a little better all the time

yes, I have to admit its getting better.  Ive been getting boated, which is better than not.  Yesterday we did 3x2k at 30-34 rating.  I was in a four which went okay, but not great.  Today I was in the 8 for a skill and drill, in a lineup which I actually liked quite a bit.  My body has been getting very upset with me, telling me to feed it more, and row less.  I keep trying to tell it to shut up and pull, but it is very stubborn.  In the end I am very sore, very tired, and very hungry, and thoroughly ready for a nap/sleep after practice every day.  I have a 10 minute bike ride to and from practice every day, with some rolling hills.  However, after practice it feels like the Alpe d'Huez.  

We had a bar-b-q at the boathouse yesterday during our afternoon off, which was interesting.  For the most part, folks were pretty mellow, until the occasional offhand comment would reveal the intense competition brewing underneath everyone's skin.  A couple of us were sipping on beers to enjoy the afternoon.  One guy (a starboard who wasn't drinking) joked that all the beers were reserved for the other starboards.  Nervous chuckles ensued, but it definitely cast a shadow on the easygoing feeling in the group.  This is definitely a tightly-wound group of guys who are used to being King-Kong's in their respective programs.

This afternoon we finally go out in two eights, which means everyone will be boated, and the pieces/seatracing will start to be much more competitive.