A few aches and pains from yesterday’s exertions, but nothing too impressive.  Around 2:30 in the afternoon I sat down for run of the mill steady state session.  Another in a long series of 4 x 20′ L4 sessions.

It was almost 60F outside and raining.  In my erg room, with the windows open and the fan going, it was 72F and 85% humidity.  I left a sizable puddle under the erg today.

The workout was close to standard.  I planned to do 195 stroke sequences all the way through, but I felt a bit over matched in the third 20′ piece and backed off to 192 stroke sets.  This exchanged a minute at 21spm for a minute at 18spm.  It is surprising how much of a difference that can make in how things feel, even though it was less than a half a stroke difference over 20 minutes and only 2.5 watts different output.

Here is the stroke plan:

And the HR plots

I measured lactates at 60 minutes and the reading was 1.6 mmol/l.  Which is good to see.  I need to work a lot harder to get a 2.0mmol/l reading now than at the end of the OTW season.  Anyway, after seeing that nice reading, I reverted back to the 195 sequences for the last 20 minutes.

Workout Summary – Jan 10, 2016
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Max-_|_–Max–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_19798_|_80:00.0_|_02:01.2_|_196.5_|_19.6_|_153.0_|_ 77.3% _|_12.7_|_10.0
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_MaxHR_|_Max%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_02479_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.4_|_19.6_|_138.0_|_ 66.7% _|_12.6_|_10.1
02_|_02479_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.4_|_19.8_|_144.0_|_ 70.9% _|_12.5_|_10.0
03_|_02480_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.8_|_19.7_|_147.0_|_ 73.0% _|_12.6_|_10.0
04_|_02478_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.1_|_197.2_|_19.6_|_152.0_|_ 76.6% _|_12.6_|_10.1
05_|_02467_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.6_|_194.7_|_19.2_|_147.0_|_ 73.0% _|_12.9_|_10.1
06_|_02463_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.8_|_193.7_|_19.3_|_150.0_|_ 75.2% _|_12.8_|_10.0_|_1.6
07_|_02475_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.2_|_196.6_|_19.7_|_150.0_|_ 75.2% _|_12.6_|_10.0
08_|_02477_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.1_|_197.0_|_19.6_|_153.0_|_ 77.3% _|_12.6_|_10.1

Not a bad workout.  I overstroked by 11 strokes across the whole workout and ended up 125 ahead.  I noticed during the row that it was work to try to keep my rate down, and I rarely saw my rate below target.

Target_____________Actual_____________delta____________
Strokes____Meters______Strokes____Meters______Strokes__meters___EndHR
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02479___|___01___|___19___|___132
0195___|___02460___|___0198___|___02479___|___03___|___18___|___136
0195___|___02460___|___0197___|___02480___|___02___|___20___|___140
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02478___|___01___|___18___|___140
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02467___|___00___|___11___|___142
0192___|___02456___|___0193___|___02463___|___01___|___07___|___141
0195___|___02460___|___0197___|___02475___|___02___|___15___|___144
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02477___|___01___|___17___|___148
1554___|___19673___|___1565___|___19798___|___11___|___125___|___000

Tomorrow morning:  Same thing.  With the PM5 and painsled!

I struggle on the morning after a day when I do an afternoon session, apparently even when the session is short and easy like last nights 30′ L4.

I started with a plan to do repeats of a fun 20′ “mountain”.

• 3′ @ 18 (180W)
• 3′ @ 19 (190W)
• 3′ @ 20 (200W)
• 2′ @ 21 (210W)
• 3′ @ 20
• 3′ @ 19
• 3′ @ 18

This is a lower intensity than the sessions that I did on Sunday and Monday, but today it was too much for me and I could see it my HR and RPE at the end of the first mountain.

I pushed on and tried to stick to the plan through the second 20′ mountain, and it was pretty miserable.  I started the third mountain, and after a few minutes, I decided to ease up.  I just shifted to a steady state 180W at 20 spm, which is a lighter, easier stroke.  This brought my HR down to about 70% HRR and I felt a lot more comfortable.  At the end of this 20 minute piece, I measured lactates and it was 1.3 mmol/l.  So, I could push a bit harder.

For the last 20 minutes, I did just that.  I brought up the wattage to 190W and the rate down to r19.  It was pretty hard work, and I was curious how hard.  By the end of 20′, my HR had gone up to around 155 (80% HRR) and my lactate was up to 4.0mmol/l.

So the take away for me is that even though there is no firm correlation between HR and lactate, if my HR is high and my RPE is high, I should dial back the watts, in most cases 10W dial back should be enough.

Tomorrow: 4 x 2K / 5′ rest.  Pace target 1:48.0 (same as the avg for last time)

That was a rude shock.  Over the Christmas holidays, I was sleeping in to 9 or 10 every morning and lazying about most of the day.  Then in the afternoon (or evening), I’d go hop on the erg for a workout.  That all changed today.  Back to my normal weekly schedule.  Alarm went off at 5:15am, and I rolled out of bed bleary eyed.  I was in the gym by 7.

Since I was rowing with less than 12 hours of recovery, I decided to keep it to an hour.  My training plan called for a rest today, but I took that one early on New Year’s Eve, so I was just subbing in a low intensity session.

The schedule change was too much for me.  I did two of the same 195 stroke sequences as last night for the first 20 minutes, then I dropped back to a 192 stroke sequence for the next 10.  A couple of minutes into the 4th 10 minute sequence, I just stopped rowing.  I wasn’t feeling that bad, but I wasn’t feeling that great either.  I just sat there for a couple minutes and decided what to do.  I debated just walking away, but instead decided to just dial it back a bit and finish the hour.  So I rowed out the rest of that 10 minute sequence at 19spm and around 190W.

Then for the last 20 minutes I did a couple of 188 strokes sequences.  These are 2 minutes each at 18/19/20/19/18.  This was just about right for my mental state this morning.  At the end of this, I took a lactate reading and it was 1.8 mmol/l.  So, I the adjustment put me right in the correct range.

One other note.  Since I am getting ready for indoor competitions, I am going to be rowing off slides for the next couple months.

In addition to lack of sleep and short recovery, I also had thermal differences to contend with.  The gym is almost 10 degrees (F) higher than my erg room at home.  Modesty also required me to wear a shirt, which I don’t do at home either.  I think this makes a difference.  Not huge, but noticeable.

Tomorrow:  Back to distance based intervals.  The Waterfall 3K/2.5K/2K.  Last time I did it with an avg pace of 1:47.8.  I’ll try to hold that for the first interval and see where I end up after that.

It was 7:30 PM before I sat down on the erg.  And I wasn’t really in the mood.  But there was nothing to fear from this session.  Just another low intensity L4 aerobic workout.  I limited it to 60 minutes because it was so late and I knew I would be working out first thing in the morning as well.

I continued to push the stroke count up.  I think I found the limit.  Lactate at 60 minutes was 2.3mmol/l.

Workout Summary – Jan 04, 2016
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Max-_|_–Max–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_14919_|_60:00.0_|_02:00.7_|_199.3_|_19.6_|_151.0_|_ 75.9% _|_12.7_|_10.1
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_MaxHR_|_Max%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_02492_|_10:00.0_|_02:00.4_|_200.7_|_19.6_|_137.0_|_ 66.0% _|_12.7_|_10.2
02_|_02491_|_10:00.0_|_02:00.4_|_200.3_|_19.6_|_146.0_|_ 72.3% _|_12.7_|_10.2
03_|_02491_|_10:00.0_|_02:00.4_|_200.4_|_19.8_|_146.0_|_ 72.3% _|_12.6_|_10.1
04_|_02479_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.6_|_19.6_|_149.0_|_ 74.5% _|_12.6_|_10.1
05_|_02485_|_10:00.0_|_02:00.7_|_199.0_|_19.6_|_148.0_|_ 73.8% _|_12.7_|_10.2
06_|_02480_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.7_|_19.6_|_151.0_|_ 75.9% _|_12.7_|_10.1

Target_____________Actual_____________delta____________
Strokes____Meters______Strokes____Meters______Strokes__meters___EndHR
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02492___|___01___|___32___|___134
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02491___|___01___|___31___|___137
0195___|___02460___|___0198___|___02491___|___03___|___31___|___139
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02479___|___01___|___19___|___140
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02485___|___01___|___25___|___141
0195___|___02460___|___0196___|___02480___|___01___|___20___|___141
0000___|___00000___|___0000___|___00000___|___00___|___00___|___000
0000___|___00000___|___0000___|___00000___|___00___|___00___|___000
1170___|___14761___|___1178___|___14919___|___08___|___157___|___000

Getting close to the magical 200W level for steady state.

Really liking this specific stroke sequence.

• 1′ @ 21spm (210W)
• 3′ @ 20spm (200W)
• 3′ @ 19spm (190W)
• 3′ @ 18spm (180W)

I let myself push the 21 SPM bits hard and then tried to nail the other ones exactly.  HR was a bit higher, lactate was too, but still right in the sweet zone (1.8 mmol/l).

Good news was that I read online how to work around the RowPro crash problem.  If you disable wifi, rowpro will not crash.  Of course this meas you can’t log to concept2 automagically, or row online, but now I can make my precious graphs!

Workout Summary – Dec 30, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_19804_|_80:00.0_|_02:01.2_|_196.7_|_19.2_|_138.2_|_ 66.8% _|_12.9_|_10.2
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_02477_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.1_|_197.0_|_19.1_|_124.7_|_ 57.3% _|_13.0_|_10.3
02_|_02479_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.6_|_19.2_|_135.4_|_ 64.8% _|_12.9_|_10.3
03_|_02476_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.1_|_196.9_|_19.3_|_136.9_|_ 65.9% _|_12.8_|_10.2
04_|_02472_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.4_|_195.8_|_19.2_|_142.3_|_ 69.7% _|_12.9_|_10.2
05_|_02475_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.2_|_196.5_|_19.2_|_140.7_|_ 68.6% _|_12.9_|_10.2
06_|_02469_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.5_|_195.0_|_19.2_|_143.0_|_ 70.2% _|_12.9_|_10.2
07_|_02481_|_10:00.0_|_02:00.9_|_198.1_|_19.1_|_139.7_|_ 67.8% _|_13.0_|_10.4
08_|_02474_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.3_|_196.3_|_19.3_|_143.1_|_ 70.3% _|_12.8_|_10.2

Target_____________Actual_____________delta____________
Strokes____Meters______Strokes____Meters______Strokes__meters___EndHR
0192___|___02456___|___0191___|___02477___|___-01___|___21___|___128
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02479___|___00___|___24___|___134
0192___|___02456___|___0193___|___02476___|___01___|___21___|___139
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02472___|___00___|___16___|___138
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02475___|___00___|___19___|___140
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02469___|___00___|___13___|___139
0192___|___02456___|___0191___|___02481___|___-01___|___26___|___138
0192___|___02456___|___0193___|___02474___|___01___|___18___|___138
1536___|___19647___|___1536___|___19804___|___00___|___157___|___000

Tomorrow:  4 x 8′ / 5′ rest.  1:50 pace target.  Not really looking forward to it.

In L4 format.  I wanted to increase the intensity just a little bit.  Last workout, my lactate was at 1.1mmol after 60 minutes.  I’d like to see it in the 1.6 to 2.0 range.  Today, I experimented with a different stroke sequence.  After starting with a normal 10 sequence, I then started fast and slowed down in each 10 minute chunk.

It was delightfully cool and dry.  It was 59F after I finished.  I think this kept my HR nice and low.  After I took my lactate at 60 minutes (1.5mmol/l), I tried to push the wattage up to 10W above target for each segment of the last two 10′ chunks.  Even with the higher output, my RPE and HR stayed nice and low.

Workout Summary – Dec 28, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_19811_|_80:00.0_|_02:01.1_|_196.8_|_19.2_|_132.3_|_ 62.6% _|_12.9_|_10.3
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_02452_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_191.1_|_18.6_|_122.1_|_ 55.4% _|_13.2_|_10.3
02_|_02472_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.4_|_195.8_|_19.3_|_131.3_|_ 61.9% _|_12.8_|_10.1
03_|_02476_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.2_|_196.7_|_19.3_|_131.7_|_ 62.2% _|_12.8_|_10.2
04_|_02473_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.3_|_196.0_|_19.3_|_137.1_|_ 66.0% _|_12.8_|_10.2
05_|_02480_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.8_|_19.2_|_133.5_|_ 63.4% _|_12.9_|_10.3
06_|_02474_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.3_|_196.3_|_19.2_|_134.8_|_ 64.4% _|_12.9_|_10.2
07_|_02488_|_10:00.0_|_02:00.6_|_199.7_|_19.2_|_131.5_|_ 62.1% _|_13.0_|_10.4
08_|_02496_|_10:00.0_|_02:00.2_|_201.5_|_19.1_|_135.6_|_ 65.0% _|_13.1_|_10.6

Target_____________Actual_____________delta____________
Strokes____Meters______Strokes____Meters______Strokes__meters___EndHR
0188___|___02439___|___0186___|___02452___|__-02___|___13___|___126
0192___|___02456___|___0193___|___02472___|___01___|___16___|___127
0192___|___02456___|___0193___|___02476___|___01___|___20___|___133
0192___|___02456___|___0193___|___02473___|___01___|___17___|___131
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02480___|___00___|___25___|___132
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02474___|___00___|___18___|___131
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02488___|___00___|___32___|___133
0192___|___02456___|___0191___|___02496___|__-01___|___40___|___132
1532___|___19630___|___1532___|___19811___|___00___|__180___|___000

Tomorrow:  A tough threshold session.  3 x 10′ with 5′ rest.  I think I need to back off of to about a 1:50 pace.  We’ll see.

Nice and cool.  63F at the end.  Felt very easy.  Low HR and Low Lactate (1.1).  Next one, I will push the stroke count up a bit and maintain the same power.

Heart rate plot shows the impact of the nice cool room and good airflow.

Workout Summary – Dec 26, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_19662_|_80:00.0_|_02:02.1_|_192.5_|_18.9_|_135.2_|_ 64.7% _|_13.0_|_10.2

Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI
01_|_02450_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.5_|_190.5_|_18.9_|_127.8_|_ 59.4% _|_13.0_|_10.1
02_|_02446_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.6_|_189.8_|_19.0_|_134.6_|_ 64.3% _|_12.9_|_10.0
03_|_02450_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_190.6_|_18.9_|_134.3_|_ 64.0% _|_13.0_|_10.1
04_|_02450_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_190.7_|_18.8_|_138.7_|_ 67.2% _|_13.0_|_10.1
05_|_02455_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.2_|_191.9_|_18.9_|_136.6_|_ 65.7% _|_13.0_|_10.2
06_|_02452_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.4_|_191.0_|_18.7_|_138.4_|_ 67.0% _|_13.1_|_10.2_|_1.1
07_|_02479_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.6_|_19.2_|_134.4_|_ 64.1% _|_12.9_|_10.3
08_|_02480_|_10:00.0_|_02:01.0_|_197.7_|_19.1_|_137.3_|_ 66.2% _|_13.0_|_10.3

Target_____________Actual_____________delta____________
Strokes____Meters______Strokes____Meters______Strokes__meters___EndHR
0188___|___02439___|___0189___|___02450___|___01___|___10___|___130
0188___|___02439___|___0190___|___02446___|___02___|___07___|___132
0188___|___02439___|___0189___|___02450___|___01___|___11___|___137
0188___|___02439___|___0188___|___02450___|___00___|___11___|___137
0188___|___02439___|___0189___|___02455___|___01___|___16___|___136
0188___|___02439___|___0187___|___02452___|__-01___|___12___|___135
0192___|___02456___|___0192___|___02479___|___00___|___24___|___142
0192___|___02456___|___0191___|___02480___|__-01___|___24___|___142
1512___|___19547___|___1515___|___19662___|___03___|__115___|___000

So, 3 strokes off over 80 minutes.  And 115 meters over target.

Tomorrow:  5 x 1500 / 5′ rest.  Target 1:48

Not on slides for a change.  So, that left the question of the right power to target.  My guess was 10W higher.  My guess turned out to be right.  It felt just challenging enough and my lactates were right on target at 1.6mmol/l after 60 minutes.

Here’s my rate and power plan.

I was very close on rate (6 strokes out of 1508) and a bit high on power (89 meters out of 19554m).

Target_____________Actual_____________delta____________
Strokes____Meters______Strokes____Meters______Strokes__meters___EndHR
0184___|___02417___|___0184___|___02429___|___00___|___12___|___134
0186___|___02417___|___0187___|___02440___|___01___|___24___|___141
0188___|___02439___|___0189___|___02445___|___01___|___07___|___139
0188___|___02439___|___0188___|___02443___|___00___|___04___|___143
0188___|___02439___|___0189___|___02443___|___01___|___04___|___142
0188___|___02439___|___0190___|___02441___|___02___|___02___|___143
0190___|___02439___|___0191___|___02457___|___01___|___19___|___148
0190___|___02439___|___0190___|___02456___|___00___|___17___|___148
1502___|___19465___|___1508___|___19554___|___06___|___89___|___000

More conventional notation.

Workout Summary – Dec 21, 2015
–_|_Total_|_-Total-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg-_|_Avg-_|_-Avg-_|_–Avg–_|_-Avg_|_-Avg
–_|_Dist-_|_-Time–_|_-Pace–_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_-HR–_|_-%HRR–_|_-DPS_|_-SPI
–_|_19554_|_80:00.0_|_02:02.7_|_189.3_|_18.9_|_138.9_|_ 67.3% _|_13.0_|_10.0
Workout Details
#-_|_SDist_|_-Split-_|_-SPace-_|_Watts_|_SPM-_|_AvgHR_|_Avg%HRR_|_DPS-_|_-SPI

01_|_02429_|_10:00.0_|_02:03.5_|_185.8_|_18.4_|_126.0_|_ 58.1% _|_13.2_|_10.1
02_|_02440_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.9_|_188.4_|_18.7_|_136.2_|_ 65.4% _|_13.0_|_10.1
03_|_02445_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.7_|_189.6_|_18.9_|_136.5_|_ 65.6% _|_12.9_|_10.0
04_|_02443_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.8_|_189.0_|_18.8_|_142.3_|_ 69.7% _|_13.0_|_10.1
05_|_02443_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.8_|_188.9_|_18.9_|_140.7_|_ 68.6% _|_12.9_|_10.0
06_|_02441_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.9_|_188.5_|_19.0_|_143.5_|_ 70.5% _|_12.8_|_09.9 (Lactate 1.6mmol/l)
07_|_02457_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.1_|_192.3_|_19.1_|_140.9_|_ 68.7% _|_12.9_|_10.1
08_|_02456_|_10:00.0_|_02:02.2_|_192.0_|_19.0_|_144.7_|_ 71.4% _|_12.9_|_10.1

Tomorrow:  Back to work.  New mesocycle.  Time to start working the long intervals.  The menu is offering a water fall.  3K, 2.5K, 2K.  Pace goal is 1:48.