As racing progresses in the Irish flat-water rowing calendar, it can be difficult to know if you're on the right track. Perhaps you've gone to an event and lost by a lot, or won by a lot. So where does that leave you? Racing in Cork this weekend, coaches and rowers will try to gauge where they stand for champs.
Whatever your results are this weekend in Cork, it's easy to look at what others are doing and start to question your own training methods. The problem is that you do not know the complete picture of what your competition is doing. All you know is your own training process, and that the competition is training for the same event.
The competition may be making decisions that are costing them speed over the course of the regatta season e.g. no more weight training, only water/cardio training; and perhaps you are maintaining work in the gym to get and edge on the competition. Rowers cannot take one loss or one win early or late in the season (or multiples of either), and be able to predict performance at the championship event. Furthermore, if youre doing supercomp correctly in the lead up to champs, this may give you an extra edge. For more info on supercomp and what it is, check out this blog.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, all you can do is focus on what you can control and trust the process. On the day of your championship it will come down to who wants it more. The work is all done come race day so your body cannot get fitter, and your technique will not improve. All you can do is put it all on the line and do your absolute best.
If you need advice on how to get yourself or your athletes to peak performance, please reach out for a no obligation consultation. Best of luck to all crews in the coming weeks!