The overriding goal this workout was not to drive off the stretcher before the weight is forward on the feet. So I ignored most of the things that normally distract me and focused instead on getting my weight forward onto my feet. In due course I found myself rowing the last intervals of the workout with eyes shut. And what did rowing eyes shut teach me? The obvious! That I am allowing myself to be distracted by the numbers on the Performance Monitor — Split Times, Stroke Count, Drive Length, even Heart Rate.

After years of searching I finally seem to have found a Style that I can understand and that seems right for me. Now, while I am on the erg or on water, don’t I need to concentrate on rowing in this Style? Other things, the less important things, they can wait until I finish the workout.