The Outdoors, Inc., Canoe and Kayak Race is five weeks from today. So I'm starting to incorporate some workouts that work the lactic acid energy system. For those who don't know, this is the energy system that takes over when physical exertion becomes intense and prolonged enough that the aerobic system, which creates energy from oxygen beached in, can no longer keep up. Lactic acid is what causes the burning sensation in the muscles at times like this.
My body doesn't call on the LA system very often, because most of the middle- and long-distance races I do stay at a low enough intensity level for the aerobic system to handle. But in the 5-kilometer OICK race, once I enter the harbor and start hammering that last half-mile to the finish line, I start to go lactic. And so, I start to focus on developing this energy system a month or six weeks out from race day.
Yesterday I set out for a 60 minute session in the surf ski. After a 10-minute warmup, I did three 12-stroke sprints at maximum intensity, and then settled into the workout, which was eight repeats of "two minutes on, two minutes off." The last three pieces were tough but my form held up well.
On Thursday I paddled for 60 minutes and felt as good in the boat as I'd felt in quite a while. Before going to the river yesterday I did two sets of the May strength routine.
My back has felt a good bit better the last two or three days. The discomfort has been reduced to a knot I can feel along the left side of my spine. I've got to get myself back under the hands of the masseuse--this feels like something she can work right out.
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