Pete Plan 2017

[nhopkins]

BPP 4.1: 6.500m

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal S/M HR
28:06.4 6,500m 2:09.7 160 851 18 173

5:37.1 1,300m 2:09.6 161 852 19 160
5:35.7 2,600m 2:09.1 163 859 18 171
5:38.4 3,900m 2:10.1 159 846 17 175
5:42.8 5,200m 2:11.8 153 825 17 175
5:32.5 6,500m 2:07.8 167 875 18 188

Goal was 2:08, but below 2:10 so I won't complain.

Nice work @jans

[jans]

@nhopkins: thx!

BPP 4.2: 3 x 1.000m/3R


Time Meters Pace Watts Cal S/M HR
11:45.7 3,000m 1:57.6 215 1039 20

3:49.1 1,000m 1:54.5 233 1100 23 112
3:58.8 1,000m 1:59.4 206 1007 19 116
3:57.7 1,000m 1:58.8 208 1016 19 177

BAM! All below 2:00 with legs that were killing me before I even got started But man o man, those people that row 10k with like 1:43...

[Street]

I thought I'd check back in here after a few months absence for a bit of motivation. It's good to see some new people cracking on and setting some decent times!

After a frustrating summer I'm hoping to get back on the PP in a week. My rowing has been sporadic since about May as after getting my achilles sorted, I managed to damage an A2 pulley in my finger. Along with holidays and colds getting in the way I haven't had a consistent run at anything. I've done the odd session to keep me ticking over but my times are well down so I'm hoping to push on from October and get back to where I was!

[mitchel674]

I just finished my first week of basic PP, and I'm looking forward to week #2. I'm a little disappointed in my pace today for the second 5k of the week. I was only able to row at 2:15. Perhaps just an off day for me. My first 5k earlier this week was at 2:10 with similar SR of 25.

[jans]

BPP 4.3: 6.500m

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal S/M HR
29:23.5 6,500m 2:15.6 140 782 18 166

5:39.4 1,300m 2:10.5 157 841 18 157
5:47.9 2,600m 2:13.8 146 802 17 157
5:49.8 3,900m 2:14.5 144 794 17 163
6:07.7 5,200m 2:21.4 124 725 18 174
5:58.8 6,500m 2:18.0 133 758 19 181

This was terrible... I had no energy what so ever (mentally and physically) I also tried the seat pad for the first time, but my bum is killing me more than ever

But, still did the meters

[Street]

Good work for pushing on despite being shattered, we all have those days sometimes but at least you still got the metres in!

[Anth_F]

Exactly^^

Don't be hard on yourself saying it's terrible! You got through it which is the most important part from a mental aspect.

There was a youtube video posted recently by Dark Horse Rowing talking about not stopping when you feel exhausted... instead just drop off the pace and keep going and regroup with soft strokes if you must, and you did.

There will be plenty other good days to come

Strange the seat pad makes butt worse? I love my seat pad... so comfy, albeit usually soaked in sweat afterwards

[jans]

Thanks for the support guys!

I think because of the pad, my position wasn't good anymore (feet to high > leaning to much backwards), causing me to "hipswing" over the wrong part of my behind. Will try to adjust that. Tomorrow or Friday: BPP 5.1 > 7k

[nhopkins]

trouble.....

So last wee i was doing BPP4.4 6000m, and something happened...

The following isn't all that petes planish so skip now ill get back on track shortly

2 years ago i ruptured all the ligaments in my left knee, resulting in emergency surgery and a 8 month period in bed pretty much. after inviting a small fortune in physiotherapy and then a gym for my house to rehab at home i was on a good track. being laid up so long i managed to put on a lot of weight (70+ lbs) with the added bonus of some new depression (i had never experienced before). but things were going well. through my recovery i fell acouple more times and at that point the doctor diagnosed me as severely hyper mobile (super loose joints) and with all the time on my back my muscles had shrunk in my left leg to the point they were almost non existent. now Ive also been diagnosed with severe patella pain syndrome because the unbalanced muscles in my legs.

well with that preamble out of the way BPP4.4 6000 m at 2:07 pace....

28:16.0 6,000m 2:21.3 124 726 19
2:15.0 500m 2:15.0 142 789 20
2:10.1 1,000m 2:10.1 159 846 19
2:10.2 1,500m 2:10.2 159 845 18
2:10.6 2,000m 2:10.6 157 840 18
2:18.8 2,500m 2:18.8 131 750 18
2:14.1 3,000m 2:14.1 145 799 18
2:22.2 3,500m 2:22.2 122 718 20
2:21.0 4,000m 2:21.0 125 729 19
2:44.2 4,500m 2:44.2 79 572 19
2:22.5 5,000m 2:22.5 121 716 19
2:39.1 5,500m 2:39.1 87 599 20
2:28.1 6,000m 2:28.1 108 670 21

The first pull felt weird I couldn't engage my legs with out pain (pain i normal in my life these days) but i fought though it barely making it to the finish with a horrendous time

so i took a couple days off tried to regroup get my self back physically and mentally, but i found i had nothing left. due to my injury i am now a stay at home dad with a 1yr old girl. I spent th week just barely being able to look after her let alone myself.

today i decided i had to get back on the ERG

BPP 5.1 7000m @ 2:07

31:35.0 7,000m 2:15.3 141 785 21
2:07.3 500m 2:07.3 170 883 20
2:06.4 1,000m 2:06.4 173 896 19
2:06.4 1,500m 2:06.4 173 896 19
2:06.1 2,000m 2:06.1 175 900 19
2:13.8 2,500m 2:13.8 146 802 19
2:14.8 3,000m 2:14.8 143 791 20
2:21.0 3,500m 2:21.0 125 729 21
2:16.7 4,000m 2:16.7 137 771 21
2:20.4 4,500m 2:20.4 126 735 23
2:25.7 5,000m 2:25.7 113 689 21
2:15.9 5,500m 2:15.9 139 779 23
2:27.4 6,000m 2:27.4 109 676 25
2:14.9 6,500m 2:14.9 143 790 25
2:18.2 7,000m 2:18.2 133 756 25

started off strong but quickly my knee started to track funny and then it became a battle again. even loosing my grip on the handle sending me flying off the back almost. I have spoken to my doctor and physiotherapist and they both feel i am in fine shape to row and have even gone over the BPP with them. It is sooo frustrating to have all the want but no ability

I guess i just have to keep pushing through this I wasn't going to post these times as they are super embarrassing but i figure its all part of getting better.

anyways sorry for the long post

@jans good work!! your making some decent times I'm sure the pain with upside with more practice

welcome aboard @mitchel674

[jans]

@nhopkins: wow, what a story! I think it's important to keep in mind that were just a couple of guys trying to get (back) into shape, trying to improve on every step we take, rather than paid professionals. Who cares if we have some 2:15's after only a couple of months rowing?! Some competition is fun and imo useful, but let's just enjoy it for the long run most of all.

Anyhow, I hope you can get back on the track you picture yourself at soon!

[mitchel674]

@nhopkins is there some sort of a brace you could wear while rowing to help stabilize your patella and knee? This might only be temporary while you continue to work to strengthen the muscles supporting your knee. Obviously your first concern at this point would be to avoid injury.

I'm in the middle of week #2. 5500m row went pretty well. I've been focusing on slowing my rate and trying to increase power. My normal comfortable rate has always been 25. I rowed this 5500m piece at 21 and 2:14. The four 750m intervals were done at 21 and 2:09. I'm curious to see where I settle in for the next 5500m later this week.

[mdpfirrman]

@ nhopkins - as someone that did something similar to what you're talking about and experienced drastic atrophy as well, you can get better. I did the same thing at 41. Didn't have an ACL at the time and was stupid enough to be coaching basketball. Blew out the rest of the ligaments and shredded the meniscus off the bone (think Shaun Livingston's injury when his knee crumbled on the layup! -- that was me). I waited two months just for them to decide if they wanted to do an ACL repair or a complete knee replacement. Took two surgeries. After the first one, the doc told me I had the worst knee injury he'd seen that year and he was a guy that did 3 surgeries a day! He said on the operating table that every time he tried to bend my knee, it dislocated. Lucky for me, at 41 (being 12 years ago), I was too young for a knee replacement at that time (they only lasted 15 years back then). So my doc replaced the ACL and hoped for the best. They also did microfracture surgery (drilling tiny holes in the knee to encourage regrowth).

Long story short. Took a year to slowly learn to put weight on the knee. Not many people have experienced trying to put weight on a knee with no meniscus left. You have nerves in the knee you never knew you had. Excruciating pain to say the least. I walked with a limp for over two years. Ran out of PT appointments covered by insurance without being able to walk. When the doc asked to see me for follow up, he asked to see me try to walk. His comment was that "you're limping so bad you'll ruin your hip". Thanks doc! So it was up to me to learn to walk again on my own. At first, I could barely turn a bike one revolution. Began just walking 10 feet, then 20, 50 and eventually a 100 yards or so at a time. Eventually got to the point where I walked 3 miles a day within a year. Then started back at the gym. Ended up picking up Spinning classes. Decided after four years to see if I could jog without pain (I fell a couple times trying it earlier, one time face planting at my son's soccer game) and to my surprise I could. Ended up going from jogging to running 8 mile trail run races. Ironically, a chronic Runner's Knee condition in my good knee of all things stopped me from running. As a result, I discovered rowing.

I'll never be all that fast. My right leg is still probably 2 inches smaller than the left. I find myself having to tell my body to push equally off of both legs instead of "cheating" to the left leg all the time. My right leg is around 1/2 inch shorter now too. But, I'm in the best shape of my life. Even better than my 20s (when I was stupid and smoked!). I've gone from around a 8 minute 2K to a 7:19 2K and I'm shorter and will be 53 this next month.

This was hard, consistent work over 10 years that got me here. For me, it took having the ability to walk away for me to have a wake up call that I needed to take my health very seriously. You're doing that now and should be proud of yourself every day that you're not wallowing in depression. That's easy to do when you have a long rehabilitation you have to go through. Congrats on your decisions and the initiative you've taken so far. I wish I had discovered rowing earlier.

Oh, I still have the same bad knee but it doesn't cause me much pain (many days no pain) at all. The movement and healthy eating I believe help that a ton. I also take supplements a lot. Fish Oil and Astaxanthin are amazing in combination along with the regulars (chondroitin, MSM, Glucosamine, Boswellia). Lots of creaking still but not much pain. I'll take that anytime.

[nhopkins]

@mdpfirrman Thanks for sharing your experience. most days i find it hard to do much, but i have a daughter that i want to able to do things with so that gives the motivation to push on. I try and keep positive but there are definitely dark days...

@jans & @mitchel674 thanks for the support ill get through it just had a bad week and needed to vent

Today BPP 5.2 4x800m/2r @ 1:59 pace

I got to confident on the first couple rather than pacing my self to start and then push harder not he last couple... I gassed out on the last one but still finished. rather than negative spits i guess you would call this positive splits....

12:34.9 3,200m 1:57.9 213 1033 25
3:03.6 800m 1:54.7 232 1096 25
3:06.6 800m 1:56.6 221 1058 25
3:09.3 800m 1:58.3 211 1026 26
3:15.4 800m 2:02.1 192 960 25

Still happy with the over all time just need to work on not gassing out too early and keep a more even pace.

[nhopkins]

BPP 5.3 7000 m @ 2:07 (BPP5.1 pace 2:15)

Today i decided to slow the pace down and work on consistence and form. I am feeling good today well rested and generally in a good mood so i was hoping i would row well today.

29:50.6 7,000m 2:07.9 167 875 20
2:13.2 500m 2:13.2 148 809 21
2:09.8 1,000m 2:09.8 160 850 20
2:09.7 1,500m 2:09.7 160 851 20
2:09.5 2,000m 2:09.5 161 854 20
2:09.2 2,500m 2:09.2 162 858 19
2:08.9 3,000m 2:08.9 163 862 19
2:08.7 3,500m 2:08.7 164 864 19
2:08.7 4,000m 2:08.7 164 864 19
2:09.1 4,500m 2:09.1 163 859 20
2:08.3 5,000m 2:08.3 166 870 21
2:08.3 5,500m 2:08.3 166 870 20
2:06.0 6,000m 2:06.0 175 901 21
2:01.2 6,500m 2:01.2 197 976 23
2:00.3 7,000m 2:00.3 201 991 23

Very happy with today my goal was sub 2:10 and managed that very well. in the last 1500m i still felt like i had a lot left in the tank so i just went flat out. From last week to today i feel i have learned a ton. I'm still pretty surprised at todays #s, and super happy.

[mitchel674]

Nice work @nhopkins. You should be please with that one. Very consistent at that slower pace and you were still able to finish very strong.

I finished week #2 last night and may just do the optional 20 minute row today before tackling the first 6000m piece of week 3 tomorrow.