Pete Plan Thread

[rascott]

Hi guys

Ive read the Pete Plan site a few times and it all makes sense...apart from the pacing of the speed pyramid session. ...do you take the average pace of the previous pyramid speed session and then go flat out just for the last 250m interval? (Same as you do on the 8x500?).

Or

Pete talks about going faster if you can for the whole second half of the session...so does that mean go at your previous average pace for 250-1000, then go as fast as possible for the 750/500/250?

Which is it?

Thanks

[harrythehamster]

Well, I've never done PP, but have seen here almost all kind of pacing for the speed pyramid.

if it is any help, this is what Mike Caviston has said:

I invented 8 x 500m (and
its Level 1 variations like 4 x 1K and the 250/500/750/1000/750/500/250 pyramid). We were doing them
at Michigan the first week the Model B (and the metric PM1) was released. [If anybody else
independently invented those workouts, they are Alfred Russel Wallace while I am Charles Darwin.]

I use the same approach for other Level 1 workouts (5 x 750m and the Pyramid). That is, I negative- or
even-split each individual piece. I don’t do the Pyramid often enough to have developed what I believe
would be an ideal strategy, but I do it roughly like this:
250m) fast as I can
500m) about the same as my best 8 x 500m pace
750m) about a second slower than that
1000m) about another half second slower than that (i.e., the 750m)
750m) faster than the first 750m
500m) faster than the first 500m
250m) fast as I can
In the end, my best Pyramid average will end up about half a second slower than my best 8 x 500m
average.

[warnie]

Finished my second week of BPP with a 10K row (my first in 14 years!!) at 45:35 even though that wasn't in the plan, I wanted to try and see where my fitness was after 3 weeks back.

Ended the week with 3 8 minute sets

1st 1826 at 2:11.4
2nd 1841 at 2:10.3
3rd 1846 at 2:10.2

even sets and definitely a lot further along than I'd expected by the end of the second week.

[jbhop5857]

Nice Job Warnie, those gains should come quickly on that plan. Nice Job....

David

[jackarabit]

@ H The H: Harry, the Pete Planners from 2016 got on my case for bookending the speed interval pyramid with all-in 250s. Said I should curb pace on the way “up” and turn on the afterburners only after the 1k. Delay of lactate production was a big shibboleth with us as I recall, a rule which we zealously enforced on each other. Hilarious that Caviston, now more or less relegated to the list of what ain’t happening now, should have the last word!

[rascott]

I’m still not clear. Does the pyramid session have a target price based on the previous pyramid session average? Like with the other interval sessions in the plan?

[jbhop5857]

It is my understanding that the pyramid is the same as the others. The average is from the previous attempt. Everything but the last 250 should be at that pace. But, that is just my understanding. I have, in the past, done the 250.500.1k,750 at the same pace and then tried to beat the last sessions 500 and 250 on the way down.

David

[RayOfSunshine]

BPP 17.2 8x500 2r
Target 1:54.3 on 1st 7, all out on 8

1) 1:54.0 @ 28spm
2) 1:53.9 @ 26spm
3) 1:53.8 @ 28spm
4) 1:53.6 @ 28spm
5) 1:53.6 @ 24spm (intentionally tried to keep SPM down low while maintaining pace --- tweaked lower back )
6) 1:53.8 @ 27spm (focused on form trying to be smooth)
7) 1:53.8 @ 28spm (still angry at myself, but the pain was lessened)
8) 1:50.4 @ 33spm (I knew I couldn't go all out, but I decided to keep my SPM over 30 the entire time)

Ended with a 1:53.3 average, so I'm happy overall. However, my back has tightened up big time. The next 2 workouts aren't overly taxing, so hopefully I'll feel good enough to go. If not, it's not a big deal like it was when I injured myself early on in the BPP.

[JerekKruger]

It is my understanding that the pyramid is the same as the others. The average is from the previous attempt. Everything but the last 250 should be at that pace. But, that is just my understanding. I have, in the past, done the 250.500.1k,750 at the same pace and then tried to beat the last sessions 500 and 250 on the way down.

Good to see you back David!

As I understand it Pete suggests using the same average pace for all intervals up to and including the 1000m, then you can start to pick up the pace on your way back down. I'd be careful of going too much faster on the second 750m though, as that's usually the interval that feels the hardest for me.

[rascott]

Thanks Tom and everyone else. I’ll go with the pick up the pace approach on the 750 onwards and see how I get on

[JerekKruger]

My advice with the second 750m is to row at least the first 500m as though you're aiming for the same average and only up the pace in the final 250m (or even less). Be too ambitious and you can easily HD on that interval.

[jbhop5857]

Good Day,
Thanks for the Welcome Back Tom!! Love this group.
For those that are new, I thought I would re introduce myself. I am 39 years old, 6ft and 225 lbs or so. (I was 285 this time last year). I was an athlete in college and like many other fell off the wagon after. Well, the wagon drove over me a few time. I have rowed on and off for a couple of years, but made a committment last fall and was able to nicely improve my 2k time. I hurt my back the week after my first race this year picking up my little guy. Took a solid month off and then rowed for March mostly steady state but stopped as the back started acting up again. Took a couple weeks off and eased nicely into it. Feel great now and started the Pete Plan again today.
Probably the most interesting thing about me is that I am a fat burner. My daily carb intake is under 20g while Protein and Fat g's can easily be 200 a day. This is mostly a mental decision than physical, but I will take that side effect.
I have two major goals this ranking season (don't laugh)
1. <6:30 2k
2. <2:45:00 FM

I completed 6 rounds of the Pete Plan last time and this time will do it until I am unable to decrease time (plateau).

There are other benchmarks in between, but that is the spectrum. I have an absolutely ridiculous amount of work to do to get these done, but I like the challengeC

Anyway, if you have any other questions about me, please ask. I will always be honest with my training pros and cons and am by no means an expert at ANYTHING.

Cycle 1/ Week 1/ Day 1
5k SS @ 2:03 - This was suppose to be a sprint day but my bigger guy had some issues at school I needed to deal with and I ran out of time. Wed will be 4x2k.

Have a great day,

David

[warnie]

Well week 3 has begun on the BPP. I had hoped to row yesterday but I have a sore throat and although it hasn't developed into a full blown cough (yet) it is restricting my breathing so very pleased I managed the 6k tonight.

BPP 3.1 6K 27:16.9 - Season Best by 5 seconds so can't ask for more than that tonight. a)I finished and b)bettered my previous 6k time

Despite the lung/breathing it felt good.

[Street]

I'm back on the PP this week after a week off doing some easier SS rows. I was feeling a bit jaded after a few cycles so thought an easy week was in order!

PP 1.1 8x500 3'30r. Target 1:47.8
1:47.2 / 4,000m / 28
1:47.6 / 500m / 27
1:47.7 / 500m / 28
1:47.6 / 500m / 28
1:47.6 / 500m / 28
1:47.6 / 500m / 28
1:47.7 / 500m / 28
1:47.5 / 500m / 28
1:44.8 / 500m / 29

[mdpfirrman]

You guys are making me want to join in perhaps in a couple weeks... Let me get my legs back under me after the flu and vacation. Maybe two or so weeks and I'll see how bad my fitness has gotten! It would be fun for a round even if I'm not at top form.

@ Street - that's pretty solid if uninspired! David - glad you're feeling great again!

@ Ray - careful with those sprints. Perhaps (and I could be wrong) but those shorter workouts can kill the lower back if you're not starting with your legs -- experience talking here! It's tempting to shorten the stroke and load the back. Good job on the pyramid!