Individuals participate in the Row for Hope Million-Meter Challenge April 27 at Crossfit Ripcord in Columbus.
Submitted photo by Chris Scott
After Pat Barger was diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma, he came up with an idea to raise money to fight the disease.
So last weekend, he and his fellow coaches and trainers at CrossFit Ripcord put on the Row For Hope Million-Meter Challenge. The goal was for a group of people to combine to row 1 million meters.
“The event was kind of a vision come to life by one of the trainers at CrossFit Ripcord,” said Jamie Speidel, who organized the event. “He got the idea that he saw from a gym in Michigan, and he brought this here. The goal and the purpose of it was just to bring the community together in support of those who are fighting cancer. We plan to make this a yearly event, and we will choose a cancer research organization each year to raise funds for.”
Pat Barger speaks at the Row for Hope Million-Meter Challenge April 27 at Crossfit Ripcord in Columbus.
Submitted photo by Chris Scott
A total of 82 individuals participated, meaning they had to average roughly 12,200 meters — or nearly eight miles — per person. They hit million-meter mark in about 4 hours and 45 minutes.
“The more that sign up, the less you have to row,” Speidel said. “The idea behind rowing is that anybody of any fitness level can do it. To see everyone come together and challenge themselves and encourage each other was really special.”
While most of the participants came to CrossFit Ripcord to row, some people did it virtually, including individuals from Montana, Nebraska and Michigan.
“It was fun to see them on face time or Zoom rowing,” Speidel said.
Speidel, a former soccer goalkeeper at Columbus East and Indiana Wesleyan, is a physical therapist with Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. She said $5,476 was raised from ticket sales for registration and t-shirt sales. Half went to Barger and his wife to offset his medical costs, and the other half went to the Sarcoma Foundation of America.
“Part of what made it possible was seeking sponsorship with local businesses and borrowing rowing machines,” Speidel said.
