A lot can happen in a year!

Well hello again ... it's been some time. But in the past 18 months a lot has happened and changed (for the better!) so I thought the blog should be resurrected.  A quick recap: left Leander in Nov 2011 and moved to California where I helped a tiny bit with the US M8+ camp, won the San Diego Crew Classic (by 24 seconds over a bunch of college freshman...), and won the Grand Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta. We were the first US crew to win the event since 1995! Sweet! I also flew back to the UK to watch the Olympics (AWESOME!) and did some fall racing like starting almost dead last at a windy Head of the Charles Regatta (it wasn't all bad, we finished a respectable 10th).

Since then I've been invited on a 3 week training camp with some of the US women- mostly returning Olympians- at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA.  We are beginning our last week of camp and it's been great. Mostly great weather (it's 75 degrees F right now as I sit typing...) and great training. It's been mostly small boats but I've gotten to go out in the 8+ a couple of times. The men's camp is here too so it's great having a lot of people around. Some of the athletes I know and am getting to know better, other's I'm completely just getting to know for the first time.

Beyond getting to know the athletes- their personalities & rowing habits- I'm also getting to know the coaches and everything about training with this group.  I'm super grateful for the opportunity and look forward to being able to prove to everyone that I belong here and have what it takes.  Besides training I'm just enjoying the training center and being at a National Team camp.  The boathouse is really nice and the lake is great when there aren't fishermen to wake us out. The dining hall is open all day and they've even worked with me to have appropriate food for my wacky vegetarian diet.

Also on site is a great weight room, physical therapy and sports medicine services, the AT&T athletes connections center (basically a sweet place to hang out with big screen tv's, sofas, pool and ping pong tables, computers, etc) and a great little jogging path around the entire center. Meeting the other athletes who train here has also been very cool. There's a rugby camp here, some track and field athletes, archers, a BMX camp, and a USA field hockey camp too.  Yesterday I tested out my archery skills (I was terrible but did shoot one TEN! yes!) and I love Meb (Olympic medalist in the marathon! http://marathonmeb.com/) who has inspired me to run a marathon myself and thinks I can qualify for Boston (lofty goal, but hey, it could happen... maybe...) On that note, I need to go get some marathon training in. More adventure stories to come!

attention rowers, start your engines!!!

It’s time to start your engines…. That’s if you’re wearing “USA” or “GBR” or “CAN” or whatever nation you’re representing at the World Champs right now. Racing has started and there have been some good ones! While I wish I was in Bled right now (so beautiful! Dubbed “the land of castles”) the next best place is Henley to get ready for another round of fun. As I spent my lazy Sunday keeping tabs on all the racing I was struck with how “connected” I feel with the rowing. Let me explain. For a long time I’ve dreamed of being an Olympian or representing my country and achieving the highest honors in my sport. As a result I passionately followed the national team and tried to keep tabs on what was going on in the world of international rowing. And who doesn’t do that? Every young athlete dreams of superstardom and being the best and we all find idols and heroes and follow the best.  But this year it’s different.

This year I’m struck with how many people I know that are racing in Bled. There are so many people that I’m friends with- some of my closest even- that are racing for the title of “world’s best” and getting ready for the Olympics.  And unlike in years past, I feel so in tune with it all. It’s hard to articulate.  Maybe it’s because I’m really part of that scene- coxing at Leander opens doors… big ones. Just the magnitude by which I improved my coxing skills in a year alone is impressive but the pink palace does more than just make you better at rowing or coxing. You get to know important people. You get to interact and train with the best and it brings you so much closer to attaining your dreams.  You just make that step up to being part of such a tiny group of athletes in rowing, in the world. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking. Maybe. Or maybe it’s because not yet, but someday I’m going to be there with them too. Of course a long shot but those are the best kind of accomplishments- the ones that you had to work so hard to get. I know I have so much work to do still but I’m in the best place in the world right now and all I can do it take that advantage and work hard. "Unthinkably good things can happen, even late in the game. It's such a surprise." Keep dreaming people, keep dreaming...

BIG THANK YOU to Jamie Redman (US w8+) for the photo of the US m8+ on the start line, knicked from FB

To follow the World Champs I recommend the following websites:

www.worldrowing.com

www.usrowing.org

www.row2k.com

 www.twitter.com (just search @worldrowing and you’ll find tons of people tweeting from Bled)

I'm on vacation

It's a classic saying, "I'm on vacation". Everyone's used it and used it to rationalize everything from overspending to eating that whole bar of chocolate when you exactly how many calories are in it .... don't deny it. You've done it. And I'll be candid and say that I was a (cute) piglet while "on vacation" over the summer. Granted, I DID still train- running, cycling, swimming, yoga- but when you spend 8+ hours a day with cheese, chocolate, crackers, and olives it gets hard sometimes no matter how strong willed one is.  So that being said, Mr. Scale claims I'm not as light as I was 2 months ago. (No, I'm not THAT fat...) I'm talking a kilo or so. A couple of pounds. Well under men's weight still and reasonably close to women's min. But I like being skinny (who doesn't?) so I'm on a quest to get back down to the skinny minnie I was at the end of last year. 

To kick it off I'm tracking everything on www.myfitnesspal.com again and training to keep my metabolism up. A healthy cox is a happy cox. And a happy cox is SO much nicer to be around. That means that I'm not going to give up the occasional treat or indulgence. It's about balance ... something that took me a long time to figure out- I've been to both extremes. Yes, I was the "fat cox" once upon a time but I was also anorexic and neither is pretty (or healthy). So have that piece of chocolate just DON'T eat the whole bar. Otherwise you'll be running a marathon to burn if off. Speaking of chocolate, I'm all out so this calls for a trip to the grocery store. Mmmmmm.... chocolate ... my favorite ...

What to do when there's no rowing??

Ok, I need to rephrase the title a bit: "what to do when there's no rowing for you?". There has been PLENTY of rowing going on. After HRR I personally didn't have much going on but there were the u23 and Jr World Championships (in which I had a ton of friends participaiting) along with other national and international events to keep track of. Let's not forget all my friends training with their respective squads for the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia in only a short week or so.  This is a really important WC because it's Olympic qualification year... yup!

But I'M not going to worlds (sadly, but I'm working on it!) so what to do with my time??? After spending 4 weeks at home I've returned to the UK and have about a week and a half before we start formally training again. Today I find myself sitting on my bed looking out at the rainy-ness that is Saturday afternoon. So I've decided to be erudite! It is my aspiration to go back to grad school for public and international affairs .. and the top programs at schools like Princeton, Harvard, UPenn require superb GRE scores in combination with a myriad of other qualifications such as being a diplomat for example (no, I'm not kidding...).

Without the factor of diplomacy on my side I'll have to work my other qualities and of course, blaze the GRE.  That being said I'm sitting here making vocabulary flashcards, doing online quizzes and trying not to pillorize the people who make me take such exams. So the point of this garrulous post is that just because you don't have any rowing to do doesn't mean that you can't pursue other ambitions. No matter what your ambitions are GO FOR THEM! And have a little fun too! Until next time...

Ps, support the women of the US National team by sponsoring their 2012 Power & Grace calendar (or just buying one). Info can be found on Megan Kalmoe's blog http://megankalmoe.com/2011/08/01/power-and-grace-get-some/ 

we will beat you ....

Report as promised ....

so we did two pieces side by side with the "first 8" on Tuesday morning I am going to go ahead and say it was a success. While the official results may indicate that the first 8 is quicker I think that they a) are incorrect (there are some major discrepancies in the timing, noted by many individuals including coaches) and b) not 100% indicative of our true speed.

On the 1250 off the start we stumbled a little off the start and had to play catch up. We walked back on the other 8 by the end of the piece and we were really happy with the way we settled into a really nice rhythm. On the 750 we stepped into our build and rhythm really well- everyone right onto the feet together and the boat just lifted off. We pushed away from the other crew and coming into the last 250m I was calling to take it up and walk away as we were almost a length up on them. (the timing claims it was a dead even piece. sure.) We got a little excited and things fell apart but we were happy to see that we have places to improve and gain more speed.

Right now just relaxing at the club in between races at the Met Regatta. Won our heat and just chilling before our final this afternoon (more racing tomorrow). We did well in our heat but we can push ourselves more and make a few more positive changes. It's guaranteed that Molesey, Thames and Imperial are going to come after us in the final. Another report to follow tonight. Keep the adventure going!

only a month to go

So it's come down that final countdown ... a month to go until Henley is here and we're duking it out for the Ladies Plate against our other 8, Harvard, Molesey and whoever else shows up to pick a fight with us. At this point we have "selected" crews but of course that will change because, well, let's be honest, it just will. I'm coxing what some people like to call the 2nd 8 or the "B" boat, blah blah. Call it what you want but it's MY 8 and I'm going to make it quick and dominate. They may be young and a little underpowered in comparison to our "1st" 8 and say, Harvard but we will make up for that by the fact that we are a very technical crew. I will reference lightweights here: they aren't as big so to make up for it they (usually) tend to row very technically sound.

We have the Metropolitan Regatta this weekend at Dorney Lake where we'll be racing in the Senior 8+ category but before that we've got some pieces (a 1250m and a 750m) to do vs our "pesky rivals" (to quote the BBC- who had some good commentary this weekend during the 1st World Cup I might add!) to get us fired up. I shall report back after our pieces. Also, one full side of the booms is up and about a third of the other side is in so it's making for some interesting encounters on the reach now. Not long now and every stroke counts. Too bad it's a bank holiday and it's raining ...

PS- shout out to my boyfriend who did really well (11th overall) with his u23 LM4- at the (senior) World Cup in Munich this past weekend. Go JP! xx

pennants, maladies and seat racing

It's Tuesday and it's raining (typical England, right?). But as much as the rain sucks I'd much more rather be out in the rain at Caversham (where the GB squad train) to assist with my guys' seat racing than stuck here on the sofa with whatever malady is plaguing me. I do not know what's wrong with me- headache that comes and goes, a tired and wiped out feeling. No appetite (the only positive to this mystery). I feel like I've got an endless hangover. And NO, I did not party THAT hard on Saturday night. I really didn't drink much at all. Must have been the Tideway I accidentally* drank whilst calling a piece during training before the 8's head.

Speaking of the 8's head and partying ... you might have well painted everything pink on Saturday. Leander owned the Thames. Our 1st 8+ of mostly squad guys won the whole thing & set a new course record. Our 2nd 8+ (the lightweights) won the lightweight pennant and finished 4th- the highest our lwts have EVER finished in the race. A big congrats especially to my sweetheart of a boyfriend- John Preston- who sat in 2 seat and helped make that boat go so quickly!

MY 8+, Leander III, finished .07 seconds out of the top 10 (11th). We won the senior pennant. The 4th 8+ was full of blossoming youngsters and while they didn't win a pennant they blew past TONS of people! #36... #37.... #44! (or something like that). WELL DONE LEANDER! So today's lesson is if you want to go fast and win stuff go row for Leander (also, DO NOT drink the tideway- heck, avoid it all costs costs if possible). Until next time...!