"Winter" Training

Post #77

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