I mentioned catching a bit of shut-eye between the festivities of Saturday and rising early to attend the regatta in St. Catharines… the shut-eye was more like a blink or two, but I did manage to make it out of the house by 06:30! On a Sunday! Somebody give me a medal!
What on earth would drag me out of bed at such an hour? The truth is, I’m probably a bigger fan of amateur sports than professional. I was disappointed when the Olympics allowed professional athletes into competition. (From what I’ve read, the major argument for such a move is that with lucrative and ever-increasing sponsorship deals the so-called amateur is reaching the same support level as a professional and the playing field is therefore level, more or less. Sure, that may apply to a small minority of elite athletes, but most are still having to find time to train and make ends meet at the same time. We all know it’s about the ratings: professionals draw the viewers and advertising. Anyway, rant over…)
the home team — St. Catharines Rowing Club
Sure, I’d never say no to an opportunity to attend a professional sports event if anyone felt inclined to send a ticket my way, but it’s more inspiring to watch people who train rigorously and commit such an extraordinary amount of time and effort for an athletic pursuit without financial benefit, in addition to their livelihood and family obligations.
Fitness is not confined to age, either. Check out this lady (on the right) who, in her sixties, is as fit as ever and has stiff competition in her age group. She isn’t even retired! Talk about energy — I can’t hold a candle to this lady.
From what Arliin tells me, rowing for sport means getting up insanely early in the morning on a weekday to train for hours BEFORE going to work, then training AFTER work and rowing on Saturdays. Saturdays are considered a lie-in: 6:30am instead of the usual 5:00!! Also, I had no idea the season was so long — March to November. That means being on the water in inclement weather, even snow! *shudder*
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