Boston Marathon

  • 16
  • September
  • 2007

Crew:

  • Tasha Gordon (Bow)
  • Lorraine O’Hare
  • Sandy McGilvroy
  • Robert Ford (Stroke)
  • Jennifer Smith (Cox)

Take one scratch crew, two weeks of training and you can put a crew together that completes the Boston Marathon; see the proof!

We opted to row the event alternating sides every 10-15k. This was to give our muscles a chance to be worked evenly and provide some restbite. Sandy and myself were pretty keen on using the event to practice rowing on the opposite side, something we’d not done since xmas.

We started and maintained a good rate of 24 spm and took breaks regulary. Unfortunately I was so pre-occupied with preventing blisters, by taping my hands at every opportunity, that I didn’t take on enough water. At 35k I started to feel ropey and began to drift off. Thankfully I had a superb crew (Lorraine, Tasha, Jennifer and Sandy) who kefpt me going. Jennifer allow me a couple of extra breaks to take on water, I downed 4 litres in 2k, which perked me up. By the time we hit the 40k mark I was back up to strength and in the stroke seat. Feeling the finishing line get nearer in our minds and after Jennifer read out some words of encouragement from club friends we settled into a strong last 10k. The final 500m we done at sprint pace, taking a double on the line.

It wasn’t as tough on the hands as I thought and I had plenty of energy at the end, just wish it had been all the way through. Deffinately some lessons learnt and I’d sayI enjoyed the experience so much that I was talking about doing it again not long after finishing it!

ps co-codamol allowed me to row on the dodgy shoulder!

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L'Etape du Tour 2008

Etape profile
Pau to Hautacam
8,000 riders will take on the 154-kilometre stage from Pau to the summit at Hautacam, via the east side of the Col du Tourmalet.

The Bike

Trek Madone 5.0
Trek Madone 5.0 (2007)
I love this bike, some would say too much with the amount of time I spend maintaining it! But if I'm going to be going 50mph down a mountain I want to know its in good shape.

Latest images

  • Me at the Col Du Soulier summit
  • Me at the Col d'Aubisque summit
  • Mark at the Col d'Aubisque summit
  • Mark with the big bikes
  • Me with the big bikes
  • Mark at the Col Du Soulier summit
  • The last corner
  • Alex, Mark and I
  • The summit sign and statue
  • Sun breaks through
  • Clouds rolling in
  • View to the east
  • View to the west
  • Alex and Mark after Hautacam climb
  • Mark and Paul
  • View down Col Du Marie Blanque
  • The C4 loaded up
  • Col d'Aubisque summit
  • Mark and Alex in Biarritz coffee shop
  • Mark at the top of Pier St Martain

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About this blog

Welcome to the personal blog of Robert A J Ford, a professional interaction designer and developer based in the UK.

I started this blog in 2007 to record my cycle training leading up to the Etape. I've never been one for diaries but this format works well with my job and lifestyle so I expanded it to record details of other training and events.

As the blog grew it became a space where friends and family followed my activities. Their feedback has inspired me to keep writing. I hope you find something of interest and please feel free to leave comments.

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