Representing the United States has been my longest race yet, and it all started about six winters ago.  I had just begun high school that fall, and homework, friends and the school band weren't keeping me busy enough.  I wanted to get involved in sports.  As a blind person I always thought my options were pretty limited--archery was out, track and field was doable but not interesting, and the thought of trying out for the football team made me laugh.  One of my friends recommended rowing, told me it was an awesome workout and that no, I wouldn't have steer.  So I decided (without telling my parents) to take some erging classes and see what happened.  I started in December, did my first 2k the following February, and tried out for my Freshmen team that spring.  With no water experience and a sum total of two months time as an athlete, I was one of the 12 selected for the team out of a pool of 18.  My racing life had begun.

In 2006 I got a call from a lady from Philadelphia named Isabel Bohn who asked me if I wanted to try out for the U.S..  Adaptive National team and compete in the World Rowing Championships.  She'd gotten my name from an article about a trip I was taking to Machu Picchu that happened to mention crew.  So I went to Philly and put my hat in the ring (insert your own rowing metaphor).  I didn't make the team that year, or the year after, but every time the try-out reminded me how much potential I had as a rower.

Being on the team I've dreamed about for three years is definitely surreal.  In the words of some dead Greek philosopher, I don't know what I don't know.  I hope to bring a different perspective to my posts, and give you the highs, lows and in-betweens of a first-time competitor.  And while there's a lot I will undoubtedly learn, I wouldn't be here if I didn't understand and love the basic, primal challenge of this competition: the race.