Erging

Question
QUESTION: I'm 6 foot 3 and 150 lbs. I'm a freshman at a tough school that is well known for rowing. I talked to the coach and she said I should get under 7 minutes. What would the average time be for me, since I'm 15 and wrestling right now.

ANSWER: Hi James: For a lightweight your age, 7:30 is an average time.  Your coach is asking a lot from you to pull a 7:00 2K.  That's a Top-20% time.  But maybe she sees great potential in you.

Good Luck/AP

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok, I pulled my first 2K and pulled a 7:26.6 with an average split of 1:51.7. My splits went down from 1:53.6 to a 1:51.3 to a 1:51.4 and then finally down to a 150.3 split. Do you think this is good, since as I stated before I'm about 6 foot 3 and 152 lbs and a freshman. What do you think the odds are of me getting under 7 this winter, and what colleges would look at this as good?

Answer
Hi Again, James: As I said in my previous post, an average time for a 14-16 year old light weight is between 7:30 and 7:32.5.  But the median time, the time rowed by someone in the 50th percentile, is 7:26.8.  So, for your very first 2K, you are ahead of half the rowers who posted times on the Concept II database and behind the other half.  Considering, you have had very little formal training in rowing, I'd say that is quite good.

Based on your splits, I see you have room for improvement, which includes reaching your 7-minute goal.  You need to blast out your first 500 at under 1:45.  You want to at least hit at least 10 strokes at 1:40/500 or better in that first 500.  You do this by going out at a higher stroke rating, like 40 strokes a minute and then settling at between 34 and 36 through the body of the piece.  But you have to first learn how to row correctly, or else you will just be zipping up and down the slide and not doing much on the stroke.  Your coach will teach you proper racing technique.  But if you are still able to crank out 1:50 at the end of the piece, you are in good shape and have a lot of potential.

As for college, I'd say get a few races on the water and then ask me that question.  By then, you will have proven that you are committed to the sport, plus you will have a better idea of what you grades are like.  So it will be easier for me to answer that question for you.

Keep Strokin'/AP