ST&BF Indoor Row Group Kicks Off 2019/20 Season with Record-Breaking Month!

SCCCF’s Survive, Thrive & Be Fit Indoor Row Group (IRG) offers year-round indoor rowing opportunities for area cancer patients and survivors.

Team members may reserve time on any of the five Concept2 rowing ergometers available at MOA/SCBS and are encouraged to row additional meters at the Sheboygan or Sheboygan Falls YMCA.

Although IRG sessions are scheduled year-round, there is an increase in the number of IRG sessions during the IRG season which runs from November 1^st to April 30^th. We just kicked of our fifth season on November 1^st and are off to a good start! Participating survivor-athletes rowed a total of 634.2 kilometers during 11 IRG sessions scheduled during the month of November, setting a new single-month record (the previous record of 498.2 kilometers was set the previous month - October, 2019)!

IRG survivor-athletes may participate as often as they’d like. Many of our IRG survivor-athletes row several times a week and others might only row with us at a few sessions each month or throughout the year. New members are welcome to join the Indoor Row Group at any time. No experience is necessary.

IRG offers a variety of individual and team challenges for survivor-athlete/rowers to participate in. These challenges are optional, however, as the ONLY two requirements of IRG is that survivor-athlete/rowers 1) Row and 2) Have fun!

Individual and group challenges include our own IRG individual and team challenges as well as a variety of challenges offered by the Concept2 website where we can participate with indoor rowers and row teams around the world! Many of these challenges involve the accumulation of meters over a period of time. For example, the IRG team participated in the 2019 Concept2 Virtual Team Challenge last January during which we accumulated 1,062,565m finishing 173^rd among 690 teams worldwide and 3^rd in the Medical Facility division! We are hoping to accumulate more meters during the 2020 Virtual Team Challenge that starts on January 1^st.

Area cancer patients and survivors are invited to join us for the 2019/20 Indoor Row Group season which will include our Fifth Annual Lake Michigan Crossing, a relay-type team event on Saturday, March 14^th, 2020 at the Sheboygan YMCA’s Lakeview Center during which we will row a distance equal to crossing Lake Michigan!

As the saying goes, “Many hands make for light work!”

Photo Above: IRG survivor-athletes participate in a fun “row & shoot” biathlon (shooting rubber bands at solo cups with guns handmade by IRG survivor-athlete Bob Hartig). Rubber bands are so appropriate as, like these survivor-athletes, they resiliently stretch and then bounce right back!

Consider these benefits of indoor rowing!

• Rowing consists of a low-impact, smooth, rhythmic motion and exercises all of the major muscle groups (legs, core, arms) for a full body workout!
• Rowing provides both aerobic and anaerobic conditioning as well as significant strength training.
• Rowing burns more calories than most other activities and is an efficient fitness activity for those with a busy schedule.
• Rowing is an easy-to-learn and safe beginner and rehabilitative activity for all fitness levels that will get your body moving.
• The Indoor Row Group offers a fun, social, encouraging and supportive environment for area cancer patients and survivors.

For more information or to schedule an Indoor Row Group introduction and demo, please contact Tim!