The day after I graduated from college I packed up my truck and went to Wisconsin for the summer. I was there to row and a pre elite camp. A sort of feeder for the national team. After that summer I moved to Boston, home of 1 of the 3 rowing clubs in the country that housed an elite lightweight mens rowing team. I was to row with this team for a year, Maybe 2. By then making the nation team and compete at the Olympics and/or world championships where after I would retire from the sport move to CO and fill my days with climbing rocks, ice, mountains and working in my field of Environmental science. Sounds good huh!
My plan was very simple but later to make it happen was…. Not so simple. After 5 years of sweating off weight at 5am, eating rice cakes for dinner, rowing on the ergometer to the point where my blood lactate levels where so hi it would kill a small dog and my feet would go numb, the national team and my goal was still just out of reach.
The other day I was driving down by the Charles river the day before my departure from Boston and the east coast and I thought of how many times I have been back and forth down that damb thing? How much sweat did I pour into that river? Into Boston? As many of you know I moved on from rowing, with no regrets. And quickly begin cycling. And here we are. Some times when you think of how you got to where you are now it really amazes you.
It has amazed me.
I say I have no regrets form leaving rowing but at the same time there remained this… void that I couldn’t seem to fill? It felt like I had let people down, my friends, my parents, all the people that supported me and sacrificed so that I could do what ever I needed to do to reach my goals.
Over the last month as my departure became more of a reality and not just a date, I have had the feeling that I did accomplish my goals in Boston. I have the best friends in the world and I did in some way, in ways that I don’t even know, to people that I wouldn’t have thought of, made a difference in there life. And I think that is the best thing that any one can do on this planet is make a difference. I have had friends, family and more sacrifice so much for me and that is something I am so greatfull for. Aat the time, in the heat of the moment, I didn’t even realize it.
Thank You.
Point is stay true to your self and the people around you. Chances are you mean something so someone, whether you realize it or not.
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