Last July, NAC Master’s rowers Mac and YaYa arrived at Lake Ford (Ann Arbor, MI) excited to race in USRowing’s RowFest Masters Nationals in the Women’s 2x. They had trained hard, had an amazing private lesson with coach Kate, and timed their taper perfectly. Their swing row the day before was super productive.
They woke up the day of the race, energized and ready. Even when that day’s racing was canceled due to hazardous conditions from wildfire smoke (AQI 586), they worked their way into a lower age group so that they would be able to race the 2x the next day. When the second day of racing was canceled, they were done. There were no other events for them to join and all they were able to do when the air cleared, and the course opened was to return their equipment.
This was a little disappointing, especially since they were so ready. But they both realized that the journey to the race … all the erging, all the time on the water, every stroke when they tried to row faster than their teammates in eights even though they were in the double … all that training had been worth it even if they did not get to race. And it also had been fun. So … they’ve decided to put in a bid to race the double at the Head of the Charles this October!
