Open Mens Single at National Champs

My result yesterday in the final of the single scull was not what I had hoped for by any means. I finished a disappointing 8^th and was significantly off the pace. Having had 24 hours to reflect I am well aware of what I need to do better prior to selection trials in a month to give myself the best possible chance to avoid a similar outcome. What is frustrating for me at the moment is that my performance yesterday was significantly hindered by how I was feeling physically. During the warm up of the semi final on Tuesday I knew that something was not right, I was not getting any easy speed and I just felt off. This is compared to the heat on Sunday where I felt great and was on top of my game both in the warm up and in the race. However, through 1250m of the semi I 100% knew that something was not right at all. I was in a bad place physically and I was struggling to just keep moving, it was something more debilitating than I had never experienced before. Fortunately I was able to hang on and finish 3^rd in a tight race and qualify for the final and such for the world championship selection trials in April. However post race I was in another world of hurt. I managed to limp back to the nearest pontoon but not before being incredibly sick over the side of the boat. For a good hour I was struggling to just move. For whatever reason, I had scraped the bottom of the barrel to get across the line and it would cost me the following day.

Semi final 

As athletes prior to a major final, you have the ability to convince yourself you are ok and everything is as it should be, but in reality yesterday I was in struggle street and mid way through the race I was completely spent and was limping home to the finish. The result is what it is, but the most disappointing part of this is that I wasn’t able to physically get stuck into things. What I do know is that my preparation needs to be better next time and it is a reminder of how fickle it all is, that if you make a few small errors by not taking care of yourself in the weeks leading into the regatta, the cost can be huge.

Thankfully I have time to recover and have been allowed some down time prior to the second half of the regatta comprising the Men’s interstate 8 (Kings Cup) and the world cup events of which I am competing in the double and quad scull.  Last night I slept for over 12 hours and hopefully after a quiet day today I will be recharged and ready to go for the race for lanes in the double scull tomorrow but most importantly the interstate 8 on Saturday before the finals of the double and quad scull on Sunday in the world cup. These 3 finals are sure to provide some entertaining finishes and I am really looking forward to being a part of it and seeing what is possible.

Cheers, John

The King's Cup (a real love hate relationship)

Hi readers,

The 8th-10th of march was spent in Johnsonville on the Tambo river in Gippsand, Victoria. I was there on a training camp with the Victorian rowing team men's 8. In Australia, one of the most prestigious, if not the most prestigious domestic race, is the 'King's Cup'. Each state is able to enter a men's 8 for national honours held as the final race in the Australian Rowing Championships (as part of the broader interstate regatta with events across various boat categories). In 2008, while still eligible for the interstate youth 8 race, I was fortunate to have been selected into the King's Cup crew. It was a crew stacked with superstars such as; James Tomkins and Drew Ginn ('Oarsome Foursome' members and Athens Olympic pair champions), David Crawshay (won Olympic gold in the 2x in Beijing that year), James Marburg and Cameron McKenzie-McHarg (won Olympic silver in the 4- in Beijing), Karsten Forsterling (won Olympic bronze in the 4x in London last year), Tom Swann (member of the 8+ in London) and myself. Unfortunately, the NSW crew was stacked with just as many superstars and beat us across the line by 0.21 seconds to claim a win and begin their dominance in the event that has stretched on for the past six years.

Coming into the line in 2008, me in the bow seat hanging on for dear life as Drew in the stroke seat kept winding it up. 

Kings Cup podium 2008

At the time as a young and confident (somewhat cocky) athlete I was bitterly disappointed with the defeat. However I can vividly remember thinking to myself that I would have multiple chances to win the race over the next 5-10 years...how wrong I could have been....

• 2009: I barely rowed for the first half of the year due to a shoulder reconstruction in late 2008 following the U23 world champs and therefore wasn't a chance to row in the King's Cup. 
• 2010: following good rehabilitation from the shoulder injury I was selected into the crew, only to have been struck down with my leg condition for the first time just two weeks before the race. I was in hospital for surgery ten days before the race and obviously didn't get to the start line.
• 2011: I got my second chance at the King's Cup but we were beaten by the NSW boys by 2.5 seconds who won in the slick time of 5:22.08!
• 2012: I had been selected into the crew only to be struck down with my leg condition for the second time just three weeks before nationals and was subsequently unable to race. 
• 2013: experienced some serious deja vu having been selected into the crew and was stroking it in training, only to be struck down with my leg condition for the third time just four weeks prior to the race. 

So as I mentioned earlier, I was on a training camp with the crew earlier this month. We were rowing along the Tambo river (see video below) and I was distracting myself from the physical effort while we were some 80kms into the 130kms we would complete over the 3.5 days. Anyway, rowing along and my mind started reflecting on all the experiences I have had with this boat and this historical race, the two occasions I was involved in, and the times I watched from the sidelines/hospital bed. I thought how lucky I was to once again be back in this boat considering the significant periods last year where I wondered if I would ever row again. I may have become a little emotional...prior to slapping myself in the face and getting stuck back into what I was doing!

On March 29th I will race (touch wood) in the King's Cup for the third time. The outcome is yet to be determined, but if I was a betting man I would say that it will be a nail biter between us and the NSW men once again. Be sure to keep an eye out for the results and a follow up post. You can catch all the live results through the Unsinkable: The Race To Recovery Facebook page and Twitter account. 

Cheers, John 

Unsinkable: Episode Eight (New Year's Resolution)

An interesting period of my rehab, the coaches became frustrated with me, and indicated that I would be under review for my scholarship with the Victorian Institute of Sport at the end of January to review my progress and consider if I was deemed worthy of continued support. A tough reality for me, but something I used to help motivate me in training on a daily basis to show those around me I could fight back.



My first long distance time trial in the single scull, did not end well...

Summer break in Lorne on my bike loving the Great Ocean Road.

And January training camp in Falls Creek Victoria.

All signs in my legs point to a great recovery while doing some long climbs on the bike.

Enjoy!

Unsinkable: Episode Seven (Testing The Waters)

My first row in almost 10 months. A lab test on the bike suggests my legs are progressing well, and Bill Tait head coach at the Victorian Institute of Sport reflects on my character.