================================================================ INDOOR ROWING NEWSLETTER #144 ======================== 07-August-2006 ========================= _________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S 1. Through Hell and High Water Interview Competition 2. Cross-Channel Row 3. Cartoon By Rog 4. Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championship 5. Breathing 6. London Youth Games 7. Tel's Tales 8. Million Metre Row 9. Pilgrims Way School Row 10. Forthcoming Races and Events **************************** Feedback Back Issues Subscription Information ________________________________________________________________ With Bells On ***************** For a glitzier, HTML version of our newsletter with pictures, cartoons and all the funny jokes (possibly), go to: http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/newsletter.htm. To receive the newsletter in HTML format, send an email to subscription@concept2.co.uk with HTML as the subject title. How To Write To Us ***************** Please don't reply directly to this email, 'cos we won't ever see it. Instead send your bouquets or brickbats to editor@concept2.co.uk. Indoor Rowing Glossary ***************** A guide to some of the more common terms used in indoor rowing can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowing/glossary.php ========================================================= Through High and High Water Competition ========================================================= Over the Christmas period last year, Olympic legend James Cracknell and TV star Ben Fogle took part in the Atlantic Rowing Race in order to raise money for Children In Need. 49 days 19 hours and 8 minutes after they set out they finally reached Antigua, finishing third overall and first in the two-person category. Their journey was documented in the TV series "Through Hell and High Water", which has now been released on DVD. In Newsletter #142 we ran a competition where all you had to do to have a chance of winning a copy of the DVD was send in a question for either or both Ben and James, with ten of the questions that were drawn out of the hat winning the prize. Anyway; here's a selection of some of the questions and answers from James and Ben while the winners of the DVD were Matthew Wells, Des Hayes, Neil O'Malley, Alan Greig, Roger Bangay, Kimberley Naylor-Perrot, Lee Stampton, Rosanna Cousins, Chris Wright and Kai Hunter. If you missed out, the DVD is available from Amazon at the price of £11.47: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000FS9OKE/ ------------------------------- Matthew Wells: What kept you going through the moments of uncertainty of the voyage? James: People waiting on the other side was a huge motivating factor, wanting to get off the bloody boat was high on the list but for me getting there first was the one constant motivation that never seemed to fade, no matter how much I tried to relax and enjoy the experience. Ben: The desire to complete the race, arrive in Antigua and be with my loved ones again. ------------------------------- Louise: Having successfully completed and won the row across the Atlantic, do you have any plans for other challenges in the future? In other words, how do you top this? J: Having done the same sport for so long I had a glimpse of what it possible to do outside of a 2km course and I'd love to do another adventure. The good thing about the Atlantic Race is that once you push off it's up to you, there are no guidelines of where to go, no controls over how long each day you row as other adventure races have, so it probably wouldn't be another race but a long journey - on land this time. B: It will be very difficult to top rowing the Atlantic but I'm an adventurous person and there are many things I'd still like to do and achieve. I've just finished filming a new adventure series for the BBC called Extreme Dreams that took me to the Arctic, the Amazon, Africa and the Andes to name just a few places. ------------------------------- Michael Swain, Bermuda Rowing Association: Did your elite flat-water technique help you significantly or is the open-water technique so different? What are the major adaptations needed to technique for ocean conditions? Did Ben cope equally well, given his lack of rowing experience? And when are you coming to Bermuda to help out our young Association? J: Knowing how to row helped, I didn't have to think about it however tired I was. It's obviously different as you spend hours at a time rowing with one arm to stay on course and the big waves out there would stop any rowing race on a lake - and have people running for cover! Getting the gearing right was important, we didn't and had to chop our oars down out there, but getting the position comfortable is the most important thing. Ben coped incredibly well. His only weakness was probably in the big waves when all your concentration has to be on the waves not thinking about how to row at the same time. It's all about confidence in those conditions and he didn't have 15 years of rowing under his belt. A week in Bermuda, where do I sign up! ------------------------------- Des Hayes: Would you do it again of your own free will or would you need to be given an extra strong incentive? J: I wouldn't do the same course again, although having said that, once you're out of sight of land I imagine all oceans look fairly similar. But never say never, although I'd definitely make a few changes to the boat next time. B: I don't think I'd do it again, and no incentive could be strong enough to sway me! I am thrilled beyond words that I did it once though - it is my proudest achievement and I have no regrets ------------------------------- Neil O'Malley: Was there a particular focal point that helped you through the hard times during the race, such as a memory or listening to music? J: Music and speaking books were great until the electrics broke when we capsized. I read and reread the letters I took with me from my parents and Bev. But rowing for hours at a time in total isolations allows you to think about things in a way that you don't get at home. Although it felt lonely at the time, looking back it was a luxury to have that time. B: All of the above helped at one stage or another. James' drive to win the race; my now fiancée Marina and the thought of being reunited with her; and a little bit of Robbie Williams… ------------------------------- Alan Greig: What would your reaction be if your other half said that she was going to do it? J: I've got a boat she can use. B: She was very understanding about my participation and I would be the same for her. But I don't think I'd recommend it…I'd suggest sailing instead – much more fun! ------------------------------- Alan Greig: Has it made you think about taking on any other extreme endurance events? J: Definitely. I miss pushing my body on a daily basis although I don't miss rowing as I did it for so long. I need to find an outlet for my energy. B: I've already done the Marathon des Sables a 160 mile 6 day endurance race across the Sahara and taken part in the Safaricom Marathon in Kenya. Not forgetting my charity boxing match against actor Sid Owen (which I won!) so I've always liked pushing myself to the limits to see what I can achieve. ------------------------------- Roger Bangay: What was the estimated average daily calorie consumption of each rower? J: We estimated about 8-10,000 a day and took that much food but still lost a lot of weight so maybe more. Our preparation wasn't that scientific. B: It's recommended that you eat 10,000 calories a day and James and I managed about 6000. We cut back because of weight. ------------------------------- Roger Bangay: How many hours did each rower row in every 24-hour period? B: 12 hours in every 24, rowing two-hour shifts at a time. ------------------------------- Lee Stampton: We have entered the 2007 Woodvale Atlantic Challenge in the two man race and we are currently busy sorting out fundraising for the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity and hope to raise £150,000. What we would like to know is what approaches did you use to raise funds for the attempt? What training did you do before the event to prepare yourself for the mental challenge of 40 odd days in the boat? J: Keep asking and don't take no for an answer. The best bet is a company where the chief executive is into rowing. As for mental preparation, we didn't do much as we spent so much time just getting the boat ready in time. I'd recommend some practice. B: We publicised that we were rowing for Children in Need and invited people to sponsor us and we also sought some corporate donations. Letting as many people and companies as possible know that you are doing it is the key. ------------------------------- Wayne Donnelly: How did you two maintain your focus? Rowing 40 plus days must be mentally exhausting. What preparation did you do mentally and what daily regime did you do to keep mentally sharp and not pull each other apart physically or verbally? J: I concentrated on the race most of the time, if I was going through all this effort I wanted to get there first and just getting there and off that boat! I had a lot to get back to and wanted to get there in one piece. We knew we were going to row 2 hours on 2 hours off and regardless and having that platform meant we could break the day down and clock up miles every shift. As for pulling each other apart we just trusted the other one to do his best and that is all we could ask of each other. B: It's difficult to do anything to do anything BUT focus when you are in the middle of the Atlantic on a 20-foot boat! Physically I trained for four hours each day on an Indoor Rower and took it with me everywhere – even in Africa! It is much more difficult to train yourself mentally. You have no idea what it is going to be like until you're in the situation and you cannot possibly replicate it. ------------------------------- Xeno Muller: During your row across the Atlantic, there were many times that I thought of you guys. I especially thought of you when I was all cozy at home and imagining what you guys were going through out there in the weather. What are three events during your race that you will never forget? J: The first night, I couldn't believe what I'd let myself in for. Nearly hitting a tanker and capsizing. A good thing was the sunsets; every one was amazing and it meant we'd ticked another day off. B: Capsizing; Rufus the whale who followed us for six weeks, and arriving in Antigua at the finish line are all memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. ------------------------------- Kimberley Naylor-Perrott: "Having been in competitive sport since I was a child, I have seen people deal (and not deal) with pre-race nerves in very different waves. It was particularly noticeable at the World IRC in Boston this year, seeing the relative novices right through to prospective World Champions tackling the negative "chatterbox" before the race. How badly did you suffer with them before a big race and did you have a set formulae for staying in control e.g. repeating positive sayings or a particular piece of music to help you deal with them?" J: Yeah I suffered with nerves but knew they made me perform better, if I didn't feel nervous I would have been really worried. You've got to use them to increase your performance and get your body to do what it doesn't really want to do. ------------------------------- Peter Thatcher: Is there any chance you'd compete in the next Olympics, or maybe London in 2012 J: No, I'm looking forward to watching them. ------------------------------- Jenny Lewis: Has there been any lasting changes or scars, either physical or mental from doing the race? B: No mental or physical scars but lots and lots of memories and I've now got a fiancée too – and a new best friend! ------------------------------- Elliot Meadwell: What was the one thing apart from your family that you missed when you were out there? And what was the first thing you did when you got back to England? B: I really missed a comfy bed - we had just a sticky plastic mattress for almost two months. I caught up with all my friends – and ate and drank! ========================================================= Cross-Channel Row ========================================================= Chris Short, a former masseur at Blackburn, and his colleague, Campbell Watt, are planning to row the English Channel in a boat as part of a unique charity challenge. The duo will attempt to row the 23 miles of one of the world's busiest shipping routes on August 12 to raise money for three charities: Cancer Research; the Oxfam-run charity, the East Africa Food Crisis; and the East Timor Indonesia Orphanage Appeal to raise cash for children orphaned after the Tsunami disaster. Their aim is to complete the task in less than five hours and to do so they have embarked on a rigorous training programme on the Concept2 Indoor Rower. Pickering-born Short now works as a masseur at new Premiership outfit Sheffield United. He formerly played for Scarborough, Notts County, the Blades and Stoke City before a debilitating illness forced him to quit the game. His friend and rowing ally Watt is a serving policeman with the North Yorkshire force and, besides playing for Scarborough reserves, is a former British karate champion as well as recording the fastest 500m time in last year's Concept Ranking. Short formerly worked at the Next Generation gym in York's Hull Road, where Watt also trained. Short's elder brother Craig, currently playing for Sheffield United in the Premiership, is intending to join the support vessel that will accompany the rowers on their attempt. If anyone would like to make a donation, cheques can be made payable to 'Channel Rowing' and sent to Chris Short at Sheffield United FC, Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4SU. For more information, check out their website at http://www.chocolatefish.co.uk/channelchallenge.html. ========================================================= Cartoon By Rog ========================================================= http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/images/cartoon143.jpg ========================================================= Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championship ========================================================= There's now just 14 weeks to go until the Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championship (http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/), the centrepiece of the indoor rowing year. This year's championship takes place on 12th November at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. We're expecting a significant increase in the number of entries this year, especially in the junior sections, and, for the first time, we may be forced to cap the numbers, with entry on a strictly first come, first served basis. You can either enter now online at http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/entryform.php, or alternatively you can download a copy of the entry form and post it in to us along with a cheque. Although we obviously can't provide a final race schedule until after the close of entry, you can find a very approximate one in the News and Info section of the site at http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/news.php?story=race_schedule. If you've never taken part in the championship before and have any questions about the day, you might find what you're looking for at http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/news.php?story=frequent_questions. If you can't, send your questions to editor@concept2.co.uk. One of the biggest changes for this year is the Concept2 British IRC Team Challenge, a four- person team event that is now open to all. Teams race over a combined total of 4,000m, except for J14s and J13s, who race over 3,000m, and J12s and J11s, who race over 2,000m. The Team Challenge will be run under a straight final format, with the first, second and third laced teams in each event receiving medals. To enter, or for more information, go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/teams.php. ========================================================= Don't Forget To Breath ========================================================= Thanks to Concept2 New Zealand for the following interesting article on breathing: Breathing is usually something that we do without thinking. But next time you row, think about your breathing. Is it regular? When do you inhale or exhale? The most important thing to remember is to breathe with a regular rhythm that is related to the rhythm of your stroke. Most rowers take one breath per stroke at lower intensity rowing and they add a second shorter breath as they start working harder. The optimum point to switch from one to two breaths will differ from person to person. You should experiment and see what works best for you. The next thing to consider is the timing of your breathing within your stroke cadence. The following recommendations are based on our own experience and are backed up by the research we have found on the subject. ? Breathing for Low Intensity Rowing: Exhale gradually on the drive, being sure to expel all remaining air at the finish. Inhale on the recovery. ? Breathing for High Intensity Rowing: The first exhale comes as you finish the drive. On the recovery, you should inhale, exhale quickly, and inhale again just before the catch. Perhaps you have developed a breathing rhythm of your own. That's okay. The most important thing is that you establish a regular breathing pattern and stick with it. There is certainly an obvious reason to breathe properly while rowing – your muscles require oxygen in order to function well! In addition, focusing on a regular breathing rhythm may help you increase the intensity of your workout. Try it next time you are having trouble getting going. An awareness of your breathing can also enhance the stress-relief aspects of rowing, as it does with yoga or meditation. And finally, when you are rowing hard, it gives you something else to think about besides the lactic acid building up in your legs! ========================================================= London Youth Games ========================================================= The following report comes from London Youth Rowing: Gym One of the 'Crystal Palace National Sports Centre' was deafened a couple of weeks ago with the sound of over 150 children, adults and some of the London Youth Rowing and Concept2 organisers shouting, cheering and applauding as 13 boroughs from Greater London competed in the first ever Indoor rowing event at the London Youth Games. The Games are a two-day festival of sport held every year at Crystal Palace in London, over the weekend of the 8th–9th of July. Open to all 33 boroughs within Greater London with 35 different sports ranging from weightlifting to water polo, and now indoor rowing. London Youth Rowing with help from the ARA had toured across the whole of Greater London throughout the months of May and June, from Bexley to Kingston and Hackney to Wandsworth staging six development events. They took lots of Concept 2s, approached all the teachers, PDMs, BTOs and Youth Club leaders and sometimes cajoled, persuaded and almost bribed some to come along and get involved in this exciting sport of ours. They used some events to select a boroughs team for the Games for them. In some cases they used the opportunity to actually coach some children who had never rowed before. "To see the look on the faces of some children at the Development events who not only won a medal for the first time in any sport but then realised that they would be representing their borough in the Games" was something that Matt Rostron – Programmes Director of LYR will never forget. "It was amazing stuff and a total joy to do". Simon Larkin and Keith Atkinson from Concept2 and Simon McCarthy and Penny Cuthbert from LYR, were, as always, fantastic. They arrived and laboured, sweated in the heat and got set up on the day before. When the rest of the world settled down on the Sunday with a cold beer and some football final on the television to watch, they opened the doors and ran a superb event that according to members of the organising committee of the London Youth Games was the "best event at the Games". The excitement, fun and good humour was there for all to see and lots of people crowded into the room to see what all the fuss and noise was about. There were medals for the boroughs placed first, second and third, with the borough of Redbridge taking gold overall. They got to take away a large trophy with them that will be raced for every year. The feedback has been amazing. From the organising committee, team managers, BTOs and the children themselves, everyone really enjoyed themselves. Lots of the children have approached LYR, wanting to get involved in future LYR events and courses that they are holding and teachers, team managers and youth club leaders wanting to pursue and expand the indoor rowing possibilities in their schools and groups and clubs. LYR had several things that they needed to achieve. Firstly, everyone to have fun on a Concept2 Indoor Rower; secondly to get over the expected 10 boroughs to actually compete and try and lastly, to get the acclaim of having the sport recognised as a point scoring event and be part of the Games proper next year – they seemed to have achieved all this and much more besides – if the noise level is anything to go by! If you want to know more about the work of London Youth Rowing check out the website at http://www.londonyouthrowing.com or contact Matt Rostron – Programme Director of LYR. ========================================================= Tel's Tales ========================================================= Tel's Tales is the question and answer column written by three-times Olympic rowing coach Terry O'Neill. If you've got a question or point you'd like to make to Terry, send it to terry@concept2.co.uk. Piers Kidd: Following a skiing accident many years ago my left leg has been noticeably weaker than my right. I am concerned that, when using my Concept2 Indoor Rower, my right leg is doing more of the work. Could this be the case? If so, are there any techniques or add-ons I could employ to reduce the possibility? Terry O'Neill: It is possible that you are favouring your right leg and there are a couple of ways to check if this is happening. A very simple way is to measure the circumference of your quads and compare them. The other way is to use the Concept2 DYNO and single leg drives recording the difference between left and right legs. There are also a couple of ways to restore muscle balance but first it might be worth checking that your legs are the same length. I don't know the nature of your injury but if it involved a break then it is possible your left leg is shorter and this will have to be addressed. The simplest way is, while rowing, focus on driving off of both legs evenly and, by using supplementary exercises, build the left leg up. These could be single leg squats and seated with a weight on the left foot, raise the foot until the leg is straight. ========================================================= Million Metre Challenge ========================================================= In the last weekend of August, three medical students from Nottingham are planning to complete one of the great endurance challenges and row 1,000,000 metres in the fastest time possible. They aim to do this by rowing around the clock in aid of SPARKS, a charity which funds pioneering research to improve the lives of children. They will be setting off on the 25th of August at David Lloyd Health & Fitness Centre at Aspley Lane, in Nottingham, and hopefully finishing sometime before September. If you're not quite sure how far a million metres is, it's further than the distance from London to Paris and back, which works out at approximately 24 marathons or 9,942 football pitches. This will take about 150,000 strokes of the rowing machine and will take them a minimum of four days. They will each use up to 9,838 kcal per day – more than Lance Armstrong used on the toughest stage of the Tour de France. In one day they'll use up the same amount of fat as there is in 19 doner kebabs, the same protein as 1.9kg of chicken (that's 16 chicken breasts), and as much carbohydrate as you'd find in 23 regular bowls of pasta. The boys are not finely tuned, adrenaline craving, athletic machines, but rather they are a group of students who have given up the beers and kebabs in order to fit their training in around their hectic 9-5 schedule. They were recently uplifted by Sir Steve Redgrave who sent the boys a personal message of support for the challenge and told them to "enjoy the pain you will go through. SPARKS is a wonderful charity and I wish you the best of luck." For more information, make sure you check out their website at http://www.millionmetrerow.com to see how their training is going. They also need to raise as much money as possible in aid of SPARKS, which you can do so via their online donations page at http://www.justgiving.com/themillionmetrerowchallenge. ========================================================= Pilgrims Way Primary School Charity Row ========================================================= Nick Sankey: "The children of Pilgrims Way Primary School in Canterbury have raised £1,200 by rowing 50,000 metres on four Concept2 Indoor Rowers. The machines were purchased with a National Lottery Awards For All grant. The reception children rowed a 500-metre race with up to year 6 children racing 2500 metres over two days at the start of July. The grant also funded adaptive seats for three of the machines to allow for the full participation of a number of physically disabled children who attend the school. "The money raised will go to the Esther Benjamins Trust, the leading charity working exclusively with Nepali Children. Their flagship project aims to repatriate and rehabilitate all Nepali children trafficked and exploited in Indian circuses. Tetley GB kindly donated a portable DVD player and MP3 player to the highest fundraisers. CDs from HMV were also given out while Concept2 kindly donated t-shirts and water bottles for children who tried particularly hard with the rowing itself." ========================================================= Forthcoming Races And Events ========================================================= Race: Castle Combe 2 Rowathlon Date: 13/08/06 Venue: Castle Combe Distance: 3km row, 21km cycle, 3km run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: http://www.rowingtriathlon.com/ Race: Reading Rowathlon Date: 09/09/06 Venue: Reading Distance: 2.5km row, 7km cycle, 2.8km run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: http://www.rowingtriathlon.com/ ____________________________________________________FEEDBACK You like? You dislike? You want to write something for the newsletter? Want to mock us on making a basic error? Make sure to tell us at editor@concept2.co.uk. 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