Past postcards from the Sarasota series
• Ingrid Erickson -- May 24


This is Audrey Rekedal, bow seat of the varsity four and today was our first day of practice.
 

This morning we got to sleep in because we didn't leave until 9:30 a.m. to go to the grocery store. We stocked up on food, snacks, and sunscreen. Then we spent the next few hours in our rooms doing homework, I peer-reviewed some essays for my writing class, while Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza, my roommate, worked on Chemistry.
 

At 2:00 p.m. we headed to the race course. There were NCAA signs everywhere, and teams were starting to fill the area with their boats.

Our boats left Washington last week and were driven down to Florida with some other teams. We rowed in our backup boats last week, which was a little different, but kept us on our toes.
 

Once we got the boats down from the trailer we had to re-rig them because the riggers and the shells are taken apart when on the trailer. 
 

It was 92 degrees today in Sarasota with lots of wind and the announcers were practicing over the loudspeaker. I was a bit nervous because today would be my first time rowing in Florida. Last time, when the team raced here in early April, I came as a spare.
 

Once we got into the water, we took a few laps in the warmup area then headed to the start line. It was stressful getting into the lane with the stake holder because there were so many boats clustered together, mostly Division I and Division II teams. But our coxswain, Moxie McCandless, did a great job navigating through and communicating with the other boats.
 

In our lane we practiced with the starting light and the boot, which comes out of the water and holds your bow in place. We rowed slowly through our 2K, and I was hoping the splashes from the rowers in front of me would cool me down, but the water was warm.

After that, practice was over, and we ended the day with tacos for dinner and an early bedtime. 

Warmly,
 

Audrey