The Nostalgia of Rowing

The Nostalgia of Rowing

I went back home last weekend (the Isle of Wight) to see family last weekend. Whilst down there I went for a steady jog around an old run route, one I have run maybe a hundred times, if not more. That run takes me along the river, past my the rowing club where it kind of all started for me fitness wise. Before that I really struggled with all forms of sport and fitness in reality. I am certainly not what you would call a naturally gifted athlete (being Cross-Lateral never really helped).

It's funny isn't it, all it took was for me to find the one thing that I could really get my teeth into, where there was community and a team element, but such an individual dependency on you to be good enough. Years later, when I was doing my teaching degree, I discovered it was a trend, that people who are either disinterested or not very good at sports in the early years of school really come into their own at around 16 orrr typically the point where there is less 'Games' in PE and more individual elements introduced like the gym/ weights room.

For me rowing became a massive part of my identity, arguably too much so and to cut a long story short by the end of what I would call the time that I was competitive at rowing my relationship was all but destroyed with the sport. At the time I blamed a lot of other people but ultimately it was on me. Poor decisions, poor lifestyle and poor relationships with people who I should have had better relationships with and role modelling people I really shouldn't have (again long story short!). I'm lucky though, by the time I left the sport for good (or so I thought) I was able to repair my relationship with rowing it's self, winning my last race back with that home town club with good people. More importantly I had the most fun I have ever had coaching some crews rowing out of Oxford university.

And I genuinely thought that, that part of my life was well in the rearview mirror. But I still can't get on a rowing machine without comparing to where I was then compared to now, knowing what it took to get there, wishing it was a bit quicker, but equally, knowing I am a more rounded athlete now. I also can't coach a session with rowing in it without dying to jump in a get into the nitty gritty of coaching it (and loving the opportunity to when the time comes for it). 

Talking of that time, we are running a Hyrox seminar soon out of the CrossFit and Hyrox Affiliated gym I work out of. That is going to allow me to really break rowing down in a bit more detail. For Hyrox specifically, where the rowing station is around the mid-point of the event, it's a great opportunity to row efficiently and keep the heart rate steady, without losing any time at all. Equally as important in CrossFit, the ability to row well can really unlock some workouts.

Ultimately I think the sports could probably learn from each other. I'm thankful for the teachings it gave me, both in life and in coaching but I'm glad that chapter is over. My current chapter of life is better for it, but it is also just getting started… onwards and upwards!

Andy