The Long Road to the Start Line – Preparing for a 3,000-Mile Row
In December 2026, I’ll set off from the Canary Islands with my teammates Martin Mead and Scott Dingle, both fellow airline captains, as part of our team, Coastal Commanders. Together, we’ll row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic in the World’s Toughest Row—a challenge that demands far more than just physical endurance.
This is no ordinary race. It takes three years of solid planning and preparation just to get to the start line. We’ll face sleep deprivation, relentless waves, blistering heat, and total isolation, rowing in shifts, non-stop, with no support and no safety net. Our goal? To complete this challenge in under 40 days.
Why Take on a Challenge Like This?
For me, this journey is personal. In 2019, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Surgery and chemotherapy took their toll, but I was determined to return to a life of adventure and endurance sport. Now, I want to use this challenge to raise £150,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer and MOVE Against Cancer—charities that help others facing their own toughest battles.
But we aren’t just doing this to raise money. We want to inspire and empower others to take on their own challenges.Whether that means overcoming illness, pushing beyond their limits, or simply getting out for a 5K, we want this campaign to prove that people are capable of more than they think. Not that the Tri Training Harder crowd need any encouragement!
The Journey So Far
Training – Adapting from triathlon to ocean rowing. Strength work, long endurance sessions, and building a foundation on the rowing erg.
Planning – Learning navigation, survival techniques, and managing life at sea—a whole new skill set compared to multisport training.
Fundraising – Raising £150,000 to cover the boat, race fees, and campaign costs, ensuring the maximum possible contribution goes to charity at the end of our challenge.
Mental Prep – Training the mind for sleep deprivation, monotony, and uncertainty—a different kind of endurance challenge.
Building an Inspirational Campaign – This is about more than just rowing. We are crafting a campaign that encourages people to step outside their comfort zones, push past doubts, and take on challenges of their own.
What’s Next?
Our boat goes into the water in just a few weeks, marking the start of real ocean training. To make it to the start line and give ourselves the best chance of raising as much money as possible, we are currently seeking funds through our various crowdfunding entry points.
Alongside crowdfunding, we are actively looking for corporate sponsors to join us on this venture. If you or anyone you know would like to be part of an exciting, high-impact campaign with global reach and a powerful purpose, please get in touch.
This isn’t just a rowing race—it’s a test of endurance, strategy, and resilience. I’ll be sharing updates throughout this journey, and I’d love for you to follow along. If you’re interested in supporting us, check out www.coastalcommanders.com
Jon has been coaching with his local triathlon club in Hertfordshire around his full-time job as an airline pilot for several years. Unfortunately, Jon lost his pilot’s licence for 11 months in 2019 due to being diagnosed with testicular cancer (read his story here). He used the time off from flying to complete his Level 2 and Level 2 BTF diploma qualifications as well as a L3 Personal Trainer qualification. With his new coaching qualifications under his belt, Jon was able to join Tri Training Harder as a coach in 2019. He has now recovered from cancer, started flying again and is training hard for the coming triathlon season.
Jon has a flexible approach to coaching and training, from his own busy lifestyle he knows how to balance training around family, friends and social commitments. Jon loves to utilise the knowledge gained on his Personal Trainer course and finds incorporating well-structured strength and conditioning sessions vital to triathlon performance.
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We’re here to help
Tri Training Harder are one of the leading Triathlon coaching providers in the UK, using our wealth of experience to unite scientific and technological research with already well-established and successful best practices, to create a formula for triathlon and endurance coaching that works.
The result is an honest, dynamic, yet simple new way of constructing an athlete’s training to allow them to reach their potential.
If you’re planning your next season, just starting out in the sport or are looking for extra guidance at the very top end of the field, we are here to help, and our coaches would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us via the website, and one of the team will be in touch.