Brooke Mooney: Becoming the world’s fastest indoor rower

American international rower Brooke Mooney, 26, is currently in Tokyo competing in the US Women’s Eight at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Earlier this year, as part of her selection trials to make the team for Tokyo, Mooney broke the world record for the fastest 2k ever recorded by a woman on an indoor rower – completing the gruelling challenge in 6:21.1, beating the previous record of 6:22.8 set by Elena Buryak of Ukraine by nearly 2 seconds (Read our interview with Buryak here).

We caught up with the U.S. powerhouse to hear more about her incredible feat as she now takes her final steps towards Tokyo.

I knew I was capable of breaking the record at some point. I didn't know it was going to be then. I definitely had the number in my head. I was looking at how Elena [Buryak], the previous record-holder, paced her 2k, and I was thinking about how my splits usually go. But I didn't go into it being like, ‘I'm gonna sit down and break the world record’. My plan was just to start and see where I was at the 1k.  But even at the 1k mark, I honestly didn't know I was going to do it. My projected time passing the 1k was like a 6.24 or 6.25. At that point, in my head, I was like, ‘okay, maybe today's not the day. Just push through. You're having a good piece, it will still be a good score.’

Then I got into the third 500. I was trying to bring my split down a little bit, really pushing into it. My projected time kept on going down - instead of 6.24s and 6.25s I'd see 6.23s or 24s. After a certain point, I thought ‘I think I could actually do this, I'm gonna just go.’ So I went for the sprint with around six or seven hundred to go and just tried to hang on to the end. I was going half slide for most of it!

Was there a point in the piece when you knew that you would do it?

I pretty much knew going into the last five hundred. I know myself and I know my sprint. I thought ‘if I just hold this, it will get me the record. And if I bring it down, I'll get it by more.’

What was your best time before you broke the record?

My best before that was actually in December 2020, only a few months before, and was 6.29.1.

Wow - you took over seven seconds off of your own time?

Yeah, that's what surprised me most - how much I took off of my time versus the actual time I did it in.

What do you attribute that improvement to?

I think it was mostly where we were in our training cycle. I think for the previous test in December, we were coming off of a long, long autumn and a tough start to winter. With Covid restrictions, we were just trying to figure out our new normal. But for this 2k test we were out in California, and because we were pretty much in a bubble, we were able to train - not normally, but closer to normal. So I think it’s partly just the different times in the training cycle.

What is your approach to pacing a 2k erg?

I am a big negative splitter - I like to see the splits coming down throughout the workout. So that's what I aim to do, even if the first 500 is a little faster than the second 500.

Do you like to have a really defined 2k test race plan?

No, I don't. For this test, I just knew what I was gonna have to say to myself in my head at certain points in the piece.  Most of it was like, sit up, relax, breathe, keep your hands moving - various things like that. But I just kept saying to myself ‘keep it light, keep it moving and don’t get bogged down.’ I'm not someone who's like ‘alright 300 metres in I'm going to make a move’ etc - I can't keep that much in my mind when doing a piece.

Which is the most difficult bit for you? Everyone talks about the third 500 in a 2k, but not everyone finds that the toughest.

That's a great question. I would say probably my second 500. Because the first one, you're still just getting into it. And the second one, you're like, ‘ok, I think this is where I should be, I think this is the right split.’ But you don't know until you're through that 500 if it was right, or if it was too fast, or if it was too slow. And if it was too fast you're just then hanging on for the rest of the piece. Once you’re past 1k and seeing three-digit numbers you're like ‘ok, just keep on bringing it down.’ In the second 500, when you're still looking at four-digit numbers, it's like, ‘Oh boy.’

Have you always been strong on the indoor rower?

I was always strong, but I wasn't really the top indoor rower in any group until I'd say my senior year of college. I think I didn't know what I was capable of. I still don't know what I'm capable of.

When did it first occur to you that you might break the World Record one day?

I've had coaches for a while tell me ‘I think you can do this'. From years ago. But I don't think I believed it myself until this winter. Maybe a month or two before I did it. I was just feeling good, feeling strong and we were doing some power stuff on the erg and I was seeing numbers that made me think ‘I could do this, I think I could break the record.’ At that point, I didn't know when it was going to happen. I didn't even know when our next 2k test was at that point. But I thought to myself, ‘yeah, I think I can do this at some point.’ It was the first time that I believed it myself, not just other people saying to me, ‘I think you can do this.’

Do you have any other indoor rowing records?

Um, I don't think I have any currently standing. I did break the half marathon record. Almost a year ago, but it was broken after that. I don't think so.

Is there a mental tactic you use or something you tell yourself when it gets tough?

If I'm really struggling, it's a lot of internal reminders about breathing, relaxing, and trying to just go with the person next to me. If I can remove something from my mind, it is one less variable to worry about at that moment. So it's like, ‘alright, I like this person's rhythm next to me, just go with them.’ It's a good way to reset yourself and find your rhythm again. Mainly when it's tough it's about finding myself, relaxing and getting back into the focus of using my legs and making sure I'm breathing.

Do you get nervous before an indoor rowing test like this?

Yes, absolutely. I was nervous about this one. From about a week in advance. I was starting to be a little bit nervous but I told myself to brush it off. Then a couple of days before I was really starting to feel the nerves. Not bad nerves. I was just really excited. And I honestly had no idea what was going to happen. It was a mix of nerves and excitement.

Is there anything in particular that you eat before a 2k test?

Oatmeal, banana and peanut butter. It's kind of my go-to meal - it’s about all I can get down before a hard workout.

Do you do anything special to warm up for 2K?

No, nothing special. It's pretty, pretty basic. A little mobility before some steady-state and a few power 10s or 20s.

Have you spoken to Elena Buryak since you broke her record?

She congratulated me and there was a little bit back and forth. But we didn't go into much detail.

Do you think you can go faster?

I definitely think I can. Maybe if I can start a little faster and narrow the margin between the first 500 and the fourth 500, I think I could get a little bit more out of it.