Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[iain]

Most do the SS a little faster, but shouldn't be harder than you can fully recover from in a day, Pete believes UT1 SS is better longer term and this is achievable for most for the relatively short BPP SS, but some struggle at first.

Aim to keep the intervals fairly constant. The step up from 500 to 750 is significant (despite the reduced total distance), so you might like to back off another second or so if the 500s were tough.

[AndyH]

Most do the SS a little faster, but shouldn't be harder than you can fully recover from in a day, Pete believes UT1 SS is better longer term and this is achievable for most for the relatively short BPP SS, but some struggle at first.

Aim to keep the intervals fairly constant. The step up from 500 to 750 is significant (despite the reduced total distance), so you might like to back off another second or so if the 500s were tough.

Thanks!

I'm curious whether most folks focus on keeping the average HR of the workout in UT2/UT1, or keep the max HR for the workout in the zone? As the plan progresses I anticipate working mostly in UT2 as I'm building up a solid base and will mix in some UT1 as I go.

Will see how it goes for the upcoming 750s.

Kept it super easy for today's optional :20 workout, focusing on a nice smooth force curve and keeping HR from maxing above the top of UT2.

1.4

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR
20:00.0	4,007m	2:29.7	104	658	17	129
4:00.0	806m	2:28.8	106	664	17	120
8:00.0	804m	2:29.2	105	662	18	129
12:00.0	799m	2:30.1	103	655	18	130
16:00.0	801m	2:29.8	104	658	18	132
20:00.0	797m	2:30.5	103	652	18	134

[Dangerscouse]

I'm curious whether most folks focus on keeping the average HR of the workout in UT2/UT1, or keep the max HR for the workout in the zone?

I'd definitely look at max HR as the average is difficult to assess and it's going to account for the early stages when your HR will be relatively low

[Rowan McSheen]

I think Pete's assumption was that the distance pieces will be done at UT1 or thereabouts (he refers somewhere to capping them at 24 spm), ditto the extra optional workouts where the instrux refer back to the distance pieces. My approach is to do each week's first at UT2 and the second at UT1.

Ref average vs max hr: The PM records the hr at the end of each split and not throughout the workout, so the average will be from those and not a true value (although I doubt the difference is so great as to matter much). I aim to maintain the average pace from the previous session so that the hr gradually rises to near the ceiling of the band by the end, and ease off when necessary in the latter stages to prevent it from going over. That's currently about 2:17 for UT2 and 2:11 for UT1 but these will decline over time as the distances increase.

And beware the speed intervals, because they bite. Best to start out conservative because there's plenty of the plan to come -- including the dreaded 1,000s

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Rowan McSheen]

And week 2/4 done, 20 minutes at similar pace to previous 5500 piece. Consistent spm and pace throughout, done at 2:11 vs 2:11.2. Onwards.

[AndyH]

I think Pete's assumption was that the distance pieces will be done at UT1 or thereabouts (he refers somewhere to capping them at 24 spm), ditto the extra optional workouts where the instrux refer back to the distance pieces. My approach is to do each week's first at UT2 and the second at UT1.

Ref average vs max hr: The PM records the hr at the end of each split and not throughout the workout, so the average will be from those and not a true value (although I doubt the difference is so great as to matter much). I aim to maintain the average pace from the previous session so that the hr gradually rises to near the ceiling of the band by the end, and ease off when necessary in the latter stages to prevent it from going over. That's currently about 2:17 for UT2 and 2:11 for UT1 but these will decline over time as the distances increase.

And beware the speed intervals, because they bite. Best to start out conservative because there's plenty of the plan to come -- including the dreaded 1,000s

Good luck and keep us posted!

Thanks for the input!

I'll probably follow something very similar, doing at least some of the distance pieces at UT1 depending on how I'm feeling.

No kidding re the speed intervals. I'm curious how the week 2 750s are going to go after I overcooked the week 1 500s. I'm going to try holding my average pace from week 1 but may have to back off a second or 2.

That's a wrap on week 1 with todays optional workout done.

1.5

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M     HR	
20:00.0	4,056m	2:27.9	108	672	18	140
10:00.0	2,005m	2:29.6	104	659	18	133
r: 2:02	265m						
10:00.0	2,051m	2:26.2	112	684	19	147

[winniewinser]

Thanks for the input!

I'll probably follow something very similar, doing at least some of the distance pieces at UT1 depending on how I'm feeling.

No kidding re the speed intervals. I'm curious how the week 2 750s are going to go after I overcooked the week 1 500s. I'm going to try holding my average pace from week 1 but may have to back off a second or 2.

That's a wrap on week 1 with todays optional workout done.

1.5

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M     HR	
20:00.0	4,056m	2:27.9	108	672	18	140
10:00.0	2,005m	2:29.6	104	659	18	133
r: 2:02	265m						
10:00.0	2,051m	2:26.2	112	684	19	147

The 750's are pure evil.....enjoy!

[Dangerscouse]

No kidding re the speed intervals. I'm curious how the week 2 750s are going to go after I overcooked the week 1 500s. I'm going to try holding my average pace from week 1 but may have to back off a second or 2

It's definitely the best idea to back off a bit and then max out the last interval if you've got more to give.

You protect the integrity of the session and your confidence, with a chance to lower the average pace quite a bit with an all out blast, which feels more manageable as it's your last one. Ending on a high is a huge boost, rather than ending feeling annoyed with letting your ego dictate the decision.

[Rowan McSheen]

Week 2/5 -- 3 x 8 mins 2 mins rest, instrux say similar pace to 1/5 so 2:10.x.



A good mid-level workout, finished sweaty but not knackered. Onwards and upwards ...

[Rowan McSheen]

Week 3/1 -- 6000 UT2



Average pace is beginning to fade a little to reflect hr drift in the latter stages but all is good.

[Jimmies]

Nice going

I'm just back from my little trip and I may do day 1 of wk4 today....but I think it will be a bit of a slog after doing nothing but eat and drink for 5 days

[Jimmies]

Probably took it a bit to slow until the last 200m but at least I got my metres in

32:14.3 6,518m 2:28.3 107 668 20
5:00.0 918m 2:43.3 80 576 19
10:00.0 985m 2:32.2 99 641 18
15:00.0 989m 2:31.6 100 645 19
20:00.0 998m 2:30.3 103 654 19
25:00.0 1,048m 2:23.1 119 710 21
30:00.0 1,042m 2:23.9 117 703 21
32:14.2 538m 2:04.7 180 920 24

[AndyH]

Week 2 underway

2.1. Took it easy, UT2 workout matching the week 1 pace

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR	
27:07.3	5,500m	2:27.9	108	672	19	131
5:23.8	1,100m	2:27.1	110	677	19	116
5:25.2	2,200m	2:27.8	108	672	20	129
5:24.6	3,300m	2:27.5	109	675	20	133
5:28.1	4,400m	2:29.1	106	663	20	136
5:25.6	5,500m	2:28.0	108	671	19	142

2.2 Attempted the week 1 6x500 pace knowing I probably overcooked it last week. Yup. I cracked with 250 left in the 2nd inverval. Was worth a try, but not too surprised....Looks like 2:01 is a good pace for me for now given my current rowing fitness. I'm sure that will pick up significantly over the next several months. As a positive, was nice to confirm my max HR at 176

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR	
12:01.7	3,000m	2:00.2	201	992	28	173
2:53.8	750m	1:55.8	225	1074	30	172
r: 2:00	204m						
3:03.0	750m	2:02.0	193	963	28	171
r: 2:00	210m						
3:01.7	750m	2:01.1	197	977	29	176
r: 2:00	84m						
3:03.1	750m	2:02.0	192	962	28	176
r: 2:00	198m					

[Jimmies]

Wk4 D2 3x1000 R3

I found this quite tough today...was blowing pretty hard by the 800m mark on the last two intervals, also did 3k on the bike as a warm down

Intervals
Time Meters Pace Watts S/M
12:31.9 3,000m 2:05.3 178 24

4:15.6 1,000m 2:07.8 168 26
r: 3:00 24m
4:11.0 1,000m 2:05.5 177 23
r: 3:00 20m
4:05.4 1,000m 2:02.7 189 24
r: 3:00 17m
r61m

[Rowan McSheen]

Those 500 to 1000-metre intervals are tough. It's often recommended that if in doubt as to how hard to take them, go at a conservative pace you know you can manage up to the penultimate rep and then pedal to the metal for the final one. Your average pace is the target for next time around, hold that until the penultimate rep then .... etc etc, rinse and repeat.