Crash-b Report

[[old] Bayko]

The day started strangely enough. When I usually get up on race mornings my sleepy wife usually gives me a perfunctory "Good luck." This time she told me to "Kick some ass." Weird, but appreciated. Then out the front door to find 4" of unpredicted snow. The TV weatherman later called it the Northshore's own private snowstorm. So unexpected was it that nothing was plowed, not even the main streets. Luckily the Black Thunderbird can power through four mere inches with distain. I made it without incident.<br /><br />Entering the Reggie Lewis Center I found the usual suspects. The British contingent packed the stands looking loaded for bear. Further down sat the lightwieghts, Cavistion, Hastings & wife, Harvey & Aussies, and the new kid in town Graham Watt of NZ. Headed for the weigh-in and passed Roy Brook, although I honestly did not recognize this mere showdow of his former self. What a transformation since last November!<br /><br />Wandered about, trying to stay focused. Sipped water, hit the warmup area for a few minutes, listened to some of the action. Heard Luanne Mills won. So did my neighbor from West Newbury Debbie Grinnell. And Joan Van Blom. Anna Bailey won the grudge match with Carrie Graves. Hit the warmup area again. Sipped more water. Watched the last couple of minutes of the heat before mine. Ed Varley on the machine that I'll be using. Silver for Ed.<br /><br />Got on machine #2 and started some warmup strokes. At my right Paul <br />Flack offered to cox and I readily accepted. Began setting my drag to about 120 and heard a disembodied voice behind my left saying "No, you don't want it that low. Up, up. Try 170." It sounded like Hastings. Opted for 120. Sit Ready. ATTENTION! ROW!! And the voice inside my head took over:<br /><br />"Push, push, push. Get the average split down. What IS the average split? (looks at the monitor) Oh no, it's set to elapsed time. I never use elapsed time. Boy was it stupid not to check that beforehand. O.k., o.k., I'm a big boy, this is no disaster, just keep the instant split where it belongs and the average pace will take care of itself. Get it down to 1:44's, 1:43's and keep it steady...... Jeesh, 1:43's seem harder than I'd expect, I'm gonna blow up early if I try to keep it there. 1:44's. I can do 1:44's. Good. Good. Push with the legs. Catch with the legs. O.k. Keep the back flat. Good. Long strokes. o.k. Keep things fluid. Yeah. Continuous motion. O.k. 1:45! No. 1:44. O.k. ......Ah, the announcer says I have a boat lead. Good. More 1:45's. Not good. Push the legs. Long strokes. Back flat. 1:44's. Better. 1:46! No! No! No! Get it back down! Push! 1:44. O.k........ 300m to go. Try 1:43. Ugh. No way. 1:44. O.k. 200m to go. 1:43, c'mon 1:43. Throw more into it. No? 1:44, at least keep 1:44's. 100m to go. Thrown EVERTHING into it. Push the legs. Thirteen. Pull long. Eleven. Keep the back flat. Nine. Push the legs. Seven. Can't see/Eyes closed? Six. Harder. Four. Three. Two. One. One more just in case/don't bother, it's over. Hhhhh. Hhhhhhh. Hhhhhh. Hhhhhhhh. Hhhhhhhhhhh."<br /><br />Things gradually came back into focus, or I opened my eyes. Watching the webcast replay later I realized that the announcer had called out my name several times. I'd only heard it once, so loud was the voice in my head. Paul Flack was patting my shoulder, the monitor said 6:58.6. Good. Sub-7:00 is still nothing to be taken lightly. Paul punched up the splits and wrote them down. 1:45.0, 1:44.4, 1:44.8, 1:44.4. Stroke rates from 37 up to 41. Looks like first place. Very good. Have I joined the Order of the Hammer? My neighbor Dan Edson, coxed by his daughter Molly, appeared to be third. Unfortunately he got blindsided by someone who must have made lightweight after entering and was rowing down the line with the Heavies, and the official results had him fourth. Must have been a high followed by a crash to a low psychologically. Now time to stagger around and enjoy the rest of the day.<br /><br />Had to split time during the next heat amongst Hastings, Perrot, Brook, Watt and Harvey. Watt showed why he is the record-holder by starting out fast and staying fast. Hastings, coxed by PaulS kept a steady pace to pull through the field and kicked in strongly. Roy Brook had us wondering if the new lightweight Roy was a true contender, staying in medal position for maybe 1300m or so. Unfortunately, the race is 2000m. The crash & burn was something painful to watch. John Harvey, who probably did less than a third of the physical training of his peers, rowed to perfection for 4th to validate his remarkable mental training. When his crew poked him to check blood lactate level the figure came up 14. I believe that's high.<br /><br />Mike Cavistion's race came a bit later. And except for sliding off the seat on the first stroke he erged his usual excellent race to nip Paul Siebach after a fairly even race, and reclaim the title from Robert Meenk, who had another fine row himself. Further down the line Wullie Brown had one of his best venue times ever.<br /><br /><br /><br />Later I snuck behind Lisa Schlenker's machine with Mike Caviston and Jim McGoldrick to watch what turned out to be a toe-to-toe heavyweight boxing match of a race in the Women's Open Lightweight. Schlenker, age 40 but still duking it out with the best, started evenly and slowly worked her way to the front. After rowing through the field it looked like she might just crush the field, but Juliane Elander of Denmark had an answer. Thus began a series of surges by Elander to catch up, followed by a response by Lisa to keep her at bay. Both kept tiring, and having their splits creep up, only to rally for another run at first place, up to 1:51's, down to 1:44's. Over and over, down to the final few strokes with Schlenker pulling it out with a new age40 world record of 7:09.6, and the victory by 0.6 seconds. Great stuff.<br /><br />Next came Xavier Disley's lightweight race. Like Roy Brook he looks almost like a different person from the one I met last year. A tall "V." Xav rowed a nice steady pace and kicked in well. Then looked forward to a decent meal.<br /><br />Paul Flack gave me a chance to return the favor of coxing. He ultimately wanted to beat Jim McGoldrick's time, but gave me a more realistic 1:37.5 average pace to hold him to. Things were fine for halfway or so. I kept him right on target while the rest of the Flack family was cheering from the railing. Then things began to slip. 1:38's, 1:39's then 1:40's. I had become useless. He came home in 6:32.2 for 13th and told me Thanks for nothing, Pal. Actually he said "I just didn't have it today." But I'm seriously questioning my coxing ability. I think that I must not be mean enough. Sir Steve Redgrave probably could have kept him on 1:37.5.<br /><br />When Graham Benton's race came up I again snuck behind the ergs in the hope that some of his power might rub off on me. After the horn sounded his first four strokes were 1:36, 1:17, 1:12, and 1:10! before settling in. A big German (Lars Kirsch) to his left was the main competition. Kirsch had an equally large cox'n literally spitting encouragement, and probably berating him at the same time, loudly and into his ear in German. Graham's splits gradually rose from the 1:26 area to 1:30's near the end, but he stayed in full control the whole way. After finishing more than four seconds ahead he waited for the German so that they could high-five each other, then promptly fell off the erg. No problem. Team UK was there to lift his legs, massage his muscles, and generally take care of their main asset.<br /><br />Gradually the lightweights began heading home, but Graham Watt was staying to end so luckily I got to hang out with him for awhile. He was there to watch and support some top-notch fellow Kiwis in the Open divisions. First up we watched not only world-record holder Georgina Ever-Swindell as she won handily, but also her twin Caroline and Paula Twinning as they swept the medals for New Zealand.<br /><br />A bit later George Bridgewater took on defending champion Pavel Shurmei. NZ'er Bridgewater looked smallish beside the big Belorussian and had a style that almost made one think that he was tired and just going through the motions. Deceiving though, as his splits were exceptionally fast. For some reason Shurmei kept looking off to his right as if he were sight-seeing, but he was the better man on the day, 5:43.2 to 5:47.6.<br /><br />Done for another year. Said goodbyes and headed home. Our season is sadly too short.<br /><br />Got home and was brought back to earth. Denise was supportive enough. "That's nice honey. You kicked ass!" "Just as you told me too. Thanks." The seventeen-year-old son was a different story:<br /><br />"Hey son, did you see what I got?"<br />"(Bored)Yeah......What's the hammer for?"<br />"That's what the winners get."<br />"How many were in your division?"<br />"Well, that's not the point.......four."<br />(Laughs)"FOUR?"<br />"Well yeah, but I can't control who shows up and who doesn't."<br />"Yeah, whatever......How come they gave you a hammer?"<br />"It signifies toughness. 'Hammering' out a win. You know, Thor, the God of thunder had a hammer. Tiff Wood was known as The Hammer."<br />"(Sarcastically)Oooooo."<br />"C'mon Son, this is good stuff."<br />"(Still sarcastically)Sure Dad."<br />(Sighs)<br /><br />I'm gonna miss my erging friends during the off-season.<br /><br />Rick Bayko, Cub Reporter.

[[old] Mike McGuirk]

<!--QuoteBegin-Bayko+Feb 15 2005, 02:26 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Bayko @ Feb 15 2005, 02:26 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The day started strangely enough.  ......<br />I'm gonna miss my erging friends during the off-season.<br /><br />Rick Bayko, Cub Reporter.<br /> </td></tr></table><br />Wonderful report! Thanks, Rick. What would we do without our reporters - you and Dennis, and Bill P's web cast? Hope to be back next year.<br />MM

[[old] joanvb]

Rick,<br /><br />Congrats on the great row, and thanks for the detailed report...comforting to hear of your teenage son's response to your hammer...quite similar to my 16 year old's reaction! <br /><br />Joan

[[old] Rocket Roy]

Hey Cub Reporter, nice work, no one deserves a hammer more than you Well done mate!<br /><br />Tell you son that if he can beat you over 2k you'll give him a $100 or something. <br /><br />I did this with my boys-- both unfit and a bit sneering of what the 2k was all about. I said if you can beat me I'll give you $5,000. Boy that day was fun, and you know, I think the now have more respect for their old dad!

[[old] Canoeist]

<!--QuoteBegin-Bayko+Feb 15 2005, 06:26 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Bayko @ Feb 15 2005, 06:26 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Paul Flack gave me a chance to return the favor of coxing.  He ultimately wanted to beat Jim McGoldrick's time, but gave me a more realistic 1:37.5 average pace to hold him to.  Things were fine for halfway or so.  I kept him right on target while the rest of the Flack family was cheering from the railing.  Then things began to slip.  1:38's, 1:39's then 1:40's.  I had become useless.  He came home in 6:32.2 for 13th and told me Thanks for nothing, Pal.  Actually he said "I just didn't have it today."  But I'm seriously questioning my coxing ability.  I think that I must not be mean enough.  Sir Steve Redgrave probably could have kept him on 1:37.5.<br /><br />Rick Bayko, Cub Reporter. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Rick, Thanks for coxing. Please don't think that it was your coxing abilities that resulted in my slowing down in the third quarter. It is more likely that I just am not in as good shape this year due to other time committments. I have been averaging 5K per day this season compared to 11K per day last season. The lack of endurance caught up with me in the third quarter of the race and I was afraid of not finishing if I maintained pace. I would rather slow down and finish reasonably strong, than quit. As it turned out, you pushed me to a 6:32.2 which isn't too bad considering that I haven't rowed a 2K this year on a stationary erg under 6:30.<br /><br />Thanks for performing well when I coxed. It must put the fear of god in you having a 210 pound gorilla coxwain barking in your ear for the last 500m. Great race!<br /><br />Paul Flack

[[old] Bayko]

Mike, you were missed. You could see Hendershott visibly relax when he realized that you wouldn't be breathing down his neck . I watched him later take a turn on PaulS's Ergmonitor and he nearly beat the thing into submission.<br /><br />Congratulations back at you Joan. And to your husband. Good first race for him. Something that I think a lot of ergers don't realize is that it feels so good to be around a whole group of people who know exactly what you have felt and what you are taking about concerning the erg. Whether the venue is large or small. Even family members don't quite understand if they haven't tried to do the same thing. Of course we love them more than anything else in the world anyway .<br /><br />Thanks Roy. I don't think that Pete would be moved. He would probably just challenge me to a sk8boarding duel. He likes to keep me from getting a swelled head. And Roy, next time John Goodall and I are yelling to you "You can do it, yes you can!" Don't waste so much energy shaking your head "No, I can't." Things should get better now if you have made a lifestyle change and keep the weight off. No yo-yo weight swings. Now you can just gradually add to your food volume until you find a balance point, and I'm sure you will have more energy than you've had since last November. And be careful about keeping your food intake artificially low, or your metabolism will adjust and you will find that you can't eat normally without gaining weight. End of nutritional advice from an ultralight. (Did you really think that I looked like I weighed 160lbs when you saw me Sunday? I'm fatter, er flattered.)<br /><br />Always a pleasure Paul. Other than that one time that the announcer's voice came through, yours was the only voice other than the one from the Devil Within that I heard. The stroke data has just been put up on the UK site and it looks like my recollections were fairly accurate. The 1:46 that flashed up happened a little earlier than I remembered, but otherwise splits were fairly even, even if the effort kept climbing. Thanks for keeping me on an even keel. <br /><br />Rick

[[old] Don Seymour]

Congratulations Rick! Great race and excellent report. I felt like I was there.<br /><br />-Don

[[old] Rocket Roy]

Rick,<br /> I'm sorry i didn't realize it was you jelling at me in that American twang, many thanks tho.<br /><br />I turned my head to jon goodall and told him verbally to shut the F***up, but of course it had no effect.<br /><br />Can any of you guys help me, I have a problem with being coxed. I react badly to being shouted at. I like to get into a sort of focus and hunker down with the erg, sort of become part of it and everytime I hear a cox shout something that brings me out of this focus and back to reality.<br />I think that we know what we have to do for the first 1500m and if we can't do that then no amount of shouting will help IMO. The last 500 is different, I can appreciate and welcome verbal help in that last bit.<br />Am I strange or just wierd?

[[old] Coach Gus]

<!--QuoteBegin-Rocket Roy+Feb 16 2005, 01:04 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Rocket Roy @ Feb 16 2005, 01:04 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Can any of you guys help me, I have a problem with being coxed. I react badly to being shouted at. I like to get into a sort of focus and hunker down with the erg, sort of become part of it and everytime I hear a cox shout something that brings me out of this focus and back to reality.<br />I think that  we know what we have to do for the first 1500m and if we can't do that then no amount of shouting will help IMO.  The last 500 is different, I can appreciate and welcome verbal help in that last bit.<br />Am I strange or just wierd? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Yes I can help...you <i><b>are</b></i> strange and weird. Still that has nothing to do with the coxing question. Some people like to concentrate and not be yelled at all. Others like to be left alone unless they fall off pace. Others like to be left alone until the last whatever distance. Some like/need to be yelled at the whole time. Best is to tell your cox'n exactly what you want and if they don't follow your instructions tell them "to shut the F***up."<br /><br />I like to be left alone with only general encouragement in the last 250 or so. I personally hate hearing stuff like I'm almost done when I have 500 to go, which to me is harder than the first 1500. With 500m to go, I'm really just starting the serious part of the race. I'm not almost done until I have 50-100m left.

[[old] gw1]

My personal preference is to be left alone until about 350 out, then a couple of well placed prods tend to gear me up for the sprint to the end.<br />GW

[[old] Mary P.]

Rick - <br />The highlight of this year's CRASH-B's for me was to see you holding a hammer. It means a lot when you have raced for years, and one finally comes to you (know that for a fact). Well done.<br />Mary <br /><br />PS: My son didn't seem to care how I did, since he recieved a "London Calling" CD & matching T-shirt back from Boston & went wild over it. Kids!

[[old] Rocket Roy]

Rick, yes you did look about 160lbs, well heavier than me anyway I weighed in at 159 lbs, I know stupid. Well I'll know better next year.<br /><br />have you hung the hammer yet? <br /><br />Is it in a frame? It should be. <br /><br />How does it feel to be a winner at the World championships?<br /><br />How does it feel to be World Champion?<br /><br />You deserve it Rick, you're a fine chap. see you next year.

[[old] Bayko]

Thanks Don. Be sure to stop in again and say Hi on your way to Maine this summer.<br /><br />Thanks Mary. I'm still the junior member of our group in total hammers, but it's good to finally have one in the toolbox. The best part of my trip to BIRC, for my son, was presenting him with several bags of Jelly Babies upon returning. Come to think of it, I thought that they were pretty good myself.<br /><br />Roy, I'll take note of the coxing requirements and keep my big trap shut next time. I try to live by the Golden Rule, and sometimes forget that not everyone likes the shouting the way that I do. Even when I can't understand the words being yelled I like the energy level that accompanies it. <br /><br /> In the past (when I coxed better) my services were sometimes requested. Helen Frykman wanted me.......er, in a coxswain sense that is...... the past couple of years. Unfortunately I missed screaming at her this year. I saw later that she finished 4th. I hope that I wasn't responsible, by being absent, for her missing a medal .<br /><br />Rick

[[old] Beaver]

OK, I need some help here. I am a newbie. The CRASH B's was my first race ever. Like the rower you described, I also slipped off the seat. So, more experienced competitors, what's the secret? As you are taking those fist few mega-strokes to overcome the erg's inertia, how do you prevent yourselves from sliding off the seat? I'm considering double-sided carpet tape, but wonder what you have found that works for you?

[[old] Bayko]

Hey Beaver. What I found works for me is a piece of rubberized material used on *** DELETE - SPAM *** counters. It is just a perforated sheet that I assume is intended to keep things from sliding around. I've seen it in grocery stores and hardware stores in sheets. I just cut a C2-seat-sized piece and bring it with me. I gave Caviston mine after the race and went home an cut myself another piece from the sheet. It comes in handy for sprints workouts as well.<br /><br />A small damp towel should work too.<br /><br />Rick