Pete Plan Thread

[OtwSL]

Ha Jack, yeah I should have done that!

Street, great to see you! Hopefully, you're staying busy with not being able likely to climb in the Winter! Thanks!

@ Tom - I'm not sure what's next but rowing is still going to be a huge part of my training this year. My longer term goal has been get close to a 7:00 and row at the Crash-Bs when I'm 55. Roughly, that would be put me in the top half of the field, possibly in the top 10 (the Crash-Bs aren't probably even as competitive as the BIRCs, at least top to bottom. It's usually a top heavy event). I plan on enjoying my new Air Dyne Pro, getting back into lifting again. I did lift quite a bit this year but took off during the last round of the PP and did no heavier lifting the first round. I'm considering doing some version of the 10K KB Swings in 30 days, but it might be more like 5K or so or I might build up to that. I think I've got to get stronger to go near 7 flat while still maintaining cardio.

If I had to guess moving forward, my plan will probably look like 3 days of SS work, one day short, fun sprints (on a lift day), one AT day (I might work on my 5K, then 10K and hour times). When I write all of this, it's not like I'm going to be taking it easy. I've been working out hard at lunch for years. I also like to get out of the house (I work from home) on Sundays and go to the gym. So it's a 6 day a week plan for sure. I just want to mix it up more and less structure.

Love this thread. I'll check in from time to time and see how everyone's doing and try not to give advice (unless asked) but more just encourage.

Good luck to you Mike. I'm sure with enough work and dedication, which you've shown you have you could make it down to 7:00 in the long term. Erg on!

[Gaucho1]

Congrats Mike. What a race - really impressive that new PB
Best regards
Dietmar

[RWAGR]

Great work Mike and good sessions all.

Solid pyramid for me today, averaging 1.40.1. According to Pete my target for this is 1.44 (my 2k PB pace). I realize that our collective experience however is that this tends to be conservative and a "good" pyramid pace is typically 2k-2. Indeed, last time I rowed this a few weeks ago was at 1.41.5, so 2k-2.5. So this week was an improvement of 1.5 on my last session and came it at a whopping 2k-3.9. I'm thinking this indicates that I should work up the mental prep for another run at a 2k test soon- be grateful for verification of that from the group (or not as the case may be!).

Session details:

13:20.9 4,000m 1:40.1 34 174

0:49.8 250m 1:39.6 31 155
r: 1:30 73m
1:38.5 500m 1:38.5 34 171
r: 3:00 224m
2:31.2 750m 1:40.8 33 176
r: 4:30 502m
3:25.2 1,000m 1:42.6 32 180
r: 6:00 762m
2:31.5 750m 1:41.0 34 181
r: 4:30 467m
1:39.1 500m 1:39.1 35 180
r: 3:00 170m
0:45.6 250m 1:31.2 41 177
r2,198m

[JerekKruger]

Very nice pyramid Rob. My best effort on that workout was an average of 1:39.6 so I'd say 2s faster than your 2k isn't a bad metric. I suspect that, if you've got more mental strength/pain tolerance than me, you might be able to get it closer than that. Sub 6:50 certainly seems like a reasonable target to shoot for, but perhaps wait and see how the next 4x1000 goes (that's always the one I pay most attention to).

[RWAGR]

@Tom- thanks as ever. How closely does your 4x1k PB correlate to your 2k PB? Part of me feels like all these pyramids and interval sessions are just poodle faking, and we would all be better placed just to suck it up and actually DO more 2k tests during our training sessions. Would certainly reduce the (irrational) element of fear of them which seems to apply only to the 2k because we give it this undeserved mystical status in our minds.

Anyway, ignoring my deep thoughts above, 4x1k is my next sprint session but unfortunately it will (AGAIN) fall when I am traveling long distance to Asia, which always buggers up my workouts. Even when I don't *feel* too jet lagged, a time difference of 12+ hrs, 20 hrs in the air each way, an unfamiliar gym, and working hard always mean I severely under perform by 2-5'' on splits for basically any erg session I do. Anyone else find erging on the road to be significantly tougher?

[RayOfSunshine]

Decided to go back and do the optional session I missed last week. BPP Week 6.5, 6x500 r2'

I wasn't sure where to pace myself, but I decided to strap in and go for sub 2'. It said to watch out going to fast due to Mr. Lactic Acid. I averaged 1:56.6 (sr 28) and did not run into Mr. Lactic Acid. However, I did run into OMG Your Cardio Is Awful guy. I was a little dizzy after the final 500. I didn't have anything left in the tank.

I'm thinking about waiting on the 10k TT until I get to that in the BPP (about 4 weeks). For the 2k TT, I'm thinking I'll do 10 hard pulls to get the adrenaline out of the way then try to settle in a 2' pace. I'll probably do that in about 2 weeks. I want to do some more while I'm strapped in. My average sr was 28 and it normally is around 22-23. It was erratic though. I was fastest in the 30's, but my cardio kicked my butt and I'd have to muscle it at a lower sr.

[JerekKruger]

@Rob - hard to say exactly as it's the session I've most often HDed on. I generally read it as "if I can hold a split for 4x1000m then I should definitely be able to hold it (or faster) for 2k".

[mitchel674]

BPP week 20 starts with 12,000m steady state row. Certainly the longest I've every rowed. Supposed to start at a slow pace and gradually increase after 6km. I opted to go out at 2:!5 for the first half but never really made it much faster. My average for the entire piece was only 2:14.4

[paule23]

BPP week 20 starts with 12,000m steady state row. Certainly the longest I've every rowed. Supposed to start at a slow pace and gradually increase after 6km. I opted to go out at 2:!5 for the first half but never really made it much faster. My average for the entire piece was only 2:14.4

I wouldn't worry, that's about my average for 4K at the mo and I'm about 10 years younger than you!

[Erik A]

that 12k was looking pretty far and i probably psyched myself out as i did with the BPP in its entirety. i did a 50 min session on friday night and when i looked at the meters at the end i had knocked out 12100 (i dont show meters rowed when im doing a time workout) at a split of 2:04.2.
I will be back on the BPP when ive done this other program im on. hopefully with no head interference.

[mdpfirrman]

@ Ray - That 500 session is a tough one. On the full PP, you have 3:30 rest. I was doing less rest during my offseason. Less rest builds your cardio. You won't accumulate (I don't think) too much lactate on a 500m workout. Or at least as much as you would on a hard, intermediate workout. Nice work, your cardio will come!

@ Erik - glad you're still going strong. Hope to see you back. I'd love to see what times you could do on a full PP and then a 2K TT!

@ Mitchell - 12K is a long one any way you slice it. Really great just to get through it.

@ Tom/Rob - The faster intervals, to me, are just giving you some idea if you're improving or sitting stagnant. If I went off the "good pace" Pete suggestions, I would have been doing my 500m workouts at 1:44.9 average or so. I wasn't close to that. Your pyramid was very strong, though, Rob. That's a good sign. Just take it for that. I think the middle portion of the pyramid is more important to look at (the 750/1000/750). You will see people dramatically lower their averages with those 250s. I think that middle portion is a decent indicator of where you are on a 2K pace. If that last 750 is stronger, you're probably a bit better than the average.

@ Paule - never worry about pace on here. If I recall, you're recovering from a very bad knee and using the rower to rehab. No one ever criticizes someone on this thread for pace. Effort's the only important thing and sticking to it.

@ Scott - thanks for your confidence - you'll see sub 7 a lot faster than I will! Can't wait for that.

@ Dietmar - Thanks! When is your 5K race?

[rascott]

BPP 13.1 - 10000m

just completed this row...

Per the instructions I rowed the same pace as previous 10000 for 1st 7500 then ramped up the pace...achieved this exactly for 7500 (2.12 pace at around 22 spm) then increased every 1000, 1000 then 500...finished at 1:59 pace at 29 spm

Mike congrats on your race at the weekend

[JerekKruger]

@ Tom - I'm not sure what's next but rowing is still going to be a huge part of my training this year. My longer term goal has been get close to a 7:00 and row at the Crash-Bs when I'm 55. Roughly, that would be put me in the top half of the field, possibly in the top 10 (the Crash-Bs aren't probably even as competitive as the BIRCs, at least top to bottom. It's usually a top heavy event). I plan on enjoying my new Air Dyne Pro, getting back into lifting again. I did lift quite a bit this year but took off during the last round of the PP and did no heavier lifting the first round. I'm considering doing some version of the 10K KB Swings in 30 days, but it might be more like 5K or so or I might build up to that. I think I've got to get stronger to go near 7 flat while still maintaining cardio.

If I had to guess moving forward, my plan will probably look like 3 days of SS work, one day short, fun sprints (on a lift day), one AT day (I might work on my 5K, then 10K and hour times). When I write all of this, it's not like I'm going to be taking it easy. I've been working out hard at lunch for years. I also like to get out of the house (I work from home) on Sundays and go to the gym. So it's a 6 day a week plan for sure. I just want to mix it up more and less structure.

Sounds good and I'm glad you mention including one AT day given what you said about AT being your weakness. I'm thinking of changing my focus to strength for a while as well. Been getting various one sided niggles (left shoulder, right hip etc.) and I think I could benefit from some corrective unilateral work as well as generally improving my strength and weight a bit. Similar to you I'll keep erging but it'll be put on the back burner a bit.

@ Tom/Rob - The faster intervals, to me, are just giving you some idea if you're improving or sitting stagnant. If I went off the "good pace" Pete suggestions, I would have been doing my 500m workouts at 1:44.9 average or so. I wasn't close to that. Your pyramid was very strong, though, Rob. That's a good sign. Just take it for that. I think the middle portion of the pyramid is more important to look at (the 750/1000/750). You will see people dramatically lower their averages with those 250s. I think that middle portion is a decent indicator of where you are on a 2K pace. If that last 750 is stronger, you're probably a bit better than the average.

One thing I always pay attention to on these sessions is how how the pace changes throughout. If I get a good average but it's based on really fast early intervals and the later ones slow down I tend to assume I'm a little slower than if I pull the same average with negatively split intervals.

Totally agree that the middle 750/1000/750 say a lot for the pyramid. For me that second 750m is always the hardest (not the 1000m strangely).

[RayOfSunshine]

BPP 13.1 - 10000m

just completed this row...

Per the instructions I rowed the same pace as previous 10000 for 1st 7500 then ramped up the pace...achieved this exactly for 7500 (2.12 pace at around 22 spm) then increased every 1000, 1000 then 500...finished at 1:59 pace at 29 spm

Mike congrats on your race at the weekend

What was your average overall pace? Sounds like you crushed that workout!

[rascott]

Hi Ray - average pace was 2:11.5 so a new PB for me...previous best was 2:12.8