The Torch

Entering into the final week of our December cycle and we are getting the chance to rest a little bit with slightly reduced volume before we do two 2000m pieces at the end of the week. When I say slightly reduced volume, it might be misleading considering we still did around 4 hrs of work yesterday! That being said, there is certainly a new level of energy surrounding the four of us from doing slightly less. It was noticeable how much more quality we were able to produce in the weight room and on the water yesterday. It will be interesting to see how we feel before the pieces on Friday. Usually after a days work, we barely make it home from coaching in long beach to eat and fall asleep. Last night, we felt like it would be a good idea to jump off the Lido Bridge in Newport( about a 50 foot drop) as our submission to the JL "coxswain toss" photo contest. This alone shows the new energy we felt yesterday! It was a blast and I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Obviously it is very illegal and we had to scatter pretty quickly but I think we have a good shot at taking the JL contest. Lido bridge is symbolic because it represents about half way in a "Lido Lap", the famous test Brad Lewis put himself through continuously before the 84 Olympic games where he claimed Gold in the double sculls. We think of it as sacred ground. So every now and then we honor it. As a side note, my brother Tom broke Brad Lewis's record last summer by 9 seconds going 14:30 for the 4k race.