THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT lustre to the event. A further intriguing factor was the youth and relative inexperience of Henry Searle, for at twenty- two he was regarded as yet a boy. His rival was thirty-five, the mighty Beach had won his title at thirty-four, while Ned Trickett had been twenty-eight when he had won.”6234 Training Ned Hanlan: “He is a natural born athlete, a great sculler. Not only is he gifted with the oars, but he has a wonderful physique. He is a model of human nature; a better built man I never saw in my life for a sculler, and a fearfully strong fellow. “He is a most remarkable man.”6235 Bennett suggests that Searle’s prowess had much to do with his training. Henry Searle: “My training system is as follows: “Rise about six or 6:30 and strike dumb- bells for about ten minutes, then for a two mile run on an egg and sherry and a biscuit; breakfast at eight, that meal consisting of a steak or chop, eggs, toast and tea. After breakfast, as after every meal, I take a rest; then I go a six mile walk, and at eleven start for a five or six mile row. Dinner at 1 p.m. At that meal I take roast meat, fowl, plenty of cabbage or cauliflower, but no potatoes; custards and jelly, but no pastry, and plenty of fruit. After about an hour’s rest I take a four mile walk and a three or four mile row, according to my weight; if I am a bit too heavy I take a little extra work, if in good weight I take things more leisurely. I have tea at six o’clock, and take a steak and stewed fowl, grilled pigeon or boiled turkey; then another six or seven miles on foot, have a few minutes more with the dumb-bells, then to bed at 10 p.m.”6236 6234 Bennett, p. 32 6235 Qtd. by Palmer, p. 656 6236 Qtd. by Bennett, p. 25 Add it up. That’s 3k running, 25k walking, 16k rowing, a couple of snacks and three hearty meals per day! Bennett: “Even in lengthy periods between races Searle kept this up whenever possible, and it horrified the experts. They warned against staleness,6237 they forever urged that he take a rest, and they wondered how long his constitution could take such hard work. “Today the long, hard programmed training that Searle accomplished would seem quite appropriate for such a rigorous event as a three mile row, but in this practice Searle was probably well ahead of his time.”6238 Technique Contemporaneous descriptions suggest concurrent use of legs, back and arms from the entry and a pendulum body swing similar to that of Ned Hanlan.6239 Perhaps the especial characteristic of his sculling was its great length. He had an immense reach forward, and swung his body and shoulders right back, so that the stroke was very easy.6240 Vanity Fair: “Searle has a fine chest, but he sculls with a round back. His form is not good,6241 but his pace is remarkable. He is a very decent young fellow of three-and- twenty years.”6242 The Grafton Rowing Club History: “Henry Searle was recognised not only as the World Champion, but as the best sculler of that era. At 178 cm (5’10”) and a racing weight of 74.5kg (11st. 10lb.), he was not a 6237 The modern term is “overtraining.” 6238 Bennett, p. 32 6239 See Chapter 13. 6240 Qtd. by Bennett, p. 26 6241 Criticism by British observers generally meant that the sculler did not conform to the strict precepts of English Orthodox Technique. 6242 Vanity Fair, September 7, 1889 1735
