The Road to Boston 2007

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » August 25th, 2006, 11:21 pm

Hi, here is a training and discussion thread for those who plan to go to WIRC in body or spirit next year - (26 weeks this weekend which happens to be the length of the C2 Interactive Training Programme)

To kick things off for those using the IP requires a 2k test so that is what I did today. I have done a couple of 'pointer' sessions over the past week and dropped my season best 2k a couple of days ago to 6:47.6 so had a real discussion with myself as to whether there was much point in doing another as it really is only about setting the training bands - but I did anyway

Recorded 250m splits as I am interested in how I am pacing these things:

1:41.2 / 30spm (to quick)
1:41.8 / 28
1:42.0 / 28
1:41.8 / 28
1:41.6 / 30 (not sure about the rate increase)
1:41.4 / 28
1:40.8 / 30
1:39.0 / 29

avg 1:41.1 / 28spm / 6:44.7

So there we are a little bit quicker. I think if my head had been in it (and some preparation) I should have gone under 1:41 pace but at the end of the day I dont think any excuses would have achieved sub 6:40, however my goal for my remote Boston trip is sub 6:30

George

TomR · Post by **TomR** » August 26th, 2006, 8:50 am

Well-paced, George. It looks like you've got a reliable benchmark for your IP paces.

I'll be doing my test tomorrow.

Tom

RowtheRockies · Post by **RowtheRockies** » August 26th, 2006, 12:34 pm

George,

Nice Work! What is your all time PB?

Rich

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » August 26th, 2006, 8:28 pm

Good on you George, but didn't we talk about going out too fast last week or so? Looks like you left a bit too much on the plate with that final 250m coming in at 1:39, must have been pulling well under that near the end.

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » August 26th, 2006, 8:52 pm

Good for you George.

What was your rate when you did your PB.

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » August 26th, 2006, 9:18 pm

PaulS wrote:Good on you George, but didn't we talk about going out too fast last week or so? Looks like you left a bit too much on the plate with that final 250m coming in at 1:39, must have been pulling well under that near the end.

Learnt some lessons thru the whole exercise and the main one is pacing. It is so very very important to do trials before events so that you know what things will feel like as the pressure comes on. It is the old train as you mean/wish to compete.

One of the reasons for recording the 250s was to make me concentrate on my pace and actually the last 250 was pretty even paced at 1:38's - 1:39's but your right still to big a drop and indictment on the middle stages

George

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » August 26th, 2006, 9:22 pm

John Rupp wrote:Good for you George.

What was your rate when you did your PB.

John the average was 28spm for the 2k. I dont have the fitness to rate higher or at least that is how it feels, tho most likely it is just that I have not done much at that rate.

It is funny given that to maintain the same pace at a higher rate means each stroke is a little lighter, but of course there is a cost in going up and down the slide and the recovery is fractionally shorter. I could see little value in upping the rate just for the sake of it in this instance but I am sure that when I get back to under 6:30 it will be at an average of 30+ but I will be trained for it by then.

George

TomR · Post by **TomR** » August 27th, 2006, 6:03 pm

Today's 2k test:

25 min warm-up

2k--7.21.7
Avg pace--1.50.4
Final HR 161

George--thanx for suggesting 250 mtr splits. By focusing on segments of less than 1 minute, it's easier to stay focused on the work you're doing, not the unpleasantness of what lies ahead. And in the mind game of a 2k, you keep telling yourself, I've only got 250 mtrs to row here. I can do that.

250 mtr splits:

250—1.50.9/29 smp
500—1.50.8/28 spm
750—1.50.8/28 spm
1000—1.50.6/29 smp
1250—1.50.6/29 spm
1500—1.50.4/29 spm
1750—1.50.2/29 spm
2000—1.49.5/30 spm

Paced a little too conservatively. Need a pretty cox offering post-trial inducements.

Tom

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » August 27th, 2006, 6:51 pm

Tom that is a great row in the context of what you were looking to achieve.

Great pacing for consistancy and the negative splitting and finished really well

Now its on to the fun part and we can look at doing it all again in about 6 weeks

Good stuff mate its exciting times

George

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » August 28th, 2006, 5:06 am

Monday Evening:- IP 36min / max pace 1:56 / 20-22spm

Target:- 36min / avg pace 1:58 / 21spm

Actual:- 36min / avg pace 1:57.9 / 21spm / avg HR 136 / 9157m

Distance per 8min split:-
2034m
2034m
2035m
2035m
1017m (4min)

Total session 11510m

Impressions:- was not sure what to expect of this session (as to what I wanted to achieve) so hence I set the pace at a conservative max +2. The challenge initially was to keep the pace from speeding up but as I settled into the rhythm it was more of focusing on maintaining the rate and pace in tandem. I think the session is one of relaxation and technique, keeping the hands moving smoothly, the body and head upright and core locked on, controlling the recovery, thinking about breathing. I achieved some of these aims but not consistently and that is something to work on in future for all these aspects to become subconscious in action.

I did the session strapless as I will all UT2 and UT1 as I believe it has some benefit, not completely sure how much but it is not going to do any harm.

George

TomR · Post by **TomR** » August 28th, 2006, 12:23 pm

George,

We've only got a few UT2 rows during the next 3 weeks. Have you considered dropping the rate and working a bit more on power/stroke? I'm going to do these at 18 spm. I don't like rowing at such a low rate, but apparently it's like spinach, good for you.

Tom

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » August 28th, 2006, 4:57 pm

TomR wrote:George,

We've only got a few UT2 rows during the next 3 weeks. Have you considered dropping the rate and working a bit more on power/stroke? I'm going to do these at 18 spm. I don't like rowing at such a low rate, but apparently it's like spinach, good for you.

Tom

Tom power has never really been a problem for me when balanced against my aerobic ability. Thats to say that from the very beginning my performances over 500 and 1000m have been poor indicators for my 2k and up - I died

if I try to hold anything like 'dble the D +5'

For me the challenge will not be holding UT2 or I suspect UT1 paces at the required rate but when we get to the AT work and I am looking at holding 27spm for extended periods, after all my 2k was done at about 28 and 5 secs faster than the IP AT band max I am in.

I think you need to asses at your reasoning for looking to hold 18spm for your UT2 work for as you say it is only for 3 weeks and I think the longest session is 60min (when in reality this is a short UT2 session). I would prefer to sit in that 20-22 range and work on technique, power will come from the TR and AN sessions and by then you will have the aerobic ability to sustain the work load for long enough periods that it is meaningful.

Lots of power is great but there is no point in being able to pull big strokes for an hour (high SPI) if it does not translate to being able to do so for the duration of a 2k. The temptation with power is to muscle the stroke which then affects technique and those little adjustments one might make like a bigger lean back or a pause or overemphasised use of the arms becomes magnified when we up the rate and then are much harder to 'train-out' as the sessions become shorter, faster, and more demanding.

blah blah blah

George

TomR · Post by **TomR** » August 28th, 2006, 5:07 pm

No doubt, there is a danger of anchor hauling at low rates. I'll try to sit tall and drive w/ my legs while going 18 spm.

What I do find curious is that I have a puny SPI doing long, slow stuff (less than 8, but it's not so sissyish at race pace and rate (8.5+). Perhaps using a jot more power per stroke at low rates will help me.

blah. blah. blah.

Cheers,
Tom

TomR · Post by **TomR** » August 29th, 2006, 8:11 pm

36 min UT2 @ 18 spm
2.13.2/500
HR 133

hard work for me working at the low rate.

Tom

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » August 29th, 2006, 9:38 pm

TomR wrote:36 min UT2 @ 18 spm
2.13.2/500
HR 133

hard work for me working at the low rate.

Tom

Tom I hope to do this session tonight, where does that HR sit for you?

GD