Question about the Marathon Fletcher plan

[nick rockliff]

I'd suggest doing the standard Pete Plan intervals eg 4 x 2k; 5 x 1500m

There are no standard Pete Plan intervals; those are intervals Pete copied from the Wolverine Plan.

I've never looked at either of these "plans" but have done plenty of intervals. Not sure how an interval session could be copied? Was not Emil Zátopek one of the first to utilise interval training back in the 1940/50s?

[HornetMaX]

FWIW, I have already completed 2 FM (best was 3h11, nothing spectacular), so yeah, I'm not particularly good.

For someone who has completed two FMs, I don't think you can say that you aren't 'particularly good'. Completing one is something that not many of us will ever do, and going back for more when you know what to expect is something I'm full of respect for.

Thanks for the kind words. But I'm still not particularly good

My intention was to say that if I, a 50yo amateur, can do 1h sessions at 2:12 pace with HR <145, the OP being a 25M doing 1h at 2:18 with HR at 160 may be a sign his HR is a bit high. But in fact, that may not even be the case: his MaxHR is 200 (mine 186). Does this give him a higher HR at a given slow pace compared to me ? I don't know, maybe.

Anyway, I think there may be no problem for the OP at all: the 2x30' session is at 125W (not 150W) so the OP may well be able to stay <160 HR (as he said he hit 160HR for 1H at 133W).

Minor detail, the OP said:

Whenever I do long rows I usually do about 2:18, or around 133W. So that's 133W for about 14K (1H) per session. Avg HR 160.

2:18 for 1h is not 14K, it's 13.0K.

[RWAGR]

"Copy" = "improve"?

This thread isn't the first time we've been told, usually in somewhat acerbic terms, that the Pete Plan uses elements from The Wolverine Plan. Maybe we should pin a chat at the top of the training forum saying that to avoid the need for these repeated reminders.

I haven't really used either; it seems to me that both contain excellent elements. Specifically, The Wolverine Plan for its detail and use of longer SS sessions and The Pete Plan for its user and beginner friendliness. Who cares if the Pete Plan used elements from The Wolverine Plan? The author of The Wolverine Plan, you may answer. To that I would suggest to that author that imitation is the greatest form of flattery and that perhaps they might also recognize that Pete took great elements of The Wolverine Plan and repurposed them in a way that people without the time (and other) commitments of D1 college athletes can use for their enjoying of and development in our sport.

[ShortAndStout]

Thanks for the kind words. But I'm still not particularly good

My intention was to say that if I, a 50yo amateur, can do 1h sessions at 2:12 pace with HR <145, the OP being a 25M doing 1h at 2:18 with HR at 160 may be a sign his HR is a bit high. But in fact, that may not even be the case: his MaxHR is 200 (mine 186). Does this give him a higher HR at a given slow pace compared to me ? I don't know, maybe.

Anyway, I think there may be no problem for the OP at all: the 2x30' session is at 125W (not 150W) so the OP may well be able to stay <160 HR (as he said he hit 160HR for 1H at 133W).

I think you're on the money, I've not understood the difference between Default MP and MP pace, I figured they were the same. TBH im still not sure the difference but I'll keep it in mind, I know I'm going too fast though! Sounds Like I could drop it down to a 2:20 or so and meet my needs for that long slow pace, which yeah would probably bring my (average) down below or just at my 80%.

[HornetMaX]

I think you're on the money, I've not understood the difference between Default MP and MP pace

The paces are just for reference, they are not your PB paces except the 2K (which is your real PB) and the MP that is more or less what you should aim for in your FM TT. The Default MP is slower than the MP: some sessions are @ DMP, some others @ MP and they have different HR zones to stay in.

The naming is just so confusing. It would have been better to call them Pace1/2/3/4/5 (DMP, MP, HMP, 10KP, 5KP) or Watt1/2/3/4/5.