Pete Plan Thread

[jackarabit]

Was overall happy with the results, but I was drenched and breathing very hard when I finished. Did I do this workout correctly? Probably not. But I do think that I got a decent training effect and would do it again.

That is seriously good @RG - one of my "favourite" hard sessions and you nailed it to my eyes too. I reckon a great training effect from this and have done it quite a few times over the past few years since I "stole" it from greg (best @1:51). It should of course make you breathe very hard when done properly.

Lindsay, how do you hit that 1~2m bump per rep? Looks from here that holding average pace to pace of previous rep - .4” would be close over the power range that Lori is working in.

[lindsayh]

Lindsay, how do you hit that 1~2m bump per rep? Looks from here that holding average pace to pace of previous rep - .4” would be close over the power range that Lori is working in.

It becomes a bit of a habit jack to judge the pace or meters of intervals - I like getting just ahead of the predicted meters and bleeding off a little to stay in control. I tend not to obsess if not quite perfect as not a great numbers guy - mainly on the too fast side rather than not reaching it - it adds a level of concentration/focus to a session that I like. Practiced it a lot. NavHaz did a really nice one on a 1minute interval session Jan 20 - 10 in a row exactly a meter more. The other one I like is 500m/1R with each one a second faster til failure - for me start at say 1:50 and last hopefully 1:38 or thereabouts.

[mdpfirrman]

@ Ray - Glad to have you back at it!!

@ David - Great race!! Congrats! Not surprised at all you went out like a cannon! Way to settle it down and control it the rest of the race. That's a great first race.

@ RowerGal - you need to get that biker hubby of yours over to the dark side! I like that workout. Funny, because it's something similar to what I've done on my full PP TT days if I feel like doing something different. Mine certainly wasn't as structured as that but I like that type of workout. Nice going Jack! Greg that created Quantified Rowing is a regular contributor to the forums. I've learned a lot from him.

@ Lindsay - learn new stuff from you all the time.

[RayOfSunshine]

Nice steady workout. I needed that mentally.
3x2k 4'r
It said to try to average what I did for 2x2k a few weeks ago which was 2:11.6. I had to hold myself back on the 1st 2k and did 2:11.4. On the 2nd, I found myself wanting to take off again, but I finished around 2:11. I told myself I could pick it up in the last 200m on the final leg as long as I concentrated on form. I ended up average 2:10.8 across the 6k. The fact I "beat" 2:11.6 means very little. However, the fact I was able to hold back given my recent mishaps felt very good.

Oh, this is the 1st I've noticed the files you can download that has the stroke information. Very cool. Now, I can start to understand some of these posts.

Tomorrow is the 2nd 7500 SS (I did 2:12.7 yesterday, but it was awful). I think I'll look to target 2:20 the entire piece. I think it'll be very easy. If that's the case, I'll pick it up 1 with 2k to go.

[RowerGal]

@Mitchel, @Lindsayh, @Mike - Thanks guys for the support on my last row. Today I am feeling surprisingly well. Thought I might be sore, tight or tired. Did a nice, steady, 10K @ 2:21 SR24 today with little heroics. Felt fine. Rest day tomorrow.
@Mike - Dear hubby came to the dark side last year at CrashBs to support me and pulled a 6:54 2K as my 2K race sank into the abyss. He stays on the bike!
@RayofSunshine - Great mental work today! Fast last and a faster average for next time. Your plan for tomorrow's row looks good too.
@jackarabit - Thank you for the feedback and analysis on my last workout. I do find it quite interesting. I did very little analysis of that row, except for the thought that a 10x750m session holding intervals at that same pace (5Kish) may produce the same training effect, but may not be as complicated (or interesting). Still, I would like to improve on that same session down the road... perhaps with the 0.4 pace decrease to achieve the 1-2m gain in meters per rep as you suggest. For me it is easier to adjust pace than meters.
@Lindsayh - If I am understanding your comments correctly, you have done this workout watching meters similar to doing as I did: I knew that I had to be at a certain number of meters at 1:30 in (half of goal) and with :30 remaining. I adjusted mainly around those points and stayed steady otherwise. I also understand your suggestion of it taking practice to nail the correct meter counts - or even get close. I, too, enjoy a session that takes focus and concentration on occasion. Thanks for the insight!

[lindsayh]

@Lindsayh - If I am understanding your comments correctly, you have done this workout watching meters similar to doing as I did: I knew that I had to be at a certain number of meters at 1:30 in (half of goal) and with :30 remaining. I adjusted mainly around those points and stayed steady otherwise. I also understand your suggestion of it taking practice to nail the correct meter counts - or even get close. I, too, enjoy a session that takes focus and concentration on occasion. Thanks for the insight!

Yes thanks RG (and Mike) exactly what I like to do count down the second half without having to chase it and adjust towards the end. I tend to apply it to most intervals as it makes you concentrate better on every stroke. The 3 minutes is good partly because you can see the end from the beginning and keep in control. IMO the other thing with intervals is that the first half is often simply a hard warm up in preparation for the work that counts - they are being done at a pace you can handle (or you blow up) but lead to the last ones that are done under pressure especially when there is a neg split. This does mimic what is happening at the end of a 2k a bit.

[jbhop5857]

Good Evening,

Is anyone in this thread doing Crash-B this year? If so, lets get together. I will be in the 30+ group, whenever that race starts, but if people are interested, I would love to set up a meet and greet. We, honestly, bare our souls on this group, lets meet face to face.....

David

[rascott]

Hi All, new to the forum

Bought a model D and have been rowing regularly since last October. Just starting week 12 of the BPP which is going well and is addictive. Planning to start the PP proper once BPP finished. 5 days per week works well as my other interest is mountain biking.

I used to run but managed to break my pelvis last year on (or rather falling off) the MTB , which required surgery (ORIF for anyone interested) - consultant said no more running due to the increased risk of arthritis following the op so that's where the erg came in.

I used to row at school (30+ years ago) and we used an erg there - must've been a model A or B.

Once I complete the BPP I'll do a 2K TT and post it in my signature.

cheers

[jbhop5857]

Good Day,

Cycle 5/Week 3/ Day 6

15k Steady State at 23spm and 2:03/500

This finished the Concept2 January Revolutions Big Burn of 20k calories for the month. I am glad I backed off of meters a big for racing, but it dropped me a few spots on the Team Challenge roster, but what can you do.

Have a great day, waterfall for me on Tuesday.

David

[mdpfirrman]

Hi All, new to the forum

Bought a model D and have been rowing regularly since last October. Just starting week 12 of the BPP which is going well and is addictive. Planning to start the PP proper once BPP finished. 5 days per week works well as my other interest is mountain biking.

I used to run but managed to break my pelvis last year on (or rather falling off) the MTB , which required surgery (ORIF for anyone interested) - consultant said no more running due to the increased risk of arthritis following the op so that's where the erg came in.

I used to row at school (30+ years ago) and we used an erg there - must've been a model A or B.

Once I complete the BPP I'll do a 2K TT and post it in my signature.

cheers

Welcome to the group! If you'd like, we could use another BPP member on the thread. Don't feel like you need to wait until you're done with the BPP and full PP to post your progress. Many times, people gain more from beginners (or restarters like you) than they do others. There have been, off and on, around 3 or 4 people doing the BPP currently on this thread (Mitchell, Ray among others).

Please feel free to share (even if once a week) your BPP progress.

I'm officially "off" the Pete Plan (as planned). My race is Saturday. I did some "fun" stuff on Sunday - 8 X 100m/1' (around 1:33/1:34), a few faster 250m intervals (around 1:38ish) and a 2K W/U.

Today, it was a nice and easy 8K (around 2:11).

On race weeks, I lessen the meters by 30% or so and don't do any AT work. If I do intervals, I keep them short and fast. I'll probably do some more fast, fun stuff tomorrow, 8K on Wed, faster fun stuff on Thursday and off on Friday. Race is Saturday.

I'm pretty excited that one guy that did a 7:14 last year in my age group is already signed up. I don't know if I can beat that but I'd like to get close to a 7:15. If they throw together a few of the age ranges/weights, there's a LOT of guys in that 7:1x to 7:3x range. Should be fun. I want to go into it to have fun and not worry too much about my times. Right now, I'm looking forward to it. My first race, I barely slept the night before. Now, I kind of know what to expect. Race is around 9:30 (I think). Only issue is I'll have to get up pretty early as it's around a 90 plus minute drive there but I get up most days at 5:30 AM anyway, so it shouldn't be bad to be out the door by 6:30 or so.

Already picked out a nice Vegan place for lunch afterward right up the road in Indy. Will load up on some food after that.

[rascott]

Mike, thanks....I’m on day 11.3 of the Beginners Pete Plan (an overspill from a week of travelling to the US last week but I’m determined to complete at least the 3 mandatory sessions each week if possible),

Today was 8K but the instruction was to row 2 strokes less per min than my usual long row rate which is around 23 spm...

8000m
36:22
2:16 split
20 spm
Ave HR 123

10K tomorrow....I’ll try and post progress but might not be daily!

My motivation is to regain fitness after the injury in the absence of running (MTB is not frequent enough) and lose some weight - currently 103 kgs (227 lbs) and 6’1 tall. Age 48.

Good luck in your race - must check out whether such a race exists locally to me. I’m only aware of the British Indoor Rowing Championships.

Robert

[livingkennedy]

Hi Robert,

Welcome! I'm currently on week 5.4 of the BPP, have had my model D since mid-December and have fostered a budding addiction to the pain machine.

I'm right there with you on waiting to complete the full 24 weeks prior to testing my times. When I started, prior to sinking my teeth into the BPP, my "goal" for a row would be to go at least 1,000 m per 10 minute row. Did that for about two weeks, got to about a 9:30 2k time, and decided it was time to try this "Pete's Plan" everybody seemed so enthusiastic about.

I haven't retested as a true TT yet, but yesterday was the first round of 3 x 2k/R4:00 so I thought it would be a decent gauge for my improvement to date. The instructions on the BPP are to base the pace off the prior 2x2k session, but that was from a couple weeks back and I've made significant strides since so I went out with the goal of rowing around a 2:05 average for the first two, then I was hoping to break 8:00 on my final rep. It was right around the 1k mark on that final rep that I realized it was not my day, and I ended up finishing in 8:04.5 for a pace right at 2:01.1 (2:02.9 average across the 3 intervals).

I write that so I can write this: I was pleased with the performance as a strong finish to an interval set, but if I had gone out to do a PR and came in at 8:04.5 I would have been extremely disappointed, even just 5 weeks into the program. I think I could probably get under 8 minutes if I hopped on the erg with that express goal this evening, but knowing I didn't give my best shot and got close leaves me wanting to train harder and focus more over the next 19 weeks so when I'm actually ready to PR I'll be well beyond flirting with 8:00, and might be targeting 7:45.

_________________________________

Question for the group:

On my longer distance rows lately - up to 7,500 in a sitting - I'm right around 22-23 SPM and a pace in the neighborhood of 2:06. As you can see from above, my aggressive but not PR level 2k pace is only about 3 seconds better. Is that a pretty normal split? Or should be really pushing to either slow my SS work or speed up my SS and AT work?

[rascott]

Hi Brandon

Good going...I did that 3x2k/4R in 8:50 / 8:45 / 8:49...ave split of 2:12

I definitely have more in the tank at the end of these sessions....I’ve tended to follow the instructions pretty closely re pacing (2 secs faster than previous 6K pace for this workout). My SS long row pace is around 2:13.

Now I’m starting week 12 the pacing recommendations are much more akin to the full Pete Plan, ie hold same pace for first x intervals, go faster on the last one....which is making things a bit harder. But I really like the progression of the BPP - nicely challenging without battering you too much (that is to come I think)

[Erik A]

Hi All been a bit quiet on this thread and i am feeling a bit wishy washy in my approach to the rowing. started out doing the BPP then ended up with a break over xmas so started again. the distances were starting to get into my head and i couldnt shake the dread at facing them (even the 5k was doing my head in). so anyway i stopped the BPP and started an interactive weight loss program from the old concept site. really had to shut down the voices in my head and concentrate on a steady stroke rate at a slower split time.
to be honest im not sure what was going on in my head as the program im now doing is doing longer distances far earlier than the BPP. the only real difference is there are no interval sessions at the moment but a lot more meters
Im currently at week 2.1 and my next session is a 40 min row. i will aim for a 2:05-6 split time for this which will give me approx 9500m. I did 2 x 20 min sessions last night and the first i did in 2:04 and the second at 2:07 so i think a 2:05 - 06 is a fair call.
the good thing is even with my wishy washy approach i have now dropped to just under 120kg.... long may that trend continue.
once i have completed this program i will jump back into the BPP with a better aerobic base and higher level of fitness and hopefully a better head space.

[mitchel674]

Hi Robert,

Welcome! I'm currently on week 5.4 of the BPP, have had my model D since mid-December and have fostered a budding addiction to the pain machine.

I'm right there with you on waiting to complete the full 24 weeks prior to testing my times. When I started, prior to sinking my teeth into the BPP, my "goal" for a row would be to go at least 1,000 m per 10 minute row. Did that for about two weeks, got to about a 9:30 2k time, and decided it was time to try this "Pete's Plan" everybody seemed so enthusiastic about.

I haven't retested as a true TT yet, but yesterday was the first round of 3 x 2k/R4:00 so I thought it would be a decent gauge for my improvement to date. The instructions on the BPP are to base the pace off the prior 2x2k session, but that was from a couple weeks back and I've made significant strides since so I went out with the goal of rowing around a 2:05 average for the first two, then I was hoping to break 8:00 on my final rep. It was right around the 1k mark on that final rep that I realized it was not my day, and I ended up finishing in 8:04.5 for a pace right at 2:01.1 (2:02.9 average across the 3 intervals).

I write that so I can write this: I was pleased with the performance as a strong finish to an interval set, but if I had gone out to do a PR and came in at 8:04.5 I would have been extremely disappointed, even just 5 weeks into the program. I think I could probably get under 8 minutes if I hopped on the erg with that express goal this evening, but knowing I didn't give my best shot and got close leaves me wanting to train harder and focus more over the next 19 weeks so when I'm actually ready to PR I'll be well beyond flirting with 8:00, and might be targeting 7:45.

_________________________________

Question for the group:

On my longer distance rows lately - up to 7,500 in a sitting - I'm right around 22-23 SPM and a pace in the neighborhood of 2:06. As you can see from above, my aggressive but not PR level 2k pace is only about 3 seconds better. Is that a pretty normal split? Or should be really pushing to either slow my SS work or speed up my SS and AT work?

Brandon, do you have a HR monitor? I'm wondering if you could use that as a bit of a guide for your SS rows. Your pace is a bit "aggressive" on those longer rows which go up 500m each week! I think the key in those long rows is a slower pace allowing you to put in the long meters at a somewhat lower heart rate. I'm looking at a 12km SS row next week in BPP week 20.