Change

A lot can happen in one week;
- Pain can return
- Doubt can set it
-  Frustration can mount
- A person can complete workouts as prescribed
-  Changes occur physically and externally
- Changes incur confusion and doubt
- Changes lead to discovery
- Discovery leads to more change
- This change leads to re-gained faith and confidence
-  Change leads to understanding others differently if you open your mind and heart to it and make yourself believe.
-  Excitement

The above is a very small part of my week and the week is not done, but I could not wait to post.
After last week I found myself in quite a bit of pain from the weeks increased load and intensity.  I know that my body is going to continue to adjust but when you cannot be comfortable just being it can be a little discouraging.  I tried not to let this get the best of me though and started the week off with a bang and worked through each practice trying to focus on my weaknesses.  I have also been getting a lot of feedback lately from the coach that is left at the center (under 23 coach).  She is a very accomplished rower, rowing for Germany years ago as a lightweight in sculling events, but despite her accolades I was having and still do have a hard time taking all her feedback without some hesitancy.  I think I have now realized that between my pride and the fact that she is poking at things that other coaches like about my rowing, confusing me, she did not have too much of a chance.  That said, I have been making a conscious effort to listen and take things in stride.  She has a lot of experience and I should be taking her advise no questions asked.  In any case, I have been doing as she asks and one change we made recently in my single is raise the height.  Seems simple enough right?  Well as much as it felt better in some ways I was having difficulties in others, which I did not mention right away, as my first instinct is to blame my own failings.  It was not until after a 5x 1250m  workout at race pace that I felt it was important enough to mention.  This lead to a spiral of events about my boat rig.
1.  Question from coaches;  "What are your pitches set at?"
Response; "6-2", coach response "change to such and such"
What I found: 6-2 on one side and 5-3 on the other.
-  I have yet to feel it out on the water but I imagine things will feel different and my ribs may get a bit of relief!

2. Seat racing occurred this week for the Pan Am group and they were short a set of oars, so I gave the ok for them to use mine with the stipulation that they put them back to the rig they were found.  This spurred the coach to inform me ever so gently that my oars were far to long for the size of the blade, an easy fix but a big problem.  Anyways this is all boring to most people, what I am getting at is, the coach set them differently as to put less strain on my body.  Again, my ribs will hopefully love me more for this, not to mention I should be able to get to high rates more easily now.

I could go on, but one question I had for a brief moment was "why?".  Why now, why not months ago, when I had at least 2 other people look at my boat and oars?  I do not blame any of those people as I trust them all.  But almost instantly I realize, this is all part of a plan.  I do not think that things HAD to happen this way, but it seems like such perfect timing in many ways.  I personally as an individual still need to work on getting stronger and back in the game but it sure helps to have a boat set up properly to support you.

I will let you know how the changes feel on the water, I know it will be odd for a while and I may have to build strength in areas I have been neglecting but I pray the result will be great. 
Confidence is a great thing if you use it well.
Sometimes I feel like my posts are hard to follow, and I probably always say this and apologize, so I won't change this time, and send my apologies for any incoherent ramblings, it is bedtime for me and it was an insomnia night last night, needless to say the pillow and I will be having a wonderful reunion tonight!

Sweet dreams, & happy mornings :)