BlogSport

Way enough....let it run

Saturday was my last regatta, and last rowing, of the 2004 season. My mom drove up from Virginia Beach for the occasion and we headed to Sandy Run around 11 that morning. Regattas are an all-day affair, no matter if you're rowing one race or three. You have to get there hours before your launch time to do what's called re-rigging the boat. We take shells to races on trailers, but to fit the maximum number of boats possible onto the trailer we have to take off all the side accoutrements that hold our oars on the water. So at the site, you have to put all that gear back on, and make sure everything is set for your body, and then go through a pre-race check with your coach on strategy, timing, course navigation, etc. Head races are 5000m, or 3.2 miles long. But with races like Occoquan, you have to row the length of the course to get to the start, and then race the course back down, so by the end you've rowed about 7 miles. We had some, um, mishaps during the race but it was a gorgeous day, and so fun to have a spectator there, that all in all it was a great end to the season. I won't say I'm sorry to see 4:45 wake-ups go away for a few months, but I always feel a pang when I come off the water and know I can't go back out until next year.

I distracted myself from this bittersweet ending by taking Mom to Sweet Water Tavern in Merrifield for dinner (remember--feed pain). I've heard people rave about this place for ages, but had never been and was CRAVING a steak so off we went. Despite the ridiculous wait time (AN HOUR AND A HALF...definitely call ahead) we got a table quickly once we arrived and enjoyed the most fabulous steaks, mashed potatoes, pumpkin ale (and a porter for me) and a wonka-huge slice of apple pie. South Beach who? I collapsed by 9:15 and dreamt of running into buoys. But that's a story for another time.

posted by ADD @ 07:52