Graduation Day in front of Conibear Shellhous

Many have asked why this blog has not been updated in forever.  Well, it is because this past year has felt like I have lived three lives.

The first life started June 20, 2009 when I started my Master degree program from the University of Washington.  The second life started in August when my internship began with the Tyee Club and my third life started when I got the Montlake Rowing Club coaching job that started in November 2009. Balancing these three lives plus a new relationship was not an easy task. The first casualty of this overloaded life was my sleep schedule.  I think I the bags under my eyes grew bags themselves.  The other casualty was my website.

After living through this whole past year I’m glad I overloaded my plate and enjoyed all the crazy experiences that were thrown my way.  Now the next experience to live is getting back into the 9th Seat and earn my way to the 2010 World Championships.  There are a lot of new girls and the group is young, strong, and eager to take on the World.

2010 IAL Cohort

So in between the 3-a-day practices I will keep you posted on the progress and answer the questions that were asked throughout the whole year….all 47 of them.

Steer Straight!

Mwhip+

Way back in April Pocock had a 3 day Masters Rowing camp that I helped coach along with Brian Volpenhein, Sloan DuRoss, Steve Dani, and Dusan Nikolic.  Each day there were 10 to 12 rowers rowing for two sessions with a lunch break.  I took care of the morning sessions where we mostly focused on sculling with the intention of levering the boat and keeping up with the speed generated through the drive.  By using suspension drills and legs only/legs body/full strokes each sculler progressed and was able to secure the blade before driving.  

The best part for me was seeing the progress over the 3 day camp and also the lunch breaks.  As a group we all stopped by local eateries and discussed the lessons we all learned from the water sessions.  The other great thing about the weekend was that many local clubs came and supported the camp.  We had rowers from Martha’s Moms, Mt. Baker and Montlake Rowing Club as well as some independent rowers.  

Rowing in "the bath tub" in Portage Bay working on builders

rowers coming off of the water

There are plans for another weekend Master’s Camp out of Pocock in the future.  I had such a fun time that I’m currently working on a schedule to have a rowing class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Pocock starting on June 23rd.  On Tuesdays the focus will be skill and drill and Thursdays are going to be race day pieces.  We are going to row anything from 1x’s, 2x’s, and 4x’s.  I’ll let you all know how it goes.  

Good luck training for all the end of the year races coming up!

–mwhip

Sloan getting a lesson on how to dismantle an open water shell!

Rowers putting oars away