Girl on the River’s 10 year anniversary
Girl on the River
by carswellp
2y ago
Ten years ago I pressed “publish” on my very first Girl on the River post, and I don’t think it’s overdramatic to say that in that moment, my life changed. In August 2011, I was very new to the sport. My rowing was extremely scrappy. My kit was extremely shiny. I was a novice in every sense of the word. Heck, I wasn’t even sure if rowing and I were in a long-term relationship (we certainly weren’t exclusive). I was also a complete nobody in the rowing world. As a pint-sized, 40-something novice in a sport for giants, at a small provincial club, with dodgy health and a history of being useles ..read more
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Rivercide – what YOU can do to help
Girl on the River
by carswellp
2y ago
If you watched last night’s powerful, live documentary, Rivercide, about the crisis in our rivers, the chances are you’re feeling angry, shocked, depressed and desperate to do something to help (by the way, you can still watch it here – it is brilliant and essential viewing). I’ve already blogged here about things you can do to help to save our rivers, and have created an environmental resources page with suggestions for ways you can get involved, but let’s take another look at some of the issues mentioned in the documentary and how we can address them. Rivercide ended with a clear and straigh ..read more
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Can we save our rivers?
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
One person can’t save our rivers. Neither can one podcast episode. But I fervently believe that if we all start to take steps right now there’s still time to save our rivers before it’s too late. My latest interview on the podcast is with wild swimmer and environmental campaigner, Angela Jones (you can listen to it here or on any podcast app and I also made a short video when we went for a swim together which you can watch here). Image by Gemma Kate Wood Angela, a wild swimmer, environmental campaigner and author of a gorgeous book about swimming the River Wye, swims in the river every day ..read more
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What next for Zoom Ergos?
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
Ever since it burst on to the scene in November last year, Zoom Ergos enthusiasts have been asking how long it will go on for and what will happen after lockdown. So I’m here to answer the question on everybody’s lips – what next for Zoom Ergos? Nothing is absolutely concrete, but the current plan is to keep going through May and June – most of the May sessions have now been posted online. There will probably then be a break for July and August. At that point, if there’s still enough interest, they will resume in the autumn. There’s now an excellent bunch of super-subs primed and waiting in t ..read more
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Getting steamed up over Covid
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
  I’m a pretty law-abiding person by nature, and throughout the pandemic I’ve gone along with the restrictions with as much patience and good humour as I can muster. Sure, it’s been frustrating at times, especially living on the border where we have to grapple with dual and often conflicting restrictions (not to mention being kept away from my own club because I live on the wrong side of the border). On the whole, though, I’ve been happy to comply. I’d rather we got rid of the virus once and for all so we can get back to doing what we love, and so I’ve been happy to accept a level of con ..read more
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Monmouth Wonder Women – the superheroes taking on Race the Thames
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
There’s a bit of a superheroes thang going on with this year’s Race the Thames. First we had the Paravengers led by undubitable superhero Pete Reed. And now… drum roll… I’m delighted to introduce you to the latest crew of superheroes to throw their hats into the ring: the Monmouth Wonder Women. Now, they say that not all superheroes wear capes, but frankly where’s the fun in that? When it comes to looking the part, the Monmouth Wonder Women are ALL IN – capes and all – and we’re not stopping there. We’ll be wearing a different costume for each day of the Race the Thames challenge, completing ..read more
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#NotWehorr2021 – the Women’s Head of the River like you’ve never known it
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
In the most historic Women’s Head in living memory, a powerful crew of more than 600 tore up the Tideway this morning, setting a new course record of 17:40 and showing Covid that it takes more than a poxy pandemic (or a closed bridge, for that matter) to keep women rowers off the river. Behold #NotWehorr2021. The last few years have been tough for WEHoRR. Thwarted by the elements, it’s been cancelled three years in a row – a dispiriting state of affairs for everyone. But when the going gets tough, the tough go rowing, and #NotWehorr2021 demonstrated the very best traits of the rowing communit ..read more
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Your new ZoomErgos host
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
Since I last wrote about ZoomErgos back in December (when the latest lockdown was a mere twinkle in the PM’s eye), it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that ZoomErgos has taken the rowing world by storm. Its numbers have multiplied as quickly as Covid in an unventilated room, and it’s even featured in the Times in an excellent piece by Matt Dickinson. More and more members of the rowing royal family have come on board to lead sessions, and they’ve been joined by less well known, but no less inspiring, club members and coaches. It’s also spread overseas, with hosts as far away as Michigan and ..read more
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How to get out of the lockdown exercise rut
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
I’d been doing so well. Exercising like a fiend. Walking every day. Feeling, if I’m really honest, a tiny bit smug. Until one day last week, out of the blue, I just couldn’t do it any more. I didn’t feel like going for a walk. I didn’t want to get out of bed to climb on the erg. Even the thought of working out alongside Olympic legends had lost its shine. I was tired. Fed up. Weary. Bored. And I just didn’t know how to get out of the lockdown exercise rut. So I decided to bring others on board. Having just joined Clubhouse (you can find me at @girlontheriver), I decided to host my very first ..read more
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How to prepare for an endurance event
Girl on the River
by carswellp
3y ago
Anyone who listened to my podcast interview with spinal cord injury survivor, Steven Dowd, will hardly be surprised to learn that I signed up immediately for the Endurow Challenge.  I’d never really properly turned my mind to how to prepare for an endurance event, but having committed quite late in the day I hastily made a vague plan, involving some longer rows, plenty of carb loading (mmm), some lovely, relaxing tapering – that kinda thing. Life being full of surprises, though, what I hadn’t counted on was being told I was having my covid vaccination on Saturday, the day scheduled for th ..read more
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