Row workouts

I have been now into a regular schedule for 2 weeks. I have to tell you how overwhelmed with joy to be onto a regular schedule in my daily life. Maybe I'm just a machine of routine - but the prior 3 months and possible 6 months before then I have been into chaos, the best way to describe it. So this is my NEW and updated schedule:

Monday: run workout - usually speed intervals
Tuesday: morning row at Elk Lake with VCRC 5:45-7:30am. PM - Erg workout
Wed: morning row on Elk Lake technique
Thurs: AM row on Elk Lake PM Erg workout
Friday: AM long run ~1:15
Saturday: Morning workout with Elk Lake 7:30-9am Afternoon Erg workout.
Sunday: Off, relax and re-charge.

Since I only work MWF, This schedule works wonders. I have extra time - which gets devoted to business. I know I will need to get some more work soon(like T,Th,Sat) but I like the schedule while I have it.

On-Water Rowing:

Well well, what can I say about this. I first hit the water on Aug. 20th, 2010 5:40am, for the first time ever in a single. I had rowed 2 other times in a double scull, but one of those time was 7 years prior at UBC. I was tense and jittery, to say the least, which are both characteristics don't go well with single sculling. In summary, the boat is tippy - and I was not very confident I could keep my head above water, literally.
But, the Senior coach at VCRC was confident in my abilities (or bullshitting) and let me go out with the group. We just rowed an easy WU to point 1, and pressure pyramid to point 2 (the island). I was all over the place, not only in my boat trying to keep above water, but on the circuit, getting too close to either side - or to other boats. All in all, I survived my first day - with many blisters on my hands. Pffeuf.


The next couple morning rows were excited and my skills jumped dramatically every time I was in the boat....until the big flip. It was the End of August, I had rowed at least 7 times on my own with no real trouble - then I got caught by the infamous Elk Lake seaweed- it got a strangle-hold on my left blade, and I was swallowed up within 0.12 seconds, flipped and under. I was sobered up and brought back to earth. A big lesson I learned was to keep in check at all times my balance and control of the boat.

I did not qualify or even get any "points" toward qualifying for the National Rowing Championships (NRCs) held at ELK LAKE, this year, this weekend. It was defeating for about a week - knowing that this is the biggest annual race and a chance to get discovered... and I'm not even there. Lesson learned: keep on top of things, i have to check websites and bulletin boards nobody is going to do it for me.

I'M GOING to watch the NRC finals tomorrow! Very exciting.

3 Month summary

So, I have been away from posting for over three months, this is what happened:

Graduate from Chiropractic University, move back to Canada (Fernie), in Fernie for two weeks, start my LifeSport kinesiologist "coach" workouts daily,run in whitefish lake run 10km (2nd) fly to Halifax for 2 weeks, continue daily workouts (erg, run, strength), fly to Edmonton and then Yellowknife, stay for 7 days and continue workouts. Fly to Fernie for 5 days, drive to Vancouver, Move to Victoria Aug. 16th, 2010.

Victoria, BC! Look for place to live, sleep in car for 5 days. Find a month-to-month place in View Royal. Find work in Sooke, MWF. Join Victoria City Rowing Club (VCRC) and row with Senior group (27+). Continue with daily coached (online) workouts. Meet many speedy fast rowers I look up to.