Week one

Alright we hit the ground running. After my baptism I again went out on Friday morning in a double (2guys/four oars). It was an enjoyable first for me. It is much more stable than the single and can be fun to be rowing with someone else instead of being left with your thoughts all the time. Friday afternoon was my first practice in the sweep boats (one oar per person). I went out in a four with coxswain (4+). it was fun to get back into a sweep boat after what was essentially a year long hiatus. It was also a new experience to have a unfamiliar coxswain. The main difference that I found between those that I have had before and my new one is basically they always talk. There seems to be no silence on the coxswain's mic. This is not to say that it was annoying, actually the opposite was true. It was helpful to have someone give direct feedback all the time when the coaches where working elsewhere.

On Saturday I was again in a 4+. The emphasis of this practice was mainly technique. So here is the tech jargon that those not interested can skip and move to the next paragraph. The main thing that coach Warren wants us to focus on for the summer is quick, connected catches. This is to say that there are two parts to the catch, actually placing the blade in the water, and possible more importantly, the connection point where you actually start moving the boat. I talked later to my friend Nick (coach Bivins) about this and he put forth the following metaphor: It is like a drag racer to fast on the power application and you spin your wheels to slow and you are slow. Coach Warren also pointed out that this is where one sees the difference between Novice rowers and elite rowers (the smaller the distance it takes to get the boat moving). This is my new area where the most time is going to have to be made to improve in the sweep boats. After practice I was exhausted and spent the rest of the day relaxing (i.e. napping).

Sunday was our free day. I spent it wondering around the city just finding what there is to find. I found a whole foods grocery and made my way through some of the closer museums to see admittance prices and so forth. I like Whole foods but would also like to find a more general grocery. I don't really care at this point if my eggs come from chickens that have been caged. I am still looking. I am also now tied in with the Philadelphia rent-a-rower. It is a ad hoc business where people hire rowers to do odd jobs so we can make some scratch. I will be tarring a roof on Tuesday. Monday starts a new week and there is no rest for the wicked.

First Day of School

I made it to Philadelphia. That is the best place to start. Moved in on Wednesday. I know live on the 8th floor of a building that overlooks the Art Museum. The apartment is nice and the bed looks like it is going to be very comfy. I moved everything in and got situated. I also moved my boat into its new home at 12 Boathouse Row. It seemed happy there.

First Practice happened on Thursday. I find my self in the land of giants. I am one of probably 3 guys who is 6'2'' and under. I also found myself on Sculling duty. There seems to be right now 21 guys in the program. So there is a guy that rotates out in the practice to the single. It was a interesting practice. I set out on my warm up. Once I get down to the opposite end of the course, I started doing technique drills. I quickly find that while I can row a single, I have not payed enough attention to my technique. Trying placement drills (where you basically move your oar in and out of the water) and concentrate on remaining loose while maintaining balance. About mid way through I move to the catch and pause to balance, and promptly flip the boat. I got baptized. So I am now not only under my boat but also get to swim in the Schuylkill River. I then finish out practice rowing on the square, which is also pretty dificult. I rowed approximately 9miles in all.

I am still the "new guy" it seems. It is still young in the program, and there is not much talking amongst the guys except those that already now each other. I met one guy after practice. His name is Tom and we chatted about rowing the single. I head home and make dinner and grab a shower to wash the river off.

I am going to head to bed early cause I have practice at 6AM. This is going to be an interesting and fast week. Photos are soon to follow.

Thanks everyone!

Thanks to all of you that wrote your well wishes and decided to follow my blog as I start this adventure.  It is starting to sink in what I am about to embark on.  I talked with people and never realized till the past few days that I leave for Philly in less than 16 days.  

I met this past week with a former coach of mine just to shoot the breeze and talk about the program and my aspirations and where I see myself heading in the future (in addition to a couple beers, comparing notes on coaching and shooting pool).  As I sat there listening it began to sink in the caliber of  athlete that I am going to have to become to accomplish my lofty goals.  He put it matter-of-factly that I am going to have to compete with just experience and my learning curve will be a smidge steep.  I knew this going in but hearing it from someone else always helps. I also talked with him about trying to get my name out there and "discovered".  He assured me that the right people are always watching and they will find me if I work hard and that the best way to to speak up is with my oar.  We also discussed micro goals for the upcoming training cycles.  Now that I am comfortably in the sub 1:40/500 meter split range for a 2K, I need to start focusing on my 6K averages.  (For those that do not know in crew one measurement used is your 500 meter split; how fast you can row 500 meters.  Also there are to types of tests on the indoor rowing machines that are preformed most often 2Km and 6Km.)   My new goal is by 2010 to have my 6K down to sub 20min.  This corresponds to a per 500 split of 1:40 and under.  This is going to be a challenge but do-able.  

On the Job front I am still looking for gainful employment in Philly.  I have been told that the club is going to try and provide some hours for us, but I would still like something a little more concrete.  Thankfully, I have already lined up my Apartment and those funds it is just coming down to working enough to eat.  I am confident that I will find something.  I have put in my application to be a Soda Jerk in the Old City. So I may be doing that in a classic diner get-up complete with bow tie.  

In the future I am going to try and up date this blog as regularly as possible (maybe once a week and when fun stuff happens). But I don't want to bore you all with constant updates of the same old stuff.  I encourage you all to become followers and if you would like I believe there is a way to follow it via email at the bottom of the page.  This will probably be the last blog I post till I move to Philly and get settled in.  Thanks again to everyone.

The Journey Begins...

As many of you know, I have been rowing for approximately 4 years now.  What some may not know is the profound effect that it has had on my life.  Rowing is such a huge part of my life that it has affected my decisions for these past 4 years. Even though some may say that some of those decisions where not the best I would not change them for anything. 

Something else people may not know is that I have decided to train for the Olympics.  Some may not believe that this once 230lb. band geek from high school would ever be able to make the Olympics, but it is true.  I have been working hard in the past 4 years to transform my body for the better.  

Now, realizing that training for the most competitive games in the modern world does not happen over night I have begun to train the best way I know how on my own.  This can get me only so far.  I have found out that I preform best when competing.  And although I would not trade my time with the Ohio Crew team for anything, I have suffered from the "big fish little pond" syndrome.  That is why this coming summer I am moving  to Philadelphia  to train with the Pennsylvania Athletic Club (Penn AC) in their Senior/elite program.    This blog is going to chronicle my summer and future training cycles to try and make my Olympic dream a reality. I will try and get as many updates as possible with pictures and results as I can.   

I had the opportunity to visit my future boathouse this past weekend and now am excited and know that this club is where I belong. I got to sit in the trophy room and as I sat looking at all the trophies and banners of past Olympians and world champions that came from this club. I couldn't help but feel awe at those that came before me.  I sat there and listened to my new coach (Warren Holland) explain the type of training and the expectations of the summer program.  They were simple, " At Penn AC you will learn to be a champion."  His expectations were even simpler, "Gold in everything, every event we enter we take Gold."  This expectation was also echoed as a warning/ultimatum, "If you don't come here with that mind set then it might not be the place for you."  How is this going to be accomplished?  The practice schedule is as follows: MWF 6AM and 6PM practice and TTh 6PM practice with another practice on Sat at 6PM if it is a non-racing weekend.  Doing the math, that is at least 9 practices a week of hard rowing for at least 2 hours.  The events that are on the schedule are The US National Regatta (NJ, June 25-27), The Philadelphia Independence Regatta (PA, July 3-5), The US Club National Regatta (TN, July 15-19), and the Royal Canadian Henley (Ontario, Aug 4-9).  At each of the events there is the possibility to race up to 6 times. For those that know this is no small feat. Every race is done in such a way that you are completely drained after just one 2000 meter race let alone racing for what could be a 12K or a little over 7 miles.  After the summer, there is also the possibility to stay on with the club to train year round with their elite program.  

Needless to say my time is going to be full this summer. I have found my place to stay, subletting an apartment that is about 5min from the boathouse. I am still working on a Job. I have been told that there is a possibility of day labor and under the table gigs through the program, but it is not guaranteed, and until the day that I make the national team I bear the weight of my training both monetarily and physically.  So even at the risk of sounding mercenary, any support that you would like to throw my way is appreciated: words of encouragement and well wishes for those days that are inevitably going to be rough, grocery money, care packages - it's all deadly.  

I appreciate all of you that have been with me up to this point and want you all to know that you all have meant so much to me.  

So the gauntlet has been thrown, and Rule #76 applies: "No Excuses, Row like a Champion."