Discovery Channel Thursday 31st March (plus keep an eye out)

[Andrew G]

For those that get Discovery and missed it last night the Toughest Race of Earth with James Cracknell is well worth a watch. Story of his run of the Marathon des Sables, which incidently club member, and nutter, Mark Bayliss is doing this year. Mark you are mad as a box of frogs!

[Andrew G]

Next programmes on Thursday, and both will be repeated a lot obviously as it's on Discovery Channel.
Race Across America with James Cracknell
UK Premiere, Thursday 31st March, 9.00pm
After competing in the infamous Marathon Des Sables, James Cracknell sets out to create a new record: to cross America using four sporting disciplines over just 18 days. The challenge would see him going it alone across the entire breadth of North America, from Los Angeles to New York: running 100 miles in the searing heat of Death Valley, cycling along the 2,500 miles of Route 66, rowing 250 miles across Lake Erie and finishing under the watchful eye of the Statue of Liberty, swimming the final 15 miles down the Hudson River.



He's rowed for his country, winning two Olympic gold medals, run six back-to-back marathons across the Moroccan desert and skied to the South Pole but nothing compares to the challenge he faces trying to take on America.

Throughout his journey James is joined by a team of friends and experts: Mark Perkins, an ex-army Physiotherapist who has been with James for five years;

Bernie Shrosbree, an ex-Special Forces Performance Coach, who James has known for ten years, and Dr Fred Wadsworth, nutritionist and nutritional advisor to Premier League Footballers.



After completing the 300-mile cycle from Santa Monica to Death Valley and the subsequent three back-to-back marathons, James sets off on the longest stretch of the journey, the 2000-mile cycle down Route 66. By now he is five days in and what is about to happen is going to change his life forever.



Whilst cycling he is hit from behind by a truck, is knocked from his bike and left with a near-fatal head injury. The biggest challenge now for James is the fight for his life and the long journey back to recovery.



This is the remarkable journey of one of the world's greatest athletes and a breath-taking example of the human capacity to rise above even the greatest of challenges - to face death and fight to carry on.

[Dan_K]

I watched last week's episode last night.

He's clearly got something wrong with him.

What an amazing person. His determination is unbelievable.

[Sylv]

That’s funny – I read a review of the Sables programme the other day which said Cracknell made it the dullest programme you could imagine. Probably written by someone who has no idea of what this kind of thing takes.

[Jon H]

[quote="Andrew G"]James Cracknell sets out to create a new record: to cross America using four sporting disciplines over just 18 days. The challenge would see him going it alone across the entire breadth of North America, from Los Angeles to New York: running 100 miles in the searing heat of Death Valley, cycling along the 2,500 miles of Route 66, rowing 250 miles across Lake Erie and finishing under the watchful eye of the Statue of Liberty, swimming the final 15 miles down the Hudson River.

[Dan_K]

[quote="Sylv"]That’s funny – I read a review of the Sables programme the other day which said Cracknell made it the dullest programme you could imagine. Probably written by someone who has no idea of what this kind of thing takes.