We had a good race today.  Caryn awoke feeling up to the task of self destruction by physical infliction, as did the rest of us, and off the the course we went. 

 

At the line, to our left we had Japan.  To our right, the Ukraine and then Romania.  We needed to come top two to advance, but knew this would be a tough rep. 

 

Off the start, we were with the pack, but in third.  We held our own and came down to a solid rhythm at 35 spm and started to move back on the field.  Just past the 1k mark, we were moving on Romania.  The Ukraine was also within contact.  By the 500 to go, I felt we had Romania beat and started in on the Ukraine.  We didn't increase our speed much in our sprint, but we crossed the bubble line in second.  Good enough to move to the A final!  Happy Birthday Gram:)

 

Now, three days to rest up, speed up, and take it up! 

 

One day of racing down, a big one coming up tomorrow.  In typical Gifu World Championships fashion, today we raced our heat without our tall one, Caryn Davies.  She came down with some sort of food poisoning/sickness right as it was time to leave the hotel for the bus.  She was in no condition what so ever to be rowing a race, but no worries.  Nicole Sylvester did awesome and joined the crew for a great race.  We fought all the way down and placed 3rd. 

 

Thanks to all who have written me emails!  I'll get back to you as soon as I can!  Belz has my favorite: "i am not sure what you are doing, but i think in the first you are showing the boat holder your new manicure, and then byt the look on your face, they did not appreciate your manicure - ... i am not so sure about the 3rd picture - a quarter? anna, thats a little strange even for you - i am a huge fan of the wrist bands thou!! although stripey ones would be even cooler!"

Please see embarrassing photos of me throwing my water bottles to the stakeboat holder at the bottom of this page....  row2k gallery.  And read about it too... row2k coverage.

Caryn is able to rejoin the crew tomorrow and she is feeling much, much better today already.  She even took us for a 4k spin this afternoon. 

 

The reps:  We are racing to win.  Top two advance to the A final.  We face Romania, the Ukraine, and Japan. 

 

 

The typhoon is a thing of the past, training is done, racing is here. 

 

Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 30 women’s quadruple sculls heats (W4X).  We must win to go directly to the A Final.  If not, we have to race in a “second chance race” or Repecharge to take place on Wednesday, August 31.

 

We’re set to take on Germany, Russia, Italy and Japan in our heat.  Germany is perpetually a W4X powerhouse and Russia finished third in the World Cup standings. We should be right in this race.  My boat is relentless more than anything.  I hate to lose and my teammates feel the same.  As my teammate Caryn said today, “I don’t know anything about my competition.  I just figure I’m going to win until anyone proves me otherwise.”   

 

For those of you watching from home, visit www.worldrowing.com and find the LIVE RACE VIEWER on the left hand tool bar.  There will be just times posted for the heats, but for the semis and the finals, you can get streaming video.  Also, check out my calendar for a time schedule to help you out and the links page for updated racing information and coverage. 

 

What does one do exactly when preparing for the World Championships?  Since arriving in Gifu, training has been reduced from about 35,000 meters a day to a mere 16,000 meters or so.  I find myself needing less sleep, even though sleep is the only activity that hides the daunting task awaiting our bodies.  Training is in essence drastically shorter than usual, but it doesn’t feel like it.  Each short row is much more intense.  Each stroke is important and brings me closer to the race.  Each practice still involves the 45 minute bus ride to the course, putting on my gear, putting on the sun screen. 

 

Outside of practice, meals become a huge part of my day.  I spend at least an hour at each event.  Obviously not eating the entire time, this becomes a good time to chat with teammates and enjoy a full spread of sushi (which I am usually skip over), noodles, “raw hamburg,” little pizzas that I wish were big pizzas, some greens, some fruits, and of course, my favorite, the “natural foods yogurt” with “unpolished flakes” and a bit of honey. 

 

I’m reading The Perfect Mile, by Niel Bascomb, for inspiration this week.  It is thrilling to read about Bannister, Landy and Santee trying to break the four minute mile.  Here’s my favorite quote so far taken from Paul O’Neil, Sports Illustrated May 31, 1956: “A man who sets out to become an artist at the mile is something like a man who sets out to discover the most graceful method of being hanged.  No matter how logical his plans, he cannot carry them out without physical suffering.”  How true, how true. 

 

The past two days have been more calm than our first two.  Where did the typhoon go?  Apparently, the storm swung to the north and we are now in the clear!  Tomorrow we unload the boats out of the shipping container (again) and go for a row!  The course officials will be putting the course back in and as of today, the women's quad is scheduled to race on Tuesday with Reps scheduled for Wednesday, if need be of course! 

At 3am, meet at the Princeton Boathouse.  I'm not exactly looking forward to this, but I am so excited to fly to Japan!  It's time to fly. 

 

We had many good rows this week and have increased our speed and solidified our rhythm in the quad.  In the afternoons, I have been trying to get my life in order (as in, wash it and organize it into a bag).  Rika, the South African single sculler, and my great friend has been a great help and kept a smile on my face in times of trouble (a nice rear ending accident, not my fault, of course).  Ryan and Charity Bonfiglio, also great friends, have helped feed me and came out to practice for a treat.  Ryan took some pictures and here is one of his shots.  This will be my parting shot! 

Whoo hoo!  I have made the women’s quad for the 2005 World Championships and will be representing the USA in Gifu, Japan. 

 

It was hard to imagine making the sculling team even just this spring.  However, just because it was hard to imagine, didn't mean I wasn't imagining and hoping for a stellar sculling debut!   I felt so uncoordinated rowing with two sticks instead of my usual big log in the eight.  But now, I have accumulated some experience, confidence, and speed.  I am loving rowing in the quad.     

 

Part of our training earlier in the summer was to compete in the second World Cup stop in Munich, Germany.  I was sad to postpone a quick trip home to meet my niece, Mary Mickelson born July 6^th, but I did earn for her a bronze medal.  In my first international race in the quadruple sculls, my first race in a quad really, we had a bit of a rough start, but hung in there to push into third in our final.  I had a few whiff strokes, set a rabid rhythm, and relentlessly kept on chasing the Brits who shot out to an early lead.  At that point though, that was all I could do.   I like to think I have a bit more skill and experience now and am ready to head back into international competition. 

 

I am joined by three amazing teammates, Caryn Davies, Margot Shumway, and Kelly Salchow.  When I made the trip from Seattle out to Princeton this April, Kelly and I were paired up to row the double.  It was a slow start, but we had a vertical learning curve.  In the short week that the Second National Selection Regatta came around, we managed to row into second place.  Kelly has been a great partner and encourager this summer.  She raced in the women’s quad in the last two Olympics and has helped me a lot so far. 

 

Caryn and I were in the eight last summer together at the Olympics.  She graduated from Harvard this spring and after rowing in their varsity eight at NCAAs, hopped into the quad selection.  She started sculling in high school and with her experience, length (she is 6’4”), and strength, she is a great asset to our boat. 

 

This is Margot’s first National Team.  She rowed for Ohio State and rowed at Washington pairs camp two summers ago.  We met then as she rowed for my freshman coach, Eleanor McElvaine and with my teammate, Mary Reeves in the pair at US Nationals.  She was sculling in Washington D.C. this spring, but persevered through the selection to add her strength and great sense of humor to the boat.  She laughs at me all the time, especially when I trip over the hose. 

 

So here we are, preparing for the World Championships of Rowing.  A new boat, a new adventure.  Stay tuned.