"I have had a few months to sort a few things out since the Olympics and am ready to give it 100% again next year," he said from Queenstown yesterday.
He intends to follow a similar pattern of training to that which brought him three world championship single sculls gold medals at Gifu, Japan (2005), Eton, England (2006), and Munich, Germany (2007).
But he also intends to experiment a bit.
"I will try a few different methods to see if things work. I will do more cross-training to keep my mind fresh."
After the Beijing Olympics, Drysdale spent time recuperating physically and mentally before he went back racing overseas.
"I was unfit at the start and finished sixth and third in my first two races," he said.
"But I won my last three races and have got my confidence back.
"I have been rowing seriously for the last seven years and it was easy to get stale. But I found it awesome to get back on the water."
Drysdale (30) was in Queenstown for a speaking engagement and showed double Olympic champion Olaf Tufte (Norway) the tourist sights.
They spent time training with members of the Wakatipu Rowing Club at Lake Hayes.
Drysdale will race the two-time Olympic gold medallist in a special 5km race on the Wanganui River on December 7.
The race will be the premier event in the Billy Webb Centennial Challenge, 100 years after Webb defended his world title on the same stretch of water.
Drysdale's courage and dignity at the Beijing Olympics will be remembered.
His reaction to his ill-fortune and disappointment underlined his sportsmanship. He lost 4kg from a severe gastrointestinal infection in the week of the final.
All the training and planning during the past four years were thrown into turmoil.
He hit the wall in the last 250m and collapsed at the finish and was carried by a life raft to a waiting ambulance.
He was also seen vomiting.
But, while still wobbly on his feet, he was led away to the presentation ceremony to receive his bronze medal.
"In some ways, I am still disappointed. It was the big occasion and I did not perform at my best," he said.
"But I have no excuses.
"I went out and gave it 100% and pushed my body harder than its been pushed before. I'm proud of my bronze medal."
Since the Olympics, New Zealand Rowing has been criticised for allowing Drys-dale to be the New Zealand team flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
"I'd do it again," Drysdale said.
"I was proud to be asked to take the role."
Drysdale discussed the decision with his support staff before accepting the offer.
"I made the decision and would not give back the chance for anything," he said.
"People can get sick by just sitting at home.
"Sure, in hindsight there are little things that I might have done differently," he said of the Beijing Olympics.
"There are always things that I thought I could have done. But sport is like that and you have to move on."
The London Olympics is Drysdale's long-term goal.
"I am setting up a plan to win the gold medal. But if I don't think I can, you won't see me."
As long as Drysdale retains his passion and enjoyment for the sport, he intends to compete at the 2016 Olympics.
"I'll be aged 38 then," he said.
"But the gold medal winner of the double sculls at Beijing was aged 43."
