Lee Spencer’s journey from Royal Marine to record-breaker captured in new book

Lee Spencer, The Rowing Marine, has written his story of overcoming adversity, military service, and a record-breaking row across the Atlantic in a new book called ‘The Rowing Marine’.

The personal journey, years in the making, is being described by early readers as “a gorgeous book”, with Prince Harry stating that “Lee is the definition of resilience and inspiration.”

Mr Spencer, who lost a leg in an accident, completed the fastest unsupported solo row across the Atlantic, at the age of 49, sending a powerful message that no person should be defined by their disability.

In January 2019 he left Gibraltar to embark on his solo unsupported row across the Atlantic. And finished the epic voyage in 60 days, breaking the able-bodied crossing record by 36 days.

And in doing so he became the first physically disabled person to row from continent to continent.

Mr Spencer’s book began in many ways from his hospital bed a number of years ago.

“A very good friend turned up at my bedside with a notebook and said, ‘You should write things down,’” he said.

Mr Spencer wants his children and grandchildren to know “what great granddad did in the Iraq and the Afghan wars,” so he started writing the stories down.

Initially, the intent was modest.

“Even if I just write them down, print them off, put them in an envelope and put it on the shelf, thinking that’s for the kids.”

But momentum grew following approach from a major publisher.

“A big publisher approached me and asked if I’d think about doing a book. And that’s the first time it really crossed my radar,” he said.

However, the publisher’s involvement brought new challenges.
“They got a ghost writer in,” he said, “but if you get a ghost writer, then you’re going to lose what’s unique about my story.”

“Most people that row oceans Don’t talk like me. They talk like Ben Fogle, and you’ll lose that uniqueness.”

He envisioned the book as the convergence of two journeys: a physical challenge crossing the Atlantic and a life shaped by hardships, from “a troubled upbringing” to finding pride in joining and serving with the Royal Marines.

“I always saw the two journeys coming together at the very end, where I suppose the overall story is always wanting to become the person that always dreamed of being. And then losing that person when I lost my leg, and thinking I’d have to redefine who I was,” he said.

The book avoids a conventional military memoir.

“Otherwise, it’s just another typical military story of if I’d not joined the army, I would have been in prison, but I wasn’t that person.”

Instead, it tells the story of a “personal journey of self-discovery and overcoming challenges.”

Mr Spencer believes that resilience is built, not born.

“I don’t believe in determination, as if it’s something that you get. No one’s born determined. You practice self-discipline and you start small…”

“I learned self-discipline. And self-discipline is when you don’t stop, when your body tells you you should really give in now.”

Writing the book became its own endurance test, ballooning to 165,000 words before being trimmed, with input from friends and professionals.

“I’ve spent just over a year editing it down, rereading it and redoing it, and got it down to, I think, about 122,000 words.”

Reflecting on his journey, he remains proud yet nervous.

“I’m really, really quite nervous, because I’ve never done anything like this.”

And then to ask people for what they think and to have an opinion on it is “nerve wracking.”

The book is for sale in the Heritage Book shop, John Mackintosh Square and BookGem, in Ince’s Hall.