“The window of X Factor opportunity opens up in the closing seconds of a race-you might be sprinting at the time or just hanging one, trying to get across the finish line. With a supreme act of will, you can prolong your effort, essentially fighting off the inevitable lactic acid shutdown. You'll have little time for contemplating the options: either wholeheartedly go for it, or back off. You must train your X Factor to unequivocally respond the way you want-go for it. Once the window is closed, it's closed forever.” WayWantTryingLittlesMightFightingOpportunityLinesEffortRaceForeverWindowTrainSupremeFactorsInevitableSecondsContemplatingClosingAcidLittle TimeRowingFinish LineWholeheartedlyLactic Acid Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“I led by three or four feet, with Biggy (John Biglow) surging closer on each stroke. I hated him in those last few seconds; he was the only reason my guts were being strewn over the water like an oil slick ... I pressed one last time, and looked at the finish-line flagman. In that instant the flag jumped down and then up. The up stroke, identifying the second place finisher, was for me. John Biglow was the victor. I stared into the green-brown water watching my bloody soul drop through the depths, slowly rocking back and forth, occasionally glinting in the light, and then finally disappearing.” SoulReasonLightLastsThreeWaterLinesFourFeetDown AndGreenDepthOilDisappearHatedInstantGutsBrownSecondsFlagsBloodyLast TimeStrokesBack And ForthIdentifyingRowingFinish LineSlickSecond PlaceFinishersBiggy Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“A man goes through many changes in 2000 meters. Some are not very pretty. Some make you hate yourself. Some make you wonder if you've been rowing for only three or four days. To avoid that fate, we prepared for all possibilities. If a meteor landed 10 feet off our stern, we would not blink. [We] Would be aware, yet impassive, to the outside world. Every ounce of energy would be funneled into the water, and not wasted by looking around, worrying about opponents, wondering about things that didn't concern our primary goal-to be the first across the finish line.” IfsMenWorldFirstsWould BeHateThreeEnergyGoalWaterLinesWonderWorryFourFateFeetPossibilityConcernPreparedPrimariesOpponentsHate YouOutside WorldBlinkMeterRowingFinish LineMeteors Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“Nobody Beats Us! served as our main trigger... We practiced using trigger words, private verbal keys, which unlocked certain thoughts for us. We had a half-dozen phrases-some dealt with maintaining our technique, two dealt with maintaining our technique, two dealt with our stroke rating. The most powerful phrase was 'Nobody Beats Us!' According to our plan, when I said these words to Paul toward the end of the race, we would immediately shift into our final sprint, rowing as high and hard as possible, straight through, until we crossed the finish line.” SaidTwoEndsHardCertainLinesPowerfulRaceHalfPlansKeysBeatsFinalsTechniquePhrasesMost PowerfulDozenStrokesMaintainingTriggersRatingRowingFinish LineSprint Author:Brad Alan Lewis