Pete Plan Thread

[SowfLondonRower]

Mostly on the recovery, but honestly I don't pay as much attention to breathing/get it as regular as I know I should.

I have a 5k tomorrow so I'll experiment over the course of that and see what works for me. Thanks for the advice!

[Dangerscouse]

If I'm rating at 28ish I'll inhale at both drive and recovery

[RayOfSunshine]

If I'm rating at 28ish I'll inhale at both drive and recovery

Me too. A large exhale going into the catch and a smaller one on the 2nd half of the drive.

[bob.haffner]

@ Bob - Nice progress you are making on those 500m intervals! Looks like a really rough workout with a pace I can now only dream of.

Below the result of yesterday's workout. It is funny to see how much progress is made in a short period of time. When I started rowing a few weeks ago, I tried to have a go at 2000m before the BPP to have some kind of benchmark to look back to and compare. The time on that single 2000m was already quite a lot slower than for below workout which is twice the distance.

BPP 3.2 - 2 x 2000m / 4min rest

Thx, Roel! Good work by the way!

On Tuesday I had BPP 6.2 - 3x2000m, 4min rest. The plan says to try and match the pace from the 2x2000m in week 3, which was 2:11.4, but I pushed it a little more than that, and ended up at 2:09.9, 2:09.9, 2:09.8. Felt pretty easy fitness-wise, but my knuckle wasn't happy with me.

Took yesterday off to rest, and today had BPP 6.3 - 7500m. Put the display to watts (which I don't really follow) and rowed by feel rather than pushing for a time. Also did this one unstrapped so my mind would naturally focus on technique more. Did it at 2:11.7 pace overall, and pretty consistent.

Nice work, keep at it! Thats a good pace unstrapped.


I decided to test my mettle tonight with the 5 x 1500 and set the target to 1:50. Yikes

Cycle 4, Week 1

---------------2018-06-13----2018-07-04----2018-07-28----2018-08-23-----
1500-----------01:54.5--------01:55.4--------01:53.4--------01:50.0--------
1500-----------01:55.5--------01:54.8--------01:53.4--------01:50.2--------
1500-----------01:57.2--------01:55.4--------01:53.3--------01:50.2--------
1500-----------01:57.3--------01:55.3--------01:53.0--------01:50.3--------
1500-----------01:58.3--------01:52.7--------01:47.0--------01:50.2--------

AVGs-----------01:56.6--------01:54.7--------01:52.0--------01:50.2--------

[SowfLondonRower]

I decided to test my mettle tonight with the 5 x 1500 and set the target to 1:50. Yikes

That's a tough old interval, strong work. Must be nice seeing those steady gains.

I decided to do 2 sets today. First up was BPP 6.4, 5000m. Took it very easy, more of a warm-up really. A few minutes at a time @2:25, 2:20, 2:15, 2:10, and a couple of power 10s mixed in. Came in at 2:18.2 overall. I also focussed on breathing as Ray advised and found that exhaling at the catch and the finish worked well.

So then I switched out BPP 6.5 6x500m for a 2k test. It's been 4 weeks exactly since I last did a 2k, and I'm seeing a friend tomorrow whose PB I wanted to see if I can beat. Previous time was 7:58.4, and today I managed to hit 7:40.8. Very pleased! Splits were 1:56.6, 1:56.3, 1:55.7, 1:52.2, which makes me think I could have pushed the pace at the start a bit more.

Tomorrow I'll move straight on to week 7's first 8km. I'm driving to Switzerland on Monday and am not sure how quickly I'll be able to join a gym there so the schedule might be slightly interrupted.

[RayOfSunshine]

@ Bob - I dread the 5x1500 more than any workout. 1:50 is blazing!

@ Rob, congrats on the PB/bragging rights!

[bob.haffner]

That's a tough old interval, strong work. Must be nice seeing those steady gains.

I decided to do 2 sets today. First up was BPP 6.4, 5000m. Took it very easy, more of a warm-up really. A few minutes at a time @2:25, 2:20, 2:15, 2:10, and a couple of power 10s mixed in. Came in at 2:18.2 overall. I also focussed on breathing as Ray advised and found that exhaling at the catch and the finish worked well.

So then I switched out BPP 6.5 6x500m for a 2k test. It's been 4 weeks exactly since I last did a 2k, and I'm seeing a friend tomorrow whose PB I wanted to see if I can beat. Previous time was 7:58.4, and today I managed to hit 7:40.8. Very pleased! Splits were 1:56.6, 1:56.3, 1:55.7, 1:52.2, which makes me think I could have pushed the pace at the start a bit more.

Tomorrow I'll move straight on to week 7's first 8km. I'm driving to Switzerland on Monday and am not sure how quickly I'll be able to join a gym there so the schedule might be slightly interrupted.

Thanks, Rob! Congrats on the PB and more importantly, besting your buddy!

@ Bob - I dread the 5x1500 more than any workout. 1:50 is blazing!

Thanks, Ray! Yeah, me too. It was a scrap from rep 3 on.

[RayOfSunshine]

PP 2.3 4x2k 5r

Target < 2:05 based on BPP 22.2 (7/22) - 4x2k 4r - average 2:05.3 @ 26 SPM

32:51.4 - 2:03.2 @ 27 SPM

8:16.0 - 2:04.0 - 28
8:15.9 - 2:03.9 - 26
8:14.3 - 2:03.5 - 27
8:05.2 - 2:01.3 - 28

[mitchel674]

PP 2.3 4x2k 5r

Target < 2:05 based on BPP 22.2 (7/22) - 4x2k 4r - average 2:05.3 @ 26 SPM

32:51.4 - 2:03.2 @ 27 SPM

8:16.0 - 2:04.0 - 28
8:15.9 - 2:03.9 - 26
8:14.3 - 2:03.5 - 27
8:05.2 - 2:01.3 - 28

Nice, going Ray. That's quite an effort on a tough set of intervals. You've got more in there!

[bob.haffner]

PP 2.3 4x2k 5r

Target < 2:05 based on BPP 22.2 (7/22) - 4x2k 4r - average 2:05.3 @ 26 SPM

32:51.4 - 2:03.2 @ 27 SPM

8:16.0 - 2:04.0 - 28
8:15.9 - 2:03.9 - 26
8:14.3 - 2:03.5 - 27
8:05.2 - 2:01.3 - 28

Great work, Ray!


Cycle 4, Week 2 of PP
Pyramid with a target of 1:43. The last time I did this the target got away from me. Did better this time


---------------2018-06-17----2018-07-09----2018-08-06----2018-08-26-----
250------------01:45.0--------01:45.0--------01:43.4--------01:43.2--------
500------------01:45.0--------01:45.5--------01:43.6--------01:43.3--------
750------------01:45.1--------01:45.7--------01:44.5--------01:43.0--------
1000-----------01:47.1--------01:46.0--------01:46.1--------01:43.3--------
750------------01:47.9--------01:45.6--------01:45.5--------01:43.2--------
500------------01:43.9--------01:44.5--------01:43.2--------01:43.1--------
250------------01:30.8--------01:36.6--------01:33.2--------01:36.0--------

AVGs-----------01:45.0--------01:44.9--------01:44.0--------01:42.7--------

[RayOfSunshine]

Solid work Bob.

PP 2.5 12k
Target was < 2:10, but I was focused on SPM = 28. I had a target of 2:08.7 in back of my head if I felt really good. I found myself below 2:08 from the start and it kept going down. Once I hit 2:06.0 (around 4k in), I figured 2:05.7 knowing it was absurd. HD at 7k. Pissed at myself for not finishing. I could've at least held on for a 2:08.7 or, at a minimum, 2:10. Oh well, time to learn and move on... key is that I learn. I need to be able to hold a pace. UGH.

[Rowlers]

@ Roel & Rob - do you exhale on the drive, recovery, or both? I also had trouble maintaining higher s/r. With time/meters, it got better. Then, if you see my week 23 of BPP post on 8/1, you can see where I figured out a breathing technique that really works for me. It wasn't intuitive at all, but it's been a game changer.

I did not really pay attention yet to my breathing technique so this is a good point. I tried to practice on below workouts and play a bit with a rate between 22 and 24. In the beginning it even felt a bit weird exhaling at the recovery so I think I did it differently before. I am trying to get it into my system which worked most of the time. Sometimes when I don't pay too much attention, I sense that old habits return. I guess, it needs some more time and work to make it a routine.

BPP 3.3 - 6000m



BPP 4.1 - 6500m

[mdpfirrman]

Just a quick note until I get some more time. I'm back but I'm not! Thanks Ray for the assist in helping me get back on the forum. Dumb mistake on my part.

Anyway, back has been aggravated last couple of days, so I'm working from the Air Bike Pro, not the rower. Sticking to plan as much as possible but I'm a fan of specificity, so I'm eager to get back on the rower. Trying to get the lower back sorted out. Did 10K on Sunday (W5/D1 of the 5K PP) -- nothing hard at all and the back was really tight that night. This is an old injury that rears up on occasion. The rower is not that easy on the back at times when you're training hard to begin with. I just think I've been tweaking it with more golf, lifting and yard work on top. Plus I have some new resistance bands I've been using for squats and overhead presses (perhaps this or incline bench compressing the spine more).

You're all killing it! Ray, don't feel bad about an HD on a 12K attempt on the full PP. I used to do 5Ks on the full PP on my TT day and not feel a bit bad about that. Sometimes 2Ks! Especially after that 4 X 2K workout.

@Andy - you're a 6:55 (easy) 2K rower that just doesn't know it yet. That 4 X 2K you put in was telling to me. To be all in the lower 7:30s on that and end in the 7:20s is so strong!

@ Bob - massive improvements in your intermediate work! 2 seconds off is no small feat. You're looking at 6:50 or below soon as well.

@ Rob - congrats on the 2K time! Huge improvements.

@Roel - great work/steady improvements!

I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot. Glad to be back. The prospect of the intermediate row tomorrow (as of right now) not looking great. Hope to be back on the TT row this week by the end of the week. My 7K last week was around a 2:02.3 avg pace, so my longer work is coming along. Hope I don't lose progress with this back setback.

[bob.haffner]

PP 2.3 4x2k 5r

Target < 2:05 based on BPP 22.2 (7/22) - 4x2k 4r - average 2:05.3 @ 26 SPM

32:51.4 - 2:03.2 @ 27 SPM

8:16.0 - 2:04.0 - 28
8:15.9 - 2:03.9 - 26
8:14.3 - 2:03.5 - 27
8:05.2 - 2:01.3 - 28

Way to go Ray! That 4 x 2k is a killer

BPP 3.3 - 6000m



BPP 4.1 - 6500m

Nice work, Keep at it!

Just a quick note until I get some more time. I'm back but I'm not! Thanks Ray for the assist in helping me get back on the forum. Dumb mistake on my part.

Anyway, back has been aggravated last couple of days, so I'm working from the Air Bike Pro, not the rower. Sticking to plan as much as possible but I'm a fan of specificity, so I'm eager to get back on the rower. Trying to get the lower back sorted out. Did 10K on Sunday (W5/D1 of the 5K PP) -- nothing hard at all and the back was really tight that night. This is an old injury that rears up on occasion. The rower is not that easy on the back at times when you're training hard to begin with. I just think I've been tweaking it with more golf, lifting and yard work on top. Plus I have some new resistance bands I've been using for squats and overhead presses (perhaps this or incline bench compressing the spine more).

You're all killing it! Ray, don't feel bad about an HD on a 12K attempt on the full PP. I used to do 5Ks on the full PP on my TT day and not feel a bit bad about that. Sometimes 2Ks! Especially after that 4 X 2K workout.

@Andy - you're a 6:55 (easy) 2K rower that just doesn't know it yet. That 4 X 2K you put in was telling to me. To be all in the lower 7:30s on that and end in the 7:20s is so strong!

@ Bob - massive improvements in your intermediate work! 2 seconds off is no small feat. You're looking at 6:50 or below soon as well.

@ Rob - congrats on the 2K time! Huge improvements.

@Roel - great work/steady improvements!

I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot. Glad to be back. The prospect of the intermediate row tomorrow (as of right now) not looking great. Hope to be back on the TT row this week by the end of the week. My 7K last week was around a 2:02.3 avg pace, so my longer work is coming along. Hope I don't lose progress with this back setback.

Thanks for the kind words as always, Mike. Heal up!!!

[m06w41]

Been afk for a couple weeks. Work really in the way so while 8/20 was my last row, I picked things back up again and started again on Week 8 (where i left off) with the 8500 meter row. Tried to stay at a 2'35 pace then pushed a little near the end.

It's long. It takes a long time. That's the frustrating part. At my pace it takes 44 minutes and sometimes I just don't wanna row for nearly an hour. But then I talk myself into why I'm doing this. Remind myself I've made good progress since starting and it's small steps like this that got me where i'm at and will get me where I want to be. Funny how the mind can work against oneself when it comes to making changes like this.

Backpacking is 9/9 so I'll be out of rowing for a week then, but for now, tonight, it's on with Week 8 Row 2...4x1500 interval

@Mike - hope the back gets better.