Pain? Yes, of course. Racing without pain is not racing. But the pleasure of being ahead outweighed the pain a million times over. To hell with the pain. What’s six minutes of pain compared to the pain they’re going to feel for the next six months or six decades. You never forget your wins and losses in this sport. YOU NEVER FORGET.
BRAD ALAN LEWISOne of the unique aspects of rowing is that novices strive to perfect the same motions as Olympic contenders. Few other sports can make this claim. In figure skating, for instance, the novice practices only simple moves.
More Brad Alan Lewis Quotes
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The ability to row in any conditions, raging crosswind, two-foot tall jet ski wakes, torrential downpour, is absolutely essential in order to be a champion sculler. It all comes under the heading of boatmanship. Some races are won on nothing more than superior boatmanship.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
Picasso spent hundereds of hours carefully planning his masterpieces. The sketchbooks were filled with ideas, bits and pieces, test runs, none of it meant to be seen by anyone. In a similar way, rowing practices are our sketchbooks, where we prepared our raceday masterpiece.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
Immediately upon entering the weighing-in zone, I sensed an oppressive tension in the air, the lightweights staring and glaring at each other, snarling like lean, frenzied dogs. Extreme hunger has a way of creating these emotions in even the most mil-mannered people.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
Every student of physics knows the axiom ‘nature abhors a vacuum.’ A little known corollary is that ‘rowing coaches detest sending their crews in early.’ Coaches will always find something to fill the end-of-practice vacuum.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
One of the unique aspects of rowing is that novices strive to perfect the same motions as Olympic contenders. Few other sports can make this claim. In figure skating, for instance, the novice practices only simple moves.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
After hooking up the fuel line and pumping a little gasoline through the hose, I prepared for a workout on the ‘coach’s ergometer’.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
I felt okay for the first 45 seconds, and then my vision grew fussy. My lungs felt like deflated balloons. I would have sucked oxygen through my ears, if that were possible. I was experiencing oxygen debt, or perhaps better stated, oxygen death.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
Big guys like you and me aren’t allowed to whine.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
I never realized how many holidays encroached on the collegiate training schedule. When I was training for the Olympics, only one holiday interested me, the Day After the Games.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
Rigging is like Zen meditation. You must bend over the boat until your back is breaking, until your brain is filled with numbers and fractions of numbers, until you can accurately measure an oarlock’s pitch without bothering to use the pitch meter. Only then will you see the way of eternal rigging happiness.
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You need flawless balance on the recovery. You need white hot focus and the concentration to row square blades cleanly for seven miles. Smooth water doesn’t hurt either.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS -
Racing shirts should be sold on big, thick rolls like paper towels.
BRAD ALAN LEWIS