“The last great unknown, in terms of physiological training, is the optimum length of a piece. Is three minutes enough? Is ten minutes too much? No one knows. Perhaps someday the question will be answered-we'll find out that thirteen minutes is the perfect length for a training piece when preparing for a 2000 meter race. Until then, coaches will continue exploring the whole scale, up and down, from thirty seconds to sixty minutes and more, in hopes of capturing the optimum time.” KnowsEnoughWholeLastsThreeTermPerfectRaceToo MuchPiecesMinutesTenTrainingCoachesScalesThirtySomedayLengthSecondsSixtyExploringPreparingUp And DownThirteenMeterRowingPhysiologicalOptimumGreat UnknownSixty Minutes Author:Brad Alan Lewis
“Racing serves as a formal demonstration of your ability to ride the three-headed monster. The first monster is your physical preparation-lifting weights for strength, running for endurance, working on your technique. The second monster is your mental preparation-all our jabbering about humility, battling for your life, taking complete responsibility for the outcome. The last monster is your X Factor, your soul, your courage. Taken altogether, I call this three-headed monster the Process of Winning.” FirstsSoulRunningLastsThreeWinningProcessAbilityResponsibilityTakenHumilityWeightTechniqueMonstersFactorsPreparationYour SoulOutcomesEnduranceRacingFormalDemonstrationLiftingRowingLifting Weights 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
“Without a doubt, the next few minutes would be the most hellishly exciting in my life. Grinding pain and killer fatigue waited just beyond the word, "Partez." But I tried to ignore those prespects, and concentrate on the priceless feelings that also awaited. I thought about the perfect strokes we would take, and about the merciless surge of power we would unleash in the last 500 meters.” FeelingsWould BePainLastsNextPerfectDoubtMinutesExcitingKillersStrokesFatiguePricelessMeterRowing Author:Brad Alan Lewis