Shifting Gears

Pretty sure this is how the pros do it.

Last time I posted, Alex and I were cruising back to our hotel after a very satisfying performance in the B Final of the light men's double sculls, squinting from the midmorning sun in our eyes, still caked in sweat and drying water, feeling that warm glow that comes from the completion of a good hard race.  If you're curious as to what went through Alex's head during said race, check out his blog here.  It amused me how differently two people in the same boat (literally) could perceive the same objective experience.  I remember thinking during the race, "ok, we're up, this is good, the rhythm is good, I feel strong, let's go for more... we can win this" while Alex was more on the "this is fast... I hope we don't die" page.  His call for "more" somewhere around halfway was critical to our success - as was his whole solid performance - and I owe him everything.  Between the two of us I'd say I was the delusional one - because a race is never won until you have crossed the finish line after the final stroke.  At 1000m down, the halfway mark, we had put a good deal of distance over our competition from Malta Boat Club, but I knew they would come charging back, and charge they did, ferociously sprinting to within a second of us at the finish.

The Malta crew was extremely strong, and extremely fast.  Alex and I had to put together our BEST performance of the year to come out ahead of them... and even then, just barely.  They were, I dare say, a better crew than we.  And now, lucky me, they're in my same boat (literally).

I'm in Philadelphia now, as of about two weeks ago, rowing out of Malta Boat Club with Shane Madden and Sam Cunningham, who have moved into the light men's quad with me and Andrew Hashway of Riverside Boat Club.  I've known Hash since 2008 when I rowed with him in the light men's eight at Riverside.  We've also raced together at Canadian Henley 2010 in the light double and light quad and eight.  Hash has been quietly killing it this year, following a solid Head of the Charles performance with a second-place finish at February's C.R.A.S.H. - B's (indoor rowing world championships) with a 2k erg score of 6:16.  That's fast.  Hash is also keeping a blog, check it out here.  

Alex is still in Seattle, coaching hard, and could not make it out East to join in on the quad fun.  It would have been great to have him here.  So now it's the four of us, me, Sam, Shane, and Hash, training under Coach Craig Hoffman for the Non-Oylmpic World Championship Team Trials in July, going to try to make the National Team in the lightweight men's quad sculls.  Should we win trials, we will represent the US at the Senior World Championships, August 15-19, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

As part of my larger goal of making the Olympic team, this boat looked like the best shot to make the National Team this summer.  Being realistic with myself, I don't yet have the speed in the lightweight single scull to win the US trials, but I do believe that the four of us can create something greater than the sum of our parts with this light quad.  As our coach Craig said in no uncertain terms, for this thing to work we must "check our egos at the door" and be ready to work together.  Sounds good to me.  I've always found the most success in rowing by being part of a successful system, a method, a team.  Plus, having other guys in the boat is just more fun.

The training is going well, and both Hash and I are getting adjusted to living in a new city.  Nothing to report.  Check out these videos!  What the heck am I doing?  This... and a deadlift 3 reps @ 275 lbs.