Kristi Answers Listener Questions | Episode 39

*This Transcript is Autogenerated*

Kristi Wagner  0:01  
I was really lucky to get recruited to row at such a great school at Yale and like, I wouldn't have been able to go to that school if it weren't for rowing. I feel like I owe so much to rowing and so much to you know, the coaches and everyone there for like, giving me the opportunity. Welcome to the other three years, a show for anyone who has an Olympic sized dream, they want to turn into a reality. Hi, and welcome to this week's episode of the other three years podcast. This week, I am going to answer some of our listener asked Christy anything questions, and they're kind of like all over the place, I have a wide array of topics. So I think it'll be fun for people to hear my answers to some different questions. But before we get into those questions, I wanted to share an update on what is currently going on in my training. So I'm in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center here with I think 36 members of the US rowing team. So we've been here a few days now. And we're just kind of getting settled into our first week. The reason that we're here is to train at a high altitude to do some altitude training. So we're not rowing, we're just mostly using the herbs, the indoor rowing machines, and then also doing you know, lifts and other cardio and core. And we also get to get out for some fun, like trail runs and hikes and stuff because there's a lot of really fun outdoors places in this area. So the altitude is affects you. So you really feel it, I think it affects everybody in different ways. So we kind of ease into the training a little bit, do some shorter workouts, trying to keep our heart rate in the right zone. So maybe your splits are a little bit slower than they normally are. But yeah, I feel like we've been here a few days now. So I'm definitely a little more acclimated than I was when we first got here. But it's still like really takes it out of you, you just drink so much more water than you're used to drinking and kind of have to eat more food and just make sure you're really getting a lot of rest and recovery. But it's funny, like also sleep is a little bit weird. There's also a slight time change. So I think it just kind of takes a little bit of time to get acclimated to being at this altitude, but also just in a new training environment. You know, we're living in basically dorm rooms, sharing rooms, and that kind of thing, which is awesome. Like, it's so fun to see so many different teammates and people I haven't seen in a while and get to train with such a competitive group in this environment. But it does take a little bit of time to get used to everything. So yeah, settling in and getting workouts done workout by workout and trying to find some fun things to do on the side and enjoy the time because it can get a little monotonous and all the training. So yesterday, we actually went out to Garden of the Gods for a run, which was super fun. And it's we're coming into a bit of a cold spell here. So I was really happy to have the opportunity yesterday when the weather was a little nicer to get out and do that hoping for some more nice weather in the next couple of weeks. So we can do some hikes and stuff like that. So now it is time for our listener questions. So question one,

Speaker 1  3:15  
I'm Alex Pauline. I'm a junior in high school. I'm 17. And I go to Linux, Linux High School,

Unknown Speaker  3:20  
and I wrote for them.

Unknown Speaker  3:21  
What made you get into rowing?

Kristi Wagner  3:23  
So I got into rowing, my friend Allison, in eighth grade wanted to do a rowing camp and I did it with her. It was a learn to row at CRI and it was like two days a week for just a few weeks. So it was the first time I rode it was in a barge. It was when CRI in Boston was still out of there ice skating rink. That's how I learned to row and then the high school that I went to had a rowing team. So when I then the next year, I was a freshman in high school. I joined the Wilmington crew team, and that's how I did it. I don't know, I wasn't good at soccer. So rolling just made sense. I'm

Speaker 2  4:01  
Reese. I'm from Victoria County, Great Barrington, I wrote for Lennox. And I just want to know, would you recommend college rowing?

Kristi Wagner  4:09  
Oh, my goodness, I couldn't recommend college or more. I feel so happy and grateful that I got to row in college like so many of my best memories and best friends and all that stuff. Were from college rowing. I mean, I was really lucky to get recruited to row at such a great school at Yale and like, I wouldn't have been able to go to that school if it weren't for rowing. I feel like I owe so much to rowing and so much to you know, the coaches and everyone there for like, giving me the opportunity. But, I mean, it's a lot of work, college rowing, especially division one college rowing, like especially Ivy League Division One College rowing because you know, there isn't quite the amount of sub there's so much support. There's not quite the amount of support that maybe some other teams have. And there's obviously really high academic pressure as well. So, it was definitely a lot of work. And not every day was super easy. And, you know, I don't think everything went the way that I thought it was gonna go at all. But I had such a good time in college and I loved my team. I loved being on a team like that, like, I haven't experienced something like that since then I probably will never experience a team quite like that. So yes, I would recommend it. Very much. So

Speaker 1  5:22  
my name is Leo McCartan. I wrote for St. Peter's prep in Jersey City. My question is,

Kristi Wagner  5:29  
what is your favorite Cheat Day meal on days that you're not you don't have to be eating? Well, I would preface with saying that I eat. I mean, I do eat well, but I think that, I don't know. I kind of disagree with like cheat day meals. I think that everything in moderation. Makes sense. So I like to have dessert. I like to have doughnuts. I like to have pizza. I don't know. I think that I'm like, What's a donut gonna do to you? I don't think it's going to do anything to you. I think it's going to make you happy, which is going to make you go faster, because happy rowers are faster hours? Of course. Do I think you should be eating like six donuts every day? Probably not. But you know, if you can, if your body can handle that, then maybe my favorite thing though. Maybe it's like a nice ice cream sundae. Like sometimes I'm just really craving that. And that's just what I need. And oh, so good. So, yeah, doughnuts or ice cream sundae? Hi, my

Speaker 3  6:24  
name is Charlotte. And I wrote for Saratoga. And I have a question. What's your biggest inspiration?

Kristi Wagner  6:34  
That's a challenging question. I'll take a really cheesy answer. And just say like, all of my teammates that I've had over the past, I don't know, seven teen years of rowing. I feel like I've gotten to have so many incredible teammates. Um, like when you're in team boats, you're just doing it for the people that are in your boat with you. So I find a lot of inspiration from my teammates. And, you know, watching your teammates, like crush ERG workouts in the winter is so inspiring. And that's what you know, I think, helps me get through the hard times. And same thing on the water, like, watching your teammates perform and achieve their goals is so inspiring and so motivating. So, I'd say all of the amazing people that I get to call my teammates.

Speaker 4  7:17  
Hi, my name is Sansa nella grown, I wrote for Saratoga Rowing Association on my question for Chris Christie is who was the biggest coach that like impacted

Kristi Wagner  7:31  
your rowing career, I'd have to say, a nice man named Eric Adelanto who has been on the podcast, he was still my coach. But Catherine, my coach for such a long time. And he's definitely like, has impacted my writing career more than anyone else. But I've been really fortunate to work with tons of really amazing coaches. And I think the really cool thing about that is that everyone impacts, you know, your career and your trajectory and stuff. Like even coaches that I've only worked with, for a couple of times, I still remember things that they told me and, you know, they impacted me in some way. So I think that it's a combination of, you know, a lot of different people. And it's, it takes a village, right. Like I say, it takes a village to raise a child like, I think it's the same thing in rowing, in any sport, you need a lot of people on your team. So I'm very grateful for everybody that has been hard on me on the water tells me that I am not rowing that well, and encourages me to grow better.

Speaker 2  8:32  
My name is Avery, I wrote for the Linux crew team. And I'm wondering, what do you think about during races?

Kristi Wagner  8:40  
I try not to think too much. And I try to just think about, like the stroke I'm on and the part of the race that I'm in, I try not to think about, you know, if it's going badly, or it's going well like not to get too caught up and not think about the finish line and the end result. But just think about like what's currently happening. And I try to think like technical cues, if I'm bowing and I'm kind of calling the race, like knowing what different things to say, if I'm again, calling the race, like I'll try to pick up on maybe something that could help us. And if we're, you know, sensing the shift in momentum, like calling that out, but I try to just be really focused on like what's currently happening, and not try to get to like, any which way. And I definitely try not to think about how much it hurts because that just doesn't help anyone. And then when all else fails, I just start counting. And I'll count to 10. And if that doesn't work, I'll count to seven. And if that doesn't work, I'll count to five. So counting can help when you're really in the weeds. Hello, I'm Rachel Harmon.

Speaker 5  9:47  
I'm a senior rowing for Saratoga Rowing Association. And my question for Christie is what is the biggest disappointment you faced in your rowing career?

Kristi Wagner  9:56  
Poof, I don't know. I think that I've had a lot setbacks. But I think the important thing is not to get bogged down in the setbacks, and to just kind of ride the waves as they come. But I've definitely had a lot of really frustrating things. My sophomore year of college I wrote in the varsity ate at Yale, and we just had a really disappointing end to our season. And I think I personally handled it pretty badly, like the aftermath of it. So I think my my disappointment maybe wouldn't even be like, the results, even though that was not fun, but it was like how I responded to the result. So I think it taught me a lot. And you know, it's sort of not how you fall, but it's how you get back up. And now when things don't go the way I want them to, like I try to have somewhat better response. And also, like, not sit in it too long. So if something didn't go well, like, yeah, it's okay to be upset, but don't let it drag on and don't let it like become a habit. Hello,

Speaker 6  10:59  
I'm Schaefer Crocky. I go to Linux Memorial High School. And I want to know how early you wake up in the morning,

Kristi Wagner  11:07  
I wake up at different times, depending on when practice starts. I say I wake up about 90 minutes before practice starts. So practice starts at seven, I wake up about 530. If I get starts at eight, oh, I go about 630. So it just kind of depends what we're doing and where practices also like how much of a commute I have, sometimes the commute is much shorter, sometimes it's much longer. But I do like to eat a full breakfast. So I can't just wake up and roll out of bed and get on the water for two hours I need to eat. And I also need to do all of my stretching and prehab and all that stuff, which takes a little while. So yeah, I'd say between 90 minutes and two hours, usually around 90 minutes before, before we start, hey, this is Morgan stair, and I am wondering, how fast can you launch? That's a good question. I can do it very quickly. I sometimes lollygag a bit. So if there's nobody on the dock and I'm you know not there's practice isn't about to start, I have a few minutes. Sometimes I'll be a little slow. I'll put my oars in slowly, I'll take my shoes off slowly get everything situated, maybe I'll do an extra stretch. But if I have to, I think I can do it pretty quick, like under a minute. And same thing getting off the dock. Like when we come back in I can if there's a lot of people and there's a line, I can do it. lickety split, I tend to wear shoes that are pretty easy to put on to like no laces. So it's pretty, pretty quick. Hi,

Speaker 7  12:31  
I'm James Paul, without growing. But my question for Christie is, what would you tell a young rower who's just who's just starting out, and who has the goals of striving to go to the Olympics,

Kristi Wagner  12:45  
I would just say that, that's awesome. And don't let anybody tell you that your goals aren't valid, or that you can achieve them. I think that really, anybody can do anything they set their mind to. And it might take longer than you think. But that's okay. But I'd also say to just live in, like, whatever stage you're in. And that's something I think I've been really grateful for, like when I was in high school, I just lived in high school and I cared about high school races and my high school team and you know, all that stuff. And then the same thing in college, like very focused on that stage and doing what I was doing for the good of the team that I was on. And you know, all of that. And then in elite rowing, like being focused on that, so and not getting bogged down maybe with where you've been or where you want to go. But just what can I do today, that's going to make me the best version of myself and make me a little bit better than yesterday. And, like, it's not to say that you're seeing improvement every day, because that would be kind of crazy. But it's more that you're getting the most out of yourself that day. And I think then it's also much more manageable. Like, okay, I know, I can do my workouts today. I know I can do this one workout right now, I know I can do this with one piece right now. And like, that's so much less scary than saying, I got this whole season in front of me, I have a whole year in front of me, I have four years in front of me. Like that's overwhelming. So I think just breaking it down into bite sized chunks. And having intermediary goals on the way to the big goal is how you end up achieving really great things. So those were really awesome questions. And thank you to all of our awesome listeners that asked them I think that they were really fun. And if you have other questions, be sure to send them in because it's super fun to ask answer our listeners questions. So before I leave you this week, I'm just going to leave you with a quote of the week. I think my quote of the week is from Wolfgang rheb. And he said no one is perfect. That's why Pencils have erasers. So with that, I hope you all have a great week and I will see you next time. Thanks so much for listening. Bye

I'd love to hear from you. So send us a topic suggestion or if you'd like to submit a question for our Ask Christy anything segment, head to our website, the other three years.com

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