Should you wear sunglasses for rowing? And if so, which ones?
There was a time when I would wear any old sunnies for rowing. As a forgetful, clumsy type prone to losing and sitting on my belongings, I figured the cheaper the better. Until, that is, I found myself rowing alongside an optometrist who told me, in no uncertain...
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Racing in the heat – how to survive a hot regatta
We've just officially had the hottest August Bank Holiday on record. I think the technical description is "scorchio". And since we all know that August Bank Holiday means Ross Regatta, it meant I was racing in temperatures more appropriate for the average sauna. Not...
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My new rowing friends! The draw for the Worlds is out.
The draw is out for the World Rowing Masters Championships and I'm not gonna lie, I can feel the butterflies in my stomach. It's all suddenly got a bit scarily real. But alongside the jitters I'm genuinely excited to see all the crews that I'm up against. Yes, for...
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Operation 82 – it’s not over ’till it’s over
Two months ago, racing at the Worlds seemed, if not exactly realistic, then at least doable. I was heading towards my final cancer treatment with every prospect of bouncing back afterwards. We had long months of training stretching ahead of us. The sun was shining. It...
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The maiden voyage of Girl on the River
Ever since I took delivery of my gorgeous new boat I've been itching to race in her. Unfortunately I had to pull out of Llandaff as I had a nasty cold, so Bewdley Regatta was the venue for the maiden voyage of Girl on the River (as a racing boat, at any rate). I was...
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Girl on the River’s ultimate wild swimming kit list
In the last few months I've been taking every opportunity I can to plunge myself into cold bodies of water. I've swum in the River Usk, two spots on the River Wye and even in a sailing lake in the Cotswolds and I'm planning a few British sea swims later in the week....
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My beautiful new boat and what I’m calling her
It's a bit of an indulgence, I know. I don't actually NEED a single of my own. I'm lucky enough to be in a club that has a few nice single sculls that are not massively outside my weight category. I'm a featherweight 53kg and we have a couple of lovely singles that...
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Banya No.1 – muscle recovery, Russian-style
Anyone who's been following Girl on the River for a while will know I am a passionate convert to saunas and their beneficial effects, ever since I raced in Finland a couple of years ago and a lakeside sauna session transformed me from a wobbly, aching,...
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