At the recent ocean rowing race prize giving, Ian Couch received his Guinness record certificate for the fastest double ocean crossing by rowing boat. His 2007 crossing of the Atlantic and 2009 crossing of the Indian Ocean were completed in a combined time of 95 days. The Indian Ocean crossing also earned him and his crew the record for the fastest row across that ocean. Additionally, Ian now holds the record for the fastest thousand nautical miles by a rowing boat, the first mixed team to cross the Indian Ocean and the first crossing of the Indian Ocean by a crew of eight rowers. As if that weren't enough, he's awaiting confirmation of the record for the fastest mixed team across the Atlantic Ocean and the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by a crew of twelve rowers following his recent adventure which saw him skipper Britannia III from the Canary Islands to Barbados earlier this year.

Ian has trained for all of his ocean rows using his own Concept2 model E.

"Concept2 has been the corner stone of my training for a number of years but particularly since becoming involved with ocean rowing. It is not always possible to get out on the water in an ocean boat and to put in the hours required to prepare for an ocean row but by having my Concept2 at home I can put in the hours required. Obviously training must be quality as well as quantity but in preparation for 30 something days at sea pushing for a speed record there has to be quite a lot of quantity to prepare the body for the demands of rowing hard two hours on two hours off!"

"The amount I use my Concept2 depends on the particular event of stage in my training. I recently completed a skiing speed crossing of Greenland - the fastest British Crossing - and my Concept2 played an important part in training for that too. I think it is pretty hard to beat a long, hard rowing session for developing physical and mental resilience."

"Training for the Ocean rows starts with a building base level phase with heavy compound weight training, core exercises, functional fitness (rope pulling, sand bag lifts etc) and long steady state rowing sessions (2 hrs plus, level 10 at 2.05 or less). As the event gets closer I reduce the amount of weight training and increase the time on the Concept2 taking it up to two sessions a day and throwing in a 24 hour/36 hour 2 on 2 off training day/weekend. At the same time it is vital to eat well and try to increase body mass as you need the size as a reserve at sea."

"As well as my own training we advise our crews to follow a similar programme and encourage them to use a daily programme and compare results. We also use the Concept2 as part of our crew selection seeing not just technique but fitness and above mental toughness to check an individual's motivation when tired and sore."

*"The Concept2 will continue to be the main training tool for all my ocean rowing expeditions as it allows the user to push

themselves physically but also develop mental toughness to keep going when sore/blistered and tired whilst at the same time monitor your progress."*

Ian is currently organising a series of 6 ultra-distance races, taking part in the Lakeland 100 race and planning an expedition to the South Pole. His ocean rowing projects include recruiting and selecting teams for the 2011 Round Britain exhibition race, the 2012 Round Britain Rowing Race and for speed crossings of the Atlantic in 2011 and 2012. On a personal level, the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean remains unfinished business.

Ian owns and runs Adventure Hub, an expedition management company which enables individuals and groups to undertake the ultimate endurance adventures. He owns two Concept2 model E rowing machines.