Hume defies odds to follow Cracknell's footsteps (From Surrey Comet)

Barnes' Hume defies odds to follow Cracknell's lead

8:30am Friday 31st October 2008 in Search By Stuart Amos

Don’t tell Barnes' Richard Hume he can’t do something, because it may end up costing you.

The 26-year-old endurance athlete starts training for his biggest challenge yet this month when he follows in the footsteps of Ben Fogle and James Cracknell by attempting to row the Atlantic next year.

Four years ago the Roehampton-based fitness instructor was bet he couldn’t complete an Iron Man triathlon and - after claiming his winnings - he has since finished a 421-mile Triple Ironman to prove it beyond doubt.

Hume was diagnosed with a severe curvature of the spine in 1995, spent four years in a back brace and was told by doctors he should never do intense physical exercise again.

And the former Barnes Cricket Club member believes that thought is pushing him to test his limits.

“In all honesty each challenge is just a stepping stone towards the next one for me,” he said.

“People think rowing the Atlantic is something reserved for celebrities and I want to show it is something anyone can do if they put their mind to it.

“Doctors say I shouldn’t really be doing these things, but I’ve found if I get myself physically strong enough, then my body can cope.

“If some one says I can’t do something and it appeals to me, there is an added incentive to do it.

“A 65-year-old guy bet me I couldn’t do an Iron Man and since doing one, I’ve only been thinking about the next challenge.”

Hume’s time of 52 hours and 45 minutes for the USA Triple Ironman - 7.2mile swim, 336mile bike and 78.6mile run - ranks him among the top ten over the distance in the world this year.

More than two days of exercise - interspersed with massages - saw him burn more than 40,000 calories, which makes you wonder how you approach it.

“Once you get your head around the distance, completing it is not actually that bad. That said, I had a one-man support team and without him urging me on, I don’t think I would have completed it,” he added.

“The last marathon you run is more of a shuffle than a run and by that stage it is just a case of getting through it. It is all bit of a blur.

“When I finished I burst in to tears with the emotion of finishing a nine-month project that takes over your life. You forget the bad times and only remember the good feelings.”

The Atlantic row, which he takes on with challenge novice and former Weybridge Vandals winger Tom Barnes, will cost in the region of £60,000.

And he believes the mental strength he has built up over the last two years will see them both through.

“We’ve got an agreement that if he gets us to the start line in terms of sponsorship, I’ll get us to the finish,” he said.

If you want to sponsor the pair visit www.rowingtheatlantic.com.