It's All About Timing

After several rocky practices in 3-seat in an eight, I was ready for a better experience. Usually I am in the stern, so my plan was to try and correct some flaws to improve the length and timing of my stroke. Well, man plans, God laughs. Today was not going to be that day, because it became all about timing. Originally assigned to 5-seat, coach asked me to switch back to three. I immediately started to wonder, hmmm. what is it NOW? Well, after our first ten-minute piece I found out. The timing was the thing. Or the lack of it. Even though I was with my usual seat mate in 4, it didn't help me. If I kept my timing with her, I was off 5-seat. If I kept up with 5, then I was off my pair.  It was like that for the whole piece. It was interesting to feel the thwarted run of the boat because of the dueling sides. At last, I decided to keep up with my pair, watch my handle heights as coach asked and get through the next 20 minute piece. As sloppy as the row was, it was way better than the last two practices, where coach had to take us back to 6's. When he was taking about how miserable it was for us, I thought I must be nuts, because I felt great compared to the rows I had had previously. Timing is everything. Well at least for today.