University of Minnesota Athletics
Get to Know the Rowers: Senior Katelyn Nichols
3/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Periodically throughout the season, gophersports.com will hold a Q and A session with rowers. This week: Katelyn Nichols.
The most challenging thing I've had to do in college so far is:
Finding the balance between social life, school, work and rowing took a long time. Some days I still don’t think I know how; but I think I’ve figured out how to do the things that I need to in order to be successful, while still time to relax and enjoy being a college student.
My most memorable sports experience was:
I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of some great teams over the years, but I think what takes the cake is crossing the line at Big Tens in ’07 knowing I had won my first Big Ten medal. Then a few hours later when the 1V8 crossed the finish line, and we knew for sure that we had won the Big Ten as a team… I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life.
What is your favorite part of a 2k race and why?
The middle 1000m is the best part of the race because of what just ended and what’s to come. I tend to dislike the first 500m because of the start and settling into the rhythm isn’t as “comfortable”, but the middle 1000m is where we show how fit we are. We’ve always been a team that’s trained to be strong in the middle, when other teams star to fatigue, it’s great to have that confidence that we can move on them. I love getting into the middle of the piece, fighting to for seats all down the race course, getting closer and closer to the last 500m. Once you hit that last 500m to go, it’s a whole other race, but that middle section that gets you there is what I feel most proud of.
If you were to compete in a different sport at the U, what would it be and why?
Soccer. I played competitively ever since I was little, and my team even won state my senior year. At the end of high school I was ready for a break from it, but now after not playing for a few years I realize how much I love it.
Hardest rowing workout that you've done both on the water and on land?
On Land: A Big Fun Friday workout, done in the weight room during our off-season, was the longest and most painful workout I’ve ever done. The 100 rep challenge is when we had to do 100 reps of things like burpees, pushups, inverted rows, and kettle bell swings (and many others) all back to back… I didn’t think I was going to be able to finish.
On the Water: Seat racing my sophomore year in Tennessee; it was one of the most mentally and physically draining workouts. Not only was it hot, humid and muggy out, but we did pieces for at least an hour and a half, which doesn’t count the warm-up time. On top of that I was stressed out analyzing every switch and still trying to perform… it wasn’t fun.
What has been your funniest road trip memory so far?
Junior year when we were on our way back from our winter training trip in San Diego and we stopped at Balboa Park, which has a bunch of different museums. We had a lot of time to kill before our flight, so our coxswain at the time Monika Folker and I went to the Aerospace Museum. When we came out, there was an Oscar Meyer Wienermobile sitting outside. Of course we went over to see it, and since the drivers were from the Midwest too they gave us a ride! The informed us that “you have to be a certain level of not creepy to get a ride in the Wienermobile.” We also learned a little bit of Oscar Meyer vocabulary:
1.) A Wiener-Wagon is a hot dog that has space for beds in the back, it’s meant for long cross country trips.
2.) A Wiener-Mobile is your smaller hot dog car with only seats and a bathroom on board
who knew!
What is a goal that you'd like to accomplish during your lifetime?
I’d love to do a heli-drop some day. It’s when a helicopter hovers over the top of a mountain side, and you jump off and snowboard down the mountain! Buuuut if that doesn’t work out, I’d just like to be as flexible as those people in the yoga videos one day.
If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would you get?
Either JIF Chunky Peanut Butter, or Mexican food (tacos specifically)… both are staples in my diet.
Who has been the most inspiring person in your life and why?
Cliché… but I’d have to say my parents. They’re some amazing people and as I get older I realize more and more what they do for me to help me be successful, and how lucky I am to have them.
If you were stranded on a desert island and you could bring 3 things, what would they be?
1. An endless amount of water (I drink like 3 big Nalgene’s a day without being on a desert island, I’ll need it) and coffee (it should be classified as an addictive drug)
2. JIF chunky peanut butter (I’m not kidding, I love it)
3. iPod and an iHome that runs forever and can fill the whole island with music all day and night
Favorite psych-up or workout music?
For any kind of erg test I’ll have Rage Against the Machines on during the warm-up, and then a combination of Linkin Park and Hoobastank for the test itself. I know it’s kind of cheesy, but it works!
Players Mentioned
