Michael Stolper Named Schuylkill Navy Masters Athlete of the Year
February 18, 2009
“A stroke-by-stroke winning approach
to training through adversity”
by Yasemin Watkins
“Stress is my mistress,” says Michael Stolper, founding partner of Veritable LP. And 2008 had plenty of it to offer. With the help of Olympian and world champion rower, Bob Kaehler, Stolper navigated through obstacles and adversity, and stroked his way to his first-ever win at the 2008 Head of the Charles Regatta in the Grand Master Single (50+) category. One (1) week later, he followed-up with another win at the 2008 Head of the Schuylkill in the Master Single (50-59) category.
Held annually in Boston, MA, the Head of the Charles is the world’s largest rowing regatta. It attracts more than 8,500 competitors, including former Olympians and World Champions, and 300,000 spectators worldwide.
A lingering back injury, a scull-splitting collision, and a global financial crisis — all within weeks of each other — nearly side-lined Stolper’s competitive rowing goals. Yet he remained determined to bridge a 34 second gap that separated him from the winner of the 2007 Head of the Charles.
Although only a fraction of a minute, in rowing terms the margin is huge. It can be the difference of a first place and in Stolper’s case in 2007, a still-respectable fourth.
No longer content with a top-five finish, Stolper knew he needed expert advice from an experienced source to make the next big leap. With four months left to train, he consulted Bob Kaehler, widely recognized in rowing circles, as the person to develop the plan and provide the support to get him there.
“Bob’s plan essentially removed a huge stress,” says Stolper. “He eliminated the need to plan a schedule to lead to a particular end.”
In this case, the end would be a victory at the Head of the Charles regatta, and another one week later at the Head of the Schuylkill.
At the ultra-competitive Charles, Stolper knew his chief competition would include a former Olympic medalist, a national team rower, and a C.R.A.S.H. B winner (indoor world rowing championships). Stolper had his hands full.
Married with four daughters, Stolper started rowing 15 years ago, in his min 30’s. At that time, he purchased a Model B ergometer, or a rowing machine, to get some exercise and relief from the daily stress of running an investment firm. “My wife thought it was just another useless exercise machine that will never get used,” confessed Stolper. So, he placed it in his living room and kept a journal of “cost per row.”
In no time at all, Stolper had justified the purchase.
Methodical in his approach, he consulted an on-line reference for time benchmarks according to age, weight and sex, and began his steady climb up the charts based on rapidly improving results for 2500m, and later, 2K distances. “Erging offered flexibility and suited my personality,” said Stolper.
Stolper discussed his progress on the erg with another former national team rower, Frank Rowe. “Frank thought my competitiveness was unusual,” said Stolper. “He suggested I get on the water.”
From his first stroke, Stolper was hooked on sculling. He enjoyed rowing on the water so much that he eventually purchased two sculling crafts to continue rowing at his summer home in New Hampshire.
At first, Stolper’s training involved racing anyone at the club, erging during the winter, and some conditioning work. Steady improvement lead to a 4th place finish at the 2007 Head of the Charles regatta. 34 seconds separated him from the winning time.
By most standards, a top-five finish at a prestigious race would be considered a success, but Stolper, a self-confessed “type A personality” thought otherwise. He wondered what it would take to bridge the gap, and make big leap to 1st place. The competition at the Charles is tight and intimidating. With four months left to train, Stolper was convinced he needed professional support to reach his goals.
At this point, Rowe introduced Stolper to Kaehler. Stolper noticed immediately that Kaehler was, “supremely confident.” And says Stolper, he passes this confidence onto his clients. “He leaves no room for self-doubt. I felt like I had a support crew.”
Kaehler, also a Charles champion in 1994, ’95 and ’99 in the championship 8+, thoroughly assessed Stolper’s strength, flexibility and muscle balance. Based on those results, he combined decades of experience as a physical therapist and world-caliber athlete and designed a “day by day schedule of land and rowing workouts to maximize my race readiness for the Charles,” said Stolper.
Kaehler’s plan also included detailed information on rest and taper periods, and advice for proper sleep and nutrition. His approach was also flexible and interactive. He made “adjustments to the program based on my progress and even worked around my busy family, business and travel schedules,” said Stolper. “Throughout the process he never once seemed to doubt that he could help me overcome those 34 seconds.”
With only weeks left in his preparation for the Charles, Stolper encountered a chilling set-back on the water. A collision with a women’s quad severed his sculling craft in half. Fortunately, Stolper was not injured, but his single was definitely out of commission.
At this point, Stolper decided his only option was to use a boat stored at his home in New Hampshire. When he rowed his boat, however, he noticed it “felt heavy” and discovered major rigging issues. Just days before the race, Stolper arranged for new riggers, and made some “quick fix” adjustments to the boat that seemed to resolve most of the issues.
Throughout all of his set-backs, Stolper never once questioned his physiological and mental readiness for the race. With Kaehler’s coaching, Stolper arrived at the Charles “with confidence,” he said. “I was pretty sure I had a good chance of winning. Bob made winning possible, actually inevitable.”
Kaehler’s plan “worked like a charm,” said Stolper. By race day, Stolper’s body and approach to racing had been completely transformed. “Bob brought my stroke rate up by over 15%, dramatically improved my flexibility at the catch, and gave me the endurance to sprint the last quarter of the race.”
Despite all the adversity Stolper faced in 2008, he won his first ever title by an impressive five second margin. He also recorded the fastest time in the final quarter of the race – a convincing sign of exceptional conditioning.
Kaehler was at the finish dock to greet his client. “He didn’t betray even a hint of surprise,” noted Stolper.
“Besides getting married and having four girls, I can’t recall a more satisfying experience in my life than winning the Charles. And I don’t believe I could have done it without Bob’s help.”
Note: One (1) week later, Michael Stolper also won the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta in the 50 -59 year-old mens singles category, by an impressive 33 second margin.
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