March 8, 2005

Throughout the season, members of the UNC rowing team will provide TarHeelBlue.com readers with an inside look at the Carolina program and the experience of being a varsity athlete at UNC. This installment, the 13th of the 2004-05 school year, is by Jess Ziebell, a senior from Rocky Mount, N.C.

Hello to all Carolina Rowing Friends and Family!!

This week has been filled with tons of excitement as Spring Break, or rather Spring Training, is just around the corner. This can only mean one thing ... RACE SEASON, the time that we have all been waiting to get here!

This week's focus has been on carrying over our technique from the erg onto the water. Tuesday we had a bit of excitement ... we had snow coming at us sideways as we were trying to get off the dock. It was a very windy day at University Lake causing the water conditions to be unusually choppy; however, we used the rough water as a great opportunity to prepare for difficult waters on regatta day.

Unfortunately, we were inside on Wednesday morning, but it was one of the best morning practices that we have had since we kicked it back up to 20 hours a week. Thursday brought another chance to get ready for racing as we did 10-minute race pieces to get the legs ready to fire for race season.

And speaking of racing, Saturday we race each other in a triathlon - stadiums on campus, a run out to the boathouse, and to finish off a race piece on the lake.

We are all super excited about racing this year! Racing is just around the corner with Spring Break starting next week. So get fired up Carolina!!

Jess