8by500m - be better than your last

With the continued head cold (mainly sinuses blocked) lunchtime session beckoned and as I looked for something out of my candy cart of speed sessions to do the 8by500m 1:30r came up to the top - enough to do some good without burying me in snot - well that was the hope - looking at last week I managed to complete this on a average of 1:33.7 8by500 r1:30 r28 this was as stated at r28

so - target 1:33.7 from the start and depending on how I felt either just maintain that at r28 or push on - of course the first one went to pot as I took one less stroke the ave dropped to 1:34.1 - bugger - OK so in that case is negative split time and of I set - thoroughly enjoyed that - puffing like a steam train and sweating like a Eskimo in the Sahara but felt good - now if my sinus would kindly clear up!

60r20 AM - 8by500 r1:30 r28 PM

Up early and in to the gym for a hour rating 20 with HRR of 70% closely adhered to and felt pretty good - slight DOMS from yesterdays' dalliance into lifting "weights" but not that would slow me too much. Even saw a lift in pace towards the end which back in days gone by was a sign that the body was resetting itself and the training was taking effect - hopefully means the same this time :o)

 So then at lunchtime I figured a drop into the 8by500m was in order - to tie in with Q's current thoughts r28 was a good fit and after a 3k warm up off I set - target was sub 1:35 - I ended up negative splitting the thought of which I pretty well cursed on rep 6!! Then on rep 8 I completely missed the start as I was trying to wipe the sweat of the handle so playing catch up from the start - didn't quite catch up though....

8by500m r24 1:30r - turbulent life

Well to say life ain't easy at the moment would be a slight understatement - but lets just keep taking one step and hope we move forwards with it. No training since Friday before work - Mrs (24 weeks pregnant currently) in hospital Sunday, Monday and Tuesday after being quite ill Saturday night... also work have sold up the building and are moving to rented space - loss of gym facilities and canteen come August. We've also something else going on which is taking it's toll. So today i decided to just go with what I feel in regards to the erg which meant 8by500m r24 1:35 target pace and boy did I need that.

This isn't training - this is a war 8by500m 1:30 rest

And it's not a war I'm ultimately going to win - I mean the erg is built from steel I am merely flesh and bone - sure I've snapped a few of the nuts of the erg and sheared the odd bolt - and the brass ferule is built to break but ultimately it's more than likely going to out live me and at the end of the day I'm not likely to push the erg to point that it goes off the monitors scale - I've already lost part of my back (disc) ... so for today's battle - off the back of two defeats - I went down with the intention of sacrificing my body from the start - my PB on the 8by500's is 1:29.3 from 28th December 2013  - so the target was to start the session faster than that and then hold on - if I had to drop one rep to 1:40 plus in order to get eight done I would have - as much as the pace I needed to complete the session.

Rep 1 - of I pushed and I flew back - little quicker than I intended - something went - not sure what - had to stop to check the handle and then took a few strokes to check the cog was OK - everything seemed alright so maybe it just jumped - really didn't need to go flying back of the erg though - especially as my back already has a few issues - so I checked that there wasn't anything behind the erg I might hit if I came off and set to go again - and we're off - felt strong and tried to keep the rate up which I struggled a little with - the PB was set at 34 spm and ultimately averaged 32 today for the set. Managed to get the first rep done and blowing good. Second rep much the same but more pain in the legs. Third rep and increase in the discomfort (have to remind myself the pain I was in during the back issues - and ye this is a discomfort in comparison) and although the desire to slow down increased I just finished it as if it was the last rep - the plan was working I was cooked - so start the fourth and although the pace was there at the start the discomfort was slowing the power and ultimately the pace - think I was holding 1:34's at the end so from here it was a case of start hard and try to hold the ave pace from the previous rep and simply get through them - then between the 5th and 6th rep I had a call from the mrs - it wasn't urgent - it ended quickly. 6th, 7th and start of 8th rep where just discomfort - started sub 1:30 split on all (after first stroke) but then slowed up until the last 250m of the last rep - upped the pace from 1:34 to 1:32 and then for the final 15 strokes upped again to 1:30/31 and collapse - cough - curl up in a ball lol

8by500's 1:30 Q's plan - Wulf delivery

Quick chat with Q this morning via the old email and what with Christmas and it's distractions I decided this lunchtime would likely be the only chance I'd get for a good run at a speed session so with that in mind and having fallen upon the 8by500's as the session next came the pace plan - wanting to beat 1:31.5 I handed over to Q's and he came up with

Suggest you put the first 4 at 1:31.8 (which puts you 1.6s slow). Then a pair at 1:31.5 (2.2s slow). Then a 1:31.0. Then see how close you can get to 1:29.0 on the last. HOWEVER it is just training, so get the best out of yourself on the day. If it is a 1:32.5 average, take the training benefit!!

 So plan sorted - r30 to start lifting the last one or two if needed - down and warmed up but felt off and not in the mood - gave myself a talking to and reminded myself I may not get on the erg again properly over the next few days so got stuck in. First rep was OK but a little bit tougher than usual on these - still 1:31.7 done and rest then the next, 1:31.7 again and for the third also - still felt strangely hard but not destroying so plowed on - fourth rep and 1:31.6 still at r30 so have time to spare as looking at that 1:29.0 for the final rep it looked a touvh out of reach - fifth 1:31.4 and then 1:31.3 OK keep going nearly there - 1:30.8 OK I think I can get a 1:30.0 and still hit target......

fyi - all from standing start