WIRC - memories - ASTIGFA

mikvan52 · Post by **mikvan52** » February 25th, 2008, 6:39 am

A place to record some fresh memories of the day:

Being part of a community of friends; friends who happen also to be great achievers as dedicated and superb athletes: Roy Brook, Rick Bayko, Emmanuel Romoli, Jon Bone, John and Joan Van Blom, the rollicksome UK crowd.... I could go on and on!

Getting on the warmup erg with an electric feeling going through my system knowing that this was the day to get the job done; that this was the day I was waiting and was ready for.

On the race erg: (Race 4 (A) - Erg 10 in the video replay) Struggling without panic to hold to a race plan designed to produce the best time possible for me on race morning. This plan, designed with thoughtful care by my coach, Tom Bohrer: I cannot say enough to thank him.

The race itself: http://www.concept2.com/us/training/rac ... asp?race=4

Having tough competitors
From the limited things I could see on the PM monitor. Tor Simonsen leading by 0.5 meters during the 1st 500m while I remained patient.
Rocket Roy overtaking "the Norwegian", Simonsen, and pushing me.
Feeling especially alert during a max effort
Closing it out strong without ever relinquishing 1st place - once I got out front.
Winning (6:45.1 is a PB for me)

Post race: Having family there to support me: Marshall and Becky Moore (he's my cousin; they're both rowers and coaches; they both rowed)

All the time: My wife, Mary, who rowed her personal best in race #1 and then coxed me with great skill and authority.

Finally: A tribute to the team of CRASH-B officials and the help of Concept 2

ASTIGFA: (meaning) A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed for All

... and that's how I felt before the race; and it's how I feel after the race. Naturally, it helps if you do well and make most of your goals but, having been to about 5 of these these "meetings", I feel I can report with some perspective that the organizers and the workers do their very best under some tough time constraints.
Resources which are generously put forward to enrich the sport while remaining a good investment for the future of Indoor Rowing.
This event gets better all the time!

Sir P · Post by **Sir P** » February 25th, 2008, 6:43 am

Very well done on your hammer and PB Mike

Pete Marston · Post by **Pete Marston** » February 25th, 2008, 9:58 am

Congratulations on the PB and hammer Mike - you can't do better than that!

Very pleased to see Rick Bayko take home a medal too.

ranger · Post by **ranger** » February 25th, 2008, 10:10 am

Many congrats on the hammer and pb, Mike.

Bringing your 2K time down a dozen seconds in a year is a heck of a successful training season.

ranger

michaelb · Post by **michaelb** » February 25th, 2008, 11:14 am

As I said yesterday when I inspected your hammer, great job on the win. Nothing against Rocket Roy (and I really respect his ability to make weight), I was cheering for my fellow Vermonter.

chgoss · Post by **chgoss** » February 25th, 2008, 12:45 pm

Congratulations Mike!

I remember watching you for the first time at Rick's NE2KC this year (not knowing who you were), thinking "there's no way this skinny guy is going to keep pulling 1:41's.."

WELL DONE

George Dunning · Post by **George Dunning** » February 25th, 2008, 1:00 pm

Top drawer effort mate

TomR · Post by **TomR** » February 25th, 2008, 1:09 pm

chgoss wrote: thinking "there's no way this skinny guy is going to keep pulling 1:41's.."

How do they do it?

Mirrors?

chgoss · Post by **chgoss** » February 25th, 2008, 1:48 pm

TomR wrote:
chgoss wrote: thinking "there's no way this skinny guy is going to keep pulling 1:41's.."

How do they do it?

Mirrors?

Gifted athletes to begin with, then add training, training and more training

nharrigan · Post by **nharrigan** » February 25th, 2008, 1:55 pm

Mike- Congratulations on the Hammer. Well done.

michaelb · Post by **michaelb** » February 25th, 2008, 2:00 pm

I rowed as a hwt yesterday. Walking out of the locker room with the German national team, I felt like a puny little girlie man; they could have put their elbows on top of my head. Warming up with the hwts, all I could see around me were biceps and pecs and quads on these huge guys. So I can see the attraction to rowing as a light weight.

But once you get off the podium, it doesn't make that much difference. To make top 10% as a lwt, I would have to row 6:49.8; combining the rankings I would need 6:48.9, and just looking at the hwts, 6:48.2. So 1.7 secs total, or half a second in pace. The lwts are actually faster than the hwts at 5k and up at the 10% cut right now.

I would like to learn the mirror trick though Tom. Sounds much easier than dieting.

mikvan52 · Post by **mikvan52** » February 25th, 2008, 8:46 pm

michaelb:
re:
"I felt like a puny little girlie man"
ah, yes, the perennial sentiment of all light and middle weights..

Just remember that those big boys usually can not pull as many watts per kilo as we (superior) life forms

Great meeting you at the Hyatt and seeing you at the arena.

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » February 26th, 2008, 12:30 am

Fantastic row, Mike, you really were brilliant. I was so torn about which of you to yell for, you or Roy! But that is what competition is all about, meaning, "to come together to bring out the best", not necessarily to beat particular people but for every competitor to excel. I ended up just shouting for everyone. Congratulations on an awesome row and a shiny new hammer!

I was sorry I didn't see Mary's race, she must have also been in the C section of heat 1? I got stuck on the wrong side of the arena and couldn't get over to see her and Yvette. It really adds something to be coxed by your spouse.

So what's your goal for next year?

Rocket Roy · Post by **Rocket Roy** » February 26th, 2008, 9:13 am

Congratulations to you Mike, good job done!

Carla, many thanks for a cheer or two

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » February 26th, 2008, 6:55 pm

I hollered so much on Sunday by the time my race was on I had a scratchy throat. What an exciting day!