I was asked to write about ‘Pre Regatta Prep’. Still, on clarifying exactly what was wanted, Ed, the Editor and I decided that preparing for Henley Royal in the middle of August was a reasonably appropriate appropriate topic to cover.
We live in unusual times, and having HRR in mid-August after a very interrupted 18 months (flooding preceded Covid, if you recall) oddly enough seems appropriate. Let’s face it; it is what is, and my understanding is that a part of the reason GB Rowing cancelled all trials and going to the JWC is that pretty much everyone wanted to race HRR with their friends rather than go down the route of the more individual trial (disclaimer; pure towpath chit chat, but makes sense!).
So, what are the positives? You can train for longer to prepare after the missed water time and try something that I would have given my right arm to do at school; train for almost two months with no interruptions from academics or school duties! Of course, whatever I say is irrelevant, and your coaches and no doubt parents will have a say in proceedings; however, I will try and put across a plan that I would be implementing or wanting to do with almost thirty years in the sport.
What are the negatives? You might miss out on a summer holiday (which will probably get cancelled by HM Government anyway).
So, how to maximise the time available:
Firstly, sit down as a crew and decide what you want to try and achieve, why you want to achieve it, and how you want to set about achieving it. Next, you all need to decide what you are prepared to put into the summer and what you are prepared to ‘sacrifice’ to commit to this goal. I say ‘sacrifice’, but it’s not if you enjoy what you are doing and are clear about why you are doing it. Aiming to do well at Henley Royal is an honour, not a sacrifice.
Secondly, get the calendar out and sort out the next few weeks. Be as concrete as you can and commit, or don’t commit. Either way, don’t be vague!
Thirdly, and most importantly, train hard and have fun. Rowing is a brutal sport, and if you want to do well on a stage such as Henley Royal, then learn to make the most of every session technically, physically and mentally, but don’t forget to have fun with your crew. You are all as mad as each other just by being there, so enjoy each other’s company but learn that trick to ‘switch modes’ when needed.
Your coaches will have a training plan to take you through the summer and into ‘silly season as we used to call it with pleasure cruisers, paddle boarders and swimmers all cluttering the river; great practice for ‘the Royal’, which is always a busy and bumpy bit of water. It will be an excellent opportunity to stand those finishes out and send the shell in bouncy conditions. Work on developing a fast start with a definite transition to a solid mid-course rhythm to take you those extra 112m against the stream!
Above all, ladies and gents, remember this; even if you skipped some training during lockdown, then you still have four weeks to catch up. And in a season like this, that’s a lot.
That’s all for now. If you’re hungry for more, check out any of our other pieces from The Catch, listen to the latest podcast episode, or flick through our race previews.
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