Meet the movement against suicide: Strokes 4 blokes take on the Atlantic

3,000 miles across the Atlantic ocean, over 1.5 million oar strokes and four grown men squashed in a rowing boat - we caught up with Strokes 4 Blokes to find out why they tackled the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge in support of CALM.

More people climb Mount Everest than row the ocean, so you probably have a few questions about what the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge event entails. So did we. From how the team stays safe at sea, to what they eat while in a boat for over 30 days, we got the lowdown on this oar inspiring bunch.

This adventurous lot are no strangers to a challenge, but rowing the Atlantic is no mean feat. The close knit team of mates is made up of Dan, Jack, Mike and Jean-Claude - the brave guy who suggested they take on the task.

We chatted with team members Dan, self-professed “steady head on an unsteady boat” and Mike, who’s rowing in memory of his mate who he lost to suicide. Dan says:

“We’re in our late thirties, early forties and I know from the stats it’s a time in life when people often struggle. Over the last five years or so, the conversation about wellness within our peer group has been much more present, so we wanted to raise awareness and some money for CALM at the same time.”

With up to 30 teams from around the world competing to break the record for the fastest crossing, the race began in San Sebastian, La Gomera and ended in Antigua and Barbuda. The annual race begins early December, meaning teams were away from their families over Christmas.

Strokes 4 Blokes swapped turkey dinners with their loved ones for the world’s toughest rowing race, not only enduring sea sickness with waves of up to 20ft, but also home sickness.

“The biggest problem was going to be loneliness. We were bound to have periods where we were wondering why we were doing the row and missing our wives and children, but we had plans in place to help us cope. We had letters given to us from our family beforehand that we could open when we were struggling, so we were reminded that someone out there loved us and was backing us.”

The group of friends knew there would be moments when they had to pick one another up mentally, but it’s something they were ready for. Mike says:

“Humour went a long way on this trip, but we’ve also got some cracking taste in music, so there were plenty of good tunes playing.”

The team allowed two years to train for the event, but they’ve had a lot to pack in, getting their bodies to a point where they can withstand long periods of physical activity, but also mastering the gruelling art of moving between this and sleep. Rowing through the night, each crew member took it in turns to row for two hours and rest for two hours in the tiny cabin onboard. Dan says:

“In the first year we started with a general fitness regime five times a week, which was a combination of cardio and weights to build upper body bulk for the race. This year has been technical training, which has meant getting used to rowing on the sea, but also navigating, using radios and learning first aid.

“We’ve been spending more and more time on static rowing machines as the years have gone on, getting our bodies to a point where they can tolerate rowing for 35 days, but also getting ourselves used to moving between sleep and exercise.

The team didn’t take the challenge lightly and put in hours of training to prepare for the race. Mike says:

“We’ve had 120 hours of experience actually on the boat and then we’ve been on the rowing machines in the gym. We’ve also been making sure our hands are toughened up with plenty of grip work and just preparing ourselves mentally for what was going to be a tough challenge.”

There are logistics to work out when it comes to being in such a small boat for over a month, and with very little storage space and no toilet on board (they used a bucket), the team had to get used to being close. On top of that, the guys had to sink at least 8,000 calories a day to power their journey, but the menu was far from fancy. Dan says:

“We ate a lot of tasteless, freeze dried shit in sachets, things like bolognese, porridge and dried fruit. You end up getting into arguments about the use of items like salt or cheese because they become prized possessions. We probably lost a couple of stone each during the month, just because we were burning so many calories.”

Come rain or shine, the guys kept rowing, but even with a safety boat nearby, things can get pretty hairy at times. If a storm hits, the team remains on the boat, hunkering down in the cabin for an hour or two until the storm passes - although Dan admitted it was a big squeeze to fit the four of them into such a compact cabin. But the goal was to continue to make progress even when there was bad weather.

Alongside their own race, the team have been inspiring people to get involved with their own challenge, asking them to row 125km at their local gym. These legends completed their race in 39 days and raised a huge £52,832, helping fund over 6,600 potentially life-saving calls.

The lads finished the challenge with much more than an incredible story to tell at the pub - they crossed the finish line with a proper impressive feat under their belts and a pretty unbreakable team bond.

One thing’s for certain, the team certainly earned a beer and with friends and family meeting them at the harbour in Antigua, we're sure they had a party to remember.

If you need support, our website is full of useful stuff for your head, or our helpline and webchat is open every day from 5pm until midnight.