Rowing in August

18 Aug 2009 posted by Dave Holby

Current location – San Luis, Mexico

18535 km rowed… 21540 km remaining

Well due to popular demand as he hasn’t had a mention before, the guys wanted me to introduce Jim Bob the rowing mascot (thank you to Khalid, Alex, Syd and Tash for donating him!) who sits with me every day I row. As the photo suggests, he is indeed a snowman and keeps his cool even in the muggy summer months… bless his little cotton socks.

Busy but exciting few days. Spent a couple of hours on Thursday afternoon with  Craig and Jacqui at The Escape (brilliant company who designed the website – bless them for their patience over my technical incompetence!) and can now blog to my hearts content. Headed back home to pick up an email from Andrew who works as a freelance photographer and fingers crossed he’ll be able to take some cool photos of the row – I’ll pop them up as soon as they’re done.

Huge huge thank you as well to Tracey for designing some fantastic cards for the row – please check out her website to have a look.

I’ve got to thank Faye too for taking advantage of the buy one get one free deal on fig rolls at Morrisons and dropping me off six packets (what an angel!), Mike and Sue for the satsumas and Sam for a big bar of cranberry and granola chocolate

I’d also like to thank Kayleigh for raising £230 for Breakthrough at her Pink Party for her birthday – clearly a genius, she managed to get Kelly to buy my smelly blue hat in an auction for £30!

James and I are planning our next world record bid for the end of October – we set a 24 hour tandem record back in June and hope this time round to set individual records for our age groups in the ‘longest continual row’. Jim’s got to row at least 25 hours to set his, I’ve got to hit 26, but rowing side by side I think we’re in with a good shot. Photo below taken by Andrew of our 24 hour row – Jim looking on and me looking quite ill and sweaty!

I’m still on course (by the skin of my teeth!) to set a new record for most kilometres rowed in a season – the record currently stands at 16,539km, I’m hoping I can edge past 17,500km.

I should be halfway through the whole journey by the middle of next month and we’re agonisingly close to £10,000 being raised – what a brilliant milestone it will be to hit that. A huge thank you to Mel for sponsoring another £10 on the justgiving page.

Please keep following me on twitter and facebook – there’s also a bit a cheesy interview on Thames Valley Tonight from just before Christmas. The support of everyone and all the comments are, as always, just brilliant x