Mark Howard: Which is harder, rowing a marathon or running one? I'm hoping to row the marathon for Comic Relief in about 3 hours; people sponsoring me keep asking how this compares with running one?Terry O'Neill: That's a little bit like asking how long is a piece of string. They're different and depending on what parameters you use, you'll get different answers.Running will elicit a higher maximum heart rate than rowing largely as a result of running being done while upright and rowing while seated. This means the heart has to work harder to overcome the force of gravity to get the blood to circulate. Also rowing is weight bearing and running isn't. This fact would enable a heavier person to do relatively well rowing a marathon as opposed to running one.Running is virtually all about the legs and is a totally natural action whereas rowing is a whole body exercise and the sequence of movement has to be learned. A rower would find it easier to row a marathon and a runner would find it easier to run one. Having said that, I'm a rower but I have run three marathons, two of those I actually enjoyed. I would not, however, row a marathon for all the tea in China.____________________________________________F E E D B A C KLike what you read? Dislike what you read? Ideas for future newsletters? Make sure to tell us at webmaster@vermonthouse.co.uk. Or of course, you could always tell us at our message board: http://www.therowingcompany.com/messageboard.htm. Oh go on._________________________________________________________