Tactic For Rowing a PB

[jvander76]

I figure this is a sport where many of us basically compete with ourselves. Try to just be as good as we can be. That said, I want to be at least in the 70th to 75th percentile for my age group. I'm wondering how others approach an effort to improve their PB. I'll use a 5K as an example. Right now, my PB pace for 5K is 2:03.3. Next time let's say I want to shoot for 2:03 or better. I would start out at a roughly 2:05 pace. Then, about 1/3 into the row, I assess how I'm feeling. If I feel like I have the juice, I adjust to about 2:04. Then another assessment about 2/3 in to my row to see if I can make a further push. I figure I can make up anywhere from half a second to a full second on my avg pace over the last 1K by gutting it out. Is this a normal (rational...advisable...choose your adjective) approach? As I said, this is a solitary endeavor for me so I'd be interested to hear how others go about it. Maybe there's a better way. Im sure it's going to hurt no matter what the approach may be.

[JaapvanE]

I figure I can make up anywhere from half a second to a full second on my avg pace over the last 1K by gutting it out. Is this a normal (rational...advisable...choose your adjective) approach?

I can't speak for a common appeoach, but my approach is different. I train a certain pace in intervals about once a week (say 2:00 in 5 x 1K intervals). Then, when I'm confident, I'll skip the pauses in between and row a 5K at that pace. Typically, I start a bit slower (say 2:01) and end a bit faster (say 1:58) but I aim for a steady pace as it is more efficient than trying to make up for lost time.

[ampire]

I'd do a few shorter distance pace predictor workouts that are reasonably easy to recover from, for example if doing 2K, the 8x500 and get a feel for what types of pace I can put out, then adjust accordingly.

For the actual attempt I'd use a negative split strategy and use a conservative starting pace, maybe +1 or +2 above finishing pace.

I also use the lactate band spreadsheet to get an idea of pacing for other distances.

[jamesg]

I'm wondering how others approach an effort to improve their PB.

After warmup start easy smooth and relaxed at same pace as last time, then harden slightly for the last k.

This is training, but gives you a PB every time. 5ks are a very useful exercise and offer lots of experience if we separate mind and muscle, useful in 2k when racing too.

[Tsnor]

Driving to PBs is a good strategy.

An alternative strategy is to drive to 95% efforts, and build a trend of improving 95% efforts.

Advantages of a 95% vs a 100% PB strategy...
1. you can do 95% runs 2-3 times a week if you want. 100% pieces are brutal.
2. you don't need to worry as much about optimal sleep, fluid consumption, warmup, taper, etc
3. maybe 95% is better for you than 100%. Some weight lifters don't focus on 1 rep max anymore in workouts even though they are targeting 1 rep max in competition.
4. less angst over a bad 95% effort. More "i could do one more if I needed to" on short intervals.
5. the trend of 95% efforts tells you if your training plan is working just as well as PBs.

Disadvantages...
1. Anything competitive you'd want the 100% effort. Seats in a boat. Splits in a signature. Goals (say getting under 7:00 in 2K).
2. Uncertainly around "was that 95% or really 99% or 90%" make taking credit for a new best 95% effort more difficult. 100% PB has no wiggle room.

[jvander76]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I will try different approaches.

Tsnor, I assume a 95% effort is just a feel in terms of effort...vs hard and fast numbers. To be honest, except perhaps for my final 500m push, I don't think I ever get to 100% effort. I'm not sure I have the courage over a full time or distance to give 100%.

[Tsnor]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I will try different approaches.

Tsnor, I assume a 95% effort is just a feel in terms of effort...vs hard and fast numbers. To be honest, except perhaps for my final 500m push, I don't think I ever get to 100% effort. I'm not sure I have the courage over a full time or distance to give 100%.

If you pace your 5K PB for best time and push the last 500 meters (or maybe last 200) emptying the tank then you are absolutely going 100% effort. Any race longer than 100m needs some pacing. At the end you'll know if the pace was wrong or if you gave it all you've got.

You're right re 95%. Just a feel. I cross check with heart rate, but only long after the workout. I know roughly what split time will kill me and what split will leave my HR above 95% but not max. Determining "really hard but not PB territory" is iterative exploring sort of like finding max heart rate or finding the ideal pace for a PB attempt.

Checking data. I use polar flow. I can see max HR per month for all my training data. I hit 177 beats/sec 3 times in the last 18 months. All 3 were set in races (a 1000m sprint and two 3km head races), none were OTW workouts or erging. The other monthly highs were 169 to 174 and were spread between erging (nov to feb) and OTW practice sessions (mar to oct) with no clear pattern. So the highest HR I hit in an entire non-race month is only 95-98% of max. I wonder if that is optimal or if I should try to hit max HR monthly.

[jvander76]

Thanks for that Tsnor. In my case, I do not know my max HR. I take blood pressure meds. I know that keeps my pressure artificially lower, but I don't know by how much. I use a Polar 10 chest strap and I don't believe I've ever even reached 140. I also think my age (67) limits my max HR somewhat. To be honest, I don't think I want to push it beyond about 140. For me, getting into the mid to high 130's feels like my max. I'll probably just listen to my body.

[aussie nick]

I figure this is a sport where many of us basically compete with ourselves. Try to just be as good as we can be. That said, I want to be at least in the 70th to 75th percentile for my age group. I'm wondering how others approach an effort to improve their PB. I'll use a 5K as an example. Right now, my PB pace for 5K is 2:03.3. Next time let's say I want to shoot for 2:03 or better. I would start out at a roughly 2:05 pace. Then, about 1/3 into the row, I assess how I'm feeling. If I feel like I have the juice, I adjust to about 2:04. Then another assessment about 2/3 in to my row to see if I can make a further push. I figure I can make up anywhere from half a second to a full second on my avg pace over the last 1K by gutting it out. Is this a normal (rational...advisable...choose your adjective) approach? As I said, this is a solitary endeavor for me so I'd be interested to hear how others go about it. Maybe there's a better way. Im sure it's going to hurt no matter what the approach may be.

I have a fear of blowing up on the 5k and up distances and so I'm careful with pacing but even I think this is too conservative.

My pov and approach...go a tiny bit slower than your PR pace and hold that for the first 2/3 of the race and then slowly ramp it up and then go as hard as possible in the final 1k. You already know that you can row at 2.03.3 so you won't have the erg fear rowing a little slower than that. So aim for 2.03.8 for example, then once you get to 3500 commit to yourself that you will never see higher than 2.03 on the screen again but aim for say 2.00 and then 6/700m later commit to never seeing higher than 1.59 on the screen but aim for lower and then in the final 500m empty it out and aim for as fast as you can go.

you'll be surprised how much is there at the end.

then..let's say you PR at 2.00.5 in this tt. Next time, you pace it at 2.01.0 for the first 2/3 etc etc

it might not get you as fast as possible the first time trial, but it'll help you get psychologically 'comfortable' PRs and help you improve incrementally

[jvander76]

Nick, that does seem aggessive to me but I'll give it a shot. I realize that a lot of this is mind over matter. I guess I need to find out just how strong my mind is AND my matter is. Thank you.

[Elizabeth]

I'm wondering how others approach an effort to improve their PB.

After warmup start easy smooth and relaxed at same pace as last time, then harden slightly for the last k.

This is training, but gives you a PB every time. 5ks are a very useful exercise and offer lots of experience if we separate mind and muscle, useful in 2k when racing too.

This is my favorite approach - stick as close as possible to the previous average pace for the first 80% or so, then gradually pick up the pace (maybe 1 second per split, i.e. if you were at 2:03.3/500 then pick it up to mostly 2:02 on the monitor with an occasional 2:03), then throw down the hammer for the last 300m.

You didn't ask, but I'll do a similar approach for new ranked distances. Except, instead of basing it off the previous average, I'll use the FreeSpirits Race Predictor to get a suggested pace for the new distance.

[Tsnor]

I take blood pressure meds. I know that keeps my pressure artificially lower, but I don't know by how much. I use a Polar 10 chest strap and I don't believe I've ever even reached 140. I also think my age (67) limits my max HR somewhat. To be honest, I don't think I want to push it beyond about 140. For me, getting into the mid to high 130's feels like my max. I'll probably just listen to my body.

Next time you see the doc let him know how much you are working out. The doc may be able to reduce the blood pressure meds given you are getting the benefits of sustained exercise. Rowing should be great for this (high blood flow, lots of calories burned, long sustained efforts like your 5K, good conversion of fat to lean muscle). You can also ask your doctor if there is any reason you shouldn't try absolute max workouts to set PBs. Likely they'll say go for it, if there is some reason you shouldn't they'll know (example: ???if there is higher stroke risk with your meds??? -- not a doctor here).

Genetics definitely plays with max heart rate. Your 140 may be your actual max, and may more effectively move blood volume than my 177. Knowing 140 is max or near max if you work more than 3 times/week keep all but 2 of your efforts less than 100 (70%) which will feel really slow/easy. 140 bpm is a reasonable max HR even without beta blockers. Age costs you about 0.7 bpm per year so you may have had a max of 170 in your 30s (again a reasonable HR) or you may have had higher and the blood pressure meds are lowering it.

Progressive overload is how you make gains. Not too heavy an overload, just continually add more than you are doing. Two ways to add progressive overload ... more watts or more duration. After a while there is only one way to add overload -- more duration because you can't add any more intensity/watts. So if adding wattage/lowering splits during your hard workouts feels wrong then add more duration.

GL and enjoy.