Well, February is almost over, and I believe I will be as glad to bid it goodbye as I was the previous month. Sunshine and warmth have been mightily scarce these last couple of weeks.
On Tuesday the forecast called for mostly-sunny skies and a high of almost 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but it wasn't there yet when I arrived at the riverfront that morning. I paddled under cloudy skies with a temperature in the high 20s. I did three 8-stroke sprints and 40 minutes of ultra-short race pace training.
Yesterday it was cloudy again but a bit warmer (mid 30s). I was met with a surprise when I got to the riverfront: the entire harbor was covered with a sheet of ice. The ice seemed thin enough near the dock that I thought I could paddle out to the open water of the river, but once I was in the boat I realized that would not be a worthwhile endeavor. Even though my boat broke through the ice reasonably well, my paddle did not, and propelling the boat was laborious and potentially dangerous--I could easily flip if the ice gave way unexpectedly under my blade.
So I improvised. I managed to clear out a piece of water some fifty meters long, and I alternately paddled and backpaddled the length of it. I did a few sprints and a few stroke drills, basically devoting the session to skill and technique practice.
In the end, I spent 50 minutes in the boat, perhaps half of which consisted of paddling of any real quality. But I think I coped with difficult circumstances pretty well.
I'm still doing my February strength routine on the days I don't paddle. I plan to do it for the last time today. Tomorrow I hope paddle for the last time this month, although with today's high expected to be in the low 30s, and an overnight low in the low 20s, I won't be surprised to find the harbor iced over again. Go away, February, and take winter with you.
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