GUEST INTERVIEW Going for gold Journal: What made you decide to come out of retirement?

GS: “I stayed close to rowing and went to the World Championships as a commentator. My plane was delayed for 24hrs and it gave me time to think about how I was drifting towards 2012 without a meaningful plan. I wouldn’t want to have been watching the Games and wondering what might have been if only I’d been brave enough to try.”

Journal: What did you do during your retirement?

GS: “I became a professional sailor as well as working for Lane4 Management Group taking the concepts of sport (mental toughness/team work etc) into business. I kept fit and did the London marathon twice (3.25) and the London triathlon twice (2.28ish). I loved the training especially open water swimming in cold lakes around the M25!”

Journal: How does it feel to be back competing this time round?

GS: “Great - I enjoy

competing now more than I used to. I realise how good it is to watch these things and how lucky I am to be out there doing it. Before I didn’t realise this and sometimes failed to enjoy the build up to and challenge of the race itself. I think we all feel a bit worried about being tested but it is the best bit!”

Journal: What does your typical workout include?

GS: “I tend to loosen up with some cross training, then I do some body weights work - like press ups, squat jumps and planks. Then I get into

04

the session usually combining free

weights like power cleans and squats with bench presses and pulls. I also do chin ups and use gym machines for seated row, hamstring

curls and cable flies for example. “We tend to train as a team most

of the time, we have a strength and conditioning coach who looks after our programme. When I am on my own I go to the gym and use the Precor Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT) as it provides me with a great all-over workout and the way the stride works means I can’t over- stretch my muscles and risk injury which is extremely important to me.”

Journal: What, if any, impact do you think sports personalities and events

like the Olympics can have on people’s attitude to exercise and fitness?

GS: “I hope people will be made aware of more sports and see the opportunity to get involved outside of things they have tried before. I also hope generally people will want to get fitter and use gyms and sports clubs more. It might become more cool to be sporty!”

Journal: How would you like to inspire people through what you do?

GS: “I hope people might see what I have been able to do and believe they can get more out of themselves. I think people are capable of incredible things like running marathons and walking up mountains but few actually believe they are capable and make the step to go for it.”

The REPs Journal 2011;20(March):4

Olympic Rower Greg Searle has come out of retirement to compete in the 2012 games – 10 years after he won gold in Barcelona.