Broken Oars Podcast

Broken Oars, Episode 39: Judith Packer - Rowing; Umpiring and How Rowing, Rowers and Clubs Can Help the Mental Health Crisis

 

 

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Broken Oars Podcast returns, with your Northern Correspondent and your Southern Overlord being joined by Judith Packer.

 

A lifelong rower from her early days at University who then transitioned into umpiring, going on to oversee one of Hodge's last races and one of the most prestigious events in world rowing in the Women's Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, Judith then became a a stalwart of Zoom Ergos. Her sessions with Di Binley and their tours of rivers and locations became the stuff of legend as we battled the dark, dark days of the lockdowns, bringing much needed light and colour to all of us who were suddenly missing their usual connection to the water and the communities therein.

 

In discussing Judith's trajectory through rowing, Zoom Ergos became a jumping off point for a much-needed and wider discussion of the Mental Health epidemic that is blighting and limiting lives in every age cohort in the UK, overwhelming already over-stretched NHS services.

 

With 1 in 6 of us likely to have had a mental health related issue in the last week, 1 in 4 of us experiencing one in any given year and 1 in 3 of us doing so in our lifetimes, with a shocking figure of 70-75% of us not getting treatment or help, while great strides have been made in the UK in terms of understanding Mental Health, the stigmas still remain below the surface, and not enough is being done. Particularly worrying is the rise in the number of children who are diagnosed with Mental Health issues - especially as the rise in diagnosed cases underscores that the vast majority of cases won't be.

 

Touching on personal experiences, and talking about Bernie Hollywood's Boat of Hope campaign, we discuss the role rowing clubs can play in creating safe emotional and physical spaces for all; in providing support and signposting; and how we can go further to ensure that no-one, of any age, gets left behind.

 

A vital and much-needed conversation about the hidden epidemic in our midst and what we can do about it.

 

Full Crew - We're All In For This!

 

 

 

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Broken Oars, Episode 37: Mark Lewis - Better Than Average Youtube Sensation, Fitness Journeys, and TRT

 

 

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We return like the bad pennies we are (hey, we prefer to think of ourselves as a high-class currency, but ...), and on this occasion we're joined by Mark Lewis.

 

Mark Lewis is the man behind the burgeoning Youtube channel, Better Than Average - a channel which takes a different tack to the 'look at me, I'm perfect, buy my products' approach taken by the bulk of the Instafitness generation.

 

Through his channel, the content he creates, and the challenges he takes on, Mark hopes to inspire us to believe and go for the reality that we can, actually, be better than we already are with a bit of grit, a bit of wit, and bit of a sense of humour and achievement along the way.

 

Periodically, as part of his channel's varied and always entertaining output, he takes on a challenge to show the gap between what we think an elite athlete does - and what they ACTUALLY do. He first came to our attention when he, as a non-rower, who'd not been on a rowing a machine for the best part of 25 years, decided to see if he could row as fast as Sir Steve Redgrave did on his worst day on an erg - the infamous pre-Sydney 6 - 15 2k test collapse.

 

(If you haven't watched this video, or indeed any of Mark's content, the links are down below. We won't spoil the ending for you, but it's well worth your time).

 

As rowers, we knew we had to have a chat with this tall, fit interloper who thought he could into our sport, smash our records and this bugger off back to Youtube. We also wanted to have a chat with Mark because he has been very open on his channel in talking about his Testosterone Replacement Therapy medication. As individuals and a sport who has always taken a hard line against any form of drugs in sport, we really wanted to find out more about how this usage squared with his fitness goals, looking at the ethics, morality and advantages that it might give someone who is, essentially, a professional Youtuber whose success depends on his ability to work and inspire physical performance in others.

 

Well, we're glad we got in touch with Mark as it turned out to be a fascinating and nuanced chat. Taking in his early life and background, his trajectory into sport, we also found out about his trajectory out of it, something exacerbated by lifestyle choices and social factors we can all identify with. Openly discussing his lowest points, and also his conscious decision to put the doughnuts away and starting fighting back, Mark showed a human side not usually associated with the filtered perfection of the professional social media fitness type.

 

In this context, he talked about how even though he was eating better, and exercising regularly, and the weight had shifted somewhat, he still struggled with motivation and enthusiasm, going on to explain that going onto TRT was a lightbulb moment - one that gave him back the energy and the drive that he had been lacking even when he was doing all of the right things.

 

This is an important discussion. The UK is well behind America and Europe in terms of Hormone Replacement Therapies in both sexes; and as Mark points out, a lot of issues that are diagnosed as depression have roots in hormone imbalances that can be addressed, but aren't by an NHS that is behind the curve. We discuss morality and ethicality of his TRT use, and its implications for age-group sports like rowing as its use becomes more and more widespread. After all, what could possibly go wrong with giving a therapeutic drug that also gives you more energy and drive and recovery to a cohort who really, really like to go a bit faster than they already are?

 

A fascinating chat with a great guy, and an important discussion. TRT is coming, and as rowers and older sportsmen and women, we have to get our heads around it.

 

Better Than Average Youtube Link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dr32gbapkzgw_Eyr6VsJw

 

Better than Average Official Website:

https://www.marklewis.co.uk/

 

Better Than Average Official Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/marklewispics/

 

Stern Four? You've been assigned for random drug testing. Pee in a cup. Not now, Six!

 

Enjoyed this episode?

 

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Broken Oars, Episode 36: The Short and Sweet Episode!

 

 

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We're back! Double and Trouble once again with the only rowing podcast that matters (apart from all the others).

 

In this episode, Lewin and I go back to our roots. With no guest, we simply chat about what's been interesting, annoying or inspiring us in the world of rowing (and indeed the world beyond) at this moment in time.

 

So, in this episode, for your listening delight and delectation we give you our thoughts, such as they are, on subjects as diverse as THAT Guardian article; comms speak; Eric Murray Dancing With The Stars On Ice and SMASHING IT; Tom George and the future of the monarchy; Thames and what punishments British Rowing should impose for their riding roughshod and mobhanded over the British Rowing system (no Henley this year would be a start); the prospect of an online onwater Viking Rowing Challenge League and why it should damned well happen, British Rowing ...

 

... and the difference between a proverb, an aphorism and an axiom.

 

Bow pair: a proverb, an aphorism and an axiom walk into a bar one day. The axiom says to the proverb ...

 

 

 

Enjoyed this episode?

 

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Broken Oars Broken Thoughts Bonus Episode: Science, Stopwatch, Art? A reaction to a recent article about British Rowing Post-Tokyo

 

 

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A Broken Thoughts where the Northern One goes off, perhaps ill-advisedly, on a recent  newpaper article about British Rowing, asking when language became something you used for inaccuracy, infelicity and misrepresentation and what happened to holding your hands up and saying 'Yep. I got it wrong.'

 

And yes, I do call you Geoff, Greg.

 

Aren't mistakes annoying?

 

 

 

Enjoyed this episode?

 

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Broken Oars, Episode 35: Dan Armstrong - Deep Diving with a Thoroughly Modern Coach

Enjoyed this episode?

 

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Broken Oars Podcast, and your genial hosts Lewin (Southern One) and Aaron (Northern One) return with what could be our most important and insightful episode yet.

 

Oh, you always say that, you podding scallywags.

 

Well, yes, we do.

 

And we always mean it too.

 

On this occasion, though, it might just be true.

 

We're joined on this episde by Dan Armstrong, former junior performance pathway rower, former Durham University rower, current Durham University Coach and Tyne United Head Coach.

 

Starting with his introduction to the sport in a non-traditional rowing area (Hexham, Northumberland) and discussing how opportunity can be as important as parental or personal inclination in opening a door, we go on to look at how rowing can be identify forming in junior athletes - and the challenges that brings when it coincides with the search for your own adult identity.

 

Talking openly and honestly about how his own experiences of trying to juggle being a High Performance athlete with family life, the demands of university, and developing into a fully rounded human being all at the same time led to his eventual burnout, Dan goes on to address how his trajectory through the sport and subsequent transition into coaching meshes with the demands and expectations placed on the modern coach.

 

He outlines the challenges and responsibilities he feels for his athletes and the sport; why specialisation ultimately always beats standardisation and where British Rowing is heading with our Olympic slots under threat.

 

In tracing Dan's journey from a state-school rowing club in a non-rowing area through to his current role as a coach at one of the country's most prestigious HP programmes, alongside his role in Tyne United's community orientated approach, this episode ties together all of the threads and levels of British Rowing in a fascinatiing, nuanced and expansive deep dive into Broken Oar's Podcast's key themes and interests.

 

Oh, and we also define where the North begins and ends; establish the limits of sports science and the importance of data; talk about PED use in elite sport; why the stance on Modafinil use was indicative of the rot setting in; and why the Northern One has the finish of a sweep oarsman, no matter how many hours he spends sculling? 

 

Essential listening.

 

Stern pair? Shush. The grown ups are talking.

 

Enjoyed this episode?

 

Buy us a coffee, download a training plan, and support us so we can carry on making Broken Oars Podcast, the best rowing podcast in the world.

 

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Broken Oars, Episode 34: Drew Ginn - The Art And Practice Of Pushing The Limits

Drew Ginn is a five-time world rowing champion, four-time Olympian, triple Olympic champion (and silver medallist in one of the greatest Men's Coxless Four Finals in history); member of Australia's original Oarsome Foursome, and recipient of the rowing's Thomas Keller Medal; as well as an inductee into Sport Australia's Hall of Fame.

 

Beyond the medals, the statistics, the awards and the plaudits, Drew is, quite simply, a legend of the sport of rowing, described by triple Olympic champion Andrew Triggs-Hodge as Australia's equivalent of Sir Steve Redgrave and the opponent he lost most sleep over.

 

This episode of Broken Oars Podcast was a long time in the making (over a year). But we think you'll find, like us, that it was worth the wait. We sat down with an icon and ended up talking to one of the most passionate, knowledgeable, approachable and creative people we've ever met. Drew's desire to learn, share and engage, alongside his curiosity and passion, simply burns through every moment of this episode.

 

Alexander the Great wept because he had no more worlds to conquer.

 

Here we lay down our podcast, knowing that our work is done.

 

Full Crew: From backstops ... listen and learn. You're in the presence of greatness.


Again.