The Road to Boston 2007

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » January 12th, 2007, 7:04 pm

Pete Plan, week2, session 5, 15K@~2k+15(2:19.3). Would have been more or less routine except for a full 2 minute telephone call interuption in the middle of the 2nd km. I suppose that I could have just started over, but it wasn't a critical piece, so I just went back and finished it. I ended up 1.8 seconds too high on the average pace, but it was just a workout and I had intended to go easy anyway.

WU: 12' increasing rate. 2535m(2:22.0). 115bpm.
5'r.
15k. 1:10:35.8(2:21.1). 14spm for the 2nd km, 20spm for all the others. 137bpm average.
~1' break.
CD: 15' decreasing rate. 2764m(2:42.8). 111bpm at end.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 12th, 2007, 7:49 pm

3x8/AT

pace/hr/spm

1.59.6/140/24
1.58.9/147/24
1.57.6/154/25-26

The good news is that I appear to be fitter--I have to work harder to get my HR into the prescribed range. The bad news is I have to work harder.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » January 13th, 2007, 10:06 am

I'm out in southern California just in time for record cold weather.

It is warmer in the midwest/east. 21 of us are here for my mother's 80th birthday---meaning I needed some erg-therapy.

I found a gym and did the 3x10' AT workout- My goal was 2:10 -26spm and I made it....but by the skin of my teeth. It was really tough and I couldn't figure out why. I thought I had learned "the feel" of holding about 2:09 and when I looked at the monitor it was 2:14...made me scurry to get the averages back down. I wondered if it was the location or the ergs...or...surprise, surprise...just me.

I think the young gym manager worried about having to apply CPR to me. The only erg was right next to the check-in desk so he was watching me (curiously/fearfully) the whole time...during the rest periods I would assure him I was OK.....but it was nice for me to have a different view for a change. As I did the last interval I was trying to recall the variety of gyms where I have rowed this past year to keep training or logging meters.

I also seriously wondered how to maintain interest in the erg after the races. Wondering minds probably aren't condusive to this sport.

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 13th, 2007, 10:20 am

5 X 3' TR (3'ar)

2690m w/u in 12'

3' 815m 1:50.4 30spm 146hr
3' 818m 1:49.9 30spm 151hr
3' 823m 1:49.4 31spm 153hr
3' 826m 1:48.9 31spm 154hr
3' 832m 1:48.1 32spm 157hr

1438m c/d in 7'

120df, 55degrees, 51rhr. Moved up from 66% of a workout yesterday to 71% today, doing 5 of the scheduled 7 reps. Heart rate recovered to around 107-112 during the 3' paddles at about 20spm. Decent. We''ll see how things go tomorrow when returning to a full bore high volume week.

Tom, I was talking to a runner recently who expressed a similar sentiment. She was saying that she was definitely getting into better shape because she was training by heart rate, and would take walking breaks until her heartrate got back to 2X resting rate. It was taking less and less time to do so. "So I'm like 'Ooh, that's good. I'm in better shape.' But then "Damn, I don't get to rest as much.'"

Anne, good job seeking out an erg to keep at it. I always find it harder to achieve the same splits when in an unfamiliar place. Tell the guy at the gym not to worry, that you are a badass!

Rick

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » January 13th, 2007, 5:53 pm

Hey Anne,
I wonder if you were at a different elevation? If you were significantly higher above sea level than you are used to that could make a big difference (just ask Bob!)

Have fun with Xeno next week & don't forget to post a photo!

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » January 13th, 2007, 9:23 pm

3 x 8' AT targ 1:58/26

actual, on slides, 5K w/u, 2K c/d
2036 1:57.8/26
2054 1:56.8/26
2037 1:57.8/26

I think this is a tad than I'd been doing AT previously but that's OK, I have to pick up somewhere! It felt OK. I don't remember if I did my other ATs on slides or not. I'll have to check. All the TR has been standard but I can't remember on the AT.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 13th, 2007, 10:11 pm

UT1/2x20

2.07.4/137hr/20-21spm
2.06.3/143hr/21-22som

AM resting HR was a few beats high, and I tried to convince myself to take a rest day. But I couldn't do it.

Carla, your AT splits look good.

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 14th, 2007, 12:53 pm

5 X 12' UT1 (3'r)

2174m w/u in 10'

12' 3003m 1:59.9 21spm 144hr (recovered to 71hr during rest)
12' 3010m 1:59.6 21spm 148hr (rec. to 79hr)
12' 3017m 1:59.3 22spm 150hr (rec. to 83hr)
12' 3023m 1:59.1 23spm 151hr (rec. to 83hr)
12' 3028m 1:58.9 23spm 152hr (rec. to 83hr)

1025m c/d in 5'

121df, 55degrees, 50rhr. Woke up with an aching lower back which was disturbing. But after missing so many days last week I was loathe to skip the workout. If I took time off every time I was in excruciating agony I'd never get anywhere.

During the first couple I was concerned that I wouldn't make all 5, but since the heart rate kept dropping back fairly well on recoveries I soldiered on, letting the spm drift up a bit, and by the middle of the 4th piece was finally confident of making it all the way.

At the moment I'm glad that I stuck it out.

We'll see tomorrow morning if I feel the same way then, as I face a 5 X 8' AT

Rick

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » January 14th, 2007, 2:26 pm

Great work out, Rick. I haven't hit 5 x 12' UT1, I don't think. Sounds tough.

Do you have a swiss ball? Anyway, if I am sore and stiff before workout I either lay on my back on the ball and stretch by twisting over till both hands are on one side of the ball (with both feet still on the floor), or by standing upright and then stretching over on each side by dropping one hand as far down the side of my leg as I can while arching the other hand over my head. Another good one with the ball is to lie on your back with your legs over the ball, arms stretched out in a cross, and roll the ball right and left until you are letting your knees hit the floor on each side. I usually start out with a small roll and increase the range of motion until it's a complete arch after about 10 rolls. Also, when you first wake up, while lying on your back, put your hands on your hips and swivel your hips first one way and the other, pointing the toe on the side of the lower hip while you swivel. I have found these stretches really helpful against lower back pain and in fact do them routinely every day.

Good luck on 5 (eek) x 8' AT!!

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 14th, 2007, 3:59 pm

Carla,

I do have a swiss ball. I'll try some of that stuff while watching the football games today. Thanks.

Rick

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » January 14th, 2007, 7:03 pm

Saturday
10min WU 2190m
Target AT 3x8min/avg 1:52/27spm/3min rest
8min/1:51.9/27/2144m
8min/1:51.9/27/2144m
8min/1:52.0/27/2143m
total 8298m

Sunday
10min WU 2188m
Target AN 2 x (6x1min)/faster than 1:41/36 or 37 spm/1' rest
1min/1:40.0/37/300m
1min/1:39.7/36/301m
1min/1:39.0/35/303m
1min/1:39.0/35/303m
1min/1:39.0/35/303m
1min/1:38.7/35/304m
total 3059m
5min rest 1060m
1min/1:40.0/36/300m
1min/1:39.3/36/302m
1min/1:39.0/36/303m
1min/1:39.3/35/302m
1min/1:39.3/36/302m
1min/1:39.7/36/301m
total 2966m
10min CD 2229m

Saturday AT was uneventful - felt strong. Sunday - I reread the IP details and it looks like for AT workouts the rest period should be the same as the work period, so I shortened my rest to 1 minute for this workout. There was no guidance on the rest between the 2 sets so I chose 5 minutes. This went well and felt more like an AN workout should - I was definitely using too long of a rest in my previous AN workouts. I could definitely feel it by the end and my times started to slow. This was a great workout.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 14th, 2007, 9:28 pm

same at Will.--yours look fast
2(x6x1). I used 1.15 recovery.

1.46.7/33spm
1.46.3/33
1.46.3/33
1.45.6/33
1.44.8/34
1.44.8/33
avg: 145.6

5 min recovery, paddling

1.44.8/34
1.44.8/33
1.44.5/33
1.43.8/33
1.43.4/34
1.42.7/35
avg: 1.43.9

I paddle during the recovery so do not start w/ an absolutely dead fan. This helps marginally on the split, but it is also easier on the back.

How'd that football turn out for you, Rick? Your guys managed to do something w/ 2d and 1 inside the 5-yard line late in the 4th Q, unlike the Eagles, who have been disappointing me for 47 years.

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » January 15th, 2007, 9:00 am

Every simplified Pete Plan 6th day has the following workout scheduled: 10K hard ~2K + 10 (PB!). That falls on the Saturdays for me, so that is what I went for last Saturday. I was further inspired by the fact that my best this season is about 30 seconds slower than last season’s best and that my HM pace (2:13.5) for this season is a tad better than my 10K pace (2:13.6). Inspiration or not, it was not to be. My only excuses are that there were a lot of unexpected distractions that day, my workout was delayed until late afternoon, and I really was pressed for time once I finally got to it. I did a reasonable, increasing rate 12’ warm up, but didn’t feel all that great. The main piece was just not going well at all and I ended up dropping the handle after only 12 1/2 minutes, well less than 3K. I finished the day off with a token 5’ cool down and that was it.

Yesterday, Sunday, was a rest day for erg work and I usually drive to town to do treadmill and weight work at a local fitness center. However, I was bugged by Saturday’s failure, the OLYC had dropped to 4th in the JVC, and I managed to get up earlier than usual. All this pushed me into trying a repeat of the 10K. I started with a heavier duty 15’ warm up, getting up to 24spm at the end, which was my intended rate for the 10K. The 10K itself went O.K. I held a constant 24spm, started at a cautious 2:17.4 pace, and negative split pretty much of the way down to 2:10.1 for the final 1K split. No PB, but at 44:32.2, it was only 0.2 seconds off my best for this season. With the JVC in mind, I did a 15’ decreasing rate cool down.

I still went to the spa in the afternoon, but put in only 20’ on the treadmill, mainly as just a warm up, instead of the usual 40’ aerobic workout. I finished off with my standard weight routine. What with a fair amount of ice-breaking that I had to do on the creek in the back yard, it was quite a busy day. Today’s schedule calls for an interval pyramid, 250/500/750/1K/750/500/250. My starting target is optional, since I don’t have a recent previous set to use as a guide. — Good excuse to make an easy day of it.

Bob S.

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 15th, 2007, 11:04 am

5 X 8' AT (4'r)

2420m w/u in 11'

8' 2088m 1:54.9 25spm 146hr (recovered to 69hr during rest)
8' 2093m 1:54.7 26spm 150hr (rec. to 78hr)
8' 2080m 1:55.3 27spm 151hr (rec. to 78hr)
8' 2088m 1:54.9 28spm 152hr (rec. to 81hr)
8' 2099m 1:54.3 28spm 152hr (rec. to 82hr)

1236m c.d in 6'

121df, 54degrees, 46rhr. Like yesterday I didn't feel much like attacking the workout. The lower back was less achy, probably due to a lot of stretching and lying down while watching football, as well as a set of pilates exercises during halftime. Started out strapless as I have been all of my UT2, UT1 and AT workouts but found it hard to keep the rate up to 25spm. Strapped in after that and immediately found it hard to keep the rate down to 25spm. Almost cut it short because it seemed to be harder than AT should be, but by slowing down on the third and letting the spm drift up to the top of the AT suggested spm I was able to rally for the 4th and 5th. Like yesterday, glad that I stuck it out. The lower back even feels better now that I'm done. Some of the pain must be more in my head than in my back.

Tom, after a fretful three hours the game turned out just fine. My wife doesn't comment on Tom Brady's cuteness. She knows how fragile my ego is. In turn, I don't comment on Bridgit Moynihan's cuteness (not that I keep up with those things

).

Bob, it occurs to me that your Pete Plan targets (10K at 2K +10) are probably too ambitious. Ten seconds slower than 2km PB pace for Pete (1:43 compared to 1:33) represents a much bigger reduction in watts than 10 seconds slower than your PB would be. You should be able to go slower than 2K +10 and stay within the plan. Just a thought.

Rick

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » January 15th, 2007, 4:01 pm

Yankeerunner wrote: Bob, it occurs to me that your Pete Plan targets (10K at 2K +10) are probably too ambitious. Ten seconds slower than 2km PB pace for Pete (1:43 compared to 1:33) represents a much bigger reduction in watts than 10 seconds slower than your PB would be. You should be able to go slower than 2K +10 and stay within the plan. Just a thought.
Rick

Thanks for the comments, Rick. Actually the Sunday workout went quite well. the 2K+10 pace for the 10k has the about sign (~) in front of it, so there is some flexibility allowed. For me, it would be 2:14.3. Since I did it at 2:13.6, I was on the fast side of the "about" 2K+10. Whoever made up that chart for the simplified plan made a big point of suggesting going for a 10K PB on each of those 6th day workouts, with the comment that (normally) it is followed by a rest day.

At this point, I have only the rest of this week for regular training. The race is only 12 days off, so it is close to taper time. Next week will be hectic, with a full day of travel, probably Tuesday or Wednesday, then having to make a 30-60' trip each day, either to Xeno's or the Long Beach club to get access to an erg. I haven't really worked out a plan at this point other than arranging to stay at a friend's house for most of the week. Meanwhile I am keeping my fingers crossed that no weather or health problems come up in the next few days.

Bob S.