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Effort Brings Reward
May. 7th, 2010 10:58 amStrangely enough, the rowing website where I keep track of my rowing meters changes its annual calendar over at the beginning of May. My best guess for why this happens is that it coincides with the end of the spring racing season for Northern Hemisphere collegiate and junior rowers. Well, almost the end. Teams tend to compete until mid-June. So perhaps someone else has a better explanation. Regardless, last year's numbers are gone, and we start afresh.
Anyway, this means I have another chance to look back at a yearly measure, the number of meters rowed over the course of the year, and to set a new goal for the upcoming year. For many reasons, last year was the first full year that I felt was representative of my rowing output potential. K and I worked hard to prepare for the Masters World Games in the fall, and I was able to complete the Holiday Challenge. Any perceived shortage in my meters total is due to inconsistent effort on my part; not even last summer's shoulder injury kept me from training.
Given all of that, I was able to row around 800,000 meters and change. That number is reasonably good, all things considered, but of course I'm ambitious as usual and like to play with numbers, as usual. They can motivate me to get out of bed when I might be tempted to roll over and go back to sleep. So I think I'll set the 2011 goal at 1 million meters. The teammates that I most look up to are much better than I am at reaching this many meters. They have the benefit of erg ownership, to be sure, but it's easy to let excuses get in the way, and I know from the Holiday Challenge that I can figure out ways to get over the excuses (e.g. bring in clothes to erg in the middle of the day).
The hardest thing about this million meter goal is that it will require consistency and persistence. I cannot simply sit down and put in that kind of mileage. Training for rowing marathons in the fall will certainly help. I have to do it in a habit-forming way, in the same way that I ride my bicycle everywhere. I'm satisfied with yearly bicycle mileage in the 6000-mile range and don't want to change that number, so it's time to play with the rowing numbers.
---
There are other numbers to play with as well. As with last summer, I'm going to experience a reduction in pay this summer. It's just a fact of life; I should be grateful that the University has found a way to provide me with money in exchange for teaching over the summer so I don't have to find a job waiting tables or something. Thoughtful of them, really. And although I sort of appreciate the Obama administration's attempts to bolster the economy by handing a chunk of money back to me, I've put those funds into my savings for a replacement computer. The process of saving up money for the replacement has been painfully slow, when you realize that the computer was stolen almost a year ago by now. I'm about halfway there, by now, finally.
I should note that last fall's trip to Australia had to be paid for in the midst of this madness, and that I'm still trying to set aside some funds to repay student loans through all of this (or at least to pay the accruing interest).
When I finally get that imaginary computer, you'd better believe I will appreciate it. I don't want to put too much stock in it, but it will be nice to have a machine with my music and my photos on it, where I don't have to worry about everything eventually getting repossessed by the University. It all makes me think back to the day when I bought my road bike, for it took (what felt like) a loooong time to save up for that as well, but it has been so sweet to ride as a result.
Anyway, this means I have another chance to look back at a yearly measure, the number of meters rowed over the course of the year, and to set a new goal for the upcoming year. For many reasons, last year was the first full year that I felt was representative of my rowing output potential. K and I worked hard to prepare for the Masters World Games in the fall, and I was able to complete the Holiday Challenge. Any perceived shortage in my meters total is due to inconsistent effort on my part; not even last summer's shoulder injury kept me from training.
Given all of that, I was able to row around 800,000 meters and change. That number is reasonably good, all things considered, but of course I'm ambitious as usual and like to play with numbers, as usual. They can motivate me to get out of bed when I might be tempted to roll over and go back to sleep. So I think I'll set the 2011 goal at 1 million meters. The teammates that I most look up to are much better than I am at reaching this many meters. They have the benefit of erg ownership, to be sure, but it's easy to let excuses get in the way, and I know from the Holiday Challenge that I can figure out ways to get over the excuses (e.g. bring in clothes to erg in the middle of the day).
The hardest thing about this million meter goal is that it will require consistency and persistence. I cannot simply sit down and put in that kind of mileage. Training for rowing marathons in the fall will certainly help. I have to do it in a habit-forming way, in the same way that I ride my bicycle everywhere. I'm satisfied with yearly bicycle mileage in the 6000-mile range and don't want to change that number, so it's time to play with the rowing numbers.
---
There are other numbers to play with as well. As with last summer, I'm going to experience a reduction in pay this summer. It's just a fact of life; I should be grateful that the University has found a way to provide me with money in exchange for teaching over the summer so I don't have to find a job waiting tables or something. Thoughtful of them, really. And although I sort of appreciate the Obama administration's attempts to bolster the economy by handing a chunk of money back to me, I've put those funds into my savings for a replacement computer. The process of saving up money for the replacement has been painfully slow, when you realize that the computer was stolen almost a year ago by now. I'm about halfway there, by now, finally.
I should note that last fall's trip to Australia had to be paid for in the midst of this madness, and that I'm still trying to set aside some funds to repay student loans through all of this (or at least to pay the accruing interest).
When I finally get that imaginary computer, you'd better believe I will appreciate it. I don't want to put too much stock in it, but it will be nice to have a machine with my music and my photos on it, where I don't have to worry about everything eventually getting repossessed by the University. It all makes me think back to the day when I bought my road bike, for it took (what felt like) a loooong time to save up for that as well, but it has been so sweet to ride as a result.
