Broken Oars Podcast

Broken Oars University: The Romantics, Part Two: Revolution and Irresolution

As promised, Part Two of our three-part deep dive into those crazy opium-eating loons in their flouncy shirts with their consumption and their poetry.

 

In this episode, we look at the main themes of the age, discuss how the idea of the new day inherent to revolution manifested in the poetry of the time, but also how a theory of literature, in producing a literature to either confirm or deny that theory, exposes the reality that there is no final resting place or resolution.

 

With added Wordsworth, Coleridge and Shelley, a load of French and German philosophers ... and a Roman.

 

Yes. we do have rowing stuff coming ... just as soon as we can actually meet up and interview our guests!

 

Get some!

: Broken Oars University: The Romantics - Part One: Definitions

Hullo and welcome back to Broken Oars Podcast!

As The Southern One wrestles with life and the Northern One wrestles with ... well, life too, while we look for an opportunity to recovene, the Northern One has grabbed a chunk of time to put up another Broken Oars University Episode.

 

This time it's on the Romantic Poets - on the grounds of why not, it's a New Year, let's get into something fresh and interesting.

 

But don't worry.

 

We'll be back to talk about rowing again soon.

 

So, in this part one of three, we have a chat about those crazy loons from two hundred and odd years ago who decided to start writing about feelings and perception and the inner landscape ... and who in so doing gave rise to Love Island, influencers and rampant narcissism.

 

We look at what the Romantics were in terms of period, poets and poetry, what they aren't, what went before them, how they self-defined and how we went on to define them.

And next week, we'll get into the poetry.

 

All because Stephen Graham referenced Beowulf recently.

 

Blame him!

Broken Oars Podcast, Episode 51: The End-of-Year Review.

Despite being the world's best rowing podcast (after Martin Cross, anyway) and having had stellar years so far in terms of amazing guests and people annoyed, Broken Oars Podcast have never done an end-of-year review.

 

Well, that stops now.

 

Here is is, just in time to keep the twelve days of Christmas going and set you up for the New Year. As usual, we throw ourselves into it with our usual gusto, so on this episode, we talk about:

 

Free speech, the Northern One's alcohol tolerance levels (so small as to need a microscope to view them), and how the development of the pocket Jezz Moore App is going; and then we got onto our best pod moments, best rowing moment, best workout, best outing, best race and best events of 2022.

 

Oh, we cover them all. Don't let our usual back-and-forth style fool you into thinking we haven't thought about any of our answers. We do research on this pod - often while we're in the middle of recording it. We talk about our favourite guests (our guests are always our favourite guests); Small Ergs, Big Dreams falls off our Christmas list for the crime of being young, good-looking, unfeasibly talented (and young, did we mention young?); the virtues of pudding are discussed; and ultimately, although it's nice to see the British Squad return to winning ways, we choose Claire Court's victory over Redwood Scullers at Henley 2022 as our race of the year.

 

Because that, ladies and gentlemen, was rowing as it was meant to be done.

 

That's right.

 

In a sculling boat.

 

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Broken Oars University: Episode Two: Music and Rowing

In Episode Two of Broken Oars University, Broken Oars Podcast's Northern One explores fundamental equivalences between being a rower, and the discipline, practice and craft of rowing and being a musician, and the discipline, practice and craft of music.

 

Looking at the cultural location and narratives of both, this episode looks at how we self-identify with what resonates with us; the learning trajectory of both disciplines; the importance of mechanical practice and how that leads us to states of grace in both.

 

Taking in figures in both arenas from Eric Murray and Helen Glover to Maxim Vengerov and Eddie Van Halen to Johnny Dawes and Eugene Ysaye, although it does get into aspects of the psychology of the self, emotional response and spiritual ground, the idea that being a rower and rowing and being a musician and playing music possess core fundamental equivalences is not as big a reach as you think; and it's not as woo as you might fear.

 

If you've ever been in a boat when it's really moving, if you've ever played in a band when it's really cooking ... ?

You're feeling the same thing and you got there the same way.

 

Get Some!

 

This episode of Broken Oars has no swearing in it, and is safe to play around children. 

 

(Please click the link here for the Two Set Violin and Maxim Vengerov masterclass, which starts at 31.26 in their clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsbA5KDChZw

 

Broken Oars, Broken Thoughts Bonus Episode: For God, Harry and the Minor Sixth

Harry, the spare to the heir (his own words), has been in the news recently following the Netflix show that he and Meghan have launched.

The show has attracted brickbats for many things, including its appropriation and misrepresentation of other footage.

 

But we aren't going to put the boot in. After all, we all know that it will be Tom George who ascends to the throne when the time comes. He has the hair, he has the erg scores, and he has the jawline.

Instead we're going to stand up for Harry - specifically his musical ability. Many have decried the picture of him playing the guitar with Meg in attendance, suggesting that the chord he's fingering isn't one associated with sweet music.

In this, mercifully, brief episode of Broken Thoughts we say 'Au contraire, mon frere' and we salute Harry for his use of the minor sixth in courtship music. 

Bold.

Broken Oars Podcast, Episode 50: The Great Head Races Of Our Time and The UK

We return as strangers from foreign lands with tales of wonder and woe - or, to be more accurate, like two people who've been incredibly busy and decided to use the excuse of recording a podcast to catch up and check that we're both still alive.

Are you all still alive?

Good.

Keep it that way.

In this episode, we discuss that most fundamental of rowing experiences, the Head Race.

Giving the historically accurate defintion of a Head Race (literally, a race for Heads (ahem)), we try and identify what makes a great Head Race, talk about some of the ones we've done, give shout out and honourable mentions to those we've also done or would like to. I (Northern One) sing the glory that is Rutherford Head, the best HR in the country by a mile; Lewin (Souther One) makes a strong case for Bedford, and we give props to HORR 2010 as it was one of the most glorious, brutally physical performances we've ever been involved in - and we rowed for Agecroft: brutal physicality is where we lived.

Feel free to tell us we're wrong and nominate your favourite Head. Remember, the judging criteria are:

 

1) It needs to be a real waterman's or waterwoman's course. No drag racing. It has to be challenging.

2) It needs an element of danger. Seals, polar bears, tricky bends and bridges ... all considered.

3) It has to have scenery - we've all done (insert name here), and the only thing worse than rowing through a flat, featureless landscape is living in one.

4) Has to have an element of being able to win something or scalpability (claim scalps).

5) Sure there was a five, can't remember what it is, though.

Perfect listening on the way to the boathouse, or on the long drive to the next race on the calendar in these cold, dark winter days.

 

Enjoy!

 

Stern four. Start doing some work, please!

Broken Oars University: Episode One: The Infinite Story - Narrative in the Age of Constant Content Creation

'Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside ... '

 

A new branch of the Broken Oars tree, Broken Oars University was dreamed up over the summer as an occasional series for your two stalwarts to explore some things other than rowing ...

 

... 'What?' I hear you cry. 'There are no such other things!

 

Well, ordinarily we'd agree with you, but the Northern One is working through some processes at the moment that mean that the subject matter of this one is pretty close to hand and heart ... and the best way to learn anything is to try and teach it, because then you're forced to break it all down.

 

The Broken Oars University tag was inspired by so many of our friends on Twitter et al heading off to University - which is an expansive experience, not just in terms of the teaching and the course, but also the new perspectives and understandings it can bring. We (he, Northern One) hopes that the Broken Oars University will be a similar experience, giving some fresh perspectives perhaps on some things that might be new to some.An occasional series, it'll introduce ideas that we're working through in our professional and other lives that might entertain, inform, tickle or make you throw things at the screen. It took a while to get to the starting gate, because the Northern one has been dying, again, but plus ca change ...

 

(Remember: He's the Northern Uncultured One. Never let the fiddle playing and Latin tags disabuse you of that notion ...).

 

So, in Episode One, the Northern One talks about stories in an age where narratives no long end but roll into the next content output.

 

In his usual fashion, he will self-deprecate his expertise in this area to the point where you'll think 'who the hell is this person', but essentially this opening episodes touches on the following points:

 

 - Expertise: what is it, why is it more defined by knowing what you don't know rather than what you do.

 

- Polymaths: what are they, why he isn't one, and neither is Stephen Fry.

 

- Narrative: why stories have a beginning, middle and end, and why it doesn't matter what order these elements come in.

 

- Why this isn't a discussion of the pathetic fallacy of individuals and their output.

 

- What Netflix buying up Roald Dahl's Intellectual Property means and why they've done it.

 

- The 'Exploring the x Universe' idea: why it's a nonsense and a fallacy.

 

- Why the fact that stories have a beginning, middle and end is important for structure, motive drive, engagement, immersion and imagination.

 

- What happens if you disregard this and start endlessly colouring in the map.

 

- Tricks, licks and conceits - how and why they don't work if the narrative's motive force are lost, or the internal logic and consistency are lost.

 

- Why platforms need content, but content doesn't need platforms.

 

- Why we now live in the age of the never-ending story as a reaction to market mechanics. We're looking at you MC universe / DC universe / Tolkien Universe / never-ending everything universe.

 

- How a never-ending story leads to audience disengagement, a fall off in quality, and diminishing returns in all senses.

 

- Why stories that have a beginning, middle and end (in whatever order) are more emotionally and intellectually satisfying and more culturally representative - and why, as I work through my projects, I'll be keeping this very much in mind.


And if you're thinking 'wtf!', don't worry. There'll be some rowing along soon.

Get some!

Broken Oars Podcast, Episode 49: The Technogym Skillow Review - The World’s Best Rowing Podcast Returns

Why is Broken Oars Podcast the world's best rowing podcast (Crossy's Corner excepted ...)?

Because no other podcast can move from grumping to an analysis of the status statement piece that is the Skillrow to the emancipation of rowers in the South East of England to the Wombles to the Second World War and escapism for wounded minds with such grace, elan and diablerie. 

And we would take the time to point out that whilst not exactly unbiased this is a genuine review, based on the posh Southern one paying to go to a gym that has a Skillrow, and giving it a thrash a couple or three times.

That's why.

Get some !

Podbean review of Indoor Rowing YouTube Channels

Probably best viewed on YouTube but...

 

The Posh Southern one heads out on a journey to examine the biggest winners and losers in the Indoor Rowing and Rowing channels on YT, on YT. Amongst theses luminaries are Cam Buchan , Scots Sculler Extraordinaire, Austin Hendrickson's Training Tall, Shane Farmer's Darkhorse Rowing, British Rowing's own criminally underinvested in Go Row Indoors videos, The Awesome Asensei, and the even more awesome RowAlong from John Steventon.

Cam Buchan - https://www.youtube.com/c/CameronBuchan

Training Tall - https://www.youtube.com/c/TrainingTall

Dark Horse Rowing - https://www.youtube.com/c/DarkHorseRo...

British Rowing - https://www.youtube.com/user/britishr...

asensei - https://www.youtube.com/c/asensei

RowAlong - https://www.youtube.com/c/RowAlongFre...

These are all good, the last two are awesome Oh and Ame in a Van, only has 175k subscribers. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoX...

Its Isabel Paige, who spends a lot of time looking "Wistful" in the wilderness on a very hi def camera that has 3/4 million subs. https://www.youtube.com/user/pinsandn...

 

Broken Oars Technique Clinic: An Alien’s Guide to Rowing Well - Part Three

Your Northern correspondent returns with the third and final chapter (and last word on rowing technique and rowing well). What some are calling a work of timeless genius, others are calling how you move a boat and yet more are calling what happens when you let a Northerner on the mic without the calming presence of a Southern Overlord, this is the third instalment of the original two-part series.

 

Another writer might have titled it 'Concerning Rowing and Rowers ...' but Tolkien was never much cop on the water and had a crap 2k score, so let's only refer to Tollers when we have a question about Beowulf or Asterisk Realities in Philology.

 

So, never, then ...

 

This final episode kicks off with a mea culpa. Having played the cheerful and moronic Northern One to Pip's scientific genius, your correspondent has finally grown a set. No-one knows a set of what, but they're currently being biopsied and we're hoping for something edible. However, in Part Two, I said something to the effect that it doesn't matter what you do in a boat the most important thing is that you do it together.

Now, that episode was posted in summer, and I've been considering that statement since. And now I'm rowing back from it (see what I did there?) - because ...

 

It's just plain wrong.

 

Here's the thing: it doesn't matter how together you are if you're learning or reinforcing bad habits. That's point one. Point two is that after saying there is room in rowing for different stylistic approaches, I was wrong. There isn't. There's only one way to row a blade (and thus a boat) and that way is hard, skilfully and with reference to the actual physics and mechanics involved.

 

As I've been saying all along.

 

The point is that if that's the case, the technical approaches we take and language we use is all about getting us back to the point where we move the boat well.

 

And that's where this episode comes in. Rowing is a feel sport. We all know what it feels like to move a boat well, either for one stroke, or ten, or one hundred, or one outing, or race, or training block.

The technical calls and drills and language only exist to prompt us to make changes and develop the skills that get us consistently back to that feeling.

 

So, with that in mind, we go back to the importance of clarifying technical calls and drills to identify what they mean and what they are supposed to do rather than playing coaching and crew mood music.

Talking about the importance of precise language and understandings in a feel sport; we move onto boat physics; why talking to your boatman is vital (Hullo Duncan ...); set up; first principles; only changing one thing at a time; giving those changes time to work through; arcs and angles; and then we look at some of the fads and fashions that have come and gone in rowing ... and why mileage, ultimately, makes champions: 

 

It isn't because it makes you fit enough to row well (although it helps). It's because mileage allows us to identify the feeling of moving the boat well, learn it, remember it, chase it, and become more and more efficient at doing it.

If you listen to these three episodes, and then do the work, you'll never, ever have to watch another Youtube video again promising to make you a better rower; and you'll be able to call bs when your coach is talking bollocks.

Always a win in our book ...

Get some!

Broken Oars Podcast, Episode 48: Harry Brightmore: From Chester to World Champion ... and Beyond.

Ladies and Gentleman,

 

When we're in the presence of greatness, we sometimes do one sentence introductions, like this:

 

Harry Brightmore - World Champion, GB Men's Eight.

 

And to be honest, we could leave it there and we'd be justified in doing so.

 

But we can't, and it isn't just because the Northern One who writes our episode descriptions has a tendency towards sesquipedalian logorrhea (Leave him alone! He's bought these words! He's going to use all of them!).

 

No, it's because after a difficult last cycle culminating in Tokyo and lots of people, not all of whom were qualified to do so, pointing fingers in all directions (and you'll notice that yes, we did some finger-wagging, but as athletes we came down heavily on the side of supporting and backing the people who actually put their bodies on the line rather than getting involved in managerial flame wars), British Rowing has bounced back in some style. 

 

The entire squad basically used the recent World Champions in the same way rock stars use a sold out arena venue - as a stage and a chance to show off the performances they've been working on in private: The British athletes put in stellar displays across the board, capped by the GB Men's Eight storming to Gold.

 

Now, anyone who has ever rowed will tell you that an Eight is only as good as its Cox. Seriously, try getting eight strong-willed, opinionated driven individuals to get the boat off the rack together (let alone send them down the track like a scalded cheetah) with a drafted in bored junior who'd rather be elsewhere and then come back and tell us how long it took you to get on the water and how crap the outing was as a result.

 

As we continue to be allowed to make episodes, Lewin and I realise with every passing conversation how lucky we actually were at Agecroft - not just in terms of facilities, culture and oustanding coaches and rowers, but in terms of having Coxswains like Maddie, Lucy, Valerie and Liz as part of our crew. Their word was law, their calls were actioned without question (on the water), their outings were meticulous, so were they and we were and became better rowers and crews as a result.

 

Believe us: Thanks to them, we know that coxing is an art, and a science - just like moving a boat.

 

And great as they are, with Henley medals in sock drawers, Harry Brightmore is next generation and next level.

 

Now, we're always guilty of saying that our latest episode is the best thing we've ever done ... because usually it is.

 

However, this one is a must for any rower, coach, manager or individual who is really genuinely interested in maximising themselves and those around them. It's a truly fantastic deep dive, not only into Harry's evolution from promising young footballer to World Champion cox, but also the pressures and practices that drove and shaped that development.

 

We talk about how early disappointment was translated into inner drive; how that became passion when we found rowing; and then how a clear-eyed assessment of his own personal psychology and identity helped spur his development and coxing practice.

 

Lewin and I have occasionally cavilled about British Rowing's lack of transparency about certain things, but Harry takes us through the processes and paradigms that inform the life and work of a GB elite athlete - resulting in a frank, insightful and illuminating conversation that really is essential listening.

 

Get a pen. Take notes. We did.

(To follow Harry and GB's journey, catch up with him on:

@brightmoreharry

@harry_brightmore

www.britishrowing.org/athlete/harry-brightmore/ )

 

All Eight. Meet Harry.

Get Some!

 

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code BROKENOARS at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

 

Broken Oars, Episode 47: Tony Larkman - ’Everything is Difficult Before it Becomes Easy.’

After the doom and gloom of the Doping in Rowing episode, Broken Oars Podcast returns with a spirit-lifting, life-affirming perfect episode and a spirit-lifting life-affirming guest to accompany the start of a new season - a time of new resolutions, new energy, and new adventures.

 

Tony Larkman is one of the best coaches currently working - as well as being a fierce competitor to boot. His training plans are legendary for delivering results; and his own history as a rower and coach, frankly, put Lewin and I in the shade.

 

We caught up with Tony while he was visiting his folks for a fascinating, in-depth chat. Delving into his start in rowing back in the good old days (pre-Jurgen), we talk about the importance of mentors and environment in our rowing journeys; old school training methods (pull - now pull harder); being within touching distance of the squad; balancing training and being young; winning and balancing life and goals.

 

Covering Tony's shift towards Indoor Rowing (and yes, we at Broken Oars think that if you indoor row you're just as much of a rower as anyone who gets on the water. We're in the twenty-first century here. Let's get with the programme lads and lasses ...), we get into the nuts and bolts of targeted training.

There are a lot of people offering training plans online and working as personal trainers - and without naming names (hullo 99.9% of instagram influencers!) there are a lot of shysters and BS artists out there.


Tony is one of the best in the business, with a track record of success with clients from the couch to the elite level as well as personally showing the proof in the pudding. It was fascinating and deeply informative to hear him break down how to use goals and targets to backwork a training plan; and then how to structure that training plan.

 

Highlighting the importance of using fitness tests to establish baselines before designing a programme that progressively builds, Tony was insightful in explaining how training in blocks builds over time to create successful gains and results. Breaking things down into building the base (using weights and training to build muscle and correct imbalances, establishing a strength base, looking at minutes rather than distances to put the foundations in) Tony explains the shift to pre-competition and increasing intensity. Talking about the vital importance of keeping it mentally and physically fresh and using cross-training, Tony explains why although you might be slower in tests following a periodised training plan early in the season, the science and progressive loading of this approach means you're more likely to hit your target in the event that matters - whether that's doing your first 5k Park Run; nailing a 2k PB; or making Henley.

Speaking as a Northern Monkey who thinks 'a little bit of slow, a little bit of fast, a little bit of throwing heavy stuff around = fitness' it was and eye-opening and insightful deep dive with a coach and competitor who truly knows their business.

Catch up with Tony here:

 

@tonylarkman

 

www.tonylarkman.com

 

All eight? Prepare for 16 weeks of pain ...

 

Get some!

Broken Oars, Episode 46: Christopher Bailey, His Positive Test, and Protecting British Rowing’s Culture

Usually Broken Oars Podcast returns with a spring in its step and a song in its heart - we love doing this podcast, because we get to do what every rower everywhere does when they're in the company of another rower: talk about rowing, and rowers, and water, and boats, and training, and racing, and cake, and seals, and otters, and ... when we were at Agecroft ...

 

When we were in the war ...

 

Shut up, Granddad. Get hep to the new sounds going around, Daddio!

 

However, we're returning with somewhat grim looks as World Rowing has returned a positive drug test for an indoor rower called Christopher Bailey and sanctioned him to a ban.

 

This is in itself a major blow for our sport.

 

If you're an indoor rower you're just as much a rower as a water rower.

 

However, what made the blow doubly depressing is that Lewin got in touch with Christopher Bailey - and the long and the short of their conversation was that Christopher Bailey doesn't feel he did anything wrong as he wasn't using the PED's he tested positive for at the time that he failed the test.

 

Not that he didn't didn't use them.

 

That he wasn't using them at the time he was tested.

 

That Christopher Bailey was up front and honest about the fact that he used the PED's; and that he was upset that he has been labelled a drug cheat because HE WASN'T USING THEM AT THE TIME HE TESTED POSITIVE is significant.

 

It's significant because it highlights the chilling cultural difference between sports that take PED use for granted and accept it, like body building, power lifting and fitness influencing, which is Christopher Bailey's background ... and sports that say if you take PED's AT ANY POINT you are a drug user and drug cheat ... like, well, like every other sport really, but especially rowing.

 

So, in this episode, Lewin and I get deep into the weeds about Christopher Bailey's positive test. As well as talking about how to make an otter by taking a seal, some dog hair, and some Pritt Stick, we get into the science behind what Christopher Bailey took (Masterone); we talk through the effects of Masterone; what it's used for as a PED; and what it means in terms of performance - in body building, physique training, and endurance sports like rowing.

 

We discuss Christopher Bailey's position (I'm not a cheat, because I wasn't taking them at the time I was tested and competing) and tease out what it means for rowing if sportsmen and women from sporting cultures that accept, encourage, condone or support drug use, whether tacitly or explicitly cross over via the gateway of indoor rowing competitions to rowing itself - and what that means for a sport whose culture is explicitly and tacitly that 'we don't take PED's. Ever.'

 

We look at how the narcissism of the screen age fuels PED use; and how that has fuelled an the acceptance of PED use among influencers and related sports; before expressing our fears about how this acceptance can potentially cross over into all sports - and what that means for rowing, where the culture depends on acceptance and trust in the collective and the individual.

 

We can usually find the good in most things and generally there is very little that we can't make a quip about. But on this occasion, we definitively state that although we want people to come into rowing and stay in rowing, if you take PED's to make yourself fitter, faster, stronger, more muscular, or for other personal internal pyschological reasons ...

 

Find a different sport.

 

(And in case you think we've gone all serious, we also invent Anna Bolic, a steriod-addled fitness influencer who keeps crapping her liver out. It won't go in The Beano, so dear Viz, please get in touch. We've got ideas for storylines. We also talk about meeting things with a plum and the Battle of Richmond).

 

All eight? Don't get some!

 

Our trial period with Manscaped continues, so you can still get 20% off all Manscaped products by using the promo code 'brokenoars' at the manscaped website. Get smooth and smell beautiful with Manscaped and Broken Oars.

 

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code BROKENOARS at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

Broken Oars: The Flag of Their Country

Broken Oars Podcast is, for all of the back-and-forth of Lewin and I about North and South, fundamentally apolitical.

 

You row, we row, we all row together.

 

We take and give ribs and jibes in good heart because we believe that the things that unite us as friends, and in a wider context, as people, as communities and as a country number far more than any differences we may have.

 

We believe in discussion, in compromise, in agreeing to disagree and that, overall, most people are fundamentally decent human beings who are doing the best they can in the circumstances.

 

'I was down by the river watching Dan and Tyne United's rowers out on the water when the church bells started tolling up the valley. Church bells in Britain only ring out of time when war has been declared or when a Monarch dies. So, when I heard them, I knew that the Queen had died in Balmoral.'

 

That is the first paragraph of something that I wrote for my girls when I got home on Thursday night to help them make sense of what will happen over the next few days and weeks. Below is the rest, and while I would never think to speak for Lewin, I think it probably stands for us at Broken Oars and might both help and be a palliative for Thursday's news. 

 

'I am not, fundamentally, a Royalist. You both know that the reason that we have a King or Queen is because not too long ago, one person stabbed another to death on a muddy field and said ‘I am King now.’ Kings and Queens take and hold power at the point of a sword.

 

But that does not necessarily mean that I am anti-Monarchy. Britain's institutions have evolved over time to help four nations of some seventy-odd million individuals broadly manage to rub along together collectively. Although they have been quite deliberately attacked, challenged and undermined in my lifetime and yours, the Monarchy is part of those systems of checks and balances and compromises. Those system are by no means perfect, but they are as good as some and better than many.

 

The death of a member of the Royal Family in Britain is always accompanied by lots of flag-waving; and soundbites about ‘service’, ‘continuity’, Britain’s ‘glorious history’, ‘coming together’ as a nation and all of that jazz. Remember, Rudyard Kipling, an arch-patriot, said that wrapping oneself in the flag was the last bastion of a scoundrel. He called them 'jelly-bellied flag flappers' who knew nothing of the country or its people and who only waved the flag because they didn't know what it actually stood for. And he was right. Boris Johnson did it, and he was a liar; a cheat; a scrounger; and a bully.

 

Try and remember that the Queen was a person, and a Mum, and a wife, and a Grandma, and a Great-Grandma first. She was a human being who loved and was loved by her family and will be missed by them – in the same way that we loved and miss Uncle David and Great-Grandma Smith; or Berry and Dylan.

 

If you feel sad at her death, feel sad for those reasons.

 

People come and go in Britain but its institutions survive. The Monarchy will continue. Charles will now be King. Time will roll on.

 

But it is actually people who are important. People don’t remember if you were a King or Queen; or if you were rich or poor; or if you won a Gold medal or if you didn’t.

 

People remember if you lived a rich and full life; and if they enjoyed your company; and how you made them feel.

 

That’s what important.

 

Remember that.

I love you both.

 

Dad.'

 

Full crew? Easy Oars. 

Broken Oars, Episode 45: Racing, 2k’s and Manscaping

Your dynamic duo return with an episode heralding the new season.

Lewin (The Southern One) talks about the David Villers memorial 2k, letting slip that he at 46 can come within one second of what Aaron (The Northern One) could do at 36 - damn his freakishly freakish genetics. We talk of salmons and seals, establishing that not only was Henry Williamson a Fascist, but he knew nothing of the salmon Jurgen Grobler lurking off Tynemouth for his returning charges.

 

Come on, Salar! Let's see those leaps!

We ask if dolphins are really cute and brainy or if they're just dead-eyed 500lb killing machines with good propaganda? Hint: if your family ever invites you to share a dolphin swimming experience, be afraid, be very afraid!

 

We talk about the joys of racing, training side by side, and why Zoe and Anna of Tyne United are names to remember!

 

We then herald something of a development for Broken Oars Podcast as we welcome our first sponsor to the pod. Manscaped is a Californian company specialising in highly-designed, highly-effective male manscaping and hygiene products.

For those watching on Youtube, and those listening, we do our first unboxing and trial runs of the Manscape Performance Package. Lewin gets smelly with sandalwood and citrus and Aaron tries the best pair of boxers he's ever worn as we try everything they sent us.

It's a trial period between ourselves and Manscaped, lasting from 12th September to 12th November to see if we're a good fit for each other - during which time you'll receive 20% off all Manscaped products and free shipping using the promotional code: brokenoars at the manscaped website.

 

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code BROKENOARS at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

 

Get some!