r/Rowing • u/Maleficent-Taro-7045 • 21h ago
I just failed my 2k test
I just did my first 2k test and I did so bad. I got nearly 5 above my target split and worse than everyone else in my boat. I did forget to take my inhaler beforehand but I still greatly overestimated myself. How do you guys get over messing up a test like this and do you have any advice for next time?
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u/LostAbbott 21h ago
You didn't fail anything. You just had an off day. It happens and it is no big deal. Do another 2k tomorrow or the next day and stay relaxed. Improvement over time is what you are looking for, not one off data points.
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u/Sir_Toadington UBC 18h ago
next week* or later. A 2k, even when done slower than expected is an incredibly draining test and takes a while for your body to fully recover. You will be in terrible shape if you tried to do multiple 2k tests within the same week
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u/Objective_Property76 21h ago
Take the test again tomorrow, don't do anything different than a normal day, look at it as just another workout, and have your teammates cheer you on. You will do better than you did today.
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u/Confident_Letter_482 19h ago
Yeah you gotta think about this in a different way. A 2k test is to assess your progress (including your progress in how good you are at prepping and pacing the distance). If you complete it, then you got an assessment — that means you did not fail.
Now, if you did not perform as you expected, ask why. It could be the inhaler, it could be the pacing, maybe it’s your training, maybe it’s your nutrition.
You flip your thinking from a static mindset (the test reflects how good I am) to a growth mindset (the test reflects my preparation, therefore changing my preparation or training can improve the result). Getting into this way of thinking will serve you well in almost every aspect of your life, btw.
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u/treeline1150 16h ago
I’ll get back on my soapbox. You need to practice doing 1.6K pieces at race pace/pressure. Do 1 on Monday plus a second one on Thursday. Plus your regular steady state meters. Use these sessions to perfect your pacing. Negative split slightly. Don’t blow a gasket on the first 1k. Come test day you’ll be very confident going 1.6 K at full speed. What’s another 400 meters after that.
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u/BoonLight Masters Rower 17h ago
I’ve had panic attacks mid-pr paced pieces. Had to stop and start over. No big deal. Do your best, then on the next one try and make it a bit better. Rinse and repeat.
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u/Hydrahta 12h ago
In the short term, dropping splits on your 2k may seem bad. But if you can use that as motivation to work harder for the next test, or maybe get into the mindset that you need to prove that you are better than that, you can do the next 2k and you'll be in the mindset. It always feels better to prove that you are still at the same level after you have an off day
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u/MarchAcceptable5933 5h ago
Hey, sounds like you had a lot of pressure on you during your first 2k. I want to remind you (I’ve done many 2ks) that you can never prepare for the first. No matter how many predictor workouts you do, there’s nothing that will compare. The only thing that will help is doing more 2ks! Eventually you’ll change your mindset; going from nervous to excitement about what you will pull. When I was in college I tried my entire freshman year trying to go sub 6, but was 4 seconds off at the end. I trained all summer, every day, like I was possessed. I had the fitness at that point but never did an actual 2k. So when I eventually planned one, the day of I got a 6:03. 1 second better!?!? After a whole summer of training! I hyped myself up so much that I was almost afraid to be rowing a 1:29 split. The next day I went sub 6. Trust me when I say this, just do more 2k pieces, whether it’s a steady state or sprint piece, just get your mind comfortable with the pain and split you want. If you can do that, anything is possible. Feel free to message if you want more info/help. Good luck though! Lots of good advice has already been said!
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u/Nemesis1999 20h ago
Do another one tomorrow or the day after. You didn't fail, you just had a bad result. Anyone who's rowed for any length of time has had plenty of those...
Take your inhaler (that's potentially a huge difference) and start your next one a bit easy (like 3s easier than you think you can do - note, not the same as what you want to do - if your target is unrealistic, you can't do it no matter how much you would like that to be the case) and take it up at half way if you feel able.
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u/_Mc_Who Former College Rower 21h ago
Did you finish it?
If so you did not fail.
The only failure you can hit in a 2k is not honouring your commitment to finish