This space will follow the journey of Rita Della-Rocca and Sue Reed as they work to compete in the World Nations Festival in Thailand in 2019
Two ADBC members are pushing themselves to an even higher level of competition. Rita Della-Rocca and Sue Reed are training to make the Senior U.S. Women’s Dragon Boat Team to compete at the World Nations Dragon Boat Festival in Thailand in 2019. The team is fielded by the US Dragon Boating Foundation. Rita and Sue have to meet strenuous requirements in strength, endurance, and physical ability, as well as ‘unquantifiables’ like focus, coachability, motivation and contribution to team spirit.
Both women were drawn to their quest by the size of the challenge. Sue is training with Darcy Scaringe at the Pip Moyer Recreation Center. (Darcy also leads the winter workouts for the ADBC team.) Rita trains with Deb McKibben of Simply Stronger in Annapolis. Their training includes weight lifting, aerobics, yoga, meditation, cardio endurance and much more. All of this is on top of their regular practice and competition schedule with the ADBC. (Both women made the recent trip to Florence for the IBCPC Festival with the team.)
Both must attend two training camps to see if they have the right stuff to make the team. The first is in October in California. The second is in Tampa in January (2019). If they make the cut, they will turn their focus to the Summer event in Thailand. They’re competing in the division for women aged 60 and above.
“This is a whole lifestyle change,” says Sue.
“I can’t focus on the whole thing right now,” says Rita. “I’m just taking it one step at a time.”
TRAINING LOG CLIPS
8/6 to 8/12 –
SUE: Time on the Concept 2 erg machine (fancy way to call a rowing machine). Darcy showed me how to shave my time by the release of handles back to the machine. Don’t expend energy with release.
Attended all ADBC practices that week.
RITA: Started with work outs six days a week and my trainer to keep me on track. But lifting weights too heavy at first and going through exercises too quickly gave me some pain. Tendinitis and elbows. Have to adjust my work load.
8/13 to 8/20 –
SUE: Erg training 4 times this week.
Started working on Russian twists with a weighted ball.Promotes fast twitch muscle fiber development in the obliques. Just holding yoga boat pose and no weight for a minute and focusing on breath and recruitment of different muscles as each group, I.e. abdominals, back, glutes and quads, can get you tired.
Had our first outrigger canoe lesson with Chris, co-owner of Capital SUP. It’s a 2 person OC (OC2) but we will be tested on an OC1 for time trials. The back person calls a verbal clue to change paddles. I am very awkward, bang the boat with the paddle and get my arms in crazy contortions BUT I didn’t drop the paddle.
RITA: Took a week to heal up and rethink my routine. Realize this is an evolving process. Have to listen to my body and trust it. For me slow and steady wins the race.
8/27-9/3 –
SUE: Sue and I added TRX to our training at the Brigade Naval Exercise Facility. TRX lasts an hour. Todd warned us that TRX works on load and stability muscles so we might have aches in muscles we haven’t experienced before.
We are getting instruction on the OC2 paddle twice a week; an hour on the ERG 4 times this week which resulted in rowing15,000+ meters total for the week. Also, personal training once a week; weightlifting classes 2 times a week and 2 aerobic classes.
Now talking to Jackie S. She made the USA team that competed in China last year. Wealth of information.
RITA: Great news: we didn’t tip the OC this week!
This week 18 pushups; 75-80 reps with 34 pounds on bench pull. Eventually I need to hoist 62 lbs, 40% of my weight. Also need 97 Russian twists in 90 seconds. Not there yet but I’ll get it.
9/25-10/15
RITA:
So, another week or so gone by. Coming out of a slump. Stomach virus and wiped me out the week before the Philly race so I didn’t go. Blood work showed me anemic and low on Vit D. Debi, my trainer, has to use a 2×4 approach to slow me down. Keeps reminding me, I might think and behave like I’m 40y/o but I have a 70 y/o body with bad knees and missing rotator cuffs in both shoulders. I hate reality sometimes.
I try to do 2 workouts/day mixing weights with cardio, or circuit training and ERG. Trying to maintain my current levels and not hurt or exhaust myself before the camp.
I can’t believe the first camp in Cali almost upon us. We leave next Wed. 10/24. Camp will be 10/25-10/28. We both feel that this camp is a preview of what our competition looks like and what the physical and mental expectations are. I am not trying to project anything. Sue is more analytical and I think it will serve us well.
We are an unlikely team. Sue is up at the crack of dawn and off to workout and yoga classes. I tend to work out later in the afternoon. We take a TRX class and will be working out with the Balto club. Unfortunately, we only got out on an OCI once between the weather and scheduling with the OC owner.
Trying to maintain a stable balance between exercising, resting, and living life. Sunday is my day of play.
10/24
WE’RE OFF !!
11/3
SUE: Well we did not make the team – this time. We were told we can try again in January and that’s what we’re going to do. We are very cleary on what we need to do (pushups essentially) and we are not giving up. It took the wind out of our sails initially. But – reset the sails.
RITA:
It was not our best showing but we did our best. We both took a lot of notes. And we are recommitting ourselves to the camp at the end of January (Tampa).