Keith Atkinson
A Million Metres - No Sweat
It wasn't my intention, at the outset to row a million metres on the Concept 2 Indoor Rower. My motivation to using the machine on a regular basis was two-fold. Firstly, as part of the team delivering the Concept 2 Education Programme, I needed to be fully au fait with all aspects of the work, from the basic stroke sequence to crew class workouts and testing regimes. Secondly, as someone who has multiple sclerosis, I needed to recover some of the basic aerobic fitness which had previously enabled me to do the Three Peaks and the Lyke Wake Walk, to row Heads of River and in competitive regattas, and run marathons in London, Dublin and others. Being reduced to walking for about 20 minutes meant that my heart/lung function was hardly stimulated.
The great advantage of the Indoor Rower and bicycles from my point of view is that they are weight-bearing. Lengthy periods of standing (that is about half an hour) can bring on spasticity in my legs, which makes me trip or fall over. Fortunately, a short rest brings a quick recovery. I began the Ohio University Adult Fitness Programme in January 1998 with 5 one-minute rows at 75% MHR with two minute rests in between. I supplemented the time on the rower with about ten minutes Chi Gung, and 20 to 45 minutes of Yoga. I only worked on alternate days.
At the end of 6 weeks, I attempted a 2000 metre row and recorded 8:42.6. By early July, I could row steadily for half an hour, though not continuously - 6 five-minute pieces with three-minute rests was a usual pattern. August saw the start longer continuous pieces. 5000 metres could be covered in 25 minutes, but I ran into the problem of the MS causing leg spasms. I still find half an hour difficult to complete, but after a brief rest, I'm off again.
A check on my training records in September showed I'd covered over 500,000 metres. Two friends at Nottingham Boat Club, Bob Wilson and Mike Longley were discussing the Million Metre Club and suddenly the race was on. I was determined to be the first. Fired up with the old competitive spirit, I started to churn out 10-12,000 metres a day. On Wednesday 23rd December, I was able to get my Log Book signed to certify that I'd completed a million metres.
I believe my walking and balance have improved with the use of the Indoor Rower. Clearly my aerobic fitness is much better - my resting Heart Rate has gone down from 74 to 58. I lack strength, but that's part of the condition. I've begun a programme of preparation with a view to competing in the 60+ lightweight category.
Next target? 5 million metres.
NO SWEAT! -
Keith Atkinson
Concept 2 Education Team
