Paces test - good: we'll find out whether I have the heart next week...

After some rubbish "outings" today I wanted to try for a race test - i.e. getting to 1250m "on-pace" and feeling that in a race situation I could finish. The problem was, "what is race pace?". Pacing is so important in rowing, but when an amateur like me you never know what you might actually pull out on the day.

I'd only rowed once in the three previous days, and despite leading year 8s (12-13 year olds) around the wonderful Hatfield Forest all day in the baking Sun, I felt good in the warm up. My pace test was on.

Choosing the pace was interesting. I thought about how rested I was, how I felt in the warm up, and about my amazing 1,000m PB just a month ago. I looked at my 1 mile PB and it was a split of 1:39.3. I figured sub 1:39 has to be my target at Evesham and set up that as teh pace boat.

As I say, I felt great and was pulling 1:27s at the start, and eased back slowly to 1:38s. At 400m in I aimed to ease back to 1:39s and though I relaxed the split stayed at 1:38! I consciously eased back again but by now I was passed 500m and feeling good. At 800m I eased back again to 1:40s and again that was slow to come. After 1,000m in I was beginning to feel the pace but stuck to 1:40s until I had about 350 to go. By this time the split was at 1:38.6 and I reckoned that the way I felt I would have held on for the final minute sprint. All good really.

The minor fly in the onintment is that my eldest has tonsilitis. I am steering well clear of her now, but no doubt it is too late if I am going to catch something. Maybe today was the "day before" coming down with it and that is why I felt so good!

The run in to Evesham will continue to be hard (1:43) mile rows until Wednesday. Then Thursday, Friday and most of Saturday off and "we'll see" at 4:20 on Saturday.

Then a solid 5k warm down and for the first time in days I finish my rowing happy.

Metres today: 8,264