Luke Innes

Age: 54
Country: Australia
Location: Perth, WA
Height: 5 ft 8 in
Weight: 168 lb
Logbook ID: 1280030
Member since: August 27, 2019

I started rowing about 2 months ago to blow away some belly fat as I don’t mind a beer or two and enjoy a red wine and chocolate in the evening.

I’m lucky if I’m 5”8’ on a good day wearing high heels and a cowboy hat!
My wingspan is somewhere in between a pigeon and a parrot.
My body is not designed to be a good rower!

I took on the 2019 Skeleton crew challenge after discussing with my 13 year old son,
that you don’t have to be the biggest or the best, the fastest or the fittest.
Nor for that matter the smartest or most intellectually gifted or go to the most exclusive schools and get the best education.

Sure all those attributes and qualities are great but will only take you so far in life.
What will however take you all the way in life, as far as you want to go,
is hard work,
determination,
persistence and the willingness to believe in yourself even when it hurts and just keep on going, because you will get there.

So Riley when you read this,

Life is not a competition.
It’s not a race.
It’s a challenge.
It’s a personal challenge to yourself to do the best you can.
Be the best you can be by pushing your boundaries.
There is no limit to what you can achieve in life for yourself, to be the person you want to be mate.
The only limitations you have are the ones you place on yourself.

When I started this challenge my goal was to row more than anyone else in WA and then I changed it to more than anyone else in Australia.
However after a couple of days of rowing none of those things really mattered as I realised my only goal was to just keep pushing myself and challenging myself to row further.

It hurt!!
I have blisters on my heels and blisters where the sun doesn’t shine!
The last 3 days I had to row sitting on cushions from the lounge. (Those cushions will never sit on a lounge again if you’re wondering where they are!)
On day 5 I rowed 56 klms and made myself feel sick.
Even the beer afterwards tasted like cat’s pee!
That night I went to bed and had rowing nightmares!
The next day I got up and rowed over 75 klms
The last day I rowed over 100 klms

When I wanted to stop I thought of you and that was motivation enough to keep on rowing.

I did this challenge for only two people Riley.
Myself to prove that I could do it.
And for you, in the hope that it may inspire you when life seems tough and you want to give up to push through it and keep on going! You will get there.

Above all else know that I am proud of you and will always love you.
Dad…..