Canadian Rowing Team: Lucerne to London 2012

Final Days of Prep!

 
By Lesley Thompson-Willie, Eight-time Olympian 

As we head into the final three weeks of preparation for the 2012 Olympics we are fielding questions whether we are excited for the upcoming games.  There can and will be different responses depending on when the question is asked.  If asked immediately after a taxing 20km row, where we are trying to keep that precarious balance between volume and heavy intensity training, and in the searing heat that London, ON is experiencing right now, one of the seriously fatigued women might reply, “I am focusing on each day, each workout, and each stroke. There is still work to be done.  It is one step at a time.”   At that particular moment and circumstance I don’t think anyone has the capacity to think beyond how to get recovered for the next workout which will be under way 90 minutes later.

Despite being focused on “now”, and before looking ahead to the excitement of our Olympic racing, I am reflecting on the work that has been completed to get us to this station in our Olympic journey.  Over the past four years of this Olympic cycle, we have worked to produce an efficient rowing stroke. Under the masterful eyes of our coaches they have looked to bring the right combination of women together to apply that perfected stroke around 240 times over 2000 meters; with maximum effort and as one unit, to be delivered under the pressure and thrill of elite level racing.

We have invested thousands of hours in long distance training.  We have worked through the warm days of fall, the snow storms of December, and the freezing rain in April.  The additional training sessions in our weight room have produced significant strength gains.  The application of “killer” core circuit training has enhanced our resilience and stamina.  The years of racing at the world championship level have tested our mental and physical boundaries.  Each year has been a cumulative building block for the next.  

I have looked to my teammates, those that have been through more than one Olympic cycle, their training base and experiences as well as the younger ones who challenge the veterans and make us smile with their enthusiasm.  I see and feel a national rowing team that goes well beyond us.  The team that I see includes all of our national crews, our coaches, medical staff, administration, our families, friends of rowing, the Canadian sport system, and Canadians amongst others.   

As the Olympics approach closer with each passing day, we embrace the knowledge and confidence we have gained from the dedicated work completed over the last four years.  We take our rowing shell down to the water each morning with an agenda to push harder and smarter than the day before. Each step is calculated, measured and remembered.  It is this commitment that fuels our excitement, propels our crew, and drives us towards greater achievement.

Is there an optimal time to ask your heartfelt question, “Are you excited for the upcoming Games?” Perhaps just before our Olympic heat. Of course we will be focusing on the race but the answer would be a resounding, “Yes, we have been looking forward to it for years, and we are now ready to go. Thank you for asking!”