“If anyone here is secretly dreaming of making the Olympics, I can tell you exactly how to do it, two words: Sustained Obsession. The obsession isn't so hard. But keeping it sustained is a tough nut to crack. A heart-felt enemy can go a long way to sustaining your obsession. Love your enemy.” IfsWayHeartLongI CanTwoHardDreamFeltEnemyLove YouToughObsessionCracksNutsOlympicsLong WaySustainingRowingLove Your EnemiesHeart Felt 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
“Another boat, a straight-four, four sweep oarsmen without a coxswain, raced through our flotilla. I looked at them as they jetted past, and I quickly looked again. This boat appeared to be manned by four skeletons. Their cheek bones stood out like knots, their ribs were clearly defined as if they were painted on. Every leg and arm muscle showed as taut as steel cabling. Four pairs of deep-set eyes peered at us, conveying 'the look.' The four men who were rowing that shell were a special breed of oarsmen known as 'lightweights'.” IfsMenLooksEyePastKnownFourSpecialArmsLegsBonesBoatDefinedMusclesPairsCheeksShellsSteelKnotsSkeletonsRowingRibsConveying Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“I felt okay for the first 45 seconds, and then my vision grew fussy. My lungs felt like deflated balloons. I would have sucked oxygen through my ears, if that were possible. I was experiencing oxygen debt, or perhaps better stated, oxygen death.” IfsFirstsFeltVisionGrewOkayEarsDebtSecondsOxygenLungsBalloonsRowingFussy Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“If you want to be your best, spend a lot of time exploring what is more than enough. Push yourself until the bar is lying immobile across your chest. Push yourself right off the edge of your capacity.” IfsWantEnoughMotivationalLyingCapacityEdgesBarsChestsExploringRowingPush YourselfBe Your Best Author:Brad Alan Lewis