Category: Training Journal

4×20 – Now I’ve seen everything

4 Comments

On Thursday and Friday of last week, I was seeing elevated heart rates, and I felt terrible during my steady state sessions.  On Saturday, I busted out a season best 6K.  On Sunday I had a nice rest day.

Then today, it was back to more steady state.  I sit down, and 190W watts feels easy, and I cruise through the first 20 minutes with very low perceived exertion and a nice low HR.  I struggled with getting a good sample for a lactate test.  My first prick didn’t yield, so I did a second, and with the xtra time and fumbling around, who knows if it was a good test or not.  But the reading was 2.5mmol/l.  Whaaat?

So, I did another 20 minutes at 190W and tested again.  Good sample this time and I read 2.4mmol/l.  Arghhh.  I still felt mighty fresh and my HR was still nice and low, so I did the next 2 pieces at 190W.   I have to say that I am mightily confused about why my lactates were so high today.

I will drop back to 185W tomorrow to see what happens.

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6K Threshold – Season Best Time

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I think I did the right thing by backing off the power in yesterday’s session. I think I will do that in future sessions if my readings are weird.

I started today with the normal 20′ constant power piece as a warmup.  Power was 191W, HR was delightfully low and final lactate reading was fantastic 1.3mmol/l.  I think there is still a difference in effort between slides and static.

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Output
Workout Summary – Mar 28, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_04905_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.3_|_191.2_|_19.0_|_133.4_|_ 63.4% _|_12.9_|_10.1
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01225_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_190.7_|_19.2_|_123.2_|_ 56.2% _|_12.8_|_09.9
02_|_01228_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.2_|_191.9_|_19.0_|_134.6_|_ 64.2% _|_12.9_|_10.1
03_|_01226_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_191.0_|_19.0_|_137.7_|_ 66.5% _|_12.9_|_10.1
04_|_01226_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.3_|_191.1_|_18.8_|_138.2_|_ 66.8% _|_13.0_|_10.2

I rested for a few minutes and a had a drink of water.  Then I set up for 6K and took off.  My objectives were:

1.  Pace: faster than 1:50

2. Rate 27 or higher

I didn’t think I was gonna make it about two thirds of the way through because my HR was just so high, but I focused on trying to keep the stroke rate at or above 27 and kept counting strokes. I was kinda in the zone, deep in the hurt locker, but able to keep it up. I was so scared that I was gonna blow up that I waited until I had less than 200m left before I rated up for the finish, even that was pretty anemic.

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Output

Workout Summary – Mar 28, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_06000_|_21:36.3_|_01:48.0_|_277.6_|_26.7_|_170.6_|_ 89.8% _|_10.4_|_10.4
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI
01_|_00500_|_01:48.5_|_01:48.5_|_273.9_|_25.4_|_137.8_|_ 66.5% _|_10.9_|_10.8
02_|_00500_|_01:48.6_|_01:48.6_|_273.3_|_26.5_|_156.8_|_ 80.0% _|_10.4_|_10.3
03_|_00500_|_01:47.5_|_01:47.5_|_281.8_|_26.8_|_164.5_|_ 85.5% _|_10.4_|_10.5
04_|_00500_|_01:48.2_|_01:48.2_|_275.9_|_26.6_|_168.1_|_ 88.0% _|_10.4_|_10.4
05_|_00500_|_01:47.9_|_01:47.9_|_279.0_|_26.7_|_171.0_|_ 90.0% _|_10.4_|_10.4
06_|_00500_|_01:47.2_|_01:47.2_|_283.8_|_26.9_|_172.8_|_ 91.4% _|_10.4_|_10.6
07_|_00500_|_01:47.7_|_01:47.7_|_279.9_|_26.7_|_175.0_|_ 92.9% _|_10.4_|_10.5
08_|_00500_|_01:48.0_|_01:48.0_|_277.6_|_26.7_|_176.6_|_ 94.0% _|_10.4_|_10.4
09_|_00500_|_01:48.3_|_01:48.3_|_275.9_|_26.6_|_178.4_|_ 95.3% _|_10.4_|_10.4
10_|_00500_|_01:49.2_|_01:49.2_|_268.9_|_26.4_|_179.5_|_ 96.1% _|_10.4_|_10.2
11_|_00500_|_01:48.6_|_01:48.6_|_273.3_|_27.6_|_181.3_|_ 97.4% _|_10.0_|_09.9
12_|_00500_|_01:46.6_|_01:46.6_|_288.8_|_27.6_|_183.5_|_ 98.9% _|_10.2_|_10.5

After that, I did a quick 2K cool down and called it a day.

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Output
Workout Summary – Mar 28, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_02000_|_08:28.1_|_02:07.0_|_170.7_|_17.2_|_155.5_|_ 79.1% _|_13.7_|_09.9
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI
01_|_00500_|_01:59.7_|_01:59.7_|_204.1_|_19.5_|_148.5_|_ 74.1% _|_12.8_|_10.4
02_|_00500_|_02:04.7_|_02:04.7_|_180.6_|_17.8_|_160.9_|_ 82.9% _|_13.5_|_10.1
03_|_00500_|_02:09.7_|_02:09.7_|_160.4_|_16.2_|_159.0_|_ 81.6% _|_14.3_|_09.9
04_|_00500_|_02:14.1_|_02:14.1_|_145.3_|_15.7_|_153.9_|_ 78.0% _|_14.3_|_09.3

Seeing as how I finished the mud season madness challenge today, I think I might take a rest day tomorrow!

4×20’/2′ rest – decreasing power to get lactates in line.

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Despite yesterday’s bad workout, I decided to stay the course and pretend it never happened. I did drop the power a simdge, down to 190W from 193W.  After 20 minutes, my HR was really high (151), but the lactate reading was an entirely reasonable 1.7.

So, I went into the second piece at the same power and then blew out the lactates at 3.4.  This was way too high, so, I decided to drop the power by 10 watts to 180W for the third 20′ piece, which yielded a drop down to 2.7.  Still, too high.  So, another drop in power to 170W for the fourth piece, and this one seemed to do the trick. HR was a bit better and lactates were down to 1.9 by the end. For the lazy, here it is in table form.

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Here’s the HR graph.

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So, what do I conclude?

1. I just opened pandora’s box by looking at lactates in the second through fourth pieces. I think that this will end up causing higher spending on strips and more holes in my finger. I’m not sure how much I like that.
2. I should probably aim at keeping it below 1.7 for the reading at 20 minutes.

Tomorrow:  Hard 6K threshold piece.

3×20′ – Awful workout.

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Elevated HR, Lactate reading too high.  Felt really tired.  Quit after 3 20′ intervals instead doing the full four.  Even dropping my training power by 10 watts in the third piece was not enough to bring my HR down into the UT1 zone.

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The past 7 session before today, I was able to hold >190W and measured <2.0 in every session. Yesterday, at 193W, my HR was way high, like 10BPM higher than normal, but the lactates were OK (1.9). Today, holding 192W, HR was just as far off and my lactates were 2.3. I dropped down to 190W and measured 2.8 :shock: after another 20 minutes, and my HR was at least 5BPM above the top of my aerobic band.

So, here’s my recent history:

2015-03-26_9-13-30

I’m struggling to come up with theories for what is going on.
– A little bit of acute over-training. I did a pretty hard 6×750 session yesterday morning
– Early warning of coming down with something (I am otherwise symptom free
– Reading error (I doubt it, I felt like I was working a lot harder today)

I’m also trying to figure out if I should make any adjustments. I am scheduled for another 4×20 tomorrow morning. Things I am thinking about are:
– Pretend today never happened and do a normal session at 190W
– drop back 5W and build back up again
– start to use the BTLS (Boris Theory of Lactate Supression) and do the first 20′ slowing ramping up to 190W

Any opinions?

6×750 / 3′ rest

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Current routine is 4 steady state sessions per week, 1 hard distance row, and 1 interval session. (plus 10K on my rest day to keep up with Mud Season Madness).

Today was interval day.  It went very well.  I started with a pace target of 1:43 and found I could hold on at a faster pace.

2015-03-25_18-16-19

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Tomorrow:  more steady state 4×20′

Non-rest rest day 2x5K

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Just keeping up with 10K a day for mud season madness.

5K at 190W and then a lactate test –> 1.8mmol/l (still going in the right direction).  HR was high today.  No idea why.  I felt very relaxed.

2015-03-22_13-54-30

Output
Workout Summary – Mar 22, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_05000_|_20:24.5_|_02:02.4_|_190.6_|_19.3_|_135.4_|_ 64.9% _|_12.7_|_09.9
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01250_|_05:05.7_|_02:02.3_|_191.5_|_19.2_|_119.7_|_ 53.7% _|_12.8_|_10.0
02_|_01250_|_05:05.2_|_02:02.1_|_192.3_|_19.3_|_136.2_|_ 65.4% _|_12.8_|_10.0
03_|_01250_|_05:06.7_|_02:02.7_|_189.5_|_19.4_|_141.5_|_ 69.2% _|_12.6_|_09.8
04_|_01250_|_05:06.9_|_02:02.7_|_189.3_|_19.2_|_144.4_|_ 71.2% _|_12.8_|_09.9

Then another 5K.  To make it a bit fun, I started off at 220W and shaved off 10W after each 1000m.  220W is about a 1:56 pace, so nothing too spicy, but enough to make me glad to drop down to 210W when it was time.

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Output
Workout Summary – Mar 22, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_05000_|_20:05.4_|_02:00.5_|_199.8_|_20.8_|_149.4_|_ 74.7% _|_12.0_|_09.6
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01000_|_03:53.1_|_01:56.5_|_221.2_|_21.9_|_139.4_|_ 67.7% _|_11.8_|_10.1
02_|_01000_|_03:57.1_|_01:58.5_|_210.1_|_21.5_|_152.4_|_ 76.9% _|_11.8_|_09.8
03_|_01000_|_04:00.8_|_02:00.4_|_200.6_|_21.2_|_153.8_|_ 77.8% _|_11.8_|_09.5
04_|_01000_|_04:05.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.4_|_20.3_|_152.3_|_ 76.8% _|_12.0_|_09.4
05_|_01000_|_04:09.5_|_02:04.8_|_180.2_|_19.2_|_148.9_|_ 74.4% _|_12.5_|_09.4

Tomorrow:  4×20′ on slides

Saturday: 30′ Threshold

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I did a 20′ lactate test to start.

190W –> 1.9 mmol/l (moving in the right direction).  HR was a bit higher than yesterday.

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–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_04900_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_190.7_|_18.9_|_133.2_|_ 63.2% _|_13.0_|_10.1
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01230_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.0_|_192.9_|_18.8_|_121.4_|_ 54.9% _|_13.1_|_10.3
02_|_01225_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.5_|_19.0_|_132.5_|_ 62.7% _|_12.9_|_10.0
03_|_01224_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.3_|_19.0_|_138.0_|_ 66.7% _|_12.9_|_10.0
04_|_01222_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.8_|_189.1_|_18.6_|_141.0_|_ 68.8% _|_13.1_|_10.2

Then into the real workout.  30′ Threshold session.  Objective was >8000m (1:52.5 avg pace).  I did 8128m early in January, but I don’t think I could do that now.

I pushed the pace a bit faster than 1:52 for the first 10 minutes, but I was feeling pretty stressed out and tried to up the rate and make my stroke lighter.  I’m having a lot of trouble doing that lately so it wasn’t entirely successful.  I slowed down to almost 1:54 from 20 minutes to 25 minutes and then pushed the last 5 minutes hard enough to get the projected finish back above 8000.  It was a hard row, just like it was supposed to be.

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Output
Workout Summary – Mar 21, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_08016_|_30:00.0_|_01:52.3_|_247.3_|_25.1_|_169.7_|_ 89.1% _|_10.7_|_09.9
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01349_|_05:00.0_|_01:51.2_|_254.5_|_25.2_|_148.4_|_ 74.0% _|_10.7_|_10.1
02_|_01343_|_05:00.0_|_01:51.7_|_251.1_|_25.2_|_165.5_|_ 86.2% _|_10.7_|_10.0
03_|_01334_|_05:00.0_|_01:52.5_|_246.0_|_25.2_|_171.2_|_ 90.2% _|_10.6_|_09.8
04_|_01327_|_05:00.0_|_01:53.0_|_242.5_|_24.6_|_174.4_|_ 92.5% _|_10.8_|_09.9
05_|_01320_|_05:00.0_|_01:53.7_|_238.3_|_24.8_|_177.4_|_ 94.6% _|_10.6_|_09.6
06_|_01344_|_05:00.0_|_01:51.6_|_251.5_|_25.4_|_181.5_|_ 97.5% _|_10.6_|_09.9

Then I finished up with a 2K happy ending cool down.  Starting at 2:00 pace and slowing by 0:05 every 500m.

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Output
Workout Summary – Mar 21, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_02000_|_08:29.3_|_02:07.3_|_169.6_|_17.9_|_158.4_|_ 81.2% _|_13.2_|_09.5
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_00500_|_02:00.0_|_02:00.0_|_202.5_|_20.0_|_152.9_|_ 77.3% _|_12.5_|_10.1
02_|_00500_|_02:04.9_|_02:04.9_|_179.8_|_18.3_|_163.3_|_ 84.6% _|_13.2_|_09.8
03_|_00500_|_02:09.5_|_02:09.5_|_161.0_|_17.1_|_161.7_|_ 83.5% _|_13.5_|_09.4
04_|_00500_|_02:14.9_|_02:14.9_|_142.7_|_16.5_|_156.0_|_ 79.5% _|_13.5_|_08.7

I was hoping that it would have been less of a struggle to top 8000.  This was very close to the limit for me.  I wonder how much the 20 minutes of steady state before the workout takes out of me?  In the past for long hard rows, i would have done a very short warmup, maybe 1000m or so.  But I would have done it harder than the steady state I was doing for the lactate test.

The conclusion that I have come to is that it might impact the pace a bit, but the t raining effect is the same.  If I was racing or trying for a SB, I might shorten it up though.

Tomorrow:  5K lactate test and 5K easy for a non-rest rest day.

Friday: 1×20′ + 3×20/1’r

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My routine was all messed up on Friday.  I had to give one omy kids a ride to a conference he was attending at BC, and then I had a Doctor’s appt at 11.  In between, I snuck in a 20 minute lactate test.

190W –> 2.0 mmol/l (excellent, right in range)

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Output
Workout Summary – Mar 20, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_04898_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.4_|_19.1_|_132.2_|_ 62.6% _|_12.8_|_10.0
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01217_|_05:00.0_|_02:03.2_|_187.1_|_19.0_|_121.2_|_ 54.8% _|_12.8_|_09.8
02_|_01232_|_05:00.0_|_02:01.8_|_193.8_|_19.6_|_133.8_|_ 63.7% _|_12.6_|_09.9
03_|_01225_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.5_|_19.0_|_135.7_|_ 65.0% _|_12.9_|_10.0
04_|_01224_|_05:00.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.2_|_18.8_|_138.3_|_ 66.9% _|_13.0_|_10.1

Then later in the day, maybe 4 hours later, I found enough time to do 3 more 20s at 190.  All uneventful.

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Output
Workout Summary – Mar 20, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_15070_|_63:00.0_|_02:05.4_|_177.4_|_18.6_|_145.2_|_ 71.8% _|_12.8_|_09.5
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_04903_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_190.9_|_19.0_|_135.7_|_ 65.0% _|_12.9_|_10.0
02_|_00058_|_01:00.0_|_08:40.2_|_002.5_|_05.0_|_138.4_|_ 67.0% _|_11.5_|_00.5
03_|_04903_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_191.0_|_19.1_|_148.4_|_ 74.0% _|_12.8_|_10.0
04_|_00054_|_01:00.0_|_09:12.1_|_002.1_|_06.0_|_140.7_|_ 68.6% _|_09.1_|_00.3
05_|_05153_|_21:00.0_|_02:02.3_|_191.5_|_19.0_|_151.4_|_ 76.1% _|_12.9_|_10.1