#rower problems

The Proof: I am spending the summer 2000 miles from my family in a fraternity house (yes I am female, it was the cheapest housing I could find) so that I can row over the summer (we don’t have any rowing teams where I’m from). My job, which I need to afford to live here l, just changed my hours so I can’t do the U23 program (the only one in the area). So here I am, post finals, in basement study room of a frat house cramming for a written safety test that I need to pass before I can sign up for sculling lessons and rent a shell from the Masters…

All because I can’t stand to spend another summer in the desert, erging alone, and dreaming about feeling the boat lift under me on a good stroke. I can’t forgot how good it feels to be on the water long enough to be happy spending three months stuck in a gym. Winter is bearable because I have my teammates. In the summer I don’t have them. When I’m stressed or upset or when I want to relax and let go, my hands itch for an oar. I want to push hard and see how fast I can go. I want to fall into bed exhausted and drift off feeling like I’m still in boat because my inner ear adjusted to the constant back and forth of the slide. I want to see how far upriver I can go. I want to chase the seagulls downstream. I want to feel like I’m flying and I can’t get that sensation on an erg. I just want to be in a boat and I am about ready to do whatever it takes to get there.

Note: the frat house is pretty nice, the guys are chill, and there’s a couple other girls moving in over the next couple weeks. Don’t worry. I’ll have a lot of stories by the time I move out in August.