Round Two and the Definition of Bad Rows

In the coming days Jimmy Sopko, USA LM8+ will be sharing some of the happenings in NZ with us here on SHIVPSIX. (Good luck in NZ Jimmy!) – shivs

One of the main reasons I decided to be a math major in college was so I wouldn’t have to write too many papers to graduate. My point is I’m not promising the most riveting blogs in the world here, but hopefully I can give you guys some insight as to what’s going on with Team USA in New Zealand.

This is my second national team and second time in the lightweight 8. Last year in Poland we found a lot of speed just days before we left the US and continued to build throughout the regatta. 8/9 crewmembers were newbies to the senior team and had a lot of learning to do. This year we are returning 5 of last year’s crew. We have been training for over a year with the thought of getting our butts kicked in the final by the Italians. Needless to say the 5 of us are faster than we were in 2009. Then you bring in the new guys. 3 strong, hungry 2010 college graduates who want nothing more than to go fast. As an 8, we are better than we were last year.

We have showed good speed throughout the summer and immediately after selection. 6 members of the crew were part of the 8 that rowed at Canadian Henley in August and rowed a 5:30 in the final there. If they had weighed in they would have broken the world record in the lightweight 8. After selection we played with the lineup a little bit and quickly found the formula for optimal speed. The strength of this eight is the greatest I have ever rowed with and we plan on putting it to good use.

Jimmy stroking the LM8+ in NZ

We just finished a tough practice of max steady state, power and anaerobic threshold work. The speed was good and we are getting after it. It helps to see our competition out on the water because it reminds us what our mission is and that we have to be our best to even think about winning. Bad rows are not an option at this point. Round 2 of the World Rowing Championships is looking brighter then Round 1.

This 8 has not really had any bad rows. Now a bad row is a relative term. Some people flip out if there are a few bad strokes. Let’s say you take 2000 strokes in a practice. I’ve rowed with some people that will holler up and down that the practice was horrible if there were 20 bad strokes. That’s foolish. 20 bad strokes in that practice would mean you had 1 bad stroke every 100 strokes. That’s not too bad. When I was younger I would get heated over a few bad strokes here and there, but in my old age I have mellowed out a bit and have more of a glass half full concept. There was a guy I rowed with at Navy (I won’t embarrass him in this blog but might in others) that taught me a lot about patience and the definition of bad rows. If we have more good strokes than bad strokes then it was a good row. This is a great definition because it is REALLY HARD to have bad rows. You would have to take 1000 bad strokes in your 2000 stroke practice! We don’t do that. Now, not all of our rows are great, but every single one is constructive in one way or another.

We are about to go out for our second row of the day. With the definition above, it will inevitably be a good row. All 9 guys are relaxed and gaining confidence each day and that is very important prior to any race at any level.

With that, go out and have a good row.

- Jimmy Sopko, 2010 USA LM8+

Please consider supporting the USA LM8+ on their journey to the World Championships. Not all boats are funded and many athletes pay the costs to represent our rowing community from their own savings. This year rowers in the LM8+ will have to pay just over $6000 each for their trip. Please consider making a donation at http://www.firstgiving.com/2010lm8. Every little bit helps.- shivs

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Matt Muffelman at muffelman@gmail.com.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 28th, 2010 at 6:26 am. It is filed under Rowers, TEAM USA, World Championships. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.