Page 15 - RADC 2017

dark side, I knew I had to just keep going.
I could hear Rob talking to me “pull it back Nik, keep going, Okay Nik, slow it down, longer strokes”. 500m to go and this was it, the time to let go and let the pain enter my body, and the pain did come! I had to ignore everything around me and go somewhere to have a strong word with myself! 2km, finished, 07:22:4, a new PB! So exhausted, I collapsed off the rowing machine with
my feet still stuck in the straps. I did it! My first official race! After catching my breath,
I peeled myself off the floor and stumbled over to the results
panel, and waited to
see where I had come.
There it was, Nikki
Kelly, Female HWT,
07:22:4, Silver Medal.
parents and countless congrats from friends. I walked into work with a silver and gold medal from the English Indoor Rowing Championships 2017 and my surprised SDO gladly blew my trumpet at RHQ!
After my success, I was approached by an elite indoor rowing club “SUB7” who wanted me to be part of their “family”.
I accepted and with that came a new challenge, I had been asked to take part in a world Record Attempt for a mixed relay 100km. This challenge was epic as it was all sprint work, 16 people pulling for
Tired but happy I
now had to sit and
wait 5 hours until
my next race! After
a lot of foam rolling
and stretching, not
to mention refuelling, I was back on the rowing machine warming up, only this time
I got scared as I began to seize up and my energy had dramatically dropped. After a stern word from my husband I pulled myself together and waited to start the 500m sprint. “SIT READY, ATTENTION, ROW” and I was off again, but this time it was “no holds barred”. I began to feel the lactic acid build quicker and quicker but I was on track for
a new PB so I kept going. The last twenty seconds were agony but I had to do it. Not only did I achieve my PB 01:38:0 but I also won a GOLD medal!
My day was over, a tired but overwhelmed body made it back home with two proud
Tired but happy I now had to sit and wait 5 hours until my next race!
seconds. I can safely say that I am built for sprints not long distance, however it was for an amazing cause.
I have taken some much needed time
off from competition training before the season kicks off again in the autumn. My goal was to compete in the British Indoor Rowing Championships this December, however I will be on a much needed holiday in Australia, so my aim now is to tackle the English Indoor Rowing Championships again next January and perhaps walk away with another cheeky medal.
I didn’t really get into rowing until other sports were taken away from me due
to my downgrade, and I had to think of alternative sports that could still offer me the cardio fitness and overall body workout. Being medically downgraded does not bar you from all sports and goals can still be achieved. I am more than happy to help people get into rowing or offer advice. Hopefully I have opened the idea of indoor rowing to the RADC and when I compete in the RCIRL next year I can fly the RADC Flag with pride.
approximately 15 strokes on one rowing machine, rolling off whilst someone jumps on and so on for 100km. We did it, and created a new WR 100Km and British Record in 4:50:44:1. A few calories burned that day and a new certificate for my wall!
After spending months training in sprints I decided to turn it on its head and go for the endurance and long distance. I could find no better encouragement than to take to part in a charity rowing event for “The Brain Tumour Charity”. Ann Atkins, who has a daughter fighting cancer at the moment, was asking for help through SUB7 and needed one person to take part in a 100km row to make a tandem row WR. I thought why not! It
was for a great cause and we raised over £32k over one weekend for the charity. I was joining forces with Kirsty Pitman, a lightweight (LWT) female, and together we raised over £1000 and got a new WR for 100km- 7 hours, 14 minutes and 26
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