing your weights on the same day as your intense days, which is something I'm going to be adopting too moving forward. Have you come to a conclusion on which is better of weights 1st/row 2nd or row 1st/weights 2nd?

[Elizabeth]

Fantastic going Elizabeth - well done. Of very limited relevance, but when I set my almost identical 5k PB nearly 20 years ago, I was in low 6:50s form for 2k. I'd suggest setting off at 1:43 and see where that takes you.... Best of luck!

Thanks MPx! I blew up on my last timed 2k and I'm wondering if I need to do a more conservative 2k to break that barrier and gain some confidence, and then go out harder the time after that.

one question ELizabeth. You mentioned adopting Tsnor's recommendation of doing your weights on the same day as your intense days, which is something I'm going to be adopting too moving forward. Have you come to a conclusion on which is better of weights 1st/row 2nd or row 1st/weights 2nd?

I'm not quite sure. I think some people recommend weights then rowing, but I've only tried rowing then weights. All of this is before work. I'm not always great at limiting rest times between sets, and dor me, this order has the advantage of getting the rowing done then having a sense of urgency to wrap my sets up before I need weights to get ready for work, as opposed to spending too long on rest breaks between sets and then losing time for an adequate warmup/cooldown. However, I've essentially been lifting at maintenance and haven't really seen progression there.

You could try both, and see what works best for you.

[MPx]

I blew up on my last timed 2k and I'm wondering if I need to do a more conservative 2k to break that barrier and gain some confidence, and then go out harder the time after that.

You'll know how your mind games work better than me - we all face them and deal with them in different ways. For me it would work differently. Training and actual performance suggests low 6:50s possible. I'd set off with that at the forefront and "expect" to be able to see it through @ 1:43. Of course the "every one has a plan until they get punched in the face" factor would then happen and I'd struggle horribly somewhere around halfway. But for me I'd then see I was well ahead of schedule for a sub 7 (maybe 3 or 4 secs in the bank) and confidence would grow that I could at least make a 6:59.9. and in practice I sometimes find that, after a short wobble, that steadies me back to the original target pace. On the other hand if I set off to do a 6:59.9 in the same circs, I might cruise through, but more likely I'd still struggle at around the half way mark and not have the will power to see it through by keeping up the same pace. But you must obviously do what works for you - maybe you're a confident neg splitter as many on here are!

[aussie nick]

Fantastic going Elizabeth - well done. Of very limited relevance, but when I set my almost identical 5k PB nearly 20 years ago, I was in low 6:50s form for 2k. I'd suggest setting off at 1:43 and see where that takes you.... Best of luck!

Thanks MPx! I blew up on my last timed 2k and I'm wondering if I need to do a more conservative 2k to break that barrier and gain some confidence, and then go out harder the time after that.

one question ELizabeth. You mentioned adopting Tsnor's recommendation of doing your weights on the same day as your intense days, which is something I'm going to be adopting too moving forward. Have you come to a conclusion on which is better of weights 1st/row 2nd or row 1st/weights 2nd?

I'm not quite sure. I think some people recommend weights then rowing, but I've only tried rowing then weights. All of this is before work. I'm not always great at limiting rest times between sets, and dor me, this order has the advantage of getting the rowing done then having a sense of urgency to wrap my sets up before I need weights to get ready for work, as opposed to spending too long on rest breaks between sets and then losing time for an adequate warmup/cooldown. However, I've essentially been lifting at maintenance and haven't really seen progression there.

You could try both, and see what works best for you.

yes, it's maintenance only for me too. I'll be doing them at different times of the day. It makes sense from a timing pov to do my weights at the gym and then row at home later, but I've just started with a row coach so I'll see what he says (and I'll let you know)

[winniewinser]

yes, it's maintenance only for me too. I'll be doing them at different times of the day. It makes sense from a timing pov to do my weights at the gym and then row at home later, but I've just started with a row coach so I'll see what he says (and I'll let you know)

Online coaching or in person? Will be interesting to see your times fall even further Nick.

[Elizabeth]

I blew up on my last timed 2k and I'm wondering if I need to do a more conservative 2k to break that barrier and gain some confidence, and then go out harder the time after that.

You'll know how your mind games work better than me - we all face them and deal with them in different ways. For me it would work differently. Training and actual performance suggests low 6:50s possible. I'd set off with that at the forefront and "expect" to be able to see it through @ 1:43. Of course the "every one has a plan until they get punched in the face" factor would then happen and I'd struggle horribly somewhere around halfway. But for me I'd then see I was well ahead of schedule for a sub 7 (maybe 3 or 4 secs in the bank) and confidence would grow that I could at least make a 6:59.9. and in practice I sometimes find that, after a short wobble, that steadies me back to the original target pace. On the other hand if I set off to do a 6:59.9 in the same circs, I might cruise through, but more likely I'd still struggle at around the half way mark and not have the will power to see it through by keeping up the same pace. But you must obviously do what works for you - maybe you're a confident neg splitter as many on here are!

My favorite approach to a PR is to go in at my average pace from the last time I set a PR, and then gradually pick it up over the last 20%. Mentally, I know that if I was able to do the whole thing at an average X:XX.X pace last time, then I can do that again, and I typically find I have some gas left in the tank towards the end. But this isn't really working here, with so few test pieces lately.

In lieu of something like 8x500, I decided just to go and git er done this morning. This was with zero taper, coming the day after an easy 35k and my Garmin was scolding me about not enough sleep. So I think your projection is right on under more ideal conditions. I think I probably need something like monthly 2ks to take the scariness out of them.

6:56.5 2,000m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 172
1:23.2 400m 1:44.0 311 1370 35 168
1:24.1 400m 1:45.1 301 1336 34 173
1:23.6 400m 1:44.5 307 1355 33 173
1:23.3 400m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 174
1:22.3 400m 1:42.8 321 1406 34 175

[nick rockliff]

I blew up on my last timed 2k and I'm wondering if I need to do a more conservative 2k to break that barrier and gain some confidence, and then go out harder the time after that.

You'll know how your mind games work better than me - we all face them and deal with them in different ways. For me it would work differently. Training and actual performance suggests low 6:50s possible. I'd set off with that at the forefront and "expect" to be able to see it through @ 1:43. Of course the "every one has a plan until they get punched in the face" factor would then happen and I'd struggle horribly somewhere around halfway. But for me I'd then see I was well ahead of schedule for a sub 7 (maybe 3 or 4 secs in the bank) and confidence would grow that I could at least make a 6:59.9. and in practice I sometimes find that, after a short wobble, that steadies me back to the original target pace. On the other hand if I set off to do a 6:59.9 in the same circs, I might cruise through, but more likely I'd still struggle at around the half way mark and not have the will power to see it through by keeping up the same pace. But you must obviously do what works for you - maybe you're a confident neg splitter as many on here are!

My favorite approach to a PR is to go in at my average pace from the last time I set a PR, and then gradually pick it up over the last 20%. Mentally, I know that if I was able to do the whole thing at an average X:XX.X pace last time, then I can do that again, and I typically find I have some gas left in the tank towards the end. But this isn't really working here, with so few test pieces lately.

In lieu of something like 8x500, I decided just to go and git er done this morning. This was with zero taper, coming the day after an easy 35k and my Garmin was scolding me about not enough sleep. So I think your projection is right on under more ideal conditions. I think I probably need something like monthly 2ks to take the scariness out of them.

6:56.5 2,000m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 172
1:23.2 400m 1:44.0 311 1370 35 168
1:24.1 400m 1:45.1 301 1336 34 173
1:23.6 400m 1:44.5 307 1355 33 173
1:23.3 400m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 174
1:22.3 400m 1:42.8 321 1406 34 175

Another great PB, well done again. 5k is usually 2k + 5-6 so a bit more to come yet.

[winniewinser]

My favorite approach to a PR is to go in at my average pace from the last time I set a PR, and then gradually pick it up over the last 20%. Mentally, I know that if I was able to do the whole thing at an average X:XX.X pace last time, then I can do that again, and I typically find I have some gas left in the tank towards the end. But this isn't really working here, with so few test pieces lately.

In lieu of something like 8x500, I decided just to go and git er done this morning. This was with zero taper, coming the day after an easy 35k and my Garmin was scolding me about not enough sleep. So I think your projection is right on under more ideal conditions. I think I probably need something like monthly 2ks to take the scariness out of them.

6:56.5 2,000m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 172
1:23.2 400m 1:44.0 311 1370 35 168
1:24.1 400m 1:45.1 301 1336 34 173
1:23.6 400m 1:44.5 307 1355 33 173
1:23.3 400m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 174
1:22.3 400m 1:42.8 321 1406 34 175

On fire!....sub 7 is a great milestone to hit.....big congrats!

[Sakly]

In lieu of something like 8x500, I decided just to go and git er done this morning. This was with zero taper, coming the day after an easy 35k and my Garmin was scolding me about not enough sleep. So I think your projection is right on under more ideal conditions. I think I probably need something like monthly 2ks to take the scariness out of them.

6:56.5 2,000m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 172
1:23.2 400m 1:44.0 311 1370 35 168
1:24.1 400m 1:45.1 301 1336 34 173
1:23.6 400m 1:44.5 307 1355 33 173
1:23.3 400m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 174
1:22.3 400m 1:42.8 321 1406 34 175

Wow, cool stuff to see here
This is exactly matching my current 2k PB
But yours was better paced

[MPx]

... I decided just to go and git er done this morning.
6:56.5 2,000m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 172

Fantastic stuff, well done again!

[MartinSH4321]

I blew up on my last timed 2k and I'm wondering if I need to do a more conservative 2k to break that barrier and gain some confidence, and then go out harder the time after that.

You'll know how your mind games work better than me - we all face them and deal with them in different ways. For me it would work differently. Training and actual performance suggests low 6:50s possible. I'd set off with that at the forefront and "expect" to be able to see it through @ 1:43. Of course the "every one has a plan until they get punched in the face" factor would then happen and I'd struggle horribly somewhere around halfway. But for me I'd then see I was well ahead of schedule for a sub 7 (maybe 3 or 4 secs in the bank) and confidence would grow that I could at least make a 6:59.9. and in practice I sometimes find that, after a short wobble, that steadies me back to the original target pace. On the other hand if I set off to do a 6:59.9 in the same circs, I might cruise through, but more likely I'd still struggle at around the half way mark and not have the will power to see it through by keeping up the same pace. But you must obviously do what works for you - maybe you're a confident neg splitter as many on here are!

My favorite approach to a PR is to go in at my average pace from the last time I set a PR, and then gradually pick it up over the last 20%. Mentally, I know that if I was able to do the whole thing at an average X:XX.X pace last time, then I can do that again, and I typically find I have some gas left in the tank towards the end. But this isn't really working here, with so few test pieces lately.

In lieu of something like 8x500, I decided just to go and git er done this morning. This was with zero taper, coming the day after an easy 35k and my Garmin was scolding me about not enough sleep. So I think your projection is right on under more ideal conditions. I think I probably need something like monthly 2ks to take the scariness out of them.

6:56.5 2,000m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 172
1:23.2 400m 1:44.0 311 1370 35 168
1:24.1 400m 1:45.1 301 1336 34 173
1:23.6 400m 1:44.5 307 1355 33 173
1:23.3 400m 1:44.1 310 1366 33 174
1:22.3 400m 1:42.8 321 1406 34 175

Incredible, both this 2k and recent 5k PBs are fantastic, big congrats!

[KeithT]

I couldn't get out of bed to train for the second morning in a row, so I took advantage of the short break to do a lunchtime 2k TT at a gym local to work. I got a bit worked up in anticipation, with very weak feeling legs during the warm-up

I was aiming for an even pace of 1:44 for the first 1500-1600m, and then to up the pace from there to the end. After 3 strokes I saw 1:31, then I was battling to slow the pace - turns out it was 50 seconds before I saw 1:44 for the first time, which I did by slowing the rate slightly. From there on it was a blur, I found it very difficult to concentrate on the pace. I remembered to try to up the rate if I saw the pace slipping. It turns out the pace increased very gradually to around 1:42.5 until the last 500m when the pace started to slow, with a few strokes as slow as 1:45.7. So it didn't go to plan at all, but I think the consistency was okay, and in hindsight a slight slowing of the pace at the end probably indicates that I managed to properly empty the tank.

My previous best was 6:56.3, on 25.08.22.

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	S/M	HR
6:51.2	2,000m	1:42.8	322	33	173
1:21.7	400m	1:42.1	329	32	166
1:22.9	400m	1:43.6	315	31	173
1:22.5	400m	1:43.1	319	32	176
1:21.6	400m	1:42.0	330	35	176
1:22.5	400m	1:43.1	319	36	178

Fantastic row!!! Overall paced well and you prob did empty the tank. That's a big improvement but now of course you have to go for sub 6:50.

[KeithT]

Hey everyone! I've not been around much lately, but I set a huge 5k PR last weekend.
May 2022: 18:25.4
Oct 2022: 18:05.8

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
18:05.8 5,000m 1:48.5 273 1240 31
1:48.8 500m 1:48.8 272 1235 32
1:48.4 500m 1:48.4 275 1245 31
1:48.4 500m 1:48.4 275 1245 31
1:48.8 500m 1:48.8 272 1235 30
1:48.9 500m 1:48.9 271 1232 31
1:48.7 500m 1:48.7 273 1237 31
1:48.5 500m 1:48.5 274 1243 31
1:48.6 500m 1:48.6 273 1240 31
1:48.9 500m 1:48.9 271 1232 32
1:47.9 500m 1:47.9 279 1258 33

I set out with a goal of maintaining a 1:48.5 pace until the last 2k, then seeing how much I could gradually pick it up. I forgot that the racing platform doesn't display average splits, just current stroke, and so this strategy was hard to implement. I didn't have much in me to pick up in the last part of the race as planned, but did my best to sprint in the last 250 meters.

I received some feedback from Tsnor a couple of months ago that I've been working to implement:
More weeks with 2 hard days than 3 hard days
Put lifting on the hard days to keep the easy days easy
One full rest day per week.
Wow!!! Just wow!! What a great PB and effort. Great pacing and consistency too.
I think with fewer hard sessions, it's been easier to take the hard sessions really hard, which has really been beneficial. It was a little bit mentally challenging to stay engaged and focused for the entire 5k; I've mainly been doing the hard work as intervals (500x8, 4x2000, etc.) and imagine that substituting in some sustained harder pieces could have helped with this.

I'm really happy with my progress. My next goal is to finally break that 7:00 2k - I should have the fitness and just need to do it.

(Thank you, Tsnor!)

[Sakly]

Tiny little PB of -1.7s in my todays 5k TT for team challenge (messed up training schedule, stupid point of time, but no other possibility...)

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	
17:56.7	5,000m	1:47.6	280	1265	32	174

[winniewinser]

Tiny little PB of -1.7s in my todays 5k TT for team challenge (messed up training schedule, stupid point of time, but no other possibility...)

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	
17:56.7	5,000m	1:47.6	280	1265	32	174

Backing up a sub 18 with another is always a good thing. (I never managed it and the moment has passed now)