Peak Power improvement (Wednesday)
This mornings training was 20 sets of 7 reps Peak Power training.
Highest wattage was 922 watts (improvement of 5 watts – better than nothing). 2 weeks ago I struggled to hit 890 watts and struggled to average around 840 watts for 20 sets.
This morning I averaged 886 watts with the 18th set coming in at 919 watts. My ability to hold peak power throughout the whole session was strong.
A step in the right direction ……
Grinding away – 18k (Wednesday)
Nothing exciting, just grinding away for the second session of the day.
Felt tired and heart rate was up early at a slow pace.
18k(3x6k) @18 70% 2r
ave/500m 1.56.4
Q turns the screw – holding race pace (Thursday)
Some more honest blogging …..
Another tough session today – I have done worse, a lot worse, but I find each session tough in there own right.
Although this was originally down for 3x1500m’s Q dropped it down by 100m but turned the screw and asked for 2k race pace for as long as I could manage. It was another one of those intense interval sessions with long rests as Q demanded intensity.
As Carolyn will tell you, it’s often the sickness feeling in between these sets that’s almost the worse. The dread, the fear, the excitement – call it what you want but it’s not very nice!
Set 1 felt heavy and was rowed badly (look at the splits below – bloody 1.34’s again). Looking back now I think I went off too quick and was maybe expecting too much. My legs were heavy and the machine felt horrible (rowing in treacle again!). I felt my arms were having to do a lot of work far too early on. I felt very negative after, thinking the usual “how on earth can I hold that and squeeze it on for another 600m’s?” Then I thought I am still recovering from a brutal session Tuesday night, a double session yesterday and a 2k from Sunday – so not all that bad.
Set 2 was actually better. I found a better rhythm having settled after just 100m rather than a race start like the first. Held the split all the way as you can see by the splits below.
By set 3 I had already cracked before I started. I opted for 1.34’s which became 1.35’s almost immediately. I did have enough to squeeze on the last 400m though so not all lost in the middle. I did put my poker face back on though – when it becomes hard and I start to slump I now try to really sit up and be efficient one stroke at a time. I try not to screw my face up and tell my body that I am fine. Just another one of my ways. Don’t let your mind know that your body is in pain!
3 x 1400m (12 minute rests)
Set 1 – 1.32.8
500m 1.31.7
1000m 1.33.6
1400m 1.33.7
Set 2 – 1.33.1
500m 1.32.9
1000m 1.33.3
1400m 1.33.1
Set 3 – 1.34.3
500m 1.34.7
1000m 1.35.2
1400m 1.32.8
Squeezing out some more peak power (Friday)
A morning session today for some more peak power training. On Wednesday I managed to squeeze out a few extra watts (922) and held a decent average (886) for all 20 reps.
Today I managed to squeeze out a few more. First set PB’d with 937 watts and the second set PB’d again with 939 watts. A good average too taking 895 watts over 20 sets – well over the required 90% for each set.
Comfort at last – saved by the heart rate cap (Friday)
The second session today was all about sticking 6km in the legs without worrying too much about the pace or ‘saved by the heart rate cap’ as I now like to call it!
Just a 3km warm up with 1 burst to worry about then settled into the session – so nice not being in pain or having to pull bloody hard!
Cruised through bleeding the pace of as required and found it quite relaxing and decided to take the opportunity to really focus on technique. Fast hands, sitting up, efficiency and feeling the drive through the legs.
Tomorrow though is back to Q’s favourite ……
3x2km (5r) 80% r24-26
Ave/500m 1.44.3
