Intense practice results in sacrifice

It's 8 a.m. What have you done today?\nThe crew team has been training in the water of Lake Lemon for two hours. To some it might seem crazy, but to the team it is routine. Whichever the case, it's the reason for the success of the women rowers.\nThe athletes stepped off the team bus at 5:30 a.m. Thursday. Although they could faintly see their shoes in the the darkness, they could certainly hear the whispers of Lake Lemon nearby. \nEach of the nine girls carried their boat from the storage garage down the 60-foot wooden dock, where the boat was placed in the water, and practice began.\nOn campus, students were sleeping. The early risers would not awake for another hour, many of whom complain about 8 a.m. classes. \nIs this type of training insane? Junior coxswain Mary Hubbard said she doesn't think so.\n"This is a normal life," Hubbard said. "I just do a hell of a lot more than everybody else."\nAt 6 a.m., the women started their workout. Twelve yards away from the team in the coaches' boat, faces are not recognizable. Vision is limited and the water is cold, but the team began their training with coach Mark Wilson's beginning command of, "Ten strokes per stroke set." The team understands this demand and begins its strokes toward the orange morning skyline.\nIt's Thursday and students will gather in masses at houses and bars to celebrate Homecoming week or the fact that another week of tests was survived. But the crew team has practice well before the sun lights the lake. \nBut the athletes said they don't feel they miss out on these type of experiences. \nSophomore Emily Coblentz said she doesn't miss a thing.\n"I feel that rowing is a unique college experience," Coblentz said. "And it is the only way I would want to experience college."\nThe training flows on and the sky gives way to light. A mist arises from the rower's skin as the sweat mixes with the cold breeze. Wilson demands performance through a megaphone covered in IU athletic stickers. It is only 7:30 a.m. but for the girls, the morning session is drawing to a close. Wilson demands one more "piece" lasting 15 minutes for the two boats. The women do not complain, they push harder.\nAs Hubbard explained, a strong performance affects more than just that practice.\n"It is a great start to my day, having a great piece sets the tone for the rest of the day," Hubbard said. \nStrength training three days per week follows the early morning practice. Team members also mount their boats in the afternoon for a second round of practice on the lake, often in choppy water conditions.\nDedication and practices like these have boosted the rowing team to successful finishes in each of its three fall regattas. The varsity and novice eight boats have been impressive all year. \nIn the team's first race of the season in Chicago, each team placed first in their races. That was followed by an impressive showing in Rockford, Ill. where the novice team placed second among a field of 28 boats. \nIn last weekend's race at Lake Lemon, the varsity eight and novice eight each won their races in front of the home crowd. IU will be trying to continue the winning trend this weekend at the Head of the Eagle in Indianapolis.\nSenior Beth Lund said despite the difficult training, the changing of the seasons keeps the team fresh.\n"We do get run down, but then we switch into winter season," Lund said. "Spring season comes along and we are run down by the end, but then we switch into summer."\nIt's 8 a.m. What have you done today?