Go for Greatness!

This week someone asked me why do I push myself and compete as an athlete? All this buzz about finding your \”Why\” started to get me thinking… Why? Because I love to set goals, meet them, and when possible exceed them. Go for Greatness! I love to Dream Big and love the feeling when my dreams come true. There is so much to learn about yourself when you set a goal and really put your mind to it.

\”Do it, don\’t wait, celebrate each day\” – \”Be your own biggest fan\”

My goal is to inspire, hoping that my experiences, what I have learned, trying to balance life and sport, can lift someone else up to reach their inner greatness and potential. I share my successes, but I share because there isn\’t always someone there telling you to try, try harder, achieve goals that you randomly set for yourself. Yes, there are set backs, failures, injuries and \”life happenings\” that detour us, but we learn and we grow.

CRASH B World Champs 2021!

I competed in March 2020 at last year\’s event in person after only a few months of rowing on my Concept2 Rowing machine I decided to race. My friend Laura Christoph from our Western Mass Distance Project running team encouraged me and I had won second place! It was such a great experience and I felt so strong, I decided to focus my year to get stronger on the rower to compete again!

Fast forward to the global pandemic, staying safe at home, and setting random goals (like streaking – now almost up to 365 days!) on the rowing machine. I found Live2Row Studios in Florida thanks to my friend Dan Oltersdorf and the coaching that I receive on a regular basis turned into a coaching plan and looking forward to a 2k goal and set my sights on that number one spot at CRASH Bs in 2021.

This past Sunday was the CRASH B Sprints – World Indoor Rowing Championships ! My race was at 4:15 PM EST – so I had all day to get nervous but try and focus on the plan – what did I need to do… stay rested and distract my mind so not to get crazy. Physical prep is important. My list includes: Get enough sleep, taper your activity prior to the event, meditate and visualize your performance. Nutrition and hydration are key too! The whole week prior is important for this focus so your body is prepped and ready!

Coach Justin gave me a plan down to the warm up what to do up to the \”Sit Ready\” — Coach Stephen & Justin were there for me on Zoom to coach me, cox me and give me cues and reminders to push to the plan. My headphones in my ears – my coaches! Love my Live2Row family but this was so key to me! Into the race I could see that I was ahead and how far away the girl behind was from me, and I kept pushing. I have set some big goals When I was in the last 200 meters I didn\’t think that I had it inside of me to push harder, and didn\’t think to row faster stroke rate —BUT I crossed the line — I was first! It was such an incredible feeling!

First in Women\’s E Category!

Four things that I have learned since I started indoor rowing almost 2 years ago.

1. Get into a daily routine and take ownership of your fitness and you can accomplish things you never thought you could.

2. There is great coaching out there if you open yourself up to the possibilities. It is worth the investment in yourself.

3. Trust in the process. Do the work, Warm up. Do the drills. Focus on proper technique. Take your \”rest\” days. Examine your nutrition plan and find what works best to fuel you. It is all part of the process.

4. You are never too old or to try something new and you never know it could be your next dream come trueToday I put the plan in place and although I didn’t push as hard at the end as I hoped I would at the end I finished strong!

This race was a personal best by 6+ seconds! Moved up in rank in my age on the Concept2 Logbook to #3 What a race!

Thank you to Live2Row Studios coaches Justin Knust for the personal customized plan & Coxswain Stephen for coxing me on that day, and for being there for me every step of the way in the training journey to meet this goal.

Community is virtually wherever you are !

When I decided to focus on rowing, like everything else I researched it online, joined a couple facebook communities and soaked it all in. That is where I \”found\” my friend Dan who I knew from when I directed the Relay For Life Corporate Team program – he was one of my lead volunteers. These groups are so great to be a part of as they are encouraging, sharing ideas, tips, youtube channels, races, challenges and more. I have made so many virtual friends \”hanging out\” in these groups and connecting with them all. It has fueled me with support, motivation, knowledge and encouragement. We Live2Row Family, The Concept2 Community, The Concept2 Logbook and The Indoor Rowing for Women have been the 4 groups that I really have been engaged with and the support is hard to explain, but when you are doing it all in your basement by yourself…. these are my people!

Learn 2 Row – Love 2 Row – Live 2 Row !

When you find good coaching its value to your success can be incredible. I have a coaching background in skiing, running and basketball. To have someone be able to work with you on a 1;1 basis and find the nuances that you need to focus on for best return of your training is where coaching can get you to that next level. Finding Live2Row studios virtually was key to my goals, my training, my technique and ultimately my success. Justin saw from the very first time in my intro session where I could make changes and be stronger and faster. The virtual workouts helped me focus on technique and made this routine fun and challenging. The group of rowers that show up in the studio and virtual on Zoom became my rowing family I signed up for the custom plan to focus workouts that brought me to race day prepared and ready. It was a process and I trusted in this process! Truly I am thankful for the coaching and all these connections!

No matter how far away, we are there for each other

Before Sunday\’s CRASH B competition, a woman from New Hampshire had sent me a note on Messenger looking for her race entry code – I helped her connect with the organizer. After the race I was tagged on a post in the C2 Community – a woman from New Zealand congratulating me. Of course I was celebrating with my non-alcoholic FAVORITE beer at the time and feeling so great that I am alcohol-free which was a decision I made for 2021. I cherish these online Facebook communities A crazy sport that you need to motivate yourself to go to your \”gym\” in the basement, garage, living room, etc. – your numbers are what gauge in your workouts. Your achievements are your own. Thankful to all for being virtually \”here\” as fellow indoor rowers sharing stories, questions, triumphs and tribulations. It is by connecting and sharing and supporting others that we learn and grow! Through all this support you have the power to \”Go For Greatness\” !

Be Your Own Biggest Fan

Get into a routine and commit. Believe in Yourself.

Be Your Own Biggest Fan.

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