SHAMELESS PLUG DIVISION HITS GOLD WITH THE BLACKBURN CHALLENGE

Click on the above title and check out the article written by no othere than our club VP Jay Paris!

BLACKBURN STATS

SLIDING MULTI ROWING
1ST PLACE 2:45:44 EMILY GRETEN, JIM DEMTROULAKOS,
JAY PARIS, CARMI PARIS, THOMAS VOGEL

SLIDING SEAT TOURING-SINGLE WOMEN
1ST PLACE 3:36:01 EILEEN PERRY

SLIDING SEAT RACING-SINGLE WOMEN
2ND PLACE 3:01:00 STEPHANIE BROCOUM

SLIDING SEAT RACING-SINGLE MEN
12TH 3:36:22 PAUL MAZONSON
13TH 3:50:45 SETH PAPPAS

SLIDING SEAT TOURING-SINGLE MEN
6TH 3:09:15 DAVE GRETEN
11TH 3:39:58 JACK TATELMAN
14TH 4:02:07 CHARLIE HARAK

6AMSUNDAY

WHAT A DAY FOR ROCK N ROW! DID WE KILL IT YESTERDAY OR WHAT?

TAPERING

I'm trying to be good really I am.

Three days now without alcohol or ice cream or bread and NO rowing I feel like I want to climb out of my skin.

Yesterday, going down to the boathouse, it was absolutely beautiful, light breeze, a little haze, warm but not hot, just perfect really.

Must have had a searching look on my face as Tom says, "Can I help you with something, do you need something?"

"NO, just hanging, staying off the water for a few days, I'm tapering."

"You're what?"

"Tapering, you know, giving my body a chance to rest before the race, I've been pushing pretty hard."

"Tapering is for wussies!" he smartly protested.

And there lies my dilemma. Part of me, lets call it the mature adult part, knows that tapering is good, my body needs to rest, let the muscles recover before I ask them to do what I'm about to ask them to do.

The other part, lets call it the young indestructible me part, wants to roll right through this tapering BS, get on the water and row my heart out NOW

OH the challenge of Blackburn, adult or adolescent, I can't believe I'm still trying to resolve this dilemma at 60!!!!

SURE IS FUN THOUGH

Double Fun

In the past, RocknRow has frequently meant rowing with club members in single shells and sharing the individual experience on and off the water. For the last two weeks, coach Emily and I have tried adding another dimension to RnR – exploring the beauty of the Maas Double. Having rowed in eights, quads and doubles competitively several years ago (in my case – decades ago) we gave the Club Double a try.

During our first test row two weeks ago, Emily and I liked the experience. Even though rowing the double requires more concentration and synchronization than rowing a single, and more than just two rowers “powering up”, we had hit the “zone” several times during the 10+ mile row to Misery and House. Hitting the “zone” meant sharing the perfect stroke together from catch to finish, letting the boat glide through the water in a continuous motion and hearing the “bubbles” from underneath the hull. It also meant spending 80-90% of the whole row just trying to find that perfect stroke. Realizing how rarely we were able to hit it, the whole double experience wetted our appetite to go out again and keep trying.

The following Sunday, and Tuesday, we went out again and experienced some slight improvements thanks to the beautiful waters and low winds off the Beverly and Manchester coast. Our confidence had grown and we wanted to give “a longer row”. Having read about the recent “Big Rows“ and “Eggs on the Rock” on the RnR blog, we got inspired and decided to go out again last Wednesday and try the annual Egg Rock. The weather report predicted a few clouds mixed with sun and a NNW wind of 10-15kt, and possible thunderstorm in the afternoon.

Leaving Little Harbor at 8:45a we headed towards MHD Rock and Tinkers. Emily seemed equally excited and started with a good pace. A slight tail wind and the protection of MHD Neck helped us focus on a long stroke, a solid catch paired with a strong finish and quick release. Everything combined allowed us move the Double at a decent pace of 7:30min to 8:30min/mile. I was not confident that I could maintain the pace for the whole distance but kept pushing while the fun lasted. We definitely felt the “zone” a couple of times during the first half hour. Then, as soon as we passed Ram Island the wind picked up and the water became rough. The situation worsened even more as soon as we moved closer towards Egg Rock without any protection from land.

The Maas Double became more difficult to stabilize and we realized that focusing on the zone was not even an option anymore. We had to pay our fullest attention to getting our blades out of the water, not crabbing, and not taking a plunge. By the time we reached Egg Rock we found a few minutes in a protected area, where the wind and waves could not do us any harm. Fueled with water and energy bars we continued and rounded Egg Rock towards the wind and headed back to Marblehead. Rowing against the powerful elements of nature Emily noted: “I now know what my newbies must feel like”. The whitecaps spilled into the boat and forced us to open the bailer frequently, and made us feel like beginners learning how to row. With shortened strokes and soaked clothes, we eventually reached Tinkers after mile 12, when all of the sudden the wind and waves died down and turned into a rather flat and calm see. We saw this as a chance to focus again on stroke, length and zone. After almost two hours, the double started moving along again, as we had experienced at the beginning of that morning.

We passed MHD Rock when Emily asked if we could extend our row beyond the 15 miles to check our limits, instead of returning straight into Little Harbor. I agreed and we rowed to Beverly Lighthouse and back to MHD Rock to complete an honest 21 miles.

After 3hours and 8 minutes of net rowing time we arrived back at the dock. We felt our tired muscles but agreed that it was an excellent rowing experience with shared memories. Our “Egg Rock” row turned into a test that confirmed in us the desire to give Blackburn Challenge a chance.

BLACKBURN READY

I wasn't sure how this mornings row was going to go. I wanted one more large push before this coming Saturday's Blackburn and time was running thin. Just returned from a very quick NYC trip (seems like I spent more time in on the train than anywhere else). Left the dock at 6:00 to make sure I could fit in the seat time before it got too hot Winds began favorably along with the tides which made the decision to tackle Eggrock top of my list. After passing the Pigs on my port side plan "B" starting to formulate in my brain. Why push myself with the Southwest chop where I can make the turn back in Salem Bay. A sound plan which soon took shape as I passed outside Tinkers, MHD Rock, Children, Bakers, and of course the Miseries. But alas the chop finally found me on the Beverly side of bay. Added Great Haste to gain another mile and reached back at the dock 3 1/2 later with the Garmin telling me I just crossed over the 18.5 mile marker. The rest of the weeks routine will be eating well, stretching better and perhaps a small technical row. Coach Em has agreed to help me trim my vessel for optimum performance. But my next long row will be this Saturday and I'm ready for it!

RNR Quad

A boat was found. Veteran T. Vogel was unrelenting in his pursuit. This morning Jim and Em rowed to Misery in Double Dip and Jay and Em rowed back. Thomas observed from his Dolphin. The rythm is coming. We may need a cox and Carmi will be recruited as a veteran of an eight a few years back, and also the Blackburn, even though she doesn't know it yet. But as has been read often, "There's a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to tell your wife her husband is rowing in the Blackburn, and a time to tell her she will be coxing." All in good time.

So, that makes 12 club members rowing the big B this year, a remarkable achievement that represents almost a third of this storied organization. The ocean is a beautiful thing.

THE PERFECT ROWING DISTANCE

I have figured out the perfect rowing distance 7 miles. Takes approximately 1-1 1/2 hours depending on rower, boat and conditions. Short enough to haul ass and get the heart above the target zone. Long enough to feel you have accomplished something serious but short enough that your body is not overly abused. Mine consist of off the dock, Peaches Pt and Browns on " rowers left", MHD Rock, Children's and Eagle on "rower's right" straight shot into the bay passing Coney and Great Haste. 90 degree turn back to home. An honest 7 miles. The perfect row.

Rock n Row recipe book: video entry

Best served between 24 miles of rowing.

- Stephanie

Location:Gloucester MA

What I did on my summer vacation

I rowed under the rising moon,
I was humbled and emboldened by the ocean,
I shared the gift of friendship,
I felt love.

NEWS FROM CAMP ROCK N ROW

BIG ROW

A universe of forces came together yesterday, Marblehead to Gloucester and return, 24 miles, 8 hours on the water, the beach and the islands, fully subscribed to an underlying philosophy of Rock N Row, MORE IS BETTER UNTIL ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Princess Stephanie has been pushing for a big row before she returns to fully employed Monday, Friday washed out so Saturday is the target. Rising early to a gloomy sunrise, couldn’t tell what the visibility was like, I prep for a day on the water, we had talked about rowing “all day”. Took forever to get organized and off the dock, talked to Jay, Seth and his son, kibitzed with Wayne from FW Woods as he watched the RnR morning routine from the deck of his 1959 Concordia. Both of us were feeling a bit ragged and unprepared but off we went into a brisk norther heading to Beverly shore. Taking an easy pace, trying to keep my boat speed over 6 and my heart rate under 130, we headed out to a first planned stop at Misery Island. I like stopping at Misery, its kind of ritual, good place to stretch or use the head after a first 4 miles.

Caretaker came down to greet us, young man excited about the rowing shells he chatted us up, wanted to know where we we headed, “Gloucester, we’ll see you on the return”.

Now we’re committed as the sky clears, sun cones on strong and we push off for Stage Fort Park. Out under House Island, we have a perfect ride along Singing Beach to Magnolia, touching 7 mph in Aero, Steph was gone baby gone, we were in the groove, albeit different grooves!

After Singing Beach the coastline flows East towards Gloucester with predictable confused seas. From Misery to Gloucester is 8 miles of exposed coastline, look right and watch the beautiful homes roll by, look left and nothing, broad open water, no land till Europe. Rounding Norman’s Woe Steph ran into a dory rower shouting, “Er ya training fer Blackburn sweetie”? These Gloucester fishermen can be so endearing!

Past Hammond castle turning with the coastline we head to Stage Fort Park, the beach and most importantly, a snack bar!

Stephanie is of the belief that I can only row well with a food destination in mind and that training with me these last three weeks she’s actually put on weight!

Beach is gorgeous. Pulling in between exposed rocks I paddle close to a Cormorant standing tall on his rock, watching him I feel like we share this world of water and salt, wind and spray happily, I feel the beauty of this place, grateful to be here, green underneath turning aqua as we approach the beach, 12.4 miles from home.

I love the feeling of reaching a destination, complete, whole having used my body well, every cell smiling saying, “Yes, this is good, very very good.” Hanging out, stretching, hydrating, its time to eat, what’s it gonna be, a few bars on the beach and a quick turnaround or a short walk to the snack bar for something a little more substantial. Reading the menu Steph declares nothing suitable, she wasn’t going for the cheeseburger and fries so I drop my head to the screen and say to the women behind, “Have any peanut butter?”

“Yes, she nods.”

“Will you make a couple of PB&J’s?” I ask. “Oh and we need a bag of chips!”

Rock N Row Special here we go. Peanut butter, jelly and potato chip sandwiches on wheat bread, I dare say the ultimate rower’s lunch, a full complete satisfying indulgence. With a little luck Steph will post the training video on how to prepare an RnR special.

The energy shifts to rest after feeding, refilling water, talking about family and life, we are both feeling ready to row but not ready to depart, its just so nice here, going slow we take our time coasting back to the boats, a swim, reorganize, no rush.

Remembering the second half, telling the tale to come, well lets just say, “All hell broke loose.”

Pushing off from the beach I was stunned by the vibrancy of the colors, blue sky, green in the trees, water, boats, birds, pushing the boat speed from a piddle to a middle letting the body find a comfortable rhythm, ready for another 12 miles to home, little did I know what was around the corner. As we began to turn west out of Gloucester Harbor the breeze freshened to a wind, white snapping off the wave tops, swells running in from open water at odd angles against the chop I thought, “No problem, done this before, I’m feeling good, strong, well fed and ready.” It was relentless though. There’s a funny thing that happens when conditions get tough, as Stephanie said later, “I kept thinking, when I get around that next point it will be easier.” Optimism is a wonderful quality.

Steph, rowing Chickadee, the Mass 24, has the challenge of staying upright. Rowing her boat in 20 knots of wind off the bow with seas crossing under both ways is very very difficult. Later I asked her, “Were you ever scared?”

“No, she replied, just pissed.”

It was hard, really hard, wind blowing so strong my oars are vibrating on recovery, impossible to keep rhythm, every stroke is a challenge to find water on the blades and move the boat. With the cockpit flooding over the bow and broadside I am thankful the water is warm, realizing I need to hunker down for a very long row home. I tell myself, “Forget about boat speed, just move the boat. If you move the boat with each stroke you’ll get there, may take awhile but you’ll get there.”

And so it was. The wind easing for a moment I felt hopeful to link a few good strokes between gusts that stopped the boat dead. I lost Stephanie as she went in towards shore looking for relief to find none. Just keep the boat moving. Right hand having trouble holding the oar I wonder if the spirit of Howard Blackburn is playing with us. Rounding Kettle Island off Magnolia I pull up next to Steph waiting, we both admit to at least thinking about quitting, yes folks it was that tough, we both thought about quitting, “Did someone say TAXI!”

No quit in us we started up again for the stretch to House Island off Manchester and a rest stop back to Misery. No relief, each stroke oars vibrating, water and waves throwing balloons, it was really hard to make headway, “Just keep the boat moving.”

I remember from my sailing days a simple rule for sailing in rough weather, when the wind is screaming in the rigging and the bow is dipping under the wave crests just keep the boat moving in the direction you want to go, eventually you’ll get there. Thankfully our strategy worked and we eventually pulled into the cove at Misery Island to a scene reminiscent of the movie Animal House, a boat on the rocks, drunk beer bellied men and women in skimpy bikinis with big hair. As we pull up onto the beach to stretch, the caretaker, the same young man who had chatted us up in the morning came trotting down to greet us, “I’ve been wondering what happened to you guys, its crazy out there! Do you need anything, water, a place to nap?”

A gentleman (older than me) pulls up in a surf kayak with a fishing rig and begins to talk about Blackburn, he’s run 15 times. Already paddled the course 6 times this summer. And I thought we were ready!

Now 21 miles into the row we have 3-4 more to go. I push off thinking, maybe the shelter of Salem Bay will provide relief. Not to be, once we round out of Misery we’re back at it, 20 kts, gusts higher, chop from the west, swells from the east and boat wakes from every direction. Steph shouts, “Whats the plan?” She’s looking for a strategy to deal with the conditions.

“No plan, I scream, just row your ass home, 240 degrees!”

I don’t know if its possible to appreciate how tough it was. With the seas hitting broadside and the wind screaming Stephanie tacked her way back. She rowed off to the South moving the wind and waves aft. A half mile later she turned 90 degrees to row straight into the wind and swell. After three hours getting slammed broadside she’d had enough. At least the change felt good something productive was happening.

It took us an hour and a half to get back from Misery, usually a quick 30 minute row. Pulling into Little Harbor we finally finally found a lee, calm water, how sweet. Pumping a fist I felt like I had reached a summit, expedition complete, tested and passed, roundtrip to Gloucester DONE in remarkably difficult conditions, YES!

It was 4:30 when we pulled up onto the dock, we had left at 8:30AM. Wayne, still there working on Skye, popped into the cockpit and said, “Where you been, all your friends have come and gone?”

“Gloucester and back”, I replied to his eyes bugging out.

“In this wind?”

He was impressed, very very impressed. He knows now, Rock N Row is serious business.

Feeling punch drunk silly and a little delirious we clean up the dock as Thomas comes wheeling into the parking lot to see if we have returned. He too is impressed, wishing he was with us and glad he was not.

An awesome row, one incredible day, tested and ready to row Blackburn. Marblehead to Gloucester to Marblehead, wind NW at 20 seas 2-3 feet.

BIG ROW

SUNRISE GANG AND THE SUNRISE

Spotted on the water yesterday just after the sun came out where none other than Sarah the leader of the sunrise gang and her new "pose" Thomas and Jim. Nice Echo shot guys!

I LIKE MY "EGG"ON THE "ROCK"

Well I knew it was going to happen sometime before the Blackburn Race, my annual pilgrimage to Egg Rock off Little Nahant. Of course lots of things have to be going right to make happen including: ocean and wind conditions as well as my own body. I just got off a long row with Eileen onThursday so today was supposed to be a short row day. 5-6 miles at a good pace. Maybe 8 maybe but that was going to be the max. I started out with the Tinkers Loop which would bring me to my 6. But onced past the point Pig Rock was in my sights. Outgoing tide, flat sea I was averaging closed to 5.5 miles an hour. OK Pig Rock loop will put me just over the 8 mile mark. Then a silly notion got into my brain. Is this the day to do Eggrock? A part of me said yes, another said no. Of course I already knew my answer and now so do you. Is that then end of the story? Well not quite. Once past Tinkers on my way home this little voice crept back into my brain. "You know Eggrock loop is only 17 miles your so close why don't you do the 20?" "What are you crazy?" I replied to myself. Of course the little voice again won out as I crossed outside MHD rock, Childrens and Eagle Island. Finally logic took over when I had the monument off Misery in my sights. I finally turned back towards home. 3.5 hours in the seat and an honest 19 miles. Tomorrow I PROMISE will be the short day