No, not on a bike or my feet. No, it's that great way of going backwards on water…rowing. Sat in the bow of a novice four rowing at the Avon County head race.

Yep, last autumn when I took this up, it was all "No, I'm not taking this seriously, it's just a fitness thing, I'll leave the racing to the younger guys". Five months later, I've got my little one piece all laid out ready to go tomorrow and the adrenaline is already flowing. Not a hope I'll get a decent night's sleep. This is going to be one of the longest quarter hours ever for me. I expect my lungs will be bursting at the end.

EDIT: Make that "today", not tomorrow…as I can't sleep.

20 or so minutes of gut wrenching, vomit inducing pain! What's not to like? Go and enjoy.
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If it's not gut wrenching, vomit inducing, you're not trying hard enough!!!! 😉

I know!!

Good Luck
let us know how it goes so we can all enjoy your pain and torture!
😉

Hey fella…long time no see. Thanks for your message. Hope all's well.

Darcy. Think of the post effort euphoria and the post race beer!

Good luck!

Cheers surfer. Starting to focus now.

So what time does it kick off? I remember my rowing days oh the pain of it! I used to sit bow too! Mind the overwhelming adrenaline rush at the finish line, you will NEVER be so knackered! it is easily addictive! I gave it up for rugby …. mmmm now just biking again!
Oh and where and what race is it??

I hope you were able to maintain a good stroke, didn't go too deep and definately didn't catch crabs. At the end of the day, it's all about keeping the cox happy, right?

Hope it went well and you've got the bug. Summer regattas are well cool and multi lane racing is as exciting as it gets!!!

I'm just jealous. I had to give up rowing after 20 years when my back gave up for the third time. I don't think it ever really gets out of your system. I've done quite a few sports over the years and it remains the best. I generally rowed in eights at stroke, and being in control of a boat full of meat-heads ready to serve up a beating is something else. Happy days.
Can't have been much fun training this winter though.

I can remember going out in an eight many, many years ago and not being able to get the blades through the ice, not the smoothest outing.

I agree, once in the blood.

So how did it go?

I started again in Serptember after dabbling with it over the years, and been told I'll be race ready for end of May. I am in the (veterans) old gits section through.

Yeah, it went quite well….I think.

It was only the second time we'd rowed together as a four and the second time our strokeman had stroked. I felt at the then end that we'd left something in the boat, but it's hard to put it all out there, when technically you're not that great as a crew. We were working on the principle that one technically good stroke would get us further than two balls out messy strokes – but I felt far too fresh crossing the finish line 🙁

Still, we didn't disgrace ourselves – and our cox/coach was most pleased (though, she's far too nice – we need more beasting to be honest…).

Thanks everyone for the good wishes – I know those of you that are/have been rowers meant it.

Onwards and upwards to the next one…

EDIT:

Can't have been much fun training this winter though.

Aye, very true. Although, we did learn in that lovely September so our introduction was in balmy autumn sunshine. The winter has been a bit shitty – but coming out of it into the Spring having done the basics and looking forward to a beautiful season on the water means a lot. I really really can't wait for evening sessions in the summer – it'll be awesome.