Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[istro]

Thanks @mitchel674 and @RayOfSunshine!

Week 12 workouts done. For my second steady row of that week, I tried to keep the heart rate under 150 (couldn’t resist and sprinted last 500m). I think I’ll try doing that with longer rows, just for a change

Alright, that’s half-way through BPP!
60 workouts to go for the first run-through to be done. 39 days in a year remaining. Let’s go!

[aegis]

I've replaced the SS rows in BPP with either 60 or 75min efforts, will sprint in the last few minutes as well. Bear in mind you should not push too hard in the middle of a SS row as it may switch your energy systems to something which is more anaerobic and it will take some time to revert to an aerobic state.

[aegis]

Solid week on the ski. In addition, I put in 46k on the rower (including my longest row, 16k @ 2:30 pace). I was fine until the last 1500 when my butt started to hurt. I don't know how they do those ultra rows. I might do my 1st rowing HM on Thanksgiving.

I did my first HM a few weeks ago as well, few months back i did one of the 19k challenges and during the HM SS row i was pleased that I finished it faster than the 19k effort at a lower HR.

[RayOfSunshine]

I did my first HM a few weeks ago as well, few months back i did one of the 19k challenges and during the HM SS row i was pleased that I finished it faster than the 19k effort at a lower HR.

@aegis your response motivated me, so thank you. The furthest I had gone was 16k last week. Goal (splits under 2:30) accomplished, so I'm pretty happy. I think I'll do another on Christmas.

[aegis]

Well done! I did a 75min in the morning to start off the c2 holiday challenge, honestly wasn't feeling super strong but plodded through it anyways. I'm now less bothered than my splits but more with just showing up and finishing what i wanted to do.
I started my zone 2 training in june, initially the splits were hovering around 2:35-2:39 but I've worked my way to about 2:20-2:25 now. It seems to be dependent on wheteher i bring the erg outdoors, training fasted amongst other reasons. The ss training takes some time but it works! I do one or two harder sessions a week but not more. Hopefully by the end of the bpp i can hit 7:30 for 2k, stretch target will be 7:15min but it may take a while. Helps that I'm not in a rush for results.

Btw, does this mean I've been holding back too much? I'm quite wary of pushing hard initially and not being able to finish the interval sessions consistently. Had that happen a few times.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
15:34.7 4,000m 1:56.8 219 1055 29 183
1:57.7 500m 1:57.7 215 1038 29 177
1:57.9 500m 1:57.9 214 1034 30 179
1:57.9 500m 1:57.9 214 1034 30 182
1:57.6 500m 1:57.6 215 1040 30 182
1:57.5 500m 1:57.5 216 1042 29 184
1:57.6 500m 1:57.6 215 1040 30 186
1:57.7 500m 1:57.7 215 1038 30 185
1:50.8 500m 1:50.8 257 1185 31 189

[aussie nick]

Speed Pyramid

Legs felt a little heavy and I took the pace off a little in the middle 3 intervals but managed to bring it home in a reasonable fashion. The plan was 95% intensity and...given it's 1.0/500 off my best, I guess this was it but...it felt a little harder than I would have hoped. Fifth day in a row and off heavy dead and O lifting on Weds night and a 10k UT2 last night so perhaps that explains it.

TBH, really struggling with my recovering the snap in my legs after lower body lifting. It's a tough balance - I want to lift to maintain and improve my strength & explosiveness to help with the power of my stroke, but...in the middle of the cycles, it feels like the opposite is happening and my legs feel heavier.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
13:13.2 4,000m 1:39.1 359 1535 33

0:45.9 250m 1:31.8 452 1857 38
r: 1:30 33m
1:36.3 500m 1:36.3 392 1648 35
r: 3:00 37m
2:31.5 750m 1:41.0 340 1469 32
r: 4:30 35m
3:27.5 1,000m 1:43.7 313 1378 32
r: 6:00 33m
2:32.7 750m 1:41.8 332 1441 33
r: 4:30 34m
1:34.9 500m 1:34.9 410 1709 37
r: 3:00 29m
0:44.4 250m 1:28.8 500 2020 39

[aussie nick]

oops - wrong thread! sorry guys, albeit it is a PP session

[istro]

@aussie nick - Damn, that's quick! Something to aspire to for us in the beginner thread here!

As for me, today I had 3x 2k + 4min rest; and really took Pete's advice to aim for a particular pace from the past (1:57 in my case). Diligently stuck to it for the first two intervals at 1:56,9, then by the third one still had steam to go quicker! Ended up with 1:53,7 for the third interval! 23:10,8 total time, 1:55,9 average split

Alright, week 13 workouts done. 55 workouts left in first pass of BPP. 34 days in a year remaining. How are the rest of you doing, if you're still following this thread?

[RayOfSunshine]

Alright, week 13 workouts done. 55 workouts left in first pass of BPP. 34 days in a year remaining. How are the rest of you doing, if you're still following this thread?

Staying on track skiing the BPP and ramping up additional meters on the rower. Today was BPP 10.3, 8k. So, I did an 8k wu on the rower keeping my HR below 139 (60% HRR). 16k total... so I ate a tremendous amount for dinner

[EastClintwood]

I'm in week 4 of the BPP right now.

Everything is working fine, but I still don't really know if I pace the sessions right. SS works around 2:09 pace and average watts 160. I always row with a rather low spm 18-20, heart rate around 160. It feels challenging but doable and I'm not completely exhausted at the end although I see the heart rate rising towards the end.

Intervals of course faster but even there I keep a relatively low spm, I guess not exceeding 24 spm. If I go faster, technique feels too bad and I find it hard to keep my position on the seat.

And I'm starting to bother about the boredom in my SS sessions, although the distances are still quite short. But when I think about rowing 12k later on, phew... That would be over 50 minutes of straight rowing. Do you really keep the same stroke rate / power etc. in these sessions or have you found a way to make these long rows a bit more interesting?

[aegis]

Do you know your max heart rate and resting heart rate. I use the karnoven calculator and stay in zone 2.

You can reduce the drag factor and work on technique. Strapless rowing is another way to dial in your technique as well but will take some time. I found a funny way to learn that by unstrapping one leg at a time and focus on the push with the feet not strapped in, it gives a little bit more comfort than rowing with both feet strapless from the start for beginners.

I usually do hour long ss rows and listen to podcast or just relax, i find rowing meditative actually just listening to the sound of the machine and moving up and down.

[RayOfSunshine]

Do you know your max heart rate and resting heart rate. I use the karnoven calculator and stay in zone 2.


I usually do hour long ss rows and listen to podcast or just relax, i find rowing meditative actually just listening to the sound of the machine and moving up and down.

I also use HR (60% of Heart Rate Reserve) to keep it under control on longer SS.
https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers ... rate-range

I have a TV set up in front of my erg and watch weather or sports with it muted. I usually have music on in the background.

[Rowan McSheen]

Having resolved to see the BPP through to the very end, I have changed my mind and am bailing out at the halfway point with 12 weeks out of 24 completed. I've been methodically doing the workouts in sequence since May and I feel that it's getting a bit stale and samey so I'm jumping ship. I like to have a plan to hold my hand and tell me what to do rather than take each day as it comes. I'm going to explore the Rowalong plans, most likely the 10K, with workouts that you won't find in the BPP like stroke ladders and accelerating paces. Not necessarily better, just different. Doubtless I shall return to the BPP at some point in future when I've run out of other plans.

Good luck to those still working away at it, I wish you success and pb's on demand!

[RayOfSunshine]

Good luck to those still working away at it, I wish you success and pb's on demand!

Best of luck. I completely understand.

Once I'm done with the BPP on the ski, I think I'll go back to the Eddie Fletcher Marathon training program. I started it a couple years ago when I was in really good shape, but I got injured off the rower. It's a 12-week program (you can train 3, 4 or 5 days per week) then a 2 week taper.

[RayOfSunshine]

Week 10 on the SkiErg completed. Before today's session, I realized the DF has been down where I had it back when I injured myself months ago. I went from a DF = 57 (prior sessions) to DF = 125 today. If I had to compare to the rower, it would be like going from 100 to 140. 125 DF wasn't bad for today b/c it was 7x500m 2r. I think I'll go for a DF around 90-95 for the 10k on BPP 11.1

I was a bit frustrated when I realized the DF was so low, but I think it was actually a blessing for my form being that I'm new on the ski.