stroke!

Normally these posts are several weeks apart, so if you're just checking out the blog for the first time in a while you should also take a look at the one below.

We had our first boat race today! As mentioned below, I got put in the "stroke" position, which sets the pace for the entire crew. I'd never done this before today, so I was a little nervous at the outset. Fortunately the stakes were low--today was just a practice run before the Christ Church Regatta next weekend.

The guys on my team are quite a group of characters. Some combination of me being American, one of two graduate students on the squad, and relatively athletic has led them to select me as their de facto squad captain. Today they wouldn't get in the boat until I gave them a motivational speech ("you know, the kind of speech that coaches give their team at half time in American sports films!"). So I naturally I ripped-off Braveheart: "And tonight, lying in your beds reflecting on this day, how much would you give for one chance, just once chance, to return to these icy waters and pour your heart and soul into each stroke, should you now shrink from this challenge?!" They're good guys :)

After a rousing cheer of "1, 2, 3, MB/Worcester" (it kind of came out as a garbled shout), we got into our boat and took off for the starting line. A couple minutes later we drifted in the water, counting the final seconds till starting. No gun went off and the format was time trial, so I won't dramatize the start, but overall I think we did great job. After a couple rough strokes I settled into a rythm, and we powered down 1.2 kilometers of the Isis river to the finish line. "You stroked us to victory, Aaron!" Perhaps, but the stroke is only as good the crew.

I haven't settled into a sport since high school, and next quarter I'll probably give lightweight boxing a try, but today was a great reminder of the joys of comraderie, teamwork, and competition. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!