Most Difficult Distance?

[[old] TheHagueDragon]

Yesterday was the first time i rowed a real race (EIRC). I row now since 3 months. <br>I did every distance untill 6k.<br><br>I think the most difficult is 2K because i am so very dead at the end of the race. <br>Everytime i do a 2K in the middle part i think i'm gonna stop because it's useless to go on. But i never stopped and everytime is a new PB.<br>Yesterday in the race i've seen guys stop and some of them were vomitting. I think you can compare 2K with 800 metres running.<br><br>But what do you think is the most difficult distance to erge?

[[old] Kudos]

I think 2k is the most difficult distance because it is the only one I really care about enough to risk my health for, and is long enough to do some particularly nasty things to my body. I think that is what makes the difference. You could argue the marathon is the hardest becasue it is the longest, but its only difficult if you stay on the entire time and gun for it. I have had some pretty nasty workouts at various distances, but I agree 2k is the devils backbone

[[old] Canoeist]

If people pushed as hard in the marathon as they do in the 2K, it would obviously be the hardest event. Right now, most people row the marathon with the main goal in mind of "just finish". If there were more competition, as in the running marathons, the rowing marathon would be absolutely brutal.<br><br>Paul Flack

[[old] Bayko]

My least favorite is the 30:00. First of all I prefer distance to time. Second, for some reason the 60:00 doesn't bother me as much; probably because of the somewhat more sedate pace.<br><br>I think that for most people the 2k seems worst because it is the standard racing distance and may intimidate people for that reason. I suspect that if all the races (CRASH-B's, BIRC, etc.) were changed to either 5k or 6k to simulate head races, then those distances would quickly become more intimidating than they are now. So, much in agreement with what Canoeist has written.<br><br>Rick<br><br>

[[old] PaulS]

If you are on a pace that is your absolute limit for each distance, the longer the distance the harder it will be due to the final 1/4 being longer. (The time/distance over which you will be thinking "there is no way I can finish this").<br><br>That said, the shorter the distance, the more dangerous it is due to the stress that is going to be placed on the body.<br><br>I suppose "difficulty" is in the eye of the beholder, which makes it an interesting poll question, though similar to asking "What's better, chocolate or vanilla?", The results are meaningless because "better" can be interpretted many different ways. Does one look "better", taster "better", smell "better", sell "better", etc...<br>

[[old] ranger]

1K. <br><br>I have only done it once--and puked.<br><br>Hell of a thing.<br><br>ranger

[[old] FrancoisA]

I agree with Ranger; 1K in rowing or the mile in running are the hardest!<br>You are at your VO2max for the duration of the race and there is not enough time for the endomorphins to ease the pain!

[[old] Xavier]

I'd have to say 500m. I've only ever done one in a race once (and that was after a 6:38.2 2k!), and it hurt more than any distance I've ever done. Got 1:25.5, and I'm NOT trying again for a very long time.<br><br>Xav

[[old] TomR/the elder]

The 2k is the toughest, for the reasons Bayko cited.<br><br>By the way, Paul, chocolate MUST be better. I've never heard of a woman having a secret stash of vanillas.<br><br>Tom

[[old] David Speed]

I'm with the general consensus here. The 2k is the competition distance, it's what most of us gauge ourselves against.<br>To be honest, they just bloody scare me <br>That said, I've done the 30' @ 20spm three times last week and puked after 2 of them...........

[[old] Sir Pirate]

I agree with Xav, 500m for me is the most difficult. I am not a sprinter so find it very hard to get any sort of reasonable time.<br><br>Yes, 2000m is tough on the body and lungs, but I would not say it is "difficult" to row one. I hate them because they hurt too much. If the question was- what’s the most painful Distance? I would have put 2000m, but is wasn’t, so I didn’t. <br><br>Sir Pirate<br><br>

[[old] Ash]

If you do it to your potential I would say the 10k. 30 minutes at your anaerobic threshold, and then a hike into lactic valley for 2 minutes, swimming in the lactic river for 2 minutes, and then finally falling over the edge of lactic falls, and landing on lots of sharp rocks.

[[old] remador]

For me, 2k is, definitely, the hardest. 25-30% of it above your anaerobic threshold, and the rest of it just below that, while your body is desperately trying to clean your muscles from lactate and give you enough oxygen not to faint. <br><br>On the other hand, 1k is brutal! Short enough to be a kind of a long sprint, long enough to give you a punch in the stomach!! Brutal!<br><br>AM<br><br>

[[old] Rocket Roy]

They are all Bl**dy awful, done flat out.<br><br>ASH great description of a 10k although it's easier for you, I've got 3 mins in lactic valley and 4 mins in the lactic river <br><br>If I had to choose one then the 1k is very nasty.