Merander 2008: The Challenge

So what the hell is a “MERANDER”?
Well largely just a really bad pun courtesy of Matt – let me explain...

A Meander is the name given to any descent of the Thames from the highest navigable point (Lechlade in Gloucester) to at least London (although where you give up does rather bizzarely seem to be up to you as some chose Teddington, others Gravesend in Essex).

A MeRANder (see what we've done there? Clever...) is the name given to one of these journeys that combines skiffing (that’s rowing in a fixed seat boat – yes it is as painful as it sounds – and that’s without the chafing...) with running.

Stupid? Yup, we are beginning to think so too.

So how does it work?
There are 45 locks on the Thames – mostly spaced out every 3 to 5 miles. At each of these, we will swap over, so that 2 of us who had been running will then skiff and vice versa. In practice, this means that for 4 days, we will be skiffing 17 miles a day and running 17 miles a day.

Or to put it more scarily, in 4 days, we will each have run 70 miles and skiffed 70 miles. Ouch.

The Route:
140 miles of pure Thames joy...

Day 1: Lechlade to Abingdon: a nice gentle 40 miler to break us in. And as if things aren’t bad enough, we also have to go through Oxford. Disappointing...

Day 2: Abingdon to Wargrave: A more modest 35 miles through Goring, Pangbourne & Reading

Day 3: Wargrave to Staines: 32 miles through Henley, Maidenhead and Windsor. But it’s alright because we get to ease our aching muscles in the finest hotel that Staines has to offer. Travelodge anyone?

Day 4: The final 32 mile stretch through Weybridge, Kingston, Richmond before ending at Putney. At Richmond we join the tidal Thames so to keep up, the runners will need to put in some 6 minute miles – should be easy enough after 130 miles don’t you think?

TO MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE CLICK ON THE COMMENTS LINK BELOW