Oakland, California - Training has been going well. Julie and I are excited for January because the Cal women and US men come back so we'll get to train with them again. Here are some photos from the past few days of practice:
Launching for afternoon practice
Oakland Estuary. Here we go!
Sunrise before morning practice
My mom came out for a visit and we've had a great time hanging out together. Yesterday was a gorgeous day and we toured around to the Golden Gate Bridge for a while. Tons of fog rolled in right as we were leaving, so we hit it at just the right time!
Oakland, California - I can't believe that Christmas is in one week. I've been trying to get in the holiday spirit by listening to Christmas music in the car, hanging lights in the apartment, and decorating Christmas cookies with friends, but it just doesn't feel right. This is my first winter spent away from a snowy/cold/icy climate, and it's throwing me off. The trees in the East Bay still have leaves on them, the temperatures still reach the 60s during the day, we can still row in December, and there's no snow in the 10-day forecast. How is this winter?! My idea of winter training always involved hours on the indoor rowing machines and in the weight room, but now I can actually row every day. This is strange...in a good way.
Part of the US men's heavyweight team has started training in Berkeley too. Aside from Julie and I feeling like we have more friends around the boathouse and people to race on the water, it also meant that a few other Wisconsin grads have come to town. Usually we train in different parts of the country so I only see them at US selection regattas or international races. Now I see them every day at practice and it feels like when we were back in Madison. Add in a few other good friends who have moved out to the bay area, and we now have a pretty sizable group of us living here. Who would have thought we'd all be in the same place? It's great.
The six Wisconsin Badgers competing for Team USA at 2011 World Championships
Oakland, California - After over three months of training, my Lake Merritt Girls on the Run team joined forces with the rest of the GOTR programs in the bay area for a massive 5k run. The event, held last Saturday in San Francisco, had music, face paint, and a few hundred girls running in purple race shirts. The girls on our team and their running buddies did a great job and everyone crossed the finish line with big smiles.
This season with GOTR has been rewarding in so many ways and I'm so proud of how the girls did throughout it. To have come into the season not knowing what they were capable of and finish having accomplished an entire 5k race was an incredible journey to be a part of.
Girls on the Run is a nationwide program that relies on volunteer coaches and running buddies to positively impact the lives of young girls. Watch the video below and get involved in your area by visiting http://girlsontherun.org. You will love it!
Photos from the 5k:
Most of the team. It's early in the morning - can you tell?
