Rowing: Twaddle: Important to master training but be undaunted

Nathan Twaddle (left), who won Olympic bronze with George Bridgewater in 2008, is preparing for the Masters Games. Photo / File

World Masters Games ambassadors are putting the finishing touches to their preparations and have some advice for would-be competitors.

Nathan Twaddle and partner George Bridgewater won a coxless pair world title at Gifu, Japan, in 2005, and world championship silvers the next two years. They represented New Zealand at the 2004 Athens Olympics, finishing fourth, and then the 2008 Beijing Games, where they claimed a bronze medal.

The following year, they were both appointed as Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rowing. Twaddle, 40, of Cambridge will contest rowing and triathlon at the World Masters Games 2017.

What's the one thing that motivates you each day to get out and training, generally and for WMG2017?

Whenever I don't feel like going, I always do a mental comparison of past competitions, when I've done training and when I have not. Generally, the conclusion I reach is how thoroughly unenjoyable, painful and demoralising it was to attempt it on no training.

If you had one piece of advice for Games athletes, what would it be?

Don't be daunted by or feel obligated to train to be the world's best. The 80/20 principle is a better rule of thumb - 20 per cent of the effort will get you 80 per cent of the way there. Besides that, mix it up a bit, don't do all slow aerobic work and make sure you get a little strength-based and higher intensity in there.

What's the most important consideration or "must have" on game day?

In a rowing contest, a 10mm spanner, a warm change of clothes, a folding camping chair, cash for a filled roll and a banana.

What is your competition goal for WMG2017?

Survival is desirable, but not critical. I do want to win the trash talk battle pre-race, regardless of whether I can back it up or not.