post NSR 2

So after a loss like the one Ben and I experienced this weekend down in Princeton, I find myself asking  maybe the right kind of questions. At least compared to the ones you might ask yourself, or not ask yourself after a big win. After a loss, I see that I am not fast enough. Although, the truth of the matter is that I was not fast enough in the grand scheme of things after a win either, but I would be more complacent and less likely to really examine my weaknesses after a success. So I am back in Craftsbury , still with great opportunity to race the M1x this summer internationally, but now I am truly and creatively searching for speed. Where can I find it? Am I at my full potential? If not, where can I improve? I really do love asking these questions of myself and searching for the answers everywhere, even when I am not in the boat.  I think the M2x with Ben will be a great boat down the line, probably an international contender at some point in the near future, I really do believe that; but for now, I am going to be trying to find ways to move my single faster and simpler. After our racing this weekend, the issue that stands out to me the most is pacing. At NSR 1 in the single, I disregarded pacing a little bit, I got out and stayed out. I let everyone know that they would probably never see me during the regatta. From stroke one I was out of there. I think there is something very very powerful about that strategy especially in a single. But, it became clear in the 2x that with a little smarter execution, we could be substantially faster, just be evening pacing a little better. We got the lead early, but we slowed down considerably throughout the piece. The potomac boat really just stayed the same speed. They didn't do anything special. Looking at the numbers, if we had just gone out easier, maybe even rowed slightly behind for much of the piece, that conservation of energy would have allowed us to really drop the pace in the second thousand and walk away from them. It takes patience and confidence to execute that, but even pacing is a much faster way to cover the distance. This is something I think I can also bring to the single. The risk is doing it in the toughest international rowing event--the single. If you don't get off the line with the field, you are toast. You will be in wake for 2000 m. I understand that, and will be cognizant of it.

Anyways, I am excited to be back at the drawing board and preparing myself to compete against the toughest competition I have ever faced. This is not U23, not lightweight, not domestic. The next time I race I will be in the major leagues. The giants of the sport. So, I am going to keep asking more of myself, asking for more speed, and see where my limits lie.