The Wall_Spring 2023_Issue 9

Ella McDougall (she/her), S10, talks about her experiences in rowing and the feelings she associates with her sport in training and at races. I’m sure that many of you,

leaves you with a clear head and is also a fantastic way to work off stress and to just focus on the here and now. Training 5 times a week is by no means a breeze, and, as much as I would love to say I always feel like training, I don’t. Dragging yourself out of bedearly on the weekend every week feels awful until you get on the water, but then the satisfaction of demanding work, and the feeling of freedom overcome whatever tiredness you feel.The peace (except for times when you are being shouted at by coaches) and stillness of the river so early in the morning is something I appreciate every time, even after experiencing it over and over. You will get pushed to your limit if you choose to commit and, even when it is hard to keep pushing in the moment, you are surrounded by coaches and friends who want to see you reach your maximum potential.All the training pays off when you see the results through winning races and getting prizes. It makes me want to push myself even harder, to

achieve even more, and to become the best I can be.

recently, joined our school’s rowing club, and are practising this water sport once a week with your friends. But for those of you who particularly enjoy rowing, have you ever considered taking it further than a fun splash around? About properly committing to it? To be honest, the answer to that is most likely no, because if you know a competitive rower, it is likely you hear a lot of complaints over blisters and leg pain. Assuming that this is your current opinion, I am going to try to change your mind, and hopefully convince a few of you to step up your rowing game along the way. Firstly, rowing is incredibly good for you. Most people think that only your arms are needed for rowing. However, it’s quite the opposite, your legs and core are the most important. Rowing is an amazing cardio exercise, and mainly targets: your upper legs, core, back and shoulders. It is a good workout that

By no means is becoming competitive in the sport the only way to enjoy it - anything is better

than nothing.When I started out, I wasn’t that keen on having one sport take up half of my life. In the end, however, I am glad I did, because it brought me to where I am now, which is incredibly happy (even if I am slightly sleep deprived). Of course, everything I have talked about can be applied to all and any sports, not just rowing. So, if you have a chance to up your game in whatever you do, take it and you will not regret that decision. Finally, to round it all off, a quote from one of my coaches; which is supposed to motivate us to keep pushing, but is slightly concerning to most. ‘Don’t worry - you’ll pass out before you die, so keep pushing and hopefully someone will catch you.’

Artwork: Melis Buberka, UVI

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