June CTC: "Half a Pyramid"

[Stan]

Had my first go yesterday and managed a 1:56.8 average. I had no real idea how to pace it and as usual was too cautious at the start so definitely more in the tank for next time.

[gregsmith01748]

Stan: I think caution at the start is a good idea on this one. If (when) you go again, don't try to take too big of a bite. Those 8,7, and 6 reps will kill you if the 10 and 9 are too fast.

[lfairbairn]

I had my second attempt today and improved by 18 seconds with 22.43.3 and an average of 2:03.9. Looking to improve the 1000m rep next time.

Laura

[jolo]

Great improvement Laura =D> =D> =D>

Nice time Greg I wish I had could give you a challenge.

[strider77]

Great efforts Greg, Stan, Laura and also from Rachel and Jason not blogged but posted on the CTC =D> =D> =D> =D>

[strider77]

Sorry for hogging this thread-had my second go last night, managed a 7.1 sec improvement

The PM was nice and generous and awarded me a total 0.2 sec less than the total of the constituent parts

19:54.4-5500-1:48.5-30
03:42.0-1:51.0-28-felt good and controlled
03:17.6-1:49.7-29-gained a lot on last time on this rep
02:55.2-1:49.5-29-consolidating-still OK
02:32.7-1:49.0-29-felt Ok at this stage compared to last week
02:10.5-1:48.7-29-still OK
01:48.4-1:48.4-29-only rep slower than last week-better stroke rate though
01:26.0-1:47.5-30-not far now
01:03.4-1:45.6-31-I can do this hold on
00:40.4-1:41.0-36-just the one to go
00:18.4-1:32.0-52-yes you read right-52 !!

I wanted to get under 20 mins as just missed it last week, this felt more comfortable and apart from the insane last rep the stroke rate was lower throughout too

[kirbyt]

Solid effort there, Alan. I decided this half a pyramid looked like something I could do in place of my usual long intervals. Some people call this workout a waterfall but I guess it's a pyramid where you get helicoptered out after you climb to the top. Weighed myself in the morning just in case but the scales said miniature heavyweight( 76.7 kilos) not lightweight. I was thinking first rep 1:49 and then negative split from there.
1:49.0-r28
1:48.6-r28
1:48.3-r28
1:47.9-r28
1:47.4-r29
1:46.4-r29
1:44.6-r32
1:43.5-r32
1:39.0-r33
1:31.0-r40
Average was 1:47.0
I liked it much better than my long intervals, those last three were actually fun.

[gregsmith01748]

Kirby: very nice. I like the very discplined negative splits until the end was in sight. I agree the last few we're a lot more fun than the beginning!

[strider77]

Cheers Kirby

Nice job =D>

Its great that it reduces every rep, quite motivating

I think as long as you get the first rep right, the negative splitting takes care of itself on this one

[DonBasuno]

A slightly too optimistic first 1000 resulted in quite a bit of suffering on the following four intervals. Finished with a total of 23:14,6 for a solid last place in the team. We really need more people to join in, as there is no way I will move up from last place on my own

[zootMutant]

A slightly too optimistic first 1000 resulted in quite a bit of suffering on the following four intervals. Finished with a total of 23:14,6 for a solid last place in the team. We really need more people to join in, as there is no way I will move up from last place on my own

Have no fear; I will join shortly and that will push you up a notch!

...and well done on sticking it out even though your initial pace was a mite high. =D> =D> =D>

[gregsmith01748]

A slightly too optimistic first 1000 resulted in quite a bit of suffering on the following four intervals. Finished with a total of 23:14,6 for a solid last place in the team. We really need more people to join in, as there is no way I will move up from last place on my own

As they says about dog sleds... Unless you are the lead dog, the view is very much the same. Almost all of us are chasing folks way ahead of us. Good for you for sticking it out. Over cooking the first rep always makes for misery the rest of the way.

[Richard Lindner]

Been dreading this one and going out hard to get a 1k PB didn't help. Lowered my target pace but still suffered a lot on the next couple of reps but carried on and regained control for the last few reps.
5500m, 21:01.6, 1:54.7, 31spm
3:45.1, 1:52.6, 29
3:30.1, 1:56.7, 29
3:07.0, 1:56.9, 28
2:43.5, 1:56.8, 29
2:19.9, 1:56.6, 31
1:54.8, 1:54.8, 31
1:30.9, 1:53.6, 32
1:06.8, 1:51.3, 32
0:44.2, 1:50.5, 33
0:19.3, 1:36.5, 37

Average pace was actually a fraction lower than my 2k PB

[lfairbairn]

Third attempt for me today. Improved again, down from 22:43.3 to 22:15.9. Legs are still shaking.

1000 04:04.8 29 02:02.4
900 03:40.0 28 02:02.2
800 03:15.2 28 02:02.0
700 02:50.8 28 02:02.0
600 02:26.9 28 02:02.4
500 02:02.5 28 02:02.5
400 01:38.5 27 02:03.1
300 01:10.9 30 01:58.1
200 00:45.1 33 01:52.7
100 00:21.3 37 01:46.5

Laura

[gregsmith01748]

going out hard to get a 1k PB didn't help.

I can't imagine a more painful way to start this CTC! You poor person. Doing that 900m interval must have been the worst!

Average pace was actually a fraction lower than my 2k PB

Could it be time to do a 2K TT? I know that's the last thing you want to hear right after doing a 1K TT!

[gregsmith01748]

Third attempt for me today. Improved again, down from 22:43.3 to 22:15.9. Legs are still shaking.

No wonder. That pace is about a full second faster than your 2K PB! That's huge.

[plummy]

Second go and I think pretty much my limit was found here..

1000 - 3:42.0 - 1:51.0 - Good improvement on my last effort - hope I don't pay for it later
900 - 3:18.3 - 1:50.1 - Ahead again - but feeling the pace already
800 - 2:44.6 - 1:49.7 - hmm, not sure but still in there ahead of the curve
700 - 2:33.6 - 1:49.7 - just get through this and the next, no heroics
600 - 2:11.4 - 1:49.5 - ditto
500 - 1:48.5 - 1:48.5 - er, still ditto (struggling a bit now)
400 - 1:27.1 - 1:48.8 - wobbled big time (small back off)
300 - 1:03.7 - 1:46.1 - the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT an oncoming train (I think)
200 - 0:46.1 - 1:42.7 - shouldn't fail now
100 - 0:19.5 - 1:37.5 - didn't hurt for long

20:00.8 (darn ) but still a 9.1s improvement overall and 1:49.1 pace average

[plummy]

OK - something wonky going on with CTC site?

From the C2UK Forum it looks like an enforced server move and it'll all shake out in a couple of days

[strider77]

Richard-going out for a 1k PB-wow what courage-well done on completing it =D>

Laura, amazing effort and very impressive improvement =D>

Well done Dave-great improvement-well done =D>

[zootMutant]

Quite enjoyable... obviously, I didn't start fast enough, but I'm a great big chicken when it comes to intervals.

My result ended up being almost exactly my projected 2k pace (based on my most recent endurance intervals). My plan was to start a little below my 5k pace (2:06) and drop 0.5 sec off each interval until I felt I could drop more [-o< (taking my cue from Erik )

5,500 m -- 22:13.2 -- 2:01.2

Dist Pace Watts Incr Rate EHR 1000 2:05.0 179 R27 154 900 2:04.5 181 2 R27 156 800 2:04.0 184 3 R27 159 700 2:03.4 186 2 R27 156 600 2:01.9 193 7 R28 159 500 1:59.3 206 13 R30 161 400 1:55.5 227 21 R31 161 300 1:52.0 249 22 R34 161 200 1:48.0 278 29 R36 157 100 1:39.0 361 83 R42 151

Probably should have tried dropping 1.0 sec off the first intervals instead? (I forgot that 0.5 sec at my pace is a lot less power than 0.5 sec at Erik's pace ).

[Liefcat]

Already many, many FS entries, good to see =D> =D> =D> Very consistent negative splitting, Zoot =D> =D> And wonderful mental images, too, especially like the one about dog sleds...

Had a serious go at this today. Chose for DF=125:

3:15.7 1:37.8 32
2:56.1 1:37.8 32
2:36.5 1:37.8 32
2:16.5 1:37.5 33
1:56.3 1:36.9 33
1:36.9 1:36.9 33
1:15.8 1:34.7 36
0:55.7 1:32.8 38
0:35.2 1:28.0 43
0:16.5 1:22.5 47
T=17:41.2 1:36.4 35

I would say that "even splitting" is more my thing... Probably could have tackled the 500m and 400m more agressively - but as Plummy predicted - a lactic bath already taking place...

[strider77]

Wow, you really are the king of intervals Erik-brilliant row

[Richard Thomas]

21:39.0 1:58.1/500 25/spm

Think I must have programmed it wrong! Those 1 minute rests couldn't have been a whole 1 minute

Found the 600 the hardest and very nearly reached for the bucket after the 400 but I guess I 'enjoyed' the last 3!

[gregsmith01748]

This is great! So many folks giving it all up on this CTC.

There is some interesting medical research in the area of "pain". In a study, there were two groups of patients that were subjected to a colonoscopy. For one group, the procedure was optimized to minimize the amount of time they spent in pain. The second group, the procedure was changed so that the end of the procedure was significantly less painful than the first part, at the cost of having the whole procedure take longer. The findings were that the second group of patients were far less traumatized because the memories that persist are the ones from the end of the procedure.

I think the same thing is true about this CTC. The thing I remember best is the charging through the last three reps, not slogging through the first ones. I might even try it again!

[kirbyt]

Erik. Wow, just wow.
Greg. I have found a way to make the last reps quite a bit more painful: take a second and half of pace off the average that you managed last time.
1:48.0-r28. Not so bad
1:47.5-r29 still doable
1:46.6-r30. Pretty tough
1:45.9-r30. Hard especially since I thought it was going to be the 600m, not sure why
1:44.8-r31 okay the worst is over
1:44.0-r32. Starting to thrash around a little now
1:43.6-r33. Whoa, lactic acid is building in the legs now
1:43.5-r33. Ouch
1:39.0-r35. Just one more
1:32.5-r39. Last time I managed 1:31.0 but I wasn't in this kind of pain.
19:21.5-1:45.5-r32
Still in the same place in boat 2 as last time with Greg and Jolo as the other MWH's. Three small heavyweights, for sure.