A Congratulations in Order

Jump for joy...


Congratulations to the SU Crew team for an outstanding performance at the 2010 Bucknell Erg Armageddon. If Coach Jim's calculations are correct, each team member reached a new personal record (PR) for their 2k yesterday! It is proof positive that the time we have spent preparing this winter has taken us to new and perhaps unimaginable places. The progress made between the end of the fall season and now is incredible.

What makes a difference?

• Regular practice attendance
• Commitment to lifting and exercise outside of practices
• Increased flexibility and focus from daily yoga poses
  
• Attention paid to individualized race plans
• Proper hydration
  
• Selecting a motivating and involved coxswain
• Team support and LOVE
  

As soon as the results are posted online, I will link them here.

Spring Break Planning

Spring Break is quickly approaching. Here are a few reminders:

We will be traveling to Oak Ridge via bus. Unlike our race buses, this one will not have a bathroom, however we will be stopping at rest stops or gas stations as needed through out the night for gas. There is plenty of storage for luggage underneath of the bus.

Don't forget to bring:

• Refillable water bottle
• Sneakers (for running or other activities)
  
• Swim Suit (to utilize the hotel's pool)
  
• Medications and Inhalers
• Insurance card
  
• Clothing appropriate for different types of weather
  

As far as weather goes, the lows are expected to be in the mid to upper 30's. The later parts of the day are expected to be in the mid-50s. There could be rain, snow, or some other form of freak weather, so be prepared! My freshman year we started out in snowsuits and ended up in t-shirts and tank tops. Remember that we will be rowing two times a day and you may be asked to cox at some point. You will want clean clothes the evening for dinner. Also, sage traveling wisdom states that you can never pack enough pairs of socks or underwear.

Additional items to consider:

• Blanket or pillow for the bus ride
• Board Games for the hotel
• Cellphone (don't forget the charger!)
  

There will be three Canadian preparatory schools and four colleges joining us at Spring Training in Oak Ridge. The rowing venue is quite large, but be prepared to experience boat traffic, especially if the local crews are out as well.

• Upper Canada College
  
• Branksome Hall School
• Havergal College
• Notre Dame Women and Men
  
• Marquette University
  
• University of Buffalo
• North Park University

More info to follow about our fun day!

They Call It the Mid-Winter Blues

Spring must be coming. The Erg Armageddon always signals the end of the indoor rowing season and the transition to the great outdoors. If only it were that easy. In some years, our docks have made it onto the water in mid-February. While offering a mid-winter reprieve from the doldrums of the gym basement, it opens up a whole host of new issues, like water freezing the oarlocks shut or having towels freeze to the boats when you try to wipe them down.

Despite the stale air and heat of the windowless green room, I love the camaraderie of the indoor season. To me, it offers the very best opportunity to solidify the team as one, rather than a series of distinct boats. Sure this is accomplished through Spring Break and our races, but nothing says teamwork and bonding like sharing an erg doing 500m pieces. You can see that the picture above shows what you can do on a nice day (when the winds are too high to be on the river). Yes, that is a photo of eight ergs on slides together!

So let's talk about the 500m. Since Susquehanna will be testing the 500m dash tomorrow, I know that it doesn't give you a lot of preparation time, but to be honest, none of the information I am going to supply should be surprising. Work as hard as you can for less than 2 minutes. Whereas the 2k race is primarily an aerobic competition, the 500m sprint is completely anaerobic in nature. Aerobic activities involve large muscle groups performing rhythmic, prolonged activities and use oxygen. Anaerobic activities are done without oxygen, meaning that the fuels your body uses are processed without the need for oxygen. These types of activities are intense and cannot be sustained for more than a minute or two. And I don't have to tell you that it hurts.

Just because the 500m sprint is a sprint, does not mean that you should hold your breath. You are definitely going to need that oxygen later! Get your breathing under control and ready before you start. Get yourself (and your heart rate) pumped up and psyched about going all out. Every stroke of the 500m sprint counts, so it is important that you are revved up and ready from the very start. Remember that high stroke ratings (SPM = strokes per minute) can help you bring your splits down, but you need to be able to maintain that rating in order for it to be effective. Maintaining a high stroke rating is achieved through practice, practice, and more practice (and some more working out on top of that!).

I preface this by saying that my math skills are not great, but that I found breaking down my pieces into smaller chunks helped me better understand my race plan an allocate my energy:

• As an openweight man (for 500m), if you race at 30spm with a 1:35 split, that is 47.5 strokes for the entirety of the piece. That means you would average 10.5m per stroke -- a power 10 at the 100m mark would see you through to the end.
  
• As an openweight woman, if you race at 30spm with a 1:55 split, that is 58 strokes for the piece. That means you would average 8.6m per stroke -- a power 12 at the 100m mark would be a great sprint.

Trying to calculate how many strokes you will take? Estimate your SPM and desired 500m average (calculated in seconds, e.g. 1:35 = 95 seconds). Take the total time and divide by 60 and multiply by SPM:

• 95 / 60 = 1.58 x 30 = 47.5 strokes per piece

Trying to calculate how many meters for stroke you can row? Divide 500 by your total number of strokes:

• 500 / 47.5 = 10.5 meters per stroke

Good luck and break some records!

Secrets

I was not at practice today because I had tickets to a lecture at Bucknell for Frank Warren, the creator of the community art project known as Post Secret. In case you are unfamiliar, Post Secret is a project that asks people to write a secret on a post card and anonymously send it to Frank at his home in Maryland. Frank reads each post card (he gets 100-200 a day from all over the country and world) and then posts them on his blog, publishes them in books, or puts them on display at two traveling art exhibits. He also has a Facebook fan page and a Twitter account.

I have been an avid reader of Post Secret since graduate school, which is about five years now. Every Sunday, Frank loads new postcards onto the blog and I am reminded that everyone has secret fears, desires, wishes, dreams, regrets, and confessions. Whenever I feel lonely or alone, the postcards help remind me that I am not.

Why am I bringing this up on a blog that is about the Susquehanna University crew team? At the end of the lecture, audience members were invited to share their own secrets. They were profoundly moving and deeply emotional. I am reminded (much like I am often reminded in my job with students) that so many people are carrying around burdens, insecurities, hidden struggles (be it emotional, academic, or something else entirely).

• "Every single person has at least one secret that would break your heart. If we could just remember this, I think there would be a lot more compassion and tolerance in the world." - Frank Warren
  

I just want to remind you that you are not alone. Remember that our team is here for each other. That includes coaches too. Coach Jim and I are always willing to lend an ear if you are experiencing difficulty, need someone to talk to, or want advice. In addition to us, there are a ton of great resources that a school like Susquehanna has to offer. Don't forget that most academic departments offer tutoring hours and definitely take up your professors on study sessions or office hours. Don't forget about the Career Center or Academic Support and Success:

• Math Center
• Writing Center - awesome if you need a proof reader, help with professional formatting (APA, MLA, ASA), and overall a great resource to help you write papers clearly and concisely
• Modern Language Resource Center
• Academic Skills Center - great resource to learn more about time management, test anxiety and preparation, study skills, and organization

Susquehanna also has a great Counseling Center where appointments can be made Monday through Fridays by calling 570-372-4751. Appointments are free, confidential, and just because you go once does not mean that you the obligation to go again. It is something that I took advantage of as a Susquehanna student and felt stronger and more balanced because of it. Honestly, I can't think of one resource that I just named that I didn't take advantage of.

So, as we are hunkering down preparing for our 2k races and racing season, don't forget to concentrate on your academics, personal well being, and health too!

Preparing for the Races

Row2K just posted an awesome video of the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championships. Originally started in 1980 by several former US Olympic Rowers, the "Charles River All Star Has-Beens" are still the official governing body of indoor rowing.

We see the SU records almost every day, but have you ever been curious about the world records in our sport? The current record holder for the fastest 2k time is Rob Waddell of New Zealand, who posted a 5:36.6 and he won the CRASH B Sprints 3 times.

Category	Time	Split	Nation	Year	Name
Open Men	5:36.6	1:24.1	NZL	2007	Rob Waddell
Lwt Men	5:58.5	1:29.6	DEN	2009	Henrik Stephansen
Open Women	6:28.4	1:37.1	FRA	2005	Sophie Balmary
Lwt Women	6:56.7	1:44.1	USA	2000	Lisa Schlenker

This year, the talk of the town was 18 year-old Felix Bach of Germany who broke his erg during the start of his heat with the junior men. He broke the chain and his machine was lifting off the ground, so he was forced to join a later heat with the lightweight junior women. He ultimately posted a 5:51.8, which was 25 seconds faster than the second place Junior Men's finisher. It looks nearly effortless. (Please note that the lightweight woman in the green shirt and pink shorts next to Felix is dipping her hands after she gets past the knees and it becomes particularly pronounced toward the end of the video.)

You can also see from the video that Felix has chosen a coach or friend to motivate him through the piece, especially in the last 300m or so. As you are thinking about Erg Armageddon, think about who you would like your coxswain or motivator to be. It can be a fellow rower, coxswain, or coach. Just remember that the heats quickly follow one another, so it would not be wise to choose someone in a heat before or directly after yours. Think about the key points in your piece that you need extra encouragement, share your race plan with that person, and also think about words or phrases that you really want to hear.

Everyone gets their motivation from a different place. Maybe you just want your iPod. Maybe you just want someone to sit quietly behind you saying encouraging words every now and then. Maybe you want someone to sit there an be quiet until the sprint. Maybe you want someone there shouting in you ear every second of the way. Maybe you want a whole bunch of people cheering for you. Think about what you need and don't be afraid to communicate that with your teammates, family, friends, or others attending the race.

Also, don't forget that our friendly neighborhood rowing association, the CPRA (Central Pennsylvania Rowing Association) is sending members to race. Please be sure to cheer them on as you would your own teammates! They still say glowing things about SU crew since we raced with them at Navy Day in Philly.

Yoga for Rowers

"We win. We lose. We Victory Squat." - Paula Trinchera

SU Crew has added a new section to our warm ups and cool downs for each practice. It's called, "Yoga for Rowers" by Chrys Kozak and focuses on the four phases of the rowing stroke: the recovery (balance), catch (connection), drive (power), and finish (control). It has increased our focus, balance, and flexibility.

Lauren Seamon is practicing good "victory squat" form in the snow on the photo at the side -- one of the moves taught in the book. A side benefit of the stretches and moves provided by the book is the ability to perform wicked awesome Twister moves.


You can also check out this article from the Los Angeles Rowing Blog about yoga breathing. For those of you who might not have our book, you can find some yoga poses on the page as well.

Music as Motivation

I know that I have told some of you that I went to college "before there were iPods." I remember many afternoons in college running on the Isle of Que, on the "farm run," with my clunky portable CD player. I had mix CDs with Moby, Maroon Five, Britney Spears, Pink, Sum 41, LIT, and more. I remember many practices in the Green Room* with our stereo blasting, being educated in heavy metal, old school rock, blue grass, German techno, and the worst idea ever -- School House Rock Conjunction Junction. Thanks to Greg Giuntini and Brian Card, I got pretty schooled on Pantera, Coal Chamber, Soulfly, and other really angry metal songs. The upside to said songs are that the anger really does channel well into an erg piece. Thankfully Pete Haberkost was always able to lighten the mood with a little OAR, Jack Johnson, and always knew what was going to be popular way before it became mainstream.

My favorite song to play during erg tests was this crazy German techno song of Coach's that counted down in German. I also remember erging to Bill Joel's "Pressure" remix at Erg Armageddon one year. It seemed like an appropriate song at the time. Music has always and still does have a huge impact on me when I exercise.

Music is an awesome training tool that can help us more sharply tune our ability to focus, help us transcend pain, and push us further than we thought we could go. At the end of a long run, I always have go-to songs that I know will help me pick up the pace and finish strong. Equally, when I take an aerobics class at the gym, the instructor puts on a slower more mellow song at the end to help our heart rates slow down and to help us focus our breathing. These are some of my favorite erging songs (with enough energy to keep you moving!):

• Body in Motion - Wise Guys
  
• Just Gotta Get Through This - Daniel Bedingfield
  
• Jump (For My Love) - The Pointer Sisters

I'd like to make an SU Crew Spring 2010 mix CD for the erg room. What songs would you like to add? Comment below!!


*The Green Room was comprised of where the ergs currently are and the section of the weight room next door. That section had fake green grass outdoor carpeting, which smelled pretty badly and pieces always got stuck on the back of your shirt -- thus the term Green Room.

SU Crew Spring 2010 Racing Schedule

Racing season is just around the corner. In case you or your family/friends are wondering, below is the spring racing schedule.

Erg Armageddon - Lewisburg, PA
Saturday, February 27th

Spring Break Training Trip - Oak Ridge, TN
Friday, March 5th through Saturday, March 13th

Dual Meet with Bryn Mawr and F&M - Conshohocken, PA
Saturday, March 20th

Knecht Cup - Camden, NJ
Saturday, April 10th through Sunday, April 11th

Busfield Regatta - Oswego, NY
Saturday, April 17th

Home Meet with University of Scranton - at the Boathouse - Shamokin Dam, PA
Saturday, April 24th

Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Crew Championships -Occoquan, VA
Sunday, May 2nd

Inspiration and Inches

In need of a little inspirational speech? In honor of Superbowl Sunday, here is a video about rowing for "inches" based on Al Pacino's speech in Any Given Sunday. Erging and rowing are about fighting for inches, and on the water every inch can translate into a foot. It is about trusting your teammates enough to know that they are with you every second of the way.

On this team, we fight for that inch
On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us
to pieces for that inch.
We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch.
Cause we know
when we add up all those inches
that's going to make the f'ing difference
between WINNING and LOSING
between LIVING and DYING.

I'll tell you this
in any fight
it is the guy who is willing to die
who is going to win that inch.
And I know
if I am going to have any life anymore
it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch
because that is what LIVING is.
The six inches in front of your face.

Now I can't make you do it.
You gotta look at the guy next to you.
Look into his eyes.
Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you.
You are going to see a guy
who will sacrifice himself for this team
because he knows when it comes down to it,
you are gonna do the same thing for him.

That's a team, gentlemen
and either we heal now, as a team,
or we will die as individuals.

Strong competitors prepare as if they are going into battle. They trust in themselves and trust in their teammates. They have the desire and the fire to leave everything out there, to not save an ounce of energy, to not question their ability in the moment, and commit relentlessly to their goal.

"Give them nothing, but take from them everything." - King Leonidas from 300

Some Friendly Reminders

Three things (in case you didn't read my email):

1. SPRING BREAK
I really hope that if you haven’t already thought about our Spring Break Training trip that you highly consider this AWESOME opportunity for early water time, conditioning, and team bonding. Although some people might like to spend their Spring Break basking on a beach, the water on Melton Park Lake is better than any ocean I can imagine! Why spend thousands of dollars on a cruise, when you can spend $250 (plus a little more for dinner and maybe some Epsom salts) to spend time with the people you love, doing what you love.

We are staying at the Hampton Inn in Oak Ridge, TN. We get a full hot breakfast and in the past they have kept the food available for lunch too! There is a small fitness room, an indoor pool, and a hot tub.You can find information about our rowing venue and pictures of the course and river.

A typical day includes breakfast, rowing, lunch, (maybe napping), rowing, dinner, hanging out with friends, and sleep. Eat, sleep, row; repeat. One day during the week, we will be having a "fun" day or day off. Last year the team went on a hike to the Smokey Mountains. Please take a second to vote on our fun day activity on the side of the blog if you haven't already.

2. THE SU CREW BLOG
Every few days I am posting new rowing resources and team history on the SU Crew Blog. This season I hope to keep track of the races we attend and will highlight usable information. I would encourage you to check it often and even get involved in posting.

I'd like to add information about packing for Spring Break, using music as a training tool, taking care of blisters, and much more. If there is something that you are particularly interested in, let me know. I ALWAYS need photos. Eventually, I think it would be great to get parents to visit the site and alumni.

3. PRACTICES
I am really proud of the accomplishments and strides the team is making on the ergs. From the hard work that I saw on Tuesday and particularly Wednesday this week, I can tell that you are committed to continual improvement and pushing yourselves further than you think you can go. I think my favorite saying that came out of the day was that "you train the brain to push past the pain." I know that rhyming is a little hokey, but I hope that you will remind yourself often that it is your brain that is telling your body that erging hurts and not the other way around. Our bodies are capable of so much more than our brains want to give us credit for and just like we are conditioning our muscles, we need to condition our minds!

For those of you that Coach Jim and I haven't seen around lately, I really want to emphasize the importance of these winter practices. Races are won in the "off season" more so than on. All of the work that we are doing now is going to translate to speed and endurance on the water. Not coming to practice now can effect your ability to earn a seat in the boat later.

Hydration Needs for Exercising

Are you staying hydrated enough? The average person needs to consume 8-12 eight ounce glasses of water per day.

What happens if you don't get enough water?

• Your brain won’t work properly – you’ll be groggy, slow, and feel out of it
• You’ll lose muscle tone
• Your kidneys won’t be able to function; toxins and wastes will back up in your body, making you feel generally crummy
• You’ll have trouble regulating your body temperature; you make feel overheated, or you may feel chronically cold and unable to get warm.
• You’ll get constipated
• Fats stored in your body won’t get used up or metabolized
• You’ll think you’re hungry all the time, and so you’ll be likely to eat more
• Your skin will get dry, itchy, and saggy

Working hard on the ergs in a stuffy basement room can produce a lot of sweat, which means that you are losing a lot of water while exercising. Get in the routine of carrying a water bottle in the afternoons before practice. Make sure that you consume at least 16 oz. (half a Nalgene bottle or 2 cups) of water about two hours before practice.

Use breaks between pieces to get a drink from the water fountain or bring your own water bottle. This does not mean that you need to drink so much that water sloshes around in your stomach, but rather than you are drinking enough that you don't feel parched after practice. By the time you start to feel thirsty, your body has already starting experiencing dehydration. Also, remember to replentish fluids 5-15 minutes after you exercise. Remember to have at least one glass of water (if not more) at dinner!

Drinks with caffeine do not count toward your water requirement. They actually cause you to lose water by increasing your urine output. You may need to drink more water to counterbalance drinks such as coffee, tea, or soda. Also, you will not get bloated from drinking a lot of water, because your body will only retain the amount of water you need.

The Legend of the Ergman

In the summer of 2004, something strange blew in from the Pacific Northwest. Many did not know what it was. Some feared the river would never be the same. Low and behold, it was "ERGMAN!"

You may not be familiar with the legend of the Ergman, but you have certainly met the man behind the cape, Mr. Steve Loaiza (if you spell his last name incorrectly, he might threaten to take away your Bow Certification). The cape first debuted on the East Coast at the Spring 2005 Erg Armageddon at Bucknell University. He claimed second place in the Master's 1000m competition.

Our fearless coach is currently recuperating from an ankle operation, so we wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him out on the water as soon as possible!

Since I've just rejoined the team in the Fall of '09, someone will have to explain the significance of the Ergman cape being passed down to a new generation.

Speaking of medals, Susquehanna University has a long history of greatness when it comes to competing at Erg Armageddon. Chris Meharg '03 and Cait Eytel '07 routinely smashed records in both the 2k and 500m dash -- which can still be seen on the Erg Record Board in the Susquehanna Green Room.

Alumni medalists include Jen Brunnet '03, Brian Card '04, Jen Murphy '04, Elaine Wood '05, Laura Jagielski '06, Jasmine Wright '06, Andy DeBrunner '06, Marissa Chamberlain '07, Brad Biondi '07, Brendan Wirth '07, Chris Pfaff '07, Brian Nalls '07, Josh Gregoire '08, Rachel Fetrow '08, and Coach Brian Tomko.

Some of our more recent medalists include James Hendershot, Zach Ross, and coxswain Sarah McGill.

I wanted to take some time to recognize some of the amazing accomplishments of our team in the past, but am looking forward to what the future holds. The most important goal that you as a rower can concentrate on at this point in the season is working toward a personal record at each time you test!