April 16: Oh yeah

It's just like riding a bike. I think it's funny how that line doesn't relate to everything. Once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. Well, I don't know about never, but you can go years without riding and then get right back on without any problems. You can participate in another activity so frequently that everything about the event becomes second-nature. Give it up for eight years, and it's amazing how much you have to learn over again.

I rowed crew for a year and a half in college. Practices were held every day except Sundays at 6:00 am. The daily routine of waking up at 5:00, meeting my carpool, driving to the "boat house," running a few miles for warm-up, stretching, getting on the water by 7:00 and rowing for an hour became so familiar that I didn't think I would ever forget the procedures of it all. I never thought I would forget all the terms or forget what side of the boat was port and what side was starboard.

It's been eight years since I last sat on a rolling seat in the water and on Tuesday of this week, I joined the Texas Rowing Center. You see, when you go in to work early every day to eat greasy Mexican food before your shift, you start to pack on the flab. I was in the best shape of my life in college because of rowing and I wanted to work my way back to that state. Ultimately, I would like to join a team and get back in the habit of waking up at the crack of dawn and accomplishing more in those early hours than most people will during the entire day.

I contacted one of the coaches and she told me that I needed to sign up for a membership and then complete four lessons on land before I could join a team. At the completion of each lesson, I was permitted to take a scull out and get the feeling of rowing back.

Aside from the basic form, I had forgotten everything. I forgot how important it is to keep your oar handles level to balance out the boat. I forgot how to get in and out of the boat without flipping it over (I haven't fallen into the water yet, but I'm positive it's coming). This morning I was asked to help a crew lift a four-seater out of the water and I had no idea where I was supposed to stand.

When I was on the water, I suddenly remembered how horrible those first few weeks in a boat of eight rookies were. I was completely alone this morning, but my dragging oars, constant fighting with my balance and missing the water all together with my blades reminded me how futile it felt to be in a boat without any consistency or team-rhythm.

I'm only three days in and I have one more lesson before I can actually join a team, but it should be interesting to see how long it takes for those skills to return once I'm forced to row with a team and I don't have the luxury of being able to stop at will. Some things are like riding a bike, but for me, rowing is definitely not one of them.