Just 30 minutes of steady state. Felt much easier than this morning, but HR was only marginally lower.
Tag: erg
Wednesday: 3 x 20′ / 1′ rest – Tired
High HR, High Lactate. Need to slow down.
Tomorrow: Was scheduled for threshold session, but I am changing the plan to do 2 HIT sessions per week and 4 LIT to get the 80/20 ratio back in balance.
Tuesday: 8 x 750 / 1′ rest – December CTC
Ouch.
This is a tough session. I’ve done a 15×3’/1′ which obviously is done at a much slower pace. This one has a nasty combination of fast pacing and short rests, so you are digging yourself into a hole pretty quickly. I’ve been doing a lot of distance and threshold work lately, so this was a bit of a shock to the system. I was on slides. Not sure if it helped or hurt. Well, I know it hurt, it hurt a lot. I just don’t know if it would hurt more or less off of slides.
Monday: easy 80 – 4 x 20′ / 1′ rest
I did not sleep well last night. I often have troubles on Sunday nights because I sleep in a bit on the weekend, but last night it was more related to the Half Marathon in the afternoon. I was totally wiped, but had trouble getting restful sleep. I guess it’s related to muscle soreness but I think there is another element to it.
I’m curious if other people have trouble sleeping the night after a really hard session?
This morning, it hurt to get out of bed. I was sore all over. My ass was particularly tender, but my shoulders and legs were stiff too. I decided that recovery was what I needed today, and so I decided on a very gentle session.
Plan:
- 4 x 20′ / 1′ rest
- first 20′, 5′ @ 150W, 5′ @ 160W, 5′ @ 170W, 5′ @ 180W
- after that, gentle pace variations between 170 and 190W
- HR cap at 145 (top of UT2)
Mission accomplished. I did 2′ chunks of 170W/190W for the second 20′. Then in third I did 2′ chunks at 170/180/190/180/170/170/180/190/180/170. At the end of the 3rd piece I measured lacate –> 1.9 mmol/l. Surprisingly high for the low RPE and low HR.
I liked that one so I did it again in the 4th piece.
Measured lactate –> 1.8mmol/l
Tomorrow: I think I will probably take a shot at this months CTC.
It is 8 x 750 / 1′ rest. This is similar to the 3’/1′ session that did last week, but fewer reps and a bit shorter. I think I will start off at 1:47 pace and see where that gets me.
Sunday: HM Threshold – Personal Best Time
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
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
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
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
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
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
Quantified Rowing 