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So I’m pretty much using the only part of my body that doesn’t hurt to type this. My right index finger. The rest of me feels somewhere between train smashed and overdosed from a hard core workout with Commando post a round of Gladiator.
Welcome to DBACT
After 3 beers (maybe 4???) to numb the post race pain at the Dock yesterday, and refuelling with an oversized parmi (thanks Simon for cutting it up for me) I reflected on the day had Dragon Boat racing on Lake Burley Griffin.
What a welcome. We were greeted by extremely smiley people, clear blue skies and glassy waters on the race course. The memories of the last 500m paddle battle at Mako’s debut on the same course last December came flooding back.. hmmm coffee and contemplation.. .. Was i excited? Nervous? Pumped in anticipation of what was to come? Definately. How would we perform? would we have improved? Bigger crew, bigger muscles, hours of well practiced starts, pole volting, paddle humping and technical skills training, plus a whole load of motivation from our dedicated coach Chick and technical director (Bear that’s you). Were we ready?
We gave it a good crackerlackin go at Chinese New Year, but that <200m sprint seemed incomparable to the frenzied 500m race we ran here in December, where I had bruises upon bruises, strained muscles on strained muscles i didnt know i had, plus a couple of well timed mid race pewks, so I feared it would be tough. The up and go (btw Simon please don’t buy the chocolate no added sugar ones ever again) and the boiled egg were already not sitting too well…..
When Chick revealed the configs, i hoped I’d brought my good arms because i realised I was in almost every race.
That anxiety though was soon transmuted to positivity through chaos and laughter by the award winning comedy performance of Langers and Moody in the warm up (why did no-one film this?). Not the most delicate of us, this charismatic duo (who now I will affectionately call ‘Bangers and Mash’) were holding onto each other whilst trying to do some kind of curtsey lunge, and truly achieved something quite beautiful (if only they had tutu’s).
That performance was only added to by; “chicken dancing” (Chicky running whilst imaginary paddling & giving technical licence to her visualisations of ice cream scooping), and another obviously well practiced and strangely effective warm up drill resembling something like the swamp hens and geese herding one another up at Mariott park. Anyway, warmed up, with no injuries, a bunch of smiles, good humour and loads of encouragement from one another, the anxiety left and I felt ready to race.
Race Time
After a quick pre race talk from Chick and Bear the Women were first up. Lynnie and Val at the helm. I don’t remember much (Ok maybe I had more than 3 beers) but here’s some of what I do recall:
Womens
-Looking behind and seeing Shelley’s beaming and contagious smile,
-Constant encouragement from behind, between the grunts, huffs and puffs of Sonnie(Phil) and Amanda(Brownie)
– Bears voice, always encouraging, pushing and asking for more.
– more Grunts and groans- that was probably me
– Maybe a little vomit here and there
– Peta beside me. What a powerhouse. Lots of ‘Come on girls’! Peta at the helm of the engine room gave us strength at every lift
-And Chicky of course: Power, strength and encouragement with every stroke.
Making the finals with the girls and our last race was something I’m sure we are all very proud of. Personally I’m most proud of the camaraderie and positivity in that boat. Not one complaint, just all of us giving our all. Big hugs and thanks to Peta who travelled from Sydney to help us out, and to Jen W, Jen B and Sharon who we don’t get to see that often but who we couldn’t have done without.
Mixed
Stroking with Chick. What can I say. Privilege, pleasure and pain all rolled into one.
With Coach Chicky setting pace at the front, Captain Matt keeping it in the middle and Skipper Bear yelling from behind, the engine room had work to do. And they bloody did. With every yell of up’ ‘deep’ or ‘push’, I could feel it at the front. I did look behind at the end of the race to see if they might be as totally fuc#*d as I was and their faces told the story. Simon, what a guy, stood in for me to stroke with Chick in the second race, and we improved our time. Another final made.
Opens
Bear and Simon at the helm.
Wow- sitting behind those two stroking was awesome. Bear gave us confidence and consistency in every stroke and was very quiet actually! The power from behind was bloody awesome.
Douggie punched me in the back a few times. But I forgave him because he gave me the words of encouragement I needed to dig deep and find that extra something to keep going when I was thinking I couldn’t make it. That’s the kinda stuff that makes a great team, and I’m sure you all at some time during the day said or were the recipient of similar words of encouragement and support from fellow Makos.
I was on the shore for the second opens race, and Wowx2. Chicky looked like the flying chicken at the sweep- I’m sure she was mentally and physically pushing that boat with her feet or however she could. I could hear her yelling from the shore and I’m sure you came third- not fourth in that race. Nonetheless it was a strong and exciting finish and you looked fricking awesome as you sped up, not slowed down towards the finish. Another improved time and another final!
I can’t really remember much after the womens final but I do remember thinking… only two more races, only one more, every stroke will bring me closer to the finish, Not sure if I’ll make it through the next one. And then Douggie hit me again and told me – you’ve always got more- start being positive. So every time you hear that yell Go harder, go deeper, go longer… just get really angry. So I did. I bloody hated Bear in that last final.
Finals
WTF? We made it in all 3, and A finals to boot. Chicky near tears, Bears beaming face, then…. another pep talk for all of us for the 1200m.
The 1200m. OK so now literally overjoyed that this was the last race. We found those reserves of energy somewhere (Was it Lynnie’s and Brians blue juice? I am definitely getting me some of that). We just seemed to keep building, and building. I loved that race. Don’t know how the F##k we did it- but we did. Did everyone get the pep talk from Douggie?. Or was it Ella who had been the perfect rhythmic goddess of the drum on every race that kept our timing and got us through? I’m not sure- but I think I can say we have definitely improved since our last paddle bash on Lake Burley Griffin.
Anyway – that’s it from me- as I said my memory was starting to get blurry after the 3rd beer so forgive me if I have lost some detail. But that’s how I remember it. Btw, I did a search- and the most frequently word used word was “encouragement”. So that’s the take home word from the regatta for me. And I’m very grateful for that encouragement I have received.
Love y’all
Go Mako
Photos: thanks to Michael Daniel Photography for cool on water pics
