( picture taken at Boston Marathon 1999 )
Background
On Saturday 29th September 2001 four members of Boston Rowing Club will be Rowing a Double Marathon with the aim of raising money for equipment to aid the Junior section of the club. The crew consisting of Jackie Ward, Caroline Meacock, Jeff Elms, & Nick Stow will be setting off from Boston towards Lincoln at approximately 6am, and are aiming to be back at Boston around 3pm.
The Day Arrives
Yes the 29th September has arrived with the crew planning to row the Double Marathon arriving at the boathouse at about 5.30am along with the support crew of Graham Panton (Captain) and Steve Ward. After a brief discussion, including was this really a good idea, the crew boated and was started by the Captain just after 6am.
The conditions seem to be good (although it had been raining earlier that morning) with just a slight tail wind making the row to Lincoln hopefully easier.
The plan for the day was to complete every 1k of the 100k course in about 5 minutes with scheduled stops between 45 to 55 minutes. The crew had only been going for about half an hour when it started to drizzle with rain, not too worried, because it should help to keep the day from getting to warm with the bonus of keeping the crews dehydration levels down. But by the time the crew had reached its first stop at Chapel Hill the rain had steadily increased with them now starting to look a bit damp, but still in good spirits. With the Captain lying on his stomach in the rain holding the boat, (where is a camera when you want one) the crew got out for a stretch and a drink for a planned 5 minutes. Back in the boat with the rain, still getting heavier, the crew proceeds towards Lincoln, stopping next at Kirkstead Bridge and then onto Bardney Lock, which by this time were 10 minutes up on schedule. It had been decided that instead of lifting the boat out and carrying it around the lock it would be interesting to go through, as it would be a first for all of the crew. No sooner had they entered the lock, waiting for the water level to rise, when the rain went from fairly heavy to a downpour, with the crew now being soaked to the skin and feeling extremely cold, they had also lost the time already gained.
Arriving at Lincoln saw the end of the rain with the sun now starting to shine, this stop was longer than planned, mainly due to having to empty the half filled boat of rain water, plus a couple of position changes, but on departure were only slight behind schedule, needing to complete the return trip in 4hrs 15 minutes if to achieve the goal of 9 hours for the course.
With a slight head wind, the crew went straight through at Bardney missing the schedule stop, towards Kirkstead Bridge where more members of the club and family of the crew were waiting. After a much needed stop, and now beginning to dry out a bit, it was onwards again with an entourage of vehicles following along the bank. With only about 13 miles to go, the rain came again, (could the day get any worse? “Yes”) and within the next mile it was not just rain, more like hail beating down on the crew.
While the rain is beating down, the captain lying on his
stomach, deja vu? no, the crew are once again at Chapel Hill, (not booking a
holiday here if this is their normal climax) having food and drink getting
really for the last piece home. The rain gave up just before Langrick Bridge
where the crew found a Junior Double of Alex Green and Chris Thomas, waiting to
row in alongside and help push the crew on over the last 4˝
miles.
5000…
4000… 3000… 2000… last 1000metres to go, the best part of the course, the
crew begin to lift the work and the rating, (don’t know how? But anybody who
has done the marathon will know it is impossible not to) with the boat running
nicely through the water, the crews technique still very good, as it had been
throughout the day, are rapidly approaching the finish with the cheers of
encouragement from the large crowd gathered on the bank and from the double,
they are able to manage another burst to carry them over the Finish Line in
style to give them an impressive time of 9 hours 28 minutes for the
grueling 62 mile course.
At the
landing stages the equally wet support crew of Graham & Steve, which without
their help, the day would not have been possible, once again meets the four very
wet members of the crew to help take the boat up to the boathouse with cheers
and congratulations coming from the crowds.
