By Super Grimsby athlete becomes world indoor rowing champion!
A man from Grimsby has become the world indoor rowing champion with a “monster of a score” in a fantastic performance.
Andy, who trains at Grimsby Leisure Centre, became victorious in the 2000m, 60–64-year age category with a remarkable time of 6 minutes, 29.7 seconds.
The Championships, held in February, saw the top three qualifiers from five continents battling it out for the title.
Initially, due to take place in Hamburg, the event took place virtually amidst COVID precautions, with competitors from across the globe using race software to connect their rowers to a live feed.
Andy said: “To do this sort of thing you have to be totally focused. I love the process of preparing for a race and working out a training plan. At the start, the goals seem far off, but through interval training, times gradually start getting faster.
“It can become an obsession and you start to feel bad if you skip a day. You want to do yourself justice and know you’ve given it your all. Anyone can just turn up for a race, but the months of work that goes in behind the scenes is where the real work takes place.
Andy swims 1500m three times per week and rows 10km six days per week, with one rest day. He trains intervals Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, using the other days as a steady 10km row.
“For me the secret is not doing all the same thing. If I was just rowing and nothing else, it would be monotonous.” Andy added.
Another of Andy’s passions is cycling. In 2013 he cycled from Cleethorpes to Sydney, Australia in nine months. His adventures didn’t stop there, in 2019, he cycled from Vancouver, Canada down to the Mexican Border, a total of 1,848 miles along the Pacific Coast.
Andy said: “We camped along the way and carried all the gear with us – food, clothes, tent, sleeping bag. A lot of folk can’t do it, so if you’re fit enough, my advice would be “go for it!”
“It forces you out of your shell. You’re completely self-sufficient – you’re not just a cyclist, you’re a mechanic, map reader, communicator and cook.”
(Image: Lincs Inspire)
