Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[Rowan McSheen]

Welcome to dmuskett, new blood on the thread!

Mitchel speaks wisdom, the plan ramps up quickly so calibration is key. Especially as there's little advice regarding spm or pace for the workouts. Although it's labelled a beginners' plan the beginners Pete had in mind are (imho) people new to the machine but already well fit from other sports.

I was supposed to be doing week 4/5, 2 x 2500 at medium intensity, but for a couple of days I've been trying to shake off a nasty head cold. On the principle of kill or cure, I decided to do 5000 at easy intensity with the hr strap on just in case. It went reasonably well and the absence of coughing and hacking tells me that it's in the head and not the chest.

[mitchel674]

5.1 done. Started out pretty sluggish after a long day of work and a full weekend of waterskiing. Felt a lot better at the end.

[AndyH]

Workout 5.2

Started with a warmup

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Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR	
10:30.0	2,173m	2:24.9	115	695	20	133
4:00.0	775m	2:34.8	94	624	18	106
3:00.0	617m	2:25.8	113	688	20	123
2:00.0	434m	2:18.2	132	755	23	138
1:00.0	229m	2:11.0	156	835	25	148
0:30.0	119m	2:06.0	175	901	28	152

followed by the work: 4 x 800m / 2min rest Go for the same average pace you managed in the 3 x 1000m session last week, but when it comes to the last interval, see how fast you can do it, but maintaining good technique.

Took several weeks, but I think I finally found the right pace for these speed intervals. I was able to go consistently hard on the first three with a little bit (not much) left in the tank for #4:

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Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR
12:50.1	3,200m	2:00.3	201	991	29	171
3:13.6	800m	2:01.0	198	979	30	165
r: 2:01	203m						
3:13.1	800m	2:00.6	199	985	29	170
r: 2:01	208m						
3:13.1	800m	2:00.6	199	985	29	174
r: 2:02	112m						
3:10.4	800m	1:59.0	208	1014	31	176

[Jimmies]

7.1 for me today......but programmed ergdata for an extra 500m by accident ‍

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
39:07.6 8,500m 2:18.0 133 757 19
2:19.3 500m 2:19.3 129 745 22
2:19.6 1,000m 2:19.6 129 742 20
2:18.6 1,500m 2:18.6 131 752 20
2:18.1 2,000m 2:18.1 133 757 19
2:18.4 2,500m 2:18.4 132 754 19
2:20.2 3,000m 2:20.2 127 737 18
2:17.4 3,500m 2:17.4 135 764 18
2:18.6 4,000m 2:18.6 131 752 18
2:17.9 4,500m 2:17.9 133 759 19
2:19.5 5,000m 2:19.5 129 743 18
2:17.5 5,500m 2:17.5 135 763 18
2:18.4 6,000m 2:18.4 132 754 19
2:18.6 6,500m 2:18.6 131 752 20
2:18.1 7,000m 2:18.1 133 757 19
2:18.4 7,500m 2:18.4 132 754 19
2:18.4 8,000m 2:18.4 132 754 19
2:10.7 8,500m 2:10.7 157 839 22

[dmuskett]

1.5 today. Per Pete:
[2 x 10min / 2min rest] – 5 sessions in the first week, you must be keen. Have a go at your first longer interval session. Breaking up the 20min row like this allows you a short break to regain your full concentration, and make sure to take on some water while you can. Row the first 10min at the same pace as your 20min session, and then aim to just beat the distance on the second 10min.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
20:00.0 3,909m 2:33.4 97 633 21
10:00.0 1,864m 2:40.9 84 588 22
10:00.0 2,046m 2:26.6 111 682 21

Tried to match the 2:41 pace from two days ago in the first 10 minutes, and wanted to go down to 2:35 or something for the second 10 minutes. Ended up doing 2:41/2:27. I think I should probably do week 1 over again at least one more time and see where I stabilize at.

[AndyH]

5.3 7000m

Felt pretty similar to Monday's 7k, although as an experiment I bumped the drag factor from 110 to 120. Not sure I could tell much difference. Thoughts?

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Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR	
34:07.1	7,000m	2:26.2	112	685	20	127
6:48.1	1,400m	2:25.7	113	689	21	115
6:47.8	2,800m	2:25.6	113	689	20	123
6:51.6	4,200m	2:27.0	110	679	20	128
6:50.4	5,600m	2:26.5	111	682	20	133
6:49.2	7,000m	2:26.1	112	685	20	136

[Dangerscouse]

...although as an experiment I bumped the drag factor from 110 to 120. Not sure I could tell much difference. Thoughts?]

Keep it at 120 for another four sessions and see what you think then. There's no reason why you need to change it, so 110 might be what's best for you

[winniewinser]

5.3 7000m

Felt pretty similar to Monday's 7k, although as an experiment I bumped the drag factor from 110 to 120. Not sure I could tell much difference. Thoughts?

Code: Select all

Time	Meters	Pace	Watts	Cal/Hr	S/M	HR	
34:07.1	7,000m	2:26.2	112	685	20	127
6:48.1	1,400m	2:25.7	113	689	21	115
6:47.8	2,800m	2:25.6	113	689	20	123
6:51.6	4,200m	2:27.0	110	679	20	128
6:50.4	5,600m	2:26.5	111	682	20	133
6:49.2	7,000m	2:26.1	112	685	20	136

Did it feel easier to row at the same pace or harder? Sometimes changing the DF can make it feel quite different and other times I don't notice.

For me lower DF leads me to driving harder/quicker to maintain the same pace for the rate. My happy spot of around 118 I feel I am more smooth and less rushed but can achieve the same pace. Of course for all out TT attempts it's different.

I would try it for a bit longer and see if you notice any changes.

[Rowan McSheen]

Week 4/5 -- 2 x 2500 2 mins rest, go for 1 sec/500 quicker than previous 6000 so 2:11.x



Done, with some consistency

Still not feeling fully up to strength after my near-death experience with man flu. It seemed harder than it should have been but ultimately not too bad I guess.

[mitchel674]

Week 4/5 -- 2 x 2500 2 mins rest, go for 1 sec/500 quicker than previous 6000 so 2:11.x



Done, with some consistency

Still not feeling fully up to strength after my near-death experience with man flu. It seemed harder than it should have been but ultimately not too bad I guess.

My least favorite "interval". I always manage to skip this one. You certainly managed a steady pace.

[mitchel674]

Week 5.2: 4 x 800m / 2min rest – Go for the same average pace you managed in the 3 x 1000m session last week, but when it comes to the last interval, see how fast you can do it, but maintaining good technique.

Target pace was my 2:09 average from my 3 x 1k last week. Did these after a 5k warm-up. I had been sitting in a car for 2 hours prior driving away from a hurricane.

[AndyH]

...although as an experiment I bumped the drag factor from 110 to 120. Not sure I could tell much difference. Thoughts?]

Keep it at 120 for another four sessions and see what you think then. There's no reason why you need to change it, so 110 might be what's best for you

Did it feel easier to row at the same pace or harder? Sometimes changing the DF can make it feel quite different and other times I don't notice.

For me lower DF leads me to driving harder/quicker to maintain the same pace for the rate. My happy spot of around 118 I feel I am more smooth and less rushed but can achieve the same pace. Of course for all out TT attempts it's different.

I would try it for a bit longer and see if you notice any changes.

Thanks for the input. I'll try it out for the remainder of this week and for next week and compare the workouts to previous.

My only reason for changing is experimenting....club coach had mentioned 120 should do best at simulating feel on the water.

re My happy spot of around 118 I feel I am more smooth and less rushed but can achieve the same pace. Of course for all out TT attempts it's different.

What's different for an all out TT attempt?

Andy

[winniewinser]

Thanks for the input. I'll try it out for the remainder of this week and for next week and compare the workouts to previous.

My only reason for changing is experimenting....club coach had mentioned 120 should do best at simulating feel on the water.

re My happy spot of around 118 I feel I am more smooth and less rushed but can achieve the same pace. Of course for all out TT attempts it's different.

What's different for an all out TT attempt?

Andy

For a TT I am all over the shop....especially at the end so my form is more akin to a fish on a bank .....so I am not really thinking about the time spent on drive/recovery but just going at it hell for leather.

I do raise the DF for 500m and shorter....pushing it 130+ cos the flywheel needs to be slowing down quicker when rating higher and higher (35+)

All personal preference though.

[winniewinser]

Week 18 for me on the BPP and having avoided this one on Tuesday it had to be despatched today. Target was 1:52.5 from 3x2km a few weeks ago but anything under 1:53 really.

30:01.8 8,000m 1:52.6 245 1143 27
7:31.3 2,000m 1:52.8 244 1138 27
7:31.2 2,000m 1:52.8 244 1139 28
7:31.3 2,000m 1:52.8 244 1138 28
7:28.1 2,000m 1:52.0 249 1156 29

Can't say this was enjoyable and there were thoughts of stopping after 3 but I got through it. Looking back at 2019 when I went through the BPP I did these around 1:52.3 so pretty happy to be closed to that. Maybe my longer stuff is progressing but I do feel the faster shorter sessions are well behind.

[dmuskett]

Well, I listened to some advice and did not move onto week 2.

Did a 5k this morning:

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M HR
24:55.5 5,000m 2:29.5 105 660 21 162
4:58.3 1,000m 2:29.1 105 663 22 150
5:01.6 2,000m 2:30.8 102 651 21 161
5:01.4 3,000m 2:30.7 102 651 21 164
5:01.0 4,000m 2:30.5 103 653 21 168
4:53.2 5,000m 2:26.6 111 682 22 171

Is this 1.1? I don't know. During the first 1k I was okay, the second I was thinking "I might not finish", during the third I was thinking that my last splits would be 2:35, and then at the end I felt pretty solid and managed to get a 2:27 last k. Finally figured out how to get my apple watch heart rate talking to ergdata. Trying to figure out what I should be at before I move on to week 2.