Testing Week

In rowing, we train our bodies and minds for those few moments in the season when we get to prove ourselves and have our hard work pay off. In the spring and fall, we are training for races and national championship titles. In the winter, we train for testing week... commonly known as "hell week" amongst many rowers.

Only one practice a day, sometimes as short as an hour... seems great, right? Not quite. For our testing week, yes we are only doing one piece a day, but each one is putting our bodies to the ultimate test. By the end of the week, the pieces become as mentally as they are physically challenging. Every rower is seeking the same goal - a personal record (PR). The more speed you gain in the winter, the faster you'll be on the water. While some rowers may dread these weeks during training, many rowers on the team look forward to seeing how they've progressed and where they stand against the rest of the team.

I decided to write this post about testing week since it's highly-stressed, as well as vital to winter training for any team, not just ours. I walked around the women's Friday morning lift practice and got some opinions about testing as well as advice on how to try and guarantee that PR (and rock the 2k).

To my surprise, each rower had a different view on testing week. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses and find different tricks to help them get through it. A senior rower described testing week well when she said, "Our testing weeks are essentially a breakdown of mental road blocks to help you surpass those mental limitations. Each piece shows you your different strengths and elements of your ability to row. The 2k is a combination of it all, it combines the mental and the physical."

I talked to the women's team captain briefly to try and get her opinion since she's not only a knowledgable rower but is on her way to making it onto the 2k record list for Mercyhurst. Her input on testing week was that "it showcases our hard work" and when I asked why we have a whole week dedicated to testing instead of having them spread out throughout winter she responded with "we race under pressure so we need to test under similar circumstances in the winter." I then asked her about testing week for her and what she does during the pieces, specifically the 2,000m test. Our captain said that this Tuesday she will be focused on keeping the rate high. That, and kicking Jordan Herbert off the record list of fastest 2ks. Herbert is about a second off of her PR and she's ready to do what it takes to get her name there to showcase all her work and dedication.

It was freshman, Leah Griffin, that had the most to say about our testing week at Mercyhurst. Her first winter training here and she oddly loves testing week and the chance to put a number to all the pain and sweat she puts in every week on and off the erg.

Q: So tell me, why do you like testing week?
A: Because it's the week where you get to see all the work you've put in over winter training and you get to see how well you've improved.

Q: Last testing week, what was it like for you?
A: It was fun, it was exciting. My best piece was definitely my 2k, it felt really good and I'm excited to do another one.

Q: And what's your plan of attack for this 2k?
A: Umm, row fast basically. Break 7:40 is my goal so I think that's a 1:54 split so I'm just going to try and hold that and then spring at the last 300m.

Q: It's 750m meters to go... this is where it really hurts, you're telling yourself to stop- what's going through your mind at that point?
A: I always tell myself that this is where I win the race, and everyone slows down, so I repeat that over and over in my head. I keep telling myself, "this is when I win the race, this is when I win the race" and so that's when I kick it in the most. That 250m between 750-500m is what I focus on.