This would make us the fittest & fastest school crew going to Henley - rowing from Putney to Oxford in 3 days before the start of the summer term.
Everything was planned down to the last second; Pauline having the car & meeting us at predetermined points along the river for refreshment and to transport us to suitable accommodation each evening.
Everyone duly turned up at the appointed time only to discover that the moon had changed the tide times. So ,after a 2/3 hr delay whilst we waited for the tide to turn, off we went try and catch up on lost time.
That catching up continued all the way to Oxford. The next lock, a very necessary resting point, was always around the next corner so it was with great relief with 108 miles and 32 locks behind us, 8 very sore bottoms concluded this marathon in the time allotted. Memories were not all of toil and sweat and "the next corner" ;paddling up the Marlow Reach fresh after a nights sleep as the morning mist lifted off the river was just magical.
Thank you, C.J.G. and Pauline. for happy memories by putting together that imaginative training programme; it must have taken hours to organise.
Congratulations on driving your bicycle on the towpath the whole way without falling into the river. Our only regret was that our performance did not live up to your expectation; it was an experience I shall never forget!