Lucy Miles

Club OUWBC

Year of Birth 2001

Hometown London

Nationality British

College Lady Margaret Hall

Undergrad/Graduate Undergraduate

Year 2nd

What are you studying? History and Politics

What is the most interesting part of your course? Do you have any professional or academic plans after? I find modern political history the most interesting, particularly the way that it relates to the issues of the present day. Whilst I don’t think I will pursue an academic career path, I hope that the skills I have learnt in my history degree will be transferable to other areas.

Future ambitions? I am interested in going into consultancy, but I am not yet entirely sure which career path I would like to pursue. I think I will always try to stay fit and involved in sport, and it would be great to continue rowing in my spare time.

How do you balance rowing and academic life? I find the structure that rowing provides really helpful in managing my academic commitments, as it encourages me to be more disciplined with my time, and makes me more productive in the limited time that I do have. I try to make a schedule at the beginning of the week to plan work around my rowing commitments.

When did you start rowing, and why? I started rowing when I was 13, at Putney High School. I live near the Thames, where there is a strong rowing culture, and watching the Boat Races every year encouraged me to give it a go. I loved the team atmosphere that rowing provided. I have made some of my closest friends this way.

What was your first club? Putney High School, where I rowed for seven years before coming to university.

What is your favourite part of rowing for Oxford? The women on the team make rowing for Oxford so enjoyable, as they keep it competitive but fun. I find it so motivating to train with such a strong group of women, who have become really good friends. Also, I feel lucky to be working towards such an iconic event; it is a really unique opportunity and an exciting process to be involved in.

What’s your rowing history, and what has been your biggest achievement so far? I started rowing when I was 11, at Putney High School Boathouse and continued rowing there throughout my time at school. My biggest achievement in rowing was being selected to represent GB in the four and the eight for the Coupe de la Jeunesse (European championships) in 2017, and winning a gold medal in both categories. I also won Henley Women’s Regatta in the junior coxed four category in both 2016 and 2017 in two tough races, which was an amazing experience.

Have you raced in the Boat Race before? If yes, when? No.

Your favourite race so far? My favourite race is Henley Women’s Regatta. I have lots of happy memories racing there as a junior and winning in 2017 and 2018. The head-to-head racing that the Henley course provides makes for some really exciting races, both to watch and compete in. It is great to be part of an event with a strong legacy of celebrating women’s sport.

Do you have any race day habits or superstitions? No.

What gets you through a tough session? Do you have a mantra, rituals? I find that my teammates really motivate me during tough sessions, as it is really empowering to be part of a team who are all training hard and going through it together. Also, I try to remember the bigger picture and the end goal, as the tough training sessions make us fitter and faster as a squad.

Any hobbies, other interests outside rowing? I really enjoy spending time with my friends and family, cooking, cycling and running.

How do you motivate yourself and your teammates, especially with Covid restrictions? I try to see my teammates for walks and outdoor activities, and also try to do sessions together over Zoom as much as possible, so it feels less like I am training alone. We had Zoom circuits and a few runs with teammates included in the lockdown training programme, which really helped with motivation and made training feel a bit more normal.