Rowing Pace Planner

What the pace planner is for

A 2K is won or lost in the first ninety seconds. The planner exists so that the decision about how hard to go out is made here, at a desk, rather than on the erg with a rising heart rate. Set the distance, choose how many sections to break it into, and push the effort up or down section by section — the projected time, average split and power update as you go.

How to use it

1. Set the distance (or switch to Time mode for a fixed-duration piece).
2. Choose your sections. Four is the natural choice for a 2K — one per 500 m.
3. Shape the effort. Swipe or type on each section to make it harder or easier. Everything else recalculates.
4. Memorise two numbers before you sit down: your target split, and what the clock should read at halfway.

A worked 2K example

Say the target is 7:15. That is an average of 1:48.8 per 500 m, or about 272 watts. Three ways to distribute it, all finishing on the same time:

The even plan is the most efficient. The negative split is the one most likely to produce a personal best. The fly-and-die is what happens when nobody plans at all — it costs nearly two seconds per 500 m through the middle of the race to pay for that quick opening. See the full 7:15 breakdown, or pick any other target time.

Why plan pacing at all

2000 m sits almost exactly on the line between an aerobic and an anaerobic effort, which is why the third 500 punishes an over-fast first one so severely. Holding an even or slightly descending split spends your energy at a constant rate instead of front-loading it. It is not a trick; it is just the cheapest way to cover the distance.

More tools and guides

• Rowing split calculator — convert between any distance, time, split and wattage
• 2K erg test guide — target splits for every landmark 2K time
• Rowing split benchmarks — how to tell whether a split is any good
• Understanding rowing splits — what a split is and why rowing is scored in them
• Fly and die — when going out hard is and is not defensible