Day 9 (Race Day 1)

     Last night at dinner we sat and listened to Coach Lamb talk. Usually we listen to him talk anyway but this topic was different. It was about the side effects of winning and losing over here in England. It's all so realistic, more realistic then we think. The loss can hit us any second and end the season, but its our decision whether we keep rowing or not.

     After dinner we went to bed early, and woke up at around 7 am. We sat in the Coleman's living room and listened to music, just getting ready. Every now and then something inspirational was said by a rower or a coach. The butterflies entered our stomachs.

     We left the house and headed to the venue. When we got there it was different then any other practice day, more people, nicer outfits, more chairs and seating, etc. We all stretched and got ready to go, and listened to Coach Lamb's pre-race speech. We all decided we were gonna have fun when we went out there, and if we were to go down, we were going "to go down swinging." It all helped get rid of some of the butterflies.

     We shoved and warmed up, practiced some starts, and before we knew it we were sitting at the line. We've heard that they make you sit at the line for awhile before your race starts, but we got there late, so we only had to sit around for a few minutes.

     The race started and we jumped Emanuel, and got a healthy lead. The butterflies flew away and we started having some fun. We took a power ten specifically for Mike Lombardi and Drew Golda. On that first stroke of the ten, the boat was picked up and it flew. We all backed up Mike and Drew, and we walked ahead some more.

     With such a big lead, and with four more days of racing, Mark and Pat began calling down the rate, for the purpose of not using all of our energy. Over the course of a few minutes, we dropped down our rate but kept the same pressure, and we rowing at about 29spm. As we came up to the stands, Mark yelled "Do you hear that??" And the next thing we hear is our St. Joe's Prep fan club yelling "GO PREP GO!" Then we walked ahead some more.

     The stands area lasts for about the final 30 strokes of the race, and even if they don't know who's racing, they'll yell. The noise was loud and it gets you fired up. Then we walked some more. We finished the race at 7 minutes flat, and a victory margin of what they call here "E." The "E" stands for "easily won." (Anything over about 4 boat lengths)

     We warmed down and docked, and the Emanuel crew was right there and we shook their hands. As we walked the boat to the boat tent, the Prep Crew Family that is here cheered, and then we met with them after getting changed. We hung around the venue for a little while longer to watch St. Xavier race. (They won).

     Afterwards we all left and now we're here at the Coleman's, watching Family Guy, and mentally/physically preparing for tomorrows race. (Victim unknown at this point). You'll be hearing from us after tomorrow's race. Go Prep!

                                                        Mike Gennaro

 

 

 P.S.-  Hi  Ms. Brown.