Got Inspiration?

Have you ever experienced something so powerful that just thinking about it sends chills down your spine and goose bumps all over your body? One of those absolutely exhilarating, incomparable, profound moments that forever stand out in your mind from anything.

THIS was that moment for me. 

One of the biggest passions in my life is the sport of competitive rowing. I started my rowing career in November of 2008, in the cold, cold, snow filled, iced waters, northeastern winter that Massachusetts almost always experiences. For 4 1/2 months I didn't step into a boat, I learned the basics on the ergometer, known to most "gym-goers" as the rowing machine. To any rower though, this indoor training is grueling, incredibly exhausting, mentally challenging, and especially tedious- but above all else the winter months of indoor training are WELL worth the reward. I spent my last two years in high school competitively rowing with Essex Rowing Club based out of Methuen, MA. The team changed my life, I met some of my best friends, the love of my life, and I learned so much about myself and what I was capable of. The most two most important lessons that I learned from my time at Essex Rowing were;

a) there is no such thing as limits, you can always push and surpass every expectation you set 

b) you can always improve, always. 

As my high school years came to an end, I went through the recruitment process and commit to row for the Division 1 University of Alabama Women's Varsity Rowing team. My collegiate experience, like most high level athletes, has had both its ups and downs. For every year that I have spent in college I have been injured and had surgery, missing out on one season every time. Luckily rowing is a year round sport, so with every injury, also came a spring season of complete success. This picture above is one of my proudest moments out of my rowing career thus far. 

This image is from 2011 when my team traveled from Alabama all the way to the west coast to compete in the highly regarded San Diego Crew Classic. We were a strong team, with a lot of depth- and my boat, the first eight (which is comprised of the 8 fastest rowers) was extraordinarly tenacious and we put our hearts into every single stroke. In rowing, when you compete against other teams there are no scenarios when one team is publicly considered to be 'favored to win.' The same terminology that can be applied to most ball sports- does not apply to rowing. But to say that Alabama was expected to do well, even place in this race was a long shot at best. We made it through our qualifier placing second, and prepared for the championship final knowing we had an incredibly tough fight ahead of us. 

We were seeded in lane 6, which historically for this course was the slowest lane, and in past years on the very same course teams racing in lane 6 were hard pressed to finish in a medalling position, let alone win. That day, we did. 

We pushed past our limits, we never stopped to say that it was impossible. We knew what was ahead of us, made the decision as a boat that we wanted it more, and that no matter what our bow ball was going to cross the finish line first. A spring race is 2000 meters long, and until 1000 meters we were behind, trailing all boats. Something in us kicked into gear at that 1000 meter mark, all 9 of us dug in and went for it with all we had, and it paid off. 

That moment for me, crossing the finish line ahead of the 5 other boats we were racing, feeling like you gave every single part of you to the race and knowing that you did it, nothing beats that. 

It's now February 2012. For reasons outside of my team- because I truly love them more than I could ever explain- my time at Alabama was short lived as I transferred to Boston College after my sophomore year and now row for the Boston College Division 1 Varsity Women's Rowing team. I have found myself yet again injured, and recovering from surgery which has taken me out of the game for winter training. 

It's never easy being held back from participating in something you are so deeply passionate about, but remembering moments like that one, snaps me back to reality. It's tough, and I would give anything to be back training with my girls right now- but what inspires me is the knowledge that I have gained from my experience.  Starting at Essex and continuing on as my career progressed- first, you really and truly can always push past limitations; and secondly no matter what, there is always something about yourself that you can improve upon.

Find your inspiration, think back to the moment in your life that gives you goose bumps and inspires you like nothing else could- and file it away in a special place, because it will always provide you with the inspiration and the motivation to get through anything.