This "hire a trainer" suggestion – even though you work out all the time and know a fair amount about it – is interesting. Early insight: you underestimate what you could be doing. People in the business take a look at where you are now and do not go, Wow, nice going…that’s fine.. No, they see this as the starting point to go someplace more ineresting. Which pushes you, even if you don’t do everything they say.

This morning, for instance, it is warm and rainy…a good day to stay home and do a little elliptical work. But I know I have to see this guy tomorrow so off I go and do a three mile row in the rain. Which was no where near as hard or unpleasant as I had anticipated. The trainer raises the bar. You climb over itl. Interesting. Maybe tomorrow I’ll sleep in….pretend I forgot. We are to meet at 7 a.m., at the boathouse. Maybe I am overdoing this stuff.