Rowing, the story so far.
2002-2003
In the summer of 2002, after 2 years of successfully avoiding it, I tried rowing for the first time, at first I didn't take it too seriously, it was fun to try something new, and see the river during the summer. Rowing is something you really have to try atleast once if you are Cambridge, and I recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to row anywhere.
Over the weeks of summer the number of people at University slowly dwindles, and what started as rowing in an eight switched to rowing in a four. The main people I remember rowing with are Frank Sabott, Stephen Hand, Karen Day, although im pretty sure she was meant to be coaching. The fact I can't remember much is probably a tribute to how few outings we had, and how often the people changed. I still cant understand why my college stops rowing over summer, since it is a graduate college, and it is the best time to row. Not only is it warmer, but there are plenty of races and regattas.
When the official novice term started I started rowing in a four, it was bow rigged and someone decided that I should be stoke. This mainly involves being stubborn and trying not to be rushed in your stroke in a novice crew. Again the greatest challege was organising outings which we divided between Stephen Hand and myself. I think this was made more difficult because a senior rower wasn't happy to be in out boat instead of the first boat, after a while we got some more crew members Arnar Jonsson and Adam Pletts, also Stephen Jull subbed into our boat on many occassions. The boat was coxed by Helen Morrogh-Bernard, who is a real racing cox. I was really pleased that we managed to train and compete in the Fairburns, that race probably hurt the most of all the races i've done. The crew was called 'Team Iceland', after the race we drank lots at the Fairburns Dinner, this was the last time we saw Stephen Hand, although he assures me he is still alive by email occasionally.
Upto this point i really hadn't done much fittness work, mainly relying on cycling for exercise... my new bike really helped because the old one broke down every 40 miles... I decided that if I wasn't going to the slowest then I should really do some work on the ergo. I was really encouraged by my brothers saying I could never be fit enough to row a good time, and by my neighbour in college Rusty who said i should prove them wrong.
When it came time to do the 2k time trials that would be used to select the boats, I managed to knock 10 seconds off my best time, which I had set a few days earlier. This was mainly due to the low number of times I had done 2k before. I think the small amount of experience on the ergo I had paid off... I managed to get the 9th fastest time, which made me the fastest in the 2nd boat... after the boat meeting where I said I was happy to be in the second boat and pledged my loyalty one guy from the first boat decided not to row afterall, and I was offered a place in the first boat, which of course I took. I think the more experienced rowers in the boat must have had a lot of patience to have the large number of novices in the crew, but atleast now I had a coach on the bank most outings to tell me how bad I was.
Lent Bumps
XPRESS
On 2nd April 2003 i took part in a row to Ely with the XPRESS boat club, long rows let you concentrate on technique alot, because there is no way you can try to row hard the whole way, it was also good because i was asked to participate in the Town Bumps later in the year for XPRESS, which i really enjoyed. After the row to Ely, everyone was cold and tired, we had some food in a pub by the water, I had foolishly arranged to get my bike trailered to Ely, so I could cycle back. I got back just in time to see Oxford win The Boatrace.
HORR
May Bumps
Mays Pictures 1, Mays Pictures 2, Mays Pictures 3.
Town Bumps
Oak Ridge, Tennesse
2003-2004