Sally
***
1. Who are you
Sally Kettle – Two-Time Atlantic Rower, Adventurer &
Personal Trainer
2. The Challenge
Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race 2003/4 and 2005/6
3. How long did it take?
1st Time – 105 days , 2nd Time – 77 days
4. What was the distance?
Just over 3000 miles (a few extra with some figure of 8’s)
5. How much did it cost?
I’m not sure what the total cost was, but you’re looking at
about £12-£15k for race entry fees, £12-£25k for a boat (either new or used),
kit and travel costs change depending on your choices and the set up of the
boat. Realistically think £50 -£75k and you’ll be in the right ballpark.
6. Who was / is the organiser?
The very, very first time - Challenge Business, then a successful crossing with the Ocean Rowing Society, then finally Woodvale Events. None of these organisations ruin rowing races any more though!
7. What was it like?
Both ocean rows were incredible, and changed my life. They were
also the most difficult things I’ve ever done. The rowing schedule is hardcore
– 1 ½ hrs on / 1 ½ hrs off during the day, 3hrs on/ 3hrs off during the night –
so is the seasickness, lack of sleep and mind numbing boredom of days at sea.
But I always describe it as “camping at sea, instead of hill and cows, it’s
waves and whales.”
Nothing prepares you for the struggle that is raising
sponsorship for the trip. Not only is it very stressful, but also there’s a
constant pressure to self-fund over and above your financial abilities. My first
trip created circumstances that left me ‘signing on’, and there’s been more
than a few teams who have returned from the adventure with enormous debts.
I learnt a lot in the preparation, the most important being “the
more time you give to the project the more likely you are to get sponsorship.
If you can’t give time, then be prepared to self-finance”. Finding your
sponsors and creating and maintaining a professional relationship with them
takes time.
When hardened ocean rowers tell you, “If you can make it to the
start, then you can make to the finish” this is definitely true. On both
occasions we spent over a year getting the row together, but whenever I felt
like crap at sea I reminded myself what it took to get there.
As for the row, well I’ve never spent so much time in pain! From
blisters to sciatica, constant muscle pain to overwhelming exhaustion I was in
pain 24hrs a day. If you intend to take this on, know that it will be
emotionally and physically painful. Having said that, we made it across and arrived
with smiles on our faces!
With the Rowgirls crew in particular we faced horrendous
conditions, huge seas, ferocious winds and rain for a month! We also struggled
with injuries, which led to one of the team leaving the boat and disqualifying
us from the race. It was an emotional rollercoaster but we pulled together and
against the odds (no rudder, a shark attack and a broken watermaker) we still
crossed the finish line.
It’s very easy to get caught up in the race, and many a crew
have come home lamenting the fact that they didn’t make the crossing fast
enough, that they didn’t win the race, or beat such and such a team or that so
and so cheated. For many it will be their only opportunity to sit in a little
wooden rowing boat in the middle of an ocean, away from the stresses and
strains of modern life, travelling at the speed of a passing whale. If I’ve
learnt anything from my adventures it’s this – take time to appreciate it,
because what seems to be never ending will be over in the blink of an eye. So when
you head out there stop rowing, watch for whales and swim in water 7 miles
deep!
8. How should you / did you train?
My thoughts have changed a lot when it comes to training since
completing my ocean rows. I now believe there are two ways to look at it. 1.
What physical training will make you feel capable of completing the row,
and 2. What training will actually make you capable of completing the row and
returning to land in good shape?
As a novice I remember focusing on no.1. – pounding out hours of
rowing on an erg, believing it would fully prepare me for the trip. It didn’t.
But when I got to the start line I mentally felt able to complete the task. I
returned having lost a considerable amount of skeletal muscle, which converted
itself into fat as I regained my lost 2 stones, and I caught every cold going.
I also wasn’t very strong whilst out at sea, this probably resulted in the
constant pain.
If I could change the way I trained for the adventure, I would
focus on gaining muscle, especially in my core, my back and legs and spending
less time on the rowing machine. I think this is particularly important for
female teams as we women carry a lot less muscle, so we need to gain more and
be ready to lose it, along with body fat, whilst at sea.
Instead I would spend more time on weight and flexibility
training and stick to rowing on board the boat. This can be tricky if you’re
still raising money to buy it, but when you look at those who have had
successful and fast crossing they spent a good proportion of their training
getting comfortable at sea in a boat.
Having qualified as a Personal Trainer I’m now more than happy
to support any team who plan to attempt a crossing. So please do contact me if
you’d like a specific training plan – www.dont-hope-do.com
9. Any other useful hints / links?
Really think about the Time/Money equation. If you can’t spend
time finding money to fund your adventure then expect to fork out using your
own finances. I personally do not believe the row is worth remortgaging your
home or leaving yourself in debt because you’ve over borrowed. There are
sponsors out there and they are usually somebody you already know, you just
have to spend a lot of time trying to find them.
Also, you don’t always have to find cash, take a look at your
long list kit etc. much of it can be sponsorship in kind. You only need ready
cash for purchasing the boat, race entry fees, insurance, shipping, travel and
accommodation.
Look at the row as a physical job, much like a builder or a
gardener. Your job is to row. It doesn’t seem so hard if you imagine you’re
committing to a job rather than an ‘endurance challenge’.
Know that you will make mistakes, and it doesn’t matter how many
rowers you talk to before you go. They’ll be more than happy to tell you what
they should or shouldn’t have done. Take their advice but know that you’ll do
something daft anyway!
Be careful with charities. Remember, with no disrespect to them,
it’s in their nature to be selfish. It’s very easy to over commit time and
energy to a charity and struggle to fund and train for the row. Be sure that
any relationship you plan to have with your charity is very clear i.e. will you
only give them money after you’ve made it to the start line? How will you
proportion donations? For example, you desperately need a life jacket but a
donor has given you £100 for the charity- who will you spend the money on? How
much support will the charity give you? Will they approach their regular
fundraisers and ask them to raise on your behalf or will they just give you
some balloons and a bucket and let you get on with it?
If you want to raise a significant sum, and my rows raised
almost £300,000, then your charity has to be part of team. You can’t organise
this on your own, and a charity already has the resources and the
infrastructure to do it. Buy them into the challenge and ask them to work as
hard for you as you will for them and I promise the rewards will be sweeter!
Finally, leave your arrogance at home. I’ve been to many race
starts and can tell you that every single team who has strutted about the
pontoons with a chip on their shoulder has returned to eat humble pie. The
ocean doesn’t care about the race, and it will break you if it sees fit, and
once you’re out there your most important priority is to return to your loved
ones alive.
To find out more about ocean rowing go to:
