The Road to Boston 2007

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » September 24th, 2006, 2:18 pm

Remember, you're in an "easy" week.

Hi Tom,
Right, I sort of forgot this is a cyclical thing. I'll stick to it. I don't think weeks 2 or 3 are going to be very hard either but week 4 looks more challenging, but still not very. Of course probably the fact that I'm not using a HR monitor and don't want to is throwing a monkey wrench in the works.

If the "hard" weeks seem easy I guess when I do the test at 8 weeks I'll have to adjust the paces.

Well, it still feels good to just have a thing to follow all printed out so I know what I'm at least pretending to do without having to think too hard!

You are doing yours with the stroke rate lower; if I do mine with the stroke rate what is specified but at a faster pace, that's about the same thing, isn't it?

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 24th, 2006, 5:01 pm

Carla--

Everyone finds his or her balance w/ rate and pace. At the moment, I am working at lower rates, hoping to improve my power a tad. I will need to work at higher rates eventually--if only on TR and AN workouts--to be prepared to race.

Also the paces I am working at are slower than recommended in the IP. I'm close to recommended paces, but HR is my primary guide. In previous years, I would have stuck to pace and let my HR climb. I've been advised to use physiological approach, given my advanced years (60 of 'em). We'll see.

If you find the sessions too easy, you can always increase the paces a small fraction each workout. You can take a few weeks to sort things out. Race day is still a long ways off.

Tom

Anne · Post by **Anne** » September 24th, 2006, 8:20 pm

After drying out after an outdoor regatta held yesterday in the pouring rain, I woke up at 6am to begin week 5. The plan called for 2x9'AT.

My goal was 2:10 (sr 26) across both pieces and holding HR below 175 at the end of the piece. 175 is still too high, but I don't know my true max, nor can I get an average.

2079 (2:09.8) 27sr 174HR
2095 (2:08.8) 26sr 183HR

The workout felt pretty good (I'd been off for two days) and I was surprised to go faster the second 9 minutes.

I will be away for a week--visiting kids in Virginia, DC and North Carolina and am trying to find gyms with an erg. If I am unsuccessful, should I skip week 6, or just start back on week 6 when I get home?

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » September 24th, 2006, 11:52 pm

After drying out after an outdoor regatta held yesterday in the pouring rain,

I was supposed to do a 75 mile bike ride yesterday in the pouring rain...I bailed out. It was dry on the erg!

How did your race go?

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 25th, 2006, 3:41 am

Anne wrote:...... My goal was 2:10 (sr 26) across both pieces and holding HR below 175 at the end of the piece. 175 is still too high, but I don't know my true max, nor can I get an average.

2079 (2:09.8) 27sr 174HR
2095 (2:08.8) 26sr 183HR ......

Nice session, negative split, reduced stroke rate

All good Anne

George

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 25th, 2006, 3:51 am

Tonight's session for me was also the 2 x 9AT, my max is set at 1:46 but given the past week or so I decided finishing would be nice

1/ 1:47.7 / 25spm / 2506

3min rest

2/ 1:47.5 / 25spm / 2511

These efforts especially the 2nd had me really blowing at the end and there is no way I would have been in the HR zone but I felt I was working safely.

Couple of notes:-

Took 3 min rest as I think Tom is right that as we get up in the paces then a slightly longer rest means more quality so went with a 3 to 1 ratio

The other thing of note is that the stroke rate is below the AT recommendation and that is what I think it is a recommendation. I have decided I guess that the stroke rate guide is more of a cap than a minimum. For me this rate was right for the pace, to up the rate would either mean reducing the power applied (cant see the point) or upping the pace (was hard enough)

2 weeks to the next test and I will need 2 good weeks of work if I am going to do it. I am not doing a test just for the sake of it and would rather put it off for a week or 2. I see the purpose of the tests to determine if you should move up a band but at this stage it would not be practical nor beneficial for me to do so.

George

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » September 25th, 2006, 8:13 am

George,
Well any training plan has to be "flexed" to go with your current fitness/health because we aren't machines! It is hard sometimes to continue a workout when you know you aren't meeting the goals but to finish anyway.

Nice one, Anne, you are right on schedule!

Did my second session last night, 2 x 15 UT1. I decided to go ahead and move up to what my 2K pb was last spring for a reference, because the AT and TR paces don't look too scary, so the goal was 2:10 @ 22 and they were at 2:09.4 @ 22 and 2:09.2 @ 22 and felt just fine. It was good work but not exhausting. Tomorrow a day off (violin lesson night) and Tuesday I'll complete week 1 with 3 x 12 UT1.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 25th, 2006, 10:22 am

AT 2x9/152 max hr

2.01.4/145hr/23 spm
2.01.9/152hr/23 spm

I'm using a work to rest ratio of 2:1, so 4.30 rest.

Using the HR limit (which is between 87-92% of max), I am not having any trouble breathing. . . yet.

Anne--Week 6 is a hard week, so I'd be inclined to do it after a week away, as opposed to picking up w/ an easy week.

Tom

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » September 25th, 2006, 5:56 pm

Today's menu called to 20'UT1, but the USIRDS calls for 5k time trials at the ends of July, August, and September, so with the first two done at 22' plus or minus a couple of seconds, a 5k time trial seemed like a fairly close substitute for the IP of the day. Results:

21.31.3, a new PB. Averages: 2:09.1/500m. 24spm. 153 bpm.

1k splits:
2:08.0. 26spm. 151bpm.
2:09.4. 27spm. 153bpm.
2:10.4. 24spm. 153bpm.
2:09.7. 23spm. 153bpm.
2:08.0. 23spm. 156bpm.

Prior to the time trial, I did a 21' pyramid warmup and had about 4' rest before the piece. Within minute of so after the piece, I began a 15 minute taper down cool off.

Wednesday calls a "2x8'T." I can only assume that this means 2x8'AT, but who knows? I see that, on another thread, some one else has complained about typos on the IP - the same point that I brought up here recently regarding what the "bands" are meant to be.

I am supposed to do a 2k on a public access erg, witnessed by a C2 qualified observer sometime next month, but I don't know how I will be able to work that out. I sure don't feel like driving the 500 mile round trip and spending a couple of days in the big city.

Bob S.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » September 25th, 2006, 10:07 pm

Bob....impressive work and results...Does your C-2 use the computer cards to track workouts? All my data is in my card, however my times aren't competitive enough to warrant any oversight. Maybe someday!

After my best row, and getting sub 8, I purchased a new card for the gym, so I could keep the one with the record achievement at home. (I think I have lost it by now

)

Today was the 3x 13' UT1 piece and I barely had enough time to do it...so I shortchanged the stretching at the end and hope I don't feel it tomorrow.
Avg- 2:16.4 (24 sr) 167 HR

2:15.7 (25) 154 HR
2:16.9 (24) 166HR
2:16.7 (24) 182 HR---very hot in the gym and I was sweating considerably.....
Anne

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » September 25th, 2006, 10:58 pm

Tom, are you in week 6? just trying to get how this goes together---my plan is a 22 week one, and week 6 is where 2 x 9 AT shows up. Where did you get the idea of how much rest time to do?

Top Row, Bob! Are you Bob99spm on Nonathlon? I hope you find a facility nearby that you can get the proper witnesses for.

Anne, you must in in week 5 I guess. Your pieces got slower so it must have been grossly hot. How much rest time did you give yourself? and how are you supposed to know how long to do?

Tomorrow is supposed to be 3 x 12 UT1. Sometime this week I have to do an all out 4K for the CTC--I owe it to my team. Should be interesting. I have to do better than 1:59.7 to land in the 1st boat--don't know if I have it in me--and will be a TR training session 7 weeks before I'm supposed to do one. So I may do that tomorrow and do the 3 x 12 UT1 Wednesday.

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » September 25th, 2006, 11:12 pm

Anne wrote:Does your C-2 use the computer cards to track workouts? All my data is in my card, however my times aren't competitive enough to warrant any oversight. .
Anne

Whenever you do a piece that can be ranked, e.g. 2k, 5k, 6k, 30', etc. there is a hexadecimal code available from the PM3. You can get it by pushing the unlabelled button when you have the details of the piece on the screen. Then when you record your workout in your C2 logbook, click on edit and you will get a page on which you can record the code. Initially it is off screen (on my monitor anyway) so you might have to scroll down a little way to see it. After you click on submit (?) you should get a page that shows that your result has been verified and a "V" will show up for that listing in your logbook.

Ranking is a separate procedure and should be done after you have carried out the verification. You have probably seen the word "rank" in blue letters in your logbook. It only shows up for those pieces that can be ranked. Clicking on that will take you to the page that you fill out to complete the ranking protocol. Note that you have to request a code (only a three or four digit numerical code for this one) from C2. All this probably sounds complicated, but it is really not all that bad.

Bob S.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » September 25th, 2006, 11:31 pm

Carla--

There are several sources for determining rest between intervals. You can base rest on WP guidance. The UK C2 training guide, from which the IP is derived (I think), has recommendations for rest. I also once pulled down a chart from Fritz Hagerman, US rowing physiologist, in which he recommended rest between intervals, and he seemed to be in the camp advocating longer rest.

I now use a longer rest, with the idea that I can then do faster work. (That's the theory.) So I use 25% for UT1, currently 50% for AT, but for longer sessions later, I may increase that a bit. I use about 125-150% rest for race-pace sessions, which is in line w/ WP and Hagerman's recommendations, as I recall.

Different people have different preferences.

Tom

GeorgeD · Post by **GeorgeD** » September 26th, 2006, 4:48 am

Well done to everyone on the great interaction on the thread

Bob, well done on the 5k 'why am I not surprised at the new PB' your a legend man a real legend. ..... don't worry about the typos if you have an uncertainty drop me a line. Just to re-iterate on the paces they are max of that 'intensity' within the band you are working in (at present)

Anne we are on the same sessions

Looking at your results the HR climb from one interval to the next is not surprising (tho your 'rest' may be to short) and the heat will 'always' generally give you an increased HR as the body is trying to pump blood close to the skin to assist with cooling.

Carla I think there are a number of factors that affect 'rest' duration but I think being reasonably consistent is important. I think a key is that the 'rest' means there is adequate recovery (not total) that will allow intensity to be maintained over the session. If your 2nd, 3rd or 4th interval etc are getting slower or you are having to work that much harder (HR shows this or perceived exertion tells this if your in touch) to keep to your target pace then your 'rest' is to short. [note you could keep 'rest' duration the same but reduce target pace, so address the problem from another direction.] Note I keep my rests a little shorter as it cuts down my total training time

OK so for me tonight my session was the same as Anne's 3 x 13UT1 / 3min rest:-

1/ 3444m / 1:53.2 / 23spm / aHR142 - rowed negative splits

2/ 3502m / 1:51.3 / 23spm / aHR151 - alternated approx 1:50's and 1:53's

3/ 3452m / 1:52.9 / 22spm / aHR149 - fairly even pace, cruised at a lower rate as I did not want the HR to be to high

Enjoyed the session I think because it backed up a good one yesterday, mixing up the way I did each interval added some fun

George

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » September 26th, 2006, 6:07 am

Back at it after 4 days with no rowing. My wife cranked out a 50 mile ultra last Sunday in 8hrs 52min. Needless to say, I was impressed. It was a rugged southern Vermont course with lots of vertical, mud, rain, wind, mountain bikes, etc. She was third woman and about 17th overall out of 125 runners.

My row today -

Tuesday morning: 10min WU 2232m

AT 2x9min / max pace 1:50 / 26-28spm

Target:- 2x9min / avg pace 1:52 / 27spm/3min rest

Actual:- 9min / avg pace 1:51.5 / 27spm / 2422m / 3min rest
Actual:- 9min / avg pace 1:51.4 / 27spm /2423m / 3min rest

Total Session: 6139m

I don't like going into these sessions, but they seem to go alright once I get into them. I guess I have never been a huge fan of speedwork - usually, I get my faster workouts through online racing or self tests. In the past I have done ok with continuous faster sessions rather than multiple repetitions of shorter length. We'll see if more structure in my training makes a difference this year.