Friday 8 June 2012


Gold Challenge Part IV: Rowing (April-May 2012)


Rowing somewhat relates to swimming as cycling does to running: You don't need to touch the element yourself but multiply your lever on it using technical equipment, and consequently, travel faster over it. However, the human-powered speed record on water has not been achieved by a rowing boat (22.5 km/h over 2000 m for an Eight), but a human-powered hydrofoil, which contacts the water even less (34.3 km/h for a single person -however only over 100m). Anyway, Cambridge is certainly a place linked to rowing, as can be seen by the large number of boat houses from downstream from Jesus Green. It is has also been estimated that one in five Cambridge students gets involved in rowing at some point, and joining a boat club even may offer beginners the opportunity to participate in a race. The next upcoming race would be the "May Bumps", five weeks after deciding to kick off rowing and joining Downing College Boat Club! The river Cam is hardly wide enough even for two boats side-by-side, so the races are generally done in a "Bumps" format. In this rowing race boats are arrayed with equal distance and then start simultaneously. Then, each boat chases the one in front of it in order to touch, or "bump" the boat in front, and tries not to be caught by the boat behind. The training began with rowing machines: Learning the basic moves, and a following a rowing rhythm. Fortunately running helps in finding a rhythm, at least for yourself. The next step was trying the same in a boat on the water: First on moored "tubs", then with sturdy beginner boats, and finally with real Eights. However, the strong rains in late April and May caused a relatively strong current in Cam, which even had burst its banks, all delaying the first rowing in an Eight for the novices. When it cleared away a few days later, and we had put the boat to water, we were moving over the water at impressive speed! Unfortunately not enough men were available to fill a novice boat. Anyway, it was a great experience to get introduced to rowing, and I am looking forward to do some more. Thanks for your help, and good luck at the May Bumps!

Thursday 17 May 2012

Gold Challenge Part II: Cycling (30.10. 2011)




I have never done cycling as a sport, but it is a way of transport I am using almost every day.  My utility bike is nearly six years old and quite battered by rain and mis-maintenance. Also we had an accident with a lane-cutting taxi in Hammersmith, for which my bike caught all the damage and I escaped with a minimal bruise on one hand. So, in order to reward my bike and motivate myself to treating it better, I took part in one of the Audax events from the local Cyclists' Touring Club. Audax events are non-competitive bike rides in which cyclists, in groups or individually, try to cover a given distance in a moderate speed (between 12.5 and 25 km/h), and they were first introduced in Italy in the last years of the 19th century. The serious Audaces start at 200 km, and those finishing can call themselves a Randonneur, but this would have to wait. One conveniently located event is the 'Emitremmus", organized by the Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC) in Stevenage on the last Sunday of October. "Emitremmus" is is the reverse writing of "Summertime" and marks the reversal of British Summertime on that very day. Some people of this CTC also participate in the Gold Challenge (cycling 2012 km). http://stevenagectc.org.uk/

Unfortunately the train service from Cambridge to Stevenage was partially replaced by a bus on that day, which meant that there was no bike transport until Royston. So I got up in the morning a bit earlier (the additional hour helped) to cycle to Royston and get on the train there, which added some 20 kilometres of cycling. Though Stevenage has fine cycle paths, getting to the start from the train station was a bit complex: the modern Stevenage was designed to separate car traffic from pedestrians and cyclists, so cyclists relying on a road map take a bit longer to get where they want to go. The ride was started in the Fairlands Valley Park, a park area with a pleasant artificial lake used for sailing. More than 300 riders were handed out their route descriptions and their cards, which were to be stamped at control points, and started in different groups every few minutes. Among them were different types of bikes, road bikes, utility bikes, tandems and also a number of tricycles. Compared to most of them, my bike was heavily loaded with water, food, maps, books, repair tools, spare clothing etcetera, all in a large pannier which would also give me also a bit of an air drag during windy conditions. The route led from Stevenage to Saffron Walden and back, all on roads (mostly smaller ones), through a pleasant environment which also contained some substantial hills. Cycling in groups gave "safety in numbers", so that riding was always comfortable (though cycling uphill would have been much more easier if I had adjusted the gears properly). For taking breaks, there were three cafés on the route, which also functioned as the main checkpoints (and of course for meeting fellow riders). Being autumn, nature was both severe and gentle, being windy at times, but also producing an abundance of refreshing sloes along the route.

When I finally arrived back at the café in the sailing centre in Stevenage, it was already starting to get dark. The 101 km had taken me about 6 1/2 hours including a number of social breaks. It was a welcoming and beginner-friendly ride. The competition number is still attached to my bike, and comes very useful in spotting it in the large bike stands of Cambridge.

Saturday 5 May 2012

Gold Challenge: Introduction


In Summer 2011, I decided to raise funds for Oxfam, under the impression of the famine in East Africa, which was caused by drought and civil war. That's why am taking part in the Gold Challenge, which is a charity challenge related to the upcoming Olympic Games: Participants aim to compete in different Olympic sports, and raise funds for different charities. I planned to participate in five Olympic sports, and as distance running is the sport I am most experienced in, everything would start with a Marathon.