We did it! Woman with rare disease complete's gruelling 32-mile challenge on paddle board

Carolyn Smith and Phil May completed the course from Lincoln to Boston in 11 hours 50 minutes, enjoying a back wind rather than the storm that lashed them last year.

They raised more than £2,083 for four charities - the RNLI, CALM, Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance and Annabelle's Challenge - with funds supporting their efforts still coming in.

The pair set off from the Brayford in Lincoln at 5.20am on Saturday band arrived at the finish line near Boston Rowing Club just after 4.30pm.

However, Covid-19 Rule of Six restrictions meant this time they were only allowed to have their support team with them and no family and friends along the way to cheer them on.

"I cried for the last two miles because my family couldn't be there because of the Covid-19 restrictions," said Carolyn, of Burgh-le-Marsh, who suffers vascular Ehlers Danlos, a life-threatening and limiting disease.

"I still wanted my family there and this put a huge downer on the challenge for me.

"We do, however, want to thank everyone who supported us and those who waved to us along the way.

"It was tough at times but I'm feeling great now after what we achieved."

After a slow start, Carolyn said navigating the first lock in the dark was 'very scary' but a fall between the five-mile point and Bardney could have ended it all.

"This was a whopper of a fall," recalled Carolyn. "I had got tangled in weed and hit the deck so hard I ruptured both knees, my hip, my wrist, and a rupture to the left side of my stomach.

"The pain was excruciating and ,yes, I cried. It took me a while.to get my confidence back after that one.

"However I checked myself over quickly and had another food fuel stop and more tea and we were on our way again.".

The next stretched from Bardney to Kirskstead Bridge went well. Carolyn said. "More back wind and this was amazing, hard work still but amazing winds."

Just before they reached Southrey Carolyn got cramp in my.left upper arm to the point she couldn't move it .

"i never had cramp in my.arm before ever and it took ten mins of massaging to get rid of it," she said.

The course also took them to Tattershall, Chapel Hill and Langrick before they arrived at the home straight.

"The stretch to Anton's Gowt was slow and dragging but it was great to be on home turf and see how amazing this river is," said Carolyn.

"Even though our family couldn't be there we had fantastic support by the wildlife.

"We spotted at least 10 herons, three kingfishers and what felt like a thousand swans to deal with, plus two kestrels oh and a green woodpecker."

In the future, Carolyn hopes the challenge will see more people taking part. She said: "When Covid-19 is over we'd like to turn this into a race. That is our aim."

*There is still time to make a donation to the charities supported by Carolyn and Phil, visit YellowBellySUPers at Justgiving.