The Distance Award Schemes (http://www.therowingcompany.com/rowing/distance_award_scheme.php) are for the more contemplative indoor rower. For adults, the first rung on the ladder is a million metres, with others being at five million, ten million, 15 million etc. Former 70-79 Lwt world champion Harry Welsh has recently completed his latest milestone.As an indoor rower, 2,000m competition was always my main interest. However, fate took a hand in the game. A non-diseased heart condition curtailed any prospects of further competition. The Consultant Cardiologist finally agreed that with medication and having a resting heart rate (RHR) of 45/47, low aerobic rowing could be re-commenced, but limited to 80 b.p.m. Only one option was left if rowing was to be continued – distance rowing. The question was, what should I aim for? At that point in time, in January 2000, I'd already rowed a little over 17,500,000 metres. What would be considered as a crazy ambition? Why not try to row a distance equivalent to the equatorial circumference of the World? It would take some years and a distance of approximately 40 million metres. Enquiries revealed that it had not been attempted. So rather than 'Around the World in Eighty Days', why not 'Around the World by Eighty Years?' This involved some number crunching in order to establish a feasible workload, bearing in mind doctor's orders. The final estimate was that it would require around 120,000/140,000 metres each week. I had three things in my favour. My own Indoor Rower, being retired and having an understanding and patient wife, who is a rower and holds two world records in her age group. As the months and years rolled by, the need to maintain as close as possible to the same stroke rate, split time, and recommended heart rate was, to say the least, frustrating. Much of the time I rowed on automatic pilot, and played a lot of mind games. Music, singing, TV and audio books all played their part in relieving the monotony.The daily 20,000-metre distance was rowed in 4 x 5,000m sessions throughout the day. Any break in the routine required a catch up session, or an unavoidable delay. It must be admitted that there were many occasions when I asked myself the question, 'What on earth are you doing Harry?' The sobering retort always sprang to mind with the American expression, 'you've talked the talk, now walk the walk.'As each succeeding five million metres was achieved, and duly witnessed and recorded, it was realised that I was the first in Europe and Great Britain for 15-20-25-30-35 million metres. Only five to go! Then, some time ago, came news from a close friend Bert South, who lives in Bradenton, Florida. It appeared that a local rowing enthusiast, by the name of Rich DiBello of Sarasota, Florida, had recently completed the same project, and could justifiably lay claim to being the first in the world. Nonetheless, not to detract from the commendable effort, Bert threw me a few crumbs of comfort. He wrote that Rich had started nearly four years before the writer, and was younger by 20 years, and rowed 8,000m daily from commencing his rowing. So, in the words of Doris Day, 'Que Sera Sera'. The last five million was undertaken with some relief as I approached my target age of eighty years. I had certainly taken on a big piece of ambition pie to digest and it was hard to swallow at times. As the last few metres were completed, there was much to ponder, wonder and question. Examples, such as, would I have done it had the health problem not occurred? That is not too easy to answer.However, with hindsight, it is likely that I would have chosen the former option. That is, just working and letting it happen. Did I enjoy it? That is questionable, as what I enjoyed previously about rowing was the wide variety of training schedules that I could employ and work towards the prospect of competition. What inspire me to do it? It was definitely the challenge of being the first, and whether or not I was capable of sustaining the effort. Why did I keep going? I think it was pride in completing the commitment, and possibly a great deal of stubbornness. I shall certainly continue with rowing, but confined to pleasure, through recreation and fitness.