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Enduring rowing friendships
Published about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Myrow transforms your Concept2 rowing machine into an immersive fitness adventure! “This is some of the top programming out there. And I’ve tried things like iFit, Aviron, and Ergatta. I would definitely rate this as some of the top rowing classes that I have tried.” - Garage Gym Reviews
Hello again Reader
What is it about rowing that builds the friendships that endure?
I read an article recently and it made me realise that the "band of brothers" feeling is what makes rowing a very special sport. There are many of us masters rowers who can point to a friendship, a lover, or a crew mate who warms our hearts that we met through rowing.
Back in the early 1990s, on our first trip to the Rockies in Colorado, we ran into four old men who told us that they were on an annual backpacking trip just like we were. They seemed ancient at the time, but they probably were the same age as we are now. When we met them, the idea that we might someday be old men hiking through the mountains seemed as unlikely as summiting Everest.
David Begler
When you’re in your 20s, you can’t fathom the idea of 40 years from now. Now we're in our 60s, we can’t fathom how those 40 years seemed to go by in a blink. But when you’re rowing on rivers and lakes that have had 50 million birthdays, it puts our own aging into perspective.
We know that, like all the rowers that have come before us, we are all just passing through these rivers and lakes. Our crews are something conjured into being by souls who just happened to attend the same club and a shared love of being on the water rowing. We’ll sustain it for as long as we are fortunate enough and healthy enough to be able to sit down in a rowing shell.
Until then, “Cheers to my rowing friends.” I salute you all.
This week, take time to reconnect with some old rowing friends who you haven't sat in a boat with recently.
Rebecca
This week's podcast
What "should" a masters rower be able to do? Training frequency, training volume, training intensity change over time. What is the next big change in YOUR rowing training you can expect as you age. Click the image to watch.
When you learn just one useful thing from our podcast, become a supporter from $1 per month. This helps cover overheads and enables us to continue our work to improve masters rowing around the world.
Masters coach certificate
It's sometimes said that coaches find it hard to work with masters. There are many possible reasons, yet most can be overcome with formal education about working with older athletes.
As we learned from John Leekley last week - managing practice can be complex. "A four, two quads, three doubles and a single sculler walk into a boat house....:". All expect to get coached - yet it's obvious that these boats are going to row at different speeds.
That alone makes coaching masters challenging. Throw in the fact that your athletes may be much older than you, type-A personalities, or new to athletic training - and you can see the issues which arise.
Get qualified
This course guides you on ways of working with the huge diversity of masters rowers. As one course participant said
I'm a level 3 USRA coach and have an interesting challenge.
I am charged with teaching rowers’ moms how to row.
Most are in their mid 40s and not in very good shape. 1/2 are very interested and enthused. The other 1/2 are wanting the experience.
We went out in an 8 yesterday but they had a very hard time understanding the concept of balance. I have taught adults over the years with few problems.
US Rowing will only recognize certification if this course is taken through US Rowing.
Rowing and the circular economy
The rowing world is good at keeping boats and oars in serviceable use for many years - but eventually something happens and equipment gets "retired" or handed on to another owner. I learned from John Leekley that Vesper RC hired a "decluttering" expert to assist in their boathouse clear out recently. Many clubs could use that skill.
We are fortunate that kevlar and carbon lasts a long time and can be repaired. Anne Grainger told me
My white Van Dusen was made with missile grade carbon fiber materials. Hence the name, Patriot.
My double suffered a crushed bow when I steered it up a pontoon - the repair guy gave me the long strip of carbon he'd taken out of the hull. And we made it into a new trophy for our club - the "Impact Award" presented for the first time last weekend.
Reuse broken carbon in a rowing club trophy
I feel sad when reading appeals for equipment from startup clubs in Africa because it's just too hard to ship boats there (plus import duties are ruinous). Although Eliza Camp managed to get eights donated from UK clubs out to Italy last year to the delight of all involved.
When I saw an announcement about FindOar I had to investigate. Johnny Cantwell has started an "oar matching" service. When you break one blade - which often happens - he will endeavor to help you to find a match so you can economically get the oars back to use.
It's not selling anything, just enabling folks to pair up and get in touch.
Currently working only in the UK - but if anyone wants to start a similar service in their country, get in touch with Johnny.
Boathouse Chat for the Weekend
I've got a osteoarthritis in the acromioclavicular joint, says my doc. It came on really fast to the point of permanent pain. Now it may be solved with a "small" operation. Does anyone else of you have experience with that issue or knows about it?
I'm not sure with an op, and would like to get more information about the consequences or alternatives. Thank you very much in advance
Join us to discover the fun in our global rowing community. We race, we train, we go on rowing vacations, we meet other masters, we discuss, we learn, we laugh. Join in
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