Ashley Ellis is preparing to row more than 5,000 miles around the eastern United States as captain of the Human Powered Potential Second Wave crew.
Beginning in spring 2027, the six-woman team will row America's Great Loop — the roughly 5,200-mile waterway from Florida up the Intracoastal, through the Great Lakes, down the Mississippi, and back around the Gulf. If successful, they will become the first crew to row the route.
Ashley was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at 40. Since then, she has found herself saying yes to more things in life, from experiences with her family to challenges she might not have considered before. The Great Loop is the biggest example of that yet.
Ashley and Eric talk about preparing for the Great Loop, adapting to endurance rowing, why she chose to row the same boat that made the first-ever Pacific crossing with a Parkinson's crew, and how she found the community that got her back on the water.
Key Takeaways
➡️ Diagnosis changed what Ashley was willing to say yes to.
After being diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at 40, Ashley began thinking differently about what she might otherwise put off. That has included more experiences with her family, returning to rowing, and now preparing for the Great Loop.
➡️ Seeing another rower with Parkinson’s gave her proof she could return.
When Ashley questioned whether balance and coordination changes would keep her from rowing, she found a video of Paralympic rower Todd Vogt. Seeing someone with Parkinson’s out on the water was enough for her to believe she could do it too.
➡️ The Great Loop requires a different kind of athlete.
Ashley and her crew are moving from short rowing efforts to months of endurance work, including two-hour rotations, overnight rowing, unfamiliar waterways, fueling, navigation, and learning how to function while tired.
➡️ Community has been part of every stage of Ashley’s journey.
Ashley sought out other women with Parkinson’s after her diagnosis, found support within rowing, and is now part of a six-woman crew learning how to rely on each other through fear, fatigue, and uncertainty.
Key Moments
0:00 Ashley’s early-onset Parkinson’s diagnosis and return to rowing
3:30 Finding community after diagnosis
7:00 Seeing another rower with Parkinson’s and believing she could row again
8:45 Saying yes to more after Parkinson’s; living in the now
12:00 Family, being present and saying yes
13:00 Human Powered Potential and finding a bigger purpose for rowing
15:00 The idea to row America’s Great Loop
17:00 The 5,200-mile route and becoming the first crew to row it
18:45 Adapting from short-distance to endurance rowing
19:30 Training for the Great Loop; two-hour rotations and 48-hour sessions
21:00 Navigating unfamiliar waterways, boat traffic and nighttime rowing
23:00 Bioluminescence, dolphins and the realities of training on open water
25:00 Parkinson’s, sleep disruption and managing the demands of the row
26:00 Building trust, vulnerability and teamwork within the crew
29:00 Exercise and having something she can actively do after diagnosis
32:30 Finding meaning beyond reaching the finish line
34:00 Four months on the water; rowing clubs and community along the route
35:30 Fueling for around-the-clock endurance rowing
37:00 Family support and partnering with The Michael J. Fox Foundation
39:30 Becoming more open about living with Parkinson’s
41:45 “Chosen suffering is a privilege”; Parkinson’s and taking on hard things
42:30 Preparing herself and the crew for uncertainty on the water
45:00 The 2027 launch and how to follow Human Powered Potential Second Wave
46:00 Ashley’s message for someone newly diagnosed
47:00 “Rowing the Ocean of Hope”
Connect with Ashley
Website: humanpoweredpotential.org
Instagram (Ashley): @shaky.but.unshakable
Instagram (Human Powered Potential): @humanpoweredpotential
Facebook: Human Powered Potential
YouTube: @HumanPoweredPotential
LinkedIn: Human Powered Potential
Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/1095227
About the Host
Eric Von Frohlich is a fitness entrepreneur, coach, and athlete living with Parkinson's who founded EVF Performance and Row House before his diagnosis in 2020. On the podcast he talks with athletes, experts, and people refusing to let a diagnosis be the end of the story.
Parkinson’s: An Athlete’s Journey
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Disclaimer
This podcast shares personal experience and general education, not medical advice. Always talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment, or exercise.
