Very Ups, then....
By Jim on Monday, May 3, 2010 - Related Tags:- dream, westley
In my last entry I told you about a triump with catching runners during the race but a struggle with the negotiating the chop. Since then I have put myself through many hours of bumps and have learnt plenty. I also spoke to Jim and others to get advice on how best to deal with chop.
A good friend Kirsty Holmes gave me a little advice, she said ....Firstly I'd have to say that the backwash water off headlands isn't easy for any of us and there is no easy way to articulate it either. It is difficult water for anyone to paddle in and I'd have to say the biggest thing is to try to keep the boat running and keep your rythym. Not easy when you have pieces of water/chop stopping you. You will still have runners but there is also the refraction of water off the rocks and the groundswell coming into it. Make the most of the runs that are there and try to look for the groundswells running either off the headland or into it to keep the boat moving - depending on which way your travelling. Because of the difficult water it may mean you have to shorten your stroke to keep the rythym. There will be sections where it will flatten out and these are the sections you should try to go hard and get on anything to propell you. Explaining how to run an ocean is a bit like trying to tell someone how to surf. There is really only so much advice you can give verbally. The teaching is in getting out there and practising which I'm sure you know. Hope this helps a little.
That helped alot as I realised that even legends struggle. In fact if you think about it we are all actually humans and all go through similar feelings. I should keep that in mind next time I struggle keeping up with someone in a race, chances are they are struggling as well.
I got back into training and and competed in several weekend Rose Bay time trials. I kept Andrea's comment about training with a solid mental attitude and to practicing as if you were in a race. I picked out a fellow paddler Nic Dundee who is currrently better than me (a fair bit I must say). I set my sights on catching or keeping up with him as long as I could - my step by step benchmarks that drive me forward. I continued cross traiing doing a couple of weight sessions, some cycling work, a bit of boxing and running. I felt great.
Week 1 Nic won by 45 seconds over a 10 km distance, week two down by 30 seconds then week three down by only 5 seconds - surely week 4, I get him. Read my next blog to find out....