Pete Plan Group - Startup Aug 20th thru 22nd

[Street]

Adam!

Andy

Ah, that makes sense. I'll have to practice more with it, maybe do a few of the recovery sessions and warm ups strapless. If it helps with technique it's all good, and I'm sure mine could probably do with some work!

[mdpfirrman]

Adam!

Andy

Ah, that makes sense. I'll have to practice more with it, maybe do a few of the recovery sessions and warm ups strapless. If it helps with technique it's all good, and I'm sure mine could probably do with some work!

Sorry Andy! Start slow with the strapless stuff. Just do many warm-ups or cool downs, then progress to part of your SS when you feel more comfortable with it. Gradually build it in.

11570 or so for me today (50' - strapless!) @ around a 2:09.5 or so average.

[Slacker]

BPP 15.1 10000m row

Fly and die.....or fly and then greatly struggle. I tried to be sensible and stick with my plan but when I got on the machine I thought I'd try to rate just a little faster to see the difference. I went for a conservative r23 but 1000m in I was pretty sure I was in trouble. I stuck to it until 2000m partly because that's where I had the monitor distances set to and I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment. From 2k on I was back at my usual r20 trying to settle back down. At 5k I wasn't sure if I could finish. I convinced myself to keep going and hang on for a in workout cool down. I made it the whole way but it was touch and go at times. As poorly executed as it was, it was still my fastest 10k effort and the higher rating did lead to faster splits, just not anything I could sustain.

44:59.9 10,000m 2:15.0 21
8:43.8 2,000m 2:10.9 23
8:55.6 4,000m 2:13.9 20
9:01.6 6,000m 2:15.4 20
9:08.0 8,000m 2:17.0 20
9:10.9 10,000m 2:17.7 21

[Street]

I made it the whole way but it was touch and go at times. As poorly executed as it was, it was still my fastest 10k effort and the higher rating did lead to faster splits, just not anything I could sustain.

The main thing is you stuck with it and made it to the end.. And still a PB 10k, good work!

[Litewait]

BPP Week 17.3 2 x 15' r2' DF121

30:00.0 6,773m 2:12.8 149 812 26
15:00.0 3,359m 2:13.9 146 802 26 142
15:00.0 3,414m 2:11.8 153 826 27 161

Last two rows I think my legs have gotta another gear, I seem to be able to call on them to drive and HR doesn't get out of control. Last one of these was 2:13.7, so progress.

@gordon - never gonna catch ya.
@andy - tempted to go strapless, but I know I am going to look foolish.
@ben - I wouldn't worry about rating up, you've got the drive I don't. Look at my 10k times I am rating over 25 !
@paul/john/mike - glad you guys are still hanging around, you are a wealth of advice.

[mudgeg]

@ Street - Andy, the main benefit I have found from rowing strapless is pretty much as Mike said, that is quicker at the catch and a more powerful but longer and slower stroke. I also think it has had a huge benefit on my core strength because you rely on your core muscles to avoid going back too far rather than using the straps for stability.

@ Slacker - Ben, great stuff. That's still a sub 45 min 10k and a PB.

@ Litewait - Tim, I would wager good money that you will catch me at some point. I came from illness and a poor fitness base but I have been rowing this year about six months or so longer than you. That means, I have over half a million more km in the bank and that must make a huge difference. You'll get there.

So tonight's effort. PP Beginners Week 15 Day 3, 3 x 10 min row. Target pace about same as Week 14 4 x 8 min (2:08)

1. 2314 / 10 min / 2:09.6
2. 2335 / 10 min / 2:08.4
3 2349 / 10 min / 2:07.7

Note to self - 5:00 min on the clock is not the same as 500m.

[S-man]

Still finding it hard to get into a rhythm after 3 weeks away and all I’ve done in the last 7 days is a couple of 30 min steady state rows Time for the 4 x 1k r5’. Last time was an average of 2:05.7 r27 so planned to go 2:07-08/500m
1km intervals
1. 2:06.7 r27
2. 2:06.5 r27
3. 2:06.4 r27
4. 2:05.2 r28
Average 2:06.2 r27

Felt good to go faster than steady state for a change, but a long way still to go. Looking back, it’s obvious that when I string a few weeks together with 5 workouts per week then that is when I see real improvement.
Sanz

[Slacker]

@Gordon: I think I probably would have done a little better with even pacing. We get another crack at 10k in a couple of weeks. Good job on the 3x10'. I'm not close enough to try and catch you yet, but I'll try and close the gap a little.

@Tim: Nice 2 x 15s. I dropped a couple weeks behind in the plan. It was nice for awhile to compare times when we were on a similar schedule.

@Sanz: If it were easy everyone would do it. You'll get back into the groove soon enough. Just keep putting in the work.

@Paul: Good work done. My hard 10k still slower than your easy 10k. Slow down a bit will ya?

BPP 15.2
5 x 750m r/2min

Tried these just a bit too fast. Decent time cluster on the first 4., but not enough left in the tank for the last one.
2:00.6 r25 average
2:00.2 r26
2:00.4 r25
2:00.2 r25
2:00.6 r25
2:01.8 r23

[Litewait]

BPP Week 17.4 30' DF110

2:21.9 @ 23spm

SS (recovery) lowered the rate, DF, and SPM to try strapless. Worked out well, feet stayed anchored pretty good except when I tried to try 30+SPM as test and almost flew off. Change a variable, observe the results.

[mdpfirrman]

PP Pyramid

250 / 1:49.0 / 31
500 / 1:49.6 / 30
750 / 1:49.3 / 29
1000 / 1:49.1 / 29
750 / 1:47.8 / 30
500 / 1:47.7 / 30
250 / 1:42.8 / 34

1:48.4 Avg / 30 SPM

Well executed. Looked up the plan before I left for the gym. Perhaps optimistic, but I thought I read pace it at 5K PB!! Realized on the way to the gym I had read that wrong (and I know better too) because the middle three intervals are supposed to be a good indicator of 2K race pace. You are supposed to do 2K pace and negative split. My 2K pace is 1:49.7 so I thought I'd go out at 1:50 up the pyramid and drop it down the pyramid. Came out better than I hoped.

Good job all on the workouts. Paul, you're getting much better on the aerobic parts. Sanz - it's really hard to do those interval sessions without the cardio / aerobic base. I took two weeks just doing 6 days of SS from 4 weeks off. It's really hard to jump in and out of the plan. Like with lifting, rowing progress is consistency.

Nice PB Ben.

[mudgeg]

PP Beginners Week 15 Optional Day 4

8000m SS row. Plan says to just concentrate on rate and technique.

Actual: 35:55.4 / 8000m / 2:14.7 / 22spm

Oddly rowing slowly and keeping the spm low seemed a lot harder than the 2:12 pace 10k earlier in the week!

[mdpfirrman]

That's pretty normal Gordon. Low rate work at higher paces is hard. Sometimes on my TT days I'll do a low rate day at higher paces (like a 5K 22 SPM row @ 2:00) and that is harder than doing 24 SPM @ 1:56

[Slacker]

Paul: Everyday builds on something and is good in that respect; but for progress of fitness I'd rather finish strong enough to still have good form/technique rather than just gut it out. Doesn't have to be everyday, but hopefully a high percentage of them. Good job on the 750m's. Watching what workouts you have to do, I really don't think I would like the PP5kTT. Maybe that's reason to do that one next. Not sure what I'm doing after I finish the BPP but I have plenty of time to figure it out.

Tim: Nice job on the strapless try. I like the easy paced 30' row for that. I struggle trying to do it on longer rows as my form is less consistent once I get tired.

Mike: Looks like you are getting back into it and had plenty left over. Next time will be even faster. From my little break I've seen that the longer sessions come back quickly and the fast stuff takes awhile longer to come back.

Gordon: interesting struggle trying to rate down. I find I can do 17 or 18 (my normal is 20) spm but I have to push with the legs hard and I worry about form being less than ideal when trying to go too strong. Going at a faster SPM for me and a similar push my pace is faster but I tire quickly. Maybe small changes is a better to try and get to the goal than a jump of 3-4 spms at a time.

BPP 15.3
3 x 10' r/2'
2:13.9 r 20
I setup the workout wrong and didn't realize it until after the first one when the PM wasn't counting down the rest period. I think I got it sorted and off again pretty close to the proper rest time, so no real harm done. I was happy with today's session, which probably means I'm going just a hair too easy on these.

[JohnAd]

Ben, a PB done the hard way is still a PB, great work. Those intervals look pretty punishing too, well done for pushing on the last one.

Tim, sounds like it's all starting to click, keep those gains coming.

Gordon, my reading of Pete's advice when he says concentrate on rate is not to go slowly just to row as efficiently as posible, for you that may be at a higher rating, so lowest PE for a given pace.

Sanz, not an easy session for your first interval back, great results to be only 0.5 off.

Paul, very nice 750s, when do you start to really feel it on those, I start to feel it after about the 3rd interval so to keep pushing for 7 more is hard.n Some solid SS from you too.

Mike, very strong pyramid, you'll be back to your peak in no time.

PP07Lite 2.1 8x625 1'r
Target 1:48.2 average
01:48.8 r28
01:48.8 r27
01:48.8 r27
01:48.8 r27
01:48.7 r27
01:48.7 r27
01:47.8 r27
01:46.4 r29
Avg 1:48.4 r27 MHR 172

Phew, that was a session, the 1'r keeps it short and not so sweet. The blood donation seems to not be changing things too much but hamstrings are still a bit DOMSy from some kettlebell work last week.

[JohnAd]

the PP5KT is for a newbie mate

Yes I saw that, I'm not training for anything in particular at the moment so it suits me to just have 3 short sessions written down to follow. I may mix it up again in the new year if I carry on having very slow recovery from strength work, I may need to switch to a more SS based plan for my rowing days.