What are we getting ourselves into?

When Alan first mentioned his idea of rowing the English Channel during our last Kettlebell class for term, I thought he absolutely was mad. No less than a week later I received an e-mail asking if I would be interested in joining the crew and without thought I instantly replied. ... It is not until now, with dates being confirmed and the actual crossing booked (first weekend of October 2012), that I've thought "WHAT HAVE I SIGNED UP FOR?"

This is when I decided to track down the YouTube video of John Bishop's "Week of Hell" that was the inspiration for channel crossing. 

Watching the above video, a few things occurred to me:

• If John Bishop (and his crew) can row the English Channel for seven hours after cycling from Paris to Calais with only one hour of sleep/rest, then we can do it.
• I really need to get fit, both physically and mentally, for the challenge. Weekly training sessions with Alan, regular outings with the Cantabrigian Rowing Club, and the odd 5 mile runs this should be possible.
• The boat they are using is a fixed seat Celtic Long Boat and completely different to what I'm used to rowing in (i.e. the seat doesn't move!). 
• We are absolutely mad for wanting to do this. 

Unfit and Overweight

Unfit and overweight... I don't really know what I'm doing here or what I've let myself in for.

I've already started training over the last couple of weeks and the weight is coming off slowly.  Today: 25 minutes of jogging, 20 minutes of cycling and about to do a 45 minute training session.  I'm using myfitnesspal to track my nutrition and exercise goals to keep me on track.  If anyone else is using this and wants to add me you'll find me as user jongough.

This is going to be a tough few months but hopefully will be a life-changing experience.

Wish us luck...!

Introducing the crew

This will be the first of many (no doubt) entries from me with updates of my major challenge for 2012.  Like many people I watched John Bishop's "week in hell" programme in awe.  I guess this was partly due to the fact that John Bishop didn't strike me as the sort of person who'd cycle 200 miles from Paris to Calais, then row across the Channel, and then run three marathons over three consecutive days.  I don't know why I should have been surprised as I'm used to meeting ordinary people who choose to take on extraordinary challenges.

I didn't think much more about the programme for several days after watching it.  Then suddenly a thought started to take shape in my mind.  It started with wondering if I could row across the Channel.  Then my original thought morphed into wondering if I could get a group of my clients to row across the Channel.  I did a little research and learnt about a company called Langstone Rowing Adventure who help train people for this task.  A plan was hatched.

I started to mention my plan to my clients.  Some who I thought would be interested backed away instantly, but several showed enough interest for me to realise that I was on to something.  This then lead to the formulation of the following crew members:

Gary Antcliffe
Andy Coles
Jason Evans
Jonathan Gough
Alan Middlebrook (me)
Steve Read
Dennis Roche
Richard Youell

Originally, Richard was to be our first reserve, but one original crew member had to pull out due to personal circumstances.

It has now reached a stage were we have training sessions booked at Hayling Island, near Portsmouth, and we have even set dates for making the Channel crossing itself, which should take place between 5th and 7th October, given a fair wind and calm seas.

Many weeks of hard training now lie before us.  But it should all be great fun and result in an epic adventure.