Season goals

[Gerhard]

I miss the motivation of a the recent challenges, maybe it helps if I post my goals for the 2009 season :

500 m @ 1:32 = 1:32 (current 1:33.9)
1 K @ 1:39 = 3:18 (current 3:23.5)
2 K @ 1:45 = 7:00 (current 7:14.2)
5 K @ 1:53 = 18.50 (current 19:24)
10 K @ 1:59 = 39.40 (current 40.46)
HM @ 2:06 = 88.36 (current 90.28)

Target paces are around 3 seconds faster than current PB's. Is that realistic for a seconds season, or am I aiming too high? what are your goals?

[philrow]

Before I can comment, what exactly is the span of the "season?"

Phil

[randyharris]

My goal is to keep rowing for general fitness, 1.5 - 2.0 million meters. I'm not really concerned with my PB times, though I wouldn't be disappointed if they improved. I'm currently at a 1:41 pace 500M, and 1.50 pace 1000, I frequently row 10k Meters but not for time, maybe I'll pull my hardest and see what I can do. Oh, and I'm right around 7,000 meters on a hard 30 minute session.

[Citroen]

Before I can comment, what exactly is the span of the "season?"

Phil

Season runs from 5/1 thru 4/30.

[philrow]

In that case, let me detail my unreasonably calculated ambitions:

2k: 6:30 (1:37.5)
5k: 17:10 (1:43)
6k: 21:00 (1:45)
10k: 37:00 (1:51)
30'r20: 8375m (~1:47.5)

Something tells me I have a lot of progress to go. A year and a few months ago, I pulled a cool 8:52 2k. In the last 8 months, I averaged about 6" faster on each of three 2k attempts before taking some months off for some much-needed recovery. I know for a fact that I have a tremendous amount of progress to make aerobically as any piece over 5k is practically a new concept to me and I saw great gains for the short span of time I spent training with those pieces. I also know that I have plenty of progress to make with muscle development in general. My anaerobic threshold clearly has a ways to go as well, although anaerobic waste and general pain tolerance is probably a strength of mine. General erging technique and strategic pacing definitely stand for improvement. In other words, I really think I can improve quite a bit. Of course, all of these profound developments to be had take a few or more years of steady training and progress. In retrospect, since starting rowing a year and a third ago, I've only spent some 10 months (segmented into 4 months/6 months) under steady aerobic training and much of that wasn't done on an erg. Hence, I furthermore think that there may be more "beginners gains" to be had!

Phil

[TomR]

Gerhard,

For what it's worth, when I once managed a sub-7 2k, my 5k was about 18.30, and my 10k, was about 38.40, i.e. faster than your goals for those two distances. Pushing the pace at those middle distances generally pays off when preparing for a 2k.

Good luck

[RowtheRockies]

Goals for this season:

1) Finally crack 7 for the 2K at 7,000 ft.
2) Rank a row for each distance from 60 minutes down to 500M.
3) Resist the urge to always be doing some VO2 Max work throughout the year and concentrate on development of aerobic engine through rows of UT2 - AT.

Gerhardt,

Your goals certainly seem to be attainable considering this is your second year of rowing. I agree with Tom however that your 5K and 10K goals are soft compared to your 2K goal. The large drop off in pace from 500M through HM indicate that you have good speed but lack endurance which would indicate that more aerobic development would benefit you. Your Current 1K PB of 3:23 would point to a 7:03.5 2K based on Paul's law.

Rich

Rich

[Gerhard]

Gerhardt,

Your goals certainly seem to be attainable considering this is your second year of rowing. I agree with Tom however that your 5K and 10K goals are soft compared to your 2K goal. The large drop off in pace from 500M through HM indicate that you have good speed but lack endurance which would indicate that more aerobic development would benefit you. Your Current 1K PB of 3:23 would point to a 7:03.5 2K based on Paul's law.

Rich

Rich

My endurance is not 'the best'. I'm a bit affraid for time trials, and it gets worse for longer distances. A 2K is only a few minutes of pain. A bad 10K takes forever...

But I agree with you and tom. I should push myself more in the middle distances. Did a 5K for the CTC today, at PB +2. I was happy with the result and felt exhausted, but my legs (and arms etc) did not hurt at all. I think they should have.

[gregory.cook]

3) Resist the urge to always be doing some VO2 Max work throughout the year and concentrate on development of aerobic engine through rows of UT2 - AT.

Based the the success of some others with a similar approach, this is what I'm doing too. I'm working on a schedule of 13 week periods... 7 weeks of mostly 60', 3 x 6k and 3 x 30', then 4 weeks with some 8 x 500, 4 x 1000 and a couple of 2k's, then 2 easy weeks.

My goal for the season is to be faster.

[RowtheRockies]

Greg,

How's it working for you so far? I am enjoying it. The most intense rows I am doing right now are AT: 3X10' 20" or similar two times a week and then UT2 and UT1 the rest of the week. Seem to be getting faster in each of the bands without a corresponding increase in heart rate. Will know for sure in a few weeks when I attempt a 60' row. It will be a PB because I have never attempted a hard 60'. Shooting for 15K.

Rich

[TomR]

Rich--

Your pbs suggest you're right on the brink of 15k for 60'. Good luck.

[gregory.cook]

I am enjoying it.

I am enjoying it too. It is nice not to be afraid of so many of my workouts.

[tomhz]

I miss the motivation of a the recent challenges, maybe it helps if I post my goals for the 2009 season :

500 m @ 1:32 = 1:32 (current 1:33.9)
1 K @ 1:39 = 3:18 (current 3:23.5)
2 K @ 1:45 = 7:00 (current 7:14.2)
5 K @ 1:53 = 18.50 (current 19:24)
10 K @ 1:59 = 39.40 (current 40.46)
HM @ 2:06 = 88.36 (current 90.28)

Target paces are around 3 seconds faster than current PB's. Is that realistic for a seconds season, or am I aiming too high? what are your goals?

I know your progress during the last season. I think the above goals are impossible

You cannot hold on to "double the distance , add six" like in the last season. In another way: Your target progress for 10K and HM is realistic, easy maybe, but the target for 1K and 2K would be spectaculair.

Tom

[Englishman116]

before i head out to college (mid august) i'm hoping to break 6:25 for a 2k and just work on strengthening my aerobic base.

other than that, getting in some double sessions 3 days a week would be nice.

[badocter]

I think your goals are doable, though like the others have pointed out some of them are harder than others - but that will become self-evident in due course. I suggest you either start another challenge thread or get on one of the training plan threads to help find motivation. The Pete Plan threads on the UK forum and FS forum are pretty good sources of motivation even if you are only doing bits and pieces of one of the many Pete Plan flavors. The CTC 30' of next month is a good hard distance for improving endurance, so suggest you take a wack at it once a week next month.

My short term goal is sub 3:20 1k - hopefully will get there on Tuesday Rowpro with Thomas on his last "40x1k/day before 40" race. 2k,30',HM will fall in June unless something else comes up.