Optimists

[[old] Carl Henrik]

Ok, so we all have heard about people pulling in the 6:30s the first time they sat on an erg. So let's listen to fun stories instead<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />A new friend of mine had run a 10k in 35 min and when I told him I rowed he was determined to try a 2k as well. He seemed convinced he would do sub 6:40 and faster than me...We sat a date and a time so that I could sit behind him and cheer on. <br /><br />On race day morning he told me he had tried to do a 1:45 for 1k yesterday and that was just extreme. He then refused to go through with the race at all!

[[old] H33]

Funny post, I enjoyed reading that. I use a WaterRower and was hoping I could break 7:00 in a 2K on a C2. After doing 250 meters I knew I couldn't push it out that long and settled for a 1K in 3:29 but this was after 40 days on my rower. I can't imagine doing that time straight off the bat.

[[old] bsemaiktehr]

There is a bit of a freak on my crew team.<br /><br />He's enormous. (His biceps are easily twice as big as mine)<br /><br />However, he just plain doesn't know how to pace himself. On his first 2k test he pulled a 1:35 for the first 500 and then hit the wall... Hard. He finished with a 7:05, which was better than my first test, a 7:14.<br /><br />That was the first week of October, almost 5 months ago.<br /><br />The really strange thing is that since then, my time has gone down almost 30 seconds...and his still hasn't improved at all.<br /><br />The last test we had he pulled a 1:35 again for about 200 meters, gave out, and then did his last few strokes at a 1:30 flat... finishing at 7:06...<br /><br />Its pretty funny to watch him do tests, because his split will bounce around anywhere between 1:30 and 2:00

[[old] allapologies916]

is the guy tall or big? Or both...? Whats his height/weight?

[[old] bsemaiktehr]

He actually has a similar build to me, except his arms are much bigger b/c he lifts weights so much. I'm about an inch taller than him.

[[old] Almostflipped]

Had a guy on my college team who was like that. For 4 straight years, every time he did a 2k he would go under 1:30 for the first few hundred meters and then blow up. Damn fool never caught on that if he raced smart instead of trying for a world record on each attempt, he would have broken 7 before graduating. Shame he never figued it out, probably would have done decently if he had.

[[old] H_2O]

I have had to quit a 30 minute attempt now twice in a row.<br />Once because my right forearm started hurting after 13 minutes (I lasted to 17 minutes) a second time because I felt beaten up immediately and it was one downhill row from there (lasted to 20 minutes).<br /><br />The pace was optimistic each time.<br /><br />I hope I can get rowpro going and get some impetus from there.

[[old] Stevo]

My brother in law and I jumped onto the C2 that I am borrowing and each in turn blasted off as fast as we could go...to discover that 2km is a long way <br /><br />It is a strange feeling being unable to undo the foot straps due to exhaustion.<br /><br />I now use rowpro, pace myself and set up my last decent row as a pace boat next to me...my goal is to stick with it and hopefully burn it off in the last 100-150 metres!<br /><br />Steve

[[old] sharp_rower]

Yeah, there is no such thing as sitting on an erg for the first time and breaking 7 minutes on the 2k. Ergs don't like posers, only hard-workers. The reason ergs are so popular I think is that they really, truly reward hard work. I love that about it.