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"I felt during the last mile a sense of elation and emotion - my son had helped me to complete what I thought was an impossible dream that started a long time ago and the dream had just become reality."
Richard and Alex Haine competed in the 108-mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race over the Easter weekend in aid of local art therapy charity Kairos Arts in 23 hours and 20 minutes, coming sixth in their class.
The DW, as the race is commonly known, is an annual event and established contest in the world canoeing calendar.
Competitors start their journey in Devizes, a town in Wiltshire and finish in central London. The event was cut short by 17 miles as there were covid vaccine centres towards the end, but it was still a gruelling 108 miles.
Richard told Express it was "great to finish and get over the line", adding: "I just feel, really, so blessed and proud... my son and I made it."
It all started with a joke.
Watch: Richard and Alex Haine crossing the finish line.
Richard had a long-held ambition to take on the DW and started talking to Alex about it when his son was a teenager, but the "busyness of life got in the way".
Alex had not forgotten, however.
Richard explained: "When my birthday came around in the October before the pandemic started, I received an interesting letter purporting to be from the Devices to Westminster Organising Committee offering me a 'wild card' entry and informing me that my son Alex had agreed to partner me in the event. Such was the authenticity of the letter that I didn't immediately realise that it was in fact a very elaborate hoax from Alex himself!"
But "the die was cast", as Richard said, and they decided to make the ambition a reality.
It took Richard and Alex a total of 23 hours and 20 minutes to complete the 108-mile race. On day 1, the pair completed 34 miles and 34 locks (portages or run around the locks), day 2 saw 36 miles and 30 locks, and on day 3, the duo accomplished 38 miles and 13 locks on the River Thames.
Richard told Express that "getting up at 06:00" on each day of the race was particularly hard, but that the biggest test came half way into the row.
After starting at 07:15, "after breakfast", Richard described the first two hours as "lovely". But, "a few hours later we started getting aches and pains and it felt like we were looking at a longer distance. Our motivation dropped."
"Hour five to six into the race, you're at your lowest level. You've been paddling for five hours and you've still got another three hours - 15 miles - to go."
However, "with two of you, you can support and motivate each other."
"The painful bits sort of disappear," Richard continued. "The River Thames was so beautiful... You pass Windsor Castle, pass some lovely houses... The weather was good."
Food top-ups and crowds were also a big help - "you have more food and hear cheering, then, you get a burst of energy."
Mr Haine said that the pair also wanted to give a "BIG THANKS" to their support crew - his wife Sue, Alex's wife Annie and close family friend Dorian, who followed them on their journey with their bikes and a car, providing the all important food and water to keep them fuelled, as well as expressing his gratitude for the support from family and friends.
"Anyone doing a marathon would know how important it is to have that support... It was really special."
Pictured: The duo encountered "about six swing bridges across the canal, which we had to duck our heads and paddle under!"
The pair chose to participate in the event and support a local charity Kairos Arts. All their proceeds will go towards training volunteers to run creative art workshops in schools "to help build resilience in children and young people."
Through their JustGiving page the father and son duo have raised more than £800 towards their target of £1,000 so far.
If you would like to sponsor Richard and Alex Haines, you can donate HERE.
WATCH: Father and son set off on gruelling challenge for local charity
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