For my long-term prospects as an erger, the most important issue now, I think, is whether, just rowing normally, I can rate 27 spm at top-end UT1, and therefore for as long as an hour, or even a HM.
"Threshold" rowing, "base pace" rowing.
Back in the spring, I was excited when I got to 10 MPS @ 29 spm (11 SPI, 1:43) in this sort of rowing, but that was at max drag and before I learned to use the whole slide rowing at low drag (120 df.), relaxing both my shoulders and core at the catch, as I do now.
Rowing well (13 SPI) at low drag (120 df.), I now go three seconds per 500m faster at two spm lower in this sort of distance rowing:
1:40 @ 27 spm.
It would be amazing if I can train myself to do this "base pace" rowing for an hour.
For a little lightweight, 27 spm is not a high rate for an hour row at all.
Back in 2002-2003, I also rated about 27 spm for 60min, but rowing badly (10 SPI) at max drag (200+ df.), the pace came out to be 1:48 rather than 1:40.
Rocket Roy and Mike VB also row 60min at around 27 spm.
If they do 10 MPS, that's 1:51 (9.5 SPI).
9.5 is their 2K SPI, too, so 9.5 SPI is probably their natural stroking power.
If my natural stroking power is now 13 SPI, with no reduction in my ratings from what I used to do back in 2002-2003, when I finally get around to distance trials, my times for 5K, 6K, 30min, 10K, 60min, and a HM will be off the charts.
ranger
Rich Cureton M 72 5'11" 165 lbs. 2K pbs: 6:27.5 (hwt), 6:28 (lwt)