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On Sunday 13 April, while thousands line-up in London to run the 26.2 miles, the University of Salford’s rowing team will be lowering their oars into the water of Manchester Ship Canal.

The idea came from rowing team member and Salford University Boat Club’s Charity Officer Scott Naylor, who says it evolved from his initial plan to get the whole team to run the Marathon.

Scott Naylor on the water

"As well as being on the rowing team, I am a keen runner, so I thought I'd get the whole squad involved in this, but as not all of them have the running experience I have, I thought 'why not row the distance instead?' All of the squad were impressed with the idea and agreed."

Unfortunately, there’s not the space on the canal for the team to follow one uninterrupted route so the team will row between a starting point near the Lowry Centre and a finishing point near No 1 Deansgate – an eight kilometre course that they’ll complete six times to make up the 42000 metres a marathon requires!

With such a large distance to cover, the team have been training hard – though as Scott says, as rowers, they "should always be training, whether as a squad or in our own time" – but their level of fitness isn’t the only challenge that they might have to face on the canal.

The lads of SUBC in training

"There are always dangers with rowing, whether it be on the Manchester ship canal or somewhere more placid like Hollingworth Lake. For example, there may be logs and branches that could easily damage the hull of the boat. But we’re an experienced crew with experienced coxes to steer us clear."

Not everything about the rowers’ marathon will be different from their running counterparts. Just like many other people, they’ll be racing to raise money for charity as well as to challenge themselves – the students are rowing for SPARKS, the children’s medical research charity.

Sadly though, there’s no chance of them following other charity runners’ example and doing the race in fancy dress, as Scott explains.

"Unlike running, rowing requires that arms and legs be clear of obstructions to allow for a good clean stroke, so a costume wouldn’t be recommended.

"We do, on the other hand, have a choice to wear silly hats."

Salford University Boat Club row the London Marathon on Manchester Ship Canal on Sunday 13 April.