NSR 2 Recap and beyond

Beginning with the Time trial last Thursday, I was eager to take advantage of every opportunity to show speed. Ben and I agreed that we would approach these races as if we were at the World Championships, using each race to prepare for the next, with the final being the peak performance. In the time trial, we worked our base rhythm and rowed a solid 35 spm into a slight headwind. The boat felt solid and powerful, but we still had some smoothing out to do. The time trial was important for opening up our systems and setting a foundation for the upcoming races. On Friday, the plan was to rehearse the first 4 min of our perfect race. Unfortunately, 15-17 mph direct headwinds prevented us from getting a useful visualization of what it would feel like in a tailwind, but regardless, we got out quickly and rowed above the conditions to get our spot in Saturday's final. The wind shifted to a light tailwind for the final and made for near perfect conditions. 

I went through many scenarios in my head about how the final would play out. In every one, the two Craftsbury boats were in a different race battling it out. After 30 strokes of the final, it seemed to be playing out exactly how I imagined. Ben and I were level with Peter and Steve through the first 500 m and open water ahead of the Potomac boat. We were going off at  blistering pace. In the second 500, both crews continued to accelerate away from Potomac and probably had a 5 second gap at the 1k. Peter and Steve were a half length up on Ben and I. That was the first time they had led us in any piece, so I thought maybe they had gone out a little too aggressively. I also knew we were going very fast and if they were ahead of us, hats off to them. We were at the 1k around 3.04-5. Ben and I had planned to row within ourselves for 1250m and then commit to the line for 750, whatever it takes. It is one thing to  have that be your race plan conceptually, its quite another thing to execute it. We were rowing 35 spm and when we hit the red buoy marking 1250m, I told Ben" Ok, 750 m to go, let's go." I did not except what happened next. In one stroke, the rate went from 35 to 39 spm and it didn't go lower than that until we crossed the line. Over the course of 5 strokes we were even with Peter/Steve and then we were through them. When we hit 1500, we were at 40 spm and still accelerating. The boat felt lighter and more dynamic at that rate. I felt like I was rowing completely aerobically at 40 spm and it was great. We kept moving and we were enjoying every moment of it. Red Buoys, 250 m to go, shifted again. 42 spm and moving still. However, the whole time this was happening, Potomac was moving back on us and Peter/Steve. I guess they just went out really slow, but I couldn't believe that they ended up nipping Peter/Steve. The margin both of our boats were up on them was the type of margin you just don't come back from. My guess is that both of our crews went out a little too fast and really paid for it later, still Steve and Peter would win the race against Willy/Sam 99 times out of 100.  

We crossed in 6:16.2, a personal best for us. We went 6.18.8 last year at Worlds in Korea. I predicted we could go 6.14 and I still think so. I give Ben a ton of credit for that race. He decided to win the race on one stroke. He sent the message to me and I backed him up. 

So with that win Ben and I earned the right to go try and qualify the boat for the World Championships at a World Cup this summer. It definitely feels great to have that option. I think we are considerably faster than last year and would have a chance to get top 6 at a world cup; however, after chatting after the race, we all ( Peter, steve, Ben, Coach Roock, and I) decided to give our 4x a try. We have 5 weeks until the 4x Trials and we are all excited about the potential of our crew. As I mentioned in some previous posts, we have only been out a couple times, but we think there is real potential there. If it doesn't work out, then we'll be back in the 2x. But, we all feel like we want to see what we can do. 

So here it goes.