To try to decide if I would race this sunday, I decided to do the universal predictor workout, the 4 x 1K / 5′ rest.

In the past, I have generally been able to race at a pace about 1 second faster than this workout.  I decided to go out hard and see if I could hold a 1:41 pace.

I pushed the first rep a bit too hard and paid the price in the later reps, but it all worked out OK.

Here’s the HR plot.  It shows that I have certainly worked harder in this workout in the past, but boy the reps hurt a lot.  I guess my lactate tolerance has been negatively impacted by a lack of speed work over the past few weeks.

I decided to try the Concept2 ErgData app, and it worked flawlessly!  Here’s what you get in the online log if you upload from ergdata to your logbook.

So, details on each rep, plus a stroke rate and pace graph for each rep.  Even better, there is a very simple csv export that I can adapt to my excel tools to track HR.  There are rumors that the log book will be enhanced to include HR on the graph.

Now I just need to convince C2 to open up the ability to upload workouts from speedcoach, crewnerd or RIM and I can really simplify my life.

So, this workout today predicts somewhere around 6:40 to 6:45.  Not the performance I was hoping for, but not horribly shabby.  I think I will race.  I think I’d regret not going.

Tomorrow:  Start of the taper.  Fletcher warmup and 4×500 at race pace.