Pete Plan Group - Startup Aug 20th thru 22nd

[G-dub]

Cheers Joe. I've always thought that doing low intensity work would elevate temperature and help you work through a cold. And of course the steady state work won't hurt your fitness! We look forward to seeing some more of your great times.

Paul, thanks. Looks like you are making progress too.

[gregsmith01748]

I've been resisting asking this question, but kick me around the schoolyard if you must. Trust you guys way more than the population at large.

Should I get a HR monitor?

Only thing I am worried about is it bothering me while I row. I'd row naked (eeww!) if I could, I can't stand anything other than the minimal clothing. I've read a bit on them, but maybe someone can explain to me the benefits up and above the stats provided by the PM5 it gives me.

I am looking at a Polar H7, advice is welcome.

Thanks.

Hi Tim,

I am a big fan of using a HR monitor. I have learned a lot about my self and training in general by having and using it. You can certainly train without it, and I can see why some folks find it a distraction, but that has not been my experience. I don't find the strap bothersome at all when I row.

I second the recommendation for the Wahoo Tickr. Since it has both ANT+ and BT, you can hook it up to the PM5 using ANT+ and to a phone using BT if you want to collect HR data in two places. I have an H7 as well, and it's a good product, but it uses BT to hook up to the PM5, and the Polar interface is basically useless with most other devices.

Greg

[jackarabit]

I have used a Garmn HRM-1G for over a year now and have had no problems. The transmitter is low profile and the strap very comfortable. I am buying my wife a Tickr for her birthday next month. She is Apple to the core and will love the applish versatility. I am satisfied with almost anything that avoids signal dropout.

[aussieluke]

big plus of the Tickr, if you also like running and or cycling, it doesn't suffer from static interference from sports clothing as the garmins and polars do (garmins way worse). My garmin was so bad I could stand still and jiggle my shirt up and down with my hand and i would get a HR reading off the charts - useless when running

[jackarabit]

@ Tim's 7x500/2'R: Very strong! You're doing great.

@ HR vs. PE: The problem with the Borg scale is the answer I gave to the cardiac rehab nurse twice a week: "it's an--gasp--excruciatingly easy--heave--8." If you can't discriminate nauseous and ready to pass out from modest exertion, you need an HRM. Learn to use it as a barometer of body "weather" and a governor on effort. Learn your personal heart rate-based training zone values in watts or pace as well as in terms of HR.

I almost always monitor HR during HIIT. I monitor on low aerobic steady state rows occasionally (the occasion being that I actually produce a bona fide low aerobic session when the monitor assesses exertion). For flat out do and/or die, monitor and record for later examination but don't shy from the task at hand based on what you see. In a few minutes you won't have enuf higher brain function to recognize much except pace, and then maybe groups of strokes, and after that the room of the half-dream.

[aussieluke]

Pete Plan Week 3 day 3

3k, 2.5k, 2k / 5min rest



1000m warmup

3000m 1:56.6 r27
2500m 1:56.0 r27
2000m 1:54.3 r30

1000m cooldown

[aussieluke]

Cheers Paul. First time on that one so had no idea going into it how it would feel. Plan was 1:57 for all three as a minimum.

[lindsayh]

PP 1.4.3
having an interrupted week so doing a couple of alternative sessions to keep in sync for cycle 2 next week - used the suggestions from greg last year
Glen you are right the Tuesday 8x 750/3r @1:46 was a modification of the suggested 6x 750/3:30r to add a bit more gristle to the stew.
The Wednesday SS was replaced by a flight to Melbourne and a Pisco Sour/9 course Peruvian degustation/Argentinian Pinot Gris and Malbec session
(BTW as a point of trivia the Sydney to Melbourne flight is the third busiest route in the world!!)
Today I was back home just in time to do a modification of Gregs suggested 3x 2500m/5'r
it was pretty tough going I guess - very sweaty one

set up as 5x 10'/5'r
middle 3 were sr27 df128 240w mhr 158 163 165
2:10
1:52.7
1:53.7
1:55.0
2:15

One SS, one rest day, and one hard single distance left for the week.

[G-dub]

An honest and probably naive question for (in no order) Lindsay, Greg, Henry, you all:

I've been fortunate to have enjoyed a good run this time through the PP. Times are dropping on all fronts and the PE and recovery seem reasonable (although I have trouble with sleeping the night after a hard session, which I really don't like).

When should one change the program? When gains stop? Or before? I have a fear of running this good thing into the ground before I get my hoped for outcomes out of it. It I also feel like there may be more gains to be made with a bit of grit and good luck. Should I think about dropping one of the hard sessions to create some longevity or more sharpening? Or alternate harder weeks with easier weeks? Or totally shift gears? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[hjs]

An honest and probably naive question for (in no order) Lindsay, Greg, Henry, you all:

I've been fortunate to have enjoyed a good run this time through the PP. Times are dropping on all fronts and the PE and recovery seem reasonable (although I have trouble with sleeping the night after a hard session, which I really don't like).

When should one change the program? When gains stop? Or before? I have a fear of running this good thing into the ground before I get my hoped for outcomes out of it. It I also feel like there may be more gains to be made with a bit of grit and good luck. Should I think about dropping one of the hard sessions to create some longevity or more sharpening? Or alternate harder weeks with easier weeks? Or totally shift gears? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Never change a winning team I would say. But make sure you don,t go overboard.

For purposes, if you want to go for, skip a speed sesh and do a TT.

And be honoust how you feel, you feel it when you overdo it. Not that I listen well to my body

[jackarabit]

I think it's been said many times, many ways: 8 to 12 weeks for "most." I think I hit my peak of enthusiasm, antic mania, and earnest invocations of the tin god of 2k pace at 5 weeks in this time thru. YMMV this yr. but I believe that was your [Glenn] estimate of where we all had better things to do summer '15.

A peak is a peak. Plateau is a kinder, gentler word for regression, however well-controlled or delayed. Better aim those peaks with precision. Take your profit before the market opens down. I think Paul45 dropped a few hints to that effect. If the target date is way out there, I'm guessing the microcycle, hard week/easy week execution becomes vital to keeping the peak just ahead rather than receding behind.

[mdpfirrman]

I can't remember who said this a while back - perhaps Armando or Henry (or both). But I've always heard you need to keep doing speed work around every 10 days or so to keep the gains. Also, one AT piece every 10 days or so. I would think alternating weeks would be OK. Personally, I think just dropping either the TT piece or the intermediate interval piece is preferred. Both accomplish nearly the same thing. Just my two cents from the bleachers...

[aussieluke]

This is what I was questioning in my recent thread about doing this in a sort of block periodisation way: do 6-9 weeks of the PP, then switch to a couple of weeks of pure steady state work, then go back to another two or three cycles of the PP and so on.

[JohnAd]

Going back to the start.

I want to get the 7 monkey off my back - I think I've been vocal enough about that!

You and me both. I think it's pretty close for both of us, I wonder if your concern about the plan is somehow related to the that, I know I get anxious about failure, a kind of stage fright, all that effort to maybe not get a PB or just miss out on a target is pretty scary.

[gooseflight]

When should one change the program?

Everyone is different. But if it's any help, back in 2004 I trained Pete Plan for around six months and progressed for around five out of six. Some running and cycling thrown in for variety.

In terms of your 2K aspiration, what are your 8x500s telling you?