DURHAM Olympian Jess Eddie writes exclusively for The Northern Echo as she continues her winter training a year-and-a-half out from the 2016 Olympics

“WHEN'S your next race Jess?”

A question I’m asked a lot, and the response is often surprising.

“Well, international racing starts in May ….…”

To which people are shocked and often ask what on earth we do all day long. Train is the answer.

Training, training, training and topped off with a spot of training. Our sport is raced internationally over 2,000m, a distance that takes anywhere between five minutes 20 seconds if you’re in Noddy’s (Nathaniel Reilly-O'Donnell) men’s 8+, right up to seven minutes 20 seconds if you’re in the women’s single.

It’s all about endurance, bookended with a small amount of sprinting. We train for long periods of time out on the water, each session, day, week and month in order to increase our endurance. Simply put this is the largest section of our race and the guys and girls with the biggest engines come race day generally do the best.

Our sport is also incredibly technical. We race facing backwards, moving in total unison with our crew mates, whilst exhausting ourselves physically and being as accurate and rhythmical as possible. Unfortunately for us, that also means we need long hours of practicing those fine skills.

It’s not a particularly glamorous life, we get out there on the water come wind, rain or snow. Then it’s back to the crew room to refuel and rest before cracking on with the next row and weights. You know when everyone is deep into training when the only noise to be heard at breakfast is the clinking of a spoon, and everyone has their heads down checking out Twitter feeds.

We are firmly wedged in this heavy training load right now, as will many clubs around the region be. Winter training is the time to bank the hard miles, which you can look forward to checking out come the summer racing.

In the spirit of the training theme, both Noddy and I are off on big winter training camps next week. I will be going to Majorca on a cycling camp with the women’s team, and Noddy is heading on a camp to Spain to sit on the rowing machine (or erg) for a lovely two weeks with the men.

Keep an eye out for all those Northern crews racing the Rutherford Head (raced between Scotswood Bridge and Newburn on the Tyne) on Saturday, November 29. I will never forget this particular head-race, as it was most definitely the coldest race I’ve ever done back in 1998! Good luck everyone and wrap up warm.