Sunday: HM Threshold – Personal Best Time

December 6, 20153 Comments

Saturday: I intended to work out, but I couldn’t fit it into the schedule of Christmas shopping, and work around the house. So I took a rest day. Turns out, it was a good decision.

Sunday: Took care of putting together a draft presentation for our corporate goal review session next week and then got down to business on the erg.

Plan: Half Marathon, Threshold pace. Last weekend I was within a few seconds of my PB, so I thought I might be able to manage a new one today. My old PB was 1:20:39 (1:54.6 pace). I set up a pace boat at 1:54.5 on RowPro to give me something to focus on.

I started with a 1K warmup. Just to make the start of the HM a bit less of a shock to the system.

Workout Summary – Dec 06, 2015 – Warm up
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_01000_|_04:01.2_|_02:00.6_|_199.6_|_19.9_|_122.1_|_ 55.4% _|_12.5_|_10.0
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_00500_|_02:04.7_|_02:04.7_|_180.6_|_18.3_|_110.6_|_ 47.2% _|_13.2_|_09.9
02_|_00500_|_01:56.5_|_01:56.5_|_221.4_|_21.6_|_133.0_|_ 63.2% _|_11.9_|_10.2

Then into the main event.

Workout Summary – Dec 06, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_21097_|_79:55.4_|_01:53.7_|_238.4_|_24.8_|_165.9_|_ 86.5% _|_10.6_|_09.6
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01000_|_03:47.7_|_01:53.8_|_237.3_|_23.7_|_138.1_|_ 66.7% _|_11.1_|_10.0
02_|_01000_|_03:47.5_|_01:53.7_|_237.9_|_23.7_|_153.2_|_ 77.5% _|_11.1_|_10.0
03_|_01000_|_03:47.8_|_01:53.9_|_236.8_|_24.2_|_157.1_|_ 80.2% _|_10.9_|_09.8
04_|_01000_|_03:47.6_|_01:53.8_|_237.4_|_24.2_|_158.9_|_ 81.5% _|_10.9_|_09.8
05_|_01000_|_03:47.8_|_01:53.9_|_236.8_|_24.5_|_159.9_|_ 82.2% _|_10.8_|_09.7
06_|_01000_|_03:47.0_|_01:53.5_|_239.4_|_24.3_|_161.7_|_ 83.4% _|_10.9_|_09.8
07_|_01000_|_03:47.0_|_01:53.5_|_239.4_|_24.6_|_163.8_|_ 85.0% _|_10.8_|_09.7
08_|_01000_|_03:47.3_|_01:53.6_|_238.5_|_24.3_|_164.9_|_ 85.8% _|_10.9_|_09.8
09_|_01000_|_03:47.5_|_01:53.7_|_237.8_|_24.5_|_166.0_|_ 86.5% _|_10.8_|_09.7
10_|_01000_|_03:47.6_|_01:53.8_|_237.6_|_24.8_|_166.8_|_ 87.1% _|_10.6_|_09.6
11_|_01000_|_03:47.3_|_01:53.6_|_238.5_|_24.6_|_168.5_|_ 88.3% _|_10.8_|_09.7
12_|_01000_|_03:47.4_|_01:53.7_|_238.0_|_24.8_|_169.4_|_ 89.0% _|_10.6_|_09.6
13_|_01000_|_03:48.3_|_01:54.2_|_235.2_|_24.4_|_169.4_|_ 88.9% _|_10.8_|_09.6
14_|_01000_|_03:47.9_|_01:53.9_|_236.6_|_25.0_|_170.4_|_ 89.7% _|_10.5_|_09.5
15_|_01000_|_03:48.6_|_01:54.3_|_234.5_|_24.9_|_170.6_|_ 89.8% _|_10.5_|_09.4
16_|_01000_|_03:47.9_|_01:54.0_|_236.4_|_25.0_|_171.8_|_ 90.6% _|_10.5_|_09.5
17_|_01000_|_03:48.0_|_01:54.0_|_236.3_|_25.3_|_172.1_|_ 90.9% _|_10.4_|_09.4
18_|_01000_|_03:49.1_|_01:54.5_|_232.9_|_25.1_|_172.1_|_ 90.9% _|_10.4_|_09.3
19_|_01000_|_03:48.1_|_01:54.1_|_235.8_|_25.2_|_173.3_|_ 91.7% _|_10.4_|_09.3
20_|_01000_|_03:47.2_|_01:53.6_|_238.8_|_25.9_|_174.4_|_ 92.5% _|_10.2_|_09.2
21_|_01000_|_03:40.8_|_01:50.4_|_260.1_|_26.9_|_177.2_|_ 94.5% _|_10.1_|_09.7
22_|_00097_|_00:20.1_|_01:43.5_|_315.9_|_29.9_|_178.1_|_ 95.1% _|_09.7_|_10.6

I managed to hold a very tight range on my pace. I sped up and slowed down a little bit and played with rate a bit, speeding it up as the time ground on. Mainly I just counted out the strokes in 1000m blocks. I was generally at 95 to 97 strokes per block. Once I got to about 3000m left, I saw that I might have a chance to go under 80 minutes. Now that is a milestone in my mind like sub-7 2K, 8K for 30 minutes and 16K for 60 minutes, so I decided to go for it. I started to push with about 2K to go, but backed off to my cruising pace. I threw everything at it with 1000 meters to go and it was great seeing the projected finish dipping below 1:20:00. Once it was, I closed my eyes and gunned it for the end.

I shouted so loud when I finished that my wife came running. I breathlessly told her that I had set a PB. She smiled indulgently, gave a little chuckle, and retreated. It can’t be easy to be married to an idiot.

After a couple minutes, I did a 2K happy ending cooldown.

Workout Summary – Dec 06, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_02000_|_08:30.4_|_02:07.6_|_168.5_|_19.4_|_146.6_|_ 72.7% _|_12.1_|_08.7
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_00500_|_01:59.7_|_01:59.7_|_204.2_|_21.6_|_142.0_|_ 69.5% _|_11.6_|_09.5
02_|_00500_|_02:05.4_|_02:05.4_|_177.3_|_20.1_|_151.9_|_ 76.5% _|_11.9_|_08.8
03_|_00500_|_02:09.7_|_02:09.7_|_160.3_|_19.0_|_148.3_|_ 74.0% _|_12.2_|_08.5
04_|_00500_|_02:15.5_|_02:15.5_|_140.6_|_17.3_|_143.8_|_ 70.8% _|_12.8_|_08.1

Tomorrow: 4 x 20 / 1′ at 185W.

Thursday: 14 x 3′ / 1′ rest varying rates

December 3, 20152 Comments

I’ve noticed that I seem to do better off of slides for middle distance pieces. For endurance sessions, at the same training power, I seem to have about the same HR and lactate. And for sprints, I think I actually do a bit better on slides because I can rate up much higher. But for the middle distances, I am having trouble finding a nice efficient stroke rate. Basically, I have trouble getting into the groove.

So, today, I decided to do a bit of an experiment. I replaced a planned 2 x 30′ threshold session with a 15 x 3′ / 1′ workout. I’ve been doing this workout for a while. It is one of the “L3” workouts from the Wolverine Plan. And the pace for it comes around the pace for a 30 min TT. I thought that this would be a good session to experiment with different rates on slides.

So, I decided that I would try to aim for a pace faster than 1:55, and start at 23 spm. Then I would click up the stroke rate by 1 spm for each interval. I decided to play it by ear in terms of how high I would push the rate, and then I could come back down the other side.

I did a couple of 3′ segments at a slower pace as a warmup and then went into the main set. At 23 SPM, I settled in at 1:53 and it didn’t sting too bad. As I increased stroke rate, it was hard to avoid going faster. I could tell that I was pushing the pace unsustainably fast as the rate increased. The format of the workout gave me a chance to try to out some changes in stroke dynamics.

As I got to the higher rates, I needed to concentrate on having really fast hands on the recovery. If I did that, then I could take the drive a bit slower and maintain the pace. But it was really murder on my arms. By the tenth rep, I found it hard to keep my arms out with good form while I paddled in the rests.

From today’s experiment, it looks like for a 30′ Threshold, on slides, I should be rating between 28 and 30. But I rarely rate that high either in a boat or on an erg. I need to practice at these rates more often to make it work.

And through this experiment, I think I am starting to get an idea about the root cause of why my boat speed is not as good as my static erg speed. I have deeply ingrained muscle memory to pause at the finish.

It’s gotten a bit better over time, but I do not flow smoothly from the drive through the finish to the recovery. Instead I pause, then from a stop, I accelerate through the recovery to the catch, and then hit the catch hard. I am beginning to think that getting to the point where my middle distances are better on slides than on static might unlock some boat speed.

So, back to the workout. I pushed all the way up to 33, and started back down. I did the 32 spm segment which was my 12 interval, but I was toast after that. I felt barely recovered at the end of the minute rest, and blew up a minute into the 31 spm rep. I paddled that one out. Then did two more reps at 31 and 30 spm and decided that I had done enough damage for today. I did a quick 3 minute cool down and headed off to the showers.

And because it was that kind of a morning, I discovered that I had forgotten my towel at home and needed to dry off after my shower using paper towels.

Temp: 70f, Humidity 55%

I think I’ll do a slow 30 minutes tonight to try to facilitate recovery and a 4 x 20′ tomorrow morning.

Wednesday PM: 4 x 20′ / 1′ rest

December 3, 2015Leave a comment

Tuesday night I was so tired I could barely get up off the couch and go to bed. When the alarm went off at 5:15AM on Wednesday morning, I still felt half dead. I turned off the alarm and slept another 2 and half hours. So, no time for a morning session, but I think this was a much better choice. I think that I am still adjusting to the higher volume (>100km a week for the past 3 weeks).

I finished up around 5pm and headed off to the gym for a session in the afternoon.

Plan: Standard 4 x 20′ / 1′ rest at 190W, with a slow start and lactate test at 60′

It felt hard, and my HR was high, but lactates were A-OK at 60′ –> 1.7mmol/l

I needed to stop to fiddle with my ipod in the last 20′ segment and pushed the pace a little bit to try to recover some of the lost meters. I also let my rate creep up a bit more just to see how it felt.

Tuesday AM: 30r22, PM: 2 x 5k threshold

December 1, 20157 Comments

Discovered that I had an 8 am meeting, so I needed to cut this morning’s workout short. I just did a 30r22. I am really beginning to feel the increase in volume. It was hard work this morning.

Temp: 68F, Humidity: 41%

Then after work, I headed down to the gym to do my proper session. The plan was for 4 x 5K / 5′ rest. It occurred to me that this would take a lot of time. Figure 19 minutes for each 5K, so that’s 76 minutes, plus 20 minutes of rest, plus a warm up and cool down. That’s like 2 hours!

So the first change was cutting back the rests to 2 minutes. I was also pretty sure that I would cut off this little adventure after 3 reps instead of 4. Who the hell designed this workout anyway? (oh yeah, that’s me.)

I decided to target a 1:55 split. I did a quick 1000m warmup speeding up from 2:10 to 2:05, 2:00, and 1:55 in 250m chunks.

Then it was into the first rep. I had trouble hitting 1:55. It was like trying to stay on a balance beam. I would end up at 1:53 or 1:57. Of course I decided to stick with 1:53. By the time I got through 4000m, I knew that I was in deep trouble for the next rep.

I sure was! I started off trying to ht 1:55 again, but within the first 2000m, I gave up the ghost. I slowed down to 2:00, then sped back up, then kind of settled around a 1:57 pace and miserably ground out the rest of the meters. It was awful.

After that I was done. I did a cool down in the last 5K. Starting at 1:55 for the first 1000m, then slowing down to 2:00, then 2:05. It wasn’t until I was rowing at 2:10 pace that my HR started to come back down to a normal kind of rate.

What went wrong?

Too aggressive pace, should be 1:56 or slower
Slides. I think I am less efficient on slides for middle distance work. I either need to slow down and work out the kinks or get the erg off the slides.
Big volume increase with 4 sessions in the past 48 hours.
Probably pushing the 30r22 too fast. They are meant to be low intensity recovery sessions. I’ll do them at 180W.

Tomorrow: 30r22 at 180W in the morning, 3 x 20′ at 185W in the afternoon

Monday PM: 30r22

November 30, 2015Leave a comment

Just piling on some more steady state meters.

30:00.0, 7381m, 22spm, 2:01.9, endHR 145, on slides

Tomorrow: 4 x 5K / 5’rest (might shorten those up)

Monday: 3 x 20’/1′ rest

November 30, 20152 Comments

Temp: 68F

Humidity: 38%

Plan:

4 x 20′ / 1′ rest
slow start: 150W/175W, 5′ each
190W for the rest
Stroke rate <= 22spm
On slides

I ended up stopping after 3 because I was out of time. Other than that, a pretty standard workout. I was a little tired from the HM that I did yesterday evening (about 12 hours of rest), and I didn’t sleep all that well.

I’ve been seeing some funny lactate readings lately. On Saturday, I was barely breaking a sweat, but my first lactate reading was 2.8. So I redid the test and measured 1.6. Today, again, my first test was 2.8. So I did a second test and read 1.3. I think I must be getting too lax in my sweat wiping processes.

To try to get this a bit more under control, for the next week or so, I think I will routinely do 2 tests after 60 minutes to look at the variation in readings. I’ll also try to be a bit more fastidious in my procedures.

I will try to do a quick 30 minute steady state session this evening.

Tomorrow morning: 4 x 5K / 2′ rest. Pace target: 1:52

Sunday: HM Threshold

November 30, 20157 Comments

Plan was to hold 1:55. Stuck to the plan.

I should have looked at my all time PB. Turns out I finished 7 seconds behind it. If I had known, I could have definitely made up that time just by doing a quick warmup and starting at pace instead of pulling the pace down over the first 1000.

But I am really thrilled with the progress I am making right now. I ranked it, and right now it’s 10th of 254 in my bracket.

Workout Summary – Nov 28, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_19639_|_80:00.0_|_02:02.2_|_191.8_|_19.4_|_133.3_|_ 63.3% _|_12.6_|_09.9
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01162_|_05:00.0_|_02:09.0_|_162.9_|_17.6_|_112.8_|_ 48.8% _|_13.2_|_09.3
02_|_03676_|_15:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_190.8_|_19.3_|_129.5_|_ 60.6% _|_12.7_|_09.9
03_|_04903_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_191.0_|_19.3_|_133.9_|_ 63.8% _|_12.7_|_09.9
04_|_04896_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.2_|_19.1_|_134.5_|_ 64.2% _|_12.9_|_10.0
05_|_05001_|_20:00.0_|_02:00.0_|_202.7_|_20.5_|_138.8_|_ 67.2% _|_12.2_|_09.9

Tomorrow: 4 x 20’/1′ rest at 190W

Saturday: 4 x 20′ / 1’r

November 29, 2015Leave a comment

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: steady state.

False start. Did 5′ at 2:15 and then my HR strap stopped working. Quick stop to replace the battery, then went on from there.

Measure lactate at 60′ –> 1.6 mmol/l

After that I decided to push the pace down to 2:00/500 to see if my HR stayed nice and low. It did.

Tomorrow: HM, target pace 1:58.

Thursday: 60′ Threshold – Take 2

November 26, 20152 Comments

At home. Static erg. About 60F

Limited time, so no warmup. Just started a bit slow and then settled into a pace. Wanted to hold 1:58, but 1:56 felt good. Then 1:55s started to appear, so I went with it. Got tough in the last 20 minutes, but no drama.

Workout Summary - Nov 26, 2015
--_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_--Avg--_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_--Avg--_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
--_|_Dist-_|_-Time--_|_-Pace--_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR--_|_-%HRR--_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
--_|_15692_|_60:00.0_|_01:54.7_|_231.9_|_24.6_|_161.4_|_ 83.3% _|_10.6_|_09.4
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01027_|_04:00.0_|_01:56.9_|_219.3_|_23.3_|_123.7_|_ 56.5% _|_11.0_|_09.4
02_|_01039_|_04:00.0_|_01:55.5_|_227.0_|_24.0_|_142.3_|_ 69.7% _|_10.8_|_09.5
03_|_01043_|_04:00.0_|_01:55.0_|_230.0_|_24.3_|_149.0_|_ 74.5% _|_10.8_|_09.5
04_|_01045_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.8_|_231.2_|_24.3_|_153.4_|_ 77.6% _|_10.8_|_09.5
05_|_01044_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.9_|_230.7_|_24.0_|_155.9_|_ 79.4% _|_10.9_|_09.6
06_|_01046_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.7_|_231.8_|_24.5_|_159.3_|_ 81.8% _|_10.7_|_09.5
07_|_01045_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.8_|_231.2_|_24.3_|_161.8_|_ 83.6% _|_10.8_|_09.5
08_|_01046_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.7_|_231.9_|_24.3_|_164.6_|_ 85.5% _|_10.8_|_09.6
09_|_01046_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.7_|_232.0_|_24.5_|_167.0_|_ 87.2% _|_10.7_|_09.5
10_|_01047_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.7_|_232.2_|_24.3_|_168.5_|_ 88.3% _|_10.8_|_09.6
11_|_01046_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.8_|_231.6_|_24.5_|_170.5_|_ 89.7% _|_10.7_|_09.5
12_|_01045_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.9_|_230.9_|_25.0_|_172.0_|_ 90.8% _|_10.4_|_09.2
13_|_01044_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.9_|_230.7_|_25.0_|_173.8_|_ 92.1% _|_10.4_|_09.2
14_|_01053_|_04:00.0_|_01:54.0_|_236.2_|_26.0_|_176.0_|_ 93.6% _|_10.1_|_09.1
15_|_01077_|_04:00.0_|_01:51.5_|_252.7_|_27.0_|_178.3_|_ 95.2% _|_10.0_|_09.4

Rest Day tomorrow.

Wednesday: 4 x 20/1’rest

November 25, 20154 Comments

I must admit, I was a little spooked when went to go sit on the erg. I was so far below my expectations yesterday for the 60′ workout that I didn’t have a lot of confidence that even today’s easy endurance session would go well.

But, after all, it was just an easy session. So, I got myself settled in and did it. I’m off work today (tomorrow is Thanksgiving), so this was at home on my static erg. Target pace was 2:03. Standard slow start. Heart rate and RPE were much higher than similar sessions. Lactate reading was high, but not ridiculous (2.5mmol/l). HR drift from 40′ to 80′ was 1%.

So, not a sublime aerobic adventure, but a reasonable workout.

Workout Summary – Nov 25, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_19399_|_80:00.0_|_02:03.7_|_184.8_|_19.0_|_141.6_|_ 69.2% _|_12.8_|_09.7
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_01119_|_05:00.0_|_02:14.1_|_145.3_|_16.0_|_099.0_|_ 39.0% _|_14.0_|_09.1
02_|_01164_|_05:00.0_|_02:08.9_|_163.6_|_17.2_|_120.9_|_ 54.6% _|_13.5_|_09.5
03_|_02444_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.8_|_189.2_|_19.0_|_136.3_|_ 65.5% _|_12.9_|_10.0
04_|_04892_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.7_|_189.7_|_19.0_|_143.6_|_ 70.6% _|_12.9_|_10.0
05_|_04885_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.8_|_188.9_|_19.3_|_148.8_|_ 74.4% _|_12.7_|_09.8
06_|_04895_|_20:00.0_|_02:02.6_|_190.1_|_19.9_|_148.4_|_ 74.1% _|_12.3_|_09.6

Tomorrow: Training Plan calls for a HM, but I don’t think I have that much time, I might do another try at an hour at 1:58.

Quantified Rowing

Measure – Adjust – Improve

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