How many meters?

[JerekKruger]

Hahahaha, I knew I could count on you Tom to do the maths. I was cynical but not inclined to try and figure it out.

The only reason I checked is I remember years ago being made to work out what 1000 seconds, 1 million seconds and 1 billion seconds is (answer is ~17 minutes, ~12 days and ~32 years). This really hammered home just how big the difference is between the three, which is something humans are very bad at intuiting. Since then I've tended to spot dubious looking figures more easily. As a side note that should really illustrate just how ludicrously wealthy billionaires are.

[jimmyshand]

Some incredible numbers here! I've only been doing this since March 2017 and have 1,478,537 so far. Ideally I'd give up my job and row all day. I'm at 1,220,478 for the seasons so far. I'd love to get these numbers up a bit more for the next season.

[jackarabit]

There's a gentleman named Jerry Griffin whose online logbook has him at 2,158,873,662 meters. That's over 2 billion. I typed out "2 billion" not because I think some on this thread can't read numbers - I typed it out because I I'm trying to wrap my own brain around that many meters!

Part of the reason you can't wrap your brain around it is that it's almost certainly false. Even if he rowed every single one of those metres at 1:30 splits this would take just under 12.5 years of continuous rowing, at a more reasonable 2:00 split it'd take about 16.5 years of continuous rowing. Even if we're generous, and assume he's rowing 8 hours per day, every day of the week, that'd take between 37.5 and 49.5 years. Given the first Concept2 erg came out about 37 years ago I think it's sage to say he hasn't rowed anywhere near 2 billion metres. In fact I doubt anyone has rowed even close to a single billion: Olympic rowers might hit 30 million a year (typically less) which means it would take them over 30 years to hit a billion, but they don't keep up that sort of volume for anywhere near 30 years.

Hahahaha, I knew I could count on you Tom to do the maths. I was cynical but not inclined to try and figure it out.

After a bit, one is able to distinguish an outlier from an outright lier without consideration of plausible hypothetical pace, hours to complete, etc.

[KenS]

Part of the reason you can't wrap your brain around it is that it's almost certainly false. Even if he rowed every single one of those metres at 1:30 splits this would take just under 12.5 years of continuous rowing, at a more reasonable 2:00 split it'd take about 16.5 years of continuous rowing. Even if we're generous, and assume he's rowing 8 hours per day, every day of the week, that'd take between 37.5 and 49.5 years. Given the first Concept2 erg came out about 37 years ago I think it's sage to say he hasn't rowed anywhere near 2 billion metres. In fact I doubt anyone has rowed even close to a single billion: Olympic rowers might hit 30 million a year (typically less) which means it would take them over 30 years to hit a billion, but they don't keep up that sort of volume for anywhere near 30 years.

Yes, thank you for doing the math on that! And I like to think of myself as a skeptic - guess I need to be more skeptical.

[bisqeet]

round about 4-5 MM per season. sort of depends on thw weather. Summer just tick over (unless its not possible to OTW) - winter more.

[nick rockliff]

Don't log metres but would estimate around 50 to 60 million since 2003. Only playing at it now though but will be getting my finger out again shortly.

[sekitori]

Dr. Kenneth Cooper, who introduced the concept of aerobic training, said this:

"I say that if you run more than 15 miles a week, it's for something other than aerobic fitness."

I think the same thing can apply to those who row excessively large numbers of meters yearly. I've rowed an hour a day, six days a week, for over twenty years. I have no idea how much distance I've covered, but it has to be a considerable amount. I realize that kind of training isn't of that much extra physical benefit, but it somehow fills some sort of mental need. As a result, I'm in pretty good shape, but I doubt very much if I'm in extraordinary physical condition or even close to it. The real benefit for me is that I feel I've accomplished something of value. As long as I continue to feel okay and am able to do so, I'll continue doing what I have been.

I've learned two things from this. One is that I need more calories to maintain my weight. Since I enjoy eating, that's good. The second is that those of you who keep track of your training down the very meter are probably even more obsessed than I am.

[Edward4492]

I keep a written log of every work out, I include OTW meters now; we use a a GPS Speed Coach which is extremely accurate. Started keeping track in January of 2014 and as of January 2018 I had 10,095,000 on the erg and 2,200,000 OTW last two seasons. So in the 50k to 70k range weekly. I've missed virtually no time due to any issues (health, injury, work, etc.) and row six days a week virtually with out fail.

Regarding the scope of the numbers (how much a billion really is) makes the trillion dollar figures thrown around by politicians down right scary.

[lindsayh]

I've learned two things from this. One is that I need more calories to maintain my weight. Since I enjoy eating, that's good. The second is that those of you who keep track of your training down the very meter are probably even more obsessed than I am.

I am right with you - Richard Steventon once said to me that some of us eat to erg/train and others erg so we can eat. (He is an eater who ergs too)
The erg is defo a magnet for those who love the numbers - important at the time but no real attraction for me once done.

[gouldilocks]

I am at 35.4 million - not done much for the past 4 years until this season when I started getting the enthusiasm back - I have 3.1 million for this season.
I think there are quite a few people around who have logged 100+ million!!

Paul G

[Dickie]

A quick look at the Annual Meters Honor Board will show that there are many above 100 million. I looked up Eric Nelson and just taking the millions and adding them up yields over 210 million since 2003

[Erik A]

I did a million meters in a year about 15 or so years ago. wasnt a member of the concept site back then so just did an excel spreadsheet to keep track. this time around i have done just over 350k this season and started in mid dec so would be on track for a million meters + for the season if i had started at the begining.
looking forward to starting the new season and see how i go. If i start spending too much time at the gym then i will most likely buy my own machine to at least be at home and appease my wife as she gets a bit antsy when im not at home a lot. we work different hours so when im at home shes not and vice verca so any time together is good (at least thats what she says)

[joe80]

Jerry Griffin is a long-standing member of PaddyPower and is an honest and unassuming man. The obvious mistake in his lifetime metres will be down to some other factor than an attempt at deception.

I'd agree with Fred Dickie that Eric Nelson has the largest distance accrued over the seasons. His logged distances since January 1988 stand at 272,832km.

My own relatively modest efforts should top the 69,000km mark tomorrow.

Regards,
Joe

[JerekKruger]

Jerry Griffin is a long-standing member of PaddyPower and is an honest and unassuming man. The obvious mistake in his lifetime metres will be down to some other factor than an attempt at deception.

That's what I assumed: I guessed he'd added some catch up metres when he signed up to the logbook and either made a typo* or overestimated how many metres he's rowed in his life.

*2 billion is only one zero away from 200 million which, whilst certainly a lot of metres, is the sort of distance people who have been rowing for a long time might reach.

[Yankeerunner]

Jerry Griffin is a long-standing member of PaddyPower and is an honest and unassuming man. The obvious mistake in his lifetime metres will be down to some other factor than an attempt at deception.

Regards,
Joe

I recently made a mistake by typing too fast and not proofreading. After logging in my 5,100 meters for the day I apparently didn't hit the tab button hard enough and the first two digits of my time (22:00+) got added to the meters making it 510,022 meters for the day. I continued merrily looking only at the keyboard when I thought I'd entered everything I needed to add and hit ENTER. Luckily I had two alerts from friends the next morning and corrected it quickly.

I sometimes suspect some of the prodigious totals posted, but not all of them, and also realize that honest mistakes are made.