Books That are (Loosely) Related to Training and Performance

[Jamie Pfeffer]

This is a thread where we can discuss and recommend books that inspire us to think big thoughts when we train. For some, those thoughts will entail rowing a 2K piece faster than they ever have. Others, will envision pulling in an eight-oared shell as it zips past a frenzied grandstand, witness to their triumph. And some may put down the book, pick up the handle and pull until they see a thinner, younger self smiling back in the mirror.

Regardless of where those roaring-river thoughts take us, they often start as streams on the pages cradeling another's poetry or prose. So let's discuss them.

For me, Human Performance 101 starts with Brad Alan Lewis's classic "Assault on Lake Casitas." Through this forum I've had the good fortune to come to know Phil and Eric. As I've listened to them describe their dreams, I've recognized a spark burning. Granted it's still incipient, and so still too early to know if it will find enough oxygen to burn ever higher. Yet the signs are there. Their dreams are worth nurturing. To send them on their adventure, I rowed them to Lewis. What better guide than a gold-medal-winning rower turned writer?

Though Brad Lewis and I have corresponded a few times, he doesn't know me from any other fan. And yet, when I ordered from Amazon his book "Wanted: Rowing Coach" (along with another copy of "Casitas" to replace the other four copies that I exhausted since 1994) Brad shipped the books personally. And rather than just packing the texts, the author signed "Casitas" and included an autographed page of his personal stationary and a DVD of his three races at the 1984 Olympics! I was stunned. And I became (even more) a fan for life. That's the magic that writers can dispense. So let's make this a forum to discuss them and how they enrich our training and lives.

I know that rowers on this forum will give us great ideas. Greg, Mike Caviston, Fitzy, John Rupp, Deborah, George Dunning, Byron, Paul Smith, Almost Flipped, Carla, Late in, Navigation, and everyone that would be kind enough to join us: What do you recommend that our students (Eric, Phil, and many others) and we read to inspire our training?

[p-fitz]

I met Brad Lewis at CRASH-B's in the early 90's. I was in college at the time and didn't even know who he was, but I thought "Assault" looked interesting and I bought a copy from some guy standing at a table at the side of the gym. That guy was Brad Lewis. He autographed it for me and chatted with me for a few minutes. He comes across in "Assault" and "The Amateurs" as an a-hole, but that "me vs. the world" attitude worked for him.

I've read a few books by/about Lance Armstrong, including "It's Not About the Bike," and I find those pretty inspiring.

I also enjoyed a book by Bill McKibben called "Long Distance." He's an environmental writer, but this book is about his 1-year attempt to become an elite cross country skiier. When he wrote the book, he was in his mid-to-late 30's, and decided it was his last chance at elite fitness. I think he decides that an Olympic athlete puts in 1,000 hours a year of training time, so he tries to duplicate that. It's a good read, particularly for guys who are starting to approach the twilight of their competitive years. He even talks about the comparitive fitness levels of skiiers, rowers, swimmers, etc.

[Jamie Pfeffer]

Did you learn any good workouts from McKibben in "Long Distance"? I assume that cross country skiers must do many forms of cross training.

"The Amateurs" is one of the better sports books by one of our (formerly) better non-fiction writers. At this risk of making an iconoclastic response, I'm ambivalent about parts of the book. Neglecting to mention Curtis's quad, and the resulting tumult it caused, strikes me as more than a peccadillo. Perhaps more so than did Lewis's double, Curtis's crew nearly fatally weakened Harry Parker's hold on the U.S. sculling team that summer.

And yes Brad Lewis was prone to intense bouts of damaging self pity. But Halberstam's account of him still struck me as unfair. Yet Halberstam's tale was much more about pursuing the dream than regaling those who achieved it. So Tiff Wood was always going to be his tragic hero. And there, he couldn't have chosen better. It's a tremendous book.

[michelle]

I just picked up "Rowing Faster".
I'll let you know what I think after I get into it a bit.

Any reviews from others??

[philrow]

I just picked up "Rowing Faster".

I spent quite some time skimming about it while lounging about between heats at Canadian Schoolboy's at St. Catharine's in Onatario -- by the way, Henley Island is my ideal of location and general regatta perfection; I competed there some three times last spring. There is a lot of information to be digested in there, but I thought it was all fascinating. I'm hoping to pick up a copy of my own sometime soon. Definitely a good read, even if it all doesn't necessarily that applicable.

"Amateurs" and "Assault on Lake Casitas" should be in the mail now and arriving soon...! Thanks again, Jamie!

Phil

[Jamie Pfeffer]

I am slighty worried about adding "Casitas" to Phil's combustible mind. Of all the workouts that Brad Lewis describes, I'm sure Phil will lock in on the "car push." Yes, Brad Lewis used to push cars around vacant parking lots.

[sammac112]

Ha,

Last spring our coach made us push him inside in his car around La Salle Park, located right next to our boathouse.

Your post Immediately brought me back.


As for books, I got one for Christmas called The Rower's Handbook by M. B. Roberts and Ronald C. Modra.

[RowtheRockies]

Jamie,

I did that many years ago for Soccer. Definitely a great leg strength workout!

Rich

[Elamonta]

Haha...a car push...that would be interesting/fun. The Amateurs made for a good read while I was riding up to Clemson...I have created quite the collection of rowing novels and thanks to Jamie I shall be reading some Brad Lewis soon enough.

Interestingly enough I had started my own "novel" a few months back as a way to look back on my collegiate rowing years (once I actually graduate lol). I am not a particularly good writer but I find writing relaxes me....by the way...my working title is

"From Walk On to World Record: Memoirs of a Collegiate Rower"

*Yes I currently hold an ultra-marathon world record...its not anything glorious. I saw a record to be beaten, so I grabbed another ltwt female and took it...(for now). I am actually hoping someone will best it so that we might test our limits again.

By the way, thank you very much Jamie...definitely bring me inspiration when I need it!

[philrow]

I am slighty worried about adding "Casitas" to Phil's combustible mind.

Hehehe, that's a very good description. Now I just can't wait for it to arrive!!

I am actually hoping someone will best it so that we might test our limits again.

Ok. What do I have to do?



Oh boy, I'm sorry, but I just ate a 14oz steak and I'm just looking to wreak havoc this evening! Blah... forget combustible, it's more like purely mercurial, even incendiary on contact!

Phil

[Elamonta]

Lol...we are the short term holders of the 100,000m Mixed Tandem Lightweight record...row 100,000m together by taking turns...The previous record was 9 hours and 45 mins...we re-set the record at 7 hours and 56 minutes.

Then again...there 9:45 time stood for over 5 years if I remember...so maybe ours will share that luck also lol...there is a link on C2 to my schools website which did a story on it (as did row2k, daytona beach news journal, and the miami herald (dont know how they found out).

Anywho...enjoy...I have to turn off my laptop now to head back to school tomorrow. Have fun and hope to read some more posts when I get back to school.

[philrow]

HAH! You might really have a challenge, here. A friend of mine from high school and I are trying to find the opportunity to train and compete as a mixed lightweight double. This might be a fun challenge after Canadian Schoolboy's... heheh

Phil

[Jamie Pfeffer]

Congratulations on the World Record. That's very great. As (pretentious) lawyers would say, a World Record is great "per se."

During my row today, I thought about Brad Lewis's book "Wanted: Rowing Coach." Lewis writes that racing involves mastering a "three-headed monster": (1) How you prepared physically; (2) How you prepared mentally; and (3) Your "X Factor."

Lewis concludes that for most rowers in a particular race (say, for example, Openweight Women 40-49 -- that's you, Deb) Numbers 1 and 2 are similar. Most of those women do the same workouts. Maybe some do 4x5 minutes, and others do 5x4 minutes. Generally, though, they train similarly. And most of them have laser-hot focus. So they've prepared the same physically and mentally.

But what separates otherwise evenly-matched rowers is their "X-Factor." At some point in every race, every rower must ask herself the same question: "Is it worth hurting this much?" That's where Lewis's X-Factor separates them.

And it seems to me, that this is particularly true in an erg race. Unlike a boat race, we don't have seven other rowers to inspire us. We can't hope for team glory, either. And we don't even get the exultation unique to a well-rowed boat race. Nope. Instead, we have the sizzling, scalding, searching Pain that probes our soul to determine what's in there. As it excavates, some would say that the Pain reveals character. Lewis would note that the Pain is the sodium pentothal manifesting our "X-Factor."

[Yankeerunner]

I'd like to add my endorsement to both the Brad Lewis book and The Amateurs. I like Assault on Lake Casitis better, but only by a bit.

A few others I enjoyed were the Tim Foster book 'Four Men In A Boat,' teh Matthew Pinsent book 'A Lifetime in a Race,' and a somewhat different true story by David Shaw titled 'Daring the Sea' which is about two Norwegian immigrants who rowed across the Atlantic more than 100 years ago.

'Red Rose Crew' by Daniel J. Boyne about the early years of Women's World Championship and Olympic rowing is a good read as well for men as well as women. Here is forumite and legend Carie Graves on the cover:

[kdahlhaus]

For me, Human Performance 101 starts with Brad Alan Lewis's classic "Assault on Lake Casitas." .. Brad shipped the books personally. And rather than just packing the texts, the author signed "Casitas" and included an autographed page of his personal stationary and a DVD of his three races at the 1984 Olympics! I was stunned. "

Yes, I recently ordered the CD version of 'Assault..' and he did the same thing. Seems like a great guy.

For training, the two books that helped me the most when creating training plans are:

High Performance Rowing by McArthur and Lactate Threshold Training by Janssen.

Although quite loosely related to training, I do have to add my favorite rowing book of all time - Kiesling's Shell Game. He nailed his description of a 'few hours in the fall' to your rowing filling up more and more hours in the day. There's some really motivating quotes - "We finished 12 seconds behind and pulled out boats together in fulfillment of the tradition (betting shirts). The tradition, however, did not mention what to do if your opponent was unconscious.... He had given all and more than his body could withstand and for that dedication he had won."