Going the Distance

Our Lazy Laowai Half Marathon Rower, Shannon McGinley

By: Rachel Waters

When Shannon first started at Lazy Laowai, my first impression after coaching her class was "Wow, this woman's got grit." And phew, was I correct. 

The Hunt for the Right Gym

After numerous less-than-pleasant experiences at gyms, Shannon hit her limit. She left multiple Shenzhen gyms for being fat-shamed. In one incident, Shannon had already lost 25 pounds (11.3kg) when her boxing coach pulled her aside. He began suggesting foods to avoid without a clue about her already healthy diet. 

"When this coach was saying this to me, I could feel my self dying inside thinking, 'I only ate 800 calories today and just boxed for 90 minutes. Now you're telling me I need to go into more of a caloric deficit and you're not even a registered nutritionist?'"

After a series of unfortunate gym encounters, she skeptically signed up for a Lazy Laowai membership. Her first class with Coach Alli Denison changed her viewpoint on Lazy Laowai for the better. 

"When I see Alli, I see someone like me; she's around my age, a woman, and has knowledge that applies directly to me." 

We began to unravel the concept that health does not have to conform to one particular body type, which is a common misconception globally. It is easy to place assumptions on people because they do or do not fit the mold of what society has determined as the "healthy" body type for that year. I encourage everyone to check out how these societally expected molds have changed over the years! Shannon can out deadlift most people, so to that, we say: don't judge a book by its cover.

Finding the Inspiration to Row

When Shannon casually dropped in conversation that she wanted to row a half-marathon, I said "Hell yeah! Go for it." Now, most people don't just wake up and say, "Hmm, I'm going to row a half-marathon for a laugh!" But where did the inspiration come from? 

"Head Coach Chris Tuazon mentioned he rowed a full marathon (42,195 meters) last year during the Shenzhen lockdown. It got my attention, because it seemed achievable, as running isn't really my thing. He's very passionate about coaching and very invested in the people being successful in whatever they're doing. So, it makes sense that his suggestion planted a seed in my mind." 

Our head coach wasn't the only factor in her inspiration. After watching two strong Lazy Laowai members Jessica and Riaan Loots compete for their first CrossFit competition, a spark lit inside Shannon. 

"Riaan and Jessica give off this energy that you love to be around. Jessica has two kids, a demanding full-time job, and she still gets after it and kills it. After all the mishaps I've had with gyms, Lazy Laowai has become a motivating space for me." 

The Preparation

Setting a completion day only a month away, Shannon had a mere 4 weeks to prepare, which she admits is not a lot of time. Nevertheless, she was confident in her small puddle of time, as she bad sailed through numerous 10k, 12k, and 16k rows. With a deload week right before the big day, she was physically ready to take on the water - well, rowing machine. 

"I learned while I was doing it, it's really more mental. At one point, I thought, 'Why are you doing this? Don't ever listen to Chris again!' You're sitting on the same machine with the same scenery, and everything is so repetitive."

Repetitive, indeed! Back and forth and back and forth for over two hours -- alone! This wonder woman was five rows ahead of the game with a set up next to her machine packed with the essentials; Gatorade, waters, and Snicker bars for energy, all opened for easy access. OH, and don't forget Netflix! 

"I watched three episodes of Madame Secretary! Before the big day, I practiced rowing with one arm and grabbing a drink or snack with the other!" 

The Final Countdown

Good choices, Shannon. Good choices. Now physically prepared, it was time. Around 17,000 meters in, she realized how she hadn't taken the mental aspect into account.

"I started thinking, 'I only have 4k left, I could quit now, and no one would know.'"

But quitting a challenge is not in Shannon's nature. I doubt it's even in her vocabulary. She cleverly broke down the workout into categories of percentages and checkpoints until she reached her ultimate goal.

After two hours, eight minutes, and 17 seconds, Shannon had dominated the 21,090 meters. 

If you've ever been on a rowing machine, you know the level of discomfort that creeps up over time. Now imagine after two hours! Luckily Coach Chris bought a cushion for his rowing endeavor the year prior and let Shannon use it. Rowing with one hand and trying to abandon her shoes with the other in a last effort attempt to relieve pain, Shannon was desperate to get those darned things off.

"You know when you get really uncomfortable and become almost violent when you're trying to take off your sweatshirt or something? That's how I was with my shoe; at that point, I just needed them off my feet." 

21,090 meters is a monumental achievement for anyone, especially during a pandemic, where restrictions (and a higher rate of drinking and lackadaisical mentalities) cause many cancellations and just downright not wanting to do something. In Shannon's lifetime, she has accomplished so much already from numerous 10,000-meter rows and earning a master's degree in TESOL at the age of 40 while working full time. Now, this Lazy Laowai can check "Rowing a half marathon" off her list of impressive achievements.

What's next?

Next on her list is to join the Concept2 Million Meter Club. Concept2, the world''s leading indoor rowing machine manufacturer, has an exclusive club for athletes who complete one million meters on their rowing machine. Shannon is still rowing every week and has used rowing as a warm up for her typical workouts. She is not exactly where she wants to be with her meter log but has set a goal of 1-million meters by April 30, 2022 (the end of the season). 

"I want the shirt. You can't buy it. It's a special limited edition. It's like a right of passage." 

"There is an abundance of information on YouTube and Instagram, so do your research. Rowing is a very communal sport with professionals and coaches putting tutorials out. There's a lot of information for female athletes as well, which we all know can be difficult to come by!" 

With so many obstacles in her way, Shannon still set sail on this difficult challenge and mastered it. She never let pre-existing societal expectations, body shaming, nor discouragement get in the way of accomplishing her goals; not only with this half-marathon, but in life. It doesn't matter how long the road takes, as long as you finished what you started.