Everyday I get on the water with the thought that this will be the day that I push myself harder than ever before. My favorite words to hear uttered from my coach are "full pressure." I start rowing, trying to stay in control as I move up the slide, and then let the power in my legs explode as I pull the oar through the water. With each stroke the burning in my legs increases, but my only thoughts are of putting more distance between myself and the other boats in the water. The coxswain yells for a power ten. I hear someone screaming, and then realize that the sound is actually coming from myself as I try and find any last bit of strength hiding in my body. I leave every ounce of energy out on the water, because I know that if I don't, the other boat will. The burning in my legs is replaced with the relization that I can feel the skin being torn lose from my hands. My world starts to become black around the edges as the words "final stretch" echo through the air. My body begs for mercy, for rest, but I push it even harder. The end finally comes when I have exhausted all the strength in my body. As the adrenaline fades away the fire in my hands increase. I look down and see blood covering my oar, and new blisters forming on my hands. Yet the only thing that makes any difference to me is if my boat beat the other boat by a greater distance today than yesterday.