Welcome to the Susquehanna University Crew Team Blog



What started out as a workout log has quickly turned into a blog dedicated to preserving the history and accomplishments of the Susquehanna University Crew Team. It also exists to provide information and resources for team members to become fitter and smarter athletes, and to gain the motivation and determination necessary to becoming better competitors and teammates.

Welcome and feel free to comment on all things rowing!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Eating Well

We all know that the Susquehanna Crew Team likes to eat.

Judging by the pasta dinners, celebratory cakes, Thanksgiving Dinner, the Chinese buffet, and the mounds of food available at races, this is no question in my mind.

Row2K just featured a great article about University of Wisconsin's varsity women's crew team learning to prepare healthy and quick meals to fuel their active lifestyles.
Healthy Cooking 101: A lesson for student athletes




Sports Nutritionist Leslie Bonci came to speak at Susquehanna several years ago and provided student athletes with excellent tips and information. This can still be found on the Susquehanna athletic site.
You can also find information through Susquehanna Dining's Fresh and Healthy website.

Do you have any nutrition websites, books, or advice you'd like to share? Feel free to comment!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

When the Flood Waters Cometh

On Monday, some of you had the delightful pleasure of participating in a minor boathouse evacuation. As the waters of the Susquehanna River rise, it can sometimes put our equipment in danger. Moving items to higher racks or higher ground is an absolute must.

The call can come in the middle of the day or the wee hours of the morning. In more extreme circumstances, the entire boathouse area must be evacuated -- port-o-potties and all. Anything not securely cemented into the ground (like the boathouse pylons) or tethered down (like the sheds) are in danger of floating away or being damaged.


As you can see from the photo above, circa Fall of 2004, the river crested at such a high level that the top racks of the boathouse were under water.











After such an event, there is a lot of clean up to be done. The shed needs to be mucked out and refilled, the boathouse has to be scraped of mud, large debris needs to be removed, the parking lot needs to be re-stoned, and the dock needs to be realigned. Add to that the rigging and placement of the boats, as well as any other odd job that pops up.



Coxswain Shortage

Winter Training is that time of year where we log more meters on the ergs than we care to remember, and make those nice, warm afternoons on the water seem like more than a distant memory. One thing that we can also forget is the need for coxswains!

I encourage you to talk to your friends, hall mates, and classmates about joining the Susquehanna Crew Team. Being a coxswain is an excellent way to practice public speaking and leadership skills, gain coaching experience and first hand observation of psychological principles, and so much more! And don't forget that joining crew is like getting a new family too.

A cautionary tale...


Having too few coxswains can result in your 200+lb, ex-elite rower of a coach trying to squeeze himself into a lightweight women's coxswain seat!


Talk about check! You have no idea...

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Keeping an Exercise Log

On Friday at 4:15pm practice, Nick and I mentioned the importance of a workout log. I really encourage each of you to start bringing a notebook, agenda, calendar, or specialized workout log to practice to record your splits, times, and distances. Xeno says so too.

I have used all four types of tracking tools. I like workout logs specifically because they help you keep track of your cardio, strength training, stretching, nutrition, and goals. I have used two editions of the same log, The Ultimate Workout Log by Suzanne Schlossberg which I really recommend. For about 10 bucks, you can keep track of your workouts for 6 months. You can also keep track in a 10 cent notebook or the agenda that you use to keep track of your school work. Microsoft Word also has exercise templates that you can print out.

Keeping track of your progress over time will help you to set better goals, see improvements, and the ability share the information with others.

Example:
January 24, 2003
(12) 500m pieces
1:56.6, 1:56.4, 1:57.6, 1:56.3, 1:57.7, 1:57.6, 1:58.2, 1:55.7, 1:57.0, 1:57.8, 1:57.9, 1:52.8

A Story of my Life...

I am the maintainer of this blog, Rachael Gebely. Ever since I was a small child, I have been terribly klutzy. My Mom says that given an opportunity to take a clear path or a cluttered one, I would always choose the one with the most toys in the way, inevitably tumble, pick myself back up, and continue on my way. I quit dance lessons as a kindergartner because I was an awful dancer and always got stuck in the back of the line. I couldn't master the "step-ball-change" and I had the wrong color shoes (totally different story). I played soccer starting in third grade, the only goal that I can claim was in our indoor season, where I scored in my own goal due to a slick floor. I almost made a goal later in my career, but took a tumble on a breakaway right before I could get the shot off. After spraining my ankle at the end of my sophomore year in high school, I quit soccer to spend time on other interests.

During my search for college, I fell in love with Susquehanna and was drawn to crew, despite being uncoordinated and being a bit out of shape. It was something that challenged me, but that I always came back to. I can remember my first 2k test after my freshman winter break, where I went out too fast and died, posting terrible numbers (9:05). I still soldiered on, and came back to post an 8:20.0 a month later. Hitting 8:01.5 in the fall of my sophomore year, I was more determined than ever to go sub-8. It happened that Spring when I hit 7:57.1 and I was so ecstatic! The reason that I can tell you all of these numbers, is that I kept a workout log with my erg times, lifting weights, and general comments. It is something that I always encourage rowers to do.

Sub-8 (or sub 7 for guys) seemed like this special club, and with a little bit of hard work, I became a member. I lifted, I worked out, and I had a great support system (thanks to my coach, my boyfriend, and teammates) but I can't say that there was anything special I had to do to be fast. I suppose my own personal experience has led me to believe that with enough effort, anyone can be fast, and that doesn't mean living at the gym or abandoning all of your other priorities. I ended my senior year at 7:49.8 and 1.46.5 as a lightweight. Trust me, it is all about the mental toughness.

I have rowed with many different boats and in many different seats. My junior year I decided that I wanted to compete as a lightweight for Erg Armageddon and just continued on that way for the rest of my career. I like to tell people that it was the best decision that I ever made, mainly because I got to row with the most INCREDIBLE women, whom I owe so much to. The picture below is the original "Lite 8," who I feel taught me how to be a true teammate. Our erg scores were wildly varied, but we could really move a boat. I was connected to my crew and started to feel an overwhelming sense of trust and commitment like never before.


This was us racing at the 2004 Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Crew Championships. It was easily one of the most exhilarating races of my career.


We took home the gold and had recently been recognized on US Rowing's Best Lightweight Eights poll. We worked hard, but we had so much fun!


We worked hard enough to earn a new boat, Annalia. Annalia's namesake is the African Goddess of the River. She was delivered in the wrapper, with that fresh new boat smell, to Head of the Charles, where she had her inaugural row.


Racing at Head of the Charles was where I felt we finally "made it." After years of equipment malfunctions, boat disasters, being yelled at by officials, almost missing races, and so much more, it did not feel out of place to be sitting on the Charles surrounded by Ivy and Olympic crews in millions of dollars worth of equipment. We may have placed second to last, but we could not have been prouder. That was also the day that our neighborhood rival school's Mens' and Women's teams had lost their skegs in the race.


I get the impression that most people think that the races you win or the medals you collect are the most memorable. My deepest and fondest memories are these sheer seconds or moments of perfection that I have ever since been chasing. One such memory is of my Freshman four and one amazing practice were I never wanted to leave the water. The second such memory was one of the last of my career, my lightweight four in a meet against the heavies of Bucknell, Loyola, and George Mason. It was a rainy Saturday on Spring Weekend. It was damp and chilly with just enough misty rain to make gripping the oar a nightmare. I was in a mixed kind of mood that day. Our race false started and we had to row up and around the intake to restart. It just seemed like a bad omen, or a nice morning to stay in bed. Our second start was a miracle. Strong words, yes, but we jumped off the block like none other, leaving all three boats in our wake. There was just enough exposed shore for our coach (the only "Coach" I know), Brian Tomko to sprint alongside of the boat with the most enormous grin on his face just cheering us on. In the middle of the race, I had a transcendental experience, which seems too personal to share on a blog, but not unheard of in the rowing world. We ended up taking third, but this was my favorite race EVER.


The love I have for rowing and Susquehanna Crew is immeasurable.


One of the saddest things I will ever have to do was to say goodbye to rowing to attend graduate school.


The Susquehanna team was my family and crew is always a part of my life. Special thanks to Liz Remmel, Robin Atkins, Stacie Naugle, Kristen Hoar, Chris Meharg, Greg Giuntini, Pete Habercost, Brian Card, Pat Johnson, Jill "Jilly" Sands (Martin), Kathy Wulderk, Jess "J" Hibbard, Allison Bankus, Erica Garland, Erin Toenebohen (Haberkost), Alyssa Russo, Dawn Raszcewski, Katie Meyer, Kate Jensen, Ashley McConnaughhay, Sara Jane Luley (Baublitz), Coach Jim Grose, and "Coach" Brian Tomko.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Sunday, January 17, 2009

Nine Different Steps for Improving an Erg Score
Remember to eat breakfast on Tuesday, stay hydrated, get positive, and know your plan!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Saturday, January 16, 2009

I hope that you have safe travels back to SU! Coach Jim and I are eagerly awaiting your return!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Friday, January 15, 2009

Happy Friday! What's your workout?

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Thursday, January 14, 2009

Stuck in an office over break -- here is a little distraction...

Monday, January 11, 2010

Tuesday, January 12, 2009

Pinsent versus Cracknell - erg surge

Great job on the workouts Ali and welcome to our team! Thanks to Lauren M., Nick, Jaime P., Colleen, Joe, Devin, Rob, Angel of Death, Paula, Chris C., Stephen, and Coach Jim for keeping us all updated on your winter workouts! - Coach Rachael

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2009

T-Minus 9 days and counting...

What was your workout today? Don't forget to post on each day you exercise!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Friday, January 8, 2009




















Our hard working team...

In a room we are sure to be spending a lot of time in this winter!

Are you ready to push yourself farther than you thought you could go?

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Thursday, January 7, 2009

Don't forget to add your name when you post your workout each time!

A few online resources:
CrossFit - WOD
Concept2 Workout of the Day - great suggestions to vary your erg routine
eHow Fitness Training Videos - simulate rowing with an exercise band

No weights for the WOD or access to an erg?
My favorite exercise DVDs are by Ellen Barrett. She teaches "All Star Workouts" on FIT TV, has several DVDs through CRUNCH Gym, and just released new workouts that focus on cardio and toning. Most of the DVDs require no extra equiptment. You can usually find them online, at bookstores (such as Barnes & Noble), or stores such as Walmart or Target.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Wednesday, January 6, 2009

"Shoulder-to-shoulder, swing to the work, we must - just two as we are - if we hope to make some headway. The worst cowards, banded together, have their power, but you and I have got the skill to fight their best." -- Homer from Iliad

Winning races starts in the off season!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

"Although logging workouts seems to be a very simple action, it is often forgotten. Once several days go by, it is hard to remember what was done on a particular day. After working out for several months, you will feel an unbelievable sense of achievement when flipping through the pages of the log book. You should also notice a sign of improvement. 'Material proof' can be great motivation and will encourage you to keep on going." -- Xeno Muller

Monday, January 5, 2009

Post your workout for Monday, January 5, 2009!