The Team consists of Alan, who is the rower, and YOU!!!

Each and every individual, company or organisation, who has viewed this website becomes an honorary a member of The Old See Dogs, irrelevant of whether you make a financial contribution, provide any form of assistance or indeed moral support.

If you would like to become an active member of the Old See Dogs, we are looking for team members to assist with: Fund Raising, Public Relations/Marketing, Logistics, Social Media, Merchandising and Health and Safety. If you are available and interested, then feel free to contact Alan via the contact page.

About The Rower

I'm Alan, a retired Army Officer with over 35 years of military service. During my service I served as a Paratrooper, a Commando and in several other specialist roles. I'm a qualified Moutain Leader and Personal Trainer. I enjoy rowing, kayaking, cycling, rugby and mountaineering.

Why The World's Toughest Row?

The answer is 2-fold, firstly it’s the challenge of pitting myself against an Ocean and secondly to raise funds for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (Guide Dogs). Since 1999 I have completed a number of endurance events and raised thousands of pounds for the Guide Dogs. However, the Atlantic Row will be by far the most testing event that I have taken on.

Previous Challenges for the Guide Dogs

On my 40th Birthday over a period of 24 hours I completed a series of events consecutively, these were a 40-kilometre march carrying a 40-pound rucksack, 40 lengths of an Olympic sized pool, bench pressed 40,000 pounds (100 pounds on each press) cycled 40 miles and completed 400 sit ups. For my 50th Birthday I rowed 50 kilometres over a period of 5 hours, and for my 60th Birthday, over a period of 14 days I cycled, unsupported, from John O'Groats to Land’s End. Staring on the 8 January and finishing on the 21 January, my 60th Birthday.

Pre-Event Training

Since March 2020 I have been training daily (predominantly on a Concept2 rower), by the start of the event in December 2025 I will have completed over 36,000,000 meters on the rowing machine, the equivalent of over 7 Atlantic crossings. I also spend as much time as possible on the water in my costal rowing boat. In February 2022, I attained first place in the Concept2 British Army Challenge. I also have a structured weight training programme and compete in Mountain Bike and Road Bike events.