The Interactive Plan (IP)

stumpy · Post by **stumpy** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 4:56 pm

In meter munching mode today, first a very steady 20 min WU on RP with the lovely sprinty still competative

Christine.

Then on to the main event of the day a 25K also on RP again with a more senible Christine this time.

25K UT2. @ 2:17.5 r21 AHR 128 TE 2.0 epoc 28.
It was good to share the session with you Christine

andy walls · Post by **andy walls** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:30 pm

Some great stuff posted on here today, well done all. =D> =D>

An enforced rest day for me today, family around and too much lunch time beer has thrown me out of sink, 6 hard days coming up

andy walls · Post by **andy walls** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:46 pm

A 42' UT2 today, decided to restrict it to 20R.

3k w/u

42', 10662m, 1:58.1, 20R

2k c/d

The restricted rate was ok until the last 5-6 mins, it was then a real battle of wills, worked out to just under 6 seconds per split quicker than my fastest permitted UT2 pace so fairly pleased.

Paul Victory · Post by **Paul Victory** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:05 pm

Today called for 2x20'UT1r5'. As usual, I did somewhat longer wu and cd than specified and I did active rest in the UT1 session.

Session was as follows:

6000m w/u in 25:58.0 @ 2:09.8, 23 spm, strapless

20', 5121m, 1:57.1, 28spm, HR 152
20', 5022m, 1:59.4, 26spm, HR 155

5:00 active rest, 1155m

4541m c/d in 20:00.5 @ 2:10.7, 21 spm, strapless

After having a few too many celebratory glasses of wine last night, I found today's session quite tough, particularly the second 20' where I tried to keep the rating to 24/25, but ended up averaging 26 as I just found it too hard to stay under 2:00 pace at 24 spm.

Paul V

SlowSi · Post by **SlowSi** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:39 pm

Andy - not sure thats a UT2 session, 6 seconds faster than specified UT2 pace

but its a great UT1 session =D> =D> .

Paul - good session =D> , reducing the stroke rate and increasing the dps will definately pay off in the long run.

Tonight for me 3*10' @ 22 strapless

2k wu

3*10' @ 22 - 8035 - 1:52.0 @ 22 - strapless

1:53.0 @ 22
1:52.1 @ 22 - too hard, going to struggle to carry on negative split
1:50.7 @ 23 - had to relax spm to get the nice negative split

1187 AR

3k cd

Cheers, Si

andy walls · Post by **andy walls** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 3:41 pm

SlowSi wrote:Andy - not sure thats a UT2 session, 6 seconds faster than specified UT2 pace but its a great UT1 session =D> =D
Cheers, Si

Si, couldn't resist but I know I should probably stick a little closer to the plan!! Tried harder today!

Today called for a 3 x 11' 5r UTI, aimed for lowest permitted pace, 1:58.

1k w/u

11', 2801m, 1:57.8, 20R
11', 2805m, 1:57.6, 21R
11', 2805m, 1:57.6, 22R

2 x 5' active rest, 2245m

2500m c/d

Tried hard to keep spm at 21 for 3rd interval but struggled in the middle section to maintain the low rate.

stumpy · Post by **stumpy** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:58 pm

Nice UT1 session (s)

Andy.
Today for me 85' UT2 two back to back sessions on RP with a 2-3 min active rest. TE 2.5 epoc 52 2:13.3 r21 MHR 139 EHR 137

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Gooner Neil · Post by **Gooner Neil** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 5:20 pm

Impressive stuff one and all. Hats off re low spin rates, just can't do that or truth is not disciplined enough. Anywho did 3x2' TR 2 min rest
560m av 1.47.2,
565 av 1.46.2 and
563m av 1.46.5

At least BIRC is still along way away

Paul Victory · Post by **Paul Victory** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:31 pm

Today called for 6x1'ANr1'. This time, I did active rest in the AN session and I found it quite tough. For the last 3 reps, my HR was quite high at the start of the rep and the final rep was a bit of a train wreck, with the erg jumping off the mat and moving back around 3 feet until it came to rest against a bench press I have at the back of the room. Just as well it was there or I might have crashed into the wall.

Session was as follows:

7118m w/u in 30:01.2 @ 2:09.8, 23 spm, strapless

1:00, 301m, 1:39.7, 34 spm, HR 150
1:00, 303m, 1:39.0, 35 spm, HR 160
1:00, 304m, 1:38.7, 36 spm, HR 165
1:00, 306m, 1:38.0, 36 spm, HR 170
1:00, 303m, 1:39.0, 36 spm, HR 172
1:00, 306m, 1:38.0, 35 spm, HR 178

5:00 active rest, 1124m

12197m c/d in 52:16.3 @ 2:08.6, 19 spm, strapless

I'm trying the IP as preparation for the upcoming Grimsby mile and I'd welcome some advice from the more experienced IPers.

I've been doing much longer warm ups and cool downs than are specified in the IP, partly in order to maintain my position on the meter board and partly because of the Fall team challenge. Is this likely to be counterproductive if I'm trying to develop more speed for the Grimsby mile and would it be better if I were to stick more closely to the recommended 15 to 20 minutes?

I also found the intervals much harder with active rest. If this was a CTC challenge, I would probably go with passive rest as I think this would yield a better score. But is active rest better from a training perspective?

Paul V

Gooner Neil · Post by **Gooner Neil** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:28 am

Not experienced in IP but I doubt your longer rowing will affect you adversely. As long as the longer stuff is done at a lower intensity then it should benefit you. Just doing anaerobic stuff won't improve blood transportation etc.
I had the u23 GB rowing training schedule a few years ago and their high end stuff only represented 6% of their 100k+ weekly workload

hewitt · Post by **hewitt** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:29 am

Paul. Personally i dont do active rest on any training session,especially the TR and AT session as it takes me all the rest just to get my breath back.

I cant see the extra meters doing you any harm Paul,like Neil said aslong as they are alot slower.UT2 or even UT3.

I have decided to adopt a newish approach to my training after reading an article on the Concept2 site about less is more.Basically i will be training Harder on my hard days and very easy on the recovery days.Because i am going to train harder on the harder days i wont be wearing my HR but following the pace guide instead.But i will wear my HR on the longer easy days to make sure they are very easy.

Today was the 3x17min with 4min rest with my old training friend from last year Charlie Brown on RowPro.

(we were very close pace wise last year)

17min...4635m...1:50.0...r23

17min...4644m...1:49.8...r24

17min...4669m...1:49.2...r25

Mat · Post by **Mat** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:01 pm

Paul - congratulations for persevering to the end of the 6x1' session, especially with the HR increasing relentlessly =D> =D>

My own personal opinion is that whilst adding some additional metres per se shouldn't affect your performance, I cannot imagine balancing a 25k+ per day metre munching habit with an effective programme of sharpening for a 1 mile event just week away. In all honestly, I would think you'd find it extremely difficult to reach your optimum performance at Grimsby with your current level of meterage. Mind you, that's just my own personal view, and it's for you to decide on the balance that's right for you

When it comes to AN sessions, I'd have to agree with Jason on the rest

If I commit everything to the intervals, then I now adopt a "start up" approach suggested by Erik - pick up the handle with 6s to go, take a good pull with between 3s and 2s to go, and then you should be ready to launch with a big pull just as the time turns to zero

Like the new approach Jason

I'd read the same thread and article (which echoes Neil's observation), and am adopting a similar approach to at least 2 sessions per week (not sure I can lure myself off the HR though - I just like to see the data afterwards

). Very nice set of 3x17' today

Paul Victory · Post by **Paul Victory** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:46 pm

hewitt wrote:Paul. Personally i dont do active rest on any training session,especially the TR and AT session as it takes me all the rest just to get my breath back.

Mat wrote:Paul - congratulations for persevering to the end of the 6x1' session, especially with the HR increasing relentlessly =D> =D>

My own personal opinion is that whilst adding some additional metres per se shouldn't affect your performance, I cannot imagine balancing a 25k+ per day metre munching habit with an effective programme of sharpening for a 1 mile event just week away. In all honestly, I would think you'd find it extremely difficult to reach your optimum performance at Grimsby with your current level of meterage. Mind you, that's just my own personal view, and it's for you to decide on the balance that's right for you

When it comes to AN sessions, I'd have to agree with Jason on the rest If I commit everything to the intervals, then I now adopt a "start up" approach suggested by Erik - pick up the handle with 6s to go, take a good pull with between 3s and 2s to go, and then you should be ready to launch with a big pull just as the time turns to zero

Thanks for the feedback. I found it very hard keeping going during the final couple of rest intervals yesterday and I'm going to follow the Erik approach for future intervals. I may continue with active rest during the UT1 sessions, but I'll keep it under review.

While I haven't being doing 25k+ a day, I have been averaging close to 15k a day over the season as a whole and close to 19k a day when you exclude my days off. I've also averaged 23k a day for the last four days and I'm in danger of getting sucked into a major meter chase as part of the Fall Challenge. So I need to prioritise and I'm going to try

to cut back to somewhere closer to 10k a day for the next 3 and a half weeks, particularly on the days I'm doing AN and TR sessions.

Paul V

Mat · Post by **Mat** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:11 pm

Paul Victory wrote:So I need to prioritise and I'm going to try to cut back to somewhere closer to 10k a day for the next 3 and a half weeks, particularly on the days I'm doing AN and TR sessions.

Sounds like a good plan Paul

I've certainly found that 10k is reasonable on the AN/TR days, even if is does mean rounding off each session with a very slow 5k

This also gives you scope for longer sessions on days in between (though not necessarily 20k), though I'd just make sure that the days preceding AN/TR are relatively low intensity

All the best with it

andy walls · Post by **andy walls** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:56 pm

Great IP sessions Neil, Paul, Colin and Jason. =D> =D> =D> =D>

Today was a 48' UT2 session, 2:04 - 2:10

2k w/u

48', 11651m, 2:03.5, 20R

3k c/d

Gooner Neil · Post by **Gooner Neil** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:19 pm

Today was 2x10AT. Decided to do 5k instead. 19.33.4. Don't know what to think. My pb is 40 secs quicker. One hand bit despondent but I'm trying to be rational and hope I can improve hr max 184 av 165 so should see this as a TR session

SlowSi · Post by **SlowSi** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:36 pm

Great training all =D> =D>

I'm trying to fend off a head cold at the moment so didn't want to do anything too hard today so settled for an impromptu UT2 session :-

1k wu

12k UT2 - 48:53.4 (2:02.1 @ 17) - strapless

2k cd

Probably a similar session tommorrow and start back on plan on Saturday.

Cheers, Si

Paul Victory · Post by **Paul Victory** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:05 pm

The IP called for 3x13'UT1 today. I didn't get home from work until nearly 9 and it was after 10 by the time I got on the erg. I wasn't really in the mood for a hard session and i probably would have taken the day off except for the fact that I have to go to a work related dinner tomorrow night and probably won't get any erging done tomorrow unless I do something first thing tomorrow morning.

Anyway, I decided to start off by setting the erg to just row and doing a strapless warm up. My intention was to just do a UT2 piece unless I suddenly felt a lot better after 10 or 15 minutes warm up. This didn't happen, so I decided to just keep plodding along until I got fed up. I managed to last almost 90 minutes, covering 16331m in 1:09:58.1 @ 2:08.5 pace, 23 spm, strapless. My heart rate stayed in the low 130s until around the 45 minute mark and the highest it got to was 140, with an average of 132.

I've done 123k in the last 6 days, so an enforced day off tomorrow may be beneficial.

Paul V

stumpy · Post by **stumpy** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:02 am

All good sessions guys keep it going =D>
Today for me
UT1 3x19 with a 4 min paddle decided to neg split this one with a capped MHR of 151 looks like I got it pretty much spot on as the last int came in right at the top of UT1, it felt tough but doable. TE 3.3 DF120 again

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hewitt · Post by **hewitt** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:25 pm

Nice 48min UT2 there Andy.

Always better to back off Si when you are ill.Nice 12k.

Nice negative split 19min there Colin.I personally think that it very mentally benificial to negative split these sessions.

Today was a 60min on RowPro with Wolfie and 4 others.

The start of my less is more training.Doing easier sessions on the UT2 days and harder ones on the UT1,TR and AT days.

60min...15002m...2:00...r20(Average HR 143 and Max 155)

It was difficult just to cruise at 2:00ish pace and watch others row off.

But i must follow the plan.

andy walls · Post by **andy walls** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:57 pm

More great training posted on here, well done all! =D>

2 x 20' 5r UT1 today

20' w/u 4325m

20', 5104m, 1:57.5, 23R
5' ar, 1133m
20', 5106m, 1:57.5, 24R

20' c/d 3256m

SlowSi · Post by **SlowSi** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:37 pm

Some great UT1 sessions from Colin, Paul & Andy, and a UT2 session from Jase

!!

Another Ut2 session today, hopefully head cold has just about gone so should be able to get back to some harder training in a couple of days:-

1k wu

12k - 48:42.7 - 2:01.7 @ 17

2k cd

Cheers, Si

hewitt · Post by **hewitt** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:26 am

Today was a tough session mentally.The 3rd 19min was a killer.

3x19min with 4min rest.UT1(1:48-54)pace.

19min...5152m...1:50.6...r25

19min...5156m...1:50.5...r25

19min...5154m...1:50.5...r25

It felt so much harder than the 3x17min the other day.

stumpy · Post by **stumpy** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:58 pm

Well done on the 3rd one Jason, at least the 19 mins dont come up to often with only one UT1 any longer at 3x20. All you have to get your head around now are the long UT2s I must say it helps a lot if there is someone close by on RP at the same pace.

Today for me. UT2 capped at 137
A couple of sessions on RP a 30 min followed by Stus 60 min.
A bit of a plod really but I did enjoy them both
30' @2:12.4 r23 EHR 135
60' @2:12.8 r21 EHR 135
TE 2.1 epoc 33 MHR 137

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andy walls · Post by **andy walls** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 4:13 pm

Great sessions Si, Jason and Colin =D> =D> =D>

A 54 UT2 for me today, not too sure why but really struggled in tHe later stages!

2k w/u

54', 13114m, 2:03.5, 21R

3k c/d