Marina del Rey view from CYC

This blog is the third in a series about my training for the 2011 Masters National Rowing Championships.

I was in Los Angeles for a wedding this weekend and was feeling very lucky to have such great rowing friends all over the world. I managed to keep on schedule with my regular Friday & Saturday morning workouts, borrowing a friend’s boat (that also perfectly fits me!) and rowing out of the California Yacht Club with a great training partner.

I don’t know if it’s the nostalgia of being back in Los Angeles, the newness of a boat that’s not mine, the light rig of the oars, or the fun of being with friends, but I felt great! I know that I worked hard, because I certainly felt it when I walked the stairs back to my host’s apartment, but what a wonderful row!  

Having good friends to work out with is the most important thing. Really. It keeps you on track, it reminds you that what you are doing is actually in the category of “fun” although it hurts like hell sometimes, and there’s nothing like sharing an experience you love with people you like too.

Back at the CYC boathouse, we discussed the rowers who no longer show up, because their regular training partners no longer show up, how it’s easy to drop out of the sport, or drop out of shape when you lose your buddy. We discussed how much we all miss each other and how much faster we’d all be if we lived in the same city. I just feel lucky to have been in the sport long enough to have a network of training partners in several cities! But also, I put the work in to seek these people out whenever I go somewhere new.

 If you’re not training with like-minded people, you’re going to be up against it. If you’re trying to live a life of health, wellness and fitness, but those you spend time with don’t have the same priorities, good luck to you. Surround yourself with those who will inspire you to be great, train hard, and live better. It’s not just a cliché, it’s truth.