A Rower Is Born

(by babs)

I found rowing completely by accident. I avoid gyms, you see (don't like the god awful mirrors everywhere, the pick up scene, or locker room trauma) and yet, I needed to get in shape. What to do, what to do? Get a home system, I said to myself...and so I did. The mighty Bowflex to be specific, which happens to have a limited but nonetheless useful row station on it.

So me and the Bowf (it's what I call her) were hangin out and I thought, you know I like this. I like being on the water, too, at least in the limited way I've been in the past. I wondered what real rowing might feel like, so I Googled my rowing options in New York City. I was a bit saddened to find not many exist.

Then I found HRBC. I looked at the site, sent an inquiry email, felt things out. Next thing I know, I get an invite to a barbecue and thought, well why not? A few days later the Learn to Row invite went out and blammo, I'm in rowing class.

Next I found myself picking up a really heavy boat at an early but not unholy hour and walking through goose poop to a dock where I tried not to fall in as we lowered her into the water. That first weekend I just focused on not to ripping my knee apart while doing deep bends to lock in the oars, actually getting in and out of the thing on command, and trying to remember the phrase "way enough" and not just shout "way, uh, NO...GO...STOP" when the boat got too heavy on the way back to the containers where the equipment is stored.

We spent a couple of days getting the different parts of the stroke down (listen to me usin' the lingo!). When we got on the water, I tried not to throw myself out of the scull or break a rib crabbing (lingo, lingo, LINgo). Or spread my knees apart at the catch (very lady like). Or try to muscle the scull through the water with only my arms, which got old fast.

Then, of course, I did what every new member of a sport does: I went shopping. I got myself the merino wool comfy clothes that will dry quickly but keep me warm as the Learn to Row classes go through November - possibly brrr, but then again possibly balmy given the warming of the globe.

I'll keep you posted on my progress; I know you're just dying to know.