James Cracknell

J struggling with all 4 boys at the minute. They are a real handful. Decided that I would take boys to school and start work a little later and that's what I did. The final straw was last night when Ryder asked me why I was never home during the week.

Relentless day but stayed firm on joining the James Cracknell panel discussion. 

When I ran my first sub 3 hour London marathon in 2006 was when our paths first crossed on Tower Bridge. I still have the photo at home somewhere showing us running shoulder to shoulder. At the time I was oblivious to the fact. I have been following him ever since and his quest to go sub three hours. If I am not mistaken he missed several times by literally seconds.

Then this year he ran 2.50. I know because I high fived him at the finish. He finished one place ahead of me. All the more remarkable when you realise what this guy has been through over the last few years. In 2010 he was on his Discovery Channel funded adventure running, cycling, rowing, and swimming across the United States when he got hit by a truck and spent the next month in a coma. You can tell that there is still something missing, a certain vagueness. Whilst being interviewed by colleague Garry Herbert (gold medal olympian cox at the 92 Barcelona games) he spoke very openly of his resulting seisures and epilepsy and the drastic effect on the relationship with his wife and kids. I have the upmost respect for the man. 

James won the Olympic gold in the rowing 4s at the Sydney Olympics (Foster, Pinsent, Redgrave) and then at Athens 4 years later. Garry aked him why he went another 4 years and he said because he wanted to do it 'without Redgrave'.

He spoke also of the lessons that rowing have taught him to allow him to eek out his new 'adventure life' including rowing the Atlantic, Marathon De Sable (#14th), the South Pole race across the artic:

1. A good set of lungs

2. Faith in your body

3. Ability to stay positive in bleak situations (this resonated with me) 

4. Propensity to prove people wrong 

There was an incredibly moving video with his wife who candidly told how she and their kids have coped with his new illness. They have been to hell and back. Garry asked him what he wanted to now achieve and he said for one day his wife Deb to say that 'he was back'. He then went onto say that he does not define himself by what he has achieved but rather who he is now.

Afterwards when everyone left I went up to him to congratulate him on his 10 minute PB. You could tell he was like 'who the hell is this bloke!'. I then retold the story of me high giving him at the finish line. He must have thought I was stalking him when I retold the Tower Bridge photo. He was though genuinely happy to hear my stories. We then chatted about some more of his experiences. I then said why the PB now? 'Weight loss' he said, 'I am 10ks lighter'.  * On that note see my post on Froome a few days back. 

I always did say that only with my fellow 80kg+ guys is running a level playing field. We never have any chance with the blokes who weigh 20kgs less. Reason I go better on bike vs. on my feet.

I am going to buy his book. Super nice guy and modest. Here are the photos - it was a real pleasure meeting him: