Benefits of volume

[Sully]

Hi,

I've been taking part in the "March Madness" challenge (the 10km one), and although its looking likely that I'll fall short of the required 25 days (I've currently done 18), far from get jaded as the month has progressed, I've actually improved my times and got 3 PB's in the last 3 days.
On Thursday I rowed a 10km PB (36:58.6), then yesterday to celebrate breaking off from work for 2 weeks (I'm a Secondary school Science teacher), I decided to give the half marathon a crack (1:21:10.7), and then to top it off this morning, I did an hour time trial (16008m).

My normal training week would be no-where near as much volume, so I've surprised myself that (a) I'm still rowing these distances 4 weeks into the challenge, and (b) the pace/intensity hasn't dropped off, and in fact has improved.

My question is thus twofold: Does anyone have any explanation for this, and has anyone had a similar experience?

Cheers

Sully

[jamesg]

It's called endurance. But it is in fact, the ability to get rid of waste products.

We can all work very very hard for a short time. It's the next second or two that cause problems, because by then, waste products have built up too much; so a signal is sent from Somewhere to Elsewhere, and Elsewhere decides to stop us before death does: evolution has its practical advantages.

So the explanation could be as follows: training at low power also produces waste, but at a rate that we can remove and so keep working. To do this, our systems if under enough pressure will grow extra cell wall with that osmotic (?) function. Then we can work a bit harder, and grow some more. After about four years of this, we can work continuously almost flat out, near max HR and at whatever it takes in terms of rating and power.

By that time, but more likely sooner, other supply side limitations will stop us getting faster: muscle mass, pump capacity, oxygen and fuel transport, and who knows what else.

If this model is not completely wrong, you may have noticed that you recover from your harder work much sooner. This could be an expected effect of quicker waste product removal.


As for personal experience, sad to say it happens every time I increase work, but never if I don't.

[jackarabit]

Supercompensation is a honeymoon which will change phase soon enuf. Enjoy it!

[hjs]

Every top endurance athlete makes lots of meters. Rowing is no difference. Toprowers often make 200k per week, all year round.

[jackarabit]

Occurs that you are asking if anyone has had your experience getting several PBs in a short time period--say three days to a week. I have. No reason a training peak in all round fitness shouldn't manifest as good results over several distances.

[Edward4492]

Way too early to tell, but I just embarked on a high volume (by my standards) plan. First week got off track with the 1000m World Sprints. Did 73k that week, just jumped into the 1k with zero taper and was 1s off my PR (3:23.3). Got back on the volume kick and got sick so missed a few days. This week finally had a solid week at 90k. (4) 15's (1) 10 and (1) 20k today. Capped the HR at 125 (70% of max) which worked out to 2:15 pace. After three or four days my HR fell to around a 115 average. So today I went a hair faster (2:14) and HR was 121 average. It already is beginning to feel relatively easy. I think the key is the HR cap, staying in the aerobic zone. I feel fresh every day. The pain in the butt and glutes is gone. No other issues. I'm eating a lot....and staying well under the LWT cut off at 163 or so every morning. I plan on logging about 1M meters (100k x 10 weeks) and then do some testing. Curious to see where it takes me. I'm going on the assumption that a lack of aerobic conditioning has been holding me back. Find out soon enough.

And to answer your question I've nailed multiple PR's in a week or so's time.

[Ponte.red]

very inexprienced at in door rowing, only started taking it serious since mid december (after enjoying it at the gym), so sorry if im totaly wrong

set a goal of 1,000,000m by mid june (birthday), suffered a lower back injury in feb, which i'm just about over, which made me also miss the March challenge, unsure if its related to the rower. anyway.........

i've been doing 10ks 5 days this week, with some soccer on one of the other days, and the results in terms of resting heart rate and weight loss are pretty good i think the long distances are superb for training, just very hard to get motivated and stay motivated whist doing it, current times are around 38:20, and recovery times are miles better than from soccer and running, plus no stiffness next day.

got to try and do 56k per week (ish) to reach the 1m mark on time so long may it continue.

any tips, from anyone welcome.

[Edward4492]

You don't give your age (unless I missed it). 38min is a pretty aggressive 10k. Again, depending on your age and what heart rate you're working at (as a % of max) I would think you would have to cut the pace a bit if you increase the volume. I guess the best parameter is perceived effort. If you feel fresh each day and feel good after the work outs, probably okay. Although, that back injury may be telling.

[bisqeet]

I rarely do a session under 60 minutes.
Mostly at ut2 heart rate based (although I might change this to way based to avoid cardiac creep variations

On the odd occasion that I attempt I try Tt or a variation thereof (ITC/ c2c etc.) I usually find that I am close to it have achieved a new pb
I recently did a10 k and targeted a sub 37 time. I was disappointed with a 37.x time only to find that this was a new pb ( by about 20 seconds) I misread my last attempt.

In my case is more due to being a noob ams still being on the initial improvement curve rather that volume