Tuesday: Another shot at the February CTC

February 28, 2017March 1, 2017Leave a comment

Sunday: Flew home from Korea via Detriot. 21 hours door to door. Didn’t sleep at all and was wedged into a coach seat the whole way. Arrived home at 3pm. No training.

Monday: Slept in to try to make up for the lost night of sleep. No training

Tuesday: Woke up at 5:15am and felt pretty tired. Dragged myself to work and after an hour of email, went down to the gym. The goal for the day was to make another attempt at the February Cross Team Challenge and get all the rowing data onto rowsandall so we could try out some cool new team functionality.

But, I have to admit that I was not feeling too good about doing a hard workout.

I set up a 10 minute warmup. I rowed a minute nice and gently, then I worked as 30 seconds on / 30 seconds off. For the Ons, I did a rate ladder starting at 20spm, and going up by 2 spm in each one until I got up to 30 spm. I’m sure the data would have looked really cool. But, we’ll never know because painsled hung again about 6 minutes into the row and stopped storing data. 😦

I felt a bit better as I went along, but I was still not optimistic about the session. I bailed on using painsled and reverted to using ergdata, and got myself setup.

Last time I did the CTC, I did it at 24 spm. This time I figured somewhere between 26 and 28. As for splits, I was thinking I wanted to improve on the 1:49.1 pace in Taiwan, so maybe around 1:47.

As soon as I started the first interval, I settled into a much faster pace. I was worried that I would flame out in the later reps, but I just went with it anyway.

Workout Summary - media/Import_28998017.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|05080|20:00.0|01:58.1|262.3|26.6|165.2|178.0|09.5
W-|04336|15:30.0|01:47.2|305.7|27.5|165.3|178.0|10.2
R-|00754|04:30.0|02:59.1|093.8|23.5|166.3|178.0|00.0
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|00444|01:30.0|01:41.3|317.1|27.2|142.9|158.0|10.9
01|00438|01:30.0|01:42.8|307.8|26.9|160.0|164.0|10.9
02|00442|01:30.0|01:41.8|304.8|27.5|161.8|166.0|10.7
03|00428|01:30.0|01:45.2|302.0|26.4|164.2|169.0|10.8
04|00431|01:30.0|01:44.4|298.4|27.9|166.2|171.0|10.3
05|00425|01:30.0|01:45.9|301.7|27.2|168.7|173.0|10.4
06|00430|01:30.0|01:44.7|299.5|27.5|168.1|173.0|10.4
07|00433|01:30.0|01:44.0|300.8|27.7|170.8|175.0|10.4
08|00435|01:30.0|01:43.3|301.1|27.7|173.0|177.0|10.5
09|00431|01:30.1|01:44.5|319.1|28.4|174.6|178.0|10.1

After the second rep, I decided to try to aim at 1:45. I managed to stay under it except for the 7th rep, where I struggled a bit. Not a full blown crisis, but I coasted in the last few strokes to give myself a bit of a longer rest.

This was a big improvement and I’m very pleased with it.

Tomorrow: 2 x 40′ / 4′ rest

Saturday: 40 minutes at the Spoarts Club

February 25, 2017February 28, 2017Leave a comment

Not a typo.

I was staying in a hotel in Incheon called The Charis. It did not have a fitness center, but they had a deal with the sports club across the street to let their guest go work out there.

I headed over and there was a sign for the Spoarts Club on the door. Some clever indication that they focus on rowing…Sp..oar..ts? Afraid not. Not a rowing machine in sight, and the place was a bit shabby. They had a bunch of working tread mills and I managed to make one of the ellipticals to work, but I could not find a working stationary bike. So, I ended up doing 2 – 20 minute pieces.

20 minutes treadmill (15% grade, 5.1 kph)
20 minutes elliptical (random profile, level 15)

As boring as it looks.

Friday: February CTC (@ r24)

February 24, 2017Leave a comment

I was pressed for time this morning, but I wanted to get a workout in. I mean realy, how often do I get to stay at a hotel with a real erg? It’s too good to pass up.

So, I thought I would try out the February CTC, but do it with a rate restriction. The rests are so short that I wasn’t sure how to pace it.

I decided to try to target 1:50 at r24.

It worked out OK.

Pretty tough workout. I can probably shave a couple seconds by rating up. Next shot, I’ll do at r26.

Tonight I fly off to Korea for a day. I will hopefully get a workout in tomorrow morning. Something tame and endurance oriented.

Thursday: 2 x 30′ / 2′ rest (HR Capped)

February 23, 2017February 23, 20171 Comment

In Taiwan at the Ambassador Hotel in Hsinchu. I arrived this morning at 6am, and was at the hotel by 7:15. I unpacked, called home, and the got into my gym clothes. I was planning another fitness center snooze-fest.

I made a delightful discovery. In the fitness center, there was an old Model D with PM2.

On top of that rower, there was a person. The person was rowing. Slowly. Underhand. I got on the treadmill closest to the erg and started to do some inclined marching. I figured he couldn’t go on too long like that. He didn’t I hopped off the treadmill at the six minute mark and jumped on the erg.

New plan: 2 x 30′ / 2′ with a HR cap at 155.

This turned out to be a challenge. Between jet lag, fatigue, immobility, and dehydration, my HR climbed steadily and even when I slowed way down, it stayed high.

Despite that I enjoyed the session thoroughly.

Tomorrow morning: First crack at the CTC, at R24, just to get the hang of it.

Monday: Fitness center warmup then a beach run.

February 20, 2017February 22, 2017Leave a comment

Warmup: 20 minutes treadmill (15% grade, 3.1mph)

Then a 5km run on the beach.

Another day in paradise! My last day unfortunately.

On Tuesday morning, I headed to the airport to fly off to Taiwan, and then Korea.

Sunday: Fitness Center Triathlon 3 x 20′

February 19, 2017February 22, 2017Leave a comment

I didn’t want to put too much stress on my knees, so I hit the fitness center at the hotel on Sunday morning. The goal was a low impact, easy workout.

20 minutes treadmill (15% grade, 3mph)

20 minutes elliptical (random program, level 15)

20 minutes stationary bike (random program, level 15)

Maybe too easy.

Saturday: 5km run on the beach

February 18, 2017February 22, 2017Leave a comment

My wife and I flew to Aruba for a quick vacation on Friday. We arrived in the evening and just got settled and had dinner. No training

On Saturday, I slept in pretty late, only waking up around 9:30. I went out to scout up some breakfast and then we got down to the serious work of laying around by the pool.

By noontime, I was feeling a bit antsy just sitting around and I decided to go for a quick run along the beach. I really like running barefoot along this beach. The sand is nice and firm, and there are lots of people to dodge and stuff to look at.

My HR was pretty high, which I think had a fair amount to do with it being 86F, humid and very sunny. It was a delightful workout.

Thursday: 4 x 15′ / 4′ rest (6′ @ 5kp, 9′ @ mp)

February 16, 2017February 22, 20175 Comments

Replay of Monday’s workout. Sticking to the same power targets.

4 x 15′ / 4′

6′ @ 5KP, 9′ @ MP

92.5%

(172)

5kp target: 235W

mp target: 190W

Lot’s of technology troubles today. Painsled kept hanging up the PM5. It froze during my first 15′ section requiring me to remove the batteries in the PM5 to reset everything, then it happened again in the second interval, requiring the same process to get going again. I finally gave up and used ergdata for the last 2 intervals, and it worked fine. No fun metrics though.

Warmup (4 minutes) and the first interval. It froze at 17 minutes, about 11 minutes into the 1st interval.

Workout Summary - media/20170217-0100220o.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|04298|17:36.0|02:02.9|206.0|22.5|149.0|162.0|10.8
W-|03990|15:36.0|01:57.4|218.1|22.6|151.0|162.0|11.3
R-|00310|02:00.0|03:13.4|072.6|21.0|127.5|162.0|00.0
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|01025|04:00.0|01:57.1|219.0|22.2|136.2|151.0|11.6
01|01582|06:00.0|01:53.8|239.6|24.1|156.1|162.0|10.9
02|01383|05:36.5|02:01.7|194.5|21.3|156.0|162.0|11.6

The the second interval. This one packed up around 9 minutes in.

Workout Summary - media/20170217-0100250o.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|02391|09:11.0|01:55.3|229.4|23.4|159.5|169.0|11.1
W-|02391|09:11.0|01:55.3|228.0|23.3|159.6|169.0|11.2
R-|00000|00:00.0|00:00.0|000.0|00.0|000.0|169.0|00.0
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|01603|06:00.0|01:52.3|245.1|24.2|157.7|168.0|11.0
01|00788|03:11.3|02:01.4|195.9|21.6|163.3|169.0|11.4

Then I gave up and used ergdata. This got the last two intervals. I noticed that I was not approaching the HR cap in the third interval, so I pushed the fourth harder and I managed to push up to the 172 cap.

Workout Summary - media/Import_28881412.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|08494|38:00.0|02:14.2|194.3|22.9|159.5|173.0|09.8
W-|07663|30:00.0|01:57.4|212.2|23.1|163.6|173.0|11.1
R-|00834|08:00.0|04:47.8|064.6|21.4|136.8|173.0|01.8
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|01610|06:00.0|01:51.8|242.6|24.7|160.3|171.0|10.9
01|02222|09:00.0|02:01.5|194.0|21.6|164.6|171.0|11.4
02|01601|06:00.0|01:52.5|244.1|25.1|164.7|173.0|10.6
03|02230|09:00.0|02:01.1|189.0|22.1|164.2|172.0|11.2

Of course, I had my backup systems working, so I at least got HR data for the whole row in Wahoo on my iphone.

I was really pleased with the workout (despite the technical difficulties). I worked hard, but I felt much stronger than on Tuesday. About 6 or 7 watts better with the same HR.

I bet I could have gotten into a groove, if I didn’t disappear on travel on Friday.

Wednesday: 2 x 30′ / 2′ rest (HR capped)

February 15, 2017February 21, 2017Leave a comment

Plan called for a rest day, but I knew that training would be spotty after Thursday, so I did a easy endurance session.

2 x 30′ / 2′ rest (HR Capped at 155)

Should have been very easy, but it was not.

Heart rate climbed fast and didn’t settle. Comparing it to similar workouts. Here it is versus a 2 x 30 before I travelled last week.

Here it is versus the 3 x 20 I did on the dynamic. Pretty Similar.

Tuesday: 3 x 20′ / 2′ rest (MP / 10KP / H

February 14, 2017February 21, 2017Leave a comment

I’ve missed quite a few entries. Last week was quite crazy at work, and I left on Friday for a quick vacation. Now, it’s Tuesday and I’m on my way from Aruba to Taiwan for work.

But the one thing I was able to do last week was do some rowing. My fitness is not where I wanted it to be because of last week’s travel, but at least I am getting the sessions in.

Tuesday’s plan called for:

3 x 20′ / 2′

MP, 10KP, HMP

90.0%

(167)

Power ranges for MP, 10KP, and HMP are: