Pete Plan Thread

[Dangerscouse]

My 2k is quite an old time now, just over a year. However after doing it I got hit with a few injuries which set me back. I definitely feel faster than I did when I last did the test though. This cycle finishes a week before I go on holiday, so before I go I'm going to use the week to try a new 2km and 5km test. I think I've just been putting it off as I know how much the last one hurt!

A proper 2k is the devil's work, but it's necessary every now and again. Having said that it took me circa seven years for me to have another go, which was only recently. You are probably in better overall shape now to be able to withstand the rigours of it.

I have also just noticed that you're in Liverpool too. Do you have your own erg or which gym do you use?

[mdpfirrman]

@ Ray - nice work on that distance. I hate the 10K. I hate anything, truth be told, over 5K/6K.

Last "hard" piece on the PP Round 1 for me. I am proud for having done a round not in the best of shape and sticking to schedule. Also, it taught me what I need to work on (AT pieces/intermediate intervals). That's clearly my weakness right now. It's odd how I've come full circle. When I started rowing, I did 3 rows a week -- 5K as hard as I could go, 30 minutes as hard as I could and 10K as hard as I could. No SS at all through the week, just 3 hard rows a week. Very similar to the Beginner Pete Plan actually except no fast intervals.

Now that I have 4 years of experience, I hate the 10K hard. Hate it. I think that's my mental challenge is just getting over that psychologically and just doing it more often, not necessarily going for a PB but pushing the 10K often (or at least doing an intermediate interval piece) -- one or the other weekly, perhaps alternating.

Today I did a 5K in around 20:37, so not particularly speedy but I was pushing a bit just to do that. I'm a little slow right now on longer pieces. I think I'm going to take a week just doing a little less work this week and then do another round starting next Sunday. We'll see, I have some things upcoming that might require me to not be able to stick to a schedule. I'll be checking in from time to time.

[Street]

I have also just noticed that you're in Liverpool too. Do you have your own erg or which gym do you use?

I used to use the gym in the Crowne Plaza in town as I came home from work that way, the ergs weren't great in there though and were a bit creaky. However, since moving house a few years ago I was able to claim the garage as my own to use as a gym and ended up buying a C2. I find it takes a lot less willpower for me to roll into the garage in the mornings than drag myself to the gym!

I am proud for having done a round not in the best of shape and sticking to schedule.

Good work, the mental side is half the battle and the full schedule is a tough old grind!

[bob.haffner]

Nice work, everyone

Tonight was the 3k, 2.5 and 2k. Not too bad. That 2.5 was a struggle. Been riding my bicycle so I haven't done anything other than the two intervals this week.

/500m Time.1
01:58.2 | 11:49.5
01:58.1 | 09:50.8
01:55.3 | 07:41.3

Avg: 01:57.4

[mdpfirrman]

@ Bob - that's a pretty solid Waterfall! Nice work. You had a heck of a lot more left in the tank than I did on that workout!

[bob.haffner]

@ MIke. Thanks, man. Good to have a cycle under my belt. If I understand the plan correctly, my averages should be my targets for the next cycle?

[mdpfirrman]

@ MIke. Thanks, man. Good to have a cycle under my belt. If I understand the plan correctly, my averages should be my targets for the next cycle?

@ Bob, yeah, that's what Marston suggests. I normally go just a hair over the average to start the next session (like .2 or so above) hoping that I can manage it. Nothing worse than a crash and burn and I had quite a few of those this round!

[bob.haffner]

@ Bob, yeah, that's what Marston suggests. I normally go just a hair over the average to start the next session (like .2 or so above) hoping that I can manage it. Nothing worse than a crash and burn and I had quite a few of those this round!

Yeah, I hear ya. I admire people that can hold a pace that's close to their maximum output. I've never been able to do that

[mdpfirrman]

Last day of the plan (SS work, W3/D6) - Did only 4K today on the rower and 33 minutes on the AirDyne Pro (total of 52 working minutes). Pretty easy work on both (around 2:09 on the rower and 174 Watts shown on the AD Pro, more like around 150 to me by feel compared to the rower).

I'm definitely taking next week off the plan, not off rowing. I'll probably row the same amount of meters, just shorten up the speed intervals and only do one AT row next week (not two). I'll add in another day of SS work and make sure I get my lifts in. The lifting has been hit and miss the last few weeks.

I'll check in from time to time and just peek and see how you're all doing.

[m06w41]

@ Tracy - I would probably agree with Stu. I tried to pay more attention to my stroke length today (I did a 7K SS, more or less a recovery type of row @ 2:11). My stroke length was around 1.31 most of the time and I'm just slightly taller than you (around 5' 9"/5' 10"). I certainly have short legs/arms too. Could just be flexibility (and that will come) and it could be your not extending far back enough into your finish. It's good you're not overcompensating, though, by overextending beyond your knees. Some helpful things (to me) when I was new was breaking down the stroke into parts. The one C2 video with the girl on the dock is very good. Practice each part separately. I've found some of the videos on YouTube also solid (Darkhorse Rowing and Decent Rowing I personally thought were helpful, though I've seen some people not like DarkHorse that I respect as very solid rowers).

Will do. Will watch the videos again. It may have to do with the small child that appears to be attached to my front side, but will work on form still. One thing for sure is that I'm not leaning back enough. I'm probably finishing just past vertical, worried about leaning back too far. Will work on getting a video uploaded for some pointers asap. I think I've got some short arms and legs but can confirm I'm pulling 1m...sometimes 1.03. I'll also trying finishing a bit further back. Lots of learning still to do.

@Tracy - it's dumping rain again right now. We're selling next year and moving to AZ. I'd love to send some of this stuff to the dry states hit by drought. I think for every drought year they have, we get more rain. Enough of all this rain/grass cutting stuff. I think we'll end up with around 55 to 60 inches of rain this year! At least it's not 74 inches yet like we had 6 or 7 years ago!

Well, AZ has less rain for sure! Retiring?

This is from Week 1 Row 3 last night. A bit gassed and the last 3000m my HR hovered around 150...working on not being discouraged and trying to play the long game. Small steps, right?

Will do row 4 tonight, 20 minutes with a focus on technique so good timing with the feedback. Thanks again.
Time Meters Pace W Cal S/M
26:18.5 5,000m 2:37.8 89 606 21
2:36.8 500m 2:36.8 91 612 21
2:38.4 1,000m 2:38.4 88 603 20
2:38.5 1,500m 2:38.5 88 602 20
2:38.5 2,000m 2:38.5 88 602 21
2:38.3 2,500m 2:38.3 88 603 21
2:37.9 3,000m 2:37.9 89 606 21
2:37.8 3,500m 2:37.8 89 606 21
2:37.0 4,000m 2:37.0 90 611 21
2:38.1 4,500m 2:38.1 89 604 20
2:37.1 5,000m 2:37.1 90 610 21

[bob.haffner]

Keep at @Tracy!!!

[Street]

working on not being discouraged and trying to play the long game. Small steps, right?

Definitely.. Any meters are good meters! It's surprising how quickly you progress on the BPP, you'll soon be bashing out 12km at the same pace or quicker than you're doing 5km now. Just work on technique at the start and the pace will come.

[m06w41]

Week 1 Row 4. Focused on lengthening stroke and it's clear from a video I watched and taking my own video that I'm not reaching forward nor leaning back nearly enough. Back is upright too much. Think I was worried about back strain but regardless I focused on strokes about 1.09 to 1.12. Pace was automatically faster so I really had to concentrate on keeping it a somewhat slow pace but HR was mid 155 to 160. Will be working on pace and control as row 4 was supposed to be slower.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
20:00.0 3,855m 2:35.6 93 619 20
4:00.0 797m 2:30.5 103 652 19
8:00.0 766m 2:36.6 91 613 20
12:00.0 760m 2:37.8 89 606 20
16:00.0 768m 2:36.2 92 615 21
20:00.0 765m 2:36.8 91 612 21

[RayOfSunshine]

BPP 20.5
8x500 2r
Average to beat 1:53.3

Came out too hot. Hung on. Learning experience.

[mdpfirrman]

@ Tracy - no, I wish I was retiring! But the wife and I are looking at some of those 55 and over "active adult" communities. Pickleball, here we come! We've spent so much time with kids/dogs, we only have a few close friends and a few family here (and no parents) so there's real appeal of those communities and the built in network of friends as you age. We don't plan on slowing down anytime soon. Haven't done much golfing in years, would like to take that up again. I haven't golfed much since college but I was around a bogey golfer ages ago (with those old school clubs that didn't help you like these new ones do).

Stick with the work and the pace will slowly come. Ray's flying now and he didn't start out nearly as fast when he began. Now he's pushing my paces and I've been at it for four years! Just look for small improvements and hopefully you'll feel stronger and healthier. That's the real goal, right?

@ Ray - nice times, yeah, I'm guilty of starting out too fast all the time. Those with 2' rest are really tough too.