Pete Plan Group - Startup Aug 20th thru 22nd

[mudgeg]

Glenn and Kxthor

I think you are right. If I read the BPP correctly, the distance pieces increase by 500m/week but the intensity (pace) should remain the same. So it starts with a 5000m and then in Week 2, 5500m but the Plan says 'despite the increase in distance the pace can be kept the same'. Then Week 3, 6000m, with the instruction 'again same pace as the 5500m' ie same as the 5000m if I am correct. I think I have been wrong in increasing the distance AND the pace. I started at 2:16.6 for 5k and four weeks later I am at 2:10.1 for 6.5k. That last 6.5k was fine but clearly I will pretty soon burn out if I continue like that. Advice I received on this thread during the week is that the second of the distance sessions should really be a recovery row.

The other thing I have learned is that the Group 3 speed training intervals are hard (at least for me). I did a hard speed interval session this week and then tried a 6500m row the day after and that was not sustainable. I really need a rest day after speed training although I feel fine after the Group 2 speed endurance sessions. The BPP does specifically say 'rest is an important part of any training plan'.

All that said, thus far I have done four weeks and all the sessions (including the optional). Touch wood I've not been sick or hurt myself. My fitness has increased along with my confidence and I feel great. You never stop learning and the key thing here is learning when to rest and recover and when to (pardon the pun) push the boat out.

[Pie Man]

I had a bbq Dean, your day sounds better fitness wise, but mine was good, I sort of missed the erg, but I understand I do need my rest.

I did the BPP for around 12 weeks having been rowing at the gym for about 2 months without any plan. I did miss a couple of weeks so went back a distance when I got back to it. From my experience it was great getting me as someone who exercised for one week a year skiing and the occasional 4 mile walk up to a fitness level that I haven't know since I skied every day for a season and as an introduction to structured training on the erg it worked very well for me.

Looking through my log, my times fluctuated, but there was normally an explanation for the fluctuation. So trying strapless, low rate, hot, tired etc (logging more than just the time and distance helps when you are looking back!). I did do some faster than others but 2:04 +-3 seemed to be my general pace. I was averaging 4 sessions a week, and trying to put some rest days between the harder sessions. My pace did speed up a bit over the weeks but I was conscious that it didn't have to and that trying to get as even a pace as possible through a distance row was important. Reading the notes at the bottom of the plan helped I took screen shots of the one I was going to do that day so I had a quick way to access them on my phone (signal at gym not always great)

So I see it very much as a beginner plan getting a relatively unfit person to a reasonable level of fitness. I didn't finish it as I was tempted to the PP. However if I had (and I may go back to it) my fitness would of continued to increase. Towards one of the later weeks of the plan had an optional 5k which I made into a PB attempt, I managed 19:32.7 which was a very pleasant surprise as three months before my first 5k was a very stressful 21:32

So to everyone doing the BPP you don't have to increase your pace unless it's something Pete suggests, do (re)read the notes at the bottom of the page if you haven't, they give good guidance.

The PP is very different in intensity on the hard days especially once you have completed one run through, however I row the SS days strapless much slower around 2:16 pace, I try and do 9k and may increase that to 10k, but I try and keep my HR relatively low. I finish the SS sessions sweating, but nothing like as hard as the BPP long distance days.

[Joe L]

Congratulations on breaking 7:00, Rohan! Very nice effort.

Also congratulations to Dean on 5M meters. That's really impressive. Nice SS row as well...

60 min at 1:59.5 and 18 spm for me today.

[lindsayh]

nice work all - this a hot group of guys

Sunday morning
PP 1.2.6 hard distance
2k w/u and c/d @2:15
goal was to match last weeks 5k @1:52.6 but for 6ks - got it!
(my PB is 2013 @1:51.3

6k @1:52.2
sr28 248w df128
1:52.7
1:53.1
1:52.4
1:52.3
1:52.3
1:50.4

Week 2 done with no hiccups or missed sessions - 65kms for the week

[Litewait]

@ Kxthor: Being at BPP Week 5.5, I have tried to maintain minimum 5 days a week, never skipping a week. This may have more to do from the fact that I work out of my home and have the C2 15 feet away from me taunting me all day. Probably harder to pull that off if you have to commute and/or head to the gym. Before I found the BPP (started erg'ing in early June) I was just (cluelessly) trying to up my meters and only taking a day off a week. For me I am going to play it by ear, really dreading what 10k will feel like so maybe I will change my tune and rest more.

[Litewait]

60 min at 1:59.5 and 18 spm for me today.

@Joe L: What DF was that done at?

[gooseflight]

Even mere mortals there gains are not that big, although are pushed far to much
and end up racing there training instead of building over many years, his words mind not mine.

Simply not true.

My 2K PBs went something like: 7:13 -> 7:03 -> 6:56 -> 6:52 -> 6:46 -> 6:39 in nine months. The 40 minutes fitness plan took me sub 7 then I switched to the Pete Plan.

Many can cite similar or better development. My 5K PB is 17:38. Didn't take me a week and a half to recover.

Many ergers have no interest in developing a rowing career and building over many years is not an option or desirable.

Why don't you park the vicarious references and speak from your own experience

[hjs]

Guys (Paul) everybody is different, so react differently on training. Some people can hammer the s*** out of them and recover fine, others break down much more easily. Point is there is no one way.

Re pb s, same story, some people the minute they smell a pb go for, others seldom do or even bodder at all.
In the end its always a personal thing.

[gooseflight]

and i can write what i like i do not need you you attack my point of view.

You can and I'm not attacking your point of view. I'm just demonstrating by example that it's incorrect.

Don't expect sweeping generalisations presented as facts to go unchallenged.

[G-dub]

I truly hope that we aren't going to also ruin this thread the same way that others get ruined. Please.

Maybe the back and forths with Paul should go into the thread he started a few days ago. Paul could also put his general thoughts on coaching in there too. We can leave this thread to focus on the Pete Plan and the Beginner Pete Plan. And we do appreciate the valuable and thoughtful input from you veterans as we stumble along and ask questions.

[G-dub]

Lindsay - great work on the hard 6K.
Awesome hour Joe!

[Pie Man]

Did my 4x1k r5:00 early this morning. It certainly didn't go how I thought it would, but I did improve my time.

For those who don't want to read my ramblings here is the executive summary:
Don't prepare by being dehydrated, rowing at a time you don't usually, while fueled with poor food, after doing a recent tough PB.

Last time was a dead flat at 1:52.6 average, looking back at my log it was done in the morning as well after a heavy session on the beer (I haven't had any alcohol since then), it seems like I like to sabotage the 4x1k.

Looking at my times recently I thought that was going to be a soft target. So I planned to start around 1:51 pace and go from there. How wrong was I. Started my warm up, hang on this feels off. For warm ups I find a few soft pulls then drop into 2:10's or so, then do 3 lots of hard pulls every 500m finishing in around 8:20. Today I was only getting 2:20's in the first 500. First burst of stronger stokes was hardly sub 2:00... Finished 2k warm up in 8:59.5...

Started first 1k, 250m in legs were feeling it @ 1:52 pace... Adjusted expectations, but the session was a struggle, considering I did 10' at 1:50.7 pace this was unexpected.
End result looks pretty good, but it wasn't. For the last 1k I tried to give it my all, but burnt out with around 600m to go while averaging a 1:48 pace, had to back off and regroup to finish @1:51.2.

1:52.5 @ 33
1:52.0 @ 33
1:51.6 @ 33
1:51.2 @ 35!

Av. 1:51.8 which is a nice improvement, but I know it was a poor day. Yesterday I attended a BBQ in the afternoon and indulged in a lot burgers, sausages and buns with very little to drink (no alcohol) I just had a small snack in the evening, and didn't drink much water. I don't normally train in the morning and after today I remember why, I had breakfast and some water an hour before I started, but I think I was dehydrated going in.

The chances are at the BIRC I will have to race in the morning I need to get my head round how to be ready to race at that time, so I will try and do a few more early morning sessions and to ensure I drink and eat properly. It could also be a 'hangover' from the 10' ctc session I did on Thursday, I certainly will be careful with PB's like that as there is little point setting them if it's going to kill my training for a few days after.

Anyway a session not to forget and to learn from.

[Kxthor911]

@glenn - awesome job on your PB, I know what you mean on some days it just feels harder

@mike - thanks for the feedback. I don't ever plan on racing this is just a means to get into shape for me. I would still do 3-4 sessions on a off week too they would just be slower meters working on form and letting my body rest.

@mininick, great another nick lol, welcome to the group - I see what your saying, the way I read it was to increase your distance each week but also try to meet your target. Don't row harder just row steady. Your fitness is supposed to be improving so he thinks you should be able to handle the farther distance.

@mudgeg, Gordon I believe - yes I read it the same way you did. You know your body better than I do but maybe ease back off the throttle some. We would all hate to see you get hurt with all this awesome progress your making. Keep those meters going bro, nice.

@pie - excellently put, I'm trying to do this as well, but I would like to finish the plan. I just this somewhere in there I may need some sort of a break since I was pretty unfit.

@litewait - I too have the concept2 at home. The reverse side to that is I work shift work (12 hour days) and do not get enough rest many days so I must catch up when I can. I work a combo of days and nights as well. I started rowing back in May and managed 3-4 days a week before starting this plan 4 weeks ago. I was up in the 10-20k range but at ALOT slower pace. So I'm going to have to just see how I feel when I get to that in later weeks.

[G-dub]

SD - 3 x 20' 2'R. Same pace and rate as yesterday. HR within 1 beat on last rep and close to that at end of each rep. PE felt a little better than yesterday.

[jackarabit]

Pete 2.3.2
8k SS
Df 115

Yesterday activity-intensive on the "garden party" fall cleanup front. Too beat to do the 4x1. Skipping ahead to the next chapter. 2k+15" or 71% 2k watts. PE moderate but should have emphasized the recovery aspect a bit more as my back is complaining.