After a rather dodgy set of pieces yesterday we managed to have a good days rowing today. Mainly working on the catches. Somewhat of over analysis is a danger, particularly with Nick and video. Feeling quite tired so not looking forward to weights. Wonder how Lisa got on with her blind date?
- posted by Nicholas @ 6:41 AM

 
I've tried to keep most of you up to date with the rowing news, by inevitably miss some people off the list on some of my messages, so just to bring you up to date. I was ill for the pairs trial just after easter, it should have been a simple case of the other pair from the four winning the trial, and because my pair had beaten them in a pairs matrix (2 races, swap partners between) earlier then we would have just beeen selected. However Ben managed to blow up and so they lost to the next pair while also using 3 lanes of the course! With my illness and Mark also coming down with something the seat racing had to be delayed until now, and with our first race only a week and a half away that doesn't give us much time. We were pretty confident that the four from last year would come out on top, but with seat racing anything can happen. What did happen was that I, and my partner Tim weren't raced, we stayed in the four the whole time, and Mark, ben (from last years four) and John and Mike(Trigger) were swaped in and out over the course of 3 races, one person changed each time. When we came of the water I felt that our last row in the four was definately the worst, with john and trig, so I felt that ben would win, and mark was worried that he haddn't had a good pairs race with trig but though he had with ben. However what the times showed was that Mark had beaten John, just, and ben had lost to trig by a little more. So the four for the first world cup regatta, and if it is working well and doing well for the olympics is Me at stroke, Mark at 3, Tim at 2 and Trig at bow. I was a little dubious about our chances of getting a different four to work well, Ben does bring a lot to the boat with his calls and coaching within the boat which isn't well assesed in seat racing, but if trig can beat him in this seat racing while not rowing as closely in style to the rest of us, then when we can improve that we should go even faster in the long run. And with 3 of us in the crew to keep the rythmn that we have built up, then it should be easier for him to fit in than starting from scratch.
I'll try to remember to update you after the Poznan world cup. f you want to get the results earlier you can even watch them live on the racetracker on www.fisa.org and there will be results at http://www.rowingservice.com/new.html and press releases (mainly talking about the heavyweights on http://www.ara-rowing.org/bbrn.htm.
Appologies for the length of this message and the lack of paragraphs.
- posted by Nicholas @ 6:57 AM

 
well. Just about better, but with a new normal sore throat. Been out in some bad fours with j + T but had good outings yesterday in the race boat from last year, and both outings today were ok, though i think both some way short of the quality of the complete four. A bit conderned by the random pairs that went out, that blows our pairs swapping theory and mnakes a random result more likely. But it does mean than being swapped myself is less likely. Have a very strong idea tomorrow, if I'm not in a pair then, it will be very rude to swap me in the seat racing, and not easy to get it all done on monday. Still didn't do weights today to help get better and get rid of this new throat thing.
- posted by Nicholas @ 7:32 AM

 
Slowly getting better, frustrating as feeling ok when not training, but still not quite right, pulse still pretty high when paddling. Maybe back in a proper boat by monday. Seat racing when I'm better and mark is too, there is a chance it will just be Ben being raced, but if we have 2 days worth then I'd imagine that he would do more then just that. So the pressure will be on. I think we need to get some good results to build the confidence again of the four.
- posted by Nicholas @ 5:31 AM

 
What a pain, lots of random results out in belgium, and one of them in my event. So all up in the air a bit, the thought that at the end of this week at least we would know, was good while it lasted but we shall just have to wait and see what marty says and what trials we have in store next week. Unfortunately sarah didn't do very well, she will just have to hope that her doubles results will count in her favour or that there is some more seat racing before the crew is selected. still quite a while before their first race I guess, although there may be duisberg, not always any other lw4x.
should be interesting in the heavyweights too though, and what crew they do for the women, al the eggs in one basket, or risk 2 4th places again?
- posted by Nicholas @ 8:15 AM

 
Well, what a crap weekend. All ready to go to trials then friday some down the the usual sore throat. touch and go as to weather I got well in time so a very early journey with ron over to belgium, and afternoon of feeling ill in front of the tv and watching the cycling world cup and the swimming trials. A somewhat sleepless night and deciding to come home again yesterday. Deeply frustrating, wanting to sort out the four as soon as possible and also wanting to race the pair that we have been preparing. Also crap either being there and having to sit on my own or coming back and being even further away from all of the fun and the news. Still just have to sit and wait now to get better and see what Marty's decision is about what further trials my take place and when. Here's to Ben and Mark doing well on wednesday though!
- posted by Nicholas @ 2:04 AM

 
Just a short day at dorney today, but windy enough. 4x250m first session, a slightly mixed bag, then surviving the wind second session. Back home reasonably early though for some sql server work. Need to find time to make the cake though.
- posted by Nicholas @ 6:35 AM