Race Distances

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Iain
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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:49 pm
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: Berkshire & London

Race Distances

Post by Iain »

When supposed to be working :roll: , I started to thinking abiout the mental approach to different distances.

As a veteran of 5 races :lol: I have found that:

A mile is essentially about picking a pace and then pushing yourself to maintain this. That's not to say that there isn't room for negative splits or other strategies, just that once the going starts to get tough, it is possible to just keep pushing to the end (hopefully <1k). I think about Bill's epic Gold at Evesham in 2009 (I think), when he set out far too fast, but managed to hang on for a quality victory.

In contrast, 2.5k is just too long (at least for me) to do this. I still have at least a mile to go when my body is telling me to slow down. I don't have the mental strength to dismiss the demons for that long. Instead, I convince myself that I am at "cruising" pace (despite being only 3S or so slower than on a mile) and try and relax through the middle of the race rather than pushing every stroke, this is about keeping the technique strong (I know, anyone who has seen me erg might doubt that I have any technique :lol: , but I am capable of rowing even worse :!: ) and trying to keep the pace at target. only pushing on when it drops for a couple of strokes.

Even I'm not arrogant enough to comment on my 5k experience. (Not a happy one, it felt like a f&d with my pace dropping from 1S under target at the start to 6S over for some strokes around 4k, but I managed a finish which was as fast as I had hoped for that suggests I wimped out and should not have slowed anything like as much). However, instinctively I would expect it to be more like the 2.5k approach above.

So, do others have a similar experience, or is it just about mental toughness? Also, where should a 2k fit in this pattern? I'm sure the mile approach should be faster, but this has a much greater chance of the wheels falling off. Perhaps this is why the fast, slow, slow, fast "French Protocol like" racing strategy comes from?

What do you think?

- Iain
55 year old Lwt (in ability and in weight) trying to develop a technique that doesn't cause hysterics and continue to row regularly.
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