The race is 11.35km. My start time was 9:23am (based on my last race time of 1:07). I started with another guy in a K1 and soon after we were on our way he started talking to me. I'm sorry but when I race in a single, I'm normally not in the mood to talk. So I sped up to get in front and he quickly hopped on my wash for the whole trip up.
At the turn around I nearly crashed into a few people due to my inexperience, but it turned out ok. I think I must have had at least 4 people riding my wash by that point. Anyway, after the turnaround I hopped on their wash and it was messy but great. I still struggle riding the rear wash and have trouble staying on it, so I switched to riding the side wash of a double Mirage. Now that was a nice wash.
There was by now a heap of people in this pack and we were passing many others. This was tricky, trying to stay on the wash where there was often little or no passing room. It was so hectic and messy, but I managed it and didn't fall in. Now there's the difference between the Struer and the Van Dusan. I would have been swimming for sure in the Van Dusan.
About 1.5km before the end I was struggling to get back on anyone's wash after a rather messy passing, and someone behind me called out and let me tuck in front of them on Mick's wash. I don't know who it was but THANKYOU! I managed to stay on Mick's wash until the end and finished in a time of 1:05:10 (hr:min:sec). I had nothing left. I gave it everything. My average heart rate was 191bpm and a maximum of 202. But I'm absolutely stoked with the time. Imagine how fast I could go in the Van Dusan when I can paddle it as well as the Struer. Hopefully that's where I'll be by the Worlds.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A mixed paddle
Another physio treatment down, and my back is slowly starting to get better. I still haven't decided what kayak (category) I'm going to paddle at State so I asked Anton if I could try his TK1 today. Chris got home from work early today so with 38 minutes notice Anton met me at the usual place. Thank goodness he's so flexible with training times.
The TK1 obviously felt slower and heavier than the Van Dusan, but it was a very comfortable boat to paddle. The speeds we were doing were good (considering I was actually going easy today), but the thought of racing 20km in it was starting to look a bit daunting. We passed by Jack and Jen's place, had a very quick chat and continued up the river. Just as we were about to turn around at the first marker we looked around and Jack was behind us. He'd made a quick decision, had hopped in his Struer K1 and caught us up.
He offered for me to paddle the Struer back and so I gave it a try. NICE KAYAK!!!! It felt so stable, but much faster than the club K1. Not as fast as the Van Dusan, but I was able to do much better technique in it (due to better balance) and ended up going faster than I can in the Van Dusan (just because I could paddle it better). Cruising speed was 10km/hr, comfortable was 10.2-10.6km/hr, and riding on Jack's wash we got up to 12.4km/hr. Cool. That's the other thing...I was actually able to wash ride in it. It's the first K1 I've been able to do this properly in.
Since Jack has kindly offered for me to paddle it at State, I'm very tempted. The Van Dusan is a much quicker kayak, but I go quicker in the Struer because I can paddle it better and just haven't had long enough in the Van Dusan to be able to paddle it to my best ability.
So I'm going to race it at the club race tomorrow and see what kind of time I can do. I'm really looking forward to it. Jack thinks I could do 1:04 (hr:min), but I don't think I'll go that fast. I would like to beat my time in the Van Dusan from last race, and if I could do 1:06 I would be VERY happy.
Afterwards we went back to Jack and Jen's place and had a cup of Milo (yum), looked at some photos and had a good chat. Their place on the river is great. It was a lovely afternoon and I really enjoyed it. It's so nice to be making such lovely friends.
The TK1 obviously felt slower and heavier than the Van Dusan, but it was a very comfortable boat to paddle. The speeds we were doing were good (considering I was actually going easy today), but the thought of racing 20km in it was starting to look a bit daunting. We passed by Jack and Jen's place, had a very quick chat and continued up the river. Just as we were about to turn around at the first marker we looked around and Jack was behind us. He'd made a quick decision, had hopped in his Struer K1 and caught us up.
He offered for me to paddle the Struer back and so I gave it a try. NICE KAYAK!!!! It felt so stable, but much faster than the club K1. Not as fast as the Van Dusan, but I was able to do much better technique in it (due to better balance) and ended up going faster than I can in the Van Dusan (just because I could paddle it better). Cruising speed was 10km/hr, comfortable was 10.2-10.6km/hr, and riding on Jack's wash we got up to 12.4km/hr. Cool. That's the other thing...I was actually able to wash ride in it. It's the first K1 I've been able to do this properly in.
Since Jack has kindly offered for me to paddle it at State, I'm very tempted. The Van Dusan is a much quicker kayak, but I go quicker in the Struer because I can paddle it better and just haven't had long enough in the Van Dusan to be able to paddle it to my best ability.
So I'm going to race it at the club race tomorrow and see what kind of time I can do. I'm really looking forward to it. Jack thinks I could do 1:04 (hr:min), but I don't think I'll go that fast. I would like to beat my time in the Van Dusan from last race, and if I could do 1:06 I would be VERY happy.
Afterwards we went back to Jack and Jen's place and had a cup of Milo (yum), looked at some photos and had a good chat. Their place on the river is great. It was a lovely afternoon and I really enjoyed it. It's so nice to be making such lovely friends.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I said an EASY paddle - damn it!
Yeh, yeh, don't worry Anton I'm not going to bag you out too much.
Anyway, I saw the Physio today and he thinks that I've aggravated a couple of joints and ligaments and also have a heap of resulting muscle spasm. I'm under instructions to rest it (only easy paddling), apply heat and do some gentle stretches and to see him again tomorrow.
So, this arvo I sent Anton a message that I wanted to do an easy, short paddle. 'OK' was the reply I got. 'OK' my ar$e! As soon as we started paddling he went fast (for a Mirage) and then when we met up with Mick and Jack he took off on Jack's wash and sped for the lake...leaving me some horrid wash to contend with and no hope of keeping up (whilst doing an easy paddle anyway). I somehow managed to turn around at the lake without falling in but almost crashing into Mick (it was the choppiest I've turned around in yet), and we headed back. This time it was Anton and Mick paddling in front and again leaving me some horrid wash to contend with the whole way back. Now normally this would have been great practice for me, but today everytime I had to brace or use my back to stabilise it was horribly painful. So in the end I dropped back with Jack and just took it easy to the boat ramp.
Mick, Jack and Jen (who had been paddling on her own) finished, and Anton and I then headed to do a bridge lap to finish. The pace slowed down (to what I was meant to be doing all along) and Anton was nice to me again. I think this was only because he was scared what I was going to write in this blog (didn't help did it - heheheheh). By now my back was really sore and I was regretting paddling. I don't want to risk hurting it more and not being able to compete to my best at State. I can put up with a fair bit of pain, but this was not fun today. Hopefully now I'm home some heat, stretching and anti-inflamatories will make it feel better.
And Anton, I'm only kidding...I don't blame you. It was not yours or anyone elses fault. The only person who is responsible for how I paddle is myself. It was my decision to try to keep up, I could have always just dropped right back and paddled on my own. It was my own stupidity trying to push myself too much. If I was a bit cranky it was just because I was in pain - I wasn't cranky at you.
Anyway, I saw the Physio today and he thinks that I've aggravated a couple of joints and ligaments and also have a heap of resulting muscle spasm. I'm under instructions to rest it (only easy paddling), apply heat and do some gentle stretches and to see him again tomorrow.
So, this arvo I sent Anton a message that I wanted to do an easy, short paddle. 'OK' was the reply I got. 'OK' my ar$e! As soon as we started paddling he went fast (for a Mirage) and then when we met up with Mick and Jack he took off on Jack's wash and sped for the lake...leaving me some horrid wash to contend with and no hope of keeping up (whilst doing an easy paddle anyway). I somehow managed to turn around at the lake without falling in but almost crashing into Mick (it was the choppiest I've turned around in yet), and we headed back. This time it was Anton and Mick paddling in front and again leaving me some horrid wash to contend with the whole way back. Now normally this would have been great practice for me, but today everytime I had to brace or use my back to stabilise it was horribly painful. So in the end I dropped back with Jack and just took it easy to the boat ramp.
Mick, Jack and Jen (who had been paddling on her own) finished, and Anton and I then headed to do a bridge lap to finish. The pace slowed down (to what I was meant to be doing all along) and Anton was nice to me again. I think this was only because he was scared what I was going to write in this blog (didn't help did it - heheheheh). By now my back was really sore and I was regretting paddling. I don't want to risk hurting it more and not being able to compete to my best at State. I can put up with a fair bit of pain, but this was not fun today. Hopefully now I'm home some heat, stretching and anti-inflamatories will make it feel better.
And Anton, I'm only kidding...I don't blame you. It was not yours or anyone elses fault. The only person who is responsible for how I paddle is myself. It was my decision to try to keep up, I could have always just dropped right back and paddled on my own. It was my own stupidity trying to push myself too much. If I was a bit cranky it was just because I was in pain - I wasn't cranky at you.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Ow, ow, ow and a short paddle
Today my SIJ is even worse. Every step hurts, and it particularly hurts to get up from any position. By the time I got home from work it was hurting constantly. I couldn't get comfortable in any position - sitting, lying on my back, tummy, side. But whilst playing with the boys it started to feel a bit better (or maybe that was just the anti-inflamatories working) so I decided I would try a paddle. I wanted to see how it felt paddling so I could give some feedback to the physio tomorrow.
Once seated in the K1 it was just a dull ache, so Anton and I just did a slowish paddle. Mark had put a hose on the front of the K1 (for resistance training) and I managed a bridge lap with it, but I didn't want to push my back too hard, so I did the rest of the 8km lap without it and just going at a comfortable pace. Anton had no trouble keeping up with me today. I was glad to finish after 1 lap.
How utterly frustrating. My training was going so well - both paddling and running and it absolutely sucks to have this problem. I'll go see a physio as early as I can tomorrow and hopefully it will get better quickly. It's just torture not to be able to train properly. I miss it already!
Once seated in the K1 it was just a dull ache, so Anton and I just did a slowish paddle. Mark had put a hose on the front of the K1 (for resistance training) and I managed a bridge lap with it, but I didn't want to push my back too hard, so I did the rest of the 8km lap without it and just going at a comfortable pace. Anton had no trouble keeping up with me today. I was glad to finish after 1 lap.
How utterly frustrating. My training was going so well - both paddling and running and it absolutely sucks to have this problem. I'll go see a physio as early as I can tomorrow and hopefully it will get better quickly. It's just torture not to be able to train properly. I miss it already!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Ow, ow, ow
Yesterday after my run I forgot to stretch. I usually do it straight away, but we had to get home quickly and once home I forgot all about it. Well this morning I woke up and ow, ow, ow. My Left Sacro-illiac Joint (SIJ) is very sore. Actually my whole left side of my lower back is sore. It got worse throughout the day and hurts to walk, sit, move - just about everything hurts it. Damn!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Monday's run
I ran on my own this afternoon as Mum's hip was still sore and she walked instead. I started off as usual, but by the half-way turnaround realised that I must have been going a bit faster than usual. I couldn't know for sure as I left my watch at home, but the rest of the run felt fast (for me). I pushed it a bit more than usual because I was feeling good and would love to have known what time I did.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
No weight loss for 2 weeks!
Yes I am pi$$ed off that I have not lost any weight for 2 weeks...hence the lack of weekly measurement updates. In fact I have put on 500g....really frustrating after working so hard. Yes I know I should do the body fat, muscle and cm measurements because they'll probably show something more inspiring, but I was just so NOT in the mood after stepping on the scales. I'm just going to have to follow the program EXACTLY as I'm meant to...Duh. I guess I have been doing little cheats, ie a lollie or 2 after dinner. Nothing huge, but it is obviously making a difference. Ok, so I'll make sure I'm super good this week and hopefully I'll have something better to report on next week
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