Windy weather

A group paddle was arranged for this morning, but I woke up this morning to 45+km/hr winds and pouring rain. I draw the line at 35km/hr winds in a K1. Of course after calling Anton, 15 minutes later the rain had eased, but the wind continued all day. I was so disappointed and kept thinking that I should have gone, but the decision had been made.
I hadn't yet done my blog for today, but Anton was just hanging out to comment, so he did it on the previous blog. However, I love it (and my reply) so I decided for today's blog to just copy it from there. I think it tells the story well...

anton said...
Saturday, 23rd may 2009
ITS RAINING AND WINDY HERE. NO WAY I'M GOING PADDLING IN THAT _ _ _ _!!!!
I checked its spelt "WUSS". Well the rest of us turned up for the saturday early morning paddle.
Geoff (mirage), Michael (mirage), Darren (flash), Jack n Jen (double) and myself (tk1).
Really nice relaxing 8km paddle with the two mirages setting the pace. A couple of spots of rain (nothing serious), and a really nice breeze to assist our trip back to the boat ramp. JnJ and Darren even went out around the third marker, I turned at the second, didn't feel like swimming (that water's really getting cold).
We also passed another bloke in a mirage 580 and Greg and a young wippersnapper in a k1 doing a bit of training. Really was a good paddle, shame you weren't there!!!!!!!!
On a serious side though I will admit that it probably would have been an extremely difficult paddle for anyone (except Mark) in a k1.
Just to top off this stirring comment I told Paul the runner that you didn't paddle this morning because of the weather and he said quote "tell her, real athletes get out there in any weather".
lol c ya

May 23, 2009 5:30 PM
Tigerkyra said...
Yes, fair comment. But in my defence, it's not actually the weather that's the problem..it's how the shoulder goes in the wind (and swimming) that's the problem. The rain doesn't bother me at all (and I probably would have been wet from swimming anyway), but to aggravate my shoulder in that wind...now I'm not that stupid. :) I did however go running in that weather...so I guess I'm still an athlete huh!

Howdy partner

On my way driving to school this morning I was excited to see Mick's car parked on the side of the road (where he waits with his children for the school bus). I pulled over, jumped out and got his medal out of my glovebox to give to him finally. It was his silver medal from the TK2 race we did together at State.
After a brief chat he asked me if I would like to paddle with him in a K2 at the World Masters Games. ABSOLUTELY!!! This was a great surprise as I thought he was going to paddle with another male. But this will be unreal. We paddle so well together, and I'm so excited at the prospect of paddling in a K2. This is looking fantastic!!!!
So at least 2 of my entries are sorted now. My 2 marathon races...My 35-39yr single K1, and now a 35-39yr mixed K2. Sweet. Now I just have to work out if I'm definately going to do sprints as well, in what, and if doubles with who (as a definate). Still plenty of time.

Tuesday's run

I felt a bit off last night and was still not quite right this afternoon, but decided to go for a short run anyway. Mum came along too and I pushed Clayton in the pram and Connor rode his bike. We ran up to the end of the path, and powerwalked back. The run ended up being about 12 min and that was enough for me today.

I love it

Well there's no doubt about my new K1. I love it. This morning a group of us went for a paddle along the river again. Me in the Sladecraft Stealth K1, Anton in his Mustang K1, Mark in his Rocket and Graham in his TK1.
I warned everyone..."He who gives me wash..their name will be mud in my blog" to which Mark just gave an evil laugh. I have to say though, the guys were wonderful today. They were very considerate and made it as easy as possible for me by staying clear of me. Thankyou!!!!

I headed off to the lake first with the others behind me. I was too petrified to turn around and look where they were and was just hoping that they were following me. I was almost up at the lake before I heard Mark's voice behind me and stopped at the turnaround spot to see that the others weren't far behind. I couldn't believe that Anton had kept up in his K1, as we were going a decent pace. He's paddling it so well now. We're all going to have no hope when he's got it down pat.
The paddle back was uneventful, and back at the boat ramp, Mark and Anton switched kayaks and we headed down towards the bridge.

I wanted to do an effort from the bridge back to the boat ramp, to see what kind of time I could do in the K1. I knew my times in the Club, Van Dusen, and Struer K1's and wanted to see how I compared in the new one at this early stage. I was all motivated to give it a good shot and off I went. The others let me go ahead of them (again being very considerate), and I was feeling good at the first bend in the river. Then who should I see....but the guy in the boat from yesterday (who saw me fall out). And guess what he did....took off and gave us a heap of wash. What a goose. He only had to wait 10 seconds and we would have been past him, but Nooooooo. Anway, I managed the wash from the boat, but the rebound wash from the edges got me first go. In I went. Damn that water is getting cold. It took me ages to get back in. The bank was really muddy and I fell back in at one stage trying to get my paddle. Finally I was back in and paddled back to the boat ramp with muddy feet slipping all over the foot plate. I was most annoyed that I had now run out of time to do the time trial. But also that this idiot didn't have enough sense to wait 10 seconds until we were past him. I know it's not his fault I fell in...it's my fault and part of the learning process. But still...considering he saw me fall in yesterday and knew that I was in a tippy kayak and likely to fall in...you think he would have had some consideration.
Anyway, I love the K1 and can't wait to paddle it again.

My own K1

Oh yeh! As soon as I hopped into the K1 today it felt 'right'. It was a tight fit, but no tighter than the club K1, and it felt very comfortable.

I met Carole down at the boat ramp at 7am and had managed to fit both the Mirage and the K1 on the roof racks. After some fiddling around moving the Mirage foot rest back into Carole's position, we were soon off heading up towards the lake. Damn that K1 is fast. I just had to put my paddle in the water and it was effortlessly gliding through the water. I was just doing some balance drills and poor Carole was doing 3 strokes to my 1 just to keep up. So we paddled up to the lake doing a fast speed for her, and a very slow speed for me. Great balance practice and it let me get a good feel for the K1.

I was nervous turning around at the point because it was quite windy and a bit choppy by then, but managed it unscathed. We paddled back and saw Greg outside his house to which I called out "I'll have her, she's beautiful". We headed down towards the bridge and I felt nice and relaxed paddling...then I heard a boat coming up behind us. Silly me started feeling nervous, turned around to look and "man that water's cold!" In I went, and after a quick swim to shore, empty out, we were on our way again.

We did the rest of the paddle without any dramas and I just LOVED the feel of the K1. At one point I said to Carole..."This looks much better than a ring sitting in a drawer" (because I have sold my 1st marriage's engagment ring to buy it). She agreed and said "Definately, but the ring wouldn't have made you wet!" Indeed.

Well, I am excited and relieved to now have my very own K1. I went over to Greg's house this afternoon and paid him the money, so the Sladecraft "Stealth" K1 is officially mine. Yipee!!!!!

Maybe not heartbroken...there's hope

I went to pick up the club K1 from Greg's house today (just getting a few repairs done before I give it back). On the phone last night he said he had 2 jobs he wanted me to look at. I was curious. Well, when I got there today he showed me the Sladecraft K1 I had tried (and not fit in). He has widened the cockpit by 40mm and said I could give it another try. WOO HOOOO!!!!

It's now a similar width to a cleaver X at the top of the cockpit, so I'm very hopeful that it will be good. He's put a new seat in, and a new seat plate. It's looking good! So I can't wait to try it out tomorrow. Here's hoping that this time tomorrow I'll be doing a blog entry saying that I loved it and I'm buying it. Not getting my hopes up or anything...yeh right.

Running summary

I've been slowly building my running up again. I've been slack though and haven't been putting in every run session in this blog (which I really should do). I've done a couple of runs down to the beach, which reminds me of how lucky I am to be living where I am. I've also done some down at the usual lake path pushing both boys in the pram (which is getting to be hard work now they are getting bigger). I've done a few 20min runs, and now a couple of 25 min runs. I've also got a new pair of my running shoes (Brooks Addiction 8) which feel lovely.

Today I ran down at the Soccer park again. I walked the boys down in the double pram, put them in the middle with 2 soccer balls, plastic golf clubs, and plastic golf balls, and I ran around the perimeter. I did one lap with my GPS so I could work out how far 1 lap is, and it's 480m. I ended up doing 7.5 laps in 25 minutes, and kicked the balls around with the boys afterwards. A very enjoyable way to do a run. Though I definately find it harder running on the grass than on my usual paved path.