The Road to Boston 2007

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 20th, 2006, 8:44 am

12 AT

2.00.4/153 HR (approx 90%)/24-25spm

Slowed a 3-4/10ths in the final 4 min to keep HR w/in limits.

As Will says, feel ready to do more. I suppose the whole point of an easy week is to recover.

Tom

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » September 20th, 2006, 6:57 pm

Week 4, session 2, 2x7’AT. Goals: pace - 2.02, rate – 26-28.

Warmup: 20', 4' each @ 12/15/18/20/22, no high rate bursts. 4048m(2:28.2).
Paces: 2:47.5/2:35.2/2:25.9/2:20.6/2:15.9.
HR: Ave. 117 – 100/109/116/125/138.
6’ rest.
1st piece: 7' 1681m (2:04.9). 1’ data recordings.
Rates: 30/30/29/31/31/33/33.
Paces: 2:05.0/2:07.6/2:06.0/2:05.5/2:05.0/2:03.9/2:02.4.
HR: Ave. 154. 148/152/158/157/156/155/155. I think that I spotted it at over 160 a couple of times.
7’ rest.
2nd Piece: 7' 1669m (2:05.8). 1’ data recordings.
Rates: 26/26/27/30/31/29/28.
Paces: 2:06.5/2:05.5/2:05.0/2:07.1/2:07.6/2:08.2/2:02.4.
HR: Ave. 147. 125/140/150/151/151/151/152.
<1’ rest.
Cool down: 10' 5’ each @ 15/12. 1885m (2:39.1).
Paces: 2:30.7/2:31.8/2:35.4/2:49.0/2:51.9.
HR: Ave. 112. 117/110/113/109/108.

Obviously a crap session. Not only were the paces 3 and 4 seconds off the goal, but I was rarely able to keep my rate under control. It was worse than the recorded numbers look, ranging from as low as 24 on up to 35. The only bright spots were the (relatively) strong finishes, but even those were 0.4 seconds short of the pace goals.

My conclusion is that my AT should be more like 2:06 – Well, that number is not in the chart, so call it 2:07, which corresponds to a UT1 of 2:14 and a UT2 of 2:18. I suppose that I should stick with that for a while.

That was the second disappointment today. I had hopes this morning of doing a set of 82 pushups to mark my 82nd birthday, but I had to settle for 76 – my arms buckled on number 77. I had been hitting about 75 fairly often recently and actually had a couple of recent 82s, one in early August and one a week ago. Then last Monday I cranked out an 85, which is the best I have done in the last couple of decades. I guess that I should count that two day early 85 as close enough.

Bob S.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » September 20th, 2006, 8:41 pm

Happy Birthday Bob!! Wow...you are an inspiration as I struggle with 15 pushups and I am WAY over 15 years old! Does your gym have that birthday challenge???...I know there are a number of gyms where that is done. Hope you had a great day.

My stats for the week are sort of brief as I didn't have the time to record them completely and by splits....My 2x12" UT1 piece felt really good and I averaged 2:16.7--sr24 fairly easily. The 12" AT session was 2:10.2 and a 27 SR through all four splits. The last time I did an AT session my SR jumped around. I believe that was a function of me being unable to figure out the rhythm this time. (yes, I am a lousy dancer too).

Yesterday I rowed for fun- not one of the IP pieces. My desire was to play with the drag a bit. Tomorrow I will do session 4.

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » September 21st, 2006, 1:20 am

Well, I am sure late to join this party, but as I foolishly said I was going to do the Crash B's this year I guess I had better do something better than whatever strikes my fancy for training. I've had a summer of mainly biking and just started rowing again some last week with a bunch of pokey 10Ks, feeling barely fit--basically glad to be able to go 10K without quitting, and that's about it! Does anyone have an actual date for the CRash B--or how many weeks out it is? I printed out a 24 week plan at Level 3 and do my horrid first test tomorrow. Since I haven't done an all out 2K since some time last spring I'm NOT looking forward to it, but I guess I have to do it to figure out what paces to use.

I'm so glad I found this thread!

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » September 21st, 2006, 5:57 am

seat5 wrote:Well, I am sure late to join this party, but as I foolishly said I was going to do the Crash B's this year I guess I had better do something better than whatever strikes my fancy for training. I've had a summer of mainly biking and just started rowing again some last week with a bunch of pokey 10Ks, feeling barely fit--basically glad to be able to go 10K without quitting, and that's about it! Does anyone have an actual date for the CRash B--or how many weeks out it is? I printed out a 24 week plan at Level 3 and do my horrid first test tomorrow. Since I haven't done an all out 2K since some time last spring I'm NOT looking forward to it, but I guess I have to do it to figure out what paces to use.

I'm so glad I found this thread!

Hi Seat5,

We met at the Newburyport Erg Challenge last year. The Crash B's are on Feb 25, 2007. Not much new info yet but keep an eye on http://www.crash-b.org/.

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » September 21st, 2006, 6:02 am

Thursday morning: 12min WU 2658m

AT 2x8min / max pace 1:50 / 26-28spm

Target:- 2x8min / avg pace 1:52 / 27spm/2min rest

Actual:- 8min / avg pace 1:51.9 / 27spm / 2145m / 2min rest
Actual:- 8min / avg pace 1:51.7 / 27spm /2149m / 2min rest

Total Session: 5158m

Felt ok, second rep definitely felt harder - breathing harder. I may try to sneak in a short row tomorrow morning, then no rowing Sat or Sun. Back on Monday with AT 2 x 9 min.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 21st, 2006, 10:24 am

Welcome Carla. 23 weeks to Crash-b, including this week. Lots of time to get fast.

I've just shifted workouts from the evening to the morning, so I'm now doing them semi-conscious. This morning:

UT1/2x15'

2.04,7/139hr/21spm
2.04.6/145hr/21spm

I did not do push-ups. I figure Bob did enough for all of us.

Tom

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » September 21st, 2006, 10:43 am

Tom,

I know what you mean. Mornings feel crappy. But....that's when we have to race, so we've got to get used to it.

Incredible pushups by Bob.

I was mightily impressed by Steve Green doing his age in pushups in his 50's! I'm more like Anne. Yesterday I did 17 and barely made the last one.

Rick

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » September 21st, 2006, 1:37 pm

seat5 wrote: I'm so glad I found this thread!

I'd like to add my welcome as well, Carla. I used to follow your posts with interest on the TAFF thread and the old forum until ol' Chad sort of messed up that group and hackers did a number on the C2 forum itself.

This is a small group so far, but, as you can see, it has been fairly active. Like you, I need some sort of structure for my training program and the IP seemed like the easiest way. Basically, I am too lazy to dig my way into the Wolverine Plan and I wasn't happy with the repetitive nature of the simplified Pete Plan that I used last Winter. The USIRDS has provided some guide lines, but I need something with a more rigid structure. The IP provides that. Now if I could only get settled on a base pace, i.e. one for the UT1, I would be happy.

Bob S.

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » September 21st, 2006, 3:26 pm

Hi Bob (& Will, Tom, Rick, Ann, Mark....)
I've definitely spent much less time on the forum of late, mostly just sticking to the TAR thread on the UK forum as it seemed there wasn't a lot of helpful stuff going on for a long while, but this thread is clearly an exception.

I have never done anything with heart rate before and plan to use this plan just on pace and the "how it feels" guidelines--I just wanted SOMETHING to follow that wasn't too rigid. Must say I'm not wanting to do my first 2K test as I haven't rowed anything faster than a 2:06 since starting up again. Should be a fairly crappy result and give me a very slow pace to work at on the plan, which fits my apathetic nature right now. I expect after a few weeks of it I will perk up and start feeling feisty again. I am not sure whether it even makes sense to do a 2K test today, as usually I don't try to do anything fast without having done 10 or 12 slow 10Ks to get back in the swing of it.

So I guess I have committed myself to reporting back the results & number of pushups...

Sounds like I will have to do some pushups to fit in with this group....ew...I have been meaning to get back into doing them. Broke my wrist a few years ago and really got out of the habit of doing them because it hurt for a long time. Guess that excuse is worn out by now. I wonder how long it will be before I can do 45?

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 21st, 2006, 5:40 pm

Carla--

The 2k is not Everest. It's simply an indicator. It gives you a starting point. Nothing more.

And soon you will again be a fast girl, which is what the guys like. Push-ups are optional.

Have fun.

Tom

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » September 21st, 2006, 6:55 pm

Ok, first test done. Considering I only rowed about 10 times all summer it wasn't that abysmal. Results partially sabotaged by not being able to resist the wonderful weather and biking 25 miles right beforehand.

7:50.0 (standard erg) 33 spm (PB 7:42 on slides)
1:57.8 34
1:58.3 33
1:58 32
1:56 33

And 13 pushups. On the 14th one I got stuck halfway up and struggled there and then collapsed.

So I guess my paces are U2 2:16, UT1 2:12, AT 2:04, TR 1:58, AN 1:52
Doesn't sound too bloody awful, but I guess I'll find out. Tomorrow will be 20' at 2:12. Actually that sounds awfully light. But I'll do what it says, besides I have a 75 mile bike ride SAturday.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » September 21st, 2006, 10:24 pm

Carla== great to have you in the group! The plan and reporting it here has been great for me in developing some structure to my workouts. I'm not sure if I will get to Boston or not, but it is well worth the effort and may race in a qualifying event elsewhere, so I began the plan with 22 weeks. Push-ups are CERTAINLY optional!

Will- my 2X18' AT workout was like yours...not the speed (don't I wish!) but getting breathy in the second one. I overdid it on the first one.

Target:- 2x8min / avg pace 2:10 / 27spm/4min rest

Actual:- 8min / avg pace 2:07.5 / 28spm / 1881m / 4min rest
Actual:- 8min / avg pace 2:11.3 / 27spm /1829m /

Total Session: 3708m
I hope to row outside tomorrow as we are having a regatta on Saturday and will be setting up late tomorrow afternoon at a nearby lake.
Anne

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 21st, 2006, 11:32 pm

Carla-

Excellent 2k. No slides?

I'm still getting used to the way the plan cycles--easy week, moderate week, hard week. During an easy week, I feel as though I'm cheating. The first hard week wasn't too bad, but I think life will be more demanding later.

Anne--

I always strive for relatively consistency between intervals. I don't know whether that's actually a valid training principle or an sign of being finnicky.

Good luck in the regatta.

Tom

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » September 22nd, 2006, 12:55 am

Anne wrote:Happy Birthday Bob!! Wow...you are an inspiration as I struggle with 15 pushups and I am WAY over 15 years old! Does your gym have that birthday challenge???...I know there are a number of gyms where that is done. Hope you had a great day.

Thanks, Anne. I started doing pushups 15 to 20 years ago to try to improve my upper body strength. I don't remember exactly when I got on the birthday reps equal to years kick, but I was doing it in my late 60s and early 70s. Then the heart problems began and I had the surgery on July 30th of 2003. My first pushups after that were a set of 5 on September 26th - 8 weeks later. I also did my first post-op erging that day, a 15' piece for less than 3km. After that I just kept gradually increasing both erg times and numbers of pushups. At most I would do the pushups three times a week. On the erg also, I was just working three times a week or less. I was also doing other physical activity - weight work, treadmill, and hiking. I am still on much the same type of schedule, but putting out a bit more effort. During the last season, from August of 2005 until the WIRC, I was erging about 5 days a week on the average, but for this season I decided that I should erg only on alternate days.

In case any one should ask - No, I don't think that the pushups do diddly for my 2k time. It is just a fun thing to see how long I can do it.

Bob S.