INTERVIEW
proud of all of them, the guys and girls that I haven’t met who are getting their own medals, for bravery and service all over the world. It’s hugely inspiring for me,” he says. “Perhaps this is my opportunity to say thank you.”
A different team It is perhaps not that surprising that Reed credits the Navy with so much of his development as a rower, as military and professional sporting lives are not that far removed from each other – indeed, the link between the two spheres, while most apparent when considering the many military sportsmen and women, goes far deeper than that, with much of the language of sport drawing its metaphors from battle. Add to this the shared need for discipline and a willingness to work through pain on order, and it is easy to see why Reed is suited to both demanding lifestyles. This suitability is demonstrated in
his attitude towards training (as well as in the military-grade ironing of what he is wearing). He quite clearly takes great pleasure in testing himself and probing his body’s limits – which perhaps explains why the dog allergy’s effects on his fitness hit him particularly hard. Describing the latest British men’s training camp in Avis, Portugal, Reed tells of a punishing routine of constant eating, sleeping, and training, but it is clear that he relishes what would be akin to torture to most people. “They are brutally hard, and I find
myself at real peace on training camp. I know what I’m doing; I come on leaps and bounds. It’s because you’ve got an opportunity to just do your sport.” This acceptance, even enjoyment, of the brutality is coupled with an intense desire to deliver performances for his team. This is the reserve on which Reed draws in the most painful moments in training or in races, when the easiest thing to do would be to stop pushing. “I couldn’t ever imagine letting down
my teammates,” he says with absolute certainty. “When you’re in the middle of the race it has got a lot to do with
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