Pete Plan Autumn 2015

[jackarabit]

Eric, you missed that some of us are stretching six days of Pete Plan over 9 days. Answer to your prayers! Talk to G-dub.

[G-dub]

Yeah Eric, if you aren't on a schedule to crank out a 2K PB in the next month or month and a half, you might consider what I hope will be a way to go about the PP. The last time I still was able to fit in a mtn bike session with my friends, I replaced one of the steady distance rows with it. This time, I'm also putting two days between each hard session, which can allow for more steady distance work or cross training. I'm also doing morning and evening sessions (especially on the LSD days) as much as can so that I can run easy and bike easy and not have it kill the rowing session in the evening. But ultimately it's your choice in terms of what you are going for and what you want to do. The PP is tough. I am not sure I'd be doing it if I didn't really want to break 7 soon. Of course the comraderie is worth it too.

[ericallenboyd]

Thanks for the reply. I guess on the longer row days I can replace one or two of them with a 30-45 minute session of cycling or running outside. Don't get me wrong I am loving the Pete Plan and doing it to increase my physical fitness. I am only going for my personal records at this time since I have been rowing for such a short amount of time and not sure what I am capable of currently. I would like to say a 6:30 2k is possible but it will take a lot of work.

Yeah Eric, if you aren't on a schedule to crank out a 2K PB in the next month or month and a half, you might consider what I hope will be a way to go about the PP. The last time I still was able to fit in a mtn bike session with my friends, I replaced one of the steady distance rows with it. This time, I'm also putting two days between each hard session, which can allow for more steady distance work or cross training. I'm also doing morning and evening sessions (especially on the LSD days) as much as can so that I can run easy and bike easy and not have it kill the rowing session in the evening. But ultimately it's your choice in terms of what you are going for and what you want to do. The PP is tough. I am not sure I'd be doing it if I didn't really want to break 7 soon. Of course the comraderie is worth it too.

[christopherregisryan]

Third and final speed interval workout for this cycle - 4x500m w 5' rest. Total time: 6:09.5. Avg. Split: 1:32.3. Interval Splits: 1:32.8; 1:32.7; 1:32.5; 1:31.5. I am very happy with my first three speed sessions. A big shock to my body and lots of adaptation. Next week, I cycle back to 5x375 w 5' rest. Several steady state sessions between now and then. - Chris

[mdpfirrman]

Wk 1 Day 2 - Wasn't really too clear until I read it closely on pacing. Pete's Plan says do at least 10 seconds slower than your intermediate intervals. Intermediate intervals are all PB 5K times plus or minus 1 second. So essentially, it's your 5K PB time plus at least 10 (don't know why Pete wouldn't have just said this).

Did 8000K meters today. Very consistently at 23 SPM for first 9 or 10 of the first 500m splits (around a 2:12 average pace). Shot up just a tad on the last five intervals to 24 and 25 SPM (got a bit bored) and sped up probably too much in the last couple (around 2:09 pace). Not too bad overall.

I'm going to try to stick to the letter of the plan for as long as I can (might not be that long to be honest). I've learned, though, at 51 and having been a former crappy wanna be runner, that I really have to listen to my body. I was out many times in running way longer than I should have been due to injury not listening to what my body needed. I'm going to remember this was a plan built for 18 to 22 year olds too.

If my body starts feeling too beat up, I'll join you all on the 9 day a round schedule.

Very fast sessions Chris!

[G-dub]

Nice Chris!

Mike, the steady rows, too me, are confusing in the plan. He seems to encourage a pace that is more difficult than needs to be. Or it is easy to assume that. Or we get all amped up that each workout needs to be a test. Chris, Greg and Henry got me on 2K plus 25ish after we finished the PP last time (each said something slightly different). I vary between 2:08 (+23) and 2:12 - sometimes even 2:15 (+30) and I don't think there would be much to gain by going faster. If it gets too boring, I throw in some pick ups. These rows are not supposed to be too taxing it seems to me. They enable harder work on the hard days and work the aerobic system. You should be able to carry on a conversation and feel good afterwards. Sorry if I'm saying something you already know and are doing, but it took a long time for the light bulb to go off for me that slow and comfortable is still good. Hopefully, Chris Greg or Henry can support this.

[christopherregisryan]

Wk 1 Day 2 - Wasn't really too clear until I read it closely on pacing. Pete's Plan says do at least 10 seconds slower than your intermediate intervals. Intermediate intervals are all PB 5K times plus or minus 1 second. So essentially, it's your 5K PB time plus at least 10 (don't know why Pete wouldn't have just said this).

Did 8000K meters today. Very consistently at 23 SPM for first 9 or 10 of the first 500m splits (around a 2:12 average pace). Shot up just a tad on the last five intervals to 24 and 25 SPM (got a bit bored) and sped up probably too much in the last couple (around 2:09 pace). Not too bad overall.

I'm going to try to stick to the letter of the plan for as long as I can (might not be that long to be honest). I've learned, though, at 51 and having been a former crappy wanna be runner, that I really have to listen to my body. I was out many times in running way longer than I should have been due to injury not listening to what my body needed. I'm going to remember this was a plan built for 18 to 22 year olds too.

If my body starts feeling too beat up, I'll join you all on the 9 day a round schedule.

Very fast sessions Chris!

Thanks, Mike. I have been reading Greg's research in the forum. Greg is in our age bracket and he advocates working very hard on the hard days and very gently on the steady state days. At 54, I can't do the full Pete Plan (let alone the Wolverine Plan) without overtraining because the recovery times are too short. Last year I did the speed intervals, the endurance intervals and mixed in recovery workouts and steady state. That was about right for me from a recovery perspective, but I did not improve my aerobic base. This year I am working the extremes (one speed interval workout @ 1k-ish pace and lots of UT2 steady state to keep the aerobic system on the rise). You might consider dropping the hard distance row and taking a rest day instead. That way you can stick with the group on the intervals. Best. - Chris

[jackarabit]

W1S3
Endurance intervals
4x1500m/5'R
Pace target 2:09.4 from 7-14-15
Df 109
3k WP; 2200m WD
2:08.3

Even paced; rating low. HR approaching max in #5 and fading. Pulled it even on 100m sprint. Just missed making a perfect little watts ladder (second pic). How cute!

[bisqeet]

W1D4
2k "fish" game
10k steady - HR capped with interuprions (the wife...). 2:10-ish - 135 BMP somewhere about 43 mins -

[Tyche]

W1D2

15k steady, my first 15k ever (!) 2:07.8 26 s/m

held 2:10, about 2:20 the first 6minutes, then 32 minutes of 2:10 before dropping down to 2:03 for the last part, managed to prevent myself from sprinting the last 1k even though i really wanted to.

[christopherregisryan]

Nice Chris!

Mike, the steady rows, too me, are confusing in the plan. He seems to encourage a pace that is more difficult than needs to be. Or it is easy to assume that. Or we get all amped up that each workout needs to be a test. Chris, Greg and Henry got me on 2K plus 25ish after we finished the PP last time (each said something slightly different). I vary between 2:08 (+23) and 2:12 - sometimes even 2:15 (+30) and I don't think there would be much to gain by going faster. If it gets too boring, I throw in some pick ups. These rows are not supposed to be too taxing it seems to me. They enable harder work on the hard days and work the aerobic system. You should be able to carry on a conversation and feel good afterwards. Sorry if I'm saying something you already know and are doing, but it took a long time for the light bulb to go off for me that slow and comfortable is still good. Hopefully, Chris Greg or Henry can support this.

I agree, Dean. The steady rows are not supposed to be too taxing from a pace perspective. They intend to make your aerobic system more efficient. This is my weak link so it is where I need to spend my time. I have been adding distance rather than going faster for these. In April and May, I was mainly doing 12-15k steady pieces. Now, I am trying to get to 20k or so. All at 2k+25-30. Generally my HR is staying below 140 v. 175 max. As for boredom, I recommend news, sports, Netflix, music. Because the work is not as taxing, I find my powers of concentration to be much better than on harder workouts. So I can watch the TV and absorb what is going on. Not so much concentration or absorbtion for my speed intervals. - Chris

[jackarabit]

Mike, I have a slightly different gloss on Marston's recs for initial pace targets. He does say best 5k pace for speed intervals. I believe he implies that the pace target for both speed and endurance intervals should be referenced to a best pace for a continuous row LONGER than the total interval meterage. 5k fills that bill for the short interval sessions which are usually 3500-4000' meters total. The intermediate or endurance interval sessions total 7500-8000m which suggests referencing best pace for a continuous piece 8k or longer, which makes the first LSD/SS/recovery day target 8k pace + 10.

The latter interpretation should in general encourage a slower recovery day pace cf. to referencing the 5k. I also find Marston's pacing suggestions a bit casual. In the long term, you should investigate using a pace window or range of "45 to 60% of 2k pace" (in watts) for SS rows.

45 to 60% of your current PB 2k watts (246) = 111 to 148W. Converted to pace that's a UT2 pace window of 2:27-2:14 for your recovery rows. Easy as it should be!

[G-dub]

This group is so motivating! I've been consistent this week rowing at night (Crossfit in the AM), and feeling good. So far just focusing on getting some meters on the logbook, but having some fun with determining reasonable paces and finding my sweet spot for rate (which seems to be in the very low 20's). The 2000/1500/1000/500 pyramid workout in the custom list on the C2 is my current fave interval workout - I take the 2k nice and easy, as an extended warm up, easy aerobic pace, then knock off 10s/500 with each decrease in distance. The last 500 is all out. I'm not so bad off as I thought I'd be, so pretty stoked about that. Also trying to build up "time in the saddle" with longer aerobic rows, and now that I have my tv/netflix set-up in my pain cave, I'm good to go. Will do an easy 8k later this afternoon. My bluetooth HR monitor arrived yesterday, got that set up with my ErgData android app so I'm pretty much locked and loaded with whatever I could possibly need.

What happened to mspina? Ready to join the fun? One could just jump in this weekend with the speed intervals (week 2) if one was game and not too anal. The 9 day cycle that some of us are experimenting with should enable lots of time for your other activities and to get in shape.

[jackarabit]

Yeh, Michelle, are you working on Pete Begin Here Plan? How gozit?

[G-dub]

W1: 5 X 1500

15' up 10' down

1- 1:54.5
2- 1:54.4
3- 1:54.2
4- 1:54.0
5-