If you want to compare yourself to other rowers, and you row on a Concept2, you can go to the log.concept2.com website and look up how other rowers of your age are doing. This is especially useful if you’ve been training hard for a specific distance and want to gauge how you may do in a race.

But be warned, if you’re new to rowing, it can be quite a shock to see how much faster some people may be than you. You’ll see a huge range of results, and even though there will still be a LOT of people who aren’t as fast as you – it can be easy to look at the fastest first and end up de-motivated.

So – use them as inspiration of what CAN be done. Whether you have any desire to row a sub 7 2K etc, that’s up to you – but look at these results as proof that age isn’t a limiting factor.

You just need to concentrate on building up your routine. Make sure you’re exercising enough, and you’re eating right. As long as you do that – and you stay consistent, you’ll see results.

Worry about performance within your own world. As long as YOU are fitter/faster/stronger than YOU were yesterday, that’s all that counts. Just keep on showing up – and share your progress (my Facebook group is a great place to do that).

Also remember that the times on the Concept2 website are only for that machine.  Comparing your time on a Water Rower to someone else on a Concept2 or an Aviron is a fool’s errand.

Good luck!!!