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In February 2013, I began a quest to row 10,000,000 meters (10,000km) before September 2020. 5 years in, I’m at 4.47 million meters and rising faster than ever before. This is the start of a Twitter thread I will update every 250k.
4.75 million (17 days since last benchmark). Progress has been good! I cover 10-15km on a general day and 20-30km on weekend days. I’m projected to hit 5 million, the halfway mark, on 7/29.
I am now within a fortnight of 5 million - projected to hit on 7/25
5.25 million - in a sweaty TRRA erg room
5.5 million.
5.75 million - had the pleasure of pulling the landmark beside Clint Volle, who was my first contact with Pitt Rowing
6,000,000 career meters. Couldn’t have asked for a better view. I’ve hit each million in a different location: 1st million in Ithaca NY, 2mm in Bellefield Hall (Pitt), 3mm at TRRA boathouse (PGH), 4mm at Millvale tanks (PGH), 5mm at home (CLE), 6mm at Cleveland Foundry (pictured)
6.25 million - in my apartment
6.5 million, following a massive 34k day - the fourth-highest daily meter count of my life
6.666 million - not really a landmark but two-thirds of the way through the whole shebang!
6.75 million - halfway through an end-to-end at Camp Bob
7 million meters - during my day’s third practice. I’m especially proud of this one not only because I embarked on such a drive to get here today, but because I’m a whole million closer to the end. Here’s a view from during my second practice to show what I’m looking at.
No meters update (I’m at 7.04 mil), but today I’m proud to announce that after years of effort, I’ve finally broken through the evasive 7:30 2k.
7.25 million - in a VERY choppy Allegheny! The flow is 48k but I’m glad we faced it because otherwise, I would’ve had to hit this landmark on an erg.
Not a meters update (7.28mm) but yet another big 2k PR - after two years in which my score moved only 2 seconds, I am now 10 seconds faster than I was last month!
No meters update, but I’m now leaving for the 192nd - and last - water practice of my life
7.5 million. If you’ll recall, I hit 5 million 10 months and 2 days ago, but I expect it to take longer to cover the remainder of the distance due to no further access to water or tanking for the foreseeable future. Here is where I’ve gotten my past 2.5 million meters:
No real update, but I tweeted the beginning of this thread one year ago today - since then, I’ve come 3.2 million meters!
7.75 million. I’ve added a real-time counter in my bio this time around - it helps me keep track.
No updates right now but one year ago today, I hit 5 million meters - the halfway mark. Now I’m at the doorstep to 8 million. Back then I predicted I’d hit 10 million around 2021, but now I’m slated to hit it in April/May 2020.
Eight million (8,000,000) meters. First major milestone in over four months. A lot of change since then, a lot to come before 9 mil and then the end.
8.25 million. This one took me much longer than I’d expected; I got quite distracted during O Week.
8.5 million - on my porch in this breezy fall day! Once again, this milestone took longer than expected, but I’m here now.
Not a metric update, but I’ve just surpassed 2,675,050 meters in 2019 - that was the distance I rowed in all of 2018. That means, with two months to spare, 2019 breaks my record for the most rowing done in a year.
Coincidentally, today is also the exact proximal equidistance between the ending of spring season and 10 million meters, meaning that I’m projected to hit the goal somewhere in mid-April/May
9 Million Meters
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You guys must be hella bored of these updates by now but don’t worry, this is the endgame. Just a million to go and a life’s dream is realized! I’ve been working toward this for seven years and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
You guys must be hella bored of these updates by now but don’t worry, this is the endgame. Just a million to go and a life’s dream is realized! I’ve been working toward this for seven years and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
9.25 million. The going is slower and more perilous than ever. I used to cover an average of 10k/day but because I’m biking to work now, I’m expending a lot of my energy there and not where it counts. I average about 4.5k/day now. 10 mil scheduled for May/June.
9.5 million. My mental health is quite poor lately and rowing has served as a substantial consolation. It has represented the only real comfort to me this month. I am very excited to be so close to the end. If I continue at my current pace, it will be another two months or so!
9,666,666 career meters - 2/3rds through the last million! End looks like it’ll come somewhere around May 10-15. I’ve been managing tons of meters in quarantine but I hope this clears up by 10MM day.
9.75 million. This is my last major landmark! Since the weather has gotten better, I’ve moved my erg back outside after five months indoors. I’ll complete the rest of the quota on my porch.
No major metric updates today, but yesterday I PR’ed on my 2k, breaking 7:20 after a year of effort, and today I PR’ed on my 5k! These foreseeably are the last incarnations of these tests in my rowing career.
9.9 million meters. We are now only a couple weeks out from the big event. I thank you all for following along with this journey so far, look out for updates on how to watch me cross an eight-year goal as it happens.
My time has come.
Friends and peers, the conclusion of my epic effort is in exactly 48 hours.
WHEN: 7 PM ET Tuesday, May 26, 2020
WHERE: an undisclosed, scenic location
HOW: tune in on Instagram Live ( @MannyMarotta) to witness the proudest moment of my life.
See you there!
Friends and peers, the conclusion of my epic effort is in exactly 48 hours.
WHEN: 7 PM ET Tuesday, May 26, 2020
WHERE: an undisclosed, scenic location
HOW: tune in on Instagram Live ( @MannyMarotta) to witness the proudest moment of my life.
See you there!
Three hours!
Broadcasting live on Instagram!
Come watch
Broadcasting live on Instagram!
Come watch
10 Million Metershttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
The task is now accomplished and this thread, and my entire time rowing, is now finished. Thank you for following along.
The task is now accomplished and this thread, and my entire time rowing, is now finished. Thank you for following along.
The task is now accomplished and this thread, and my entire time rowing, is now finished. Thank you for following along." title="10 Million Metershttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">The task is now accomplished and this thread, and my entire time rowing, is now finished. Thank you for following along." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
