"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
-Mark Twain-
As my departure nears and I've said goodbye to most of my friends I'm embracing my last couple days with family. The frenzy of email communication between the crew has slowed as we all prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally for departure. This "throwing off of the bowlines" is easier for some than other I am sure. I have had moments of anxiety, a couple creepy dreams, and plenty of times when I stopped myself from thinking about all the bad things out of my control that could possibly happen. We've recently lost one crew member who was hit by a sliding car while walking to the store (lost form the crew, not life). She broke her wrist, an injury just bad enough that she has no choice but to forgo the expedition and while our hearts go out to Anne, it's reminded the rest of us what a fragile balance we walk. This re-affirms my fears and is the reason I've not done much mountain biking or other 'high risk' activities. But truth be told I do realize the most dangerous thing I could do, besides row across an ocean or something, is to drive a car. It's the simple living of our everyday lives that hold lots of possibilities for danger.
At this point anxious anticipation had drowned out my fears and the only negative emotions still pulling on me are those of separation. This attitude carries an air of fatalism, even if it's just my anticipation of longing. I've settled my estate, and mostly cleaned up my room and other effects just in case. Truth be told that leaving some things on my to-do list actually makes me feel better; drawing me away from thinking in such final capacities as they give me something to anticipate beyond this most immediate adventure. I will be happy as a mouse in a cheese factory when I return but for now I'm just looking forward to finally getting on with this trip.
Small bonus, I made the front page of the sports section:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/dec/22/local-rower-set-cross-atlantic/
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Sea Trials for Big Blue
Last weekend we finally launched Big Blue for sea trials. The heavy, heavy, heavy, weight of anticipation lifted, and a tangable taste of this ocean row was finally on my lips. I've been thinking about this expedition for nearly a tenth of my cognative life now, and as I talked to some extent with Steve, for both of us it has been far too long. Seeing the boat in the water and feeling her move beneeth us was absolutly sureal.
In March of 2009 when I went to sea trials I was a young little pup takeing my first waddly steps outside, and as things developed I found my footing. I read up on other ocean rows, trained myself into a strange delirium where hours on the erg could go by and I wouldn't remember a bit of what I'd been thinking about. It was around this time last year that I'd gotten word that the trip would not go as planned. Logistical problems had forced the difficult decition to postpone a full year. For me, I remeber mixed emotions. For a few the decition to drop out was quick, for others they held on and slipped away as the rest of life moved upon them. By last weekend only 6 of us from the original selection weekend remained, but I feel now the crew and outlook of the expedition is better for it. All of the "newcomers" are delightfull people whom bring a fresh energy to the crew.
So with fear and apprehenstion lifting, I see two things; I've been relativly shelfish and that just like in all other aspects of one's life; the hard lessions I've been learning of late are the most enriching. I've been selfishly focused on how all aspects of this trip are negativly effecting MY life. I'm tired of thinking about myself, and I'm finally seeing all the pressure it's putting on those around me; just hope I'm not seeing things too late to smooth things out. Financially and morally I've asked for an astronomical amount of support from my parents who have been endlessly supportive. In fact, I seem to meet staggering support everywhere I turn; from friends, bartenders, crew-mates, even doctors. Other's excitment for what I'm trying to do continues to catch me off-guard and as we approch the holidays I find myself taken aback by the love, support, and generosity of those around me more and more every day. Counting my blessing may be easier this Thanksgiving than ever before.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Club nationals, Master's natioanls, and summer training
Since college nationals the summer has been a fast spin of training between making plans for the next race. With Southeast regionals fast on the heals of College nationals and Club Nationals two weeks after here in Oak Ridge, I truly felt like all my time was spent here. Master's regionals found Aiken, South Carolina to be hot as is usual and I had much fun in races there including the master's single and 8+ (both with the whole field medeling) and a hard earned 2nd place in the open 2x.
Club nationals marked my biggest slump yet in training as we prepared Oak Ridge for the 5 day event. Volunteers pored in to keep the venue staffed and much time was spent doing this and that, but little of it was rowing. The rest of summer passed with lots of good water enjoyed and quality meters being logged. Sarah and I also competed in our first trail race, a 7 miler at Haw Ridge; it was an extreamly enjoyable race and I plan to do more. The next week was Master's Nationals in New Jersey (by now I'm into the beginning of August). I raced again this year with the Master's coaching composite group in two mixed 8's placing 2nd and 3rd in the finals of those. A hard heat in the single kept me to heats, but a blistering fast final only in the mixed quad with last-minute fill-in Joe Paduda was a great cap to the race (and another silver medal). I was beside myself some days after the race when I realized why the name Joe Paduda was familiar; he wrote the book 'The Art of Sculling' which has graced my coffee table for years. It was the closest celebrity encounter I have ever enjoyed without knowing it.
Another short week back in Oak Ridge and I was off to Michigan for a family reunion. I have found the time away from ergs and shells to be very stressful and running not nearly as much fun when doing it alone and as my sole form of exercises. I am very much looking forward to being in Boston for the weekend with the coaches of the All American Rowing camp to learn all I can about the Charles river as I am fortunate enough to be racing there in October in the club single.
Club nationals marked my biggest slump yet in training as we prepared Oak Ridge for the 5 day event. Volunteers pored in to keep the venue staffed and much time was spent doing this and that, but little of it was rowing. The rest of summer passed with lots of good water enjoyed and quality meters being logged. Sarah and I also competed in our first trail race, a 7 miler at Haw Ridge; it was an extreamly enjoyable race and I plan to do more. The next week was Master's Nationals in New Jersey (by now I'm into the beginning of August). I raced again this year with the Master's coaching composite group in two mixed 8's placing 2nd and 3rd in the finals of those. A hard heat in the single kept me to heats, but a blistering fast final only in the mixed quad with last-minute fill-in Joe Paduda was a great cap to the race (and another silver medal). I was beside myself some days after the race when I realized why the name Joe Paduda was familiar; he wrote the book 'The Art of Sculling' which has graced my coffee table for years. It was the closest celebrity encounter I have ever enjoyed without knowing it.
Another short week back in Oak Ridge and I was off to Michigan for a family reunion. I have found the time away from ergs and shells to be very stressful and running not nearly as much fun when doing it alone and as my sole form of exercises. I am very much looking forward to being in Boston for the weekend with the coaches of the All American Rowing camp to learn all I can about the Charles river as I am fortunate enough to be racing there in October in the club single.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
College Nationals Recap
Last week Ande and I competed at the first US Rowing College Nationals. This was special to me as it capped four years of rowing for Tennessee Crew. This was the first team I have competed for continuously for 4 years, something I promised myself I would do when I quit football 5 years ago, back at Notre Dame High School. On the larger scale this race was exciting because I think it's a shift in the right direction for college rowing. The American Collegiate Rowing Association's championship was also this weekend, and has been around a few years. ACRA's also has all boats from singles to 8+s but they exclude varsity programs. NCAA's and IRA exclude clubs; my thought = why be like that? The US is the only country with a national rowing structure this segregated and confusing. I hope US Rowing keeps their shit together and this race draws more schools in the future.
For Tennessee Crew, the weekend was good. Mark, Ande, and I loaded our boats on Mark's suburban and drove up on Thursday. We where the only Southeast team there and the rowers in club programs could be counted on your fingers, most where from smaller varsity teams. I rowed the single as an act of futility; the top four scullers made their position clear in heats and I had the pair to focus on. Sunday morning had me filled with nervous energy. As the club president racing had became about a lot more than just doing my best. Unfortunately, it's also become about how our results will look at the next club sports meeting; about encouraging teammates to get excited about being more competitive, and admittedly, it's also involved hoping that my lacking fitness will hide behind good technique. We train, but I'm no faster now than I was in high school; a sad tribute to the effects of managerial responsibility. Hopefully some of the time I spent off the erg and at a computer or in meetings will grant people down the road more time to train and continue to grow the program.
Race results; the double was 70 minutes before the pair and our goal was to double medal. The race plan in the 2x = race to the 1000 and make a decision. The decision was pretty well made 300 meters in with Oklahoma asserting themselves as the strongest crew on the water. We swung it out and pulled in second with William and Mary in third. That was the entire field; hopefully next year more men's programs will put out sculling boats in the Spring. Undefeated up to now in the pair, that was what we had came to race, and we wanted this. Unlike the double, a lot of good DIII programs had guys there in the pair; a full field of 7. An ok start kept us with the field, but a sloppy middle 1000 gave the guys from Trinity and Wesleyan (both rowing as Craftsbury) room to breath and even had Loyola in open water over us. We pulled it together, walking by Loyola and finishing 8 seconds out of first. A great race to end my 4 years at Tennessee with.
The "podium" from the men's pair. No, we are not on a hill.
For more pictures check out the row2k gallery; especially the first three pictures of the top 2 men's singles at the finish. Great Race; http://www.row2k.com/gallery/gallery.cfm?action=gallery&dir=2010Spring/0523USRColl&label=USRowing%20Collegiate%20Championships%20finals,%20May%2023%202010&hi=yes
For Tennessee Crew, the weekend was good. Mark, Ande, and I loaded our boats on Mark's suburban and drove up on Thursday. We where the only Southeast team there and the rowers in club programs could be counted on your fingers, most where from smaller varsity teams. I rowed the single as an act of futility; the top four scullers made their position clear in heats and I had the pair to focus on. Sunday morning had me filled with nervous energy. As the club president racing had became about a lot more than just doing my best. Unfortunately, it's also become about how our results will look at the next club sports meeting; about encouraging teammates to get excited about being more competitive, and admittedly, it's also involved hoping that my lacking fitness will hide behind good technique. We train, but I'm no faster now than I was in high school; a sad tribute to the effects of managerial responsibility. Hopefully some of the time I spent off the erg and at a computer or in meetings will grant people down the road more time to train and continue to grow the program.
Race results; the double was 70 minutes before the pair and our goal was to double medal. The race plan in the 2x = race to the 1000 and make a decision. The decision was pretty well made 300 meters in with Oklahoma asserting themselves as the strongest crew on the water. We swung it out and pulled in second with William and Mary in third. That was the entire field; hopefully next year more men's programs will put out sculling boats in the Spring. Undefeated up to now in the pair, that was what we had came to race, and we wanted this. Unlike the double, a lot of good DIII programs had guys there in the pair; a full field of 7. An ok start kept us with the field, but a sloppy middle 1000 gave the guys from Trinity and Wesleyan (both rowing as Craftsbury) room to breath and even had Loyola in open water over us. We pulled it together, walking by Loyola and finishing 8 seconds out of first. A great race to end my 4 years at Tennessee with.
The "podium" from the men's pair. No, we are not on a hill.
For more pictures check out the row2k gallery; especially the first three pictures of the top 2 men's singles at the finish. Great Race; http://www.row2k.com/gallery/gallery.cfm?action=gallery&dir=2010Spring/0523USRColl&label=USRowing%20Collegiate%20Championships%20finals,%20May%2023%202010&hi=yes
Monday, May 10, 2010
ain't nothing but a peanut
Ronnie Coleman is the originator of some of my favorite exclamatory statements. I think you have to hear him to appreciate:
I feel that the most intimidating opponents are the ones with an eerie bleak and directed focus. The who stare blankly past you. All the important things to be said are already understood by their boat-mates; "all together. we move as a boat, we win as a boat."
As the school year draws to a close and I hand down the reigns of the rowing club, I have stumbled across this year old journal entree:
"I find comfort in the increasing occurrence of encouraging and positive displays from my team-mates. We're a small team but I remain optimistic; we will compensate for what we lack in size with what we have in will. We will find our victories, the most important of which will not be counted by the medals we win, but by the smiles, laughs, and friendships. I will look back on these days and not remember the anxious weekends and sleepless nights, but I will remember the way we felt as a team, a family. I will remember the calm assurances that sooth my turbulent mind when things appeared the most bleak; the soft smile of a friend, the concerned inquiry of a team-mate looking for a way to help, the youthful spirit of a new rower brimming with excitement when they feel as I have felt. I will not be able to remember the pain that filled my body; I will be too distracted by a knowledge unparalleled: the pledge of a teammate, a brother, putting in his all because he knows i am too."
"ain't nothing to it, but to do it" - ronnie coleman
I feel that the most intimidating opponents are the ones with an eerie bleak and directed focus. The who stare blankly past you. All the important things to be said are already understood by their boat-mates; "all together. we move as a boat, we win as a boat."
As the school year draws to a close and I hand down the reigns of the rowing club, I have stumbled across this year old journal entree:
"I find comfort in the increasing occurrence of encouraging and positive displays from my team-mates. We're a small team but I remain optimistic; we will compensate for what we lack in size with what we have in will. We will find our victories, the most important of which will not be counted by the medals we win, but by the smiles, laughs, and friendships. I will look back on these days and not remember the anxious weekends and sleepless nights, but I will remember the way we felt as a team, a family. I will remember the calm assurances that sooth my turbulent mind when things appeared the most bleak; the soft smile of a friend, the concerned inquiry of a team-mate looking for a way to help, the youthful spirit of a new rower brimming with excitement when they feel as I have felt. I will not be able to remember the pain that filled my body; I will be too distracted by a knowledge unparalleled: the pledge of a teammate, a brother, putting in his all because he knows i am too."
"ain't nothing to it, but to do it" - ronnie coleman
Monday, April 26, 2010
Dogwood Invitational recap
This weekend's Dogwood Invitational in Oak Ridge marked the last race I will attend as the President of Tennessee Crew. It's surreal to think that this marks two years of learning and self development my post at office has brought me.
I'd be lying if I said it was easy, that I'd done a great job, or that I feel like I got a lot accomplished. On the other hand I can assure you that I have learned a lot, more even than I could have learned in any class. I have made great friends, good acquaintances, and pissed off a few I'm sure.
The team has not grown drastically or stacked up medals. We still struggle to make ends meet, and people often ask, "who's running this crap shoot?". Alternatively I think I am partly responsible for a lot of added intrinsic value. In these two years over 45 different people have been club members, we have traveled to 21 races in 8 states, we won the Club 8+ at the Hooch, sent boats to National Championships, and started our own Head Race. Best of all, I only had to file one injury report in two years: a toe that lost a fight with a steel door. Can't win 'em all.
As for races this weekend: 1st place in the open men's pair with Ande; we remain undefeated. I am much more excited about the time than the place (only two other boats in the race). With the 7:34 we pulled I look forward to USRowing college nationals with a little more optimism.
The mixed 4+ and 8+ I raced with Master's Coaching where also great races (1st in both). It was also great to see the other ORRA and Tennessee Crew boats that raced. Ande & Bailey had a great row in the mixed 2x, and Sam & Brett also in the 2x. both with raw time wins but Master's age adjustment pushed them back. JJ & Ande also looked good in their 2x. The ORRA mixed 8+'s, men's 4+, women's 4+s, mixed 4x, and men's 4x also made good showings. Special kudos to the first-time racers this weekend.
I'd be lying if I said it was easy, that I'd done a great job, or that I feel like I got a lot accomplished. On the other hand I can assure you that I have learned a lot, more even than I could have learned in any class. I have made great friends, good acquaintances, and pissed off a few I'm sure.
The team has not grown drastically or stacked up medals. We still struggle to make ends meet, and people often ask, "who's running this crap shoot?". Alternatively I think I am partly responsible for a lot of added intrinsic value. In these two years over 45 different people have been club members, we have traveled to 21 races in 8 states, we won the Club 8+ at the Hooch, sent boats to National Championships, and started our own Head Race. Best of all, I only had to file one injury report in two years: a toe that lost a fight with a steel door. Can't win 'em all.
As for races this weekend: 1st place in the open men's pair with Ande; we remain undefeated. I am much more excited about the time than the place (only two other boats in the race). With the 7:34 we pulled I look forward to USRowing college nationals with a little more optimism.
The mixed 4+ and 8+ I raced with Master's Coaching where also great races (1st in both). It was also great to see the other ORRA and Tennessee Crew boats that raced. Ande & Bailey had a great row in the mixed 2x, and Sam & Brett also in the 2x. both with raw time wins but Master's age adjustment pushed them back. JJ & Ande also looked good in their 2x. The ORRA mixed 8+'s, men's 4+, women's 4+s, mixed 4x, and men's 4x also made good showings. Special kudos to the first-time racers this weekend.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Concept2 WRC and SIRA's
Not much is new in my training. The crew of Big Blue recently formed a team and competed in Concept 2's 'World Rowing Challenge'. Thanks mostly to the wonderful meters logged by Steve and Charlie, we finished in 13th place based on average meters per team member; and would have been higher if not for me. Nigel was also up there with around 1/3 of a million (about what I had including water meters), but only erg meters counted for this challenge, and while I did hit the machine a few times, I have been fortunate to enjoy plenty of rowing outdoors over the last few weeks.
Props to the 10 men of Albion Correctional Facility who averaged 1.3 million meters a piece over the 30 day challenge. Steve placed 73rd overall in individual ranking. With gumption like that on the crew, I think we've got a lot to look forward to as we near the end of summer when training will ramp up. I don't feel too bad about all the water meters I'm getting; Steve, Nigel, and Charlie, along with 3 other members of the crew are Canadian; it's their choice to live up there. I think 'Canada' is Native American for "Land where you ice fish during spring race season"
As for the sane down here in the South, last weekend saw the second biggest college Sprint race in the country come to Oak Ridge last weekend. SIRA (Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association) went off without a hitch. Major props to the volunteer force at Oak Ridge, especially those that help me and the Tennessee Crew team with the coarse install over the last few months.
The 60+ teams at SIRA did leave me with one question; what are so many teams from the mid-west and north doing at the Southern Regionals? I raced in our Open Mens 4+, and enjoyed some tight races in my last SIRA at UT. We missed A finals, and ended up in 4th in the B final, with a fair 6 seconds between 2nd and 5th. A friendship forged with the guys from Central Florida grew when they edged into 2nd in the heat over us by just a few feet. We saw them again Sunday and held off their strong sprint at the finish, so our standing over all fell short of my hopes, but it was fun non the less. Why would we do it if we won them all?
Props to the 10 men of Albion Correctional Facility who averaged 1.3 million meters a piece over the 30 day challenge. Steve placed 73rd overall in individual ranking. With gumption like that on the crew, I think we've got a lot to look forward to as we near the end of summer when training will ramp up. I don't feel too bad about all the water meters I'm getting; Steve, Nigel, and Charlie, along with 3 other members of the crew are Canadian; it's their choice to live up there. I think 'Canada' is Native American for "Land where you ice fish during spring race season"
As for the sane down here in the South, last weekend saw the second biggest college Sprint race in the country come to Oak Ridge last weekend. SIRA (Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association) went off without a hitch. Major props to the volunteer force at Oak Ridge, especially those that help me and the Tennessee Crew team with the coarse install over the last few months.
The 60+ teams at SIRA did leave me with one question; what are so many teams from the mid-west and north doing at the Southern Regionals? I raced in our Open Mens 4+, and enjoyed some tight races in my last SIRA at UT. We missed A finals, and ended up in 4th in the B final, with a fair 6 seconds between 2nd and 5th. A friendship forged with the guys from Central Florida grew when they edged into 2nd in the heat over us by just a few feet. We saw them again Sunday and held off their strong sprint at the finish, so our standing over all fell short of my hopes, but it was fun non the less. Why would we do it if we won them all?
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