Repost: A Sunday to Remember; 2012 World Indoor Rowing Championships, Crash’Bs

Chris,Wesley,Sean,Roger,Bob

Wesley, Tom,Roger

Wesley w/Chris as Coxswain

Bob Giving it a Pull

Chris Sherwood

Today was my 10th World Indoor Rowing Championships held every year in Boston, Massachusetts. There is a good group of paddlers that use the Concept 2 indoor rowing erg in the off season when it can be too cold to get on the water. So most of us start on the erg in November/December with a goal of doing the Crash B’s in February. Anyone can participate, just register and show up. Just remember as you are walking around though, you are among some of the fittest collection of atheletes in the world in all age categories. They call it the World Championships for a reason, so 2000 racers show from all over the world to see how fast they can spin that flywheel. Everyone does 2K, the gold standard of indoor rowing.

Today’s paddlers group consisted of myself, Sean Milano, Tom Kerr, Bob Capellini, Chris Sherwood and Roger Gocking. While we all know specificity of training is optimum, the rowing erg provides one of the best workouts on the planet. I also found out this season that technique plays a major role in erg training, 10 years of doing it the wrong way!! My technique needs some improvement,so I enlisted the help of Terry Smythe,(UCanRow2- master rowing instructor), Dave Thomas(Amherst Rowing Coach and Stellar Surfski Designer), Dan Gorriaran(expert rowing coach/racer) and Chris Chappel(SurfskiRacing.com) to help me this season.

While it is a short erg season for me, you can only incorporate so much in a 2 month window. However, I learned a lot from all these guys andI look forward to a better 2k time next year with better technique. While I could only implement a few key points this season, the coaching helped me enjoy erg training more with less fatigue, better posture, slower stroke rate, among many other things. The training also allowed me to meet a few more rowers like Ruth, Barbara, and John Ryan. I joined about 10 rowers all coached by Dan a few weeks ago in a gym on the EastSide of Providence for a 2k Time trial. While I had met John years ago at the Jamestown Counter Revolution Race Committee meeting and at the local races, I had never talked to John for more than a few minutes. On this Sunday we lined up side by side with 8 other indoor rowers waiting for the countdown from Dan. John pulled a 6:42. I pulled a 7:29 with Dan urging me on. Afterwards Dan told me my form went to hell after 1000 meters and I have some work to do. John excited about his time, told me afterwards “Quick hands, Slow Slide” that should get you a few more seconds.

Barbara, Ruth

John Ryan and family

So fast forward two weeks, I see Dan with and John just before our heats. Dan tells me “7:15, 7:15, you can do it. Remember even splits, and don’t shorten your stroke in the last 500 meters. You can do this”. While I did not get a 7:15, I did manage a 7:18.00, my best time since 2003, and 3.6 seconds faster than last years. Believe me, 3.6 seconds in 2k time trial is like 3 minutes in 2 hour surfski race. I told Chris(SurfskiRacing.com), my Coxswain, to “turn up the volume” this year and really push me. It was a huge help. My natural race pace is 1.51 minutes per 500 meters. I needed to average 1.50 for the entire 2K. With a steady stream of encouragement like, “Get it Down to 1.50, Get it Down to 1.50, hold it, Get it Down, Leg Drive, Leg Drive, okay 500 meters to go, Go Go Go, leave nothing, you can do it, You got it, Get it down to 148, 148, 200 meters, 200 meters, Drive, Drive, Come on, Come on, You Did it, You Did It. Team SurfskiRacing.com, WE DID IT!!! Everyone knows the benefit of a good Coxswain.

This theme played out for all of us. Roger coxswained Bob and Tom. Bob was only a couple of seconds off his pace last year. Tom PR today with 7:13 over his previous 7:20 PR. Roger missing the Lightweight Weigh In, opted not to race but helped these guys get excellent times. Sean having a bought a Concept 2 this season, pulled a 7.00.05, a superb time though he wanted to go under 7 minutes. Chris Sherwood got a PR as well by 5 seconds in only his 2nd Crash B. John Ryan also PR with a time of 6:39, 3 seconds faster than a few weeks ago. So Congratulations to everyone for job well done!!!