10/21
WP C6D9 - 75:00
16577m/2:15.6/17.6 spm

Had to take a 20 minute break after 50 minutes for an impromptu work call, so HR data isn't super meaningful, but topped out at the low 140s.

10/22
WP C6D10 - 12000m (UT1)
12000 m/49:57.4/2:04.8/20 spm/166 HR
2400_1 - 9:51.6/2:03.2/20 spm/159 HR
2400_2 - 9:51.5/203.2/20 spm/165 HR
2400_3 - 10:00.1/2:05.0/20 spm/168 HR
2400_4 - 10:06.6/2:06.3/20 spm/171 HR
2400_5 - 10:07.6/2:06.5/20 spm/169 HR
r5551m (15:00 warmup + 10:00 cooldown)

Considering my UT1 band should be around 150-170, this was a bit disappointing given I was going relatively slowly and had to keep my stroke rate down. Regardless, I just have to remember it's not a time trial, and the point is to train in the correct zone. Probably worth aiming for a 2:06 pace next time with a slight negative split and seeing if I can get my average HR down more into the low 160s.

10/23
WP C6D11 - 75:00
16599m/2:15.5/17.1 spm/133 HR/136 ending HR

Had to cut pace again after the first 50 minutes, but the stroke rate keeps going down, so maybe that's good. HR was ticking up into the low 140s before I cut pace, so hopefully I can get to the point where 2:15 flat is doable for the entire period shortly.

10/25
WP C6D12 - 20000m
1:31:56.6/2:17.9/16.9 spm/124 HR/126 ending HR

Kept it really easy; HR got up above 130 a few times, but other than that pretty steady.

10/26
WP C7D1 - 4x2000m/5:00r
8000 m/30:04.8/1:52.8/26 spm/177 HR
2000_1 - 7:32.4/1:53.1/24 spm/171 HR
2000_2 - 7:30.9/1:52.7/25 spm/176 HR
2000_3 - 7:31.0/1:52.7/26 spm/180 HR
2000_4 - 7:30.5/1:52.6/27 spm/182 HR
r8505 (20:00 warmup + interval rests)

Slight PR here, but given how hard 5x1500 was a few weeks ago, I'll take it. HR is probably slightly above what is "should" be for AT work, but given I'm doing these sorts of strenuous sessions once per week, I think it's k.

10/27
WP C7D2 - 75:00
16741m/2:14.4/17.6 spm/133 HR/145 ending HR

Paced this one a bit better, negative split the first four fifteen minute blocks (from 2:15.0 down to 2:14.0) and then barely slowed at the end; HR stayed under 140 for the first hour and then drifted up towards the end, which from what I've read is normal/fine. Getting better at just watching the TV and not whitecoating my HR by staring at the monitor the whole time.

I feel you. I started by watching TV and then quickly realized that I actually enjoyed the whitecoating and I embraced it. No music, no TV, just a random radio channel and the screen. I loved it.

I definitely enjoy watching my pace and mentally calculating distance/time markers, but I just can't do it if I want my HR numbers to be at all reflective of what's actually happening, which kind of seems like the point if I'm going to bother doing this.

10/28
WP C7D3 - 75:00
16755m/2:14.2/17.6 spm/132 HR/144 ending HR

Same ol.

10/29
WP C7D4 - 15x3:00/1:00r (UT1)
11626m/45:00/1:56.1/23 spm/173 HR
3:00_1 - 760m/1:58.4/22 spm/154 HR
3:00_2 - 765m/1:57.6/22 spm/158 HR
3:00_3 - 768m/1:57.1/22 spm/163 HR
3:00_4 - 770m/1:56.8/22 spm/169 HR
3:00_5 - 773m/1:56.4/22 spm/171 HR
3:00_6 - 771m/1:56.7/22 spm/173 HR
3:00_7 - 773m/1:56.4/22 spm/174 HR
3:00_8 - 774m/1:56.2/22 spm/174 HR
3:00_9 - 776m/1:55.9/23 spm/177 HR
3:00_10 - 778m/1:55.6/23 spm/178 HR
3:00_11 - 778m /1:55.6/23 spm/179 HR
3:00_12 - 779m/1:55.5/23 spm/181 HR
3:00_13 - 783m/1:54.9/24 spm/181 HR
3:00_14 - 787m/1:54.3/24 spm/183 HR
3:00_15 - 790m/1:53.9/25 spm/183 HR
r8467m (15:00 warmup + interval rests + 10:00 cooldown)

First time I've done this one in a while, and definitely some pretty nice improvement; this was strenuous for sure, but I paced it well, negative split it essentially the whole way, and finished with plenty more in the tank, so definitely not soul-crushing, as opposed to the last time around.

Decent shot at 450k meters this month, so I slapped on a ten minute cooldown. Steady state the next few days should get me there.

10/30
WP C7D5 - 80:00
17776m/2:15.0 /17.9 spm/133 HR/142 ending HR

Legs a bit fatigued, likely from yesterday; 18.2k tomorrow gets me to 450k for the month, and then I can take Sunday off, so seems like that's in my future. Considering this is the first month I've ever hit 450k, pretty k outcome.

Nice 15x3'. It has the same ending HR as your 4x2000, but you said you had lots more in the tank in 15x3' and felt like dying in 4x2000. That's pretty interesting; perhaps a sign that you would need 3-4 weeks of Pete's Plan to tune up before a 2k?

Thanks, I was happy with it.

I'm not sure how useful comparing UT1 vs AT work is, but I think I'd have expected to be able to go faster on my last leg of the 4x2k if I was stronger aerobically, which obviously would have pushed my HR higher. Ultimately I think it just means I'm strong enough to go faster but my aerobic base still sucks (relatively); given I've only really been seriously rowing again for a little over a year, it's not that surprising.

I think there's something to be said for neglecting non-steady state work (I've skipped a few recently due to some combination of work, illness, and laziness), and I have to get better at not doing that. Obviously I'll need to practice some harder work to prepare for my next 2k.

With that said, I'm still trying to stretch out my steady state times a bit more (90 minutes per session eventually), and I'm probably going to prioritize that until I get there and get used to that amount of total volume.

10/31
WP C7D6 - 90:00
20028m/2:14.8/17.5 spm/138 HR/145 ending HR

The C2 app averages HR by scraping the last HR at the end of whatever interval you set for the ride, so it's just averaging the HR at 30, 60, and 90 minutes; if I really cared, I'd also connect to the Polar app and get whatever pseudo-continuous data it produces, but I'm never going to look at it all that closely so I don't really think it matters much. Topped out at 148ish here and there, but kept it pretty solidly in my theoretical UT2 target range overall (130-150).

452k month, which is a big PR. Over 3.5 million meters for the year seems reasonably likely now.

11/2
WP C7D7 - 4x1000m/5:00r
14:13.9/1:46.7/30 spm/175 HR
1000_1 - 3:29.5/1:44.7/29 spm/171 HR
1000_2 - 3:29.0/1:44.5/30 spm/178 HR
1000_3 - 3:36.0/1:48.0/31 spm/175 HR
1000_4 - 3:39.3/1:49.6/29 spm/177 HR
r13054 (Interval rest + 20:00 warmup + 20:00 cooldown)

Got a bit too aggressive here and just lost it halfway through the third leg; was really hoping to average sub 1:45 for this one, but that'll have to wait for next time I suppose. My legs went first, but gassed aerobically too, so a pretty complete failure all around.

11/3
WP C7D8 - 80:00
17922m/2:13.9/17.9 spm/131 HR/135 ending HR

Pretty good day today; might have ticked up to 140 once, but other than that mid-130s for the last half of the row.

11/4
WP C7D9 - 80:00
18056m/2:12.9/17.9 spm/132 HR/143 ending HR

Afternoon session because I was a little hungover this morning; upped the pace again and the HR cooperated.

U]11/5[/U]
WP C7D10 - 30r20 (UT1)
7630 m/1:57.9/20 spm/172 HR
6:00 - 1514 m/1:58.8/20 spm/159 HR
12:00 - 1523 m/1:58.1/20 spm/169 HR
18:00 - 1529 m/1:57.7/20 spm/174 HR
24:00 - 1532 m/1:57.4/20 spm/179 HR
30:00 - 1532 m/1:57.4/20 spm/180 HR
r10074 m (15:00 warmup + 30:00 cooldown)

Nice PR, so pretty good day; still not sure what my HR "should" be for UT1, but I averaged 173 and topped out at 180 last week (albeit on a longer piece that had rest and wasn't rate capped), and the HR band calculators based on heart rate reserve put this at least in the realm of reasonability, so I'm not going to worry too much about it. This felt hard, but I definitely had more at the end, and I was able to negative split the whole way unlike last time.

Given this wasn't a rating piece, that this level of effort kind of aligns with what the HR strap is telling me is mildly gratifying.

Did you stop lifting?

Yes. I haven't been back in the gym since covid truly broke, so maybe late February; I don't necessarily think the risk is prohibitive, but it's definitely high relative to many other activities I've also ceased doing. Given my wife is a recovered heart failure patient (and thus high risk), the juice isn't worth the squeeze; I don't have space in my basement for a rack and platform, but it's pretty easy to fit a rower, and I'd gotten back into it in August '19, so it seemed a natural progression.

I definitely miss it, but not as much as I thought; I never felt all that sore from lifting, but I've dropped some weight, improved my cardio a ton, and have an easier time farting around with my rapidly growing boys. Whenever this ends, I think a 3-4 day/week program would probably be in the cards, but certainly not with the relative intensity that I used to do.

Rowing is a good call, the social advertising gods have been trying to sell me one for a while now.

My lower body got trashed from COVID

11/6
WP C7D11 - 80:00
18103m/2:12.5/17.7 spm/133 HR/139 ending HR

Ticked up into the mid 140s a few times, which I think is fine. Probably going to do 90:00 tomorrow and then keep that as the steady state distance moving forward.

11/8
WP C7D12 - 90:00
20020m/2:14.9/17.6 spm/130 HR/139 ending HR

Went on a three hour hike with the family yesterday, so moved this to today. Going to move to 90 minute steady state for all four weekly sessions starting next week, though I'll keep the pace a bit lighter, like this session, until I get used to the volume increase.

11/9
PP C8D1 - 3000m, 2500m, 2000m/5:00r
7500 m/28:00.6/1:52.0/25 spm/182 HR
3000_1 - 11:11.2/1:51.8/24 spm/173 HR
2500_2 - 9:20.3 /1:52.0/25 spm/183 HR
2000_3 - 7:29.1/1:52.2/26 spm/183 HR
r9486 (15:00 warmup + interval rests + 15:00 cooldown)

Pretty happy with this session; died about halfway through the 2k last time, and wanted to this time but managed to hold on. I was shooting for 1:52.5 or better, but sub-1:52 would have satisfied my love of round numbers.

11/10
WP C8D2 - 90:00
20772m/2:09.9/17.8 spm/146 HR/160 ending HR

Decided to push this one a bit and see where my heart rate was for a bit more brisk of a pace; watched a few rowing videos and they pointed out that the lower portion of the U2 HR range might not be as relevant to rowing because it's power/endurance as opposed to pure endurance, so I wanted to at least see what my HR looked like. I crossed 150 HR at around the halfway point, and ticked up into the low 160s in the last third of the piece. I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but it feels like something a bit slower (maybe 2:12ish) might be a good compromise.