I just did my first ever 6k on an erg and my split time was 2:08 how is that for a novice?

I feel like I wasn't focused at the end, are there any tips for keeping a focused mind in the last two thousand meters?I just did my first ever 6k on an erg and my split time was 2:08 how is that for a novice?
You're doing great. This year my school's novice team (boys) is a bit weak, but the fastest 6k was a 2:09.8 split followed by a 2:16.3 and slower from there on.





If you want to stay focused, just keep watching your split and try to maintain your goal. During a 6k I don't take power 10's or anything. I feel maintaining the goal is the most important thing. Think about cutting the distance, just holding your position. If you let go, you'll feel just as bad as you did at a lower split. Remember to sit up straight and stay long, one of our novices started to die and didn't lay back during his 6k and died, ending with a 2:16.3 overall.





When it drops down to that last 2k you know that at this point it will just be a regular workout. I always think about our 4 by 8's and know that at that time I feel just like I always do for the last piece, and I just need to rough out that last piece like I always would (at a 2:00 split or less the rest of the 6k isn't even as long as the 8 minute piece).





During winter you will develop the ability to stay focused through a piece and your split will drop with the intense training. For a novice in fall a 6k is pretty rough. Go to http://launchexhaust.blogspot.com/ (written by an old coach at my school). He's a great coach, rowed at Yale, and has strategies for 6k's and 2k's on there.I just did my first ever 6k on an erg and my split time was 2:08 how is that for a novice?
6k's are tough man, they're by far one of my least favourite pieces.


That and the dreadfull 16k, they're the most boring thing you'll ever do!


Here is a link to a great post written by a coach, explaining how to row 6k's, and its really good.





http://launchexhaust.blogspot.com/2006/1鈥?/a>





What you can really focus, is to get into a rhythm, and just keep going through it, To fight through the pain, you can do focus 10's, focus 20's, hard 10's and stuff just to keep going at it.


You can also count down as you get close, like if you're at 2k to go, cut the distance by half, and concentrate on finishing 1k, then the last 1k.


So basically, just remember to not let go fo your split, because it will be really hard to get it back, (and if you read the article, you'll learn that sprinting at the end won't save ya).


And keep yourself bus doing calls on technique, power through the legs, arms, and stuff.


And your time is alright.... a great way to know what is the slowest 6k you can do, is to row 400m (2k pace) 100m off, for the whole 6k.


Afterwards, you'll get an average split, and that is the slowest split you should ever do, the next time you do a 6k.


In College and University, if you're a lightweight guy, they want people sub 22 minutes, (1:50 split) and faster.


So just keep at it, focus, train hard, and you'll become a great rower!


good luck, sincerely


Al.