Tomorrow thousands of people will gather in West London next to the Thames River to watch 18 men battle 4 1/4 miles in 159th The Boat Race.  Since 1829 crews from Oxford and Cambridge have met annually to test their strength, stamina, courage and will in a rowing race that many in England hold in higher esteem than the Olympics.

When Malcolm first mentioned his interest in coming to England and rowing in the Boat Race following the Olympics I was a little skeptical.  I knew it would be a wonderful experience – I just didn’t know how much fun it would be, for both of us!  I have cherished this experience for a number of reasons, one of the most important is seeing how much fun Malcolm is having both on the water and in the lab.  Much to my amazement I also enjoy being on the water – except for that first outing (which was the equivalent of beating my head against a wall).  I started rowing (to be honest) because I was jealous of the team environment.  When you leave a sport you’ve basically grown up in, it’s hard to replace that environment.  I’m lucky because I’ve been able to find that in University (Cheerleading team), Dance, Crossfit and now rowing.  But it’s addictive.  Once you have it, you never want to let it go.  I saw it in the Canadian M8+ last year, and in the Blue boat here…

But enough about me. I’m writing this because I’m so proud of my husband. Of what he and his teammates have worked so hard for over the past seven months (and all of the years before).  It has been exciting to see every step of this process, watching how they have come together, pushed one another, elevated each other and have overcome each challenge they faced.  Preparing for the Olympics was a challenge in and of itself, but how these men (and women) balance that training with their academics is more than admirable.

I hope tomorrow the crews have the opportunity to showcase themselves, their talents, their hard work – and to do so without interruption or disturbance.  I’m excited for tomorrow… and if you are too, you can watch the race on the BBC here in England (and on the internet too), or on tape delay on Sportsnet in Canada.  There’s also a live text feature that will outline what’s happening as occurs.  Click here to access the link.

There is also a great article on Malcolm… check the link below!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/9962555/University-Boat-Race-2013-Oxford-stroke-and-Olympic-champion-Malcolm-Howard-remain-calm-before-storm.html#disqus_thread

And some fantastic shots of training (and from the race too I’m sure) here

Tomorrow is going to be a thrilling race, and though I’m not part of the boat I’m honoured to be along for the ride.