A team of 18 people from Warman and area logged 1.2 million meters – or 1,200 kilometers – as part of an indoor rowing machine challenge competition over a two-week period in early May.
That’s like rowing down the North Saskatchewan River from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains all the way to its outlet on the coast of Hudson Bay.
But without the pesky mosquitoes, white water rapids and gruelling portages.
“I don’t think I would have done as well on the water,” said Clark Bymoen, a Warman teacher who contributed 144,000 meters of rowing toward the team’s million meter goal. “I probably would have capsized the rowboat right after leaving the dock.
“But with indoor rowing you can stay dry and watch Netflix while you rack up the mileage.”
Bymoen said the friendly competition, which ran between May 1 and May 15, was organized under the auspices of a local business owned by Robyn and Blaine Perra called ‘Not A Gym’. The business had rented out 15 of its rowing machines to clients at the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown in mid-March.
“It was a way of encouraging people to stay physically active even though they couldn’t go to the facility for their weekly class,” said Bymoen. “They took the classes online.”
Bymoen said he tried indoor rowing for the first time in August, 2019, and was immediately hooked.
“It’s very low-impact,” he said. “It’s easy on the body. Jogging can be hard on your knees and your feet. But indoor rowing is a good cardio workout and great for building muscles because the tension on the machines can be adjusted.
“Plus you can listen to music or watch Netflix or just zone out while you’re rowing. Time really flies on these machines.”
Bymoen said the indoor rowing provincial championships were held in Warman a few months ago.
He added that Rowing Canada, has organized a four-country challenge. The event, which kicked off May 20, involves rowers in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, rowing the distance to the moon.
“It’s pretty far,” said Bymoen. “The idea is to have a challenge that’s fun and keeps everyone motivated.”