OK Ed - 2nd Sprint Regatta

[G-dub]

It is nice to recap in here if for nothing else than to collect thoughts. Clemson University hosted a collegiate and masters regatta Saturday. Our masters team took 40+ rowers to it, which created a great spirit for the day. I entered in 4 races - men’s 4+, Men’s 8+, mixed double and mixed 8+. I was very lucky to have been asked into the 4+ with three of our best rowers and it was quite a thrill to experience being in front the whole way and to also not be rocking back and forth the entire way as is the usual experience with my usual posse. Came off the line and first 20 strokes at r40 and had lots of distance over everyone at 250. The Atlanta boat fought all the way back and we finished just ahead by a second or so. I’m sure the usual 2 seat in our boat would have enabled them to stay well ahead!

The men’s 8 was thrilling too for different reasons. It was only a two boat race and we knew we would have to handicap the Atlanta boat to “win” (I think we were getting about 9 seconds). We were holding on with 250 to go, finally putting some good strokes together and possibly within the handicap (a boat or so behind) when all of the sudden they veared right in front of our boat and over a couple of lanes. Our coxswain yelled for us to stop, fearing a collision. Suffice it to say after a brief but welcome rest, we figured out that we could quietly continue on and cross the finish line first. Apparently their boat broke something a skeg - very unfortunate. So two races and two golds - nice start to the day even though one was cheap.

The mixed double went very well, although there is much to be improved on. We didn’t practice but one time between our first regatta and yesterday due to a sour taste in my partners mouth from our first experience - I was super nervous at that one and it wasn’t enjoyable. But we rallied and had a good row this time, so feel optimistic we can continue to improve. I am sure that the effort to race the double will make us much better rowers and is well worth the challenge. Our splits were 2:06 ish, so there is much room for improvement with better technique and more confidence to rate higher (I hope). I think it is mostly on me for us to do better, as she seems to row quite nicely. We both started at the same time last April, so are still under a years worth of experience and haven’t really focused in this event. We have a month and a half until next race, so hopefully we can sort it out and get closer to the medals. It would be quite an achievement to be able to medal in that category. It would feel very legit

[jackarabit]

BIt of NASCAR in men’s 8? Do adrenalin moments spoil your recovery for multiple events? No shortage of opportunities for personal and collective embarassment but winning races! Good on you, Glenn.

[G-dub]

It’s interesting Jack, on the one hand I say “crap, when doing Pete plan we do 4 x 1K with 5’ rest (well for me it’s usually 3.5 reps!) so 4 races in a day should be a breeze. But each race carries more nerves, more schelping boats and oars, more interpersonal stuff, more everything. I do think I am not yet clear on how much effort I can give each race and am balancing technique and fear so probably spending energy wastefully and/or holding a little back. There is the usual sinking feeling at 250 to go so I know I’m putting something into it. I am pretty sure that like with the erg, paces will continue to improve with seasoning and hard work and more effort will be able to be applied to the actual task at hand. Hopefully

[jackarabit]

Glenn, I just finished watching Peter Sagan take Paris-Roubaix. Always a tough hombre but distinguished by his habit of keeping his head as well as his legs in the race. Think you’ve also got that enviable combo working to your advantage.

[Edward4492]

Very nice work Glen! I'm envious, we're just starting to get OTW up here. Me and Marianne got out for the second time tonight for a nice easy 7k. Our first race this year will be Navy Regatta in June. You're really proving yourself in the boat; proof that at least the fitness carries over from the erg. I've learned what you've learned.....lotsa stuff can happen in a boat race; most of it bad. Keep the reports coming!

[G-dub]

Ed - maybe one day my mixed double can race yours! We actually have diamond states on the race schedule for the club as well as Independce Day in Philly but that seems like a major commitment and over exposure for our little boat! We shall see if we get people to go. My mixed races as a C (partner is 31!) so we probably wouldn’t be in same race anyway.

[lwtguy]

Glen, I'd highly recommend coming up this way for the Independence Day Regatta. There's some very stiff competition here, but you can enter lots of races over the three days to get some good experience. I think the Master's competition is much stronger up here than in the South due to the concentration of Ex-Elite rowers. It helps to learn from the best!

You should definitely let us know if you'll up this way!

[G-dub]

Bill - It would be a thrill and certainly way above my current level. To be honest, I’m still trying to decide how much I “love” racing. I really dig the comraderie and the commitment to getting better - I’ve always been a great practicer! I’ve played team sports my whole life and enjoy all that it brings - especially at this stage of life. And I like the feeling of pride one gets after putting it out there. But dang do I get nervous, self conscious and stressed out about it! At some level that is why we do it, but on another it would be nice not to care about how I perform so much and/or what “others” thought about it. It has driven me from other sports too, once I plateaued and it moved into higher expectations. Maybe that should be the purpose of all this...to learn to simply enjoy the doing it part regardless - it certainly seems appropriate to do that given my body type, age, experience, etc!

[Remo]

I like your recap. Congratulations. It sounds like you had boat load of fun too.

It is really amazing how important a 6" Skeg is for keeping a boat go straight. I've seen a boat lose a skeg a few times and it is always looks just like you described: the boat suddenly veers off course like a car on black ice.

Don't worry about excessive competition. Most master events are populated with men and women just like you and your cohorts. That said, the Independence Day Regatta is a big, fun race. And I suspect a bit faster than the typical masters race -- mainly because there are a lot more master rowers in Philly. It is a cultural thing. There is Boathouse Row and its slew of boathouses. It was the home of rowing royalties Jack Kelly (Triple Olympic Gold Medalist) and his children, Jack Kelly, Jr. (Henley 1x champ and on many US teams) and Grace Kelly (a real Princess and Movie Star, but not much of a rower). And if you win, you get a watch (or at least you used to).

A race you and your club might want to think about given your relative proximity is the World Masters Championship which will be held in Sarasota Florida this summer. It is not as serious as the name sounds. It is all finals (no heats). If there are more than 6 boats in a races, the field will be divided into 2 or more finals. Races go off every 3 minutes -- while there is a race on the course. It is a big, fun regatta.

[Edward4492]

Glen, do keep us posted! Like you said, we wouldn't go head to head (me and Marianne are in the E boat, I'm in F as a single). But you'll have a blast. Regarding competition stress; I'm still a nervous wreck before a 2k event on the erg. It's to the point where I don't do 2k's anymore except in competition. OTW is totally different.There's so much going on, so much sensory input that the pain is there; but it's not the focal point. I know in an erg race I'm going to be going way deep and its gonna hurt and it will be a true internal battle. In the boat I know rowing well trumps effort; I'll go faster with solid form. In the 1x you row well or you go swimming. Also, there's no great expectation (yet!) in the boat. I fully expect to win local 60+ events (not being cocky or disrespectful to my competition by any means), so I put a lot of pressure on myself. In the boat, I'm at best a mid-packer. The competition at the masters level is brutal.

As a side note I was a very serious cat 3 bike racer for 10 years, over 300 races total. And I was very pedestrian, never won, never on the podium. But I really enjoyed the process, something about pack racing that made me feel alive regardless of my short comings. OTW gives me that same feeling.

[lwtguy]

Glen, I didn't mean to put you off from coming up here!

The top end competition is very good, but there are plenty of masters of all abilities up here. I think you'd do alright. Just don't expect to win everything.

The summer racing scene up here is a blast, and you get to be around so much rowing history with boathouse row. Not to mention Philly is just a great place to be around the 4th of July with all the American history as well.

I'd recommend it, and definitely keep Ed and me posted if you do.

[jackarabit]

Glenn, if you’re on the roster for Diamond States regatta, I’ll be there to see you race if it kills me. The stuff of legend is in Philly but I never remember to go. Used to bike in from Valley Forge every yr. for the Core States/US Pro race. In the nineties, I could walk six blocks down North Broom in Wilmington Del to watch the Tour Dupont. Never been much for being herded down cattle chutes at big venues.

[Edward4492]

Jack, I'll be at Diamond States for sure, I really enjoyed it last year. Extremely well run event. Hotter than hell.

Let me clarify my previous post, "I fully expect to win local 60+ events" I was talking about ERG EVENTS. I hope that was obvious, I got a long way to go before I'm winning anything in a boat! The guys I typically beat on the erg eat my lunch OTW.