Concept2 Forum

hey all,

so, today i was doing my 2k, and everything was going perfectly, up until the last 500. i began to panic and my split dropped 4 seconds. my mental state just went berserk.

does anyone have any advice on relaxing in the last 500 meters of a 2k? as in like mentally preparing oneself for it.

Thanks!

Sam

Hello,
Why would you want to relax in the last 500? That's when you should be pouring on the coals! Kurt

dont get me wrong, in the last 500 im giving it everything i got when i say relax, i mean not panicking and not getting down on myself (sorry i wasn't more specific before).

i think a better question is, how do i better mentally prepare myself for that last 500?

Sam

Ok,

So I seriously just wrote you this amazing long reply about different ways to not panic during the last 500 and i went to submit it and there was an error and it all got deleted...I will do it again in a big nutshell.

What I emphasized was focusing, & visualization.

Olympians have used this and so do I.

Before you race, sit down on the ground. Close your eyes, sit up tall, and go through you're entire race plan. From your start, to your focus meters, to the 'tunnel' as I call it (1200-800)..and then when you get to the 500 you visualize yourself succeeding, not feeling the pain, relaxing not by letting off strength or rate, but by focusing your mind and easing the nerves. You have to find a relax mode. For me, I use a very, very amazing well known youtube clip. Lookup 'inches rowing' on youtube. Find the Al Pacino speech with the rowing clips. When I hit the 500 I imagine this speech. The music keeps my nerves relaxed and if you embrace the words hes saying..you will be so motivated and able.

I have other techniques too, but this is honestly the best one.

Good luck,

-Christine

Christine-

Thanks so much for that advice! I will definitely be sure to do that in my next race!

Thanks again!

-Sam

I am surprised you struggle with the last 500, most people rate the 3rd 500 the hardest. The last 500 is almost a relief as with the usual prep'n of 1k, 750 and 500m intervals you are on home turf, focus on what you have achieved (i.e. on schedule for a PB or target time) and know that you now just need to finish it off with the hard work done. I like to imagine doing it again briefly if tempted to slow or stop. I count down the strokes, 10 per 100m (it is always more, so I will repeat one or 2 numbers in each 10). Also if you have done some HIIT sessions (see: http://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/sprint-hiit/ ) then you will have finished 50+m with paralysed legs arms and back only and managed to retain the pace, so no need to panic when the legs stop working properly! Finally, don't be afraid to up the rating. At that stage (and in the 3rd 500) your power will be going down, although you should concentrate on maintaining as long and strong a stroke as you can still manage. But increasing the rating a little at a time to retain the target pace when concentrating on the power of the drive is not enough to return to target, is normal.

Finally, I would add to the visualisation that you should go through the finish. See yourself looking at the monitor after the end and feel the elation of achieving your target (maybe punching the air).

I hope it goes well.

- Iain