Rowing is not for the weakhearted

When I started rowing, I never thought it would be the sport I would sustain the most injuries from on a consistent basis. But week after week, I came home with new bruises, scrapes, callouses and blisters to show off in moments of toughness. One of the places I've sustained the most injury has been to my legs - I have big calves that are not only a little chubby but also really muscular. They tend to hit the gunnels of the boats and causes bruises and even skin burns (think rug burn) on my legs. It's lead to quite a few interesting comments out of strangers and non-strangers alike. The first reaction is usually wide-eyed horror and then some sort of aghast comment re. 'and you choose to do this?'

The other thing that we were told when we started rowing is that it's near impossible to tip an 8 man boat. Well, at this am's practice, we proved them wrong.

A larger power boat had gone by and made quite the wake. While we should have been fine to just bob through it, we apparently had some nervous rowers in the boat who freaked out at the size of the wake and did what you naturally want to do - put your hand out to the side where you feel like you are falling to brace yourself. This was also the side of the boat where we were pitching heavily too so before I knew it, we were in trouble. My thought process went something like this:

Holy F*&K, this boat is going to flip!

Holy crap, it's easier to get my feet out of the shoes than I thought (for those who don't know, there are shoes that are screwed into the boat that we put our feet into - yes, ones size 13 men's shoe fits all so we all wear socks).

Ahhhh, that feels good (it was really hot, humid and smoggy on the water this am).

Holy F*%K! This is the Ottawa River I'm in! EWWWWWW.....

After the obligatory 'is everyone okay? can everyone swim? (bit late for that one, I know)' questions, we decided to swim the boat in to shore. Once we got into the weedy wading area, we had to turn the boat over, lift it over our heads to drain the water out (onto our heads) and then get back in, one by one, and row on.

By the time we got back to the rowing club, the master's level rowers were all waiting on the dock. Apparently, they could see the whole 'show' from the Rockcliffe Boathouse Restaurant across the river from where we flipped. Besides coming to find out how the hell we managed to flip an 8, they also came to take our coach (who was in the motor boat nice and dry, might I add) for a scotch. Ugh, where's my bloody scotch?

After I got home, I noticed that my leg seemed itchy and burning. While I at first worried I may have swimmer's itch, I think looked more closely. Apparently when I pulled out of the shoes, I scratched myself along the rigger of the boat. The photo was taken about 3 hours ago before my softball game (gotta love the cleats!)...

it's now turning purple....
















Btw, did I mention I'm rowing again on Wednesday? ;o)