Getting Psyched for Concept2's Holiday Challenge
| filed under: Training, RNNR, Erging, Indoor Rowing, Concept2, Erg Challenges, Holiday Challenge
Starting tomorrow, I'll endeavor to row 200,000 meters on my Concept2 between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. It's called the 2015 Concept2 Holiday Challenge.
So, over the course of those 29-days, I'll have to average 6,896.55172414 meters/day in order to end up with 200k meters come midnight of December 24.
I have been using every excuse in the book to not workout: sciatica, shin splints, a sinus infection, a cold, a tumble, lower back pain, and even the flu.
I have even blamed a cluttered office and a prosperous Summer and Fall for my inability to swing bell, to walk that commute, to climb those stairs, to work the whole day on my LifeSpan treadmill desk, doing push-ups or dips on my own personal dip station and step-ups on my own step box.
Or even doing TRX, Bosu ball, and Swiss ball exercises every day -- I have them all. And I really love kettlebells. I mean, too much.
So, I am starting with my Concept2 Model C with a PM3 upgrade and I plan to use the ErgBuddy app that I have installed into a first gen Apple iPad and connected via an iPhone connection kit.
So, all I need to do it put in the meters, slow or fast. This isn't CrossFit or boat seat challenges so I don't need to burn out on a 500 or 2000 meter sprint. Easy as she goes.
According to Concept2's official challenge page:
Row and ski as much as you can between American Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. We have honorboards and downloadable certificates for everybody who reaches 50k (adaptive and kids only), 100k and 200k.
I'll Be Rowing 200,000 Meters For the Planet
In addition, every person who rows or skis at least 100k during the challenge, Concept2 will donate $.02 per kilometer (1000 meters) you row/ski to your choice of the following organizations:
And once I get beyond 100,000 meters, Concept2 will donate $.04 per kilometer rowed. Concept2's goal is to raise a total $30,000 to support these causes.
Anybody who reaches 200k and has chosen to give money to charity will receive a free Holiday Challenge pin -- and hopefully that'll be me.
Wish me luck -- I am very excited about getting myself back into the saddle after making every single excuse in the book.
In the case of the 2015 Concept2 Holiday Challenge, all I need to do is get into the seat and pull.
All this challenge cares about it my effort and my meters -- and only meters, not performance -- and since it's an individual challenge (as opposed to a team challenge which required organizing a virtual boat full of committed rowers to work together against other virtual teams from other real and virtual clubs and boathouses).
Wish me luck!
And, you should totally join the challenge yourself. Get some exercise, sweat a little, get your fit on, and make some money for Watersheds United Vermont, Kafue River & Rowing Centre Project, water.org, or The Nature Conservancy.
Myself? I allowed Concept2 to choose for me.
