Compare any test
against your 2K
Convert any erg test — 500m through marathon, plus 5-min, 30-min, 30r20, and 60-min — to a 2K-equivalent split, time, and watts using empirical split ratios.
Quick answer
Each test holds a known split offset from your 2K. Multiply your test split by the ratio to project the 2K-equivalent split, then derive time and watts. split2k = splittest × ratio; common values: 500m ×1.238, 1K ×1.115, 5-min ×0.983, 5K ×0.933, 6K ×0.922, 30:00 ×0.958 (×0.945 at r20), 60:00 ×0.922, half ×0.883, marathon ×0.869.
Split ratio reference
| Test | 2K split ÷ test split | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 500m | 1.238 | Top-end power, lactate tolerance. |
| 1K | 1.115 | Power + glycolytic capacity. |
| 5-min | 0.983 | 2K-adjacent in-season check-in. |
| 4K | 0.952 | Threshold-paced racing fitness. |
| 5K | 0.933 | Aerobic-biased racing fitness. |
| 6K | 0.922 | Junior / Lightweight selection metric. |
| 30:00 | 0.958 | Aerobic-base test; free rate. |
| 30r20 | 0.945 | Aerobic test with rate cap (forces drive efficiency). |
| 60:00 | 0.922 | Aerobic ceiling depth. |
| 10K | 0.905 | Long-aerobic capacity. |
| Half marathon | 0.883 | Sub-threshold steady-state. |
| Marathon | 0.869 | Endurance ceiling, programming-only. |
Frequently asked questions
How are the split ratios derived?
Empirically, from Concept2's published cross-distance equivalents and large datasets of athletes who post matching test results. Each ratio is the fraction of your 2K split that the test split represents: a strong 500m runs at about 81% of your 2K split (ratio 1.238 — meaning your 2K split is 1.238× your 500m split), while a 60-min test sits at about 109% of your 2K split (ratio 0.922). We multiply your test split by the ratio to project the 2K-equivalent split, then convert back to time and watts.
Why does my 5K say a faster 2K than I can actually pull?
The 5K is more aerobic-biased than your 2K, so a strong aerobic athlete will over-project to a slightly fast 2K. The reverse is true for power-dominant athletes: their 1K projects a slower 2K than they actually pull. Use the converter to set realistic targets, but always validate by racing the 2K.
When is each test most useful?
500m and 1K reveal top-end power and lactate tolerance. The 5-min and 5K test 2K-relevant aerobic power, useful as in-season check-ins without the full 2K cost. The 6K is the most common Junior / Lightweight selection metric. 30:00 (especially 30r20) is the canonical aerobic-base benchmark used by national teams. 60:00, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon results reveal the depth of your aerobic ceiling and are rarely race-relevant but very informative for steady-state programming.
How does 30r20 differ from 30:00 free rate?
30r20 caps stroke rate at 20 spm — a forcing function that disallows hiding behind rate. The same athlete will usually score a few seconds faster on a free-rate 30:00 because they can lift the rate when needed. We use a slightly tougher split ratio for 30r20 (0.945 vs 0.958) to account for that constraint.
Why use a split ratio instead of a power ratio?
Split is the unit rowers actually look at on the monitor and the unit equivalence tables are published in. Multiplying splits is also a single clean operation that maps directly onto Concept2's standard cross-distance comparisons. The watts and total time are derived from the split via the Concept2 power formula (watts = 2.80 / (split / 500)³), so all three numbers stay internally consistent.
Does this account for body weight?
No — the ratios are purely intra-athlete (your test split vs your own 2K split). Cross-athlete comparison should use the relative score (W/kg) or the Boat Lift calculator, which factors weight into boat-speed prediction.