Why Now?

So...this is my first time ever writing on a space that potentially everyone can read.  So why now? Why would I create a blog and just spill everything out?  Well, I guess part of it is to voice my thoughts on what it is going on in my life.  You see, I just picked up this sport, its called Rowing.  Rowing has been one of biggest things in my life the last year and a bit.  My floor mate Honz, this was in Residence at school, wanted me to come to the open tryouts with him.  I resisted at first but did it anyways.  After a gruelling set of tests that made me want to puke; peak power on an erg machine, 10 minute row on the erg and a variety of strength tests, the tryout was complete.  We were told we would hear a couple days later about our results.  Four days later, I made the team and Honz didn't....woops.  Well, season started and my boat flopped.  I stuck around for a bit, but ended up leaving because I was no longer needed.  I gained an immense amount of weight, or so I thought in my head, FRESHMAN 15.  Anyways, I decided to train for rowing over the summer.  This was the first time I had ever really focused on a sport so immensely.  The first thing my coach, Doug White, says to me is, in order to be good, you need to get fit.  I was 222 pounds at the time, rather bulky at 6"2.  The summer went on and I met some amazing people.  One person whom I rowed with, Derek Vinge, ended up getting invites to the national team and just rowed at the Pan Am games.  To me, it struck a cord.  If he can make nationals and I rowed with him, why can't I?  Fast Forward to present day, I am now on the Junior Varsity Rowing Team after 5 months of training, down 34 pounds, and currently doing our everlasting, never ending offseason training.

So why now?  I thought I would share my journey of the Daily Life of a rower trying to see how far he can get in this sport while being new at it.   As well, how he can handle the constant pressures of school, a social life and the quest to be the best rower there is.