Margot Shumway
The "t" is silent
In 2003, when I was training in Augusta, GA, the team went out for a row and launched heading upriver. It was windy and choppy – two things that made my already crappy rowing even crappier. As my teammates rowed, the lengths between us increased and increased and so did my anxiety. I quickly...
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The Head of the Charles Regatta is the pinnacle of fall racing. How do you refocus once the event is over?...
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Synchronicity shows up when we least expect it. This past weekend two things happened which have me reflecting on my writing and my life. And something I realized was that it’s time to live my truth. First, I had the chance to chat with a friend and former athlete who is also a writer....
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When I started rowing, winning a gold medal was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to learn to row because it terrified me, and somewhere deep inside, I knew it would change my life. So when one of my first coaches asked me “Do you want to win a gold medal?” I...
Continue readingAll leaders make mistakes. The best ones learn from their mistakes and never blame their people. In 2014 I was coaching the lightweight men’s quad out of Riverside Boat Club. The boat was rough around the edges but the guys were fit and strong and moving fast. Trials were coming up and if they...
Continue readingEffective communication is key to high performance. If you want to get a message across you can speak calmly and directly. Or you can yell. Both will get a message across. But not necessarily the message you want to convey. And not necessarily a message that adds real value. Any kind of real leader,...
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Champions are often born out of the worst of times. ...
Continue readingWhen I lived in DC I rowed at Potomac Boat Club. My favorite spot to row was behind Roosevelt Island. We usually didn’t do a lot of rowing back there since our group of scullers was quite large at times. But in the afternoons, which were primarily on my own it was my go...
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People ask me if I miss coaching. When I stopped rowing in 2012 people asked me the same question. Do you miss it? The answer is no. And it sounds weird and harsh to say that but it’s not because I’m callous and don’t care. If I missed coaching or rowing I would still...
Continue readingI can feel it still. I see video of myself rowing when I was in my prime. I can feel the impulse, the rhythm, the power. I don’t row much at all anymore. I’m on the water coaching too many hours of the day to have the energy to get out and put in...
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