Day Before We Race

Day has been a slow day. Sleep in and rise about 9am to get breakfast. Crew catch up at 11am for coffee in Dachau, then back for lunch. Blood test or sample taken at 2.30pm down the course and on the water soon after for a 16km paddle. I asked Cobber to make a small change to my pitch or angle of my blade and how it sits in the water. Mainly the row was a chance to do some quality paddling for 10km before doing some race prep for tomorrow. Race prep involved some running efforts ranging in rate from 30 - 40 strokes per min. Did some starts and made some adjustments and then swung down the final 2k while visualising the race we intent on creating. During the session we have a few moments where some other boats sat with us so it was good to use to work off them. We got off the water I asked   Cobber to change my pitch back. Always happy to try little adjustments to see effect. All up we were happy with the row and feel ready to race tomorrow. Short bus trip back to hotel and now just kicking back in the room.

As I said a slow day and day to just relax and go with the flow. Its about feeling ready and yet learning to wait. We have three days of racing ahead and its important we rise and perform in each on. 

Personally I am feeling like this step of the journey is about creating a platform for the final assault on London. We need to match our output of Lucerne and go better. That we stabilise our platform and give us a great chance to step though the campaign. We are under no illusions though that we have to keep finding gains. Slight things that will enable us to be smoother and faster will be key. We don't lack any belief in ourselves and each other but thats not to say we don't have doubts and unknowns. Its just we are all very willing to challenge our assumptions and to push each other to unearth or develop better performance habits.

Finally on a day like today I remind myself how blood lucky I am to still be part of this sport, to be in a crew like this and to be competing at this level. I remind myself of all the stuff that I have gone through and the amazing support of my family and friends. Some days when I am really tired I get grumpy but days like to when we get to freshen slightly for racing I get the feeling of being a kid again, full of enthusiasm and that feeling of anticipation for what's next.