rowing and kite running

Today was a York rowing regatta. I ended up racing with the sculling partner I found, plus two more people and a cox, in a rowing four (four people with one blade each). Very different to the planned race in a double scull (two people with two blades each, no cox). We had three training outings for me to remember how to row rather than scull -- there’s some fairly major differences between the two! Due to a bye and the non-appearance of our quarter-final opponents we arrived straight into the semi-final which we lost by a length and a half to formidable opposition from York City. I was terrified at the beginning of the race. I think it took us all a good 30 seconds to focus, that’s where we lost the race. The next 875 metres we were gaining. It is always so hard to come back from beind though. Overall though we were pleased with our performance and it was so enjoyable working that hard as five people together.

The camaradarie of group sporting endeavour takes me back to childhood when I was turning twelve and a few of us would play football after school, unsupervised for a good hour or so, sometimes the buzz was so strong we’d lose track of time altogether. There’s something about wanting to perform for its own sake which appeals so much more than sport by obligation.

Both experiences offer a connectivity which I found powerfully explored in the ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini which I read last week. The book is mainly set in Afghanistan. It reminded me of the strength of relationship which can grow between children who endeavour together in simple and yet not so simple ways: the main example here being kite flying and kite running (the explaining belongs in the book). The book also explores the social forces that can even shatter the bonds of childhood friendship. A tragic read with several helpings of suffering loss and violence. I cried three times.