Pete Plan 2017

[hepting]

I've enjoyed reading all the posts. Very motivating reading of others progress!

I wrapped up BPP week 7 last night. I was a little late due to some travel. My first 8k felt pretty good, but the 2nd one last night was a slog. I faced the erg demons about half way through and it was all I could do not to handle down and grab a beer. The good news is I didn't, the bad news is I have a 8,500 tonight or tomorrow and it will take some effort to get back on! Amazes me how the same workout can feel so different on different days..... On my 7X500 - I clearly started too slow - but will adjust going forward.

I continue to slowly drop weight. I still have a long way to go to lightweight - but making progress.


8k#1 - 31:48.9 pace 1:59.3

7X500 (2 min rest)
#1 1:49.3
#2 1:49.0
#3 1:48.2
#4 1:47.5
#5 1:46.8
#6 1:46.3
#7 1:44.3

8k #2 31:57.1 pace 1:59.8

[mdpfirrman]

@ Dyson - did you do a 10K not an 8K? Your total time looks like a 10K time, not an 8K time. If so, that would explain you being tired! Nice work on the intervals! You're getting fast again quickly!

[hepting]

@ Dyson - did you do a 10K not an 8K? Your total time looks like a 10K time, not an 8K time. If so, that would explain you being tired! Nice work on the intervals! You're getting fast again quickly!

Oops. You are correct my pace was correct but time wrong. I updated - 31+mins not 38.

[mdpfirrman]

SS today. Goal was keeping it nearly UT2 the entire time. That isn't "by the book" of PP. PP says keep it 22+ SPM and "at least 12 seconds slower than your endurance intervals". I was at least 12 seconds slower than my endurance intervals, but only had a 21 SPM average (so close to by the book).

50:00 11402 / 2:11.5 Avg (21 SPM)

10:00 / 2280 / 2:11.5 / 21
20:00 / 2296 / 2:10.6 / 21
30:00 / 2217 / 2:15.3 / 20 (had to wipe sweat)
40:00 / 2301 / 2:10.3 / 21
50:00 / 2309 / 2:09.9 / 21

Felt really smooth and relatively easy (tried to keep it around a 6 out of ten). I've brought this up before, but if you're a runner and have read Matt Fitzgerald's 80/20 Running, I've had most success when I keep my SS work more in the slower (6 out of 10) range. I think I've gotten away from the idea of keep your slower work slow and your fast work really fast.

[IefTheChief]

8K steady for me today @ 2:10.9 avg. Almost at the end of cycle 3 and want to do a 2K max test on my hard day tomorrow. It will be my first max test ever. Did 7:57 last week but that was in #4 of the 4x2.000 training. Should be able to steal some off that time. No idea how much though so my plan is to start at 1:55 and keep for first 1.250m if I can. Then, give it all in last 750m. Not sure if this makes sense but I'll find out soon enough. It's a test test for me!

Not sure about warm up, maybe do a 2K at around 2:15 then some easy stretching, water and go for it. Afterwards a super relaxed 2K for the meters.

Bit scared!

[mdpfirrman]

8K steady for me today @ 2:10.9 avg. Almost at the end of cycle 3 and want to do a 2K max test on my hard day tomorrow. It will be my first max test ever. Did 7:57 last week but that was in #4 of the 4x2.000 training. Should be able to steal some off that time. No idea how much though so my plan is to start at 1:55 and keep for first 1.250m if I can. Then, give it all in last 750m. Not sure if this makes sense but I'll find out soon enough. It's a test test for me!

Not sure about warm up, maybe do a 2K at around 2:15 then some easy stretching, water and go for it. Afterwards a super relaxed 2K for the meters.

Bit scared!

There's a lot of philosophies out there. As for W/U, I'd say 10 to 15 minutes at a bit slower even. If you look up Eddie Fletcher Warm Up, you can find out some more information. Basically, it's mostly 18 SPM light stuff with 10 or so seconds thrown in every 2 minute or so at near race pace (but only at the end - around 3 or so speed ups - very brief).

I'd say for you that 1:55 sounds like a good plan (roughly). I don't know if I'd go all in at 750. I'd speed up if you're feeling not challenge at around 750 but only by a second or two on pace. Then hammer it in around 300. Most like to do an aggressive first 250 or so to start out, settle in toward the middle (@ a little over your goal pace) and then try to bring it home on the last 500 (with a sprint at around 250). You've done 4 X 2000. No reason to be nervous at all. You're not going to blow up (maybe get out of gas and have to slow down but we've all done that). It's a learning experience.

[mdpfirrman]

It means your getting fitter Mike time to push everything else downwards, your steady rows
will be faster also.

You know, that's what I was telling myself, but my results now (only 6 months later) are way inferior to what I was doing August / September of last year. Pete says, "when in doubt, go slower...". I'm in doubt!

[Street]

Stu and Paul brought up taking it "easy" - it's necessary at times.

That's my plan for next week as I've not had a week off in a while. I've got three long weekends in a row now and I'm treating the missus to an all expenses paid trip camping in the mountains for a few days this weekend so I'm not going to have much time in between anyway. I'll probably do a couple long SS rows to keep me ticking over and maybe try another 2k to see if I can get closer to 7mins.

Few years back I did 5 x 1250m/4'r @ 1:57 pace, 1:56 ave @ 23/24spm, Henry advised me to get the spm up to 27/28,

I have trouble bringing the SPM up on the endurance intervals, I seem to settle at about 26, any more and I start to struggle. I think it's something I need to work on!

Waterfall session for me today, no time to do it this morning either so annoyingly I had to do it after a weights session. Last time I average 1:54 but my last interval was bringing the average down so this time around I wanted to be a bit more consistent over all three.

PP 2.3.3 Waterfall. Target 1:54.0
28:22.7 / 7,500m / 1:53.5 / 26
11:21.4 / 3,000m / 1:53.5 / 26
9:27.5 / 2,500m / 1:53.5 / 26
7:33.8 / 2,000m / 1:53.4 / 26

[IefTheChief]

Thanks Mike! That's exactly how I'll do the test. Will report back here tonight.

[hjs]

It means your getting fitter Mike time to push everything else downwards, your steady rows
will be faster also.

You know, that's what I was telling myself, but my results now (only 6 months later) are way inferior to what I was doing August / September of last year. Pete says, "when in doubt, go slower...". I'm in doubt!

Few years back I did 5 x 1250m/4'r @ 1:57 pace, 1:56 ave @ 23/24spm, Henry advised me to get the spm up to 27/28,
the following week (yep only 1 week later) 5 x 1250m/4'r 1:54 pace, 1:52.8 ave.

5 x 1500m is 30spm believe it or not, I know, 23spm is way to low.

I bet you any money next time 5 x 1500m comes round start each rep 26/27 no lower you will go faster
and remember it's pace wins the race not spm, you like me are not big nor super strong, your spm
as you get fitter will come down, then you go at a faster pace etc etc, try it (hint)

Also would like to use a higher spm for speedstuff, you should al least be able to do so.
Always using a lower rate is very tough on the body, other point is that if you don,t use it you loose it. Using a higher spm is a technique matter, its mostly about quickly "turning" the stroke after the drive, and not overly hard finishing the drive.

In general people who lack power in their stroke should proberly be better off keeping the rate down, other, like you mike the other way around. On the longer work you keep the power up/spm low. Speedwork, the other way around.
Differences in spm always will be there though, some people simply do best with more force, others find more spm easier.

Otw guys have no choise, follow the boat.....

[G-dub]

I've been in Mikes ear on this too! He keeps lowering rate when I bet the opposite would provide breakthroughs. Lighten it up and go fast! It worked for me last PP. Went from 1:54s to 1:52 on 4 x 2 by upping rate from 27 to 30.

[mdpfirrman]

I appreciate it. I have been working on SPM on faster speedwork. The only reason it's been so low recently is I've increased the drag factor significantly to force myself on SS to row strong and slow. It's worked! Currently, my HR can't increase the SPM at that drag factor (the limiting factor right now is my conditioning / cardio ability). Simple fix - lower the DF back down to where it was before. Won't be as much force per pull but it will certainly increase the SPM.

Thanks for the input Henry, Glenn and Paul. I'm still a LONG way from racing season. My goal this Spring was mostly build some strength. I think I've done a decent job of that. According to even the Wolverine L4 charts, my current stroke power on longer work is matching up with a 1:47 2K pace, which would be a two second or so jump (per 500) if I could convert that to an actual race result.

After I do a round or two of the full PP, I'm moving into a higher meter period for a while (hopefully to build more cardio capacity). I can always do higher SR, just by practice and lowering the DF. The machine at my gym is clean and I've been rowing on a damper of 6 to 7 on SS work. That will slow down SPM. But I've also gotten stronger. Is that a mistake? Maybe, but I feel stronger. If I can withstand that power at even a 27 / 28 on a 2K (what all my 2Ks have been roughly), that would translate to a 7:10 for me.

I'm going to keep doing speed work all year. During my higher meter period, I'll mix in lots of 250m / Ed McNeely type of short sprints @ 32 / 33 SPM.

[hjs]

Lowering the drag I think to increese spm is not the way to go. It a technique matter.

Re wolverine, l4 sessions are 40/70 min, and those are rate changes, at least 4spm difference per section. Just pulling pieces at lower rates at fix rate is a good bit different Mike.

Getting stronger is never a bad thing, but in the end, aerobic fitness is key on 2k.

[hepting]

8K steady for me today @ 2:10.9 avg. Almost at the end of cycle 3 and want to do a 2K max test on my hard day tomorrow. It will be my first max test ever. Did 7:57 last week but that was in #4 of the 4x2.000 training. Should be able to steal some off that time. No idea how much though so my plan is to start at 1:55 and keep for first 1.250m if I can. Then, give it all in last 750m. Not sure if this makes sense but I'll find out soon enough. It's a test test for me!

Not sure about warm up, maybe do a 2K at around 2:15 then some easy stretching, water and go for it. Afterwards a super relaxed 2K for the meters.

Bit scared!

I am due for a 2k check-point as well and can relate to the trepidation! My only recommendation is to make sure you do a proper warm-up - there are a lot of posts on ideas, but I do think some "race pace" time is important - I usually do a 500 at my 2k target pace along with some slow stuff before and after. I like to start with a good sweat. I don't generally warm-up for my long training sessions but even a practice 2k is different. You don't want to start cold.

Good luck and look forward to hearing how it goes.

[mdpfirrman]

Dyson - you don't need to do 500m at race pace, you'll drain a lot of energy doing that. Around 15 to 20 minutes, slow SPM (around 18), roughly 30 seconds slower than your 2K pace. Mix in a few 10 second to 15 second speed ups near the end every 2 to 3 minutes. That's it.