Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[Jimmies]

Hi All

No need to do a BPP workout today...so just went to see how a 15k and or 1 hour row would go. Went out very slowly and just tried to keep a pace that kept me sweaty but not dripping. I only stopped as my finger skin was starting to get quite painful and my left buttock was getting tight

Should be my lunch calories eaten up too by this row

Time Meters Pace Watts S/M
1:17:16.9 15,010m 2:34.4 95 20

[Rowan McSheen]

Week 3/4 -- 5000m, same pace as previous 6000 but speed up a little in final 1000.



Legs felt a little tired after a 10-mile run yesterday but it went well enough once I settled in.

[Jimmies]

Hi All

during my longer row the other day due to my fingers hurting due to blisters starting, I had the handle 'longer' in my fingers...later on I started to get pain in my ring finger, it has now started to swell up and I think I may have stretched the ligaments or caused some soft tissue damage as I now can't straighten it with out alot of pain....

going to have to just use the bikeerg until it feels better....how can I translate the BPP to the bike, just double the distance?

[Dangerscouse]

Hi All

during my longer row the other day due to my fingers hurting due to blisters starting, I had the handle 'longer' in my fingers...later on I started to get pain in my ring finger, it has now started to swell up and I think I may have stretched the ligaments or caused some soft tissue damage as I now can't straighten it with out alot of pain....

going to have to just use the bikeerg until it feels better....how can I translate the BPP to the bike, just double the distance?

That's bad news, and yes, just double the time / distance.

I always just hook my fingers on the handle, and have never had an issue. Are you jerking at the catch, or is it a smooth movement? If you're not using your legs enough to push it can be too much pressure on your fingers, especially if you're hooking the fingers. It's usually avoided by newbies as it's always a too tight grip that is the issue.

[AndyH]

Got week 3 underway. Was planning on my usual 2:28 splits but ended up with a consistent 2:26.4 without really trying. Gotta love those kind of training gains

Plan is to follow the instructions for the next workout (2x2000 r4) and go :02 faster at 2:24.4 and see how it goes.

3.1

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Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR
29:17.0	6,000m	2:26.4	112	683	20	130
5:49.5	1,200m	2:25.6	113	690	20	117
5:51.8	2,400m	2:26.5	111	682	20	126
5:50.5	3,600m	2:26.0	112	686	20	131
5:52.7	4,800m	2:26.9	110	679	20	137
5:52.4	6,000m	2:26.8	111	680	20	139

[Jimmies]

So today was my BPP Wk5 D1....but as my finger is stopping me rowing I did 14k on the bikeerg.

My butt needs to get used to that seat as it was not comfortable at all. Hopefully my finger will be ok to let me row the next 7k in a couple of days

[AndyH]

3.2 2000x2 r4

Planned pace was 2.24.4 and an AT workout. Ended up going a bit faster as it felt like a natural pace for this workout. Felt really good.

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR	
18:47.9	4,000m	2:20.9	125	729	22	150
9:26.0	2,000m	2:21.5	124	725	22	145
r: 4:02	416m						
9:21.9	2,000m	2:20.4	126	734	22	155

[Rowan McSheen]

Gotta love those kind of training gains

That's what it's all about ... !

[Rowan McSheen]

Week 3/5 -- 6 x 500m, instrux are to pitch for 1 sec/500 quicker than last time (which was 2:00.8)



Done, although it was becoming hard work by the end. Week 3 done, onwards and upwards.

[AndyH]

Workout 3.3

Pushed the pace a little bit to make this a UT1 workout. Had to back off a bit toward the end to keep it there:

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Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	
29:03.9	6,000m	2:25.3	114	692	20	142
5:43.8	1,200m	2:23.2	119	709	20	131
5:45.7	2,400m	2:24.0	117	703	20	142
5:47.4	3,600m	2:24.7	115	697	20	145
5:51.3	4,800m	2:26.3	112	684	20	148
5:55.8	6,000m	2:28.2	107	669	20	147

[Jimmies]

Wk5 day 2 done on the bike today....then tested my finger with alittle row. Felt okish, but rowing is definitely harder after using the bike

Finger should be good for the 2nd 7k of rowing tomorrow or sat

[mitchel674]

I believe this is my fourth time through the BPP.

Week 3.3 yesterday was an easy one. Worked on keeping stroke rate low and relaxing on recovery.

[mitchel674]

3.2 2000x2 r4

Planned pace was 2.24.4 and an AT workout. Ended up going a bit faster as it felt like a natural pace for this workout. Felt really good.

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR	
18:47.9	4,000m	2:20.9	125	729	22	150
9:26.0	2,000m	2:21.5	124	725	22	145
r: 4:02	416m						
9:21.9	2,000m	2:20.4	126	734	22	155

Pete never really talks about rating. I think these interval sessions should have a bit higher stroke rate depending on the distance. We need to learn to increase rate as we attempt to improve our numbers. The long, steady state pieces you do at 20spm are perfect. You should probably rate a bit higher for these intervals while still maintaining proper form. Perhaps 25-26spm on these 2k pieces would have been a good goal.

[Rowan McSheen]

Hello Mitch ... fancy meeting you here, back on the BPP I see ...

Week 4/2, taking the sessions out of sequence to fit around running commitments (couple of half marathons imminent). Starting with the dreaded 1000m intervals. The instrux say same pace as the week 1 500s but I've crashed and burned in the past trying to do that. So the plan was to hold 28 spm to 750m, let the pace find itself, and then ramp up to 30 spm and the 500m pace for the final 250m. I actually went up to 30 spm for the final 350m in the third rep, not that it made much difference



The 1000s have been a mental block for me in the past but this time it went better than expected so happy enough. I think the way to tackle these is to gradually bring forward the transition from 28 to 30 spm. That's for next time.

[mitchel674]

Hello Mitch ... fancy meeting you here, back on the BPP I see ...

Week 4/2, taking the sessions out of sequence to fit around running commitments (couple of half marathons imminent). Starting with the dreaded 1000m intervals. The instrux say same pace as the week 1 500s but I've crashed and burned in the past trying to do that. So the plan was to hold 28 spm to 750m, let the pace find itself, and then ramp up to 30 spm and the 500m pace for the final 250m. I actually went up to 30 spm for the final 350m in the third rep, not that it made much difference



The 1000s have been a mental block for me in the past but this time it went better than expected so happy enough. I think the way to tackle these is to gradually bring forward the transition from 28 to 30 spm. That's for next time.

Stu, you're still at it!! The BPP keeps calling me back. Without a plan to follow, I wind up just doing long steady state rows and never do much interval training. I find my stroke gradually gets weaker. The structure of BPP forces me to push at least 1-2 times each week.

I too struggle with rating up on these longer intervals. My sweet spot seems to be 28spm. Above that my drive gets too short and my technique seems to falter. I need to keep working on that.