We have taken leave of our senses and have decided to give the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race a go. This is a race little known to anyone who doesn't regularly kayak, but as a comparison, it's the equivalent of an Iron Man triathlon or Ultra Marathon, taking us 125 miles along the Kennet and Avon canal and River Thames through Reading, Windsor, and finishing under Westminster Bridge.
The race will take us about 25 hours of non-stop paddling, starting on Saturday morning and finishing, fingers-crossed, on Sunday lunchtime with a welcome pint of Guinness in very cold wet hands.
We have been training throughout the winter months, braving the weather three times a week on the Regents Canal and spending time recuperating with gym sessions.
The race will undoubtedly be the hardest physical and mental test we will ever undertake. Please show your support by sponsoring us to help the Samaritans; it is a very worthy cause.
THE SAMARITANS Very many thanks for your support.
One person takes his or her own life every 14 minutes. In the two minutes it has taken you to read this information, 17 people will have contacted Samaritans for emotional support.
By the time you go to bed tonight, 39,726 prescriptions for antidepressants will have been written by doctors.
One in ten teenagers self harm.
13 million days are lost each year due to stress in UK at a cost to the UK economy of £3.7 billion.
Donating through Justgiving.com is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Samaritans will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. 5% of your donation will go towards the cost of the race.
Piers and Neil
We would like to thank friends and family who are kindly spending their Easter providing land-based support to us - Ros, Nancy, Andy, Toni, Paul, Tom, Matt, Siobhan, Ollie, Athene and Ryan - we couldn't attempt this without you.
We would also like to thank, in no particular order, Willes-Simpson-Woods, Mosses and Mitchell, Dickinson & Morris and Indigo Fine Eastern Antiques for their generous contributions to equipment.
