What Was Your Work Out Today?

yirara

Did a 65km bike ride on Monday, after not having used my racebike in a while. In a country I've never done a longer ride. It was... eye-opening how often google would try to route me over cobblestone roads, muddy small forest paths not suitable for a racebike, over a big sanddune! and other strange routes. Also found out that offline routing doesn't work for bike here, and the phone signal is often very patchy. Which is 'great' , because if I chose car for routing I get motorways and can't exclude them Yes, I'm annoyed.

MikePfirrman

6K and 3K on the rower today. Planned 12K but the back case of my PM5 (computer for the Concept2 rower) has had a crack in it that was getting progressively worse and I've been, admittedly, lazy about fixing it. Probably a combination of the Arizona heat with the fact that I put my rower in the shed and move it and set it up, put it away daily.

Well, anyway, got through the first 6K and adjusted the PM5 and crash -- PM5 fell right off the arm. Back of the case busted right in half. Set it on a bar stool and finished 3K more. Have to fix it this week. Doesn't look too complicated but we'll see.

When I had to stop, was rather pleased with the pace for the HR. Was going at around 2:26 pace and keeping the HR in check under 70% of max. I'm starting to think half of my pace issues were lack of strength/stamina, but also lack of really efficient form was the other half.

Djproulx

This week has been geared towards preparing for my first FTP bike test of the season. Did a lap swim this morning and will do an hour trainer ride tonight. I"m keeping my normal strength sessions and swim volume, but only modest bike work. The goal is to have fresh legs on Saturday morning.

AnnPT77

Slacking off but slogging along: Rowing machine day, back at 3 x (2k on, 2' off/CD).

2k pieces at 10:12.3 (2:33.0 pace/22spm), 9:50.5 (2:27.6/20), 9:47.9 (2:26.9/18), with 776 meters from the row in/out and CD. Moderate-ish pace, about half in Z3, a quarter in Z4, remainder below. Topped out at 155bpm, 1 beat above 220-age, which is about 86% max, 80% reserve.

First piece might have been a little quicker, but I didn't notice before I started that there was some tiny thing on the track or one of the seat-wheels (so annoying), and I made a couple of lame attempts to remove it blindly (it was behind me), while rowing. Not a good or productive plan! Eventually it either jumped off or smoothed out, because it became imperceptible. It doesn't take much to be noticeable, when you're use to a smooth rail. I usually check, thought I had, but obviously missed something. 🙄

MikePfirrman

@AnnPT77 -- those are solid paces at such low SR, especially the one @ 18! I used to hate cleaning rower rails at the gym. Some had YEARS of grime and neglect on them. Yes, they are supposed to look like clean stainless steel rails -- all nice and shiny!

Windy day again today. DF (drag factor) on the rower was fluctuating between 118 (where I had set it) and 150 with wind gusts. I had no idea that in real time DF could fluctuate that much until I moved on a mountain side!

Did 12K (6K X 2/1 rest) at lunch at 2:26 pace, nearly all under 70% max HR and most under 130 (67% max for me).

MikePfirrman

Wanted to replicate what is becoming my normal Friday workout -- 8 X 500m sprints on the rower. My rower arm is still broke (waiting on the part to arrive) so the computer for the rower is temporarily sitting on a bar stool while I row -- not ideal!

I thought I had set it up properly and went off pretty fast on the first interval. Yet my I-phone, which can mirror the PM5 monitor wirelessly, wasn't showing anything. Turns out ErgData (the software that ties your phone into your rower) either dropped or I didn't set it up right. So here I am, rowing the first interval trying to gauge, without a screen, how far is 500m!

I counted strokes, guessed I had finished and turns out I was at around 450m, not 500m, but had gone off at 1:51.7 pace. At that point, I was frustrated and quite frankly already drained. But instead of packing it up, I set the rower up for 7 more intervals and completed the set -- at a 1:57.2 pace for the other 7, still faster than I've been averaging even without adding in what would have likely been at least a very fast first interval. My last set of 8 a week ago were 1:58.5 and the week before that 1:58.1, so I believe this was a pretty nice improvement.

Finished with a 5K in 24 minutes flat on a C/D and called it a day. Proud of myself for completing it. Can't wait to get the rower fixed.

Also did supersets this AM lifting. Nothing super heavy but hard enough for me.

AnnPT77

I failed to check in yesterday, but did do the usual stationary biking, still at 10k+3' CD, easy pace (about 3 beats over the edge into Z3 for less than 3', otherwise all Z2 and below - 88W average on the 10k piece), total of 11,109 pseudo-meters in 29:38 overall with the CD.

Today, a shorter than usual workout, plus a little quicker, because I was running behind on getting ready to meet a friend for lunch. Rowing machine, 2 x (2500m on, 2' off/CD), pieces took 12:10.6 (2:26.1 pace, 24 spm, 112W) and 11:37.3 (2:19.4 pace, 23 spm, 129W), total of 5,542 pseudo-meters in 27:47.9 overall, with the off/CD bits.

This was harder, not gonna lie, but not max effort. About 12 and a half minutes in each of Z3 & Z4, the rest below, peak HR was 160 (around 84% reserve, 89% max), average 143 - happy to still get a (IMO) decently quick drop during the first 2' row out/drink/row in, and during the 2' CD.


Better yet, no exercise-induced cough. I keep looking out warily for signs of the scan-diagnosed early COPD, but so far I still feel pretty much as I always have during workouts, even at reasonable intensity.

Not sure what that whacky spike in the first piece was - maybe a misread? Didn't feel anything, didn't materially change stroke rating. 🤷‍♀️

MikePfirrman

@AnnPT77 -- I work my *kitten* off just to be in the top 50% of rowers and you throw down some times that would likely easily put you in the top 10 of your age group for lightweight women in the world. That's impressive!

dralicephd

Wed. & Fri. I did my standard 45 min. elliptical. The difference is I've kicked up the pace a bit, which puts half to 3/4 of my time in Zone 3, which feels good. Way back at the beginning of this journey, I was "elliptical-ing" (yeah, I just made that up) in the Zone 4 arena, but I hurt myself. I've slowed down a bunch since then and now feel comfortable to ramp up a bit more. So that's good.

Friday was also my mild strength training session. I'm keeping this slow and steady also, to avoid injury. Just did a couple of super sets of squats, bridges, crunches. Maybe next week I'll increase something. Or not. We'll see how I feel.

Djproulx

MikePfirrman wrote: »

@AnnPT77 -- I work my *kitten* off just to be in the top 50% of rowers and you throw down some times that would likely easily put you in the top 10 of your age group for lightweight women in the world. That's impressive!

WOW! Knowing how difficult it is to go from the "middle of the pack" to the pointy end of the spear in competitive endurance stuff, I'll second @Mike's comment. Well done!

Djproulx

Rode the FTP test on Zwift, finishing exactly where I had set my FTP prior to beginning to use Zwift. 1:13:00 workout, with the 20 minute threshold test occuring after 35 minutes of warmups. It might not have been my absolute best test effort, but close enough for now.

I need to research my results, since my Garmin power meter readings were 15-20watts higher than the Zwift recorded data. I'll probably test again after I check settings and documentation, but for now, its close enough. The more important measurement (to me) is watts/kg, so I need to continue focusing on lean body weight if I want to keep up with the Torture Sisters who enjoy punishing me on our hilly routes. (Caresse is a kickboxing and spin instructor, and this year Kristina qualified for USA Triathlon Nationals in the W40-44 age group, so these two can deliver a lot of pain,lol)

Pool swim tomorrow.

AnnPT77

MikePfirrman wrote: »

@AnnPT77 -- I work my *kitten* off just to be in the top 50% of rowers and you throw down some times that would likely easily put you in the top 10 of your age group for lightweight women in the world. That's impressive!

That's very kind, @MikePfirrman (and @Djproulx), but I think not really the case. That 2nd piece's pace yesterday, at 2:19.4, would be somewhere in the low 70s percentile for F 60-69 lwt for a 2k. Subjectively, I've got a little more, I think - maybe giving myself too much credit here - but not a lot more, for a max effort 2k. I know myself pretty well. (Remember, I rowed into the piece, does make a difference.)

My best race pace ever was about 2:10 (so 8:40 2k) when I was a younger woman; I doubt for a variety of reasons that I'd be able to get back there if I trained hard for it (and could, without injury) . . . maybe close, but I'm not sure. It'd be under 90 percentile, for my demographic, if I did. Top 10 is 8:31-ish. I don't think I've got that. I 'm not sure I've even got a sub-2:00 500m anymore - should try sometimes, but dang, that's hard. 😆

I admit, I surprised myself with what I could do, early on, once I got engaged in rowing, especially as someone who'd been a "chosen last in gym" kind of kid . . . but I think a lot of people would find the same, both men and women, but especially women (for reasons that follow). I've been doing this for 20 years now, too - with the luck of having elite-level coaching to start.

I also know that many top on-water rowers don't rank machine workouts. Even in my local club, there's at least one woman around my age (hwt) who could put down a top-level CRASH-B (place, maybe win) - got a time that would do so, in a regional race, a few years back. She's not that rare. I know others locally who're capable of machine rowing at least close to my pace, who are my age or older, if they cared to train and compete.

My boat-moving ability is mid-pack, at best, realistically. (There's much more to on-water technically, of course - as we say, ergs don't float! - but the raw CV/strength performance is also a factor.)

Further, I'd note that your demographic is far more competitive than mine. I came up in a time when women's athletic opportunities were few, and athleticism for most women, in most places, was absolutely discouraged. By contrast, men have been rowing competitively (outside occupational contexts), in numbers, since the mid-1800s in the US. Men's rowing became an Olympic sport in 1900. Collegiate women's rowing started around then, but was very niche: It didn't expand dramatically until after Title IX passed in 1972 (because it was a way to add a huge squad in one go, to balance gender athletic opportunities to enrollment levels). Women's rowing entered the Olympics in 1976, when I was already 20 years old. First women's collegiate championship was in 1980.

That history creates a very different pipeline, for men vs. women, at your or my age. Women's rowing will catch up in relative competitiveness, I'm pretty sure, when those women who were young in the 1970s/80s and beyond reach the older rowing categories. It may take longer to fully even out, comparing within each gender (not across), because of some social factors that influence masters women's athletic participation and aspirations in adulthood. (Note to non-rowers: "Masters" means post collegiate adults, not high-achievers, necessarily.)

I think if you looked at the numbers of participants, and the comparatives of young-person (well into adulthood) race times with old-person race times in the C2 rankings, you'd see that your challenge to reach any given percentile is a tougher thing than mine. (Comparing the 80-90 percentiles would be more meaningful than comparing the top times, or the world records - those can always be unicorns.) Further, heavyweight is likely to be more competitive than lightweight, at any age, because rowing favors long levers, and tall people are more likely to skew above the lwt limit, especially if strong. That may be even more true in masters, because realistically many people do add a few pounds as they age, even staying at a healthy weight. Really muscular women my height (5'5") weigh above 135, let alone taller women.

Your results are excellent, especially for a late starter, and you earn them with hard work. You should feel really, really good about that, very proud.

MikePfirrman

@ Ann -- you underestimate yourself, by a lot. I think you still might have a low 2:10ish pace in you on a 2K, based on that 2:19 10 minute row you did on your second interval. And if I'm correct, you're around 67. That's just really strong.

And here's the thing about the age ratings -- while you're right, a lot of folks don't rank, those that do tend to be early in the age group -- 60 or 61. I know 2K all out isn't your thing but I feel confident in saying you'd be certainly in the top 25 and likely top 2 at age 67 in the world.

If I'd ever be in the top 250 again, I'd be over the moon.

We have a lady in our online club that's a lot like you -- she mostly rows for enjoyment on the water but she lives in Florida and rows a special ocean rower. She rows roughly 8 or 9 miles most days OTW and she's like 58. She just rowed a sub 4 minute 1K. She's also a lightweight like you. Pound for pound, you are both very strong. Much stronger than me for my weight, which is a huge advantage in rowing, even though I'm a lighter heavyweight.

AnnPT77

MikePfirrman wrote: »

@ Ann -- you underestimate yourself, by a lot. I think you still might have a low 2:10ish pace in you on a 2K, based on that 2:19 10 minute row you did on your second interval. And if I'm correct, you're around 67. That's just really strong.

And here's the thing about the age ratings -- while you're right, a lot of folks don't rank, those that do tend to be early in the age group -- 60 or 61. I know 2K all out isn't your thing but I feel confident in saying you'd be certainly in the top 25 and likely top 2 at age 67 in the world.

If I'd ever be in the top 250 again, I'd be over the moon.

We have a lady in our online club that's a lot like you -- she mostly rows for enjoyment on the water but she lives in Florida and rows a special ocean rower. She rows roughly 8 or 9 miles most days OTW and she's like 58. She just rowed a sub 4 minute 1K. She's also a lightweight like you. Pound for pound, you are both very strong. Much stronger than me for my weight, which is a huge advantage in rowing, even though I'm a lighter heavyweight.

Thanks, Mike. I think I maybe/probably could go top 25 in the C2 rankings for W 60-69 lwt, if I trained. Right now, this year - with at least a fair number of formal race results in - that'd be 8:52-ish. But that's 25 out of 135 😆, a small field. Top 2, I don't think so: Requires 8:10. Maybe if I went single-minded on training, including lifting, but I'm not sure I could do that without injury. I do appreciate your confidence and generous evaluation, sincerely. But . . .

I know myself pretty well, have a healthy ego, am not underselling myself. I do OK. But I could go any pace at all, and be top 250 at C2 in F 60-69 lwt, y'know? Context makes a difference. There are only 440 in my F age group (all weights) on C2 rankings. Top 250 line is around 11:55, so a 2:58 pace. Pretty much any F rower my age that I know can row that, honestly. Top 250 in your demographic is around the 7:00 line, and it's 250 out of 2500-3000 guys, a much higher bar. Not comparable.

I rowed World Rowing Virtual Sprints the first year, without much training (though I'd been working out routinely) - it's a 1K. That first year, it wasn't very well publicized, so not super competitive. I'm semi-doxing myself when I say this, I know, but I pulled 4:10.3, which was good enough for 3rd that year - barely. By the next year, that would've been well off the pace. Other than that, which was a one-off for fun - with very unexpected results, for sure - right after weight loss, my first year as a lightweight - I'd competed as a heavyweight, was not nearly as competitive. My performance didn't change appreciably, heavy to light . . . my times were just more competitive in lightweight. The really fast rowers are hwt.

Being a shorter as well as lighter hwt - which I suspect you are, since the top guys tend to be really tall - is a tough thing.

I'm pretty strong for a li'l ol' lady, probably . . . but technique will get a person a good long way, too. (My lifts are profoundly underwhelming, pathetic even.) My erg technique is non-terrible, though. I was super, super lucky at first, with coaching - learned to row from someone who was Big Ten assistant coach of the year, later head coach with a Div I elite program that won back to back NCAA championships during her term (and got conference head coach of the year honors, too). Lots of masters rowing camps exposed me to coaching from Olympic medalists, other elite collegiate coaches, etc. Good stuff. Really helps, plus it's fun. I recommend it.

mrmota70

5.2 mile jog on the treadmill today. Good enough to end the regular work outs this week… Sundays is easy 30 minute work out.

swimmom_1

Elliptical session 306 minutes for 19.1 miles today.

AnnPT77

swimmom_1 wrote: »

Elliptical session 306 minutes for 19.1 miles today.

@swimmom_1, the consistent time and distance you put in on that elliptical is really impressive! I'm sure that's been a great contributor to your overall goals!

AnnPT77

Stationary bike, the usual 10k+3' CD SS, I'd call it easy/moderate-ish, hit the top end of Z3 but that's all (and only 55% in Z3, remainder below), average 98W in the 10k piece. 11,128m in 28:43.5 overall, playing games on my phone throughout. 😆

Rest day planned tomorrow.

swimmom_1

@AnnPT77
Thank you, I do too. Since I can't exercise daily, because of the long hours I work, I need to do the long hours on it to make up for that on my off days. I'm glad when I got it, years ago, I got a comparable gym quality one too.

dralicephd

Bonus elliptical workout today (usually a rest day) because I felt like it. 40 min. at mostly Zone 3.

@swimmom_1 Just curious.... What do you do to pass the long time while you on your machine? Or do you do multiple, smaller workouts?

swimmom_1

Elliptical 266 minutes in 2 sessions today for 18.38 miles.

@dralicephd
Sometimes I do it in 1 session, sometimes 2. Today I did 221 minutes @ 9:28 AM then did another 45 minute session around 5:30 PM. I do it first thing in the AM and do my first meal of the day afterwards. I only do it on my off days. So only 3 days/week. I do the long time to make up for not exercising on my work days. I'm a RN and right now I'm doing 4 really long days. Usually 6:30-5:00 pm. Right now 6:30-9:00 pm.

I watch shows/movies on Peacock on my tablet. Watching Heartland series right now. Somehow I missed this when it was on CBS. They are 45 minutes long, so usually binge watch up to 6. And then sometimes I add some time at the end if I'm close to hitting a certain mile. I have a gym quality elliptical, I guess. Was around $700 when I bought it in 2010 from Dick's.

dralicephd

@swimmom_1 I watch a bunch of YouTube shows while I'm on mine. Most shows I watch are in the 15-30 min. range so I can get in a couple per workout. Part of what keeps me regularly exercising is that I won't let myself watch some of the shows unless I'm on the elliptical.

Today's workout: my standard 45 min. at Zone 3 elliptical, followed by mini strength training (squats, crunches and bridges). Still staying away from pushups for the moment to let my shoulder completely heal again, but I did some very light weight bicep, tricep, and deltoid stuff (more like physical therapy than actual strength training). We'll see how the joint responds.

MikePfirrman

Yesterday, I had my around every six month reminder to take electrolytes. I drink a ton of water but I'm susceptible, I suppose because I lose so many minerals when I workout, to migraine headaches. Had the worst one I've ever had Saturday night, Sunday AM. Worked on hydration and electrolytes all Sunday and just took it easy.

Today, went back to work with a 12K (6K X 2/one rest) rowing machine steady state
workout for an hour. 2:27ish pace.

AnnPT77

Rowing machine, 3 x (2k on, 2' off/CD), pieces 9:56.9/20 spm (2:29.2), 9:50.4/18 spm (2:27.6), 9:43.0/18 spm (2:25.7). 35:40 and 6,743m overall including the row in/out & CD. Felt reasonably hard by the end, TBH. 37% Z4, 40% Z3, remainder below, max HR (155bpm) 80% reserve/86% max, average 137 bpm.

Working on suspending weight, keeping the rating down so it doesn't cost too much energy to do so, emphasizing fast hands and body out of the finish (to full extension) to keep the flywheel spinning then slow slide (feels syncopated, yeah that works in a boat, within reason).

retta87

Walked 2 miles
Vigorously biked for an hour
Deadlifts, rows, bicep curl, bench press, single arm Row and other things I don’t know the names of I just know how to do them and then regular crunches, flutters and Sitting twists with weights.

Djproulx

Short swim during lunch hour yesterday. 1300 yds, mostly as 100's. Strength with trainer this morning. All the usual stuff: inchworm/pushups, dumbell flys on Bosu, Goblet squats, etc. Will ride the bike tonight, maybe even outdoors.

Can't seem to shake my calf issue. Just walking the dog in the woods on Sunday caused tightness after a couple miles. My current approach is clearly not working, so I'll see the chiropractor or PT this week. Knowing my tendency is to just ignore it, my trainer made me promise to text her my chiro appointment date/time, or else I can't come back to the gym.

yirara

Did a kettlebell workout. Just 8 exercises, 15 minutes, 1 round. I have no idea how the whole three rounds would be possible in just 40 minutes according to fitness blender as I only did 3 of the 8 Turkish Get-Ups. I guess when I'm at 8 one round will take about 20 minutes. But I'm building up slowly, having just gotten through the first bit of DOMs from a half-arsed attempt 3 days ago Only used an 8kg kettlebell, which seems to work for most exercises at the moment. I'll build up to 3 rounds, and then see where I can increase weight.

MikePfirrman

Did 2K X 4 / 3 minute rest again. Last time I did this workout two weeks ago I averaged 2:08.3, so I was just wanting, hopefully, to be around the same or improve modestly.

Ended up doing 2:06.8 average, which is a huge improvement. And that's despite it being nearly high 70s today. Definitely felt the heat but managed OK and even though I hit 94% max HR, felt in control and maintained form fairly well.

Still nowhere close to my old times (in the 7:40s or 7:50s for all 4) but I'm improving steadily and that's nice to see. I said early this year if I could get down to close to 2:02 or 2:03 average on this workout, I'd be thrilled. That might be possible if I keep improving. We'll see. Hard to improve when it's 108 outside (Arizona Summers) and you're in the garage doing them at 96 degrees next to your Swamp Cooler!

I also do wonder how much my times have slipped being at this elevation as well. I'm at around 4000 ft. I've read even that elevation can offset VO2 Max by as much as 10%.

https://runnersconnect.net/high-altitude-training-running-performance/

Did around a 2K C/D and also weight supersets this AM.

swimmom_1

1 session Elliptical, 241 minutes for 16 miles.

AnnPT77

Stationary bike day, 10k+3'CD, pretty easy pace, little over half Z3, remainder below, 10K part at 95W, whole thing was 11,116 pseudo meters, and took 29'. Peak HR 139bpm, about 77% max, 67% reserve.