The Erg Test
By sue at April 29, 2011 | 6:40 pm | Print
After reading this article by Nicole Arrato, Katie immediately wanted to share it with RowZoners. “This is a personal account of a 2k erg test, and is the feeling I try to get all my class members to achieve: complete and utter exhaustion combated by unparalleled pride in your achievement.”
My legs feel as though they have turned to jelly as I descend, one step at a time, from the second floor to the first. I count each stair in my head, to give me something to focus on other than the burning in my thighs. But this sensation is not one of pain or discomfort. It’s actually the opposite.
Twenty minutes earlier, I am sitting on one of 30 ergometers in my crew’s boathouse. As I stare at my monitor, it returns dagger eyes at me. The feeling of putting myself to the test and striving for better than last time, better than the person next to me, is nothing new to me. But my mind is split in two: half of me is determined and ready for the challenge; the other half is nervous to the point of nausea. I push any negative thoughts out of my head.
I set my monitor to 2,000 meters. I know what I’m in for, but I also know how bad I want to set a personal record. This is because I know the result is more than just a number. It has the power to help me realize my future. It could play a huge role in propelling me into the life I’ve been dreaming for as long as I can remember. “Ready, Attention …” My coach’s words snap me back to reality. “…Row!” And we’re off. With each stroke, I am exhilarated.
Eight hundred meters down. My legs are burning and I can no longer feel my feet. My torso is red from the handle hitting the same spot over and over. The sweat drips down my face and onto my legs, but is instantaneously propelled off of them as I slide back up to the catch at lightning speed. My arms want to put an end to this and take it slow. But my head is dissociated from my straining body. I recall something my coach told me a few weeks earlier: “Whether or not you let the goal slip away at this point, it still burns just as bad. So just ignore it and grab your target.”
My erg is now taunting me with 450 meters to go. Inside, I ask myself, “Nicole, are you out of your mind? But my thoughts are soon drowned out by my screaming muscles. I close my eyes and pull as hard as my legs will allow. The time for conserving energy is long gone. Now it’s all or nothing. I choose all.
The meters run down. I have never been so happy to see a zero in my life. I look around at my teammates. Each has the same exhausted look of relief on his or her face. But enough of that. Now it’s time for the moment of truth. I get to find out whether or not I met my goal. I press the button on the monitor and the immense weight on my chest is instantly lifted. The room seems to brighten and I feel a smile stretch across my face. At this moment, every second of struggle in the past few minutes was worth it.
My coach stands behind me and records my score. I feel a large hand on my shoulder and hear him say, “Nice work.” This means more to me than a congratulatory comment from anyone else. He knows how I am feeling at this very moment, as well as how I have been endlessly pushing myself since I started rowing. The smile on my face grows some more.
Now, as my legs try their best to carry me down the stairs to fresh air, I reflect on what just happened. Silent pride resonates within me. As it tries to fade, the soreness in my legs draws it back. This achievement has brought me one step closer to my long-term goal. I know that next time will be yet another improvement if I stick to it.
