Badgers Blog: Women's rowers on annual training trip to Florida

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - The Wisconsin women's rowing team is on its annual winter training trip in Cocoa Beach, Florida, getting much-need water time while most students at UW are home relaxing and getting ready for the start of the Spring semester that begins Jan. 17.

Check back here for daily updates from some of the rowers.

Winter Training 2017: Day 1 - Kaitlin McKeogh & Jane Merriman
Leaving the Orlando airport marked the beginning of our 13th annual training trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida. The Wisconsin women have been welcomed back to the Wakulla Suites year after year, always greeted by the snowbirds sitting outside on their plastic lawn chairs soaking in the sun.

We got our room assignments and proceeded to our respective rooms. For the freshmen, walking into the Wakulla Suites is the start of their journey to become a part of an elite rowing program. For the seniors, this will most likely be the last time they receive room keys that say Wakulla Suites on them, as well as the last chance to buy a Ron Jon t-shirt.

After unpacking, we traveled to Kiawanis Island, where we unloaded our trailer and rigged our boats for the following day. On the way back, we stopped at the local Publix grocery store, home of the buy one get one free deals. We only got asked six times if we were a volleyball team and why we were clearing out the Cocoa Beach's supply of pasta.

The next morning was our first time on the water since early November. Wisconsin winters are long and hard for us, from training every day on the ergs to lifting in the weight room. The moments that we get to spend together on the water are the ones that make all the hard work we put in separately worth it. It is safe to say the excitement was palpable in the vans as we drove to the course. Moments of warm weather and flat water are special treats for the Wisconsin Rowers as we tried to take advantage by getting in solid meters and strokes in both the AM and PM practices; shaking off the rust and remembering what it feels like to be rowing in a boat together.

As the blisters and sunburns start to set in, the sun goes down on the Wakulla Suites and the first day comes to a close. We know the next week and a half will be more physically and mentally challenging than anything we have done leading up to this point. But, what lies ahead is bigger than the temporary pain we face today.

Big Tens will be here before we know it, and being successful then means being successful now.

Winter Training 2017: Day 2 - Lucia Kissinger
Finally, the day we've been waiting for: our reunion with the erg.

Winter season on Mendota is a four-month bonding session with the rowing machine, beginning in mid-November and (hopefully) wrapping up around spring break. We're typically erging together as a team three or four days a week, with the rest of the practice times dedicated to cross-training and weights. Our training trip to Cocoa Beach is our one reprieve, granting us water (rather than ice), while allowing us to improve on-the-water technique, fitness and racing mindset.

Dolphin sightings are an added bonus.

Today, we returned to the erg for a 30-minute fitness evaluation, in which we attempt to maximize our distance while averaging only 24 strokes per minute. Nine ergs were set up and waiting for us beneath the parks and recreation pavilion in the early Florida sunshine, making the trek from Porter Boathouse alongside our racing shells. The 30' test gave us the opportunity to see just how effectively we have trained on our own while home over break, and each of us was given a specific goal based off of our previous performances from earlier in the year. It also happened to be the birthday of two of our teammates, so as our group of testers piled into a 15-passenger van to make our way to the course, our coach Jim blasted out a "birthday playlist" while we hyped each other up for the 30'. In my experience, this is the best approach to mentally prepare for an erg test; minimize stress, and get excited to perform.

When we arrived, the first group was already well into their test piece. Once they were done, we took to the ergs. We warm up, we pass a fist-bump down the line, and we begin. Picnic tables and a parking lot make up the scenery, and as the test nears the end, the music is muffled against the sounds of our coxswains, coaches and rowers cheering for us to the last second. All of us in our group have exceeded our given goals. After a quick break to rehydrate and snack on some food (fruit snacks will never go out of style), we complete a core circuit and a run to help our bodies recover.

Following a second breakfast of the day, and lunch (and some rest and relaxation thrown in too), we return to the water in the afternoon for a row. Steady state and technical rows are used for focusing on working together as a boat to find a rhythm, and using pauses at set points to narrow in on specific technique or boat-wide changes. Some revelations are made, and improvements in technique are held. Satisfied with our morning erg performances, we can let our minds relax a bit more and enjoy the experience of simply being on the water and under the Florida sunshine in the middle of winter. We return to the launch site as the sun is starting to set, clean our boats of the saltwater and return to our hotel for the night. Day two of the training trip is a success!

Winter Training 2017: Day 3 - Maddie Wannamaker
Three days into winter training is just enough time for the initial excitement of being in a warmer climate and back with friends to wear off and the reality that we're here to work to set in. We spent about five hours on the water today, but the lethargy that normally takes over the team during this part of the trip hasn't arrived.

The biggest difference this year versus years past is our team's determination to squeeze every last bit of productivity out of this water time. Thanks to our Wisconsin winters, we spend time indoors on ergs waiting for Lake Mendota to thaw until late spring. Having this opportunity to be in Florida, rowing in the sunshine is incredible.

I describe it as "incredible" now, but I know that that's probably not the adjective I'll use in a day or two. Winter training trip is a roller coaster. However, this morning's row in the eight felt smooth fast and I had a great time in a pair with one of my best friends during our second morning practice.

This is my senior year and final training trip in Cocoa Beach. In preparation, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the good, the bad and the ugly of Cocoa over the years and how we could best take advantage of this time. As I erged alone in my basement, I decided that no matter how tired I got, how badly my hands blistered, or however seat racing went, no part of training in Florida could bring me down since I would be back with my team. I thought about how quickly this year is going to go and I decided that I am not throwing away my final shot.

This afternoon, when I was tired and reluctant to get back on the water, I reminded myself of how lucky we are to be here. I'm happy to be rowing with my team again, I'm excited to see the gains I know we'll make over the next week and I am pumped for Taco Tuesday.

So on day three it's so far, so good. We're having fun, we're taking a lot of naps, we're watching more HGTV than my mom would think is healthy and we're getting in a lot of strokes on the water. I'm looking forward to good rows, bad rows and ultimately a stellar season for the team.

On Wisconsin!

Winter Training 2017: Day 4 - Maria Schmid
The plan for this morning was to do an anaerobic threshold workout, meaning that the practice would be difficult, but maintainable. Unfortunately, our practice was cut a bit short due to storms, so we weren't on the water for very long. This shorter workout really makes the team make the most of each stroke they have, which is not a foreign concept to the sport of rowing.

"Every practice matters, every piece matters, every stroke matters." A phrase in which we often hear. Every day we are asked to give of ourselves, both physically and mentally.

Together, this exertion will help our team achieve our goals come spring.

Our afternoon practice was on land due to high winds that made the water unrowable. Instead, our coaches put together a circuit that the Varsity and Novice teams did together. This afternoon was a good time to get some work in as well as give our hands a rest from rowing. Today was the fifth day of the training trip, and our hands are pretty torn up since we haven't been on the water for a couple months.

So far this trip is going really well for the team. It's great to be back in Cocoa Beach and back rowing on the water. We get to enjoy rowing for a little while and then it's back to Wisconsin where Lake Mendota is frozen and we get back to erging. Our hands are blistered, muscles are sore, and we are constantly eating: all signs of a good training trip.

Winter Training 2017: Day 5 - Anika Nelson
Day 5 has arrived! The team has really gotten in a nice routine: Roll at 7 a.m. Row for 2 or 3 hours. Come in. Eat a snack. Go out again for another hour or so. Come home. Eat. Nap. Roll again at 3:30 p.m. Morale is still high as we are making gains physically and technically in the boat during every practice. Unfortunately, today, the weather is not in our favor and we are forced off the water. The coaches decide that a day of running will do our hands well.

While the rest of the team gets a little bit of extra time to sleep in the morning, another teammate and I head to the course. We're going to be doing our 30-minute test and we need some ergs. A 30 minute is just one of the ways that the coaches can assess our fitness. It's basically just going as hard as you can for 30 minutes, while maintaining an average rate of 24 strokes per minute – a relatively low rate compared to 2k racing at a 35+. We can break this down however we want, the most popular being three continuous, 10-minute segments at rates 22, 24 and 26. In Cocoa, we have to hit a certain split in order to be able to row on the water. This insures that we maintain a high level of training over the winter break.

For the both of us, this round of testing has presented unique challenges. Coming back from a concussion late in December, I had to take 11 days off of any kind of physical activity – not ideal when you are trying to stay fit. My first workout was two days before I left for Florida. You could say I had some doubts about how well this was going to go. My teammate, however, is going for her own, incredibly fast, standard. Her obstacle was her own mind. Negative self-talk and the wrong mental state can be disastrous for any athlete. When you don't think you can do something, you're probably right.

THANKFULLY, we both passed. Together. In sync. We had both conquered what we had most doubted in ourselves.

That's what I love about rowing: Pushing yourself to a limit you never predicted you could reach, a standard that you didn't think possible, all because you changed your mind about what you thought was achievable. Our bodies can go much further than our minds give us credit for and doing this sport has given me hands on, real life experiences in teaching me just that. I feel so prepared for life knowing my limits – none.

So while we didn't touch the water today in Cocoa, there is still much to be learned and a lot of growing that can happen. Morale is high, our whole team is cleared for some good solid water time and Taco Tuesday is so close we can taste it. This success is one of many checks to be made on the road to NCAAs. No big deal, on to the next one.

On Wisconsin!

Winter Training 2017: Day 6 - Dani Steinberg
You can tell it's day nine because of the way it is. This morning we set out to do four, 20-minute steady-state pieces in either pairs or coxed fours. However, don't let those two little deceiving words fool you. Steady state really means battle paddle and you better get your bow ball out ahead. Obviously.

Four by 20 minutes is a pretty long and grueling practice, but it's also a fantastic opportunity to get a lot of good strokes in and work on your technique. The first piece incorporated 30 seconds of pausing focusing on different parts of the recovery. On the second piece we switched out pauses for 30 second half-slide bursts. For the third piece we did one of my personal favorite steady-state variations, 20 strokes on, six strokes off. Finally, on the fourth piece we tossed in some 15-stroke builders at our stroke rate for tomorrow's pieces.

Once back on land we did the usual scrub down of the boats and got our recovery treats from Tricia. To our surprise, we got to go out for an AM 2 row in eights. These rows are nice because it's a time to take some low stress strokes with friends.

I don't think I've ever taken a more enjoyable shower than I did when I got home from practice. For some reason, my skin seems to accumulate enough salt to season all of the food on the Food Network. I know this because my roomies and I have been binge watching Chopped throughout this trip.

I have a pretty specific drink routine after morning practice. Everyday I make myself a cup of coffee, followed by a pamplemousse La Croix with lunch, and I finish it up with a cup of tea before afternoon practice. The countdown of pamplemousse cans from the 12 pack I got is the only way I can tell what day we're on of this trip.

For afternoon practice we did another mixed row with the novices. The focus for practice was the top end of the stroke. Once on the water, we split up into pods and did some fun drills that helped both the novices and varsity improve their stroke.

Tonight was the annual pizza and ice cream party between the varsity and novice squads. Following treats, we went around in one big circle and shared a few fun facts about ourselves, including what our spirit animal is. It's taken me four years but I've finally decided that my spirit animal is a raccoon.

Overall, it was another successful day of quality work in Cocoa Beach and we all deserve a good sleep before racing in the AM.

Winter Training 2017: Day 7 - Claire Scott
Free Speed
Rest and recovery are free speed. This morning was the prized morning off. This means attempting to sleep in, but many of us are woken by our internal clocks. When in Cocoa Beach, this is a good thing because the sunrise waits on the beach. The 24-hour period of no practice is so important because it allows our bodies and hands to recover from the long practices on the water and land. During the off day working out soreness is key. Our team has been lucky to obtain many tools that guide us with taking care of our recovery. The clean slate Sunday routine of rolling for one hour, keeping legs up and taking a hot shower help accelerate the recovery process. Accelerated recovery means free speed. Therefore, in order to bring 100 percent effort and performance to the water our team views recovery as important as each stroke. Time spent on recovery is a sacrifice that will help us be an elite team.

Another charm about spending time in Cocoa Beach at Wakulla Suites is the wonderful snowbirds! This afternoon, at 1 p.m., the snowbirds hosted BINGO and encouraged us all to join. Eliza and Megan even got bingos! Wisconsin Women's Rowing enjoys the company of all Wakulla snowbirds!

This afternoon, practice resumed as we returned to the brackish waters of the Kiwanis Park canal. Before practice one of our teammates, Jane Merriman, shared what inspires her every day to give 100 percent. I was motivated by her and was reminded how strong and driven each woman on this team is. Jane pumped us up saying, "You have everything you need in this moment because YOU are the engine. It is your body that makes these boats move. That is the only thing. How cool is that?"

Today's P.M. practice four coxed four's and an eight were launched in preparation for tomorrow's practices: 6x1k fours Matrix. We rowed with the lineups we will race in tomorrow morning. Today's practice was all about blending and preparing for racing tomorrow morning. I am so excited for the pieces tomorrow morning because we finally get a chance to race together on the water in preparation for spring racing season.

Overall, the trip has been so fun. I have to say, this team is something special. We are powerful beyond measure.

Winter Training 2017: Day 8 - Janie French
Day 8 in Cocoa Beach opened with a bang. Sixteen rowers set out to do a matrix while an eight did pieces on their own. A "matrix" means that the rowers race six 1000-meter pieces while switching seats between every piece. Nearly every rower switches seats between pieces instead of doing direct seat racing, which means that only two rowers from different boats switch seats. The matrix is intended to help coaches see which rowers flow together best and provide tentative rankings of the rowers. It can be a physically and emotionally grueling workout, to say the least. However, the weather was nice, and the water was wonderfully flat. So, conditions were ideal for race pieces.

After finishing our hard practice, many of us came back to our rooms in the Wakulla to feast and then lay down. Our schedule said that we were supposed to do another matrix practice in the afternoon, and we needed as much rest as possible to be at our bests. Appropriate recovery is an easy way for many of us to gain a little free speed. Nevertheless, several of us had bought donuts the night before from a wonderful bakery nearby, and we were coming home to eat salted caramel, s'more or maple-bacon donuts.

As the afternoon approached, the varsity openweight women rejoiced upon finding out we wouldn't have to do another racing matrix. The coaches decided to make the afternoon practice a swing row with the novices instead, and we were thrilled to do more steady state instead of AT work. The novices can learn a lot from varsity, and it often helps us learn too when trying to teach. After bonding with our freshmen during our row, it was time to get cleaned up and head to team dinner. A local Italian restaurant managed to accommodate us while we gulped down our water and laughed with each other over plates of lasagna.

Winter Training Trip: Day 9 - Lexi Siverling
Friday morning began like all the other days. I awoke, ate a small breakfast, trudged to the trainer's room to bandage my hands (to prevent blisters), and loaded up into one of the vans to travel to the course. I stared out the window still half-asleep, and mentally prepared myself for the racing pieces we were about to do on the water. I closed my eyes and hoped that the superstition of Friday the 13^th bringing bad luck wouldn't come true.

And, in fact, this Friday the 13th did not deliver on its promise. It did just the opposite.

During the second racing piece of six, I glanced off of my usual eye-resting spot on the woman's back in front of me and saw something unforgettable. Rising from one side of the wide brackish canal and falling on the other side was the most magnificent rainbow I have ever seen. After the racing piece, the girls in my boat all turned around to get a full luck at the rainbow. Upon glancing at the mastery of the scenery that laid in front of us, half of us were near tears and the other half were quiet and simply in awe.

As we lingered on the water before our next racing piece, we noticed a fainter rainbow slightly above the extravagantly vivid one. A double rainbow. I could not stop staring at the beautiful natural rarity I was feasting my eyes on. It was in this moment that I was reminded (as I often am), how grateful I feel to be able to row for the memories I create with the exceptional women I am proud to call my teammates.

We rowed on. We rowed underneath the immense rainbows. We took stroke after stroke appreciating the view, but soon rain clouds began to replace the rainbows. Although the rainbows faded as quickly as they had arisen, our spirits did not. We rowed through the rainy conditions with greater enthusiasm and vigor due to the heightened attitudes gained from the rainbows.

What an unforgettable morning.

After a reasonably-long break filled with much eating, napping, reading and walking along the beach, it was time again for practice. It was our last afternoon practice of the trip, or as coxswain Jane would passionately say, "The penultimate practice." Penultimate meaning that it was the second to last event.

The lineups for boats in the PM practice were the same lineups we were to race in the following day. This practice was treated like race preparation-which is a rower's delight. It consisted of a lot of strong strokes, drills, but mostly importantly race starts. Race starts are unique sequences of strokes designed to get the boat up and moving as fast as possible. It was the first time in a long time that we had taken strokes in preparation for 2k racing. Energy was high. We got a taste for what is to come in the spring that is-going fast.

That evening was filled with mixed emotions as I packed. I reflected on the progress that was made during this trip and the friendships that were strengthened. Spending the last night in the Wakulla was bitter-sweet, but also filled with anticipation for what this season has in store for this team. One thing I know for sure is that my teammates are powerful beyond measure, and together, well, we'll make Wisconsin proud.

On Wisconsin!

Winter Training Trip: Day 10 - Lisbet Pietz
The alarm goes off at 6:15 am. Mind still groggy and eyes quite blurry, we roll out of bed and into the kitchen. This morning, breakfast is a bowl of cereal and some peanut butter and jelly toast. I am tempted to eat more, but I know I would regret it later if I did. My heart is racing this morning. I know I shouldn't feel nervous because the hardest practices are behind us and all that is left are the practice 2ks.

This morning I have agreed to say the inspirational tidbit before we get on the water. As I walk over to (athletic trainer) Tricia's room to apply a layer of New-Skin and wrap my blisters, I run over what I want to say in my head. I am still reviewing when we arrive at the course. We pop off for our warm-up run and dynamic as the coaches review the race course with the coxswains. We all gather in a huddle as (Coach) Bebe (Bryans) explains the goal times she wants us to meet. Then I am up. As I present my short inspirational speech, I can't help but reflect back upon what a wonderful training trip we all had. I think of the camaraderie that resonates throughout this group of women. And all of a sudden I have reached the end and everyone is smiling. We hustle to get hands on and we launch our three eights.

As we swing through the warm up, the water starts to get a little rough. The coaches decide to move the race course to the other side of the basin. We are feeling good. We know we are ready. This is our first 2k in a boat since last year and gosh does it hurt. I always think rowers must be a certain kind of crazy to enjoy being in a sport in which the main event is seven minutes of lactic acid screaming at you from your limbs. I guess the other way you could think about it is eight girls working perfectly in sync to propel a chunk of carbon fiber and one small human across the water.

After 2x2k with varsity and novice, lightweight and openweight, we pull all the shells together. Even though we just competed against one another, we know we are all on the same side. One community gathered together just to make each other faster. Arm-in-arm we sing Varsity. Our slightly off-tune voices carry across the water and I can imagine the dolphins and manatees singing along.

We row back in, load the trailers, pack up our rooms and bid goodbye to the snowbirds. They wish us the best of luck this spring and turn back to a game of cards. Once at the airport, we all disperse. We head to different terminals and different gates. The winter training trip is done. All that is left is sunkissed cheeks and a better understanding of the rowing stroke.