On Goal Setting, Adam van Koeverden (*) writes (*):
my goal is always the same.
I just want to race my very best.
I want to cross the finish line knowing that I couldn’t have gone any faster.
I want to be sure my tank is totally empty, that I executed a perfect race with great, efficient technique and made all these thousands of kilometers in training worthwhile.
That’s why we train so hard, to make our bests even better.
[ I wrote the following late last Sat Night after observing the 3rd Anniversary of Jenny's passing. I decided at the time not to post it, but I figured I need to stop worrying about what people might think of my writings here. This is from my heart and I hope it shows. We are lucky to be doing what we are doing and I am thankful the opportunities and experiences that we make for each other. ]
Today we fly out to Hong Kong for the 2012 World Club Crew Dragon Boat Championships which start on Wednesday and finish on Sunday. This will be my 9th International Event and the third with my Club. So here are a few Thank You's and Observations.
Hong Kong has been a long term goal for many people in the Club. We virtually have everyone going, so to me that indicates we are a unified group that believes in and supports each other. This is true essence of a strong Team and being a Team Player.
It has been fantastic for us to train with purpose and intent with full crews for the last 11 weeks or so.
With a handful of our paddlers flying out yesterday, Thursday night was our last full strength session of the campaign - I was a little sad as we paddled in at end of the session, knowing that it will be a long time before we will train, as a Club, as we have during this Campaign.
I thank my coaches and team mates for their dedication to the Campaign.
The logistics of the campaign have been handled seamlessly and brilliantly from where I sit. Those involved know who they are and I thank them for their amazing job. To organise 60 or so people is no mean feat. Well done.
We have been coached brilliantly and we have trained hard on and off water. The squad is our strongest to participate at a World Club Crews since our first in Penang in 2008.
I hope for many, your goal for Hong Kong is to go and create a fantastic experience for yourself and ourselves. We are creating memories to last a life time.
For some it will be their first International event, while for others, it will another of many. We can all inspire and learn from each other no matter who we are.
There will be different experiences for each one of us and how we respond to them defines who we are and who we will become. Some things will go our/your way and others will not. There is a randomness to it all. There will be feelings of elation, disappointment and every emotion in between. This is what Dragon Boating is all about and big international events like this can magnify these emotions and their impact. My experience (and I have felt it all) and advice with all of this is to be mindful of others and to remember the Sport and our Club is based on the spirit of team work.
I can say that I go with an open heart and mind. For Jo and I, Jenny guides and inspires us from above and she is there for every stroke and moment along the way.
Finally, have fun and in the spirit of Adam's words above, lets put our best races on the water and make our bests even better, no matter what Team you are in. That would be just reward to all for the effort and sacrifice we (and our Families and Friends) have made to able to participate in our sport, against the best in the world, at such a high level event.
Go the Mighty PD's.
