Ready for race, and...

[G-dub]

So I have a race next weekend. I have tested the waters a few times at 1500 and 1750 at a pace below my current PB pace by about 1.5 to 2 seconds per 500. At the end of the above, I am winded for sure, but not wanting to crawl out of my skin. Today after 1750 I was able to do some sprint intervals, so there was something left. I also went mountain biking.So there might be more to get if I am rested and things are going my way. When is the right time in the race to test the water and drop the average pace? It seems too late the to bring it all down in the last 250m. Or do you just start out more aggressive and hope it works? There may not be an answer to this, given everyone's personal relationships with pain and suffering.

[tcattell]

G-Dub:

First, you are correct that everyone has their personal relationship with pain and suffering. So my suggestion may not work for you. Everyone needs to figure out what works for them.

If I am feeling good, and I am convinced there is a possibility of a PB or SB, I will wait until I pass the 1,000m mark. For me, the 1st half is being patient, and the second half is the place to be aggressive. Zeno Muller has a 2K race plan in which he suggests waiting till 900 to go instead of 1,000. I like this because in your mind you are closer to the finish. Just lower your 500m split by 2 or so seconds and hold till the sprint. If you still have gas in the tank, you can go wild with 300 to go.

Tom

[hjs]

So I have a race next weekend. I have tested the waters a few times at 1500 and 1750 at a pace below my current PB pace by about 1.5 to 2 seconds per 500. At the end of the above, I am winded for sure, but not wanting to crawl out of my skin. Today after 1750 I was able to do some sprint intervals, so there was something left. I also went mountain biking.So there might be more to get if I am rested and things are going my way. When is the right time in the race to test the water and drop the average pace? It seems too late the to bring it all down in the last 250m. Or do you just start out more aggressive and hope it works? There may not be an answer to this, given everyone's personal relationships with pain and suffering.

If you can erg below your pb on such tests you sure can go faster. Depending how important time is for you I would start out faster. But erging a race for me us always on the edge. On the line I am dead, I never leave anything left. Not everybody wants to suffer that much.

[Edward4492]

You want your best time, and you need to finish completely, totally spent. I've had my best times when I was not able to sprint with 200m to go, when I was going as fast as I could and the pace would barely change. I've had other races where I had a great, strong sprint and I've wondered if I'd left too much on the table.I think the best way to find your target pace is by doing practice runs at 1300m, see what you can maintain.Keep pushing that window back until you fade. You can do these once a week as you approach your races; doing an actual 2k all the time is (IMO) just two damn stressful. My race yesterday was a perfect example of pacing. I sat on my pre-determined pace, was in 6th place at 1500m, finished 2nd as guys around me faded. One guy actually stopped rowing at one point (he told me later, did not see it). So it's a balance. You need to go hard; but you need to find out what you are realistically capable of and have a plan. If you go out a little too soft, you can always jack it up at 1000m.

I never did a race where, at 1000m, I'd wished I'd gone out faster. And I've never done one where I was not completely torn to shreds at the end.

[G-dub]

Thanks gents. I figured "manning up" was part of the equation. I had planned on pacing 1.5 seconds faster per 500 than last PB and will check things out at 900 as mentioned. I am determined to do well.

[Edward4492]

If you're gonna gonna go that much faster.....do a 1300m at that pace first. Racing start, and no finishing sprint. The goal is to get to the end and see how you feel. Should feel pretty cooked, but with enough left to hold pace to the end. Don't worry about "saving it" for the sprint. If you hold pace to the very end and can't manage a sprint even when you're throwing everything at the erg....you probably paced it dead on!

[G-dub]

I've done it! That is what my post was saying. I have been handling below 1.5 seconds per 500 PB pace 1500 and 1750 already the last few days and my question had to do with how to handle even more possible time reductions in the context of a race while not being reckless. I will do one more 1500 on Wednesday and see how another second off feels.

[hjs]

I've done it! That is what my post was saying. I have been handling below 1.5 seconds per 500 PB pace 1500 and 1750 already the last few days and my question had to do with how to handle even more possible time reductions in the context of a race while not being reckless. I will do one more 1500 on Wednesday and see how another second off feels.

It sounds like you really don,t know whatnyou really can. You can simply test it.
Do 8x500 on 1 min rest, free rate. The endresult is close to your 2k pace.
Or do 4x1k rest 5 min, again free rate. Result will be 2k plus 1 for the average.
Don the last rep really as fast as you can, if you speed up a lot, you where to soft on yourself, if you just can hang on, this is how a 2k feels. If you can speedbup a bit, proberly the best trainingsoption.
Learn to feel intensity, if you have questions like you have now you simply are not in contact with your body.