row2k Features
Interview
Kady Glessner
November 3, 2009
Oli Rosenbladt, row2k.com

Glessner during training row before Worlds

A quick row2k interview with recent Northeastern graduate Kady Glessner, who went from rookie on the US Senior team in 2009, to stroking the women's eight to a world championship.

row2k - You came into the stroke seat of the W8+ as a last-minute sub during the world cup at Lucerne; can you describe what that was like?
Kady Glessner - Honestly, it was terrifying. I had never really stroked before so it was foreign territory to me. We didn't really get an opportunity to practice the new line up with me at stroke before race day so we went into the race without any idea what race pace would feel like. I was fortunate to have Katelin Snyder coxing, I've known her for a few years now and she was really helpful in keeping me calm. Caroline sitting behind me was also really helpful. When we pulled up to the start line she said to me "No matter what, I have your back." That helped me relax so I could just think about pulling. Tom told me to not think about rhythm, just power. I still have no idea what that race felt like but I know I had never pulled that hard for 2k. In hindsight it was a valuable experience, though that weekend was extraordinarily stressful.

row2k - Your stint in the W8+ stroke seat was supposed to be temporary; when did it start to become clear that this might be a more permanent arrangement?
Kady Glessner - It wasn't really clear that I would be stroking until we were at worlds. Once the boat had been named at the end of July we went through several different line ups and I really hadn't been stroking at all. About 3 days before we left I was put in stroke seat for a workout where we did some pieces against the quad and it went pretty well. We came off the water and Tom said that he wasn't sure what the line up would be, that caroline might stroke or I might and we would figure it out in Poland. Our first day in Poland we got to the course and the boat was set for me to stroke. For the first few days I was prepared for him to change the line up and move me out of stroke. But after about 4 days in Poland I realized that he was probably not going to change the line up and I would be sitting stroke.

row2k - You finished the summer as stroke of the world-champion W8+ as a senior-team rookie...at what point of the summer did you feel like that seat was really working for you?
Kady Glessner - I think after I had finished my first race at stroke I realized I was capable of stroking a race, but I think it began to really fit once we were in Poland. I was a lot more confident in setting a rhythm and I was a lot more comfortable sitting in that seat once I knew I would be sitting there for race day at worlds.

row2k - In the Women's Eight this year you had a good mix of old hands and young guns; how did that dynamic work out?
Kady Glessner - For me, being a young gun, that dynamic was really helpful. Having the Olympic gold medallists in the boat was a huge advantage for me because they could teach me a lot about racing. I was new and eager to prove myself to them so it pushed me to work harder, to give it my all everyday to show them that I could keep up. The mix of old and new I think made for a fiercely competitive group which is what made us fast.

row2k - Were there any teammates that particularly helped you out this year, and in what way?
Kady Glessner - There isn't any one teammate that sticks out as particularly helpful. The whole group was helpful in different ways, I learned a lot from everyone. I loved getting to race with Katelin because she has been my coxswain for all my international races and I found a lot of comfort in the familiarity of racing with her. I think the people that were the most helpful were the people that trusted me as a racer. Katelin has raced with me enough to know me as an athlete and trust me as a competitor. That bond was helpful for me being a new kid on the team.

row2k - What was the single biggest thing you learned or change you made this year?
Kady Glessner - The biggest thing I learned is that I can always go harder. I have always loved racing, race day is what I have always lived for. Now I feel like there is no limit to how hard hard I can pull, no limit to how far I can push my body. I am excited to see how much farther I can go and how much speed I can get out of myself.

row2k - You had to take 2007 off due to injury, after winning U23s in 2006. What goes through an athletes' mind when you reach a certain level of the sport, then have to take a long time off?
Kady Glessner - When I first found out I had to take months off from rowing I was terrified I would not be able to get back into it. I was scared about losing all the years of work I had put into the sport and into my body. And I was scared that the injury would never go away and that I would not be able to get on my back projected trajectory in the sport. It was terrifying to have my body fail me like that. Its scary when it feels like there is suddenly a limit to what you can do. But once I got past the initial fear of losing everything, I focused on getting better and making my body work again.

row2k - Was there anybody or a group of people who helped you bounce back after 2007?
Kady Glessner - Dave O'Neill was hugely influential in my continuing to row. I have known Dave since the summer of 2005 when I did a USrowing development camp at Cal. He was the first person to suggest that I try out for u23's. And then he was my coach the first year I did u23's and again the next summer when I had to leave camp because of my injury. Dave really encouraged me to find a way to get back into rowing and was great source of support for me while I worked on finding a way to start training again.

row2k - In your "comeback year" in 2008, you won gold at the U23s again. Did you expect to get back to the top of your game that quickly?
Kady Glessner - I don't know that I expected anything that summer. I was looking for a way to get back into rowing and I knew that I would eventually want to try out for the national team. The opportunity to go to camp presented itself a little unexpectedly and I took it not really knowing how my body would hold up. Once I got to camp and I saw that my body could handle training full time, I set my sights on making the boat and worked hard to get my fitness back. Once I made the boat, I focused on winning. I didn't think too much about the big picture. I took it practice by practice and tried to make the most of the opportunity I had been given to train and race at that level. I didn't see my having taken time off as an excuse to not perform to the best of my abilities. I didn't expect things to happen that way, I just didn't think I had any excuse to not give it my all.

row2k - Is trying out and making the national team more a question of getting the breaks, hoping, or focus, or some combination of all three?
Kady Glessner - I think its mostly focus and the willingness to put in the time for training. I think some people get breaks and some people don't, but I don't think that everyone who gets breaks always makes the national team and I have seen people who never get a break make it. I don't think its hoping, I think when hope is put into focused action then you are a force to be reckoned with.

row2k - What is your ultimate goal in rowing?
Kady Glessner - Like any athlete, I love to compete. My goal is to race and to win. I want to race the top athletes at the top competitions. I want to work my body hard and see how far I can push myself. My goal is simple, my goal is to win.

SUPPORT ROW2K
If you enjoy and rely on row2k, we need your help to be able to keep doing all this. Though row2k sometimes looks like a big, outside-funded operation, it mainly runs on enthusiasm and grit. Help us keep it coming, thank you! Learn more.


Comments

Log in to comment
PJ
11/04/2009  8:16:11 AM
What an amazing comeback after a season ending injury! It must be on the focus to win.


(unknown)
11/03/2009  1:00:02 PM
great and inspirational!



Rowing Features
Rowing Headlines
ADVERTISEMENT
row2k media is not responsible for external ad content
Get our Newsletter!

Support row2k!

Tremendous thanks to our
row2k supporters!

Get Social with row2k!
Like row2k on Facebook Follow row2k on Twitter Follow row2k on Instagram Follow row2k on Youtube Connect with row2k on LinkedIn

Get the row2k app!

row2k rowing store!

Get our Newsletter!
Enter your email address to receive our weekly newsletter.

Support row2k!


Advertiser Index
Advertise on row2k