Change of Plans - NSR II here wer come!

Ok, take a few deep breathes. We have readdressed everything. Mainly what we can sustain. And we are going to race NSR II with Abby. Then approximately 5 days later leave for the first World Cup in Bled, Slovenia (if we win the double event at NSR II). This is going to be the qualifying course for the Olympics next year, because the 2011 World Champs are there. The course info here >.

So today was the first training session with Abby and we are feeling positive. It's going to be a little logistical craziness, but hey, that's what seems to be the norm now. Ready?! GO!

Post NSR 1

So lets recap, I raced four times on Friday, twice on Saturday (one of these was my lightweight final) and once on Sunday. I won the lightweight women final, and won the B-final in the open weight division, yet posted a faster time than the winner of the A-final 20 minutes before me. This has raised huge discussions on the rowing boards, and to follow various opinions, to fully see the effect this weekend made on the community you can click here to do so > . Warning: This discussion board gets quite intense.

• I was interviewed here > Speed 5 Interview
• Great photos of the weekend are here > My events are Lightweight Women 1x and Open Women 1x (singles)
• And more press releases on the US Rowing Website here >
• Finally the results are here > of the weekend's racing. Again follow the LWT 1x and W1x.

Back in Seattle and will continue with the training, building the abc's and loving my rows everyday; learning something new and feeling new momentums; working on efficiency to achieve the ultimate acceleration through seemingly effortless gliding.

Thank you so much to all the emails, and followers and believers in this dream. It is an honour to be an inspiration to anyone, and not something, I take lightly.

Every race is like a little novel

So far, I have six races of experience recorded, and each one like a special little novel. The different stories revealed to me has been unexpected and insightful. I have felt like a sponge just absorbing what the racing platform has brought out in my competitors and their interactions with the racing scene, and then my reaction to their interaction. Fascinating the different feel from the heavies to the lights when in the warm up area. Also from race to race, within an hour how the weather changes.

I'm sad I missed the A final in the Open 1x. I couldn't seem to get my first 1000m going, and came from too far behind in the end to take on the last 500m. I am however, ready for my B final tomorrow 7:30am. The last race.

My LW 1x was were it counted. This is what I was here for. The business of the matter. I got a good start. In fact, my start in the semi open final was good too and surprised me, since I have a history of sluggish and slow starts. I kept building through my race, looking for momentum and power. I held there and then felt the onslaught of Sarbanis. We passed the white gazebo, and that was where the money is, meaning the last 500m. Go Go Go, I voiced my body into action. Then Abby attacked Sarbanis and with that we closed the final. Ursula: 7:59, Serbanis and Abby 8:02 with only split seconds dividing positions. Interesting my semi time only 50 minutes before so much slower: 8:08. Not sure what else to say after that.

Day 1 over - My Rowing Marathon

Getting ready for the LWT Final and Heavy Semi. Not too many comments: Just Do IT right. Read a great quote sent by Josh Adam, from Indiana University:
What price are you willing to pay today to invest in your future excellence?   If the goal is to win, internally or externally, that price cannot be negotiated.

Lots of interesting reads here:
http://www.usrowing.org/News_Media/PressReleases/detail.aspx?nws_lKey=810

Results here:
http://secure.powerhousetiming.com/powerhouse/webpages/raceResults.jsp?raceId=243

And for a really fun read, check out these comments:
http://www.rowingillustrated.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2303&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=ursula&start=105

Time Trials

The cold cold morning set the stage for our time trials. The wind also progressively worsened. The open weight women heat was first. Good pace and rhythm took me down the course as one of the last participants in the event. After the time trial I quickly returned to the dock, switched out my bow number, at which point Maria came to tell me I had posted the fastest time. Drank a few sips of my Recoverite, and off I went again. I timed the second outing a little wrong. I thought I had less time between, so when I got to the start, I was there before the pairs, doubles, men's lightweights. Finally, they called and this time with bow number 99, I went down the course. The winds had changed. This race was a little more bobbing like a cork in rough water feeling. So hoping for warmer weather and calmer winds tonight in the heats. Wishinful thinking for Princeton, NSR's on Mercer Lake, right?!

Follow the results here >> powerhousetiming.com

My first NSR

The last time I raced down this course, I said this is for my citizenship. That was the US Nationals in 2008. Funny how the next time I raced down this same course, would be as my first race after having received my US Passport.

We arrived in Philadelphia on Wednesday and were housed by Chris and Maria. They share a wonderful revolving door open house attitude! Maria took us for a run and I, never having been in Philadelphia, enjoyed the boat houses that looked like little Snow White fairy tale cottages along boathouse row. We also ran up the Rocky Steps. And a sculpture poignantly called THE IMMIGRANT could not be passed up on this momentous regatta. It encapsulates so many emotions and aspirations, long waited for.

Thank you so much also to Tom from Sykes who has made boating so easy. I have finally called my Sykes "Phoenix", after rowing it for months, the name came to me while gliding on the Greenlake waters. The Hudson is called "Storm". The Fillipi is called "Michael", and now the Sykes was christened. More on the linkage later.

ITS ABOUT THE RESULT

I start my morning, like every other. A breakfast shake, a 40min drive to Seattle from Lake Stevens. Coffee and then await instruction from Carlos. Rowing on the single, working on efficient power per stroke, or if its raining (imagine that for Seattle?!) the same work on the erg.

After that, kale omelet, fruits and Recoverite. Rest. And the second training session, often at the University of Washington. The soundtrack to Rocky plays over the speakers as our momentary inspiration.

Back to the Carlos laboratory, aka basement, for some circuit work and Shuttle MVP stuff. And this, is how my days follow. Except this time, yes this time, I’m going to race and finally, finally qualify because finally, yes, finally I’m a US Citizen!

Cheers to that!