[S3]Ep26: CRI Octogenarian 8+ Proves Rowing is for the Ages
Community Rowing, Inc.’s Octogenarian 8 at the 2022 Head of the Charles. Coxswain Bill Becklean steered the US Men’s 8 to gold at the 1956 Olympics.
This episode was made possible in part by:
Breakwater Realty Group, Concept2, Lake Washington Rowing Club and our Patrons
If you were at the Head of the Charles in 2022 and stuck around Boston through Sunday afternoon, you might have caught a glimpse of a Community Rowing, Inc. crew with a combined 720 years of rowing experience. Coach Catherine Saarela put together what she calls her dream team – an Octogenarian 8. In this episode we’re talking with Coach Saarela, 86-year-old coxswain Bill Becklean, and 83-year-old rowers Lee Warren and Alan McClennan. They shared insights on lifelong fitness, being relentlessly active, and those moments you can only find after shoving off the dock.
TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro and welcome
04:45 - Rowing week: coaching, sculling, and begrudgingly getting on the erg
09:54 - Rapid Fire Q&A
16:47 - Learning to row at any age
23:55 - Rowing stroke styles, sculling vs. sweep, and caring for your body long term
32:35 - Coach Saarela’s idea for an Octo 8 at HOCR
35:15 - Coxing, being coxed, and finding swing on the Charles
43:25 - Thoughts on rowing as a lifelong sport, the elusive perfect stroke, and why getting out of bed and into a boat each morning is worth it
50:23 - Rowing and aging: what’s necessary for continuing to row as long as possible
54:15 - What rowing can teach us about: time management, body awareness, seeking perfection, and accepting imperfection
EPISODE Mentions
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Phillips Exeter Academy
ROWERS
Joan Campbell
UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS
Harvard
University of Nebraska
Yale
This episode was written, produced, hosted, and edited by Tara Morgan and Rachel Freedman. Tara provides additional audio engineering, and Rachel manages the website and social media. Our theme music is by the Free Harmonic Orchestra.