8by500 1:30 rest building the pyramid

I’ve been digging back through the old Q-Power training lately, trying to remember not just the sessions, but the thinking behind them.

James always had a reason for the work.

Build the engine first. Heart, lungs, blood volume, mitochondria, muscular endurance. Big aerobic base. Then sharpen the point with the faster work.

And one thing he used to say has been rattling around in my head again:

“The training effect only comes in from the last portion of a session, so above all finish them.”

That was very much the mindset going into today’s lunchtime session in work.

8 × 500m.

1:30 rest.

Rate capped at 28.

The plan was simple — start at 1:45 and knock half a second off each rep for as long as it stayed under control.

Targets:

1:45.0

1:44.5

1:44.0

1:43.5

1:43.0

1:42.5

1:42.0

Then best controlled.

Actual:

1:45.0

1:44.5

1:44.0

1:43.5

1:43.0

1:42.4

1:41.9

1:38.2

4,000m work in 13:42.5.

Average: 1:42.8/500m.

That last rep was the interesting one.

1:38.2.

At r27.

No frantic rate. No hanging on.

Just more speed there when I asked for it.

The heart-rate monitor decided to contribute some fiction along the way, so that data can go in the bin.

The rowing data is enough.

And, more importantly, the session was finished properly.

That’s probably the bit Q would care about most.

Another marker laid down.

Another session in the bank.

Huginn and Muninn can keep watch.

Thought. Memory.

Remember the work.

Use it.

Move forward.