Oars ready for morning row. Otay Lakes Chula Vista, CA.

….It truly is about the journey, made up of the people you meet along the way, and the moments that dare to break you but only make you stronger. It’s about the laughter and tears you share with new friends, and the days when you realize you can get more out of yourself than you ever imagined. But most of all, it’s about the dreams we’re all brave and lucky enough to be living.

Afternoon row done. Washing down the boats.

Chula Vista Olympic Training Center

 

Women's Team loading up the boat trailer that traveled the 2800 miles across the country from Princeton to San Diego.

This week concludes one of about 10 weeks we’ll spend on the warm waters of sunny San Diego, leading up to the National Selection Regatta I held here in Chula Vista, March 15-17th.

It was a solid first week, spent mostly back in the single for me. Being that the last time I was in my single was sometime before Thanksgiving, it took a day or two to feel comfortable again. Small boats keep you honest and let’s just say, I was humbled more than once in the past few days. I had spent all of December working in a quad in the company of some of the most elite scullers in the country: Megan Kalmoe, Ellen Tomek, Kate Bertko, and Sarah Trowbridge. I learned an incredible amount in that month, highlighted by some brilliant and not so brilliant moments; but the experience was vital and has helped me make huge strides in becoming a stronger sculler.

Otay Lakes, Chula Vista Olympic Training Center

Looking forward to a solid few months of training here, improving each day…and oh yeah, wearing t-shirts and sandals in January.

More posts soon to come. I’ll also be regularly blogging now for espnW so check the site out and follow!

http://espn.go.com/espnw/athletes-life/7345949/meghan-oleary-rowing-newbie-olympic-caliber-talent

Injury is a common part of training and especially training at an elite level. For those that have never sustained a significant injury, consider yourself lucky, but not invincible. It will happen. And it will happen when you least expect it, and probably at the most inopportune time. Fear not, you will get through it. For those that have endured a setback due to injury, hopefully you came out of it learning something about yourself physically, emotionally, and most importantly, mentally. Injuries are oftentimes worn as medals, battle scars serving as reminders of the hard work and sacrifice we’ve made to our chosen pursuit. The blistered and ripped up hands from lifting weights, stress fractures in our shins and feet from miles upon miles of running, broken fingers from forcing the jump ball or going after rebounds with reckless abandon…the list goes on and on of sports-related injuries. It is all part of the game and putting forth your best, day in and day out.

Four days into training at the U.S. National Team Training Center in Princeton, NJ I’ve sustained my first real rowing injury. Timing can truly be a bitch.  This isn’t my first rodeo and I have had plenty of injuries (hand and knee surgeries, torn ligaments, strains, tendonitis, etc.) during my years of running, basketball, softball, and volleyball, but the “rowing” injury is foreign and newly experienced. Historically, I have been the worst patient when it comes to injury. The thought of missing workouts or having to “go easy” on anything makes my stomach turn and my skin itch. Especially at this juncture. But here I am having to take off three full days (at least), nursing a pretty wicked back strain. This is my Hell. When it comes to feeling an injury first come on, the initial instinct for most athletes is to “fight through it” — which is what got me to the place I’m currently in. Some lessons are learned the hard way…over and over again. Listening to one’s body is an important part of training, competing and being successful at an elite level. I recently had a conversation with a friend who, in her efforts to knock some sense into me about a few things, said:

“It’s not enough to train well most of the time.  To be successful at this level, you have to do everything right all the time. That means training, sleeping, eating, taking care of yourself, healing injuries, etc.” 

Injury truly can be Hell, but if you maintain the same approach to recovery and healing as you do to your workouts, you can come out stronger, smarter, and better prepared for the next time…or even preventing. But inevitably, injury will most likely happen again. So whether it’s maintaining a religious ice, rest, and physical therapy schedule or getting your daily lift, run, etc. in–work hard, relentlessly and consistently. In addition to that, maintain the same mental edge you do in competition. Nothing can throw off an athlete’s confidence and motivation like injuries. They can appear at any time and do most of their damage on the mind rather than the body. From personal experience and witnessing fellow teammates and friends training at a high level go through an injury, mental recovery can be the most difficult part. Stay positive and do what the Doc tells you…oh and stock up on plenty of DVDs and popcorn if you’re on bedrest.

I woke up early, stared at the ceiling for a while. Fixed some oatmeal, began hydrating, and sat quietly on the air mattress I’ve been sleeping on the past couple of nights trying not to disturb the other house guests. I’ve come to learn that the Head of the Charles serves as a reunion weekend for many high school, college, and club teammates all making the trek to the Rowing Mecca that is Boston on Head of the Charles weekend, whether it is for competition or just to revisit the memories of when they were an oarsman/woman. My doubles partner graduated from Boston University and lives in Boston, so is hosting a few of her college teammates.  It is also customary for doubles partners to stay together the week/weekend of a race. Not having been a part of the college rowing scene, I’ve enjoyed getting a glimpse of the reunion experience through her and her friends.

I now find myself fidgeting, surfing the Internet watching inspirational sports videos, and mentally running through the Charles course–the build into the start of the race, every stroke, nailing the turn at the Weeks Bridge, passing boats, and the sprint at the end, finishing strong. I’ve glanced down at my watch a hundred times, unpacked and repacked my racing gear in my backpack, and checked the Head of the Charles website a dozen times even though I’ve memorized the lineup for the Women’s Champ Double.

I’m antsy from tapering the past few days and ready to empty it all out over the 3-mile course. I welcome the pain that I know I’ll feel in just a few hours…

http://espn.go.com/boston/video/clip?id=7130375&categoryid=4410351 

This will be my second time to race the Head of the Charles, one of–if not the–largest regattas in the world. I think it’s where I was first “hooked” into racing (last year I was in a Club Four with Riverfront). 

This year, I’m racing in the Women’s Champ Double on Saturday (3:17pm, Bow #8) with Frederique Garnier out of Union Boat Club. It’s our first time in a boat together, but should be a good race. On Sunday, I’ve been thrown into the Director’s Challenge Women’s Quad (10:03am, Bow #5) with three other women hailing from Connecticut and Washington, D.C. The weather forecast looks solid, and there’s something wonderful about Boston in the fall. It’s going to be a great weekend.

Check out live coverage of select races on Saturday and Sunday at www.espnboston.com

I have made the drive to and from Charlottesville countless times (I received both my Bachelor’s and Master’s from UVA) and decided this time to take a back road route; a way I have never taken before. Oh, the irony. For those that know me well, and I think Mr. Frost would agree, I was surely taking the road less traveled.

Now a week into my new routine and environment, I am confident I’ve made a positive decision. Last Monday marked my first official start to a part-time role with ESPN to enable me to better train at the level I need to in order to “really go after this”…just one of many sacrifices to be made. Training is going really well; I’m receiving the coaching I need, surrounded by great people and resources, all bonused by the fact that I can come back to a place that I love. In just seven days, I feel as though I’ve made galloping strides forward and cannot wait to see what the next several weeks and months will bring.

Life is about choices and the decisions we make, the paths we come across and then decide to take. In every decision there are consequences, sacrifices and compromise that determine the impact they will have. Some of those choices will break you or build you up, but inevitably shape who you are.

…I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

Success is something most of us say we dream about and desire in our lives. When it comes to putting in the time and energy, making the sacrifices and taking the risks to get to where we say we want to be, there exists a strict divide between those who achieve and those who let that dream fade for whatever reason. Making the cut takes passion, single-mindedness of intent, and the ability to sometimes trust in the power of irrationality. When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.

From Princeton to Philadelphia, Indianapolis to Canada, and from 31st to Gold; the highlights were finally figuring out how to race while competing at the USRowing Club Nationals (and picking up some hardware – 2 silver, 2 bronze), winning Henley Gold in the Women’s Double Sculls and Quad Sculls at the 129th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta and finally, advancing to the Finals of the Pan American Games Trials.

The 2011 World Rowing Championships held in Bled, Slovenia this year concluded today. Eventually, that’s where I would want to be at this time of year. So without skipping a beat, it’s back on the water, in the gym, and on the erg, working harder than before. I’ve come a long way, but there is much progress to be made to get there.