Training Trips

Post #80

Oakland, California - January has always been a training trip month, and this year was no exception. The good thing about training in a small boat is that we're very mobile: just load the boat and oars on the roof of the car and we're good to go. I took two trips this month, one of which was to Lake Natoma in Sacramento with Cal (photo below). Unfortunately I have been horrible about snapping photos of my travels so this is as good as it gets:

Natoma launching site

As much as it's been fun to be away, it's also great to be back home. For much of 2010 and 2011, I was moving around so frequently that I didn't really have a place to call home. This year is different and I can't say I'm complaining about it. We'll be back in Oakland for the next two months preparing for our National Selection Regatta in April. (Note: A HUGE thank you goes out to Ann and her family, who have not only been super supporters of mine since the U-23 years, but have helped supply me with a place to live and are largely responsible for me feeling right at home!)

Another side note: for those of you interested in sports research, I came across this New York Times article about the relationship between caffeine and athletic performance. It comes as no surprise to me that rowers have some of the highest caffeine levels of all Olympic sports!

The Olympic Year

Post #79

Oakland, California - We have welcomed 2012, which means we're officially in the Olympic year. There are less than 200 days training days left before the races begin. It's hard to believe that we're so close because it feels pretty far away. There are still three months until our selection begins.

The double is the only Olympic event for lightweight women, so only two of us will represent the USA in London. There are doubles training all over the country, so qualifying will undoubtedly be tough.

Making the Olympic team is a somewhat complicated process. Here are the steps that every US lightweight double is striving to take to be named to the team:

Step 1: Win the National Selection Regatta in April, thereby proving you're the fastest in the US

Step 2: Race at a World Cup and finish in the top 4. (If 5th or lower, then the event goes to open trials in the US in June, where any lightweight doubles can come and race. Winner is named to the team.)

We're not thinking too much about the big races these days. We're just working hard and trying to get better every stroke, every practice, every day. That's all we can control for now.

December Adventures

Post #78

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!

"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

Girls on the Run Final 5k

Post #76

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?

Maya and Coach Anya

Anya and Katya

The starting line

Yamile and her running buddy

Katya, Maya, and their running buddies

Yamile closes in on the finish line

Anayeli is not far behind!

Andrea and her running buddy

Post-race: Coach Molly and Katya

Ne-Kia, Tylor, and Asmani

Row2k Training Gallery

Post #75

Oakland, California - Erik Dresser, Row2k's incredibly talented photographer, was in town last week and asked to come out and shoot one of our practices. It was the morning after Thanksgiving and the water was perfectly glassy. Those are the best days. A few of the photos are below but the entire album is also available here. Enjoy!

GOTR Community Service

Post #74

Oakland, California - This morning the Lake Merritt Girls on the Run did a community service project. The girls had voted on a Lake Merritt trash clean-up so we got nets and one big trash bin and did a major clean-up along the lakeshore path. Here are the photos:

Photo credit: Anya

GOTR

Post #73

Oakland, California - We have been having so much fun at GOTR practice. Here are some photos from Saturday. The girls voted to clean up trash around the lake as our community service project next week. We've got less than two weeks till the Lollipop 5k race!

Finally, this photo was taken at the halfway point of one of me and Julie's training runs a couple weeks ago. I just had to post it because it's a great representation of where I get to live and train right now. It was taken from Berkeley overlooking the bay, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Girls on the Run Practice 5k

Post #72

Oakland, California - I am SO proud of all my Lake Merritt Girls on the Run. This morning, every single one of them ran around the whole lake and completed our practice 5k. They were so impressive and inspiring. Coach Anya, Coach Molly, and I knew they could do it, but I think some of them surprised themselves when they reached the finish line and realized what they had just done. They did awesome!

Katya and her running buddy

Go Andrea!

Katya and Maya in the last mile

Yamile with her running buddies at the finish line

Andrea nearing the finish line. Look at all the high fives she's about to get!

Katya, me, and Annayelli

"Girls on the Run is So Much Fun!"

Post #71

Oakland, California - Our Lake Merritt Healthy Hearts team is doing great! We are having so much fun bonding as a team and preparing for our 5k on December 3. Here are some photos from the last couple weeks. More to come after Saturday's practice 5k. Go team!

Coach Molly, Asmani, and Maya

Asmani, Tylor (wearing the Charles medal), me, Maya, and Ne-Kia

Coach Molly and Maya at the end of practice

Playing lap freeze tag in the park with a full moon rising over the Oakland Hills

Coach Anya trying to tag Maya!