Here's the deal with the Holiday Challenge I mentioned yesterday.
href="http://www.concept2.com">Concept II, who makes the rowng machines,
a.k.a. ergs, most used by actual rowers (probably the most-used rowing machines,
period) sponsors this every December. This will be the fourth year they've had it
and the third time I've done it.
The idea is to erg 200,000 meters
from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Only erg meters count, not distance on the water.
The Challenge begins at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, November 27, and ends at midnight
on December 24. Because Thanksgiving is on the last Thursday in November rather
than on a particular date, the time between the holidays changes. This year, there
are 28 days, which works out to an average of 7,143 meters per
day.
Except, that is, for Rudder and me. We both erged on
Thanksgiving day before departing for Death Valley, but then missed on Friday and
Saturday while there. We'll also miss four or five days at the Christmas end
because of the Antarctica trip. That leaves us only 21 or 22 days, so we have to
average over 9000m per day. There is supposed to be a rowing machine on the ship,
but we can't find out if it's a CII, so we can't rely on finishing there. (There
are a few other kinds that would work, but it could also be the old-fashioned kind
with two sticks for handles and no way to track distance.) So I'm trying to do at
least 10K a day. Rudder, far more of a masochist, does his pieces in 20000m
chunks, letting him get on the water or to the gym some days. Myself, I refuse to
worry about normal workouts while I'm in the middle of this.
Today
I am thankful for: functioning arms and legs and the ability to use them. My
parents have a good friend who may be about to lose both legs due to complications
from diabetes and other things.
Concept II Holiday Challenge:
Approx. 158000 meters left to go.