Between the Buoys
Becky Wilde and Eve Stewart are Olympic, World, and European medallists. On Between the Buoys, they take you along for the highs and lows of life as a full-time athlete.
Between the Buoys
Looking back and looking forward | Episode 9
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One one final time....for now...join Olympic bronze medallists Becky Wilde and Eve Stewart for the latest episode of Between The Buoys.
This week, the two of them look back on some of their highlights from the past few months, and and look forward to what the international racing season has to offer.
Rocket Coaching is proud to sponsor Between the Buoys.
Between The Buoys is proudly sponsored by Rocket Coaching, a UK-based performance coaching and development practice led by Ian Howell. Rocket Coaching works with leaders and teams across organisations of all sizes, helping unlock true potential and deliver lasting, world-class performance through a values-led, human approach.
With decades of experience in sales leadership, coaching and human performance, Rocket delivers sustainable transformation for organisations - helping people perform at their best, not just in business, but in life.
Discover more at rocketcoach.co.uk.
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Tip of the hat in the direction of Eve Stewart. Probably very well that they're a part of the spray. This week on Between the Boys, we're talking through our highlights from the winter training block and looking ahead to the summer racing season. I'm Becky Wilde, and I'm Eve Stewart, and we're both Olympic, World, and European medalists for Team GB.
SPEAKER_00And this is our podcast about what actually goes on in our lives as GB rowers. We can't tell you everything, but we can tell you a lot. Thank you, of course, to our sponsor, Rocket Coach Link, for making this episode possible. Now sit back, grab a coffee, and enjoy. Okay, we're back. Um it's been a couple of weeks um since we last recorded. A lot has gone on in that time, and we just yeah, kind of had had to preoccupy ourselves with other things. But we're back and ready for one last episode of this first series.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and just before you panic, because we know how much you love it all, we love that you love it. It's not the end of it. We're just taking a little break before we start again doing weekly podcasts when we're into the international racing season, essentially.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we're hoping to get it up and running again as soon as racing starts, I guess, towards the end of May, um, and hopefully continue throughout the summer season, which is really exciting because hopefully we can bring you with us as we go to different races and on camp.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And should provide a bit of insight into what life on the team is like. Obviously, we've given you a bit of behind the scenes in training, but racing is a whole different, what's that saying? Cat uh kettle of fish? Yeah, that's that one. Anyway, moving on. Today we're going to be talking about some of our highlights from the winter training block um and what we're most looking forward to heading into the summer. So, Becky, top three highlights from winter, please and thank you.
SPEAKER_00Um, well, I guess um having spoken like or having recorded throughout the winter training block, maybe a couple of these will have mentioned, but I'll just delve into a bit more detail. I think the third my top wait so top three. Um, my first one would be what is my first one? Oh, um I think when everyone else went to a viz, um I was kind of here on my own, but I was surrounded by a really group of people who were also injured or rehabbing, um, and the power squad. And I spent a lot of time um with one of the men's coaches, Christian Felkell, and he just reminded me that I need to enjoy the sport um because sometimes, well, inevitably it is our job, but we still need to remember like why we're doing it. And Christian was just brilliant every day, like out in the freezing cold or out in the rain. Um, he was like, You just need to enjoy it, and I really did, and I think that's that helped me get through that little bit of time. Um, so that's my first highlight. Um, do you want to alternate? Alright, yeah, we should alternate.
SPEAKER_01Go on. Um, my first one that came to mind, and this was really only at the start of the winter training block. Um, but I did a 20-minute bike test after a period of injury, classic. Um, and the last time I'd done one was I think either last season or it might even have been in the Olympic year because I hate them so much. Last year I was like, I just don't want to do them, I need a mental break from them. Um, but yeah, did one and got a massive PB, did 316 watts for the 20 minutes, and was just so buzzing with it. Because I think when you've done a hard injury, you've had an injury and you've been on the bike, and we know how we've talked a lot about how hard that is. Doing something where you're like, wow, like all my training and all this time on the bike has paid off. Yeah, I was just really proud of myself for that. So that's definitely a highlight, even though it was like six months ago now.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. My second highlight actually links to that, and that's my 5k uh test, which again I kind of did I did on my own because I'd missed the initial 5k test as I was still ill and recovering back then. But I wanted to do it just to see like where I am and to kind of like finish off that block of training. I think it was the it was the day that everyone had We Haw. So I did it on my own at Cavisham. Um I had um Eleanor Brinkhoff and Amelia standing chewing on, and I did like an eight-second PB, I think. Um, and I was it was just like a moment where I was like, okay, I'm back. I I'm like fit, I'm ready to go into like I guess trial season then. Um, but yeah, it was again that moment, like, okay, yeah, also buzzing at that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think it's so obviously the ideal world is when you're training and you're doing stuff with your team and you get to sort of bounce off each other the whole time. But that moment when you're just trying to get back onto that full training programme and you sort of have that last hurdle by yourself, it's quite daunting because you're like, oh my god, I I hope what my alternative training has paid off, but it's a very rewarding feeling.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think we've both been there quite a lot this season already, which um all best aid plans and all that, but yeah, something that you just have to once you get there, trust that you have done enough despite like the the different training.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, multiple paths lead to Rome. Um roads lead to Rome. My second one has got to be a bit different from training, but as you know, we get a lot of questions about sort of balancing life with rowing and doing other things, and I think coming back from Paris in general, I I sort of made a goal for myself, which also partially why we've doing this podcast, um, to do some more things outside of rowing. So, in the run-up to Christmas, I was signing up for a few more things because obviously no racing season and I was injured, so I had a bit more sort of mental space to entertain myself. Um, I did a few days with Team GB where they were running workshops and got to meet athletes from all different sports, which it's so scattered, everyone's scattered around the country anyway, and then especially rowing, because we have one singular training facility, we're all just like cavisham all the time, and it was so nice to meet different people and also see some people who I'd seen at Paris and not since then, sort of you know, a year and a half prior. Um, so yeah, that was a highlight, just like connecting with other athletes in who who are living the same life but different, it's it always is really meaningful, I think.
SPEAKER_00That's actually sidetracked, something I miss about Bath because it was a centre where so many different sports trained, and it was like the I guess the Cavajan equivalent for modern pentahlon, skeleton, um well, some swimming, and that's like I miss like being around different elite athletes every day and like getting their perspective or seeing what they're up to because I just think it's so interesting. So, like when you go out and do days like that, I'm always like wow, like tell me everything.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's just nice, it just puts it. I feel like so much of what we talk about is about perspective, yeah. And it puts it in perspective when you know another athlete doing some complete. I'm actually remember you obviously know him, Matt West uh Matt West, yeah. Sorry, I'm really stumbling over the words today. Gosh. But at that point he was injured or coming out of injury, and I had no idea who it was, but just like a nice guy, and then obviously went on to win two golds at the games. But like just speaking to other athletes who are going through injury or have dealt with it, or hearing about how other athletes' funding is different. It it's just yeah, it's really valuable. I wish I did it more.
SPEAKER_00If I had a thought or highlight, it would be mad winning two goals. But no, I've narrowed it down to top three. Um, and my final highlight is um not rowing related. It's my parents um got a puppy um this winter. Um I think back last month, maybe. Um, and that's just been like a really nice moment for our family just to like have um yeah, have a little like bundle of joy come into our lives, and like my parents like sending me videos every day has been like so cute. And whenever I've gone home, it's just like offered like like we say, like a different perspective, and just you know, it's so nice, just like the poppy love, it's unconditional. I really want one on my own. Happy therapy is a real thing, yeah. Um, so that's probably my final highlight. Just yeah, having that that little bit of happiness in my life has been been amazing. It's very cute.
SPEAKER_01I wish we could get a dog, but it's just so difficult with our schedule.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm trying to work out how it would work.
SPEAKER_01A cat or like a hamster might be a goldfish. Um, my third highlight, and she would be so cringed out by me saying this, but has actually been a rowing pair with Rebecca a bit this season. Yeah. Um, because we both it's been a bit up and down, and like it's not been perfect, but and to be fair, rowing a boat with anyone has just been because it's been a bit more few and far between. Like I've not been able to get out on the water every day. The days where I have been, what you were saying, Becky, about when Christian was like, you know, you just gotta love it, you just gotta enjoy it. The days where I have been on the water, most of them have been with her, and I have felt like oh, it's just so nice to like practice what this and like enjoy, and I've just I've really enjoyed that process and felt like I've was learning stuff, which I think sometimes it's easy to because we always want to be the best, you you almost feel like you want to be at a point where you're I don't know, maybe not learning is the wrong way to say it, but I've actually really enjoyed feeling a bit out of my depth in some parts this season and being like, oh, I I clearly need to improve on this and be better at that and do this better, and then then we'll get this really nice run out of the boat, and I've enjoyed that process, even though it's not been as much as I'd hoped it would be. Hopefully you'll be back up there. Yeah, hopefully be back out there soon. But that was a little look back on sort of the past few months. Looking forward, obviously, first race of the season is coming up in about four weeks. World Cup one in Seville. Yeah. Then the GB roaring team is not racing World Cup 2, we'll be at World Cup III in Lucerne.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Are currently praying and trying to negotiate to do Henley because it doesn't really fit in the season very well and it overlaps with some testing, so possibly Henley, and then of course World Champs. So what are you most looking forward to for the rest of the season?
SPEAKER_00Honestly, keeping it simple, I just um want to race. I cannot wait to just finally get out there and just do a race because that's that's why I do the training, that's what I look forward to the whole winter, that's what's got me through like every up and down um this winter block. So I think when I'm finally out there, I'll just be so excited to like finally be racing. Um yeah, I think that's that's the thing for me, and hopefully, yeah, hopefully that's soon. Yeah, yeah, what about you?
SPEAKER_01I totally agree. Yeah, I mean, essentially, I have the exact same thoughts. Um, I probably won't be at World Cup 1, which is really sad, just because of the rehab I'm doing at the moment, and it it one of those things where like we could probably squeeze it in, but it's not what's best for me in terms of being in my best shape in Amsterdam, so a bit of a bit of pill swallow. However, I feel like I've accepted it now, and I'm like, okay, well, I can really take this time to make sure I am in the best shape possible. Um, so aside from just racing, I'm also specifically really looking forward to racing in Amsterdam because obviously it's home for me, so like school friends will hopefully, if it works with works out with their work schedules, can come and like my family will be there, and that is like it'll be like racing world championships at my local club almost. Like I think it's gonna be really strange, but I'm excited.
SPEAKER_00That's crazy. That'll be so good.
SPEAKER_01I just hope it's nice weather because Amsterdam can be really well it's August, so hopefully. It should be all can be windy. But what's also really cool, speaking of other athletes, it being nice, sort of working with other athletes, is that the and apologies if I say this wrong, but the hockey like world championships, they call it something different.
SPEAKER_00Um I think because one of my school friends is there at the same time as us. Yeah, they're there. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And the GB hockey team, I was talking to one of the girls the other day. Um, they've just qualified into the pool, which means they'll be competing in Amsterdam, literally next door to where we're racing at the same time, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I didn't know it was like next door. Yeah, so hopefully we can get some cross sport determination going on.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we need to talk to them and like see if we can get tickets for them and us get tickets to watch them, which would be really fun.
SPEAKER_00Oh, this is so exciting.
SPEAKER_01I didn't realize so yeah, lots of exciting things on the horizon, and it's just been so nice that the weather's a bit sunny. I mean, it's terribly windy today, yeah, but it has been sunny this week.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and summer is coming, so it's gonna all get better soon.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's been a good perspective. We sat on the balcony the other day just having our morning coffee, and it was honestly like a little sun trap. It was lovely. Yeah, I can't wait to get tan on. I know, so the fake tan season is almost at an end.
unknownThank God.
SPEAKER_00Um, so moving on to some of your guys' questions, um, we'll start with Matty, who's asked how to find my identity again after stopping sports.
SPEAKER_01Such a hard question.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, and I think one that every athlete, you know, no matter whether you're a professional or whether you've done it for a few years in school, like there's always an adjustment period. We obviously haven't really been through this period yet. Um, but my boyfriend actually is. He was on the GBT in Browing and then was an America's Cup grinder and did that in 2024, and then they replaced his role with a battery on the boat. So he's transitioned into the corporate world. Matty, I don't know how old you are, whether it's post-school or whatever age. Um, and I think just speaking from what I've observed with him, it's just been like trying to find something that's different that just makes you tick a bit, that makes you feel happy, and it doesn't need to be something you want to commit to with the same intensity that you may be committed to the sport, but just doing things that challenge you, doing things where you get to be a bit sociable, doing things that put a smile on your face, I think is the most important. And then you may not find like that passion at the same level straight away, but I really believe like it can't be that we only have one passion in life.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, definitely. Like the only way I can relate to this is when I had my hip surgeries in 2019 and I didn't row for basically nine months, and at the time I didn't know if I'd ever get back to rowing or sport, um, and I just had to like find my identity outside of sport, and I I wouldn't say I was great at that at first, but I think yeah, it's finding those passions, it's finding what makes you tick outside of just um just being in a boat or just doing um training, and that can still be in sport in some way. Like, I think I'll definitely like transition into hopefully a job still in sport in some way, but yeah, it's just like you'll you have different passions, so just like lean into them, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And spend some time exploring, you know, if you want to try and do something more creative. Like, I know my creative side I feel has really taken a seat on the back boner for the past well five years. Um, but you know, maybe leaning into that or like you being able to do things with friends that you'd otherwise miss because you had training or racing or whatever it is. So just trying to like take the blinkers off a bit and open your world up would be my first step. As someone who hasn't currently been through that, but good luck with it, definitely. Like some time. Let us know, send us a message and let us know how it's going in a few months' time. Um, next question was from Emily, which is kind of the opposite. Going back to rowing after an eight-month break. Very fitting, actually, for what you just said.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um, well, yeah, I guess there's multiple angles to this, but definitely like physically, like look after yourself. Like you can't just go straight back into what you were doing when you stopped. Um, so definitely let your body adjust. Like, you don't want to be getting injured straight away, build up slowly and like work on those like small muscle groups and like the core, the glutes and stuff. Um, and then what I'd also say is like mentally the side of it, like hopefully, I mean, I don't know why you took taking an eight-month break. It might be injury, it might be because you just needed like that mental refresh, but um, just remember like why you're doing it, like why do you want to get back into it? And after a few months when it's almost like normality again, and you if you ever if you start to feel a bit like I did in January, like down in the dumps, um, just remember like why you're doing it and try and enjoy it as much as you can because it is it's a sport at the end of the day, it's your it's like a passion, it's a hobby. Like lean into that aspect of it and have a smile on your face.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think that's great advice. I I don't have anything to add that really.
SPEAKER_00I think that hits the nail on the head. Um, okay, from Kath, what makes the best cox and why?
SPEAKER_01Hmm, I feel like we've had a few questions like this actually over the past few um episodes. I think, and again, these are not actually my words, they were ones I heard Wilder and Egri say last season. But I think the best cox number one has to be like emotionally aware and like a bit empathetic towards his crewmates, because if you can't read the room, you might as well get lost, I think, because it's you're just not going to create that that team bond that you you want in that scenario. But I think the best cocks is they're able to, you know, sit with a group, blend in with them, have fun, whether it's in a briefing or sort of off not in training, but so that when you actually get to the water and you get to the racing, there's such a level of trust built between the crew and the cocks that you sort of just become the voice of the crew, and you're not trying to enforce your own ideas on them. You know, obviously, maybe in a racing scenario, you might need to make a split decision and change the race plan a little bit, but you just want to reiterate what you have decided to do as a crew beforehand, and I think that's how you build the most trust between you and the rowers because they want to know that you agree with them essentially, and that you also trust their opinion because there's nothing worse as an athlete than you know, maybe trying to deliver input to a cox and then just ignoring you because it, you know, you're sort of there like, well, I'm the one doing the work, like surely what I have to say is valid as well. So I think just finding, you know, you obviously have the voice, but that doesn't mean you're uh the dictator, um, and especially not when you're off the water, then you want to bring that sort of equality back into the room where everyone has the right to speak and say what they think. That's a bit of a roundabout answer, but yeah, just someone who's empathetic, who listens, and who's respectful. Yeah, I mean I can't add that. I think that was very good. Um last question from Naomi, which is great considering we're heading into racing season, was best tips for pre-race nerves and race prep. Interesting.
SPEAKER_00Um okay, for me, I think the way I handle my nerves is I actually like plan out my whole racing day. Um, almost planned back was actually from like the race start time, what time we warm up, what time we boat, what time we get hands-on, um, and that period between like the pre-paddle and um boating again, like what you're gonna do in that time, um, how long you have, what you're gonna eat, what you're gonna do to distract yourself. Um, and that's just a really good way for me to like know that every minute of that day is accounted for, and I don't need to get nervous because I know what's coming next, and I know that like that's all like prepare I've prepared for everything. Um, so I guess that's that's probably my top tip. It's just like having that plan and also just remembering that nothing needs to change on race day. Like, you've done the training, um, you don't need to do anything special, like just trust, trust yourself, back yourself.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, big on that. I think I similarly just plan out your days. I I do that too, just so that my brain doesn't have to wander and I don't have to make any like when you're high, when anxiety is high and nerves are high and tension is high, it feels so hard to make really easy decisions. So taking that element out, you know, planning your breakfast, planning what you're gonna do, all that stuff, packing your kit. We've talked about that before. Um, and I also think when I was younger, I maybe it was from like watching athletes on I don't know, in movies, or but I used to think that when athletes were nervous and like before a race, they had to have you know headphones on, hood up, sat in a corner, like ultimate focus mode, you know, nothing can distract them, really serious. Um, and I just really don't vibe with that at all, actually. I think that just creates a much more negative sense of nerves. Um, I think you know, my stomach will feel jittery on race day, and I I find it quite hard to eat, but I kind of prefer just trying to act normal. Like before our Olympic final, I remember we sat obviously, there was nine of us, we were sat in sort. Canteen area in Paris, and we had our sandwiches and we were trying to or like granola, whatever we were trying to eat, don't remember. A few people were doing crosswords, and we were just talking through rowing memories and stupid things we'd done as juniors, and you know, things we used to believe in. It was just it could have been a casual conversation at any other breakfast, but it just happened to be before our Olympic final. But it I think just trying to, you know, ex be accepting that some crewmates will have different ways of dealing with their nerves and may want to be more quiet, but there's always going to be people around you, most likely, that are also happy to chat with you and you know, maybe play a card game or do something just something that gives your mind a bit of a break from the impending race, I think, is for me most helpful.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think everyone is different, and it's kind of respecting that. And some people, I don't know, when I think about all the different crews, like I read rugby magazines, for example, because it takes me away from what I'm doing, but it also, I don't know, I'm just like a big rugby fan, so it like keeps me in that kind of frame of mind, like sporting frame of mind. Matilda would knit. Um, I know like some of the other crews will just like muck around like normal, like have some banter, play some games. Um, and yeah, I think everyone is different, so just like do what makes you tick, and you don't need to change it just because it's race day.
SPEAKER_01No, not at all, but just to the only advice would be to not let yourself pull yourself down into an anxiety spiral because that's guaranteed not going to help. Um, that was kind of the last question on today's episode. But I think from both of us, we've I don't want to speak too much for you, Becky, but we've enjoyed recording this so much, and all the amazing questions that you guys have sent in over the past what is it, sort of five months, six months, yeah. Um, yeah, we've really enjoyed doing it, and this is not a goodbye, it's just a little pause before we start season two essentially in a month or so.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, hopefully um this time next month or be getting season two up and running. And in the meantime, if you do have any questions, please send them our way and we'll get back to them in episode one. Um, but really good luck with um the racing season that's about to start. I think I believe it's Wallingford and Bucks this weekend, and then races come thick and fast. So really excited um to yeah see the domestic racing season get up and running, and then eventually the international one as well. Well, that's in disguise.
SPEAKER_01Uh this was Between the Boys season one. See you soon. Bye.
SPEAKER_00Between the Boys is proudly sponsored by Rocket Coaching, a UK-based performance coaching and development practice led by Ian Howe.
SPEAKER_01Rocket Coaching works with leaders and teams across organisations of all sizes, helping unlock true potential and deliver lasting world-class performance through a values-led human approach.
SPEAKER_00With decades of experience in sales, leadership, coaching, and human performance. Rocket delivers sustainable transformation for organizations, helping people perform at their best, not just in business, but in life. Discover more at rocketcoach.co.uk Between the Boys is part of the JRN podcast family.
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