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Posted by Clive Taylor (ctaylor@netik.com) (from 195.173.48.205) on 01 March, 2001 at 08:27
In reply to: Wot Have I Done!!! posted by Paul Walker on 30 December, 2000 at 11:57:
I did exactly the same thing many years ago and went back time and time again. The adrenalin/emotional rush to the head as you see Big Ben makes all the pain and suffering worth it.
Train hard, set realistic goals but very importantly, train your support crew. They are your lifeline when things get really cold and wet. They are having a hard time themselves, especially at night and in bad weather, so they need to be prepared.
Get some really good friends who are prepared to make you laugh, take the p***, take the grief you give them and make sure that you keep in the boat. Get them to support you during training so you can get used to each other and they can understand how fast you really go in a boat. Losing your crew at night is massively demoralising. If you do, don't stop. let them find you on the river. Marshalls and other support crews will help them do this. If you stop and wait, as I did once, you get very cold and very unhappy.
Oh, and set yourself a time to go for, be realistic, and don't worry if you start to get off schedule. You will learn for next time.
Good luck, sorry I won't be there. Really miss it.
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