Cyclical Adventures

 Originally, I assumed, it was going to be for the month of August. Then,  August turned into September. Now, it's already half way through October and it looks like it is going to continue long into the future.    The next adventure is about to begin.
I have been enjoying the break from serious training and getting to spend quality time with my wife Amber.  Since we got married on Sept. 1st of this year we have been able to go on some great outdoor adventures together. This would not have been possible trying to maintain a 2-3x/day six days a week training schedule I had with rowing. In my mind, it is has been the healthiest thing I have done for myself in along time... and it involves NOT heavy training.  I feel really good and actually have been feeling more motivated  and confident for racing/training in the future. But, in what sport(s)?  

I have decided to make the commitment to not commit to one sport.  I know I said that "I'm Back" recently, but I will only be rowing recreationally for cross-training in the next few months. I love the other things in life too much to focus only on one activity.  Turns out, I live for those days that multiple activities can be enjoyed while not worrying if I'm going to break an arm or injury myself.  I have a feeling that I will still push myself at something in the future (cycling, running, triathlon, or rowing...) But, it will involve a creative (read exciting & non-traditional) training program.   As of recently I have been racing bikes in a local circuit of Cyclocross.  I would like to (running) race in the Island running series: Frontrunners Island Race Series.

It may be time to change this blog to Outdoor Pursuits. Lets see how soon that happens. 

Hill repeats on our local Mt. Tolmie in Victoria. 

Back at it!

Elk Lake Boathouse where the Olympic rings have arrived

Today, for the first time in a long while I spent the morning out on the lake. It has been a good break being away, I had a few things I had to take care of ( you know getting married and going on a honeymoon...etc etc) and it has been since late July when I last made the trip down to the Elk Lake boathouse.  I had some nervous energy, but it was the good kind, the stuff made of motivation and drive. I'm ready to be back, I'm ready to get out there and put some work into it.  But, this time, it is on my own timeline, my training schedule and I get to decide when I need to push harder or when I need to have a day off and spend time with my wife.  I'm excited for the next step. I hope to see you out there.

 

 

 

I was able to catch the play-by-play from the Non-Olympic world championships this past week. It was, however, a bitter sweet moment watching the results stream in. I felt and still feel that I should have been at this event, but that is how life goes.   Eric Woelfl, my previous pairs partner for the NRC's (2011) had joined forces with a long standing member of National team, John Sasi. They raced in the lwt pairs event, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and made it through with decent results.

It seemed like some great competition, and they ended up in 2nd in the B final, or 8th overall. I would like to think that I would be in that same position, but I'm not sure, because those guys are great rowers and in excellent shape. I feel that if they had some competition at home to train with it could have pushed them to the next level, but there is no way to know.

The next step in Rowing Canada's calendar is the August RADAR testing sessions. It will be a challenge, as it always is, but there are some easier targets to hit this time around.  Prior to this session, it was 480points that were needed to reach Development carding "D-card" but they have dropped it to 450points!  This is very exciting for a large number of athletes that were right on the cusp of getting some support.

I'm excited to see the results. Good Luck!

I have some important prior engagements to take care of this upcoming week.

TimeLapse Olympic Rowing.

Post London Olympics

Ethan and Jerry Brown, Malcolm and Prince Harry at Canada House watching the women's 8+ silver medal race. 

The London 2012 Olympics have come and gone. It was a wonderful time, each and every day for over two weeks filled with sports action.  I feel like I'm on Olympic withdrawal and there is a feeling of quietness all around. This may also be a good thing.

I have gone to revisit some photos from Kevin Light.  A rower-turned-photographer with a keen eye on sports and lifestyle.  Some from his portfolio are great too.

I have been spending less time rowing and more time on other sports as of recently. There are so many exciting outdoor pursuits all around Victoria and I feel they can be used as a training for life! I will post some details of my plans for the future soon but for now, just get out and enjoy it!

Black & White Recap

Terry and Rares with Kenny Wu in Welland for NRC's (2011)

Warm-up @ 2011 NRC's 

Recovery in the Erg Centre @ PISE - Travis, Eric, John, Kenny, Cam, Rares, Merlynn

Erg Test Mike & Kenny 

Long hours of grinding it out in the PISE Erg Centre

The joys of winter training

Rares and Mike heading out for a morning workout

Shawnigan Lake Boathouse set-up

Spracklen's armada heading out 

Most recent shot of the lake

I have answers

Mt. Wells Regional Park - A hike (to freedom)

The decision is official; not possible. There will be no Quad (4x) or even a singe (1x) going to the 2012 World Rowing Championships for Canada.  Those were both the boats I was hoping for. It has come of a bit of a surprize after all the positive comments over the past 3-4 month from my coach(es). Deep down I had some anxiety over this for the past few  days weeks months, and now it came down to the worst case scenerio.  But, after all this, I come away with still a positive outlook on things into the future. 

I had a great run this morning around the lake.  I spent the time thinking back of all the lucky things that I got to experience this year. In addition to all the great friends, connections, and top of the line free coaching, I received some support from RCA with using their boats and occasionally getting some breakfast.  I got to go through some physiological lactate testing to moniter how "fit" I was and also get a report describing what I should focus on to get better.  And the list goes on and on. 

For now I'm excited to use this fitness I have "gained" over the past while and get outside.  I'm going to keep hitting the gym and put in some solid cardio in for the great summer months ahead.   I'm excited for the Canadian National Rowing Championships (NRC's) this November at Elk Lake.

I hope to see you around!  I will be at LifeMark Monday through Friday, either at Victoria West or at the Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence location.  Stop in and say hi!

The results of the lwt men's double (2x) at U23 Worlds this weekend in Lithuania will influence the decision if RCA is going to send a  lwt 4x to the Sr. World Championships.  It is a bit of a relief, to tell you the truth, that we have done what we needed to here to be nominated for the boat.  We just require the other two dudes to pull through for us.

We will find out the results by this Sunday, July 15th and I'm sure a few days later the official decision by RCA.  I think the natural process to go through is a "out of my hands" feeling, but at the same time I feel like there is something more I can do or at least have a contingency plan if all else fails.  There still is the lwt single at Worlds this year...

More to follow soon. As soon as I know.

And now there are two

By two I mean four. And by four I mean a pair and a double. Which is two and also four.  

2012 BC Champs preparation at 5am

It has come down to this; A pair (2-) of Eric Woelfl and John Sasi and a double (2x) with Taylor Pluzak and myself. After all the athletes that have been dropped with injuries or have quit we are finally into some selections for something. It was supposed to be at lwt 8+ but now we are only half that many, and need to recruit two young guns to compete!  It has been a long winter, spring and now summer without many exciting racing moments. Don't get me wrong, we have worked our asses off this past few months. But,  it is time to put our training to the test and finally see what is to become of us. 

The time trial this past Tuesday was a one-off 2km on Elk Lake. It was important to have a fast time overall but also in relation to both boats. RCA has suggested that both boats would need to go fast to be sent to worlds. I have felt it has now come together well in my double with Taylor.  In my mind we performed to the best of the ability at this time.

The results have been tabulated and we have been selected to go to Worlds! Now, for Taylor and I in the 2x, this is contingent on the results of the U23 Lwt 2x at their competition in Europe this week.  We will know by early next week hopefully.  It is out of our hands and I have to say I'm couldn't be more ready for some good news!

Film Roll

Eric and John slow-walk post workout

My view at 8am every morning

A sensational development double - Curtis and Kaelen

Lwt U23 Four - The next addition to RCA's lwt 

Evan (U23 lwt) - A representation of my Alumni (UBC)

Hwt Sr. Quad - Steve, Mike, Jamie, and Matt.

Hwt. Sr. Quad with coach Paul and Doug. 

Summer Sessions

The sun is out and the temperatures have finally climbed to what it seems like "regular" June weather. It comes at a time of great shifts and transitions at the Victoria Training Centre (VTC). The Olympic qualified boats have returned after an eventful trip to World Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland. They came back with some great results including a new world-record time in the men's 8+! There were also some not so great results which caused some new seat-racing and time-trialing going on for the past week. For me, it is always very exciting but also anxious to watch.    To think that some of these guys (and girls) are racing on team Canada two months out from the Olympics and the position can by swiped out with one bad seat-race. 

The dwindling focused World Championship group that I have been part of has been puttering along at the same pace in the same place. All this time training and not racing has been a bit confusing to me. I know that each Saturday morning time-trial is a bit of a race but its just not the same. I want to be amped up and get that pre-race butterflies that I love. I want to line up next to other teams and see what it feels like to race other countries (not just the same guys week after week month after month). I'm ready for some action.

Henley Royal Regatta 1900's

One group that is getting some action this coming week is a hwt group heading to the Royal Henley Regatta. It is a traditional regatta started in 1839 held over five days every summer.   A quad has been selected from Rowing Canada athletes and entered including Matt Buie, Mike Harowicz, Jamie Abbass, and Steve Van Knotsenburg. All are really good guys with some powerful horsepower to put into it. They have been laying down some solid times recently and I'm excited to see their results in England next week. 

By early July (of this year I hope) I should have a better knowledge what is going to happen for the world championships.  For sure there will be a speedy pair made up of John Sasi and Eric Woelfl.  There has been some discussion of racing the single scull at Worlds or combining together a few different groups for a lwt quad (4x) sculling. I'm undecided at the moment of what would be a better option. I have enjoyed the past week working on things in the 1x.  Truthfully, I will need to gain some significant speed in the next few weeks to make racing the single a possibility. I have, however, felt a bit like a tortoise trying to last the long haul that is training at the VTC.    I think the next few weeks will be a very important time in the cycle of training. There will be some action upcoming in the next fortnight!

Eric and John getting off the water before a big Coast Guard wake

The Circle of Life (Part II) - A Riddle and Learning new tasks

One point of neurological interest to me is how fast humans can learn a new task.  This is all in the name of increasing my ability to learn "proper" technique in rowing (whatever this is).  With proper focus and attention along with the right coaching it looks like a new task can be replicated quite quickly using something called rapid instructed task learning (RITL) or "rittle". Using two tactics the brain adapts to the new step by step way to learn; first by mimicking another person with imitation and secondly by verbal instruction. In this Blog Article MW Cole explains the process in detail.

So, If I watch a whole bunch of previous Olympic and World Championship rowing on YouTube I will be able to internalize the techniques I want to mimic.  Next, I need to have a very accurate and verbal coach to keep focused on replicating the skills that I would like to have as permanent.  It seems fairly straight forward but after a few years of hyperfocus I'm still in a position of needing many technique tips to work on. When will it be enough!?  I think the answer to that is.... never. This is, however, more related to the long term enjoyment, benefit, and value of sport I have talk about previously.

In a recent book on success, by Malcom Gladwell, it is often mentioned the "10,000 hour rule" claiming to have success in any field is a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.  I think Gladwell has the right idea, but it is more than just slogging through a certain number of hours doing the same thing. I feel it takes conscious focus while doing the activity - but then unconscious focus while going through the rest of the day not doing the specific activity.   When I was a student, I liked to re-write my class notes into something more understandable to me (also something that was legible).  Similarly with rowing, I like to write out the skills learned each day/week to make sure I'm keeping fresh and mentally stimulated with learning the new techniques.  When I look back at the pages of notes I have jotted down, I have gone over the same six things a bakers'-dozen times;  the catch with hand levels, leg drive first & no body open, strong finish etc. etc. ad infinitum. 

The transfer of information of this learned skill first starts at the brain and follow the Central nervous system (CNS).  The nerve signal full of information travels down the spinal cord then synapses onto a peripheral nerve and sending the signal at last to the muscle.  The final result of the cascade of events occurs at the motor end plate where a very specific muscle firing pattern causes physical motion of the legs/body/arms thus causing a efficient and effective movement  ie. the rowing stroke.  All this happens, in the biggest nerves, about 1/100th of a second, or traveling at 100 meters/second. Fast! Now, I want to make sure this very speedy nerve impulse is the RIGHT ONE inducing correct rowing technique.


In the next few weeks I want to spend time exploring and documenting what I feel is a perfect rowing stroke. That is why I'm here, right?   This may take a while actually find out... stay tuned.

The Circle (of Life) Part 1 - Neurological Plasticity and Hebbian Learning

I had an interesting discussion with my coach recently about the effectiveness of technique practice. As I'm sure you know, any learned activity takes time to perfect and will need constant attention to keep the skills reinforced.

(Vicious) Cycle for eternity - A Google Sketch-up document

This is, however, much easier said than done; I usually go through a constant cycle of a) Pseudo-perfect (GROUND): thinking it is excellent when in actual fact bad technique  b) total destruction of technique and re(BUILDING) and finally c) bringing it all together with proper technique and focus all through a continuous cycle of learning and growing towards almost(PERFECTION).

I think of it as Tiger Woods re-learning his golf swing (not the womanizing swing). I found out that even though he already won the Masters' green jacket with his original swing, he wanted to be better/stronger/faster at his chosen sport. After re-tooling his golf swing he subsequently won many more championships and Masters jackets. This may apply to a technique specific sport like rowing...(and swimming or even curling for that matter) For me, in my amateur status, I'd like to think I'm working towards perfection but it seems I'm always going through "the cycle" shown above.


For two weeks in February we had no coach directly observing us and giving us tips. It was a nice time to focus on the workouts without getting the constant patter of technique pointers. I find out now, three months later, that in those two weeks and beyond I have ingrained poor technique which has become reinforced by thousands of repetitions.  Only now am I realizing that it was incorrect technique, so I not only need to get rid of those old habits but re-ingrain new "correct" technique. What is correct technique?

I have been very interested in this line of ingraining physical motions into habit and creating a learned activity.  I opened up my medical text books to refresh my memory on neuroanatomy and physiology. In summary, I this is what I realized:

 Neurological plasticity or Hebbian Learning is a concept discussed in advanced  nerdy circles of psychology, physiology and rehabilitation.  It roughly states that learning takes place when two areas of the nervous system connected together through the interaction of nerve cells and the more often the cells interacted the more solidly something is remembered.  So, applying this to rowing, or any technique sport for that matter, the more repetitions completed with proper technique stronger connections will develop in the nervous system.  With this technique becoming ingrained the motion will be able to be completed on autopilot and more focus can be applied to other areas of competition.  Also, less energy will be utilized in focusing on moving the body a certain way and the energy can be focused on more effective points to win a competition.

The next question I have is: what is the perfect technique for rowing!?

New Group, New Work, New Focus

The new training group at VTC is a section of under 23 teams (U23), Heavyweight Henley Royal Regatta, and the lwt World Championships boats.  There are about 20 athletes training together during the week at Elk Lake and PISE. I'm very excited about the group of rowers that have been included in our training session and very motivated to make the next level.

Training all together in the PISE Erg Centre 

Preparation for a morning row

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I still need to work to supplement my rowing addiction adventure and I spend my time working at the LifeMark Sports Medicine clinic, which is conveniently across the tarmac from the Erg Centre seen above.  I'm a chiropractor focusing on sports injuries with special attention to the soft-tissue (muscles, tendons, and connective tissue) . I feel treating these areas it is the most effective and complimentary technique to best help my patients.
I now work on T/Th afternoons in the LifeMark Westside village next to the Save On More near downtown Victoria.

View Larger Map

National Team Selections: World Cup II (Olympic Qualifier)

So, the official teams were selected for the World Cup (of rowing) II - the last Olympic qualifier in Lucerne, Switzerland on May 25-27. An amazing group of athletes have been put together to represent Canada in the last international race before the big games. Most of the boats have been already qualified for the London 2012 Olympics and I'm damn excited to see both events.  As you can tell, however, from the selection document, the Lwt 4- was not listed. This was the boat I was aiming a spot for - even if it was a long shot.

Now that there is no longer a chance to qualify for this upcoming Olympics I have gone through a bit of a shift in my mental focus. Actually, it has been more of a exploratory mission of what is possible.  Over the past few weeks I have gone through a range of moods from a bit confused, mad, and frustrated to more of an enjoyable feeling of confidence. I think if it now that it is more of a character building experience that I never knew I could get so close to my top goals.  The next adventures I go through I will take away this as a lesson learned, not without struggle, and build upon it. Also, I have made some good friends and connections.

I have now re-focused with the rest of the lwt group to the 2012 World Championships - Plovdiv, Bulgaria on August, 15-19.  We will have some selections for the team in the middle to end of June and then solid training up until the Aug. 6th departure.  I hope I have the "stuff" to make it.

Who knew I put in on backwards?  The swirling wind,  relative humidity, and the third race in 24hrs all were contributing factors in the unplanned event of wearing my old club team's colours the wrong way. 

This past weekend the lwt 4- lwt 8+ group headed over to Burnaby, BC for a RCA sponsored Development Regatta.  It was part of the March Radar submission and also a selection for various teams including (but not limited to) U23 Worlds, Hwt European trip, and  World Juniors.  
The time-trial on Friday night was to set up position in the semifinals on Saturday morning. This meant that the Lwt's had a weigh-in on Friday evening AND Saturday morning. This is always a much debated and point of discussion among the best techniques to drop weight. 


Fast forward to the Finals on Saturday afternoon, and everything runs smoothly except the wind direction and my ability to put on clothes the right way.  In the Finals, Jamie Abbass, my rival and most intense competition pulls out ahead - actually 5 full seconds ahead. I ended up 2nd overall and 1st lwt!  I enjoyed myself immensely until I found out I had put my singlet on backwards and walked around the tarmac all proud with a puffed out chest... until Jamie pointed out the wardrobe malfunction.   I did not wear the singlet in the race due to the fact it was a borrowed shirt that had been stretched to the max  by none other than fellow VCRC Richard H. I just wanted something to represent that I originally trained with VCRC before I joined the VTC.

  

The Batteries are Drained

Today we had a triple row session. It involved a technique row sandwiched between two 18km steady-states. It seems a little excessive but it is what coach put forward for today. I feel that a coach is always looking out for my best interest and would only put something on the schedule that would benefit in the long-run.  Sometimes I think that it is hard as an athlete who wants to get better and move forward with training; at certain times in the workout macro-cycle everyone has a period of low energy or injury and it would probably be beneficial to hold off on a training session and recover. But, usually we all push through and have the detrimental effects weigh us down.  I read an interesting article recently about Institutionalized Overtraining with references to the Canadian Rowing team.  I don't feel that my training is too much to handle but I always want to be critical and make sure a bit of overtraining (overreaching effect) and turn into a chronic fatigue syndrome.
 Below is a summary of the rows today. It just looks like a spiders web strung across the lake.

The batteries on both my Garmin and StrokeCoach died on this double steady-state row.  In addition to that my internal energy system were depleted and in need of a re-charge.  I was, however, able to eat some delicious bread that my fiancee made for us - I ate the whole loaf.

Next up is a development regatta in Burnaby Apr. 20-21st.

The Grand Dueling

This spring weekend was the enjoyable classic event held by Vic City Rowing Club called Dueling Over a Grand. It is one of my favorite events because the total amount of racing experience obtained is huge. For example, I had six races in 24hrs!  That almost DOUBLES my previous rowing racing portfolio.  The race itself is only over 1000m, hence a Grand, but in conditions that we had today it felt more like 1500m due to the strong head-cross wind.  The umpires even had a meeting in the morning regarding the safety of sending singles out in the wash because a few boats flipped first thing in the morning.  It is a double-knockout elimination style regatta, so that means I would have to loose twice to get dropped. Oh, and the winner gets $1000 and runner up is $250. Another motivator to not get bumped.  And I wasn't going to loose without a fight. 

Due to the conditions I felt I had a fairly ugly, choppy and all-around scattered racing and rowing technique. But, everyone is racing in the same water so I couldn't blame my (lack of) speed on that. It was my first experience in being able to row through a competitor in the middle of the race and a confidence booster at that. I had a great dogfight, not once but twice, with my pal Jamie Abbass.  He is a classy guy with many stories and always has a smile on his face. We were very close both races and within a few feet it was always hard to tell who reached the imaginary line first. I hope to race him again soon.  In the end I was knocked out (2nd loss) by Steve Van Knotseburg, a heavyweight sculler in my fourth race today.  It was going to be a huge uphill (headwind) battle with SNV and in the end he finished by over a length in front of me. I was spent! What a great event. 

Kevin Kowalyk boathouse slow-walk 

SNV setting up for race time

Final Results:   Fraser Berkhout edged out Kevin Kowalyk for the win this afternoon.  On the womens side my friend Rosie DeBoef held off Erica Shaw for the top prize. Congratulations.