Alex Binkley Goes 100,000 Meters on the Erg
by Booth Kyle
posted on June 15, 1999
Thought i'd pump up the accomplishment of Alex Binkley, Buckingham, Browne and Nichols School student (Cambridge, MA). On Thursday the 16th, Alex completed 100,000 consecutive meters on the erg. He averaged @ 2:28 split. Finishing time was 7 hours 58 minutes and 43 seconds.......he did get off the erg once at 60K to go to the bathroom.
Simply because he wanted to do it. He set up shop in the front of the athletic center, receiving lots of support from friends and teachers. He even was mentioned by a DJ on WFNX, the radio station he was listening to while he erged. To top it all off, with about 37000 meters to go, he found out that he had been admitted to Harvard University.
Many a kid could be heard asking, "Why is he doing this? I don't understand why." Because he can, and this gives further evidence why rowers think their sport is so special, because it is filled with people like Alex that show that a little motivation can go a long way!
Of his piece Alex said," I got the idea one day as I was starting a workout. I looked at the machine and saw that the furthest I could go according to the monitor was 99999 meters. So I decided I wanted to do it."
When asked was there ever a time when you thought you would not make it he replied, "No."
The hardest moment was after he got back on the erg at 60K down, said his legs and butt were on fire.
When he got to 80K, he thought "no problem I do this once a week."
He actually did not sleep that much last night (after the row). He said his adrenaline level is high, coupled with the news about Harvard. Alex is looking forward to rowing for Charley Butt, he is about 6'1 160 lbs.
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