Pete Plan 2017

[gooseflight]

I love this polarization.

Just to clarify, The Pete Plan is many things but it is not a polarized plan as that term is generally understood. A polarized training plan comprises 80% low-intensity; 0% medium-intensity; 20% high-intensity. In the early stages of a polarized plan high intensity work may be even less than 20%.

[JohnAd]

Mike, pre-xmas time was on abbreviated rest but admittedly at a slightly shorter distance of 4x1350, my SS over the holidays felt good and I was doing it faster than during the PP without much impact on HR so it is a bit odd that the endurance intervals feel so hard at slower paces, given I made such good gains in that area with the PP maybe that it the first thing to go if you don't do it. the gym erg is clanking a bit but that's clutching at straws.

Rowan, welcome. Yes the Pete plan is light of pacing advice and the amount of effort to put into each session depends a bit on how many sessions you're going to do each week and what else you're doing. I did it a few years ago and did 3 session a week and nothing else and did each one hard, that is steady pacing and ending each row with a big finish and using the average for the next one. Sounds like you're doing running as well so won't be wanting to go quite so hard on every session. The pacing advice going forward does assume some quite big gains coming at least in part from improving basic cardio fitness which you might not see but you should see quite a lot of improvement coming through on technique and sport specific fitness. So a very long way of saying, what you're doing seems fine, I think I'd say try and do the plan at a consistent/sustainable PE and use the HR as confirmation of PE rather than the primary measure.

[mdpfirrman]

Thanks Mike!

I used the first session, a 5K steady state, to set a baseline pace. The BPP is light on pacing advice. I turned in an average hr of mid point of UT2, not UT1 (I've edited my post). Is that about right at this stage, given that these sessions increase to 12K over time, or should I be in UT1 territory? Anyone?

This question relates back to what was being discussed about polarization. I am a firm believer in polarization and periodization both. As Roy mentions, though, the PP truly isn't a polarization plan. I prefer to be UT2 when I do my SS work in the "offseason". When approaching racing season (I only do indoor racing so my races are coming up soon), I don't mind being more in UT1 during my SS rows. Once my races are over, I'll probably extend the distances of my SS rows and slow them down a bit. Also, to try to do more of a polarization workout, last year I "borrowed" from the PP and kept the same days, but lessened the number of intervals and increased the pace - for example - 4 X 500 or 2 X 2000. Honestly, my fastest PP times (full PP times) were subsequently right after doing a polarization plan similar to this.

The idea of the PP (in my opinion) is race sharpening. PP is more like 40% hard / 30% easy and 30% moderately hard (to me). Not ideal for polarization training but you could modify it to be more easy rowing during your SS days and perhaps make it more like 40% / 60% or extend your SS rows more and perhaps make it 30% hard / 70% easy but that's probably as much as you'll approach a true polarization plan. That is part of the reason I like to keep the TT day (my 6K fail I mentioned above) relatively short normally. People also tend to forget that warmups and cool downs also have to be considered. I usually do at least 1500m each day I have intervals (more on my speed interval days). When considering polarization, you have to consider warm ups / cool downs.

[McKenzie]

I love this polarization.

Just to clarify, The Pete Plan is many things but it is not a polarized plan as that term is generally understood. A polarized training plan comprises 80% low-intensity; 0% medium-intensity; 20% high-intensity. In the early stages of a polarized plan high intensity work may be even less than 20%.

Thanks for clarifying. I will of course let my collegue know -since he gave me the idea it was

[Slacker]

Lots of new faces. Welcome everyone.

I started BPP 18.1 today with an 11k row. I was feeling sluggish in general today, so I started slow and eased into it. Ended up with @2:13.9 average. My Bluetooth connection running ErgData dropped out less than 2k in so I didn't get the detailed data.

[Street]

Welcome on board Rowan!

Good work on the 12k Tim, that's one I'm not looking forward to next week. The 10km this week seemed positively short compared to the previous weeks 11k.

Couple more interval sessions for me this week before my recovery row tonight. I really need to get back into the swing of rowing in the mornings but haven't had the motivation to drag myself out of bed earlier on my first week back at work when it's freezing cold!

BPP 19.2 5x800m/r3' Target 1:53.3
14:56.3 / 4,000m / 1:52.0 / 26
3:01.0 / 800m / 1:53.1 / 27
3:01.0 / 800m / 1:53.1 / 26
3:00.8 / 800m / 1:53.0 / 26
3:00.5 / 800m / 1:52.8 / 26
2:53.0 / 800m / 1:48.1 / 27

Really wanted to hit closer to 1:45 on the last rep but faded badly after 40 secs and had to slow down.

BPP 19.3 3x10'/r2'
30:00.0 / 7,526m / 1:59.5 / 24
10:00.0 / 2,499m / 2:00.0 / 24
10:00.0 / 2,504m / 1:59.8 / 24
10:00.0 / 2,523m / 1:58.9 / 24

[jackarabit]

@ McKenzie: Marston's is a continuous plan, all elements of high, low and moderate intensity being engaged in during the course of one week's time and then repeated ad nauseum or 8-12 weeks building to a competition, whichever comes first.

Polarized training is usually defined [Seilor] as avoiding the "black hole" of undifferentiated and counterproductive intensity centered on the anaerobic threshold ("doing the slow stuff too fast and the fast stuff too slow") by attempting to maintain a 4:1 (80:20) ratio of low intensity distance work to high intensity speed work (the poles or extremes of the training continuum).

Periodized training or block periodization allots a block of time each to aerobic base building, strength-endurance, and speed. Pete Plan can be, and should be, considered as the final block of an unstated periodization scheme--the "sharp end" of a long training "stick"."

[Rowan McSheen]

Good grief, this thread (like many of the blokes on it) doesn't hang around does it?

JohnAd: you're right, I don't want to overdo it because of the running, which is my main activity. As you say, I've got good cardio fitness already from decades of running.

Today: BPP week 1 3rd session, 5,000m. From Mr Marston's spiel: hold same pace as previous 5K, even as possible and no faster, focus on stroke. All done, although pace was fractionally faster at 2:13.3 vs 2:13.6 previously. Hr was lower at 118 average and peak 127 (vs 119 and 134 previously). 21-22 spm. Felt easy. My UT2 band is 110-130 so I still suspect I might be undercooking it but will be cautious for the time being as the steady states get longer.

Enjoying reading the stuff others are doing, excellent motivation!

[Litewait]

BPP 20.4 10,000m DF125

44:55.3 10,000m 2:14.7 143 26 143
9:06.9 2,000m 2:16.7 137 25 129
9:05.8 4,000m 2:16.4 138 25 136
9:01.4 6,000m 2:15.3 141 26 143
9:01.8 8,000m 2:15.4 141 26 146
8:39.3 10,000m 2:09.8 160 28 162

Supposed to be SS (recovery) but saw that I was in good shape to break 45'. Two days in a row bettered my best.

@gordon - saw your post yesterday that's what made me push it. I broke 45' I guess time for you to break 44'

[Rod]

I'm not following the Pete Plan as such but doing some of its sessions on a weekly repeat basis in the build up to my next 2k race at the English Championships on the 4th of February so here's tonight's result;

5 x 750.3:30r. All static starts.

1) 1:45.2
2) 1:45.2
3) 1:45.1
4) 1:44.8
5) 1:43.6
Average...1:44.8.....37spm. Drag factor 130.

A full second per 500 faster than last weeks so happy with that.

[mudgeg]

Tim - great row indeed. I was going to do 16.4 tonight which is an optional 10k but after a long day plus three days of the BPP in a row, I decided against it. Regretting that now as a minor family crisis means I'm out until Monday which I wasn't expecting. My PB is 44:05.4 @2:12.2 in Week 13, which still grates as I didn't know I was so close to sub 44.

You're getting so close, I am going to have to go for it on Monday but which time I will at least have had three days rest.

[mdpfirrman]

Too much as always to catch up. Ben - you're getting faster. 2:13 is pretty fast for that distance starting out "easy". Rod - you're a beast for a lightweight at your young age! Tim - you and Gordon are both getting much faster. I'll have to step on the gas soon to stay ahead of both of you. Nice 5K Rowan! I still focus on stroke. I did 10K today and after two years was finding myself thinking, "is my stroke decent?". Always good to think mechanics and improvement. Andy - strong as ever. Your longer work, though, is slightly better than your power for now. If you work on power I think you'd kill it. I think your cardio is very good already.

Today was just a SS row for me. The misses is sick so I ran to the store to get the ingredients for my homemade chicken noodle for her (I married a looker because I could cook! - way above my pay grade). Made my time short at the gym. Went to my "other" gym today - it's a busier one and the rower sits right in the middle of nearly everything. At my other gym, you're near the front door but kind of tucked away in the corner. This rower sits in the middle of a large LA Fitness right in the middle of all the weight equipment with the upper balcony of all treadmills and ellipticals looking down on you. I inevitably go faster at this gym as all the eyes are looking at the guy sweating profusely on the rower. I know they are all thinking, "I thought the rower was just for warming up to lift....", thus why it's in the weight section, not the cardio section at my gym. While I try to focus on my monitor, you can feel eyes staring at you on the rower when you row for around 50 minutes harder. Anyway, 10K @ 2:09 (and that was stopping twice to adjust my headphones).

[Street]

Andy - strong as ever. Your longer work, though, is slightly better than your power for now. If you work on power I think you'd kill it. I think your cardio is very good already.

I seem to struggle with the power and can't get below about 1:48 for any sort of reasonable distance. It probably doesn't help that I usually alternate climbing and lifting in the evenings and row in the mornings. I've been trying to concentrate on technique too by going strapless for warms ups and recoveries which should hopefully help.

Hardest row I have ever finished by a mile in all my rowing life.

Nicely done!

[Rod]

PP5kT @ 7k hard

2 weeks ago did 6500m @ 2:06.5 so today same pace and finish close as possible to that average.

That hurt and the wife said are you ok, couldn't speak after it but I finished it and only .1 off the ave from the 6500m 2 weeks ago.

29:33.5 @ 7000m @ 2:06.6/24

No rest still heaps of work to do, straight on to week 5 tomorrow with a steady then 10 x 750m/1'r on Sunday then it's a rest day.

Hardest row I have ever finished by a mile in all my rowing life.

Great effort Paul well done mate, you're coming along nicely and if you are digging that deep it will pay off for you well done. Good luck with the 750's a big push there will give your fitness another step forward.

[mdpfirrman]

Nice work Paul, quickly getting fit. Sometimes the pain is part of the process! Afterward, you feel a sense of accomplishment, though.