you win some, you lose some

Lately, you have been thinking of all the awesome things you are going to be gaining [Europe, a new apartment] but haven’t had to face the reality that you will be losing things, too.

- Adam

This last weekend, the team went to Philly for Dad Vails (the largest collegiate national regatta). It was a funny mix of what I was leaving behind and what I was gaining. I spent the days between the team (at Adam Goldhammer’s gorgeous house) commiserating over making weight, studying for finals, and how to dominate in the race.. and with Adam looking at our new house, making measurements, and planning for colors.

The race itself was exciting. Our time was 7:13, which was the fastest that we’ve ever moved that boat. During the middle of the race, Lizzy started calling what I thought was going to be a boat 20 but was instead a “10 strokes for Angela”, “2 strokes for Hilary”, “2 strokes for Sandy”, and then “2 strokes for … shoot.. nuts.. who is sitting there?!” to which the bow four screamed back “Nadja!”. It was heartbreaking that Bucknell crossed us in the last part of the race, but we all felt like we forced them to really move. Considering that Bucknell and Cal Berkeley are teams that recruit and have most likely been practicing in those boats year-round (compared to our boat which started practicing as a boat in the last 2 weeks), it was good. We left everything on the water, and came in 3rd.

The ride back was bittersweet for me; I thought a lot of all my personal goals for rowing and otherwise, and realized that I’d met all of them. I’d wanted my 2k time (8:20.9) to stand lower than most of the other novice girls, and potentially meet a varsity girl’s. I also wanted to figure out how to just relax and stop overthinking in the bow seat.

Now it’s time for new goals (get my 2k under 8:00.0)…

LWT 8+ Spring Season Times:

• UAA’s (3/30): 8:37.8 [raced open boat]
• Governor’s Cup (4/26): 8:33.9
• MACC’s (5/4): 9:03.6
• Dad Vails (5/10): 7:13.2

ballin.