More Rowing

We had to do a 1K Erg test for our coach this week... I realize I'm on the "competitive womens" team, but I guess I didn't realize we were actually going to be really hardcore.  I did a test test to just see where in the world I was.  No idea what I should be able to do. I know when we race, they'd like us to be right at 4 minutes or less...  My test test was 4:21.4, 2:10.5 split.  It was pretty bad, I came out way too fast and actually put the handle down at about 750meters.  So.....Did the real thing on Thursday....

4:14.5, 2:07 split, 170watts, watt/weight - 1.36

I was actually pretty satisfied with this.  I definitely paced myself better and I think for me that's pretty respectable.  Of course I have no idea how this will compare to everyone else.  I also wonder if she's going to take weight into consideration?  I'll never pull as hard as some of the bigger ladies, I hope she realizes that.

On the water, It's gotten a little bit better.  Yesterday, I had the opportunity to do a little sculling for the first time.  I was REALLY nervous.... We took out a quad with 2 experienced ladies and 2 novices, 2 VERY PATIENT experienced ladies!!!   I must admit the first 30 minutes I was ready to throw in the towel and swim back to the dock.  But, for whatever reason, they wouldn't let me so I had to solider on... I'm glad I did, because by the time we were heading home, there were moments of 'really good' mixed in with the 'okay' moments.  I am concerned because it seems as though my left arm is completely retarded.  My right arm seems totally capable of rowing on it's own, but my left arm does okay and then begins to just flail around like it belongs on a freaking whirlygig!  But, on the whole, I definitely think I'd like to try it again and continuing doing both.

Your blade is supposed to be IN the water Julie...

How about you relax those shoulders Julie....

This one is nice with the reflection

Today at practice we did 5 1000meter race pieces, 3 of them were against the men's fours.  I was dreading, dreading, dreading it!  I do not like sprints!!  The higher stroke rates make me panic just a tad, which makes me grip the oar like it's going to fly out of the boat, which makes my forearm cramp, which makes it hard to feather, which make me suck at rowing.  It's a little bit like the "If you give a mouse a cookie" story except the rowing nightmare version!  But what are you gonna do, once your in the boat, your in the boat until they let you out! :o)
It actually didn't go too badly.  I didn't row like crap, but I didn't row great.  It would have helped if I'd noticed that my foot stretchers had been moved to accommodate what seemed to be a 6 foot giantess, but I'm so good at rowing that I didn't even notice until we done rowing.

Racing the men.  We did okay, gave us a little headway, and we held our own for the most part.

What the hell with my splash???  Am I rowing with a shovel?

After the 5th piece, geez, don't they realize we are mostly OLD ladies....and why do I look like I'm going to topple out of the boat sideways?

Overall, and encouraging practice.  1000m is much shorter than I thought, I didn't catch any crabs and I don't think I was any worse than anyone else.  I could be wrong...