Community Rowing

I remember very well following Damian's daily travails on his solo row from NY to Galway. It's hard to believe it's been four years. I often look at this inspiring photo on my wall (thank you Emjcamera and Damian) and my mind is still boggled by this incredible feat!

4 years ago today I crawled through the rockpools and seaweed of the Co. Galway shoreline near Furbo.

After 4 indescribably difficult months at sea, my expedition was finally over.

You probably imagine I was feeling a sense of relief, perhaps even accomplishment, but those emotions were far from my reality.

I felt nothing but failure.

The pain of this perspective, albeit short lived, brought me to thinking deeply about what was truly important about the challenge I had set myself.

Was it what I missed out on? - the big emotional  finish in the place I had focused so much energy and effort trying to get to, Galway Dock.

Or was it what the experience had left in me?

My reflections had rich rewards, with a total shift in perspective of what success really is.

I had self imposed this immense challenge of attempting to row a small boat across the unforgiving North Atlantic from New York to Galway because genuine challenge presents you with opportunities to evolve as a human.

I had taken so many of those opportunities when nobody was looking.

You’re 65 days into an expedition you thought would take 55 and you still have over 1000 miles to go. The 3.30am alarm rings through the dark. My senses immediately pick up the wildness of the conditions outside. It’s never not a scary compilation to crawl out into that.  Where I am right now, curled up in a semi dry sleeping bag is the cosiest I will be all day. It’s genuinely warm and dare I say - lovely. It’ll be 24 hours until I’m here again. Every excuse in the book appears in my mind to stay put. There’s nanoseconds where the internal resistance feels like it’s hijacked every cell in my body and resolve is futile.

Before I know it I’m pulling on yesterday’s wet undershorts, wet t-shirt, a wet mid layer, wet foulies and clipping in on deck for 2 hours of rowing before breakfast. In one hour the dawn will break on the horizon and all will be better.

Day after day, like a machine, I did this. Sitting here today typing this in my kitchen, it seems almost unbelievable to me now.

Continued in comments….

Road work. 🚴‍♂️

Well done to all the rangers and community rowers who participated today in our National Parks & Wildlife Service team-relay HM fundraising challenge. And to all the great work our NPWS rangers do in maintaining our beautiful national parks. ☘
https://www.gofundme.com/f/npws-takes-on-the-wildlife-ranger-challenge/cl/s?

Dorian's technique could use a bit of work but I'd love to know what his 2k time is! 👍

100 metre row in 14 seconds. I’ve using the row machine to blast out 500 metres twice a week instead of doing my usual intervals on the assault bike… since I broke the arm off it! Here’s a little quick snippet doing 100 metres, going at full pelt! Actually for the 500 metres, I did some research and my time is only 5 seconds off the world record for my age range… still got that competitive ego I guess! #MrOlympia #Cardio #Row #Strength #Power

I'd love to know if DY has ever done a 2K TT on the rower and if so how he thinks it compares to his HIT bodybuilding workouts.

The six-time Mr Olympia explains why he’s using short, all-out efforts on the rower to challenge his fitness.

Women and Rowing https://communityrowing.ie/women-and-rowing/

The next time you are on the rowing machine try rowing 300 meters in one minute! 💪

Concept2 one-minute World Record Age 90-94 Dr. Ed Berry Sets Concept2 World Record — 308 Meters in One Minute...

https://communityrowing.ie/women-and-rowing/

Women and Rowing - Community Rowing Rowing empowers women and builds their physical confidence through a safe and efficient all-in-one workout that is rhythmical, mindful, easy on the joints and sustainable.