rudderfish

What happens in our brains when we watch sports? - Grantland

2011-11-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

What happens in our brains when we watch sports? - Grantland

400 Free Online Courses from Top Universities | Open Culture

2011-11-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

What a great learning resource

400 Free Online Courses from Top Universities | Open Culture

The Mistake Bank: Nobelist Daniel Kahneman: "Experts may be in the grip of an illusion"

2011-10-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

The Mistake Bank: Nobelist Daniel Kahneman: "Experts may be in the grip of an illusion"

The Amazing, Ever Changing...

2011-10-23T20:12:00.001-07:00

When Ideas Have Sex

2011-10-19T15:18:00.001-07:00

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VARK -- A Guide to Learning Styles

2011-10-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

VARK -- A Guide to Learning Styles

GTD - Lifehacker Stories: Get more done with less stress

2011-10-15T23:23:00.000-07:00

GTD - Lifehacker stories - Lifehacker

Getting more doen with less stress, yes please I'll take two.

Have been learning about David Allen's GTD model and the many ways others have utilised it to assist with personal productivity.

DesignTAXI - Creativity and Innovation Daily

2011-10-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

DesignTAXI - Creativity and Innovation Daily

Steve Jobs: How to live before you die | Video on TED.com

2011-10-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs: How to live before you die | Video on TED.com

DesignTAXI - Creativity and Innovation Daily

2011-10-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

DesignTAXI - Creativity and Innovation Daily

Preparing for a show down

2011-07-31T04:15:00.001-07:00

What happens when generations come together?

Here our Head Coach Neal Donaldson is taking on cox of the eight Toby Luster.

Seems both want the job of steering the eight and will go to any lengths to do it.

When the young and old come together you can some great competition and learning. Some weight loss too and some realizations that while the mind is willing the body at so interested in responding.

Luster and Neal sweating up a storm. Wonder if for testing day tomorrow they will go head to head on the ergo. Could be a great show.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The better looking seat

2011-07-30T06:14:00.001-07:00

Have made modifications to many things and this is what it all looked like before.

Now though I have changes seats three times and hacked into the timber to create a shape that fits my skinny little backside. Add a seat pad and some grey duct tape and then you can imagine the make shift lounge chair I have tried for. Still my ass is showing the signs of not enough meat on the bones. Seems between my hands and rear end I am dealing with more than just fatigue from training.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Officially Off

2011-06-26T04:17:00.001-07:00

The time has come. Have spent the last few days getting sorted to travel, finishing training and spending time with my family.

Have to say many times over the last 6 months I thought I wouldn't be heading over this year.

For now we travel and the settle in and race. Life is good and my family will be over for 5 weeks.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The joy of a good ride, coffee and great conversation

2011-05-07T18:56:00.001-07:00

After this mornings ride the group enjoyed warming up at cafe racer. Mahe was over from NZ and joined us for a trip down to Frankston.

Everythings Negotiable

2011-05-05T17:38:00.001-07:00

On program all this week and my co-facilitator just showed me this little clip and it made me laugh.

Things don't always work out: Close one of our stores

2011-04-28T16:38:00.001-07:00

Well it's been about 2.5 years in business with our first store and we have come to the time we have to close it. Our second store is still up and running and our efforts will focus on it. In the meantime closing Williamstown is sad, but a reality.

For those interested in a deal the sale is on this weekend only and is located at 18 Ferguson St Williamstown.

Sad yes, but I tell you I have learned heaps. The three of us as owners have held off the decision for as long as possible.

From a business point we tried to grow to soon. And with the change in the cycling market over the last 12months plus another store opening in Willy it made this very difficult from a cash flow perspective. Once cash gets low compromises get made and the rot starts. So many things we stopped doing well and so we take all the learning and with a new refreshed commitment we will improve South Melbourne store significantly.

First Group Ride Since Dec: Nth Rd This morning..Wow

2011-04-27T15:52:00.001-07:00

My watt bike session came in handy but still was lacking when it came to real punch and ability to recover. Here's the garmin data, nothing special but funny to see heart rate sitting around 170 for way to long. Should be long to get the top end back now though.

Response to comment/email request to post stuff.

2011-04-26T19:22:00.001-07:00

Here's to James who recently commented on "Getting Back Up To Speed" post.

http://jamessedouglas.blogspot.com/

I enjoy sharing, creating and learning how to be more effective. My blogging has developed since way back in 2006 I think and it was on the back of writing for a news paper on behalf of Bluearth Institute in the lead up to the 2004 games.

Ambassadors http://www.bluearth.org/team/ambassadors.cfm

At this time I established an newsletter, Insight. So I guess this blog came from these types of activities. My real interest is in sharing insights and learning for sport and the influence on me. The idea of linking all this with a blog here, plus twitter https://twitter.com/#!/drewginn and my personal website drewginn.com is to provide family, friends, clients and a wider audience in rowing to be part of the journey.

One things for sure is I am not great at keeping all this going but I am learning.

So now in response to your questions below:

Was wondering if you could do a blog post some time on what sort of stuff you do in the gym when it comes to weights (movements, sets, reps, weights etc), stretching and things like that. Obviously I understand that may not be so easy when you're returning from injury but just an insight into the sort of things you do. I'm fascinated by some of the training and cross training you've spoken about.

Well I haven't done proper/conventional wts since way back in 1999 when I first ruptured my disc doing squats. So I can explain the modified training I have done in the gym. Which by the way happens in spurts. Prior to Beijing Duncan and I had a simple session which basically involved:

Leg Press (Set usually 3-6 of 6-15 reps)
Bench Pulls (Same as above)
Seated Rows (Same as above)
Chin Ups (Max reps x 3 - 6 sets)

Plus we did yoga postures and some partner activities.

Postures included:

Down/Up face Dog
Side star
Hand Stands

Partner Activities involved:

Slaps - Basically pushing each other off balance while standing face to face and only being able to slap hands.
Swiss ball balancing with ball skills - Standing on a swiss ball while your partner throws a 2kg medicine ball at you.
Partner Swiss Ball - Both on swiss balls and batting the ball back and forth.

Currently I do postures with combined vibration plate work. Obviously while rib has been injured nothing but now I am allowed to do hand stands, push ups and side stars again.

Also, do you have to think very carefully about what you eat and drink? I know some people seem to be able to eat what they like and others have to be very strict. Do / can you enjoy alcoholic beverages ever? Obviously at uni we have the two extremes in the club with British trialists and other more serious athletes taking having to be quite careful with eats and drinks and some people you wouldn't even know did a sport the amount they eat and drink what they like.

I am aware of what I eat and try to where I can be sensible. How ever for me it is usually quantity first with the need to keep up the calories as I tend to loose weight easily. Protein is critical too as when your body is getting hammered the rebuilding is essential to stay strong.

As for drinking I am a fan of water but love my beer. Usually I have a beer or two each night. Years ago there was the binge drinking but now more. I am more sensible, boring as it sounds.

Pretty much for many years I got away with eating and drinking anything. The cost was quality of training not that day but days and even weeks later. The impact of a poor diet or unhealthy eating and drinking comes later when your body is at full stretch. The recovery, repair and rebuilding is less effective and this takes it's toll. But I am no angle and have my vices. Tim Tam biscuits were a favorite for years and I could go through a pack in one sitting. Loads of calories so even with the fat the down side was less of a concern for me. I am better with these things these days.

So my wts training is more about body function, stability and maintainance these days and my food and drink is about ensuring I recover the best I can.

Thanks James for posting the questions and hope this helps.

Personal Tests

2011-04-26T16:37:00.001-07:00

When there is no one watching, no monitoring, no body just your self training, preparing its a great test.

Some days you just stop and think how amazing.

2011-04-26T15:56:00.001-07:00

"The World Peace Game is about learning to live and work comfortably in the unknown."
John Hunter

This made me stop this morning. Stop to consider, to reflect, stop to wonder, to be amazed, to be humbled. What a great story and example of providing a real learning environment.

Getting Back Up To Speed

2011-04-25T05:04:00.001-07:00

Getting back up to speed. Obviously right now has been about getting over being sick and my rib injury. Starting to come out the other side so here are some video's over the last two days.

Through riding I am at least getting to enjoy being out and about. After spending so much time indoors I love getting out on the road.

Hers another session which I must admit shows that I am just a big kid. My kids are so much fun and being able to do these types of activities with them makes me laugh, smile and love life more. I mean life is great but with a family I find so many times I am tested, pushed, stretched, rewarded, tickled, made to reflect, it's humbling, marvelous, grand, simple and well it brings out the best in me.

So many ways to train and prepare. Years ago when I was working with Bluearth Institute the people, purpose and experience was amazing. Working with coaches and kids in schools had such a profound effect on my life. Like here with my kids it great to just be free to play.

Stages of team development

2011-04-24T22:30:00.001-07:00

Something I have used for some time. Tuckmans model for stages of team development. Our new crew is very much in forming stage. Planning, meetings, two pairs have trained and raced, plus getting to know each other. This model is less linear than it appears here. From experience it's a good reference to assist, remind and promote thinking for teams and ours will use it going forward.

Got to thank Xeno for inadvertently putting me on to this great blogging app. Can use on the run now. Checked out his twitter post about him using it. Also we appear to both have the same blog site template currently....whoops. I am looking to up date things over coming weeks to see how we can improve this blog and my website.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The 7-Stage Evolution of a Socially Responsible Brand

2011-04-23T15:47:00.001-07:00

The 7-Stage Evolution of a Socially Responsible Brand

Read this during kids running around madly and the silence of little people consuming chocolate. Evolution of a brand much like evolution of an athlete or a team I feel it similar. Responsibility, vision and connection seem to be closely matched and are less about industry or groups of people and mre about why and how we do what we do. Personally sport years ago was pretty much about that self centered need to make a team, get a result and achieve that aim. This changes the linger you stay in the game. Just like the stages of evolution for a brand in the article here I feel it shows a pathway that for me resonates.

Still Dragging Along

2011-04-21T17:00:00.001-07:00

Ahhh well here I am on a rainy day. Things just seem to be going along like I am a dog dragging my backside around.

Somethings wrong I have had my rib, and now been sick for a week with what started out as my sinus's playing up. It's advanced into a head cold and chest infection. It's often said when things go wrong they really go wrong.

Sure I will come out the other side but boy I have to say I am getting to the point where I am over being laid up and out of action. So last weekend I got to ride my bike and feel normal, but since then I have gone through tissue box after tissue box.

'Well if I can't row, I can think about rowing or performing.'

Here we go...

Keeping my self engaged in the process of thinking through how I want to row and how I think the crew I will be in will need to row.

Length keeps coming to mind. Longer, faster, easier all feels like it fits well together.

Faster, How? Drive, purpose and understanding about how to maximise the boat speed.

Reality check, don't forget that it's about racing and everything should be about learning to move faster at the top end.

Rating, 34-36 strokes per minute that's what I see and that's what feels like will create the best, fastest, and optimal speed.

Length, again stay long and maximise the time in the water.

Time to accelerate, time together. In the water and out, the flow is all important.

Harmony, keeps popping up as something we must maintain. There will be times of disconnect and times or frustrating pain. But then again we will find some rhythm so sublime.

Length, again I know... it is so mundane. But hold on, swing along and make it long and strong.

Old school simplistic principles, length and poise will sing. The boat sounds fast and surges last, centimeters more per stroke.

Didn't mean here to sound all fuzzy and not practical. Words like water need to flow and slippery it is a show.

Strong and long, confidence we must have and to stay on track.

Straight lines and sequencing a must.
And did I say stay long?

What's it like being a stranded cow?

2011-04-21T02:59:00.001-07:00

Entertaining I know, but for this little cow the experience of taking in the wonderful view was eventually overridden by the reality of how the heck do I get down from here? Sure I don't know if cows have reality checks but the sound of this cow said to me she was less than certain about her situation. Do you ever have that feeling? I know I do?

How much sleep?

2011-04-17T18:19:00.001-07:00

Always knew I needed more sleep. Found this article which was posted on Twitter by Dan Pink. When I read it I thought, Yes. Finally confirmation as to what I have always felt I need more sleep. You probably need more sleep too.

What this means to athletes is maybe not as clear but there would be a point at which when training the amount of sleep needed increases. And even the afternoon nap is very helpful. On camp earlier this year I recall being tired a couple of times and having an hour nap in the afternoon before the final session for the day. I know with my kids they need 12 hrs or else we start to see over a few days it catches up with them.

Water is another one I feel is key also. Being dehydrated means you feel sluggish and yet often we counter it by food an in particular sugar. Anyway more about water some other time. For now lets talk sleep...

MAGAZINE
How Little Sleep Can You Get Away With?
By MAGGIE JONES
Published: April 15, 2011
For most of us, eight hours of sleep is excellent and six hours is no good, but what if we split the difference?

First Ride Back: Been four weeks indoors until yesterday

2011-04-16T20:00:00.001-07:00

Here comes 4 parts of a video during my first road ride back since having my rib stress fracture diagnosed.

There is a bit of a rant about the Desalination plant that is being built down on the coast, some talk about where I am at physically and I guess mentally. Add some reflections about rowing and the pathway forward from here. Plus the fun of being able to get out on the road bike again.

"Motivation is tested

when you have to

start again."

The Wattbike has served well and surprising considering I have kept my training time limited to be able to get out and enjoy a ride just over 2hrs through the hills out back from Inverloch/Wonthaggi and be getting the power number / heart rate and sense of effort in the right zone. The road ahead is long and I still have a couple of weeks before I get a look at a boat. Getting used to re-start process of injuries and illness and whats required to get back up to speed.

"My training hasn't been normal for years."

So I am back to the build up and yes my motivation has been tested. It's been hard to watch my level slip away from where I was at during the Nationals. That's not the worst thing though. I have felt my back regress slight with out the stability work in my training due to not being able to use my arms.

Also not being able to do loaded work on the ergo means my backs strength has dropped. This is the hard part. The focus and attention to regain back strength will be consuming for some period once I am back to normal training. What am I saying? My training hasn't been normal for years. It's like every time something breaks, fall a part or just stops working properly I have to find a work around. Great for being creative and finding new solutions to training, preparation, performance and learning.

All this time others involved in our National team selections have been building up to the trials which are on right now. This I felt guilty about. Nothing I can do but still to be sitting back while everyone battles it out leaves you feeling a bit hollow. I mean I am very grateful that we are being supported to be able to go to the World Cup in Luzern to race as our selection. It is still weird when you can actually race for selection and others have to. Not sure what I am trying to say here, just the random thoughts of a caged athlete I guess. Guilt, frustration, excitement for the little things and some ambivalence.

So here are the video's from yesterdays ride.

Stats: 2hr 10min

HR av: 146

Watts: 370

Stops: 4 to take video

Comment: First 20min I was like a little kid. Last 20min I was getting hungry.

Head sketches

2011-04-09T16:30:00.001-07:00

Head sketches, a photo by DailyPic on Flickr.

Sometimes it's just stuff, random, meaningless. Then other times it can be so clear, precise and purposeful. The shifting wave of thoughts from clear to hazy make focusing hard sometimes and then again, easy. Each thought has energy, some up and some down. Sometimes they come from within and others come from outside. I do wonder though where some come from because I just simply don't know. Randomness, patterning, abstractions, stimulating, off putting machinations, sublimely clarify. I don't but I must say sometimes, just sometimes what's in my head simply surprises. What's in your head?

Whiteboard: what's important

2011-04-09T01:09:00.001-07:00

Presentation Journey Map

2011-04-04T00:05:00.001-07:00

High Impact Performance on Prezi

3 weeks with dodgy RiB

2011-03-31T21:13:00.001-07:00

'8+' Documentary: The 2 Seat - (row2k features)

2011-03-31T04:36:00.001-07:00

INteresting take on some past years and framed around seats and crews.

Obvious reminding us about the course for the London games is important.

'8+' Documentary: The 2 Seat - (row2k features)

Watching, Waiting, Anticipating

2011-03-30T04:14:00.001-07:00

As I am currently sidelined I sense that it's not a bad time to freshen up. It's time that is not wasted as planning and wild imaginings will be the order for the next few weeks. In the mean time I have set up a twitter account also just to see what it's all about.

https://twitter.com/drewginn

Also spending time updating my personal website.

www.drewginn.com

Keen to do some podcasting which I guess flows on from what I have already been doing with my you tube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/dcginn?feature=mhum

So been a busy little thing and taking time to reflect on the season so far and what is ahead. I feel like a little kid excited but unsure as to when things will head back into that deeper state of focus required for outstanding an preparation.

All the athletes here right now are getting ready to for trials. I won't be competing and will find out soon what is ahead for me. This doesn't stop the crazy speculation going on in my mind about ways this season could unfold. Then I get into thinking about next year. I can't really believe that I am now at a stage when I am feeling good about these types of wondering thought streams. Don't worry I am still grounded or at least I have shudders of reality hit me like tremors and it comes in waves. Reality about how quickly things can change. How the spikes in stress come about when things go off the rails. With each wave of thought with it's piercing emotive triggers. It's like being outside on a hot summers night with big ass mosquito's taking their fill. Each surface slap as you attempt to avoid further bites it becomes clear that even though a summer night is magical there of those little reality bites still at play.

The thought of being at the Worlds or the Games is a wonderful magical thing, but it's never perfect and the various things which you realise and experience make you appreciate with all great things come with another side. The flip side of experience is always there. For now I imagine the future and with that experience tells me the wonder has great pain too. So while I wait I prepare for the total future ahead.

Check Out these shots...

2011-03-26T20:11:00.001-07:00

I love looking around and finding stuff like this.

A young James Cracknell, giving it heaps in the double. The British eight with Ben Hunt-Davis who went on to win in 2000 in the eight. Some Australians and a young bloke standing up in the bow seat of the Oarsome Foursome. Yep that's little old me. There is Cop a few years after coming out of the pair and sporting a great look with the suit showing a heap of chest hair. And Xeno showing in one shot that he could have been a good bowsider. I laugh but seriously what he did in the single that day was awesome.
You see the Danish four who at the time had dominated the light weight four since 1994 and would go onto be the powerhouses of the fours until 2008 even with a few hiccups. Add the swiss brothers, the Geers who won the light weight double showcasing Marty Aitkens coaching ability with two Swiss golds. Plus Karsten in the Womens single what an incredible run she has had. Anyway I love the history of the sport and these are just a few. Still luaghing about James Cracknell and his facial expression with cap reversed. Long before his run with the four and pair with huge success.

http://intersport-images.photoshelter.com/gallery/1996-Olympic-Regatta-Atlanta-USA/G0000Rlg4Sj56MDw/1

PAC MAN & Bob the builder: How to bust a rib

2011-03-21T21:46:00.001-07:00

It's Official: I am not crazy

2011-03-20T23:12:00.001-07:00

Latest MRI shows stress fracture.. Damn

Bone Scan: 'shows a hot spot'

2011-03-20T20:06:00.001-07:00

'ON HOLD' but not waiting...

2011-03-20T17:09:00.001-07:00

Well everything was on track, but three weeks ago when my thoracic spasmed I figured it would be a few days for it to settle. It's been over three weeks now and today I will head off to get scans to ensure it's not a stress fracture. Long term I am not to worried but frustrating for it to happen now and it has meant the last 7 days has been very low key. Two bike rides of no more than 70min each and two runs which have been very a bit of a cruise. Actually last night went for a jog down around Albert Park Lake and as everything is in preparations for the F1 GP soon it was pretty fun just jogging through and around the set up that is going on. So today at 11.45am I will be have the scans done and by this afternoon will know more. The frustration though comes as I was looking forward to really stepping things up in this period with preparations for trials in some 4 weeks now. For now though I am on hold. Probably a good thing as it does provide and has provided some extra time for my family. My daughter turned 10 on Fri and my wife and I celebrated 12 years of being married. This really does make me stop and realise just how many things have happened over the years which have been great. To think it was way back then that I was a single young rower with a dream of being like the Oarsome Foursome. Yep that was the dream and way back then all I wanted was to be able to make it in this sport. To have success and to experience what it would be like to be in an amazing team. So as much as things with training are on hold the benefit of life now is that there is so much more to enjoy and be part of. Life is wonderful. Rowing is on pause for today but I am not waiting. Time with family gives me energy and using time like this to really sharpen my focus for what is ahead will enable me to be ready once my body says go. To to consider some important aspects of the preparations which will be required going forward. Can't forget I need to assist where I can with my businesses. Between the Energy Impact Group, Podium Bike Hub stores and my work with Melbourne Business School I am learning how to manage my time better and to be more productive with activities I have to work on.

Video: Pair on Gold Coast

2011-03-19T04:25:00.001-07:00

One of the early pair sessions on the Gold Coast...

A session which involved doing rate steps with the two pairs...

Video: Four on Gold Coast

2011-03-18T23:40:00.001-07:00

During the week we rowed our pair and in the four and pretty much each row in the four we had different seating. Great activity to give everyone a feel for how to move together.

Hanging Out: HS Article

2011-03-17T15:26:00.001-07:00

Just hanging out as part of training activities

Three days ago Ron Reed called to ask about doing an interview. We had a chat yesterday and this was one of the photo's which was taking during a visit the photographer made to my home.

Article Here: Tilt a Fourth Olympic Games

As I have explained before much of what I do at home is about being productive with my time. The suspension straps allow me the opportunity to do some great and interesting activities in the evenings before heading to bed. Along with vibration training, indoor training on the bike and ergo and inversion work where I hang upside down. I feel I have some great ways to ensure my body is functioning well, stable, strong and prepared.

Another activity I love is playing with the kids. Well I guess it is more them jumping on me and wrestling the way they do. Great energy and great release. Tests the back somewhat as well.

Racing Reflections: Together

2011-03-17T04:59:00.001-07:00

Together

What can I say the sensation of working together is a wonderful one. Last week during racing I had a great sense of timing and commitment to a purpose. Not everything was perfect though and the week started well and truly left of center when Josh and I came down in the pair just under 9min.

Pair Heat: This was not together...

Pair Rep: Slightly more together...

Pair Final: Together, but could be even better...

Four Final: Together and exciting...

Eight State Race: Somewhat together, but not together enough...

When I think back over the recent events togetherness comes back to me as a significant driver of performance. With out it, or with less than a great level of togetherness it all becomes hard, heavy and simply sluggish or slow.

Being together in something requires understanding of what you aiming for, willingness to commit to the action and the capacity to stay the course with your intentions.

Let me bring you into the boat recently with Josh in the pair. At times it has show signs of real potential, but also it showed less command of the movement and standard required to really fly. This all relates to the combination not the individuals. It took a number of sessions from Sydney the first time, to rowing on the Yarra together, then the week in Victoria which included some work against other pairs. We started racing in NSW, then VIC Champs before the week on the Gold Coast just prior to Nationals. Then even more happened as we went through the heat, rep and final races. We had gone ok before racing at Nationals, but the step up was significant in the final from what we had done together. Pleasantly so we found ourselves some 4-5sec in front of a highly competitive field after 1500m. How we did this was from 250 to 1000m I believe. It was dynamic, fluid and driven. This is the way I have enjoyed racing at certain times in the past and it was a great reminder about how to have that real focus and purpose of movement. A movement that had a lightness and snapping sensation during the recovery phase. The in water time was hooked and hung with a strong connected leg drive. The release was loose and a sense of skipping along from stroke to stroke was like a bounding kangaroo springing across a field. I am focusing on the sensations in the pair because I feel it is a turning point in my preparation. Until this row I was feeling like I had raced ok but not with the movement I know is needed to go super fast. It has taken many months of preparation to be able to confidently say that's the way I want to row. Add this to the four race and finally I feel ready to start truly considering the long term possibilities.

For now I will settle back into training. One concern is my mid thoracic and I will have scans on this next Monday to rule out a stress fracture. I don't feel this is a problem but a small hurdle along the way. I am certain I know about small and big obstacles now so will enjoy the time modifying my training until my thoracic is ready to go again.

After pair heat... Rowing with JDS

2011-03-13T23:43:00.001-07:00

Before the Nationals I talked rowing with my wonderful wife, Melanie.

2011-03-13T21:11:00.001-07:00

images after racing the pair and four.

2011-03-13T21:07:00.001-07:00

Post Nationals

2011-03-13T16:29:00.001-07:00

Wow what can I say the week had everything. I have been making video updates which I will load up at some stage, but for now can I start with how impressed I was with some of the racing in SA.

A few stand outs and mainly because of the times rowed were the light weight state fours and the NSW Kings Cup row. the womens single sculler from QLD, Sally Keoho really took the risk and came up with the win in the fast conditions. The boys youth eight was a classic with NSW going for it early and only through an outstanding last 1000m by the Victorian crew were they overhauled the early leads to show case the young talent coming through. A time of 5.30 is huge for a youth crew.

The lighty boys from Tassie were class with a row only 2 sec outside a Worlds best time. With the middle distance speed at 35 strokes a minute it was great to see the boys from Tassie and WA showing why they are heading for something special in 2011 and 12. It also shows that the result in NZ at the Worlds was just an initial step along they way to what will be a light weight period which is very exciting.

The KC race was both frustrating and exhilarating. Personally I am disappointed and will regret a few things in retrospect. But and I need to make this clear. What the NSW crew did was World class and I had suspected that the group have great confidence and boldness and would require us to have a great row to even match them. For them to do 5.22 in the fast conditions was huge. To see the guys after the race, as much as I was pissed off at out own performance I felt very respectful of what the NSW crew had done. It's hard when you feel your crew can do better but at the same time I was extremely impresses with how the others rowed their race and the standard of the race.

The conditions were fast and at time tricky and looking back over the week we had it all. To be able to come away being part of success in the pair and four with Josh, Duncan and James was very satisfying. Understanding this is a long way from what we are all working towards is a reminder I have had. Trials are still to come and then and only then does the season really begin for the long term target of rowing fast come the World Championships.

Listen to me I am now talking long term. What a turn around. Just back in Dec I was still very much hooding back my imagination about what might be ahead. Then in Jan at National camp I had a couple of days where I found myself really questioning what I was doing and if my back would hold up to the demands of rowing. I am still cautious but feeling positive.

The four was a very good row and I think gave us a sense of what can be possible. The pair was exciting as it really did take me back to years ago. I have been so fortunate to row with guys like James Tomkins and Duncan Free in long term pair combinations. Both different but truly enjoyable partners to team up with and rowing well consistently helps. The willingness to explore how to go fast was also the strong reason for why I loved those combinations. Last week with Josh gave me that same sense of joy. Racing with freedom. Racing freely and flowing. Josh was great and to be able to jump in a work on our partnership over the last couple of months was enjoyable.

The standard in the pair with many of the crews within a boat lenth or two shows how competitive it is. Being back amongst it all was great but I was reminded of some things I enjoy less about rowing competitions. For me the years in the sport have been long and I guess some old habits die hard but I do find myself wanting less hassle with how we go about preparing and performing. Competition does strange things to people some time. Once in a race I become a different person. This is what I use to go deep and perform. Off the water though I like being strategic but dislike some of the bullshit people carry on with. It's easy to get caught up in and I am susceptible like the next person. But over the years I have seen many thing and realize somethings just don't matter.

For me this last week it was about staying focused on what matters most to the crew I was preparing for. Focusing on whats important and focusing on looking after myself to ensure I was ready to race each race. The week mainly was a success but I guess a big focus was have a great row in the KC and this was not achieved. It does overshadow the other performances somewhat, but when you go that fast and have a crew a length in front and know you have made some major mistakes then with out liking it, it requires and commands humbleness, respect and excitement for the future.

Day 2 nationals

2011-03-08T16:25:00.001-08:00

What can I say this place has everything. Head wind, hot almost unrowable water. Rain and bouncy water. Tail wind and more bounce. I should not complain but I am confused about how many speed boats are needed to manage a rowing regatta. How many does it take? A shit load and they are like flies buzzing around and with the signature sides to the 2000m stretch here it makes it somewhat like a washing machine.

It ain't cool to complain but I have to say it has been funny to have forgotten about West Lakes since last being here, to only be reminded over the last two days how contrasting the experience can be out on the water here.

Yesterday we races the rep and got through with a win against Matt Ryan and Ferguson Pragnell who got the other spot into the final. It was close all the way. Not stressful as I felt pretty relaxed but it was very close and the desperation of the pairs to make the final was obvious. So we are now into the final on Fri and a first and final in the four on Sat.

Day 1 nationals

2011-03-07T03:58:00.001-08:00

Ooops that was bad.. Like everyone else who enjoyed the strong head wind today. Did I say strong? Stuff me no excuses but we were just under 9min in the pair and fifth in the heat. This has us in a rep tomorrow so not a great day. For much of the day since the jokes and laughter about what it was like out on the water have flow thick and fast. So nothing special to report apart from the fact it is the slowest pairs race I have ever rowed. That's 17 years of racing pairs and it was at least 1min slower than the previous best - worst time. For now we wait and tomorrow we better perform or could be watching the final from the side lines. Nah after today I would hope it can't get worse. Then tonight we went down and the water was great. So who knows what tomorrow will be. One things for sure we will be on the front foot as there aint much point being at the back of the field. No fun there.

Nationals: Where tp watch if your not in the boat.

2011-02-26T20:03:00.001-08:00

Nationals just around the corner...

Best place to watch if you can't be live at West Lakes will be WCSN

http://www.wcsn.com.au/index.php/rowingtv.html

No waiting for time to catch up...

2011-02-26T19:18:00.001-08:00

Two old blocks waiting.

There is a long way to go and the journey has only begun but unlike these blokes we aren't waiting for time to pass us by or for something to come along as an opportunity.

On the weekend was the first time since Beijing that I was able to again race in a boat with Duncan Free. It was cool fun to be able to get in with Josh Dunkley Smith, Duncan and Tom Larkins. It was for our state championships here in Victoria.

Prior to the fours race Josh and I got to race the pair and we had a little win against Beijing silver medalists in the four James Marburg and Cameron McKenzie McHarg with Duncan and Tom Larkins in third.

After NSW state champs we knew we had to improve how we got out of the blocks and our focus of setting up well through the transition worked well.

The four though capped off the day but only after a relatively sluggish period from 250-750m were we finally got into a better rhythm and started to move the boat properly.

What's encouraging is being able to make changes stick during racing and being able to find rhythm while racing even when it's not spot on to start with.

It's no secret we are keen to race the four this year so the two old blokes if all goes well will be combining with some young guys possibly. It's not that I or we feel it is just going to happen, actually it's the opposite. We have been proactive and pushing for opportunities to come together and improve.

Personally working with Josh has been great and refreshing. Not to say I haven't had moments when I consider the differences or similarities to other pairs I have been in. When it has not been up to scratch I have had to be mindful of us being a new combination and that Josh is still very young. Josh obviously has shown in the last few years he is a talent and will do very well in rowing. Yesterday though was a nice little test. We headed to Nagambie at the last minute due to my mid thoracic spasming the day before. So we arrive up there and pretty much had 60min before we would be racing. This always challenges an athletes routine. We then had a terrible warm up on the water. But as my old mate James Tomkins said once the warm up is just the way we get to the start. I said to Josh forget the warm up let's trait ourselves to nail it once the gun goes. After the race Josh indicated it was somewhat disconcerting and distracting and he had to remind himself to block it all out. To me this is more impressive than his physiology and early career results. He flicked the switch and we jumped out well and I actually felt we had it on a string. We could tension and loosen it off as needed as we stretched out through 250 and onto 500m. We did as we planned and after the drive up, last minute snack at the service station. Add the foot stretcher adjustment we made once we arrive plus the warm up which didn't really have us coordinate one solid stroke together we turned all this into a positive experience and delivered on our plan. This is a trait which can not be easily measured but is more important that most indicators of possible performance.

Years ago James Tomkins rowed with Ian Belot who funnily enough was my first form master at school in 1989. Ian once mentioned to someone who years later told me that he and James first raced a pair back in 1985. It was a state champs regatta too but in Ballarat. At some stage during the race the had veered off course and about to hit a post which mark the side of the rowing course. With one call from Ian in bow James at speed pulled his oar in to miss the post and slotted it back out against the button and never missed a beat. They went on to win and Ian new then this kid James Tomkins had something special. That day was presence and composure under race pressure. My experience with Josh was the capacity to flick the switch and turn a negative into a positive. Why I liked it is because it is probably something I have felt I have been able to do many times over the years and it enables great performances when it could be easy to let things slide.

Back to the four and I have to say it was great fun being in the boat with these guys. I am aware that Tom would have been up in the bow and maybe pinching him self to get to row with Duncan in the pair and then the four. Duncan is impressive in size, power and again a special quality which is to be able to flick that switch and turn it on when required.

For the weekend it came at the end of a solid week with state team training and a week of pair rowing with Josh. Forgot to say.... You little ripper I have made it through rowing each day for a week. Even the back spasm was not a big concern as I have had it before and it needs treatment and some rest. So we are not waiting for things to come to us we are ready to make things happen. For now still here, still kicking and enjoying is great sport.

Training Update: Bit Tired but going OK.

2011-02-23T21:30:00.001-08:00

Tired but Happy

2011-02-19T15:16:00.001-08:00

When the wind blows across the bay here in Melbourne from the south west it make riding home an interesting challenge. Yesterday while on a charity ride for Gen

Aaaaaahhhhhh

2011-02-11T18:20:00.001-08:00

Welcome back I say... Little reminder of how soft I have become. Raced today at NSW state champs and got through the heat and achieved a good result in the final with Josh. The competition was really close with most crew within a boat length or two at 1500 and still very close at the end. Happy to be racing again even though this is what my hands look like.

Training Update: Back into it.

2011-02-06T00:10:00.001-08:00

No Sunday rest after a week with Chickenpox... Figured I had most of last weekend and half the week last week.

Not sure if the ergo session will make sense but here is the Garmin file.

And then my bike ride this afternoon.

Pretty good day and feel like I am fully recovered for being out of action.

Video: Four Canberra

2011-02-04T17:11:00.001-08:00

This is some footage of the four we will be racing at NSW state champs later next week. We came together for the first time at the end of National camp and then a week ago had another two days together in Canberra. This video was the first session during our second chance together.

Rowing Again: The simple joy of being back on the water

Personally it would come as no surprise but if I am going to be rowing on I have done so with the idea that I would be wanting to be in a boat again with Duncan. After being in a pair racing Internationally since 1998 it is refreshing to be able to do some work in fours like we have. Not to say this hasn't happened over the years it just the focus from 1999 was very much on the pair. The current view is in Australia we can boat a very strong eight and four. That's not to say a pair won't be considered it's that the athletes and coaches will be focusing on creating a really fast eight and four.

Coming back to the idea which is I would love to compete with Duncan again it means we obvious would need to be part of the bigger boats. I have also said to Dunc's that it is my preference if my back is right to be in a boat with him I am also realistic. If I am not up to speed or my back does not allow it then he needs to look after him self to ensure he has his best chance of a great performance in London. This is one of the reasons why we are rowing with different people in pairs. I mention all this because this particular four combination is one of a few which I feel could go very fast. At this stage I am enjoying being in the boat with Dunc's, Sam Conrad & Josh Dunkley-Smith. There is a long way to go with selections of a four and eight and I think all athletes and coaches are keen to find the fastest combination's for each boat class.

This crew has now had eight sessions together which is more the the other combination's we will be racing in NSW next week. It has shown some positive signs with good boat speeds, but until it is tested, raced and trialed it is just another four people in a boat. To have a camp dedicated to fours training in January was great. I am looking forward to the next time we do this. Also what I am keen on is an eights camp where we get to see how fast we can make an eight go.

Currently I think it is agreed we have some great potential in regards to future performances. I speculate here but I feel positive about what we as a group of athletes can achieve together over the next two season. I am return and at times have to contain me excitement in a way. It's easy for me to forget and I think maybe others aren't aware that I really thought I would never row again. No race again, not train again but even sit in a boat and just row. It's a simple joy to be able to row.

This is why I am loving even the chance to be in a boat or go on a camp. To be able to consider, discuss and even plan a future in rowing is mind blowing to me when I think of where I was two years ago. This four then and the chance to race with these guys and be part of the National team is almost like learning how to ride a bike again for the first time. Ahhhh the simple joy of that freedom to move. Who knows what will happen? At this stage to me it is less important to enjoying these moments out on the water.

Actually I am like a little kid out on the water. Visually I am so much smaller the the other guys and it is like I am the excited little kids up in the bow seat. It has taken me back a few time to those early days when I got to join the Oarsome Foursome. At 36 years of age verses being 20, I realise age is simple a mind set.

Marks Thought Impossible: Myths, Bullshit & Perspectives

2011-02-02T16:20:00.001-08:00

For those in cycling it is well understood that Jack Bobridge is a great young talent. This article explains further but he has just broken a mark considered by many as a time for the individual 4km on the track as being something almost impossible to break. The thinking comes from the idea that former holder of the record Chris Boardman's time set back in 1996 was in the now banned 'super man' position. The advantage of this position meant it was thought that to beat the time would possible never happen due to aerodynamics to power ratio required for someone to go that fast.

Well it has been broken... Surprise, surprise.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bobridge-breaks-boardmans-recordhttp://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bobridge-breaks-boardmans-record

This reminds me of a few key moments in sport that I am aware of which has seen thoughts like this dis-proven. The notion that something is not humanly possible really frustrates me.

The 4 min mile was another such mark. And when Roger Bannister broke it some many other went past the mark. Like some collective believe trigger being set off saying, "we can do it!"

Bannister held the best time for the shortest time in history 2 months or so. Once passed improvements on that time took off again.

After his failure at the 1952 Olympics, Bannister spent two months deciding whether to give up running. He set himself on a new goal: To be the first man to run a mile in under four minutes. Accordingly, he intensified his training and did hard intervals.

On 2 May, 1953, he made an attempt on the British record at Oxford. Paced by Chris Chataway, Bannister ran 4:03.6, shattering Wooderson's 1945 standard. "This race made me realise that the four-minute mile was not out of reach," said Bannister.

On 27 June, a mile race was inserted onto the programme of the Surrey schools athletic meeting. Australian runner Don Macmillan, ninth in the 1500 m at the 1952 Olympics, set a strong pace with 59.6 and 1:59.7 for two laps. He gave up after 2 1/2 laps, but Chris Brasher took up the pace. Brasher had jogged the race, allowing Bannister to lap him so he could be a fresh pace-setter. At 3/4 mile, Bannister was at 3:01.8, the record - and first sub-four-minute mile - in reach. But the effort fell short with a finish in 4:02.0, a time bettered by only Andersson and Hägg. British officials would not allow this performance to stand as a British record which, Bannister felt in retrospect, was a good decision. "My feeling as I look back is one of great relief that I did not run a four-minute mile under such artificial circumstances," he said.

But other runners were making attempts at the four-minute barrier and coming close as well. American Wes Santee ran 4:02.4 on 5 June, the fourth-fastest mile ever. And, at the end of the year, Australian John Landy ran 4:02.0.

Then early in 1954, Landy made some more attempts at the distance. On 21 January, he ran 4:02.4 in Melbourne, then 4:02.6 on 23 February and at the end of the Australian season on 19 April, he ran 4:02.6 again.

Bannister had been following Landy's attempts, and was certain his Australian rival would succeed with each one. But, knowing that Landy's season-closing attempt on 19 April would be his last until he travelled to Finland for another attempt, Bannister knew he had to make his attempt soon.

"Ladies and gentlemen, here is the result of event 9, the one mile: 1st, No. 41, R.G. Bannister, Amateur Athletic Association and formerly of Exeter and Merton Colleges, Oxford, with a time which is a new meeting and track record, and which - subject to ratification - will be a new English Native, British National, All-Comers, European, British Empire and World Record. The time was 3..."

The roar of the crowd drowned out the rest of the announcement. Bannister's time was 3 min 59.4 sec.

Quote from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Bannister

ON the wiki page it does go on to explain the notion of the mark being impossible was a little bit of a myth. Bannister him self explains...

The claim that a 4-minute mile was once thought to be impossible by informed observers was and is a widely propagated myth created by sportswriters and debunked by Bannister himself in his memoir, The Four Minute Mile (1955).

The reason the myth took hold was that four minutes was a nice round number which was slightly better (1.4 seconds) than the world record for nine years, longer than it probably otherwise would have been because of the effect of World War II in interrupting athletic progress in the combatant countries. The Swedish runners Gunder Hägg and Arne Andersson, in a series of head-to-head races in the period 1942–45, had already lowered the world mile record by 5 seconds to the pre-Bannister record. (See Mile run world record progression.)

What is still impressive to knowledgeable track fans is that Bannister ran a four-minute mile on very low-mileage training by modern standards.

The fact that others spread the idea of the impossible mark goes to the heart of this post. While Bannister the athlete was clear in his view of how to run his best. Clear in his view of what the mark really meant. Clear in retrospect about his life verses just a single moment.

As the athlete guys like Bannister, Bobridge and co it appears the focus cuts through all the speculation. The rubbish around what's possible and impossible is not something they seems to buy into. I am putting Bobridge in this category with Bannister because it feels right to do so. I love these break throughs and the athletes and moments involved. From a distance it seems like a very different story and pathway but the 4min mile mark was a huge focus for runners at that time. The World was also drawn into it and watching eagerly. Boardman's time in cycling has held something special to. I can't help but wonder when will the 4min 4km become a mark on the track?

And what about perspective:

On the 50th anniversary of running the sub-4-minute mile, Bannister was interviewed by the BBC's sports correspondent Rob Bonnet. At the conclusion of the interview, Bannister was asked whether he looked back on the sub-4-minute mile as the most important achievement of his life.

Bannister replied to the effect that 'no, he rather saw his subsequent forty years of practicing as neurologist and some of the new procedures he introduced as being more significant'.

His major contribution in academic medicine was in the field of autonomic failure, an area of neurology focusing on illnesses characterised by certain automatic responses of the nervous system (for example, elevated heart rate when standing up) not occurring.

For many these marks are made out to be more important than they are. Even as I write this post I am in part adding to that. My intent is to highlight that these marks are like any other. Moments in time and points of reference. As people we like reference points and like to create stories of significance about them. This is not to say they are not important, but maybe not as big a deal as we think.

How these marks do help though needs to be understood. For Boardman to get the time he did he and another rider Graeme Obree were innovators in there sport. The later was probably as great at innovating and finding new ways to go fast as any other person in sporting history.

In high jump the Fosbury Flop was another great innovation to enable athletes to go further. When a perceived limit arises some accept it and become focused on it. Some see it and look beyond it at the possibilities. Other don't worry about it and focus instead on being the best they can be. These limits or marks can be fuel, they can be hurdles, they can be inspiring and they can be distracting.

In rowing I have experienced this and continued to be amazed at the ongoing improvements. Every 4 - 6 years the World's Best times seems to surge forward. It is as if bottle necks are created by athletes and perceptions of what's possible or who can be beaten or not. Obvious environmental conditions play a huge part and it is once every few years the weather at a regatta really turns it on.

At this stage two boat classes I have been involved in that come to mind.

The pair mark went from 6.20+ to sub 6.19 with GB dominating the event from 1991-1996. The a number of crews did 19's for many years including our pair with James and I. Then in 2002 in Seville with everything dialed in GB went 6.14. A huge jump and now I suspect that the NZ and GB crews are ready when the conditions are right to go sub 6.10. Personally with Duncan I felt in 2007-08 that we would have been capable of sub 6.10 but it wasn't to be. So how fast can the Kiwi's and Poms go? I sense that in the next two years one of them will crack 6.10 and even lower the mark to 6.08 possibly.

In the four I recall the original Oarsome Foursome improving the mark to 5.52 with the distinct style on and off the water. Then the Italians in 1994 went 5.48 which was huge and the way they did it was impressive. It had the Austalian based four scratching there head a little at the time when I joined them. Much talk was about how to approach racing the four when crews like the Italians had moved on from the 1992 period. Then in the lead up to 2000 the fours went 5.45 and by 2002 and yes Seville again the German's and GB crews went 5.41. Wow, was what I remember think that day. I had just rowed a poor race to get fourth with James in 6.16 when Matt and James did that 6.14. Then we saw the fours fly down the course.

So in 10 years the four improved over 10sec and the pair about 8sec. It is assumed oars made a difference. Ideas around training and the approach to racing certainly must have advanced. More importantly I feel it is the expectation and standards being focused on daily made the greatest difference. The athlete involved in rowing, cycling, running etc all have one thing in common when improving and going beyond these limits or marks. They believed they could go faster. This belief was fostered daily and fueled by competition. It's inspiring stuff to consider just how far we can go.

Empire State Run: Alice McNamara Wins

2011-02-01T16:15:00.001-08:00

How cool is this...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/melbourne-girl-alice-mcnamara-wins-annual-empire-state-building-run-up/story-e6frf9if-1225998540273http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/melbourne-girl-alice-mcnamara-wins-annual-empire-state-building-run-up/story-e6frf9if-1225998540273

This is great to hear about. Chris O'Brien was just on the phone to me and mentioned it was in the news. It's great to see athletes explore other ways to improve performance and have new experiences.

Great work Mac you're a champ.

Amongst Competitors: What's in all mean?

2011-01-31T19:56:00.001-08:00

When it rains it pours... I am stuck at home with chickenpox so I have loads of time to be able to complete an number of post i have planned to write for some time.

2007 Start Semi

This is something which I found myself going over when I was watching some rowing races on DVD. My preference has been to view races every couple of weeks and to make notes about what I observe. Often I then check splits and compare to what other categories did on the day around similar time of the day at the event.

Watching these video's recently I found myself reflecting on what it's like being amongst competitors. That feeling of being on the start line. Of taking off together when the start releases signals go. The feeling of being around the regatta site. The post race experience with the let down, celebration, frustrations and realisations.

What I love is the lack of ambiguity with competitors. Forget some of the rubbish that can go on before or after a race. Some athletes are into the mind games. That's to be expected.

My preference is to cut through the bullshit to what really matters most. Expect everyone you are racing is desperate to win and it becomes simple. Add to this preference in relation to mind set that although everyone is out there to try and win, they are also there to enable you to be the best you can be.

Desperation in degrees I say. Athletes like any other person will have a certain level of desire. A level of willingness to follow through on that desire. Desperation is how far are they willing to push themselves or the limits of the sport or activity.

Next thought is how do we each define winning? Obvious first across the line is a clear distinction. What of a sense of winning with out the actually result. That's it a personal best of sorts which only you are aware of. What of that sense of satisfaction that comes with being part of the race? All the various combination's of winning are valid and important.

From memory I recall moments sitting on the start line like at the Worlds in 2007 and thinking the strange thoughts of what's winning to me? What's winning to my competitors? What's it mean to win? What am I willing to do? What are they willing to do? At these times I have often re-focused myself on the process and immediate action required, but on many occasion I have noted those questions and wondered why they pop into my head then. What this type of questioning means?

The conclusions I have drawn involve these times when obvious the notion of winning is a strong drive. The idea of producing a result is present and along with all that we have done to prepare. The thoughts and feelings of those around you on the start line I think in some way play a part to. It's that moment coming in to sharp focus when all these people have prepared and thought about being ready for. It's like a super consciousness of sorts where so many available thought processes converge in some way. Major events this sense I feel becomes even stronger. How many athletes/people are focused on a club race are less at that one specific time. The bigger the event the more people have engaged with either attempting to make it to that moment and the energy people bring to the experience is a culmination of days, weeks, months, years and even ones life up to that point. This is a huge amount of focused energy on a certain start time. An interacting moment.

This is probably a bit spacey but I have wondered why thoughts like these seem to not be personal but rather interpersonal and universal at these times. Let me explain further I have had the bizarre sense that I have felt what others are really attempting or hoping to do when sitting on the start line. Seeing a snap shot of a facial expression seems to provide so much insight. Those questions whizzing around my head have almost been provided with answer. I know this is silly as at those times the races have not been rowed, but a sense that not everyone is there for the same reasons becomes clear. Not everyone is as willing as others. The level of desperation is vast. The idea of what winning is all about for each person is different and yet we all sit there looking ready to go. Ready to attempt to get to that finish line as fast as we can.

The feelings I have experienced amongst competitors particularly on the start line tell me there is a lot more going on than we can explain. The vastness of perspectives comes to that moment. Managing self along with what every else is going in becomes critical.

Way back in 2003 other noticed something about James and I as we prepared on land. I remember some much going on at the start once we have warmed up which wasn't hard in the hot and humid conditions in Milan. The volume once we were backed into the blocks was high. That is the volume of thoughts and sounds seems defining. Moment by moment the dial seemed to turn slowly as the time counted down. Everything was still there in the background but what became clear and vivid was our intent. It was a oneness with our intent and the moment. In a way the moment at our intent was the same. At this time I recall feeling strange things about the various crews as the final few deep breaths had as forward and ready for the start. I know... weird huh. Even as I sit here writing this now it is like I am there again. It was hot and the air felt breathless... Almost with out oxygen. Yet we breathed deeper in preparation to go. The sense of lacking oxygen was not a concern. The clarity about our plan and our intent to perform was tangible like the oar in my hand. It was visible like James sitting in front of me. By that final stage the feeling for competitors was not based on any thing visual, but rather a sensation of sorts. In some other boats it seemed blurred, unclear and in someway confused. Why am I sharing this now. I guess my thinking was prompted after watching these races and something about 2003 really stuck in my mind. In 2007 I had a similar sense and when I was going through some old shots and saw the image above it sparked something.

In 2007 in the final I was so sure the NZ pair was coming with us early. I knew we we ready to go really very fast early and the sense I had was that we were not going to slow down much. An image of a storm came into my head that day and with any storm you have to weather it and the get on with things. That feeling of excitement and anxiety was a see saw type of experience. Like a ticking clock from side to side. A metronome passing back and forth. Each swing becoming less and less as time came to the point. A readiness was present but readiness for different things.

Being amongst competitions is like seeing through a window into oneself and a collective focused and emerging lens. It's insightful and not always as expected. Ignoring the thoughts for fear of distraction runs the risk of miss some vital and valid information. The feelings of ups and downs is very much like being out on the ocean.

This brings me to a final thought I have had that related to surfing. Being out in the water particularly when it start to get bigger. Everyone becomes very focused on the largest sets as they provide opportunity and also risk. Someone will catch the wave possibly and others will attempt to position themselves possible to catch it also. Some may elect to pass and look for the next one coming behind. Others may simple looks to staying out of harms way. The bigger the wave the larger the spread as the opportunity comes with even more excitement and the risks start to become very real. You can get out of position very quickly and the shifts occur faster. What I have experienced in the water is when someone sets their mind on catching the next big wave you can feel it. When other sense this they begin to position themselves for either the next one or other after, or they simple move to ensure the don't get crunched by the wave or the surfer. So everyone is out there to catch and ride waves but the willingness, desperation and intent amongst the surfers can be so different.

Hope that has been to confusing.

Just a first paddle back before Christmas

2011-01-31T00:39:00.001-08:00

Pacing Strategies

2011-01-31T00:38:00.001-08:00

Interesting topic which I had a discussion with a physiologist before Christmas about pacing strategies. His question was why rowers go out so hard at the start of races then have such big fades in speed. My response was simple, it's often easier to race from in front than to get behind and to have to work back through the field.

How important is pacing in rowing races? Depends is the answer I will give. What's meant by pacing? From a physiology stand point it was explained to me that the cost of going out so hard in relation to the speed which is maintained some time after the start. Yet often as has been seen crews and athletes fade even further. My take on things is that the good crews once into the second 500m don't slow any further most times they race. So how important is the pacing verse ensuring the start puts you close to if not in front of the competition through 500m.

The physical demand of a fast start can be counted but is the cost as high as assumed. What does it take to hit a high speed and transition in to a rhythm which is slower in relation to the max but carries good speed relative to the effort. Years ago an eights coach I had was clear that if we could do 1.21 / 1.21 / 1.21 /1.21 then it would be successful. The challenge is being behind by a boat length or more when you do it and having the presence and patience to enable the superior rhythm to enable you to slide back up and through your competitors. It's a great idea in theory, but experience say that any margin given early to competitive people seems to become larger and more difficult to overcome the close you get the the finish.

The lesson I learned from 2002 came from two events. Luzern World cup the the Worlds in Spain. Great athlete know how to manage themselves even if the go out very fast. Great athletes can chase others down, but the risk of not making it is high. What's required to blast out from the start and to go on with it needs to be understood. Like wise whats required to sit with the field or even behind and to build, surge and storm home needs real consideration as to what it takes. My lesson was if you give anyone margin it's hard later on. Give great athletes that kind of slack and it becomes an even bigger challenge.

Now pacing can relate to many things. I am using rowing as the example here. In 2002 after have what I would say was a well paced race. Pretty even splits down the track with a slightly faster first 500 but not a big difference to the rest of the race. In fact we carried our speed so well through 1000m and then 1500m that we literally stepped away from the Skelin brothers and Matt and James (GB) that we surprised them and ourselves I guess. It was a well paced race, the kicker here was by the World Matt and James really went away with a focus and on return they pumped out 1.30 / 1.35 / 1.36 / 1.33 splits down the Seville course and we never really saw them until after we crossed the line. From a physiology perspective this would be regarded as having a huge cost for the high early speed. Question would be what would have happened if they had of gone 1.33 all the way? The early cost is lower for the more casual split but would they then have been able to kick it along 500m after 500m at the same speed? On the other hand James and I did 1.34 / 1.37 / 1.35 / 1.30 and we came home with a potato medal. IN my heart of heart I feel that if we had of at least maintain contact in that first 500 then it could have been different. Even if we had of maintained the 1.34 on that day we still would have gone home with 4th. True the GB crew may have been able to go even fast by dialing it back a little in the first 500 but that also would have opened things up to the other crews. The great crews can go hard early and know how to manage themselves to ensure they hang on.

The cost of going hard early and even keeping the foot on the gas might be high. The advantages seem to outweigh the costs though from what I have often experienced. We are talking small margins and often in sport and life the difference between getting the result or missing out is small. Pacing does not mean even splitting. I figure my physiologist friend was referring to the cost of going out so hard in relation the the majority of the race.

Having spent the time on the bike I appreciate the cost associated with going 60km/h on a bike and the limited time you can spend there on your own. The power required to go fast increase 3 fold. Water is the same and maybe even worse I am not sure. If you can sustain 440w for an hour the best way to ride as fast as you can for an hour is to get on 440 and hold it rather than going out at 500 and running out of puff later. The simple reality is you can loose minutes once the bear jumps on your back and you are riding with less power once that cost is being taken. 500 down to 450 then 420 and finally you are suffering at 380 wondering where those great numbers went from training.

Rowing though has not had the luxury of real time power meters in boat while racing. I am sure it will open our eyes to the cost, but strange things happen when you begin to get better measures of performance. Surprises often appear. The good and bad of what you are doing becomes clear. What will be discovered will be fascinating, but for now we have assumption. We have effort, fatigue, rate per stroke, speed, splits, and the cost we assume for all of the ups and downs which create increase and decreases in performance.

My sense is pacing is critical but it might not be the pacing we expect. The way we get boat speed my not appear as straight forward as what it looks like on the surface. The fuel an athlete or crew gain from being in the race can not be under estimated. Lab testing environments are not the same. Training is not the same as racing. Belief is a factor not well understood and the list of factors on performance is huge.

What I love is the discussion about better ways to get a performance. How you pace your effort is key no doubt. What the strategy is I feel needs thought, intent and follow through, but it's not a one shoe fits all. It's individual and this is the challenge with teams. So yes there is a cost for how hard you go out physically. The cost mentally of being behind in a team when expectations are for a better position is huge. Not many teams can sit back and manage that situation under pressure well. Individuals maybe but teams have that extra complexity.

Anyway this was just some thoughts on pacing strategies which won't have clarifies anything really but for me it is doing the best with what you have with out over cooking it, but not making it harder than it has to be. One boat length gets longer the closer you get to the finish line. My thinking is if a meter can be hard to pass with the last 50m of a race then why give away that meter early. 1 Length is almost impossible to pass with 250m to go and yet crew often give this margin away in the first 500m and hope that a finishing burst might bring them back. To me every cm counts and it's worth fighting for at the start as much as it is at the end.

Learning

2011-01-30T20:46:00.001-08:00

Have been giving this some thought over many months. Bernice McCarthy, founder of 4MAT I think has a great process to enable learner and those involved in learning to maximise the experience.

Having recently come from rowing camp I found myself reminded about the need for a process for those coaches and athletes to utilise as a guide for how they possible make greater gains in improvement or change. I believe this model can be used in relation to athletes and coaches.

Here's the site http://www.aboutlearning.com/ to check out if interested. Personally I have always felt the need to have a greater understanding of why we would do something in training.

Years ago Noel Donaldson now head coach of Rowing Australia said to me after asking why so many times that I was to only get one question a day. It gave me greater focus if I recall as I streamed through as much info as I could find on rowing and then would ask him why? This model has the why aspect to learning and indicated we all learn differently. I have always been questioning of how and why we do the things we do as athletes. Frustrating for many I know but it has been my learning preference to need understanding before I embrace and believe in something. It needs to make sense to me and I need to see or feel real value in something to become passionate. We are all different and I was reminded of this on camp and as such feel models like this can really make a difference to ensure a broader experience is provided and learning be it in sport, work or life is maximised.

Check it out for your self and see if this cool little model can help you in what you do.

Up, Down, Round and Round.

2011-01-30T19:05:00.001-08:00

This will be short. Came home Fri from a short camp in Canberra to paddle the four and pair. All went well and was pretty tired at the end and enjoyed having the Sat off. Went for a ride yesterday mid morning in the hot weather here in Melb and when I cam back I noticed some spots on my arm and chest. Seeing doctor in half and hour to find out if I have chickenpox.

So last week involved some travel and a little frustration, but mainly some quality training. Now though I am playing a waiting game to find out what I can and can't do if I have the virus. This is really frustrating as this week is out National ergo testing week and it's not the ideal way to start the week. If I can do the tests then it means I miss out on putting some scores on the board. Not a big deal in the long run considering I have heaps of data and results of late on the machine. Would be nice to be able to do a good 6km though. The score week before last on fan setting 10 was encouraging so was keen to see how I would go on sliders.

For now I wait and if all clear could be 6km this afternoon otherwise the week could be a write off. Hopefully will have some video's and data from recent session to share here. Let me say though I am enjoying being back in the game. Racing starts up soon so I figure that's when it really starts anyway. It has been a long road thus far and plenty of kms to go.

illusions

2007-03-13T16:12:00.001-07:00

It's interesting to see how our perceptions of things can be distorted. Having spent much time explaining to groups that what appears to be can often be an illusion is a challenge. Seeing through and into the trick and developing an understanding of the principles behind what appears is critical to enable optimal performance. The reason for this is that if we just stared at the image and sat in awe of the magical nature, it would be like we are under a spell. Marvelling at the way the objects appear to move is ok to a point, but at what stage does the viewer attempt to unravel the mysteries of the illusion and see it for what it is. When we see a sublime performance often we get caught in thinking or perceiving it almost like magic. A great line in the movie, Matrix was when the little boy and Neo are waiting in the oracle’s apartment and the boy shows Neo how to bend a spoon. The boys comment was don't think you can bend the spoon that is impossible. The spoon appears to bend because Neo allows his mind to bend; he allows his mind to move. Like this illusion we can realise that there is no trick, but rather the subtle movements and shifts we see in the image is a reflection of us. We are bending, moving, and shift always.

clipped from www.ritsumei.ac.jp

Chris O'Brien Interview

2007-01-31T01:27:00.000-08:00

'Finders, Minders and Grinders'
Listen To My Audio Post

Reg Crawford

2006-12-20T00:47:00.000-08:00

Listen To My Audio Post

WORKING TOGETHER

2006-11-08T01:25:00.000-08:00

Today I meet with an amazing person who got me thinking about all the different people, processes and systems required to make change in an organisation possible and sustainable. This is the first real entry I am making for this blog and I have waited for the right inspiration to start the ball rolling.

The topic is 'working together', which sounds kind of simple simple, but as most will know it is in the action that things become complex. Conceptualising the picture is not to tough, making it happen is another thing. So where do I begin.

What's often required to get all the parts of the process, the people, the system involved and operating effectively and with ease is an interesting dynamic, and one that can be complex. The road to ease and effectiveness is often bumpy and tiring. What is require to bring different people together with a single or even multi focused projects is not alway clear. What each part needs to function and compliment can be difficult to understand. To get the job done can on paper seem straight forward, but in reality requires much reshaping and adjustment.

From the conversation today I had many questions and probably the most vivid one in my mind was, 'Where do we start to improve how we work together to create the changed needed for improvement? Is it a thing we can target or a person? Is the start universal and applicable across departments, oganisations, industries? Is there a simple answer or is the solution so vast and varied that it's a try it and see approach?

Obviously I have listed a number of questions and many of them come from different angles. The consideration I want to give is on that takes a visual interpretation of working parts that may be more easily seen as different colours. We overlap and interact which each other and often we stand by our colour or style like a flag of honour. Are we all just different shades of from a palette of colours available to each and every one of us? The obvious one to note are the primary colours and we would have some common ideas about which colour means what. Blue is universally regarded as relaxing and fluid. Does this have a personal corralette in human terms? We have reds, greens, yellow and then the various shades and mixes.

During the conversation today I found myself playing around with the idea of how colours can be used to represent how we feel, our styles of learning and our personalities. In fact during the discussion my friend mentioned an activity with seven different coloured hats. It sounded similar to activities that I have used where I get people to take a different perspective on a situation and assign it a colour to assist with recall. If each person, or every perspective can be colour coded it adds an interesting dynamic to how we work together and also better undertake differences. This has less to do with types and catagories and more to do with feeling and emotions that you or your group can identify. This also reminded me of a theory called 'Spiral Dynamics' which I find interesting not because of the use of colours only, but for other significant reason. This popped into mind and was great because I then attempted to explain in a rough way the theory. The point is here. Is that the colour were the link and just like an assignment tag; it was easy to recall.

What became my focus since the conversation has been the various ways people interact with each other and the softness, edginess, bluntness etc that is used or accessed to do so. Much of the shapes and styles of our interactions in conditioned I think and yet we have an amazing ability to become aware of these pattern and to change them or at least try or practice others. My thoughts have shifted and swayed from the various sensation and thoughts we have when we come into contact with others and how we can better understand these forces and influences to create better more effective interactions.
Taking the smallest part and changing our view to include a grander picture of the intricate links, relationship and effects is huge. How big can you take it? And does having an understanding of the big picture help in working together?

My thinking is that it does. Why? Because the more perspective we can taken in the better we would become at appreciating and understanding each one. Each part or perspective is required to make the larger whole function. If each part is kept in optimal health and working order does it not contribute better? Still does this need to be understood by all, maybe not but at least if each and every one of use has some yearning for more understanding or reason, then the greater consciousness and purpose should surely contribute to an over all greater capacity for the collective conscious to drive improvement.

Each one of us plays our part, an integral role and no one should feel insignificant and currently the imbalances in the over all awareness seem to favor keeping people in the dark. This is my first entry with this blog and it poses more question that answers and will probably be the nature of what I intend here. I thank my friend for his time and energy today as the inspiration was well received. We are all in this together so why don't we learn to appreciate each other and work better together.