After the first ten strokes we are at full stretch, rating in the region of forty-six strokes to the minute. Move for ten. Stop the boat from bouncing, just by leaning on it, squeezing the finishes. We must take control of the boat now so that we can race. Here the racing really starts.
Nobody ever wins a race in the first twenty strokes.
We all feel in top form, like we could keep this up forever, but experience tells us that we are going to regret such irreverent thoughts. The middle thousand. This is where you learn respect. Respect for rowing. Respect for other people.