Interest in a Pete Plan Thread (Earlier than Fall)?

[G-dub]

It is really hard not to want to jump into this in September. And its really hard to want to jump into this in September Maybe if I go about it sensibly......

[mdpfirrman]

It is really hard not to want to jump into this in September. And its really hard to want to jump into this in September Maybe if I go about it sensibly......

You know you're going to jump in on our August start or the September start, one or the other...

@ Greg - That's a great idea Greg about the same day, just don't know if it's feasible with everyone. I think last year's group, some started the day before others and it was still a lot of fun. I think I started a day later than some last year. This year, I suppose, I'll be starting a day sooner. For me, I find Sunday's work the best on PP if someone is doing 6 days. If they are doing 5 days (or on the PP beginner / intermediate plan), Mondays are fine to start.

[bisqeet]

we can do a google spreadsheet with dates and events.
maybe even a tab for the results to compare the loops ( i plan on maybe 3 - will maybe adapt as I like to do a little more volume)

[mdpfirrman]

( i plan on maybe 3 - will maybe adapt as I like to do a little more volume)

You like to do volume??

[jackarabit]

@ Bisqeet:

Greg Smith offered an Excel results spreadsht to the summer '15 Pete Planners. It could have been set up as shareware for self reporting. I got it and filled in the blanks for that group but never shared it, the major reason being that there were only four guys reporting daily (G-dub, Galeere, jackarabit, and Magnus Kack). The remaining six were either doing Pete Beginner or reporting for a few days in the first cycle and sporadically thereafter.

I think tabulated results are useful. The bad days as well as the good ones stand out with excuses, rationalization, spin, and tea and sympathy removed. Woulda, coulda, shoulda post mortems are strategies for pursuing a trajectory of improvement but the trajectory speaks for itself In the end. The benefit of putting yourself and your effort up for public scrutiny as a member of a group is that you have to be seen to do the plan as the calendar pages turn. This isn't easy as jobs, families, personal health, and the unforeseen interfere as does pre-plan fitness level. In theory everyone should be encouraged to participate. In practise, I believe that those of us who have no strong intention to stick with the plan or workout sched or term of commitment are well-advised to walk the sidelines, coach, critique, cheer, encourage, or kabitz but not suit up.

[jackarabit]

@ Mike P.:

I think that Greg is suggesting synchrony of execution to the extent that the 3 core workouts be completed in order and reported in the same calendar week. A side benefit of slightly staggered execution within the week (say monday, wednesday, friday and tuesday, thursday, saturday) is that a sub-group of participants gets the full glare of the spotlight on succeeding days. That''s the way it worked out summer 15 anyway. Showing up a week late with your 4x2k, talking the talk and disappearing again until the next time the ego needs a fix is like flexing for the camera at Muscle Beach, a useless distraction from the work at hand.

[mdpfirrman]

Makes sense Jack. You know I reported all my good, bad and ugly when I joined you guys in the Fall. As the "newbie" in the group, ironically, didn't think I had much to offer in terms of advice.

Just an observation to those of you on the fence about joining. Especially those that might be concerned they aren't strong enough rowers or don't have "great" times, which is a relative thing anyway. I stayed faithful the longest on the Fall version and just when I stopped posting, we had several come out and tell us (and me surprisingly in particular) how much they enjoyed the thread precisely because of what Jack alludes to. I was posting all my struggles, mistakes, successes and big time fails for everyone to see. It wasn't pretty at times (I had my share of fly and dies), but I did drop 17 seconds off my 2K PB best within 2 to 3 months of religiously doing the PP. Hopefully I can drop 10 or so more off this year's go around (after doing a lot more meters this year early in the season).

The other thing the PP does is certainly prepare you for competition. By the time my one and only race I've ever done came around, I knew precisely what to expect and what I was capable of - both mentally and physically.

[Bloodbuzz Corio]

Mike,

You mentioned in your first post on the thread that you'll be away in October - will you be stopping before then, trying to row while away or just taking a break and picking up again when you get back? Reason I ask is that I'll be away from a Sun-Wed in late September - and wondering if how (if at all) it would be fair to handle that if I do sign up as you obviously (and justifiably) want the folks who do participate to be participating fully.

[mdpfirrman]

Mike,

You mentioned in your first post on the thread that you'll be away in October - will you be stopping before then, trying to row while away or just taking a break and picking up again when you get back? Reason I ask is that I'll be away from a Sun-Wed in late September - and wondering if how (if at all) it would be fair to handle that if I do sign up as you obviously (and justifiably) want the folks who do participate to be participating fully.

I didn't mention about being full participants, I think that might have been Jack. I do know what Jack meant, though.

I'm going to be in Cabo and I'm not sure even if I want to keep it up, I'll be able to (not sure there's even a Concept2 in the whole city). I'm going to be gone 14 days (end of October / first week of November). By then, I'll probably have two or three rotations in of the PP (which I'll work every day).

I think what Jack was referring to is there are groups that do it consistently (when possible) and then an experienced rower will "jump in" and do just one day a 8 X 500m and post their time. I personally don't care either way, the more the merrier so to speak. But some of the guys that are grinding it out day in and day out can take a bit of offense to that (because it's not hard to do an occasional interval). It's harder to stick with PP for even one full rotation. Doing 2 or 3 is quite a training plan. I think that's all Jack is alluding to.

Last year, Glenn, Dean and myself (and I think a couple others) got the flu. I absolutely had to take around a week off. Dean (Bisqeet), who I think most would argue is a "machine", even had to take off for the flu (and Glenn's certainly no "slacker"). Life gets in the way sometimes. We all understand that. As soon as we were safely able to get back in to it, we did.

Last year, as a matter of fact, I only did 5 days a week (I took off one Steady State day). I was a bit of a novice rower, so I didn't want to get burned out or injured. I still participated in every interval and timed row for like 14 weeks or so. I'm anxious to see if my rowing 6 days a week for nearly 6 months now will pay off in better times (though my progress has naturally slowed).

If someone isn't sure about doing the full PP, there's a beginner plan too that they can do along with us if they want. I don't mind personally. I think the first "wave" could be useful to some to even see if they like the PP and then when we join the others later, they'll be that much more experienced having done one rotation all the way through.

[bisqeet]

( i plan on maybe 3 - will maybe adapt as I like to do a little more volume)

You like to do volume??

it has been known for me to exceed 50km / week...

[G-dub]

Not speaking for Jack, but having experienced doing the plan with him, he gets frustrated with people like me that want to tweak things to fit with their personal situation. The summer session was done pretty closely to what the plan says and it was very enjoyable and rewarding. The fall session was a little more loose in terms of people modifying the plan or not doing each of the sessions per week - I may have been an instigator on that since I wanted to do the plan over 9 days instead of 7. Some of us got sick, some over trained (I think I was) and some jumped in and out or picked off sessions of their choosing or completely different sessions than described in the plan. And I moaned and complained and recall leaving in a huff because I couldn't keep up with the sessions and got scolded a little for it too. This is just one component of our lives and things come up, but I think that if you enter into it less than fully committed it will challenge those that adhere to the plan to the letter and that is understandable. This discussion helped remind me that I shouldn't do it because of that

[jackarabit]

Thank you, Mike. I take a lot of explaining! I took a week out of the middle of PP summer 15 for sculling lessons out of state. There were two ergs available but I didn't feel like it after 3 sessions a day on the water in summer heat and humidity. I returned home, joined in again for a few days and tested with the group despite a hand injury and nerve damage for which I had surgery five months later. So I do have a low tolerance for showboaters who sporadically interrupt the proceedings acting as their own press agent. This forum has daily training, personal best, and competition pigeonholes for show-n-tell. The wisdom of experienced ergers is always welcome. The best of these gentlemen respect the roles of both athlete and coach and refuse to make their finest performances the center of attention.

To illness and injury add vacations and business travel, births, weddings, funerals. All legitimate reasons to say you have to take a break. The training value is in doing as much as you can, say six weeks or a bit more. I think most of us can get the "introductory" educational value in one cycle of three weeks.

[jackarabit]

Dub, I'm over my case of striver-itis and have finally got your pov into my hard head. I think you have forgiven the Johnny-one-note nagging from me. I didn't really measure up to many PP demands except punching the clock but I sure blew that up bigger than life itself! Gone by and bygones.

[G-dub]

Jack - I am certainly over it! Took a while though! It is a tough plan both physically and mentally and all kinds of emotions can surface. It would be nice to find a way to do the plan AND have it fit into our busy lives and limitations - we are not 20 somethings after all. Maybe the secret is to monitor intensity some instead of trying to PB each session. But there I go again seeking mods!

[jackarabit]

No argument here Glenn. I began to see the value of the stretched, nine day week somewhat before I was willing to admit that I was also in need of longer recoveries. Anyway, I'm going to let that axe rust in the stump and reiterate for the class of '16 that you will be in Pete's "classroom" by choice.

Take from it what you can. Cut a class here and there. Act responsibly toward your classmates by cheering them on even in the throes of whatever rugrat-transmitted plague happens to befall. Stay in touch, stay committed.