Rowing Fitness Test?

[Thomas W-P]

Wolfie is encouraging me to re-start the Pete Plan with him and Huw on 14th October. Nothing like MOTIVATION

I have been doing a fair bit of cycling but before I take the plunge in to the Pete Plan I want to do some sort of fitness test. I have vague recollections of the "Step Test" and even made a page for calculating the steps.

But, my current 2k time is anyone's guess. I don't fancy going for a maximal 2k any time soon. I guess that if I chose 7:30 for the 2k and did a step test based on that it would be a reasonable starting point, but I would appreciate any other suggestions.

[kirbyt]

Um, you're over-thinking this one, Thomas. Even if using the 7:30 estimate is a little conservative, after a couple of cycles of the Plan, you'll know exactly where you stand.

[Thomas W-P]

Don't remind me... I still might try the step test though.

It's blowing a fake and raining outside. Time for a ride Anything but face the erg

[Rodger]

So you want to start the Pete Plan, but not feel the pain of a maximum 2k. I think Wolf and Huw are not done yet in motivating you. (no sarcasm intended, I think I know the feeling.)
Perhaps you could do a suboptimal 2k and according to how you feel afterwards subtract a couple of seconds in pace and take that as your current erg fitness?
Of course devising and trying a multiple-step test is more fun.

[Wolfmiester]

oh good, I thought you'd bottled it

We are about the same Thomas, I reckon I'm somewhere around 7:10

If anyone else fancies rowing 3 times per week and starting the Pete Plan on Monday, you'd be welcome company.

I believe the first session is the simple 8x500

[Rodger]

I'm actually starting the Pete Plan 5k training on Monday. First session is 12x500m/1r @5k-1 pace, which in my case is 2:03.5. So when you're going to throw your 1:45 splits of your PP sessions around the place, I would feel too inferior to post mine.

Good luck to you guys, though! But how can the PP be done in three sessions only, are you skipping the steady distances (replacing them with cycling perhaps)?

[GrantR]

that could be interesting... I just did my first row in 4 months on Monday, so trying a more properly regimented training program could give a new interest to getting back into shape When I've read up on some of the plans in the past they seem to have such huge rest intervals, but I guess that it makes more sense if you're rowing hard enough to require such large rest intervals. This plan seems to be a pretty reasonable one. Well, except that he of course lists 6 days a week of rowing, but realizing that it's really just a minimum of 3 days makes it a lot more approachable.

Like Thomas I have no idea what my current pacing is other than that it's a whole bunch slower than what I recall doing last December when I was last getting any consistant rowing in. I'll probably base mine stuff of about an 7:50-8:00 minute 2k to start with and see how it improves from there. That's "only" a 2:00 split, Rodger, so that should make you feel a lot less inferior! The goal is to improve ourselves, and see improvements in others, regardless of what we may measure as "slow" or "fast". you could be doing 4:00 splits but if you're gaining and improving then that's great for all of us to see and cheer you on.

[Wolfmiester]

I would be great to get half a dozen or so on the Pete Plan thread, come on in boys.

Pace is always relative of course, you are only battling against yourself.
My long term goal is to match Phillip's recent performance at 70+, brilliant!!

[stumpy]

Hi guys funny that, but I did a Wolverine 40' L4- 180 on Wednesday with a view to starting a new bike /erg related plan. So 3 or 4 days erging Pete plan (ish) sounds just the job, and who knows doing it as a group may keep me on track I was planning on doing the 2k paced sessions on the Mondays followed by a bike club run on Tuesdays, a steady hour L4 on Wednesdays, another bike or turbo on Thursdays, and a steady 10/12k erg on Friday, with a short bike or erg recovery over the Weekend. Well that's the plan if I do half I'll be more that happy

[Richard Thomas]

Forgive my ignorance but what's the 'pete plan'?

[stumpy]

Hi Richard, in a word "pain"

http://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/the-pete-plan/

[Thomas W-P]

Yes, but it is a very good way of getting confidence about racing* I find

But I live in fear of starting off badly. Ultimately I think that Kirby is probably right though and I should just go offf reasonably easy and see what happens. I have two days of excuses left.

I'm also really annoyed that I completely forgot about the C2C Round 1 and will never get that back

*This is not a commitment to enter BIRC but I am thinking about it.

[GrantR]

Did the 8x500 today, which was interesting. Started at 2:00 pace then switched up to 1:55ish which was much faster than i was expecting but felt ok given the huge 3:30 rest periods. Did the last split at 1:49 which was trying to use up whatever was left. Averaged 1:55.5 so next time this one comes up i will try starting at 1:54-5 and seeing how it goes. What i like about the long rest period is my cardio doesnt get too overworked and instead my legs back and arms are what fatigue out.

[Rodger]

That's a promising start, Grant. It seems you underestimated yourself in the first rep(s). =D>
If you're thinking: where are the others, weren't we going to do this with a bunch of guys, they are here:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=661&start=5025

[Thomas W-P]

I made a monitoring sheet - the more the merrier, just PM me with an email address and I will add you a tab.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub ... utput=html