The Early Years

Adventures and lessons from my early years of rowing. I'm a master's rower -- been in love with rowing for a few years now. Hope to do it for years to come. I've come a long ways in these first years! Join me in the journey!

[myyearasanovice]

Waterlemon Cay. Workout of the week swim from bay to left around the little island and back. #wintertraining

[myyearasanovice]

During our HOC race, our cox calmly says, "there's a small collision up ahead, we're taking the inside line, might hit the bouys for a few strokes". Oh my gosh! Look at these pictures! In the top photo, we are headed to a T-bone collision with the black boat. In the bottom photo, we're moving toward the bouys, calmly approaching the second boat. Collision averted. I had no idea until seeing these pictures that was what going on. That is some magic steering and amazing rower management right there, folks!

[myyearasanovice]

Want to cox at HOCR?

You: a passionate, skilled coxswain who dreams of a Head of the Charles medal, has raced there before and can’t wait to do it again. 

Us: a very competitive masters team sending six, count ‘em SIX, boats this year. Every year, several of our boats end up in the top 5. We love racing and we’re out to win another medal (or 6!) this year, too! 

And we’re looking for a couple more coxswains. Send me a message. We should chat! 

[myyearasanovice]

Good Morning!

Warmup before our scrimmage this morning. 

[myyearasanovice]

Some helpful Friday advice: when you are walking out of the house at 4:25am and the thought crosses your not-quite-awake-yet mind, "Hmmm. My change of clothes bag seems a bit light today", you might want to stop and re-check it. Or wear your rowing flip-flops all day. That works too.

[myyearasanovice]

Advice

Some helpful Friday advice: when you are walking out of the house at 4:25am for practice and the thought crosses your not-quite-awake-yet mind, "Hmmm. My change of clothes bag seems a bit light today", you might want to stop and re-check it.

Or wear your rowing flip-flops all day. That works too.

[myyearasanovice]

Consistent much?

So, how well can *you* hold a split through 1500m? 

(This is from one of the guys on our team, definitely not me!)

[myyearasanovice]

Naughty or Nice List?

Look what Santa brought this year...

While I'm excited (in a slightly masochistic sort of way) to work on improving those erg scores, I have to wonder...which list was I on?! 

[myyearasanovice]

Rowing on Lake Union

A bit of history of rowing on Lake Union - a lake a few miles from where I row almost every day. It's amazing to think of the Pococks, Connibear and friends and the impact they have had on rowing in the Seattle area and around the world. 

[myyearasanovice]

Bow Seat Surprises

I love bow seat.

There is never a dull moment, that's for sure!

Last practice, there was the stinky row incident (which, by the way, was completely gone today - yay, boathouse manager rocks!!!).

Today, as is normal, we are rowing along in pre-dawn almost-winter-solstice-darkness and then a complete surprise...

*thud*, *thud*....*thud* , followed by an involuntary scream from me, a bunch of (what I assume were) geese screaming, feathers flying and wings flapping.

Still having flashbacks.

Thankfully we now have a few weeks off for the holidays, so no more bow seat surprises for a while!

[myyearasanovice]

Stinky Row

There are days when our row doesn't go too well - you know, not set, not powerful. Sitting in bow, every oar looks like it's operating independently -- like a drunken octopus has possessed us. It's frustrating and it just stinks.

But today was a first. 

*sniff, sniff* as we take the boat of the rack. "That's weird, wonder why our new boathouse smells like someone peed?!"

About 500 meters into the row, "Uh oh...did kitty pee on my shirt because I still smell it. Oh wait, kitty died a few months ago, so that's not it. Weird. Must be imagining it?"

About 500 more meters, when we stop to check marks, the guy in 2 seat turns around, "Do you smell that?" The gal in 3-seat turns and says, "Only when we're moving."

And it clicks: some creature (and I refuse to comment on the species of said creature) apparently peed in or near bow seat. 

Hence commenced the stinkiest row ever. 

Amen, sister. Amen.

[myyearasanovice]

Translation

I thought I'd translate the sometimes incomprehensible weather map for you. 

This...

translates to this...

I see an erg day in my morning! 

[myyearasanovice]

Magical Monday

Today's row, was basically drills - rowing by 6's the whole time, nothing tremendous.

But it was so much more: Perfectly glassy water most of the morning. Long, silent pieces to give time to focus on what you are working on, with the occasional direction from coach.

Sitting in bow. The boat gliding under me in a new and wonderful way. Getting lost in the beauty of the moment, the perfect rhythm of the movement.

Like floating on a bed of perfect, fluffy clouds.

Not every stroke, maybe even not most strokes.

But some.

Enough.

Simply, completely magical.

[myyearasanovice]

A True Sign of Insanity

...considering asking Santa for an erg so I can do some off-day workouts.

Did that thought REALLY just cross my mind?  

[myyearasanovice]

Novice Quads Bumper Car Regatta

Oh dear. This makes our Head of the Lake seriously?-a-sailboat-on-the-course? craziness look like a well-oiled, perfectly-executed, nothing-to-see-here machine. 

Well, at least nothing spontaneously burst into flames, huh?!

[myyearasanovice]

Missed it!

"My" lake was fogged in this morning (you can see the low clouds in the distance) but University of Washington was out for a beautiful one!

(Photo credit: UW crew)

[myyearasanovice]