I row in the boat on the top and our back bit is at the bottom left. There are two of the white boats with blue ends.
I think gloves might be a good idea.
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SATURDAY
Awake early as usual and leave Megan to sleep on her own. I prepare for the day. Timing will be tight.
Last off is the Scottish ball and before that the 25km rowing marathon. I decide to gather stuff for that first. We will be in the boat for hours. Space and weight are limited. I want to take a couple of bananas and a muslie bar in the hope that we will stop for a snack on the way. I will need money and because I will be driving beforehand I at least need to take my drivers license in the car. I decide to pace the phone, license and credit card in a Ziploc plastic bag. That and the fruit and 2 x 600ml water bottles all go into a plastci coles bag. I get my zootie, hat, a white tee shirt to protect my shoulders from the sun, and a pair of socks and put them all in the coles bag.
Then into a suit pack I put my suit and white shirt and purple bow tie. That is left near the back door. One of my crew (Jeff) came by later in the day picked it up.
From 10-12:30 I was scheduled to assist with coaching at the BGS shed. The Westend markets happen on Saturday mornings and for some that means great fresh produce. For others it is funky clothes and for others it is a great cup of coffee. But for me on this particular saturday the Westend markets meant traffic congestion and parking problems. Already running late and knowing I had no cash with me I grappled with the ash tray and luckily there was a $5 note. Currency bought me a position in society and entry to the paid parking at the edge of the market and fairly close to the BGS boat shed.
Already running late I ran to the shed and arrived to find that there were still a few boats yet to put to sea. I paired up with James who was to coach the 6th junior quad. I grabbed a tinny and met James at the ramp as he supervised the kids launching their boat. By 12:15 we were back at the shed and retrieving the boat and by 1:00 we were done.
With the markets winding down and on a time frame I drove toward the Terrace playing fields at Tennyson (near Graceville). As I was passing my work on the way, I dropped in to go to the loo, change from BGS coaching clothes to rowing "Zootie". You know the term MAMIL (Middle Aged Men In Lycra) normally applies to cyclists. Well the rowers have gone one step worse. Middle aged men in leotards.
As I continued on my way I thought socks. Rummaging through the various bags with my left hand while driving with the right and occasional glances produced no socks but realisation that the process of gathering data was creating unnecessary risk and not particularly quick at arriving at a conclusion. Were there any socks in the car?. Pulled over. Rummaged. Established beyond unreasonable doubt that there were no socks. Swore. Phoned various numbers at home. U turn. Hands free. Chris was directed around the house. As I sped (on the limit of course) toward home, Chris located the socks and placed them at the end of the driveway. Nose in teh driveway. Door open, Reach out.... Ah not quite. Get out. Grab socks. Back in. back out. On my way. Arrive Tennyson. We have been advised not to park inside the terrace grounds as our cars will be locked in. Conveniently there is a small grassy area to park on.
Grabbed the disposable plastic supermarket bag now with socks. Ensured the right hat was on my head. Sunglasses on face, sunscreen in hand and walked with a small jog toward the boat shed. With my arrival we have a crew but not a lot of traction to get moving. There is some discussion of strategy followed by a photo and we are on our way.
Rowing on Oxley creek is a new experience for me. All my life I have launched and rowed on the Brisbane river. Our boat is longer than Oxley creek is wide so there is no possibility of doing a U turn. We enter the river. Set up and then do a warm up. The day is mild and sunny. There is a little wind. But really a great day for rowing. Then disaster. Someone has an equipment breakage. 5 seat has a problem with their foot stretcher. A bit of a delay and it is fixed. The rest of us sit in our seats. It is not really considered to be the right thing to get up and walk up and have a look. Boat etiquette.
Now we are on our way. We are doing several minutes of hard work followed by a minute of lighter work. There is mention of 90% and 75% work. I am more binary so it is hard and light. The first half an hour goes well and we get down near the green bridge at the uni. Mind you I could do with a drink and the wind is picking up. After we past the uni boat shed our cox (Angus) advises we will drop out one pair at a time for a two minute break. Starting with bow pair. That's all good. Gives me time to plan. My two minute break is taken with me at half slide. That means I am sitting in a sort of crouching position because if I were to straighten my legs the man behind me would shove his oar handle into my back. First a big drink of water. Next open a banana and finally wash that down with another drink. All too soon We (stroke and I) are called to attention and join back in.
We rowed down Milton reach. Past the GPS and then the BGS boat sheds and on under the first cluster of bridges. This map starts around Yeronga as we actually started on Oxley ck which is just near the end of the word Graceville.
|
Distance
|
Pace
|
Elapsed Time
|
|
1 km
|
04:49
min/km
|
4:48
|
|
2 km
|
05:23
min/km
|
5:20
|
|
3 km
|
05:39
min/km
|
5:39
|
|
4 km
|
06:00
min/km
|
5:59
|
|
5 km
|
05:17
min/km
|
5:16
|
|
6 km
|
04:59
min/km
|
4:59
|
|
7 km
|
05:46
min/km
|
5:45
|
|
8 km
|
06:04
min/km
|
6:03
|
|
9 km
|
05:44
min/km
|
5:42
|
|
10 km
|
06:04
min/km
|
6:01
|
|
11 km
|
06:02
min/km
|
6:00
|
|
12 km
|
05:17
min/km
|
5:16
|
|
13 km
|
06:54
min/km
|
6:51
|
|
14 km
|
05:56
min/km
|
5:56
|
|
15 km
|
05:41
min/km
|
5:41
|
|
16 km
|
05:12
min/km
|
5:10
|
|
17 km
|
05:18
min/km
|
5:17
|
|
18 km
|
06:29
min/km
|
6:28
|
|
19 km
|
05:33
min/km
|
5:33
|
|
20 km
|
05:42
min/km
|
5:40
|
|
21 km
|
05:52
min/km
|
5:48
|
|
21.6 km
|
07:50
min/km
|
4:21
|
This is not us. We started in front. So far in front that they could not catch up. So far in front that Megan missed us and got a snap of these guys. The Honey Badgers.
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