In the latest feature of our Beeble Backs Blog, I was lucky enough to speak to Tom Rose about the unbelievable challenge he is about to embark on.
Tom Rose
Challenges such as these are not alien to Tom, having taken part in the Marathon des Sables in 2019, a gruelling 6-day ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert. Looking to ‘fill the void’ post Marathon, Tom has swapped sand dunes for Atlantic waves, signing up for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Along with 3 team members to make up the ‘Atlantic Nomads’, Tom will travel 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua, with no support boat…
It is really difficult to put this kind of venture into perspective (especially as someone very happy in my comfort zone) but the more I hear, the more in awe I have become of Tom and his team. Imagine rowing constantly in shift patterns of 2 hours on, 2 hours off for at least 40 days, (equivalent to about 1.5 million oar strokes) whilst facing 40-foot waves, shark infested waters and Atlantic storms. It really sounds more like the plot line of a dramatic action film! Before even reaching the start line, the training has involved hours on the rowing machine, countless gym sessions and 200 hours training on the boat. It is unsurprising that more people have climbed Everest or been to space than attempted this crossing!
In trying to understand why anyone would willingly put themselves through this I asked Tom what had inspired him to embark on this challenge. He simply answered that it would give him the ‘chance to be thrown into a completely unknown environment where we can find out what we are made of’. However, I’m not sure that Tom is too excited by the idea that he may actually be ‘thrown’ into 40-foot waves or even capsize in the middle of the Atlantic, casually adding that it ‘doesn’t sound like much fun!’.
Behind this astonishing conquest is an equally amazing cause. The (very mad) Atlantic Nomads are raising money for ‘Alabaré’s Homes for Veterans’, a charity that runs houses across the UK, supporting British Armed Forces Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, enabling veterans to successfully transition to civilian life.
We, at Beeble, are all wishing Tom and the rest of the team the best of luck! If you are interested in finding out more about the challenge or following their progress, click here.
Equally, if you would like to donate please visit Tom’s justgiving page here.
Written by Eleanor
