Firstly, many apologies to Tim and Simon - I forgot to mention that they also took part in the race this year. As part of a composite VIII, they smashed the course record they set last year by about 10 minutes!!
And here is an account of the race from Malcolm:
"It was only 2 weeks before, and after some behind the scenes coaching from Captain Anna, that Ian and I decided to enter the Boston Marathon – something I had always wanted to do but had never quite taken the plunge. Our training consisted of two short Wednesday night outings. The first was a rather un-synchronised affair but the second was better. Being only slightly competitive I had worked out that we should be able to achieve 5 minutes splits as a target.
We arrived at the start early and I bumped into Simon Newton and Tim Earnshaw who were racing in an eight. They were setting off 15miniutes after us and Tim mumbled something about one of the crew wanting to beat the record they set last year. They all seemed in good spirits.
Our start time was not until 11:30 so we had plenty of time beforehand to faff. We prepared the boat and loaded it up with GPS clock, schedule of split times, a map, cereal bars, Jaffa cakes, water and a banana! Finally we boated and got to the start line. At last we were off!
I think our nerves showed when we managed to get tangled in the reeds twice in the first kilometre. Finally we settled down and the pace picked up. We quickly started passing boats. I didn’t dare tell Ian how quickly we where going. Our next 7 Km were all under 4:30 splits! By that time we were getting close to Bardney Lock (13.5km) where you have to get out the boat and lift it over the lock. We overtook a mixed four and a couple of single sculls to arrive with a clear landing stage. No time to loose. We jump out, hitched the blades to the boat and lifted it across the bank. Again no delay in boating and we’re off. We agreed to stop shortly after at about 18 km for our first drink.
Thing were going well. We were holding a steady pace and the kms passed. I kept checking the split times against the schedule. It was nearly too quick to believe. I just said to Ian we were on target. I didn’t say what target! We passed the half way mark (25.5 km) in 1h 56m which was just under a 4 hour pace! I felt good, but perhaps not surprisingly the pace was beginning to slip a bit. There wasn’t quite so much push in the old legs now.
We took a long stop at 30 km for a cereal bar and water. When we set of the boat felt heavy. We kept pushing but the speed would not pick up and the pace was slow. Can a cereal bar really do that? Ian was finding it difficult to hold a steady course. The boat kept pulling right. We were all over the place – it was like we had spent a long evening in the Cherry Tree! There must be something caught on the skeg. After about 3 km and a slight altercation with a single scull we realised we had to stop. We found a pontoon and attempted to land. It was too high and we were going to end up in the drink. Things were getting a bit tense! We gave in and decided to back up and hoped that would clear it. We set of again and the boat immediately sprung back into life. If only we had tried that earlier!
The pace quickened again and soon we were managing under 5m splits again. It was here that Simon and Tim finally caught us up – at about 36 km with a loud shout of “Come on Deben”. It was good to hear as my legs were now beginning to hurt. To say the eight was going quickly was an understatement.
We passed the 38 km timing mark at 3h 5m. We were still on a good pace with only about an hour left.
I began to find things a bit more challenging now and got a cramp in my left leg. We stop briefly for a drink and pushed on. But at 39 km Armageddon broke out. It felt like I had cramp in every muscle in my body: legs, arms, shoulders, and hands. We came to an abrupt halt. It felt like the race was going end there and then. Out came the emergency banana and a drink. It felt like we had stopped for hours, but it was only a few of minutes. I wanted to push on and we eased off gently. The pace was slow but for me it was now a matter of finishing. Ian was doing all the work – I was just trying to move the blades in time. All that kept going through my mind was “I’m glade I’m not in a single!” I must have been a bit wobbly because Ian kept asking me if I was alright? Apparently I had gone quiet and my head was wobbling side to side! After another couple of brief stops Langrick Bridge arrived (43.5 km). I was staring to row again and the pace picked up a bit. Was it the emergency banana? Then the 45 km marker passed. I asked for a final stop, drank the last of my water and we set off. “Only the run back from Waldringfield left,” Ian tells me! We pushed on. At 48 km you could hear the public address system in the distance. It is amazing how the pace picks up at the end. We did the last km in 4:50. Where did that come from? Suddenly we passed the 50 km sign and then the finish line. I stopped the watch and it showed 4h 13m. I was totally exhausted. We landed and I could barely pick the boat up. Luckily Ian’s son was there or I would have dropped it. With a very slow walk I got to the car and lay on the floor. Would I ever do that again? Ian was amazingly sprightly, running around de-rigging the boat! After half an hour of stuffing cereal bars and water in me I managed to get up and sit in the car. And within an hour we were talking about doing it again. I’m mad!
The next day I felt surprisingly good, considering the pain during the race. I felt even better at lunchtime when the results were posted and found out we had won the Novice 2x by over 10 minutes and that Tim and Simon had smashed there previous record with a time of 3h 24m in the eight. What a result!"
We arrived at the start early and I bumped into Simon Newton and Tim Earnshaw who were racing in an eight. They were setting off 15miniutes after us and Tim mumbled something about one of the crew wanting to beat the record they set last year. They all seemed in good spirits.
Our start time was not until 11:30 so we had plenty of time beforehand to faff. We prepared the boat and loaded it up with GPS clock, schedule of split times, a map, cereal bars, Jaffa cakes, water and a banana! Finally we boated and got to the start line. At last we were off!
I think our nerves showed when we managed to get tangled in the reeds twice in the first kilometre. Finally we settled down and the pace picked up. We quickly started passing boats. I didn’t dare tell Ian how quickly we where going. Our next 7 Km were all under 4:30 splits! By that time we were getting close to Bardney Lock (13.5km) where you have to get out the boat and lift it over the lock. We overtook a mixed four and a couple of single sculls to arrive with a clear landing stage. No time to loose. We jump out, hitched the blades to the boat and lifted it across the bank. Again no delay in boating and we’re off. We agreed to stop shortly after at about 18 km for our first drink.
Thing were going well. We were holding a steady pace and the kms passed. I kept checking the split times against the schedule. It was nearly too quick to believe. I just said to Ian we were on target. I didn’t say what target! We passed the half way mark (25.5 km) in 1h 56m which was just under a 4 hour pace! I felt good, but perhaps not surprisingly the pace was beginning to slip a bit. There wasn’t quite so much push in the old legs now.
We took a long stop at 30 km for a cereal bar and water. When we set of the boat felt heavy. We kept pushing but the speed would not pick up and the pace was slow. Can a cereal bar really do that? Ian was finding it difficult to hold a steady course. The boat kept pulling right. We were all over the place – it was like we had spent a long evening in the Cherry Tree! There must be something caught on the skeg. After about 3 km and a slight altercation with a single scull we realised we had to stop. We found a pontoon and attempted to land. It was too high and we were going to end up in the drink. Things were getting a bit tense! We gave in and decided to back up and hoped that would clear it. We set of again and the boat immediately sprung back into life. If only we had tried that earlier!
The pace quickened again and soon we were managing under 5m splits again. It was here that Simon and Tim finally caught us up – at about 36 km with a loud shout of “Come on Deben”. It was good to hear as my legs were now beginning to hurt. To say the eight was going quickly was an understatement.
We passed the 38 km timing mark at 3h 5m. We were still on a good pace with only about an hour left.
I began to find things a bit more challenging now and got a cramp in my left leg. We stop briefly for a drink and pushed on. But at 39 km Armageddon broke out. It felt like I had cramp in every muscle in my body: legs, arms, shoulders, and hands. We came to an abrupt halt. It felt like the race was going end there and then. Out came the emergency banana and a drink. It felt like we had stopped for hours, but it was only a few of minutes. I wanted to push on and we eased off gently. The pace was slow but for me it was now a matter of finishing. Ian was doing all the work – I was just trying to move the blades in time. All that kept going through my mind was “I’m glade I’m not in a single!” I must have been a bit wobbly because Ian kept asking me if I was alright? Apparently I had gone quiet and my head was wobbling side to side! After another couple of brief stops Langrick Bridge arrived (43.5 km). I was staring to row again and the pace picked up a bit. Was it the emergency banana? Then the 45 km marker passed. I asked for a final stop, drank the last of my water and we set off. “Only the run back from Waldringfield left,” Ian tells me! We pushed on. At 48 km you could hear the public address system in the distance. It is amazing how the pace picks up at the end. We did the last km in 4:50. Where did that come from? Suddenly we passed the 50 km sign and then the finish line. I stopped the watch and it showed 4h 13m. I was totally exhausted. We landed and I could barely pick the boat up. Luckily Ian’s son was there or I would have dropped it. With a very slow walk I got to the car and lay on the floor. Would I ever do that again? Ian was amazingly sprightly, running around de-rigging the boat! After half an hour of stuffing cereal bars and water in me I managed to get up and sit in the car. And within an hour we were talking about doing it again. I’m mad!
The next day I felt surprisingly good, considering the pain during the race. I felt even better at lunchtime when the results were posted and found out we had won the Novice 2x by over 10 minutes and that Tim and Simon had smashed there previous record with a time of 3h 24m in the eight. What a result!"
Brooks were a 'selected' crew and were, sadly, just to fast for us. None the less it was a fantastic experience to participate again and a real thrill to race over the historic course.
