I can say with much relief and pleasure that this year's race will erase the bad memories of the race two years ago. I am more confident in stroking and in high rates, but from this year's race, I am disappointed in my stroking. There are three types of stroke seats. The first is the stroke who does not belong in stroke seat because this person for whatever reason is difficult to follow, has no rhythm, or is not consistent. You always wonder what the hell the coach is thinking putting this person in stroke seat. The second is the good, but not great stroke. This person is usually consistent and easy to follow. The third is the stroke who was born to stroke. You sit behind this person and you just know that you do not have to worry about rhythm, ratio, rate; all you have to worry about is pulling.
I am of the second type, a good stroke, but not a great stroke. I am a solid stroke, but not a brilliant stroke. In the race, with the help of our coxswain, I was able to settle into an okay rhythm, strong, but not amazing. No matter what the coxswain called and no matter what I did, I was not able to use my rhythm and rate to find more speed in the boat.
I have read and heard about the third type of stroke, those who were born to stroke. These strokes intuitively know what to do in a race to use their stroking to find more speed in the boat. In the The Amateurs: The Story of Four Young Men and Their Quest for an Olympic Gold Medal
, one of the Olypmic hopefuls is John Biglow from Yale University. During one of his college years, Biglow is the stroke for the Yale boat in the famous Harvard-Yale Boat Race, a four mile dual race and the oldest athletic competition in the United States. In this race, Biglow strokes the boat brilliantly, knowing exactly when to bring the rate down or up and what to do when his boat is behind. I have also been told that our former coach and former elite rower, Dede, is of the third type of stroke. I have never rowed behind her, only right front of her in a quad where she can see all my bad mistakes and let me know exactly what I am doing wrong. With her years of experience and sheer determination, I can only imagine what it must be like to row behind her. All rowers know, however, that in an eight, one person alone, no matter how amazing, cannot win the race for the boat. Even with John Biglow stroking brilliantly, Yale did not win the Boat Race that year. And even with Dede stroking, not all her boats win.
After the race, Chris mentioned that if we were to look at the line-ups of the other boats, particularly of the top two boats, Lake Union and BMA Cornell, we would find many strong rowers with extensive rowing credentials. Yes, I knew for a fact, going into the race, that many rowers in the other boats had better rowing credentials that us. I knew for a fact, going in, that the BMA Cornell boat won the Masters eight at the Head of the Charles last year and that two hours before our race, BMA, probably the same line-up, won the Club eight. I knew for a fact, that there was at least one former Olympian and National Team member in that boat. But I do not care what your rowing credentials look like because even if you are a former Olympian or National Team member, you still have to train and practice, like the rest of us mortals, to race well.
I was disappointed in myself because when we lined up and raced, I discovered that my one-eighth of the boat was no where near the top competition. Chris talked about "those other strong rowers" who are bigger, faster, more experienced and illustrious than us, and I just think in my head, "Why do we have to say those, them, they? Why can we not be like 'them'? Why can we not be one of 'those' rowers? I do not want to be average. I want to out-train them. I want to have every right to be 'them.'"
You are a good stroke, growing into a great one. I think the more time on the water, the more it comes together, instinctually. Have faith...don't give up yet. :)
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