From Megan and Alyssa:

• Be sure to indicate your availability for practice on the MW sign-in Sheet as far into the future as possible 
• If you must change your status on the sign-in sheet for a day it must be done no later than 6pm the day before
• If you find that you are not going to make practice the morning of that day, PLEASE text and/or call Megan and Alyssa:     Megan 412.877.2185        Alyssa  857.205.5506
• Always be prepared to row, cox, run or otherwise in the variety of conditions that we have to deal with at practice time
• Be down at the bays by 5:15am on Monday and Wednesday, 6:45am on Saturday
• Coxswains, once your boat is together get the boat to the dock unless told otherwise by one of the coaches that day
• Please be patient as some days a decision to go on the water may have to be made at the time of arrival

  If there are any questions please let us know.

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Minutes February 11, 2012 Team Meeting

Sprint races discussed.  Masters Nationals (August 9-12) was team preference for end of the sprint season focus.  It is in Worcester, MA this year, which is about an hour drive from Boston (if flying), or a 10-hr direct drive from Pittsburgh. The Masters Men have also decided to make it their focus for sprint season. The rest of the tentative sprint race schedule is as follows, and was planned around Nationals:

June 3: Stonewall,  DC
June 30, July 1: IDR , Philadelphia - schedule for this year still TBD, but all masters events will occur on Saturday and Sunday
July 28, 29: Diamonds, Delaware- Sat. small boats only - 1x and 2x,  Sun. sweep boats and 4x

Optional race:
July 14th: Cambridge Invitational - relay team is composed of 10 men or 10 women rowing the following categories of boats in any gender combination: 8+, 4x, 4+, and 2x.  If more than 10 women sign-up the coaches will make the final roster determination.  Still awaiting confirmation from the men if they can field a team of 10 rowers, since it is not officially a part of their race schedule.

Let me know if you have any comments/questions.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

-Katie

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Coach Alyssa Fogel and Danielle Millett set four Ultra Distance rowing world records this weekend, one each for continuous rowing as well the 24 hour records for light and heavy weights in their age categories.
See http://www.concept2.com/us/racing/records/ultra_records.asp#longest for more information.

They began rowing at 4:30AM on Saturday, Feb 11 and kept at it until the early hours of Sunday morning. Teammates and friends dropped in to cheer them on, including Joanne at 2:30AM (see photos below)!

Total Meters
Alyssa: 214260  (previous record 185, 443)
Daniel: 212645   (previous record 170, 224)
As you see they crushed them!!!

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Alyssa sent this out on Dec 13 and since then there have been a few tweaks to the workouts but we are following this general plan.

And the moment you've all been waiting for... our plans for winter training!! -at least through Indoor Sprints (and yes, we'll all be racing at indoor sprints). The schedule below outlines the workouts we plan to do although some ratings for ss pieces will be filled in closer to the actual practice. I've noted who's coaching the practice for as far out as we've planned. We know many of you are doing workouts on your own so hopefully this helps you plan around our team practices. Oh- and I recommend reading carefully so you notice the 2k scheduled for next Monday.

A quick note on extra workouts: Many of you have expressed interest in doing workouts outside of practice and learning lifting routines (which is great). After New Year's Megan will go through a lifting routine on Tuesdays and Thursdays-- if you're interested please contact her directly.

I'll send out another email about the training volume we're shooting for, but for now we'd recommend 1-2 additional long cardio/ss pieces per week. Megan highly recommends biking if you have access to one but running, swimming, erging etc will also do. If you have any interest in a more erging-intensive training plan, holla at me and I can give you extra workouts.

W 12/14 (A)- Teti's Trauma, 8' @ 22, 8'@ 24, 8' @ 26, 5' (4' @ 28, 1' open), 8' R

S 12/17 (M) - 3 x 25', 2' R

M 12/19- 2k test (if you truly can't make this test then you owe us your scores by Christmas Eve. Note: a preference for doing the test in the afternoons, alone, after 5 hours of meditation,etc do NOT count as reasons to miss practice.)

W 12/21 (A) - 2 x 9k, 3R

S 12/24 (A) - pyramids: 29', 29' 19' ratings TBD

M 12/26 (A) - 3 x 25' 2'R

W 12/28 - 5 x 5' @ 22,24,26,28, open (with a partner)- set monitor for 5'30" of rest. Megan and I will both be out that day.

S 12/31 (M) - 2 x 6k ss, after every 2k you'll do 10 jumpies and 10 lunges

M 1/2 (M) - 6 x 10' @ 16 (feet out), 18 (feet out), 20, 22, 24, 26

W 1/4 - 20' test Be there or be square.

S 1/7- 3 x 5k (ss)

M 1/9 - 2 x 6k @ 26-28 (oh baby)

W 1/11- 3 x 19' pyramids, ratings TBD

S 1/14- 4 x 1k, R= how long it takes you to do 1k + 30 sec (brutal)

M 1/16 - Teti's Trauma

W 1/18 - 2 x 9k, 3R

S- 1/21- 8 x 500, R= how long it takes you to do 500m + 15 sec

M 1/23- 4 x 20' (ss) 2'R

W 1/25- 4 x 10' (4,3,2,1) @ (1st/3rd- 16,20,24,26) (2nd/4th- 22,24,28,30)

S 1/28- Indoor Sprints

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The racing season could not have ended in a better way than our day at Occoquan. While we fretted the week before that it would be chilly and uncomfortable, the combination of the time change and the bright sun quickly made it a near-perfect day.

The Occoquan reservoir in the autumn is a glorious setting for a regatta complete with colorful leaves and posing herons - which is good considering the time spent waiting at the start-line. A few Masters Men, the TRRA Beginners and 2 Day Masters team joined the Masters Women, making for fast loading and unloading which was much appreciated by all.

Adding to all this was the clutch of medals brought home by the MW and MM:
4th  MW 8+ 40-49
2nd  MW 8+ 50+ - and just missing Prince William by 2.8seconds!
2nd  MM 4+ 50+
4th  MW 8+ Club
1st  MM 4X 50+
1st  MW 4X 50+
1st  MW 4X 40-49
And the MW 4+ 50+ boat came in 3rd but no medal was awarded because there were only 6 entries in the event. Most if not all MW came back with at least one medal - a very satisfying way to end the season.

Now it is time to put the tools and Unis away until spring and start thinking about getting on those ergs!

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We started unloading in the dark and cold at this year's Speakmon Regatta - a sign that head season is really here. The wind eventually chased the clouds away but stuck around all day adding interest to this fairly straight course. Despite the substantial wind gusts it was a good day for TRRA Masters Women.

It began early with a first (E boat) and third (B boat) in the Masters 8+ race which set the pace for the rest of the day. The mighty 4X dominated their race taking a first and the Open 4+ held their own against younger rowers to take another first. Coach Alyssa jumped in a 2X with Eva and proved she still has it as they brought home a second place. Finally the Masters D4+ sped away from the field and took second only to a boat which was rumored to have been Masters National Champs in 2010.

Add to this the famous grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup lunch at Colin's Coffee Shop (and Joanne was not left behind), bright sunlight for most of the day, two experienced guest coxswains and  efficient loading/unloading/rigging/de-rigging by the the team made this year's Speakmon memorable.

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The Head of the Cuyahoga had a new course this year but it was just as bendy and challenging as in previous years - it started upriver from and ended at the Rivergate Boathouse. Four TRRA teams attended: Beginning Masters (their first race), 2 Day Mixed Masters, Men's Masters and Women's Masters. Thanks to some great rowing by all teams, TRRA beat Western Reserve for the Team Points Total by 1 point!

The weather cooperated and the threat of rain cleared in the early morning leaving behind a generally sunny day. There was plenty of flat open space for trailers, boats and vendors. And for those finishing their racing day early (you know who you are!) there was even an outside Beer Garden. 

The course winds through a post-industrial setting, making the row up to the start interesting. But the real appeal of this race, at least for coxswains and small boats,  are the three major curves that require steering finesse and strength. The MW placed well in many races and came home with  medals in the Masters 2X, Open 2X, Open 1X, Masters 1X and the Masters 8+.  Some of these were in small fields but were still deserved. 

You can find photos of all teams participating in the Head of the Cuyahoga here.

Head of the Cuyahoga

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This year's Diamonds Regatta changed its format this year,  splitting the events into two days: small boats on Saturday and the rest on Sunday. Sunday racing was further complicated when the schedule was significantly compressed the evening before because of predicted afternoon thunder storms. Between the heat and the intense schedule it was a difficult regatta but there definitely reasons to celebrate.

The first day of racing did not see any medals but several boats crossed the line first, unfortunately undone by handicaps, and others had respectable showings. The team also secured an shady spot for the trailer which despite the dust on Sunday was a pleasant place to work. 

Sunday was hot and hectic. The compacted schedule required some creative solutions which luckily the race organizers were able to arrange with helpful race officials. It meant constant activity: rigging, carrying boats, carrying oars, hot-seating but the team was up to it. Everyone, including several non-racing partners, chipped in. The day got off to a rocky start when the truck with all the hardware was later than expected getting to the site, but again TRRA MW  resourcefulness prevailed and thanks to the Vespoli reps, boats were ready on time.The team continued to overcome set-backs with strong teamwork throughout the day - everything from broken steering mechanisms to a close-call with heat-stroke. In the end there were two well deserved firsts for the B 4+ and the AA-B 8+.

All of the hustling during the day, while exhausting, did mean we got home in reasonable time and beat the beach traffic.

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