May Madness

First of all sorry for not being very up to date with my latest racing and training news. May has been a very busy month for me with having my exams for university and lots of races in between.

The month started off with the annual BUCS regatta on 4^th-6^th May. I entered the Intermediate Lightweight single scull category and raced on the Sunday. The day started very early having to get up at around 5:30am so that I could make weigh in 2 hours before my first race which was at 8am. I weighed in fine and straight away ate as just knowing you have to make a weight makes you hungry as you are nervous to eat in case the dreaded scales showed 59kg +.  The first race was a 1500m time trail so that we could then be seeded into appropriate semi finals. The weather was perfect, you couldn’t have wished for better especially when at the permanent windy venue of Holme Pierpont.  I wasn’t expecting to be the fastest boat in the time trial but when I saw the results that I was I was one very, very happy girl J This positioned me in a good place for the semi final with a positive outlook that I would make the A final. The semi final took place at 11am and you had to come in the top 3 to be put into the A final. My aim was to sit comfortably within the top 3 places throughout the 2km race; I managed to sit in 2^nd place and didn’t need to push to maintain the position. Tack tics for lane preference wasn’t needed due to the wonderful conditions. Rest, rest and more rest filled the afternoon until my final at around 5pm. Nerves kicked in as my racing so far showed potential to medal and I was determined to get a medal! Positioned and attached at the top, the wait for the green light and beep seemed to last forever, and then suddenly we were off. I wasn’t the fastest off the start but I held onto it quite good and pushed through 3 girls. Then it was time to keep the medal but now I was aiming for the best medal position. I slowly creeped into 2^nd position and was catching the leading girl up. We pushed each other to the end and I gained silver medal but only 1.5sec behind the gold. I was over the moon and my first regatta of the season was one massive success J

Training was very enjoyable as I was fired up to achieve more successful races and I was now focusing on my next event which was Notts City Regatta on 18^th May. I entered two categories so that I could get as much racing practice as possible, these were the elite lightweight single scull and the intermediate 2 single scull. The latter is the level I am at with sculling when it comes to races. You gain points for each race you do and as the points increase your category entry level for a regatta increases; you can race up but never down.  The first race was in the morning of the elite lightweight single sculls, I needed to weigh in again 2 hours before. This race was all about practice as I am not at the elite level yet with racing so I was nervous about whom my oppositions were.  I raced very well and felt I had improved from the BUCS Regatta so when I found out I finished 2^nd I was chuffed and pleased with my performance.  The rest of the field were a way behind so I had pulled away and was attempting to chase the winning opposition down.  After rest and food the afternoon bought about a heat and final but only if I positioned in the top 3 of the heat. I managed to win the heat but I knew the woman who came 2^nd had lots more to give. Just to make you aware this race is open weight so being a lightweight I was up against some very big women.  I raced well though and had only 2 hours until my final so I ate and rested again. I was nervous for this final and very tired but I gave it my best shot and finished 5^th overall. All in all it was another good days racing.

Two weeks later and I was racing again. This was a two-day event down at Dorney Lake; it was Met Regatta. On the Saturday I was entered into the Intermediate 2 single sculls event with the hope of actually winning and moving into the intermediate 1 category. However, when I saw the draw and the names of the clubs that had entered I was nervous and didn’t think I had a chance in winning. On the day there were 14 entries so I had a lot of people to beat.  The day started with a heat at lunchtime. You had to finish in the top 2 to have a place straight in the final or if you positioned 3^rd or 4^th you had a chance to go into the rep to have another go at getting into the final however only 1 place remained. In other words you had to win the rep. The heat was a good race; I did a strong first 1km and then slowly eased off as I was in 2^nd place so saved myself for the final. Our heat was the fastest overall so I started to think I had a good shot at winning.  The final was much later, 6:30pm so I had lots of time to rest and prepare myself for it. The warm up seemed to last forever as I just wanted to get it over with, I was more than ready and once the green light showed I flew down the course. I was in first position the entire way down and won easily, I could not believe what had just happened. I had actually won J as there were so many entries I got not one but two points and I am now an intermediate 1 sculler! YAY I did it. The medal was worth it all along with winning the trophy: W J M Harris.

On the Sunday I was racing elite lightweight single sculls, again for practice to see how I get on. This was a straight final at 4:30pm so I had to wait until 2:30pm before I could weigh in and eat…the panic if you’re going to make weight is a biggie so I had some breakfast at 9am and nothing else. The race I knew would be tough but I didn’t expect it to start off as fast as it did! At one point I didn’t think I would make it all the way down the course as we were all flying at such a fast pace. It did eventually settle after 500m (thank god) and I was pushing in 4^th position. I tried to get up to 3^rd but I didn’t quite manage it. I put in a good performance and went away happy (mostly because I knew I could eat whatever I wanted for a little whileJ).

So that was my May for you folks, I am now training very hard as I have Henley Women’s Regatta on 21-23^rd June! I am racing in the Senior Lightweight single sculls and the draw tells me I could potentially have 4 races with 13 oppositions…WISH ME LUCK!