Racing schedule

Just so you know, we've got two races:

Race for lane Weds 26th Aug @ 0948 (0848 GMT)

A final Sun 30th Aug @ 0945 (0845 GMT)

Apparently it's being shown on BBC 2 but (i) not sure when coverage starts and if it'll be live and (ii) if they'll even cover our race as we're NOS (non-olympic scum, I mean squad - the Olympic boat crews' name for us!) but you never know, we might get a mention. Depends how we do I guess!

I also feel obliged to let you know the expectations of the crew and coaches as there seems to be a certain feeing amongst friends and family that winning is a given and I'm just playing it down as I'm a 'glass half empty' sort of girl. The truth of the matter is that success would be medalling. Last year the crew - of which all this year's crew except me were in - came 4th. The GB wlwt4x has NEVER won the World Championships, ever, period. Our competition will not be expecting us to be a threat. Poland and Germany are the favourites, the USA and Canada will be expecting to medal if not challenge for the title. The bronze would be awesome, the silver a real success - the gold unbelievable. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying we're not going to aim for the top prize. All 4 of us are going to lay everything we've got on the line and nothing will be held back - we're going to sell the farm as they say, blow the doors off, take it to them. I expect to have nothing to give with 500m to go, but keep going. Last year's winners (Australia, who are not here so the World Champions will be new this year) were 4th at halfway, 2nd with 500m to go - the race isn't over until we reach the line, and a race can be won by less than the length of the tip of your thumb. However, I just wanted to let you all know where we currently sit and where our minds and that of the squad are at. However, we have faith in ourselves and each other and know that, whatever happens, nothing will be left out on the course.