Hello from San Diego!

Hello from California!

Launching for afternoon practice on Otay Lake

Team USA has returned to the San Diego Olympic Training Center, and we’re quickly adjusting to the routine of full-time Olympic training.  Southern California is known for its fabulous weather, and so the team is taking advantage of the sunshine to practice on-water at every opportunity!

In between rows, I’m trying to utilize the many resources the O.T.C. offers the athletes:  the newly renovated and expertly staffed Performance and Rehab Center; the delicious dining hall (serving plenty of vegetables, but no desserts, alas); the sports psychology and nutrition counseling; the on-site laundry facilities; the big-screen TVs in the Athlete Lounge…  I am *so thankful* for the opportunity to train at this marvelous complex!

The dining hall overlooking the track

Another resource that I’m very excited (and nervous!) to use: the upright piano in the dining hall.  (I love to play piano, but I still get a nagging twinge of stage-fright whenever people are listening, particularly a cafeteria full of Olympians. Silly, I know.) One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to practice at least once a day, regardless of whoever is listening.  So far, so good!

A highlight of this week was the “Olympic Ambassador Training”, a program designed to prepare athletes for the increased stature and attention that comes with the Olympics—we talked about the legacy of the Olympics, the difference between Worlds and Olympic competition, how to minimize “ripples of disturbance” at the Games, media and interview training, etc etc.  While it might seem a bit early in the game to discuss the influence/importance of Olympism (after all, squad isn’t chosen for another five months!), it was still a valuable and inspiring experience, and hopefully I’ll be lucky enough to apply these lessons in London!

Dan O'Brien: '96 Decathlon Gold Medalist, and fellow Olympic Ambassador!

Finally, any January blog post would be incomplete without a huge THANK YOU to all who sent me well-wishes this holiday season! I am ever-so-grateful for the outpouring of support from my family, friends, neighbors, high school and college pals, Spokane River Rowing Association… thank you to all!!! Your encouragement and positive affirmations have absolutely recharged my emotional batteries—I can approach our winter training with a renewed vigor and enthusiasm. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Greeting another sunrise at the O.T.C.

Final note:  The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA) published an awesome profile piece when I was home. Check it out!
- Article: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/dec/28/working-vacation/
- Photos: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/dec/28/working-vacation/?photos
- Video: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/dec/28/working-vacation/?video

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San Diego Sunshine

Rowing on beautiful Otay Lake (photo by Alison Frederick)

For the past three weeks, Team USA has been enjoying the glorious sunshine at the Olympic Training Center in San Diego.

The services at the Olympic Training Center could almost qualify it as a luxury resort (in a crazy, workouts-three-times-a-day sort of way!). The Sports Clinic is fully staffed with physical therapists and chiropractors to heal our aches and pains, and we can also soothe our sore muscles in a hot-tub-turned-ice-bath. The Athlete Dining Hall, with their delicious meals and expansive salad bar, keeps us well-fed and happy. And during our downtime, we have the AT&T Athlete Center to watch movies, play ping-pong or pool, or check out the latest games on the Wii– provided, of course, that we’re not napping!  Add to all that a weather forecast of 70 degrees and sunshine… how could life get any better???

Relaxing in the Athlete Center

Without a doubt, the main benefit of San Diego is the open water. On Otay Lake, we have over 3k of flat, clean, current-free water, shared only with the US Kayak Team and the occasional fishermen. On-water training, especially during the winter, is a valuable chance to improve our bladework and technical skill, while still maintaining our aerobic fitness. We’re mainly working in singles and quads, with the occasional Sunday afternoon jaunt in the eight.

Now, just because it’s 75 degrees outside doesn’t mean we haven’t abandoned on-land training entirely. We’re still erging almost everyday—we just finished a round of erg testing this week, hurray for 6ks! We’re also taking advantage of the facility’s impressive weight room to make critical gains in our strength and power.

The weight room

The Olympic Training Center is a bustling facility: between track and field, rowing, field hockey, archery, canoe and kayak, and rugby, all the beds are filled! The US Soccer Team arrives for a two-week camp on Sunday, so we are temporarily relocating to the Midwest to train at the High Performance Center in Oklahoma City. I’m stoked to see what Oklahoma City has to offer, although a headline in today’s newspaper has me a bit worried:  “Oklahoma Temps Colder Than South Pole’s”.  Eek! Wish us luck!

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Fantasy Camp!

2010 US Rowing Fantasy Camp! (photo by Margaux Jackson)

Hello from sunny San Diego!  This week, the women’s sweep team flew out to California to participate in the 2010 US Rowing Fantasy Camp. Fantasy Camp is an annual fundraiser offered by US Rowing, where recreational and masters rowers “become” Olympic athletes.  The campers eat, sleep, live, and train with the National Team; they are even integrated into our rowing line-ups for racing pieces!

A fabulous time was had by all. For the athletes, it gives us a mental break from the normal competition of daily practices, and also adds some fun to our technique-oriented workouts. For the campers, it’s an amazing chance to get an inside peek into an Olympic team, not to mention the one-on-one coaching from all the Olympic coaches! And of course, a highlight is the fun team-bonding activity (bowling!), even if I am undeniably the worst bowler in the history of the world. (My goal for next year: break fifty! Yes, I am that bad…)

Stroking the fantasy camp boat; campers are 3rd and 4th from the left (photo by Margaux Jackson)

Now that Fantasy Camp is over, we’re just taking advantage of the warm weather to get in as many on-water practices as possible. Our hearts go out to all our teammates braving the wintry cold on the East Coast!

THANK YOU for all the encouraging emails and messages; you have no idea how much your support has bolstered me these past few months! Just when life gets dreary, a little note or postcard or email message just brightens up my day! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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