Pete Plan Summer 2015 starts June 14

[Bob S.]

When you look at the rate and pace charts available from the C-B site, you can find some really remarkable steady results. I had watched Andrew Benko race at the most recent C-B and was impressed by machine-like precision of his strokes - each one looking exactly like the one before until the last 30 or so when he went into his sprint. When I looked at his chart afterwards, I was even more impressed - both rate and pace were practically steady, straight, horizontal lines for all but the first half dozen or so strokes and the final sprint.

Bob S.

[f2d]

When you look at the rate and pace charts available from the C-B site, you can find some really remarkable steady results. I had watched Andrew Benko race at the most recent C-B and was impressed by machine-like precision of his strokes - each one looking exactly like the one before until the last 30 or so when he went into his sprint. When I looked at his chart afterwards, I was even more impressed - both rate and pace were practically steady, straight, horizontal lines for all but the first half dozen or so strokes and the final sprint.

Bob S.

Well, like anything else practice makes perfect, and the top rowers have to have flawless technique if they want to get their best performance.

I'm fairly steady, but my times do fluctuate from stroke to stroke, and having to adjust takes a toll on me both physically and mentally.

[G-dub]

I had some fun yesterday and this morning doing a 6K and a 5K with tape over the pace, so I was just looking at rate and duration (I was doing "Just Row"), trying to get more into feel rather than math. Each started without warm up and I eased into each, so they definitely weren't full on for the whole way. Averaged 2:02 ish total for each with the first 5 minutes of both around 2:10. They negative split pretty dramatically, but it felt good to get into a rhythm. Using HR (or PE or keeping breathing under control) will be needed to make sure to avoid "black hole" training.

[jackarabit]

Glenn, is PE perceived exertion? 6 and 5 with the hooded falcon does appeal as a kinder, gentler way of going occasionally. Relieved to hear you're doing that. Jack

[G-dub]

Yes, perceived exertion. I really don't know how to use it, but I figured I needed to cover the bases so that I didn't get into a discussion about the accuracy of using HR!

[jackarabit]

Question for the hot stove forecasters.

My 2 fastest 2Ks done in the preceding five weeks are 8:38.5 for the first rep of a botched 4 x 2 and 8:38.4 for the "tail" of the July CTC. First at 28spm; second at 27spm. I think there's better than a .1" improvement there but how much? I'm spitballing 2:09 for the first 800m of the upcoming Twokay Priz de CrackerJack and a progressively faster world of hurt thereafter. Let's say 8:30-8:31 or 2:07+ av. Am I delusional? Jack

Later:
After still more consideration, 2:10 start, more rowing, less visualizing may be a better choice. 8:36 would be 7" improvement from last November.

[G-dub]

Question for the hot stove forecasters.

My 2 fastest 2Ks done in the preceding five weeks are 8:38.5 for the first rep of a botched 4 x 2 and 8:38.4 for the "tail" of the July CTC. First at 28spm; second at 27spm. I think there's better than a .1" improvement there but how much? I'm spitballing 2:09 for the first 800m of the upcoming Twokay Priz de CrackerJack and a progressively faster world of hurt thereafter. Let's say 8:30-8:31 or 2:07+ av. Am I delusional? Jack

Jack, When I have been saying your bottom line looks like it can improve greatly, I was looking at your 8 X 500 times. Those are in theory 2-3 seconds slower than 2K. I would also look at 4 X 1000 and knock a second off that. I am not sure the 4 x 2000 is the right one to compare to, that one is more relative to 5K.

[hjs]

Question for the hot stove forecasters.

My 2 fastest 2Ks done in the preceding five weeks are 8:38.5 for the first rep of a botched 4 x 2 and 8:38.4 for the "tail" of the July CTC. First at 28spm; second at 27spm. I think there's better than a .1" improvement there but how much? I'm spitballing 2:09 for the first 800m of the upcoming Twokay Priz de CrackerJack and a progressively faster world of hurt thereafter. Let's say 8:30-8:31 or 2:07+ av. Am I delusional? Jack

Jack, When I have been saying your bottom line looks like it can improve greatly, I was looking at your 8 X 500 times. Those are in theory 2-3 seconds slower than 2K. I would also look at 4 X 1000 and knock a second off that. I am not sure the 4 x 2000 is the right one to compare to, that one is more relative to 5K.

Jack would say, 8.20. Depending a bit on how you rowed those others. 5x2k is certainly 5 seconds above your 2k.
Last months ctc was also a good bit above a single 2k.

Your rate is low, certainly for a shorter man.

[kacken66]

For 3 weeks i have followed the pete plan and had large exchange field and spurring each other. I will now enter phase where I will increase the volume with the objective to increase endurance, will thus go from pete plan some time but will certainly return again . Will run the CTC Challenge regularly.

[jackarabit]

Thanks for the analysis, Glenn and Henry. A paper tiger for sure! Henry, I'm pleased to see slight improvement in power for slightly lower average rates in the last four months. But something is missing for the 8:20 result or I already uaed what little I had on the sprint end of the spectrum.

Got it doped out thusly:



I'll find the balance point somewhere short of total failure and the defibrillator.

[jackarabit]

Great having you drill with us Magnus. Stay in touch! Jack

[G-dub]

You got this. The biggest lessen learned for me, yet applied, is to be aggressive and take it to it. Lean into it as the lady said.

[Edward4492]

Glen, interesting comments about "flying blind". I find on most days when I'm feeling good I tend to go gradually faster and faster on the longer pieces (assuming I started at a modest pace). I use HR monitoring as a "cap" when my goal is a long endurance effort.It's the only time I wear a monitor. As you mentioned the "black hole", I think this is the area where you have started to go hard enough to impede your ability to recover, but not enough to illicit a solid training response. I find rowing long pieces in the 2:06 - 2:08 range to be fairly easy and my HR will stay under 80% (about 140). 10k's done at this pace don't impact me enough to affect recovery.

[G-dub]

Yeah, that is what happened. I kept getting faster because it sort of felt good - which is the black hole trap. But I think for me that there might be value in not focusing on splits on every f"ing row. Just "go for a run" so to speak but manage the HR so that the right things are happening. I honestly might go blind for a 2K and just go by rate (say 30 - 32 for 1500 and then up from there) and see what happens - mostly just to get out of staring at that darn split the whole time and agonizing over how much under or over I am (which fluctuates humorously between what I desire, what is acceptable, what I want to tell you guys about, what is discouraging, etc.) - to allow for some fluctuation in pressure if that is required to finish. It actually occurred to me last night watching the world championships swimming that those folks just go for it based on feel right? They don't have a monitor right in their grill. I will need to make sure before I start that I'm OK with "what happens" and just have "fun" with it. Last Saturday I did one like that without any information at all and split on 1:48 ish. I admit to peaking once though, so it wasn't a complete piece. Anyway....

[G-dub]

Great having you drill with us Magnus. Stay in touch! Jack

I feel the same Magnus, you brought some extra oomph to the party right when we needed it.