The power phase is then followed by a drop in the rate as the back comes in and lays down the power. This step-down is referred to as the Stride (another rowing term). We often call this the "Reach" for legacy reasons, but it is a misnomer of sorts, as one should have been reaching properly forward from the start anyway. When shortening up is used to gain rate, it occurs from a truncation of the finish, not the catch.

The pace settled into after the stride is the cruising rate that will dominate most of the rest of the race. It is important to hit this rate quickly and smoothly so as to settle straight away into a powerful rhythm. The first stroke of the stride is traditionally the hardest stroke of the race - an almighty shove to launch the rhythm for the rest of the race.

In any event, starts should be practiced and decided upon beforehand, so that everyone knows exactly what to do. During the start pattern (everything up to the stride) it is vital that other boats are entirely ignored, and that your focus is completely on what you are doing.

Final point: The start is a sprint. Getting ahead is psychologically very important for flustering another crew, and forcing them into making errors. Hold back nothing in the start. After the stride you'll start to stretch out and breathe, and settle into a rhythm. It is very tough, both mentally and physically, to haul in a crew that has taken you off the start. Shut them out; get ahead and lay down the rhythm. If you're lucky, they'll scramble, and the race is yours.

Series

A Series is usually in the form of a "power ten" (rowing again; ten being fairly arbitrary - but easy to count). The rating is increased slightly, and everyone pulls as hard as possible for ten strokes. The main idea is to gain several metres on another crew. It also helps to refocus the crew, as it is easy - particularly in long races - to "zone out" and inadvertently slack off the power, or lose one's timing.

In training we sometimes try Series with creative names like "technical Series" or "rhythm drive". The former is a call to refocus on perfect technique and thereby gain a extra 5% or so power. The latter is a call to check your timing, to make sure that your body is swinging exactly with everyone else's, to check that you are really using your back to get maximum power, and to make sure that you are twisting properly. Essentially it's a call to use your body to rebuild a faltering rhythm.

The final Series is the "Kick" (another legacy term). This is the big burn for home with twenty or thirty strokes to go. Every last bit of energy is committed to the race. It is important not to go completely berserk, flailing about and losing your timing. Look up when the kick is called, and get an idea of where the finish line is so that you don't mispace yourself and either blow completely ten strokes before the end, or cruise over the line with energy to spare.

All these Series will be called (usually by the stroke, drummer, coach or sweep - don't get excited and call your own) as "Series name", three, two, one..." or something similar. Everyone commits to the Series on the stroke following "one". It is very important not to subvert the whole manoeuvre by relaxing on the "three, two , one" and killing the boat speed in anticipation of the Series. If anything, start squeezing up the power during these strokes and think about your technique.

Race Psychology

One of the most difficult things to teach or learn about racing in a power/endurance sport is how to really push yourself. It takes lots of time and experience to discover exactly where your physical limits lie, and then consistently force yourself to race as close to that level as possible, whilst slowly pushing the envelope of you limits in the longer-term. Use training sessions as an opportunity to try racing outside your capacity. Make an effort to occasionally "blow" completely or cramp up before the finish. Try to feel nauseous at the end. By see-sawing about your limit in this way, you learn to race extremely close to it. Don't just rely on race adrenaline and other crews to push you; learn to race in a vacuum. Learn how to give 100% five months before an event, in the driving raint, when it doesn't count, only six of you have pitched for the session and no-one is watching. Winning big events is only ever the product of hard-work. Big races are won and lost months before the event.

Over time, if you want to become seriously competitive, you have to learn to develop a "hardcore", "psycho" racing mentality. The key phrase is Controlled Aggression. Go crazy, but stay in time and retain your technique. The better you get, the more pain you must expect - since you'll learn how to hurt yourself more comprehensively. Develop an "I love pain; I want more pain" ethos. Try to be suffering more than anyone else in the last ten strokes. Imagine yourself having won by inches and being carried off in a stretcher.

Remember: overdoing it and hurting your muscles (responsibly - and over time) causes slight tears in the muscle fibres, which then heal larger and stronger. You need to actually damage yourself a bit to get stronger.

Crew Selections and Positions

Crew selection in our club is the coach's job, subject to the ratification of the captain. Crews are always chosen and people placed in particular seats for a reason. If anyone has a problem with a decision, then they must approach the coach rather than complaining about it to others and undermining the coach and captain's positions. Ultimately they are responsible for getting the best performances out a club, and will never be able to please everyone all of the time. Remember that the sport is called Dragon Boat Racing. Winning is important. It is a reward for long and painful training. In an amateur sport it is the greatest reward. It also attracts sponsors and new people to the club. Perhaps most importantly, doing the best we can is a mark of respect for our opposition.

"You've got the dream, but not the drive,"

Clearly what the quote means was that it is all very well to want to get selected for the crew, win races, etc. - but such dreams will all come to nought if you are not prepared to commit yourself to continual improvement through dedication and training.

We will always try to win races. That means that we will always race our fastest crew in a final. If you are not in a crew, it should be an incentive to you to train harder, gain more experience, and work on your technique. You cannot expect to race an event ahead of people who move a boat faster than you. Such is the nature of competitive sport, and in my experience it can be a massive motivating factor for an individual to improve. Competing amongst ourselves is the first step in becoming more competitive as a crew. Most team sports are far more brutal than Dragon Boat Racing when it comes to selection, and are usually the better for it. Remember: anybody can get stronger and better - it just depends on how much you want it.

Even if you don't get to race in a final, you will probably still have the opportunity to race in heats and thereby gain experience. It is important that we are able to do this as it allows us to rest key people for finals. If you feel that the selectors have erred in leaving you out, prove it to them by paddling better in training and by pulling faster time trials. I find it difficult to support the idea of basing selection primarily upon frequency of attendance at practice. Whilst this approach may improve attendance, it has the serious drawback of encouraging slacking-off in training - as people begin to feel that they have safeguarded their spot in the boat from sudden arrivals, and thus don't need to prove themselves physically. If you are always wondering when some super-fit athlete might pitch up and usurp your seat, you will be encouraged to train a whole lot harder to shut them out.

As a general guide, heavier people will tend to be placed toward the back of the boat, so as to keep the nose up and reduce drag and bow-wake. This is necessary, so slim down if you want to be considered for paddling up front. Unnecessary weight only slows the boat down, so if you want to become really competitive in the long term, get lean and improve your power/weight ratio.

Very inflexible people, or those who for whatever reason fail to twist or stretch sufficiently forward, become a big impediment to the paddlers behind them. There are only a few places where such people can be placed: at the very back, or in front of a gap. We sometimes race a full boat, with no gaps - so you may well get excluded if you fall into this category, as no amount of strength can make up for impeding everyone behind you.

The bulkheads (seats with solid ribs underneath) are very uncomfortable to paddle behind with long legs, so shorter people tend to be placed here. If we race with eighteen or sixteen, the gaps will be behind the bulkheads. New people will tend to be placed near the back, or in front of gaps, and only raced in heats and minor events until they become fit and technically proficient. Everyone starts this way. Soldier through it, and aim to become a "utility" paddler, who can paddle either side and any seat without complaint A squad full of utility paddlers makes a coach's job a whole lot easier.

Those able to paddle with equal proficiency on both sides will naturally be favoured for three reasons: they will become less fatigued over the course of a day's racing; they make it easier to balance the weight distribution in the boat; and it is easier to pair them with appropriate partners.

Notwithstanding all of this, in the end, the prime determinants of success are strength and fitness. You can have all the technique and experience in the world, but still get hammered by a scratch crew of canoeists or rowers who've never been in a dragonboat, but train seven times a week on the water and in the gym.