The Gather Castos https://thegather.castos.com In rowing, the term gather refers to a technique where the rowers pause slightly at the finish of the stroke. This micropause, as the boat is at its fastest point, allows for a brief, almost imperceptible moment where rowers sync up their strokes, gathering their bodies perfectly together as the boat moves underneath them and they prepare to move forward as one towards their next catch. Merriam-Webster defines “gather” as “to bring together.” For us, The Gather takes both concepts and combines them into one: a place where we gather as friends that, through rowing, have become family, where we can talk about the passion that brought us all together. Rowing has a way of doing that–gathering people into its fold from all walks of life. Kids putting their hands on an oar for the first time, octogenarians looking for a way to stay gently active, competitors who push through weather, pain and defeat for that one chance at perfection, rowers who just love that feel of the boat gliding across the water and the sound of the oars clicking as one, the parents and spectators who fall in love with the sport from the banks of the river watching the beauty and grace of the rowers flying over the water while the birds race them from above, coaches who see the things the rest of us don’t and inspire new generations of rowers to see beyond what was and to become something better…. and so much more. Rowing has a way of gathering people into its fold and holding us there - no matter where we are in life. This is a podcast for all of you! For those who hold a love for the sport like we do; for those who are searching for it, and for all of you in between! Welcome to The Gather - an independent podcast about rowing and life. Episodes will be shared bi-weekly. Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:55:00 +0000 en © 2025 US https://episodes.castos.com/68f17e05f2cba3-61622352/images/podcast/covers/c1a-7g2wj-gp97k0zkbmrz-zltaxw.jpeg The Gather https://thegather.castos.com In rowing, the term gather refers to a technique where the rowers pause slightly at the finish of the stroke. This micropause, as the boat is at its fastest point, allows for a brief, almost imperceptible moment where rowers sync up their strokes, gathering their bodies perfectly together as the boat moves underneath them and they prepare to move forward as one towards their next catch. Merriam-Webster defines “gather” as “to bring together.” For us, The Gather takes both concepts and combines them into one: a place where we gather as friends that, through rowing, have become family, where we can talk about the passion that brought us all together. Rowing has a way of doing that–gathering people into its fold from all walks of life. Kids putting their hands on an oar for the first time, octogenarians looking for a way to stay gently active, competitors who push through weather, pain and defeat for that one chance at perfection, rowers who just love that feel of the boat gliding across the water and the sound of the oars clicking as one, the parents and spectators who fall in love with the sport from the banks of the river watching the beauty and grace of the rowers flying over the water while the birds race them from above, coaches who see the things the rest of us don’t and inspire new generations of rowers to see beyond what was and to become something better…. and so much more. Rowing has a way of gathering people into its fold and holding us there - no matter where we are in life. This is a podcast for all of you! For those who hold a love for the sport like we do; for those who are searching for it, and for all of you in between! Welcome to The Gather - an independent podcast about rowing and life. Episodes will be shared bi-weekly. Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard episodic In rowing, the term gather refers to a technique where the rowers pause slightly at the finish of the stroke. This micropause, as the boat is at its fastest point, allows for a brief, almost imperceptible moment where rowers sync up their strokes, gathering their bodies perfectly together as the boat moves underneath them and they prepare to move forward as one towards their next catch. Merriam-Webster defines “gather” as “to bring together.” For us, The Gather takes both concepts and combines them into one: a place where we gather as friends that, through rowing, have become family, where we can talk about the passion that brought us all together. Rowing has a way of doing that–gathering people into its fold from all walks of life. Kids putting their hands on an oar for the first time, octogenarians looking for a way to stay gently active, competitors who push through weather, pain and defeat for that one chance at perfection, rowers who just love that feel of the boat gliding across the water and the sound of the oars clicking as one, the parents and spectators who fall in love with the sport from the banks of the river watching the beauty and grace of the rowers flying over the water while the birds race them from above, coaches who see the things the rest of us don’t and inspire new generations of rowers to see beyond what was and to become something better…. and so much more. Rowing has a way of gathering people into its fold and holding us there - no matter where we are in life. This is a podcast for all of you! For those who hold a love for the sport like we do; for those who are searching for it, and for all of you in between! Welcome to The Gather - an independent podcast about rowing and life. Episodes will be shared bi-weekly. Alicia Cushman alicia.a.cushman@gmail.com true https://feeds.castos.com/zkx3d yes <![CDATA[Episode 12: The 2k]]> Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:55:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2403189 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/2k Ever wondered why rowers talk about a “2k” like it’s both a badge of honor and a mild trauma? It’s 2,000 meters of adrenaline, pain cave negotiations, and a very loud conversation with your own limits. Somewhere along the way, your brain will try to convince you to stop. In this episode of The Gather, we explore why that voice is often wrong—and what happens when you keep rowing anyway.

]]> full 12 true Ever wondered why rowers talk about a “2k” like it’s both a badge of honor and a mild trauma? It’s 2,000 meters of adrenaline, pain cave negotiations, and a very loud conversation with your own limits. Somewhere along the way, your brain will try to convince you to stop. In this episode of The Gather, we explore why that voice is often wrong—and what happens when you keep rowing anyway.

]]> 00:31:05 <![CDATA[Episode 11: Body Sequence]]> Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:55:16 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2388222 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/bodysequence Ever watched a rower and thought “they must have strong arms?” Spoiler alert: it’s actually more legs! In this episode, we break down the sequence of the rowing stroke and why the order matters. Along the way, we explore how building the right foundation first — on the water and in life — is what makes a strong finish possible.

]]> 11 true Ever watched a rower and thought “they must have strong arms?” Spoiler alert: it’s actually more legs! In this episode, we break down the sequence of the rowing stroke and why the order matters. Along the way, we explore how building the right foundation first — on the water and in life — is what makes a strong finish possible.

]]> 00:23:46 <![CDATA[Episode 10: The Stroke Rate]]> Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:12:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2371620 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/thestrokerate Ever listened to a rower throw around “thirty rate twenty” or “rating up!” and thought… are we counting or casting spells? In Episode 10 of The Gather, we break down why 20 strokes per minute can be just as powerful as 30 — and why low rate never means low effort — on the erg, on the water, and in life. Because your cadence is strategy, your power is choice, and knowing when to grind or go is the real race.

]]> full 10 true Ever listened to a rower throw around “thirty rate twenty” or “rating up!” and thought… are we counting or casting spells? In Episode 10 of The Gather, we break down why 20 strokes per minute can be just as powerful as 30 — and why low rate never means low effort — on the erg, on the water, and in life. Because your cadence is strategy, your power is choice, and knowing when to grind or go is the real race.

]]> 00:29:23 <![CDATA[Episode 9: The Split]]> Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:40:25 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2353167 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/thesplit Ever heard a rower talking about their split and wondered what it actually means? It’s just a number on the screen… and somehow the loudest voice in the boat. Part stopwatch, part truth serum, it reveals what you can really hold when the piece gets long—and we’re unpacking all of it in this episode. ‍♀️✨

]]> full 9 true Ever heard a rower talking about their split and wondered what it actually means? It’s just a number on the screen… and somehow the loudest voice in the boat. Part stopwatch, part truth serum, it reveals what you can really hold when the piece gets long—and we’re unpacking all of it in this episode. ‍♀️✨

]]> 00:28:00 <![CDATA[Episode 8: ERGs and Winter Conditioning]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:13:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2338146 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/ergs Ever wonder what rowers do when the water freezes? Do they just hibernate? Spoiler: Nope. We erg. A lot. Hear about it in this episode as we dive into ERGing and winter conditioning.

]]> 8 true Ever wonder what rowers do when the water freezes? Do they just hibernate? Spoiler: Nope. We erg. A lot. Hear about it in this episode as we dive into ERGing and winter conditioning.

]]> 00:29:44 <![CDATA[Episode 7: Special Guest Russell Topp]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:02:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2319835 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/russelltopp Inspired by a Ted Lasso–level belief in people over scoreboards, this episode dives into how Russell Topp built a powerhouse rowing program by putting kids first. Yes, the wins are historic—but the real story is the culture, community, and humans he’s helped shape along the way.

]]> full 7 true Inspired by a Ted Lasso–level belief in people over scoreboards, this episode dives into how Russell Topp built a powerhouse rowing program by putting kids first. Yes, the wins are historic—but the real story is the culture, community, and humans he’s helped shape along the way.

]]> 00:47:35 <![CDATA[Episode 6: Sculling vs. Sweeping]]> Mon, 29 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2251899 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/scullvsweep Is sweeping vs sculling the rowing world's version of skiing vs snowboarding – a quirky split where the gear, the vibe and the whole personality of the ride suddenly change with one simple choice? Find out in this episode. 

]]> full 6 true Is sweeping vs sculling the rowing world's version of skiing vs snowboarding – a quirky split where the gear, the vibe and the whole personality of the ride suddenly change with one simple choice? Find out in this episode. 

]]> 00:28:57 <![CDATA[Episode 5: Boat Orientation]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:35:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2251880 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/boat-orientation Ever wondered why there is no left or right in rowing?  In this episode, we'll dive into the terms bow, stern, port, starboard and discuss how seeing the world from different perspectives matters both on and off the water.  

]]> full 5 true Ever wondered why there is no left or right in rowing?  In this episode, we'll dive into the terms bow, stern, port, starboard and discuss how seeing the world from different perspectives matters both on and off the water.  

]]> 00:24:56 <![CDATA[Episode 4: The Crew]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2251847 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/thecrew 9 people in the boat, 8 seats, and only 6 have numbers. Makes perfect sense right?  Ever wondered why shenangigans always seem to involve 3 seat, and stroke seats walk around like they own the place?  In this episode, find out about the roles each seat plays in the crew, and how that translates to the roles we all play in our lives outside of the shell. 

]]> full 4 true 9 people in the boat, 8 seats, and only 6 have numbers. Makes perfect sense right?  Ever wondered why shenangigans always seem to involve 3 seat, and stroke seats walk around like they own the place?  In this episode, find out about the roles each seat plays in the crew, and how that translates to the roles we all play in our lives outside of the shell. 

]]> 00:31:54 <![CDATA[Episode 3: Coxswains]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:02:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2251842 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/coxswains How do coxswains shape a crew's chemistry, confidence, and chaos into a well synchronised machine? Who is your own personal coxswain outside of the shell? We'll discuss that and more in this episode.  

Big thanks to George Kirschbaum for the coxswain audio clip that we included in this episode!

]]> full 3 true How do coxswains shape a crew's chemistry, confidence, and chaos into a well synchronised machine? Who is your own personal coxswain outside of the shell? We'll discuss that and more in this episode.  

Big thanks to George Kirschbaum for the coxswain audio clip that we included in this episode!

]]> 00:21:28 <![CDATA[Episode 2: Head Racing]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:01:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2251836 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/headracing Crashes, time trials, freezing water and leaves in the rudder – in this episode find out what makes fall racing so unique and, outside of the shell, how we each have our own personal head races to face.  

]]> full 2 true Crashes, time trials, freezing water and leaves in the rudder – in this episode find out what makes fall racing so unique and, outside of the shell, how we each have our own personal head races to face.  

]]> 00:28:12 <![CDATA[Episode 1: Welcome to The Gather!]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 Alicia Cushman, Kim O'Connell, Ed Hasecke and Jessica Lenard https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/67034/episode/2251816 https://thegather.castos.com/episodes/introduction What if there was a podcast that dove into the world of rowing – its culture, quirks, chaos and quiet brilliance – to reveal a sport far more accessible and relatable to life off the water than anyone ever expected?  That's what you'll get here! Meet your hosts and find out what we are all about in this abbreviated episode.  

]]> full 1 true What if there was a podcast that dove into the world of rowing – its culture, quirks, chaos and quiet brilliance – to reveal a sport far more accessible and relatable to life off the water than anyone ever expected?  That's what you'll get here! Meet your hosts and find out what we are all about in this abbreviated episode.  

]]> 00:21:40