A Test 2k

Mind you, “a test 2k” is an entirely different thing than “a 2k Test”. But let me start at the beginning. In the morning, I drove to Modrice to pick up the mystery parcel from the UK. Luckily, the drive to Modrice is only ten minutes from the office. It turns out the mystery parcel was the latest issue of Row 360:

rowing magazine

Lots of reading and beautiful photographs, yay!

In worse news, the low water level in our lake has revealed that somebody has dumped more than 200 car tires close to the bridge at Veverska Bytiska. I venture there occasionally, when I take a long steady state row through the gorge. What a crime!

So after the working day, it was time to test what it is to row a 2k. I am racing on the 14th, so I need some estimates. Today, I opted for the conservative approach, knowing that doing such a row after a working day is tough. Also, I have planned 4 minute and 1k trials in the coming week, during which I will get a good feel for the upper limit.

First, a long warming up:

warming up chart

Then on to the main event. The battle plan was to start at 280W and then accelerate and keep accelerating until I run out of steam. Which happened already at 290W.

2k rowing chart

    Workout Summary - media/20180103-1716190o.csv
--|Total|-Total-|--Avg--|-Avg-|Avg-|-Avg-|-Max-|-Avg
--|Dist-|-Time--|-Pace--|-Pwr-|SPM-|-HR--|-HR--|-DPS
--|02000|07:06.0|01:46.5|286.8|29.0|172.6|182.0|09.7
W-|02000|07:06.0|01:46.6|286.7|29.0|172.5|182.0|09.7
R-|00000|00:00.0|00:00.0|000.0|00.0|000.0|182.0|00.0
Workout Details
#-|SDist|-Split-|-SPace-|-Pwr-|SPM-|AvgHR|MaxHR|DPS-
00|00250|00:52.5|01:44.9|282.4|28.6|128.0|157.0|10.0
01|00250|00:53.9|01:47.8|279.7|28.0|168.0|174.0|09.9
02|00250|00:53.5|01:46.9|285.4|28.4|177.0|178.0|09.9
03|00250|00:53.1|01:46.1|291.4|28.6|179.2|181.0|09.9
04|00250|00:53.3|01:46.6|290.2|29.0|181.0|181.0|09.7
05|00250|00:53.2|01:46.5|289.2|29.0|182.0|182.0|09.7
06|00250|00:53.5|01:47.0|286.0|29.4|182.0|182.0|09.5
07|00250|00:53.5|01:46.9|289.8|30.7|182.0|182.0|09.1

PM shot

Below a set of charts comparing this row with a 2k attempt of 11 months ago, where I set out at a sub 7 pace and then crashed. A few weeks later I rowed a solid 7:57.

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I was glad I opted for a conservative approach today. The pain of a 2k is something entirely different than that of a 5k or longer row. Even now, a few hours later, I feel a very distinct tiredness in all major muscles.

Looking forward to the race, actually.

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