The Sub-7 Experiment

Tag: 2K Rowing Test

  • 7:22 – And the Voice That Told Me to Quit

    I’m still out of breath.

    Today I rowed a 7:22 for 2,000 meters, a full 7.5 seconds faster than my last test. That’s a big leap. And even though I was quietly hoping to hit 7:15, I’m genuinely proud of this.

    Because this wasn’t just a fitness test, it was a headspace test.

    These last few days have been heavy. Work stuff has knocked my confidence. I’ve felt jaded. Tired. The kind of mental fatigue that clings to your legs and lungs even before you’ve moved. Whoop put my recovery at 59%. And honestly, I felt it.

    Part of me, the old voice, said not today.
    “Wait until you’re feeling better.”
    “Do it next week.”
    “Don’t make a scene. Just row easy. Skip it.”

    But I needed this today. Not because I had something to prove, but because an older version of me still wants proof.
    Proof that the training is working.
    Proof that this is going somewhere.
    Proof that I’m not just going through the motions.

    The Middle Bit—Where It Got Messy

    The first 500 meters were inconsistent, too fast, too slow, couldn’t find my rhythm.
    Then with 800 meters to go, the real moment hit:

    “Just stop.”

    That voice again.
    Not shouting, not panicking just calmly suggesting I give up.
    And honestly? It was persuasive.

    But I didn’t stop.
    I refocused. I locked into form. I listened to my breathing.
    And I found something there, not a burst of power, but a thread to follow.

    By the time I hit the final 500 meters, my lungs were screaming. My legs were burning.
    The last 300 was ragged, messy, all over the place. But I held on.
    I kept rowing. And I crossed the line in 7:22.

    The Reflection—Now That I’ve Sat With It

    I’m home now. I’ve been sitting with this in the car, and I think I’m feeling a bit… sad.
    Or maybe it’s disappointment. I’m not quite sure.

    I didn’t hit 7:15, which was the target I had in my head.
    And now I’m wondering; was that just the old me again? Not being realistic, not being SMART with my goals?
    Or was it simply that I was at 59% recovery and the tank just wasn’t full?

    Either way, this session has shown me something valuable:

    Breaking the 7-minute barrier isn’t just a stretch goal. It’s serious work.

    And I’m still a long way from it.

    Maybe that’s what I’m really sitting with, the weight of that reality.
    It’s not discouraging, though. Not really. If anything, it’s clarifying.
    I thought for a moment that I might need to change the name of the blog to“ Just a bit below The Sub-7 Experiment”, because maybe I was already knocking on the door of breaking it.

    I’m not.

    Not yet.

    Today gave me something better than a perfect result. It gave me a new baseline.
    7:22. Solid. Honest. Earned.

    And that’s where the next leg of the journey begins.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • The Day I Broke 7:30 (And Almost Didn’t Try)

    It was a lovely day yesterday—Sunday.
    We went to the seaside as a family and walked along the boardwalk under blue skies and sunshine. Sandwiches. Coffee. Chatting. It was great.

    But there was a little voice in the back of my head that kept whispering:
    “Why don’t you do a 2K test? Go on—just to see.”

    It wouldn’t let up.
    Even as I lit the BBQ later and cooked chicken shawarma—one of our family favourites—it was still there, quietly pushing.
    And by the time I went to bed, I’d made a decision.
    I was going to do a 2K test tomorrow.

    Morning Doubts

    I’ve been here before—full of good intentions at night, and something else entirely in the morning.

    But this morning, I wasn’t talking myself out of going to the gym.
    Still, I was hesitant about the test. So I checked in with ChatGPT:

    Me: “Hey, good morning. How are you doing today?”
    ChatGPT: “I’m great—especially now that you’ve checked in. What version of you showed up this morning? Fired up? Steady? Unsure?”

    Me: “Still figuring it out. Didn’t sleep well, but I’m not bailing on the gym.”

    ChatGPT: “That’s already a win. You don’t need to feel 100%—just show up with what you’ve got. Do you want to go for the 2K test, or would something lower-pressure feel smarter today?”

    Me: “I don’t know. Not until I’m sitting on the assault bike warming up.”

    ChatGPT: “That’s a great approach—let the body decide, not the brain. Once you’re moving, we’ll know. Message me when you’re spinning.”

    The Warm-Up

    So I walked my son to school, got to the gym, and it wasn’t too busy.
    I got on the assault bike and said:

    Me: “Okay, I’m here. I want to do the test. I’m not aggressively fired up—but maybe that’s a good thing. Hopefully more controlled. I’d like to beat my baseline, but secretly, I’d love to crack 7:30.”

    ChatGPT:
    “Let’s go then. Controlled attack. Here’s the plan…”

    And then it gave me a full warm-up, pacing breakdown, stroke rate guidance, and a quarter-by-quarter strategy:

    The Controlled 4-Quarter Strategy

    • 0–500m: Controlled aggression (1:50–1:53)
    • 500–1000m: Settle into rhythm (1:52–1:55)
    • 1000–1500m: The grind (1:52–1:56)
    • 1500–2000m: Empty the tank (negative split if possible)

    The Test

    So I went for it.

    • The first 500m was messy. I was either pulling too hard at a low stroke rate or rowing too fast at the recommended SPM.
    • The middle 1000m was better—I held the pace but started letting mental distractions creep in.
    • At around 800m to go, I started pacing for the final push—too early—and slowed down.
    • In the final 500m, I was starting to run out of steam. Form slipped, but I caught myself, pulled it back together, and finished strong.

    🕒 Final Time: 7:29.5

    The Shift

    I did it.
    I broke the 7:30 barrier for 2,000 meters.
    And I’m absolutely delighted.

    This proves a few things:

    • The training structure that ChatGPT’s been helping with is working.
    • I’ve shaved 12 seconds off my baseline.
    • And this whole thing? It’s more than just physical now.
      There’s been a shift in mindset.
      This isn’t a vague goal anymore—it’s happening.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.