Mother of All Recaps

I apologize for the delay in posts to this blog. My only excuse is that the task of conveying the significance of recent and upcoming events over a simple blog post was so daunting that I chose to put it off, hoping that the pressure would dissipate. Instead I was taunted day and night by my own guilty conscience, ballooning in the pit of my stomach as if I were cautiously sipping on a two liter bottle of Diet Coke chased promptly by a few Mentos every night. However, now that I am writing this I think waiting an extra week or two was a good idea because it gave me a chance to fully digest the significance of all the latest happenings at the Washington Canoe Club.

We have a new coach! Darek Oborski was recruited from a top notch club in Poznan Poland and has been tasked with growing the sprint team into a high caliber program (not that it isn't already, I'm just sayin...) and to instill fear in the teams with which we compete. It became clear early on that his knowledge of the technical aspects of the sport is immense as he systematically identified various flaws and quirks in each of our strokes. Darek also thinks its funny to mock our feeble strength by jumping in on a set of bench press and treating the the 185 pound bar like its a twig. All in all he's a great guy and a perfect fit for the team.

Jan is leaving! (boooo!) Our much beloved friend and training partner is packing his bags and heading across the pond in pursuit of unlocking the ever present mysteries of the universe. And on the side he will be training for the Olympics with a club in Coventry England. We will miss you Mr. Jan. You were the spotter for my bench press, the rider of my wake, the lone laughter after my bad joke, the anti-American remark to my "U.S.A!...U.S.A!" chant. Please come back and visit us when you can (and don't be surprised if you get a visit from a throng of WCC paddlers). Good luck and all the best with your new endeavor.

Today's photo is in tribute to Jan. When you hear the word Jan the first image that comes to mind is often of Jan himself, changing in the grill room right before a workout. Apparently he does it in other countries too! Here he is disrobing behind a boat rack in Germany. My those English are in for a treat!
In other news, Maia, Johnny D, Radley, and President Soles ran the Charles River. And by ran I mean we paddled some twenty odd miles down a river littered with portages, rapids, and slower paddlers hahahaha. Soles also participated in what is known as the "World's Toughest Canoe Race" which took place in Texas, of course. Radley and Soles are doing another marathon race in NY this weekend - Radley gave me the details this morning but I forgot them because I was too mesmerized by his attractive yet confounding hairstyle.