Here in the Mid South we have pretty mild winters that allow us to paddle year-round, but we do have a good cold snap at least once every ten days or so this time of year. Such a snap got here last night, and as I drove to the river this morning a few flecks of sleet fell from the sky and the in-dash display in my car said it was 31 degrees Fahrenheit. Not the worst I've paddled in, but... cold! Brrrr!
Fortunately I was dressed for the occasion, and soon I was reasonably comfortable in my boat. I paddled for 60 minutes, doing a couple of pieces around the Mud Island Marina (one lap takes around three minutes at medium intensity) and otherwise paddling steady.
Before paddling this morning I did my last strength routine for the month. I did ten sets of 30 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises. I'm always fascinated with the body's ability to adapt quickly to new stresses: at the start of this month I struggled through 200 Hindu squats and was quite sore for the next couple of days, but today I did 300 of them don't really feel a thing.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Monday photo feature
Jake Stachovak (left) and I depart downtown Memphis on the Mississippi River on one of the last days of 2009. Having spent Christmas day in Memphis, Jake was resuming a ten-month journey that started and finished at Portage, Wisconsin. On this day I joined him for the 35-mile leg from Memphis to the Tunica Riverpark in Mississippi. Photo by Ernest Kelly.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
New for me: very short sprints
I'm back from my trip, and even though the dreary, grey skies here are sort of a bummer after a week of nice sunny days, it feels good to be home.
The river is quite a bit higher than it was when I paddled on it last Sunday. That's not really a surprise, considering the system of heavy precipitation that passed through here last weekend and went on to cause all kinds of problems for folks from the upper Midwest to the Northeast and eastern Canada. The water I paddled on this morning submerged the Memphis gauge up to the 20.7-foot mark.
I paddled for 60 minutes in all. Taking a suggestion from this post on Ron Lugbill's blog, I followed a ten-minute warmup with ten six-stroke sprints in the harbor at maximum intensity, doing a sprint at the top of each minute.
As a pre-emptive response to those who might want to say "Lugbill's blog is about slalom racing; the type of racing you're doing doesn't require the bursts of speed or quick accelerations that slalom does," I'll point out two things. First, a quick acceleration off the starting line can be very important, especially in shorter races like the Outdoors, Inc., Canoe and Kayak Race; and second, my goal is not just speed but also to practice the motor skills associated with high-intensity paddling, in the hope that paddling a quick pace won't feel like such a big deal on race day.
After my ten sprints I went out on the river and paddled at race pace for about a half hour before returning to the harbor and doing a nice cool-down back to the dock.
Before paddling this morning I did ten sets of 28 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises.
The river is quite a bit higher than it was when I paddled on it last Sunday. That's not really a surprise, considering the system of heavy precipitation that passed through here last weekend and went on to cause all kinds of problems for folks from the upper Midwest to the Northeast and eastern Canada. The water I paddled on this morning submerged the Memphis gauge up to the 20.7-foot mark.
I paddled for 60 minutes in all. Taking a suggestion from this post on Ron Lugbill's blog, I followed a ten-minute warmup with ten six-stroke sprints in the harbor at maximum intensity, doing a sprint at the top of each minute.
As a pre-emptive response to those who might want to say "Lugbill's blog is about slalom racing; the type of racing you're doing doesn't require the bursts of speed or quick accelerations that slalom does," I'll point out two things. First, a quick acceleration off the starting line can be very important, especially in shorter races like the Outdoors, Inc., Canoe and Kayak Race; and second, my goal is not just speed but also to practice the motor skills associated with high-intensity paddling, in the hope that paddling a quick pace won't feel like such a big deal on race day.
After my ten sprints I went out on the river and paddled at race pace for about a half hour before returning to the harbor and doing a nice cool-down back to the dock.
Before paddling this morning I did ten sets of 28 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Trying new things
I'm still in North Carolina visiting my sister's family. My mother and I plan to head back to Memphis tomorrow. In the meantime, we're mostly just hanging around doing a whole lotta nothing, and that's kind of nice.
But I'm still observing my minimum-level exercise routine. This morning I did ten sets of 27 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises.
My right hamstring feels somewhat better today. I was a little concerned about it yesterday afternoon when I played baseball with my nephew Ben. For a while I pitched to him and he kept hitting grounders to left-center, each of which I had to chase at a dead run (it was just the two of us out there--no fielders behind me). I was just waiting for something to pop in my right leg, but it held up fine.
This post is one of a number on Ron Lugbill's blog that have been influencing my approach to this coming race season. Basically, I hope to work as much race-pace training into each session as I can, and this post summarizes as well as any the research that supports such an approach.
I've never been convinced that long, slow paddling sessions of three hours or more are a good idea. For one thing, a paddler who does a great many of these is simply practicing to go slow. For another, since it's hard to maintain good stroke mechanics for a very long period of time, the ultra-distance paddler is probably ingraining poor technique. The longest sessions I ever do (not counting multi-day wilderness trips, which are another matter) don't last much more than a couple of hours, and I do only a handful of them each year.
Meanwhile, I'm inspired to try this latest round of new things by something my woodworking instructor Carl Swennson has said many times: you shouldn't expect different results if you keep doing the same thing. So, thanks to Mr. Lugbill and his blog of research-based training advice, I'm embarking on something slightly different this time around. If it doesn't make me world-class, well, neither did the training I'd been doing before.
But I'm still observing my minimum-level exercise routine. This morning I did ten sets of 27 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises.
My right hamstring feels somewhat better today. I was a little concerned about it yesterday afternoon when I played baseball with my nephew Ben. For a while I pitched to him and he kept hitting grounders to left-center, each of which I had to chase at a dead run (it was just the two of us out there--no fielders behind me). I was just waiting for something to pop in my right leg, but it held up fine.
This post is one of a number on Ron Lugbill's blog that have been influencing my approach to this coming race season. Basically, I hope to work as much race-pace training into each session as I can, and this post summarizes as well as any the research that supports such an approach.
I've never been convinced that long, slow paddling sessions of three hours or more are a good idea. For one thing, a paddler who does a great many of these is simply practicing to go slow. For another, since it's hard to maintain good stroke mechanics for a very long period of time, the ultra-distance paddler is probably ingraining poor technique. The longest sessions I ever do (not counting multi-day wilderness trips, which are another matter) don't last much more than a couple of hours, and I do only a handful of them each year.
Meanwhile, I'm inspired to try this latest round of new things by something my woodworking instructor Carl Swennson has said many times: you shouldn't expect different results if you keep doing the same thing. So, thanks to Mr. Lugbill and his blog of research-based training advice, I'm embarking on something slightly different this time around. If it doesn't make me world-class, well, neither did the training I'd been doing before.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Aches and pains. I've got 'em.
Things are pretty relaxed here at my sister's house--we're mostly just sitting around enjoying some time off. But I'm sticking with my little strength routine: today I did ten sets of 25 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises.
I don't talk much about injuries here, mostly because I really haven't had anything major in a long time. It's been very uncommon for me to experience any pain that I consider bad enough to keep me out of the boat. What's more, I don't think I've been sick with anything worse than a common cold in some ten years. For that I am most grateful. There probably aren't too many 46-year-old men doing much better than I am.
On the other hand, it seems like I've always got some sort of little discomfort going on. For several years I had a lot of soreness and stiffness in my lower back. It's been less of a problem in the last year or two, partly because I've learned some strategies to deal with it and partly because... I don't know why. But I can't complain.
My worst ailment these days is a bout of "tennis elbow" in my left arm that's been going on for about a year now. I've been grinning and bearing it, hoping it will eventually go away, but it hasn't yet. Over Thanksgiving I talked to a cousin's husband, who is an orthopedist in middle Tennessee, and he recommended I get a cortisone shot. He gave me the names of a couple of doctors he knows in Memphis, and I guess after New Year's I'll give one of them a call even though I hate going to the doctor for any reason.
The most recent thing is some tightness in my right hamstring. I really started noticing it while driving in the car during my recent trip down to Florida. Even when I used the cruise control, my leg sort of ached and throbbed. It bothered me again yesterday as I drove over here to North Carolina with my mother, and I'm feeling it today. I stretched it gingerly this morning, and I guess I'll just see how it goes these next few days.
It's hard to know what's caused any of my injuries, but I think very few of them are the result of paddling my boat. I think the weight room is where injuries happen for many athletes. For me, heavy lifting and other chores around my woodworking shop are likely to blame.
I don't talk much about injuries here, mostly because I really haven't had anything major in a long time. It's been very uncommon for me to experience any pain that I consider bad enough to keep me out of the boat. What's more, I don't think I've been sick with anything worse than a common cold in some ten years. For that I am most grateful. There probably aren't too many 46-year-old men doing much better than I am.
On the other hand, it seems like I've always got some sort of little discomfort going on. For several years I had a lot of soreness and stiffness in my lower back. It's been less of a problem in the last year or two, partly because I've learned some strategies to deal with it and partly because... I don't know why. But I can't complain.
My worst ailment these days is a bout of "tennis elbow" in my left arm that's been going on for about a year now. I've been grinning and bearing it, hoping it will eventually go away, but it hasn't yet. Over Thanksgiving I talked to a cousin's husband, who is an orthopedist in middle Tennessee, and he recommended I get a cortisone shot. He gave me the names of a couple of doctors he knows in Memphis, and I guess after New Year's I'll give one of them a call even though I hate going to the doctor for any reason.
The most recent thing is some tightness in my right hamstring. I really started noticing it while driving in the car during my recent trip down to Florida. Even when I used the cruise control, my leg sort of ached and throbbed. It bothered me again yesterday as I drove over here to North Carolina with my mother, and I'm feeling it today. I stretched it gingerly this morning, and I guess I'll just see how it goes these next few days.
It's hard to know what's caused any of my injuries, but I think very few of them are the result of paddling my boat. I think the weight room is where injuries happen for many athletes. For me, heavy lifting and other chores around my woodworking shop are likely to blame.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Monday photo feature
I took this photo of my nephew Joel as we paddled a canoe down the Little Tennessee River near Bryson City, North Carolina, in October of 2010. I'll be visiting Joel and his brother and two sisters at their home near Charlotte this week.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Winter solstice fun
It's warmed up over the past week, reaching the low 70s Fahrenheit yesterday. That's the good news. The bad news, certainly nothing new in the wintertime, is that the balmy temperatures have been accompanied by violent weather. Here in Memphis we got by with just some wind and rain, but it was quite heavy rain.
Yesterday morning I checked the Internet radar and the storms had advanced this side of Little Rock, so I got up and out and was on the water by nine o'clock. There was a pretty strong wind blowing from the south, so I warmed up toward the south end of the harbor, trying to stay relaxed and not fight the wind, and then did four 12-stroke sprints with the wind at my back. I then spent the rest of my 60-minute session doing pieces across the harbor, with beam wind and waves, at 3-minute intervals. I tried to take crisp, precise strokes while balancing on the waves that passed beneath me. The temptation here is to tense one's body and brace, and I strove to stay relaxed and rotate fully instead.
I thought for sure I would get rained on at some point, but the whole hour went by without a drop of rain. (The storm front was moving more slowly than I thought, it turned out; the heaviest rain didn't arrive until evening.)
By this morning the rain had moved out, and some cooler air was moving in behind it. Tonight's low is supposed to be around 30, but this morning it was in the fifties, warm enough to paddle without pogies. I did another 60 minutes, this time pushing the pace in that half hour from 0:15 to 0:45. By "pushing the pace," I generally mean race pace for a race of an hour or so.
On Friday I did ten sets of 24 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises. This morning before I paddled I did ten sets of 25 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises.
I'll be out of the boat for the next few days, as my mother and I are traveling to North Carolina to visit my sister's family.
Yesterday morning I checked the Internet radar and the storms had advanced this side of Little Rock, so I got up and out and was on the water by nine o'clock. There was a pretty strong wind blowing from the south, so I warmed up toward the south end of the harbor, trying to stay relaxed and not fight the wind, and then did four 12-stroke sprints with the wind at my back. I then spent the rest of my 60-minute session doing pieces across the harbor, with beam wind and waves, at 3-minute intervals. I tried to take crisp, precise strokes while balancing on the waves that passed beneath me. The temptation here is to tense one's body and brace, and I strove to stay relaxed and rotate fully instead.
I thought for sure I would get rained on at some point, but the whole hour went by without a drop of rain. (The storm front was moving more slowly than I thought, it turned out; the heaviest rain didn't arrive until evening.)
By this morning the rain had moved out, and some cooler air was moving in behind it. Tonight's low is supposed to be around 30, but this morning it was in the fifties, warm enough to paddle without pogies. I did another 60 minutes, this time pushing the pace in that half hour from 0:15 to 0:45. By "pushing the pace," I generally mean race pace for a race of an hour or so.
On Friday I did ten sets of 24 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises. This morning before I paddled I did ten sets of 25 Hindu squats and ten sets of 10 front and lat raises.
I'll be out of the boat for the next few days, as my mother and I are traveling to North Carolina to visit my sister's family.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Going fast (cont'd)
For those who don't know what Hindu squats are, here's a video of a guy doing them. I posted it long ago but am posting it again for those later-arrivers to this blog party.
Both Monday and today, I did 240 Hindu squats (ten sets of 24) and 100 front and lat raises (ten sets of 10).
I also paddled for 60 minutes both Monday and today. The sun has come out this week and that has made it much nicer out on the river. It's also warmer: today's high was in the mid 50s Fahrenheit.
I'm continuing my theme of working some higher intensity into each paddling session. Some days I might push the pace for one long period, while on other days I might do several shorter periods of higher intensity. If I'm feeling tired I might keep the harder paddling to a minimum, but still do at least a little something to practice the motor skills associated with going fast.
Today I warmed up from the dock to the mouth of the harbor, then paddled harder upriver from the mouth of the harbor to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge. I ferried over to the Arkansas side at an easy pace, then ferried back to the Tennessee side at a higher intensity. From there I returned to the dock at an easier pace.
Both my harder pieces were eight or nine minutes in duration. I paddled at a fairly low stroke rate, concentrating on taking good precise strokes and really exploding through each one.
Both Monday and today, I did 240 Hindu squats (ten sets of 24) and 100 front and lat raises (ten sets of 10).
I also paddled for 60 minutes both Monday and today. The sun has come out this week and that has made it much nicer out on the river. It's also warmer: today's high was in the mid 50s Fahrenheit.
I'm continuing my theme of working some higher intensity into each paddling session. Some days I might push the pace for one long period, while on other days I might do several shorter periods of higher intensity. If I'm feeling tired I might keep the harder paddling to a minimum, but still do at least a little something to practice the motor skills associated with going fast.
Today I warmed up from the dock to the mouth of the harbor, then paddled harder upriver from the mouth of the harbor to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge. I ferried over to the Arkansas side at an easy pace, then ferried back to the Tennessee side at a higher intensity. From there I returned to the dock at an easier pace.
Both my harder pieces were eight or nine minutes in duration. I paddled at a fairly low stroke rate, concentrating on taking good precise strokes and really exploding through each one.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Monday photo feature
Corey Nielsen competes in the 1998 U.S. Team Trials for whitewater slalom. The venue is a section of the Wisconsin River in Wausau, Wisconsin. This was the first Team Trials I qualified to compete in myself, and I have fond memories of the entire experience.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
More strength work, more paddling, more chill
True to my word, I bumped it up to 22 reps per set, and did ten sets for a total of 220 Hindu squats this morning. I also did ten sets of ten front and lat raises with 10-pound dumbbells.
Then I went down to the river and paddled for 60 minutes. Like yesterday, I pushed the pace from 0:15 to 0:45, and then allowed myself a good long cool-down from the mouth of the harbor back to the dock. The Memphis gauge reading was about fourteen and a half feet--up two and a half feet in the last 24 hours.
Today's weather is dreary and overcast with a Fahrenheit temperature of about 40 degrees. It sure feels like winter is here even though its official arrival is another week away.
Then I went down to the river and paddled for 60 minutes. Like yesterday, I pushed the pace from 0:15 to 0:45, and then allowed myself a good long cool-down from the mouth of the harbor back to the dock. The Memphis gauge reading was about fourteen and a half feet--up two and a half feet in the last 24 hours.
Today's weather is dreary and overcast with a Fahrenheit temperature of about 40 degrees. It sure feels like winter is here even though its official arrival is another week away.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Chillin' once more
Well, the beach party is over and I'm back home in the cold. At least it's not as bad as it was last week: it's supposed to be in the mid 40s Fahrenheit for the next several days.
I'm continuing my Hindu squats for this month. I did 200 of them both Tuesday and yesterday. I'm getting comfortable enough with it that I think it's time to start nudging up the volume: I might try ten sets of 22 reps tomorrow. Now that I'm home with my own weight equipment I'm using ten-pound dumbbells to do my front and lat raises, and I think that's a pretty good weight.
Today I paddled for 60 minutes downtown. I did four 12-stroke sprints and paddled a fairly hard pace from the 15-minute mark to the 45-minute mark.
The Mississippi is on a big rise after hovering around zero on the Memphis gauge for several months. It was right about 12 feet while I was on the water today, and it's supposed to be up to about 17 feet by the middle of next week.
I'm continuing my Hindu squats for this month. I did 200 of them both Tuesday and yesterday. I'm getting comfortable enough with it that I think it's time to start nudging up the volume: I might try ten sets of 22 reps tomorrow. Now that I'm home with my own weight equipment I'm using ten-pound dumbbells to do my front and lat raises, and I think that's a pretty good weight.
Today I paddled for 60 minutes downtown. I did four 12-stroke sprints and paddled a fairly hard pace from the 15-minute mark to the 45-minute mark.
The Mississippi is on a big rise after hovering around zero on the Memphis gauge for several months. It was right about 12 feet while I was on the water today, and it's supposed to be up to about 17 feet by the middle of next week.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Monday photo feature
Who doesn't love a parade? This was the scene last night on the Hillsborough River in Tampa, Florida. Photo by Heidi Bissell.
I love a parade
Yesterday morning I paddled for 80 minutes near the Davis Islands in the northern reaches of Tampa Bay, near downtown Tampa. I did stroke drills and generally just enjoyed my last full day of warm Florida weather.
In the evening I teamed up with Heidi in her inflatable kayak and participated in the Hillsborough River Holiday Boat Parade. The parade proceeded at a leisurely pace from Lowry Park upriver to Sulphur Springs. After that we paddled a more vigorous pace back down to Lowry Park to retrieve the car.
In the evening I teamed up with Heidi in her inflatable kayak and participated in the Hillsborough River Holiday Boat Parade. The parade proceeded at a leisurely pace from Lowry Park upriver to Sulphur Springs. After that we paddled a more vigorous pace back down to Lowry Park to retrieve the car.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Still basking in the warm
It sounds like Memphis didn't get hammered with ice nearly as badly as Texas and Oklahoma and Arkansas and Missouri did these last couple of days. But I'm glad to be here in Florida, where yesterday we had sunny skies and about 80 degrees on the Fahrenheit thermometer.
Yesterday morning I did another ten sets of 20 Hindu squats and ten front and lat raises. My quads were still sore but the workout didn't seem too painful.
Then I went out on the Hillsborough River for 60 minutes. I did a few high-intensity pieces that included both forward and backward paddling.
The Hillsborough, like most coastal rivers, is generally flat and influenced by the tides. I grew up paddling whitewater and still love it, but I've found value, and even some enjoyment, in playing around on flatwater in a whitewater boat. You can get a much better feel for the kinesthetics of your boat, and address issues of precision much better, without the distraction of waves, holes, and drops, and what you learn will carry over to whitewater. I would bet that the very best "extreme" whitewater paddlers--Dane Jackson, for instance--have done their share of playing around on flatwater and easy whitewater.
Yesterday morning I did another ten sets of 20 Hindu squats and ten front and lat raises. My quads were still sore but the workout didn't seem too painful.
Then I went out on the Hillsborough River for 60 minutes. I did a few high-intensity pieces that included both forward and backward paddling.
The Hillsborough, like most coastal rivers, is generally flat and influenced by the tides. I grew up paddling whitewater and still love it, but I've found value, and even some enjoyment, in playing around on flatwater in a whitewater boat. You can get a much better feel for the kinesthetics of your boat, and address issues of precision much better, without the distraction of waves, holes, and drops, and what you learn will carry over to whitewater. I would bet that the very best "extreme" whitewater paddlers--Dane Jackson, for instance--have done their share of playing around on flatwater and easy whitewater.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Challenging conditions
Though the worst of the winter weather is apparently passing to the north, it's a gloomy day in Memphis today. It's overcast and sub-freezing, and the forecast calls for freezing rain with a high of 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Memphis drivers are already going insane, as they always do when a smidge of snow or ice falls anywhere in the area. I hear the grocery store shelves have been gutted.
And you know what? I don't care! I'm down in Tampa, Florida, where yesterday it got into the mid 80s on the Fahrenheit scale, and it's supposed to do the same today. I'm staying with my friend Heidi, and while she's at work I'm getting a little exercise but also doing quite a bit of relaxing, something I have not gotten to do much in the past year.
On Wednesday I started up a little strength routine for the month of December. In the past I have always done Hindu squats in a couple of long sets, typically starting off with sets of 60 and nudging that upward through the month until I'm doing sets in the 80s. I think the most squats I have done in a single set is maybe 100.
This time around, I'm following the model I started last month with pushups: I'm doing ten sets of a smaller number per set. Yesterday I decided to start with 20 squats, and by the last couple of sets I was feeling it big-time. It's possible I overdid it a little--I was very sore yesterday and still am today.
Between sets of Hindu squats I did a set of ten front and lat raises with four-pound dumbbells, which is all Heidi seems to have; I'll use heavier ones when I get home next week.
Later Wednesday I paddled on the Hillsborough River, which flows next to Heidi's house. I brought my old slalom C1 down here with me, mostly because I just didn't feel like fooling with a longer, heavier boat on this trip. And I think at this time of the year there's some good cross-training value in paddling a different boat and working out a slightly different set of muscles. I did quite a bit of backpaddling--always a good thing to incorporate some of that into your training to prevent muscle imbalances. After a while Heidi got home from work and joined me on the river in her inflatable kayak, and that was another reason I brought the whitewater boat instead of a touring or racing boat, so that I could do a reasonable amount of paddling but still move at Heidi's pace and visit with her.
Yesterday, like I said, I was sore from Wednesday's Hindu squats. I borrowed Heidi's bike and went out to the Flatwoods Wilderness Area northeast of town, and rode for an hour or so. Probably not a bad active recovery.
Heidi's off work today, and we're going to the beach! Enjoy your little Snowmageddon up there in Memphis, y'all.
And you know what? I don't care! I'm down in Tampa, Florida, where yesterday it got into the mid 80s on the Fahrenheit scale, and it's supposed to do the same today. I'm staying with my friend Heidi, and while she's at work I'm getting a little exercise but also doing quite a bit of relaxing, something I have not gotten to do much in the past year.
On Wednesday I started up a little strength routine for the month of December. In the past I have always done Hindu squats in a couple of long sets, typically starting off with sets of 60 and nudging that upward through the month until I'm doing sets in the 80s. I think the most squats I have done in a single set is maybe 100.
This time around, I'm following the model I started last month with pushups: I'm doing ten sets of a smaller number per set. Yesterday I decided to start with 20 squats, and by the last couple of sets I was feeling it big-time. It's possible I overdid it a little--I was very sore yesterday and still am today.
Between sets of Hindu squats I did a set of ten front and lat raises with four-pound dumbbells, which is all Heidi seems to have; I'll use heavier ones when I get home next week.
Later Wednesday I paddled on the Hillsborough River, which flows next to Heidi's house. I brought my old slalom C1 down here with me, mostly because I just didn't feel like fooling with a longer, heavier boat on this trip. And I think at this time of the year there's some good cross-training value in paddling a different boat and working out a slightly different set of muscles. I did quite a bit of backpaddling--always a good thing to incorporate some of that into your training to prevent muscle imbalances. After a while Heidi got home from work and joined me on the river in her inflatable kayak, and that was another reason I brought the whitewater boat instead of a touring or racing boat, so that I could do a reasonable amount of paddling but still move at Heidi's pace and visit with her.
Yesterday, like I said, I was sore from Wednesday's Hindu squats. I borrowed Heidi's bike and went out to the Flatwoods Wilderness Area northeast of town, and rode for an hour or so. Probably not a bad active recovery.
Heidi's off work today, and we're going to the beach! Enjoy your little Snowmageddon up there in Memphis, y'all.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Monday photo feature
It was a positively lovely memorial service for Nath Thompson on Saturday. In this photo from the Camp Carolina Face Book page, I'm seated just beyond the kid sitting in the foreground next to the fire: that's me in the tan coat and white fleece cap (it was cold). My good bud Allen Sparks, whom I hadn't seen in too many years, sits to my left.
For the readers who are tired of me going on about Nath, I promise this is the last post. But this blog is about all aspects of my life as a paddler, after all, and Nath, in so many intangible ways, influenced the way I go about life in my boat, and everywhere else. I spoke to one person after another on Saturday who revered Nath for all the same reasons that I did. Our sentiments were articulated beautifully by Bill Smith, who attended Carolina from 1964 until 1976, in a eulogy. "I can't say I remember too many details of my time at Carolina," Bill said (approximately), "but indelible in my memory is the example Nath set for living one's life. Nath taught me that to have a rich, meaningful life, it really doesn't take much more than giving a firm handshake, and paddling a canoe, and singing some songs, and being part of a small community of great friends."
Another eulogist was Cliff Heaton, known as "Heaty" around camp from the late 60s through the early 80s. "My contemporaries and I just kept coming back to camp summer after summer, and it wasn't because the camp had the best tennis courts, or the nicest waterfront, or whatever," said Heaty. "It was because of Nath, and the wonderful world he provided for us here."
Years ago, it was common for a chant to go up in the dining hall: "Nath in the Lake! Nath in the Lake!" Toward the end of each summer, a group of counselors would grab Nath and carry him down to the lake for just that purpose, only to end up in the water themselves when their surprisingly strong, wily camp director suddenly fought back.
At the conclusion of the service on Saturday, we all walked down the hill to the water's edge, where Nath's son Charles pulled out the urn with Nath's ashes, and put the old man in the lake at last.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Recapping the week
Time to catch up after a little holiday interruption. I paddled for just 40 minutes Wednesday morning because it was darn cold, and windy. I stayed in the harbor and avoided the wind as much as I could. I did four of my 12-stroke sprints and otherwise paddled a nice crisp pace.
I did 200 pushups both Tuesday and Thursday, and shortly I will do another couple hundred on this last day of November. Doing 200 pushups is noticeably tougher than doing 150.
Right now I'm in Asheville, having a little breakfast before I head about thirty miles up the French Broad River to Brevard for Nath Thompson's memorial service.
I did 200 pushups both Tuesday and Thursday, and shortly I will do another couple hundred on this last day of November. Doing 200 pushups is noticeably tougher than doing 150.
Right now I'm in Asheville, having a little breakfast before I head about thirty miles up the French Broad River to Brevard for Nath Thompson's memorial service.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Monday photo feature
As I prepare to go to North Carolina for Nath Thompson's memorial service this Saturday, I figure a shot of me playing around in Nantahala Falls is somehow appropriate, for this Nantahala River rapid (also known as "Lesser Wesser") represents a rite of passage for many a summer camp canoeist in western North Carolina.
1981 was the summer that I really got into canoeing at camp. Campers who performed well on Class II streams like the Tuckasegee and the Green were invited to run the Nantahala, and the Falls, just above the takeout at the end of the run, was the first rapid all summer that we got out of our boats to scout. You could hear a lot of pre-adolescent teeth chattering as the counselors pointed out the best line for a successful run.
My partner and I flipped our canoe in the Falls that first time, and suffered the indignity of being fished out of the river while counselors chased down our boat and gear. The next summer I ran the Nantahala again with a different partner, and flipped in the Falls again. Finally, in 1983, two long years after my first attempt, I "made it" though the Falls. I could walk through camp with a swagger at last.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Winter has arrived early. Oh, the joy.
I paddled for 70 minutes yesterday under overcast skies with a temperature of about 40 degrees Fahrenheit and a north wind screaming all the way from the river's source in Minnesota, or so it felt. I broke out the pogies for the first time this season. Last night the temperature fell into the mid 20s Fahrenheit, and this morning I did my first sub-freezing paddle of the year. It took about five minutes for my frozen rudder to work itself free. I paddled for 60 minutes.
These first cold-weather sessions of the season are an annual ritual, and I enjoy them in sort of a masochistic way ("Bring it on baby! I can handle anything you got!"). But by February I will be very weary of it all. Make that January, given this early date for my first frozen rudder.
As I mentioned in a recent post, I'm going for shorter, faster sessions this year, and both yesterday and today I tried to keep my pace as high as I could while still being comfortably in the aerobic zone. Today it was a bit of a chore, probably because I was tired from yesterday--it had been a while since I'd paddled on consecutive days.
I've gotten pretty comfortable doing 150 pushups in a day, and I might push that up to 200 in this last week of November.
These first cold-weather sessions of the season are an annual ritual, and I enjoy them in sort of a masochistic way ("Bring it on baby! I can handle anything you got!"). But by February I will be very weary of it all. Make that January, given this early date for my first frozen rudder.
As I mentioned in a recent post, I'm going for shorter, faster sessions this year, and both yesterday and today I tried to keep my pace as high as I could while still being comfortably in the aerobic zone. Today it was a bit of a chore, probably because I was tired from yesterday--it had been a while since I'd paddled on consecutive days.
I've gotten pretty comfortable doing 150 pushups in a day, and I might push that up to 200 in this last week of November.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Train to go fast
Both Sunday and this morning, I did ten sets of fifteen pushups. I could definitely feel the increased effort it took to do 150, compared with the 100 I had been doing.
After this morning's pushups I went down to the river for 60 minutes in the boat. Another brisk north wind was blowing. I hate wearing pogies, but I'm afraid the pogies season is descending upon us rapidly. The good news is that my heat is now on at home.
I wouldn't say I'm back into full training mode yet, but I've been giving it a lot of thought. One thing I think I will do this coming season is keep my sessions in to 60-to-90-minute range, rather than the 90-to-120 minutes that's been typical of past winter training seasons. I'm still reading Ron Lugbill's blog regularly, and one of his recurring themes is the avoidance of long, slow endurance sessions because all they do is train your body to paddle slow. Granted, Lugbill's focus is on slalom racing, but I think much of his advice carries over to the racing I do as well. He cites research that supports the idea that even for athletes in endurance sports like triathlon, year-round work on speed and motor skills is more effective than many ultra-long endurance sessions.
Today's session was in keeping with these thoughts. After warming up I did four of my twelve-stroke sprints at maximum intensity, and then I paddled fairly close to anaerobic threshold for the next 30 or 40 minutes before cooling down in my return to the marina.
After this morning's pushups I went down to the river for 60 minutes in the boat. Another brisk north wind was blowing. I hate wearing pogies, but I'm afraid the pogies season is descending upon us rapidly. The good news is that my heat is now on at home.
I wouldn't say I'm back into full training mode yet, but I've been giving it a lot of thought. One thing I think I will do this coming season is keep my sessions in to 60-to-90-minute range, rather than the 90-to-120 minutes that's been typical of past winter training seasons. I'm still reading Ron Lugbill's blog regularly, and one of his recurring themes is the avoidance of long, slow endurance sessions because all they do is train your body to paddle slow. Granted, Lugbill's focus is on slalom racing, but I think much of his advice carries over to the racing I do as well. He cites research that supports the idea that even for athletes in endurance sports like triathlon, year-round work on speed and motor skills is more effective than many ultra-long endurance sessions.
Today's session was in keeping with these thoughts. After warming up I did four of my twelve-stroke sprints at maximum intensity, and then I paddled fairly close to anaerobic threshold for the next 30 or 40 minutes before cooling down in my return to the marina.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Early winter
Yesterday I did a hundred pushups at home and then paddled downtown for 60 minutes. Mississippi River level: half a foot below zero on the Memphis gauge.
Chilly weather has arrived early this year, and we've just had a run of several below-freezing overnight lows. And that's especially bad for me because due to a combination of factors my new home does not yet have any heat. I've spent the better part of this week hanging around the house in a winter coat and fleece cap.
At least it was beautiful and sunny outside for much of the week, but yesterday morning I woke up and heard rain beating on the roof. Just getting out of bed seemed like the ultimate challenge.
I have found that the best way to get through not-so-pleasant stretches of weather in both winter and summer is just to immerse myself in it. I could have stayed hunkered down indoors yesterday, but all that would've done is remind me what a miserable day it was, and then I would have felt like a worthless sloth at the end of the day for not getting out and doing something.
As long as I'm properly dressed, I'm usually plenty warm in the boat on a cold day, and so that was the case yesterday. After my paddling session I felt ready to take on the rest of the day.
Welcome to my Arctic paradise. The Celsius equivalent is about 12 degrees.
Chilly weather has arrived early this year, and we've just had a run of several below-freezing overnight lows. And that's especially bad for me because due to a combination of factors my new home does not yet have any heat. I've spent the better part of this week hanging around the house in a winter coat and fleece cap.
At least it was beautiful and sunny outside for much of the week, but yesterday morning I woke up and heard rain beating on the roof. Just getting out of bed seemed like the ultimate challenge.
I have found that the best way to get through not-so-pleasant stretches of weather in both winter and summer is just to immerse myself in it. I could have stayed hunkered down indoors yesterday, but all that would've done is remind me what a miserable day it was, and then I would have felt like a worthless sloth at the end of the day for not getting out and doing something.
As long as I'm properly dressed, I'm usually plenty warm in the boat on a cold day, and so that was the case yesterday. After my paddling session I felt ready to take on the rest of the day.
Welcome to my Arctic paradise. The Celsius equivalent is about 12 degrees.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Monday photo feature
It takes all kinds of little things to make a house a home. Over the weekend I made a huge step in the right direction when I put up a clothesline for my paddling clothes.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Nath Thompson 1930-2013
Charles Nathan Thompson ("Nath," with a long "a"), pictured here with son Alfred to his right and wife Mary to his left, was the director of Camp Carolina for Boys in Brevard, North Carolina, from 1959 until his retirement in the mid 1990s. I attended Carolina from 1978 until 1992, and Nath deserves about as much credit (blame?) as anybody for me being the person that I have become. (Photo lifted from the Camp Carolina website.)
School was not a happy place for me when I was a kid. I attended boys' schools with roughly the same group of other kids from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and the entire experience felt like this game that I was losing before I ever even knew the rules. In the elementary grades, one's place in the pecking order was determined by his athletic gifts--throwing a football, shooting a basketball, and so on. I was weak in those departments. By high school I had found a sport (running) that I was good at, but by that time the "cool club" had moved on to the prerequisites for frat-boydom and a head start up the corporate ladder.
It was from that world that I first went to camp in the summer of '78, between the fourth and fifth grades. Under Nath, the philosophy of Camp Carolina centered around simplicity of life, self reliance, and human relations, and I had finally found a place where I felt at home.
Simplicity of life: a camper's existence was stripped down to the things that mattered: friendships; fun, healthy, outdoor activities; a few basic responsibilities (making the bed, helping clean up the cabin); three meals a day; a bit of downtime ("Rest Hour," each day after lunch); and a good night's sleep.
Self reliance: activities that encouraged participation rather than spectating; the freedom to choose one's activities for each week rather than follow a schedule handed down from above; doing for yourself those things that your parents or a housekeeper might do for you at home.
Human relations: Nath's signature advice was always to greet another with a firm handshake and a look in the eye, and as trite as that might sound, I believe it has gone a long way toward offsetting the weaker parts of my social skill set.
Among my favorite activities at camp were riflery, horseback riding, backpacking, and, of course, canoeing. But it was clear that these activities were primarily about challenging oneself rather than competing with others. For Nath, a most important aspect of the summer camp experience was to give boys a break from a world that all too often pressured them to make the best grades, be the most accomplished athletes, get into the best schools, and land the best jobs. At Carolina, there were no medals, ribbons, trophies, or any other awards given out, with one exception: the Old Man of the Mountains award for good citizenship. Campers were rewarded for being good guys who put the wishes of others ahead of their own and pulled their weight within the camp community. The award was, fittingly enough, a canoe paddle ("a useful instrument in a boy's hand," Nath said). A boy who earned his paddle in his first summer would then have brands burned onto the paddle as he demonstrated good citizenship in subsequent summers.
My Old Man of the Mountains award for good citizenship. I got the paddle in my first summer in 1978, and then earned brands over the next few summers.
As the 80s wore on I aged out of camperhood and began to take on more responsibility as an assistant counselor and then a counselor. And so Nath became the first boss I ever had. Sadly, it wouldn't be until much later that I realized just how special a boss he was. These days I am self-employed, and suffice it to say that my difficulties cooperating with a boss have a lot to do with that.
As a seasonal employee of Camp Carolina from age seventeen until age twenty-four, I was a much less mature version of my present-day self, and I had my share of disagreements with Nath during those summers.
Sometimes it was a philosophical difference of opinion, a common occurrence in my last several summers when I headed the canoeing program. Though the Carolina program had a tradition of teaching good solid river-running skills, I was envious of the more racing-oriented programs at nearby camps like Mondamin and Merrie-Woode, camps whose alumni went on to make Olympic teams or achieve other high-profile feats in the paddling world. I often found myself exasperated with Nath's unwavering commitment to his noncompetitive camp model in which paddling a canoe was merely one of many facets of a camper's overall experience, and I not so tactfully let him know it on more than one occasion.
Other times I was simply a snarky little snot. Complaining about the meager salaries or grousing about having to pull an extra duty rather than enjoy some time off was a favorite pastime among the counselors, most of whom came from comfortable backgrounds and were working at camp more for fun than for money. It was not beneath me to join in, even when Nath was within earshot.
I probably would have fired myself for a few of the things I said, but Nath always handled it with a gentle touch. He never lost faith in me as an asset to the camp community, and more importantly, he understood that most of my life would be spent outside the camp community. Maybe he hoped to help me learn from the stupid things I said or did at camp, that I might be better equipped to survive in the real world; or maybe he just figured I would get my comeuppance eventually, but was humble enough to realize it was not his to mete out.
Mind you, Nath was nobody's fool: there were certain lines you did not cross with him, and I saw him dismiss several counselors with long, otherwise spotless relationships with Carolina because they had transgressed in a way that Nath considered inexcusable. But even then, he made it clear that he cared about them and would continue to be there for them if needed.
Since my last summer at Carolina I have continued to pursue my lifelong love affair with paddling, and, yes, that has included quite a bit of training and competing. But just like at camp, the real joy comes from things that have nothing to do with the post-race results sheet. I have made many fine friends in the sport, and I greet them with a firm handshake and a look in the eye. My time out on the water is an important break from the attendant concerns of making a living and owning a home.
Nath passed away this past month. As of this writing I do not know many of the details, but I believe that the end came a couple of weeks after he was hospitalized with an illness. Since his retirement from running Carolina, Nath had continued a rich life with his wife Mary and his friends and plenty of activity. His legendary sense of humor never dimmed, I understand.
There will be a memorial service on the camp property on November 30 that I plan to attend. Perhaps we'll sing a few of the spirituals we used to sing at vespers every Sunday evening: "Hey Sinner Man," "Wade In The Water," "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." Maybe we'll even work in some of the not-so-reverent ones like "Mountain Dew" and "Greenback Dollar." Whatever happens, I expect there will be many others like me, returning to this special place to remember the kind man who made some of their most cherished childhood moments possible.
Pretty weather
I spent part of this beautiful sunny day down at the river, paddling my surf ski for 60 minutes. As I paddled alongside the Greenbelt Park, the annual Outdoors, Inc., Cyclocross Race was in progress. The water level was just a hair below zero on the Memphis gauge.
I also got in another hundred pushups: I did fifty on the dock before paddling and fifty on the dock after paddling.
I also got in another hundred pushups: I did fifty on the dock before paddling and fifty on the dock after paddling.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Pushups
As I inch down the long list of stuff to do in my new home, paddling and exercise continue to be minimal these days. But I did get out in the surf ski for 60 minutes yesterday. The Memphis gauge reading for the Mississippi was a tenth of a foot above zero.
I'm also trying to get back into a strength routine as a new racing season looms out there on the horizon. This month I'm keeping it simple: pushups.
This past Monday, I did 100 pushups in sets of ten. I repeated that Wednesday and yesterday, and hope to do it every other day for the rest of November. I'm trying to work in a variety of hand and foot positions, Hindu pushups, and so on. As the month goes on I'll increase the number of reps per set, depending on how I'm feeling.
This idea was inspired by a murderer. In college I had a friend in the law school who worked in a legal clinic for indigent clients, and much of his time was spent helping an inmate on death row navigate the appeals process. This inmate was unbelievably strong and spent the long hours in his cell working out. Having lost his weight room privileges because he had killed another inmate there, his routine included doing a thousand pushups a day.
If I could manage a thousand pushups a day--and I have serious doubts about that--it would require a significant portion of my day to complete. Maybe I would do fifty sets of 20 reps, or forty sets of 25... however I did it, each set would require an adequate recovery interval, and I've just got too much to do as long as I'm not incarcerated. So for now, ten sets of ten is it. We'll see how this little experiment develops.
I'm also trying to get back into a strength routine as a new racing season looms out there on the horizon. This month I'm keeping it simple: pushups.
This past Monday, I did 100 pushups in sets of ten. I repeated that Wednesday and yesterday, and hope to do it every other day for the rest of November. I'm trying to work in a variety of hand and foot positions, Hindu pushups, and so on. As the month goes on I'll increase the number of reps per set, depending on how I'm feeling.
This idea was inspired by a murderer. In college I had a friend in the law school who worked in a legal clinic for indigent clients, and much of his time was spent helping an inmate on death row navigate the appeals process. This inmate was unbelievably strong and spent the long hours in his cell working out. Having lost his weight room privileges because he had killed another inmate there, his routine included doing a thousand pushups a day.
If I could manage a thousand pushups a day--and I have serious doubts about that--it would require a significant portion of my day to complete. Maybe I would do fifty sets of 20 reps, or forty sets of 25... however I did it, each set would require an adequate recovery interval, and I've just got too much to do as long as I'm not incarcerated. So for now, ten sets of ten is it. We'll see how this little experiment develops.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Back in the boat, finally
For almost three weeks, I was completely focused on a long list of finishing chores at my building, and did not paddle at all. Then on Friday afternoon, after I had spent the entire day building shelves inside my closets, I realized that I had missed out on a gorgeous fall day. So I resolved to make time to get back on the river yesterday. I paddled the surf ski for 70 minutes, in the middle of which I took a short hike on a large sandbar at the mouth of the Loosahatchie Chute.
Unfortunately, yesterday was somewhat less lovely than Friday had been. A front had come through overnight, and a stiff, chilly wind was blowing from the north, and clouds made up a large percentage of a partly-cloudy sky. Making matters worse is that a lot of my cool-weather paddling clothing is still packed in boxes I know not where. So while it didn't stop me from paddling, I didn't linger and enjoy the sights on my little hike as much as I'd have liked.
But I did at least snap several photos. With the Mississippi River at a typically low autumn level (-4.1 feet on the Memphis gauge), a lot of terrain that is underwater for much of the year is exposed right now. All the sand you see in these photos will probably be submerged for the first six or seven months of next year.
Unfortunately, yesterday was somewhat less lovely than Friday had been. A front had come through overnight, and a stiff, chilly wind was blowing from the north, and clouds made up a large percentage of a partly-cloudy sky. Making matters worse is that a lot of my cool-weather paddling clothing is still packed in boxes I know not where. So while it didn't stop me from paddling, I didn't linger and enjoy the sights on my little hike as much as I'd have liked.
But I did at least snap several photos. With the Mississippi River at a typically low autumn level (-4.1 feet on the Memphis gauge), a lot of terrain that is underwater for much of the year is exposed right now. All the sand you see in these photos will probably be submerged for the first six or seven months of next year.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Monday photo feature
Well, an entire week went by and I didn't paddle my boat even one time. Hence the lack of posts since last Monday's photo.
But it's not unusual for me to take a little break this time of year. And this year I have done so under special circumstances: at long last, I am living in my new place. I moved in last Monday with the help of some wonderful friends.
The photo above shows the building as of this morning (compare it to the photo I took back in May and featured in this post). There is work yet to come on the storefront, along with plenty of chores behind the facade. In addition to getting my stuff moved in and settled, I have spent the past week tackling the long to-do list, which includes caulking, painting, installing doorknobs and other door hardware, sealing countertops, building closet shelves, creating storage space for boats and gear, and getting my woodworking shop moved and set up.
I'm a very routine-oriented guy, and having a "home base" from which to follow my routine is important to me. And of course, including some paddling in my routine is a must. Soon, I'll have the trappings of a paddler's life re-settled at last: my paddles, my clothes, a clothesline to hang wet gear on, all those little things. The marina is about three miles due west of my building, and I'm pleased to say that the majority of the route will include protected bike lanes soon.
So even though I'm out of the boat right now, I'm laying the logistical groundwork for the next season, and I'm excited about the possibilities.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Monday photo feature
Here's how I spent my weekend. It's not a specific form of training for canoe and kayak racing, but I did burn some calories and work some muscles. My arms and shoulders are feeling pretty rubbery today.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Muddling around in a trashy harbor
Well, I managed to get down to paddle one more time this week after all. My crafts fair setup went more quickly than I'd expected, so this morning I made time for 60 minutes in the K1.
Feeling tired and achy from recent higher-intensity sessions (and also from some out-of-the-boat activities), I took it pretty easy today. My mind was mostly on other matters, and arguably I shouldn't have paddled at all, but what can you do.
The Mississippi is on a near-ten-foot rise this week, and that has resulted in a preponderance of floating litter in the harbor. I did some more aluminum can collection, which as I mentioned Tuesday is a balance drill all its own. I stayed upright today, and in an hour I amassed a colorful pile of cans that included everybody's favorite brand. Busch. Colt 45. Full Throttle. Steel Reserve. Bud Ice. Faygo, even.
Feeling tired and achy from recent higher-intensity sessions (and also from some out-of-the-boat activities), I took it pretty easy today. My mind was mostly on other matters, and arguably I shouldn't have paddled at all, but what can you do.
The Mississippi is on a near-ten-foot rise this week, and that has resulted in a preponderance of floating litter in the harbor. I did some more aluminum can collection, which as I mentioned Tuesday is a balance drill all its own. I stayed upright today, and in an hour I amassed a colorful pile of cans that included everybody's favorite brand. Busch. Colt 45. Full Throttle. Steel Reserve. Bud Ice. Faygo, even.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Balance drills (aluminum can version)
I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes this morning. It might have been my last time in the boat this week: I'll be demonstrating bowl carving this weekend at the Pink Palace Crafts Fair here in Memphis, and I'll be busy getting ready for that from tomorrow on.
I might have mentioned in the past that I'm in the habit of picking up aluminum cans that I find floating in the water. The Memphis riverfront has a litter problem that is much too big for me to solve by myself, but by focusing on cans I can at least feel like I'm a tiny part of the solution. When I'm done paddling, I take the cans up to the grocery store near the marina and deposit them in a collection bin there; the proceeds benefit the Humane Society.
The trouble is, the K1 does not double as a garbage scow very well. Twice this morning I flipped while trying to pour the water out of a can with one hand and brace with my paddle with the other. The second flip provided some entertainment for some construction workers up on the Hernando DeSoto Bridge.
Each time I managed to dump out my boat and get going again pretty quickly. But there was a north wind blowing that seemed to intensify as the hour went on, and it was not fun exposing myself to that while dripping wet.
Oh well... I came away none the worse for wear. And I made the water I paddle on a tiny smidgen cleaner, and I sent a few extra pennies in the Humane Society's direction. It really doesn't take much more than that to get me singing a happy tune.
I might have mentioned in the past that I'm in the habit of picking up aluminum cans that I find floating in the water. The Memphis riverfront has a litter problem that is much too big for me to solve by myself, but by focusing on cans I can at least feel like I'm a tiny part of the solution. When I'm done paddling, I take the cans up to the grocery store near the marina and deposit them in a collection bin there; the proceeds benefit the Humane Society.
The trouble is, the K1 does not double as a garbage scow very well. Twice this morning I flipped while trying to pour the water out of a can with one hand and brace with my paddle with the other. The second flip provided some entertainment for some construction workers up on the Hernando DeSoto Bridge.
Each time I managed to dump out my boat and get going again pretty quickly. But there was a north wind blowing that seemed to intensify as the hour went on, and it was not fun exposing myself to that while dripping wet.
Oh well... I came away none the worse for wear. And I made the water I paddle on a tiny smidgen cleaner, and I sent a few extra pennies in the Humane Society's direction. It really doesn't take much more than that to get me singing a happy tune.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Monday photo feature
I really don't have much recollection of the circumstances surrounding this photo, other than that it was taken off Ocracoke Island on North Carolina's Outer Banks in 2008. I'm not sure what that is in my hand, or what's on my mind, or anything else. Some weeks my Monday photo sort of picks itself, and others I have to grope around in the darkest recesses of my digital photo archives. This is clearly one of the latter weeks.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
The length of the harbor, again
This morning I paddled the K1 for 60 minutes downtown. After a rather warm, muggy week, a front came through last night and it was overcast and cooler than 60 degrees Fahrenheit when I got up this morning.
I warmed up in the boat by paddling from the marina down to the mouth of the harbor, and then I timed myself on the same course I did back on September 3, only in reverse. Starting at the imaginary line that extends into the harbor from the double yellow line on Beale Street, I proceeded to record the following splits:
4:34 at the southern edge of the monorail bridge
6:57 at the southern edge of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge
10:24 at the southern edge of the Auction Avenue bridge
11:46 at the northern edge of Harbortown Marina
23:13 at the finish by the barge mooring tower at the north end of the harbor
Relaxing my legs, hips, and abdominals is a big theme--I want to trust the stability of my boat so my body can do all the things it needs to do to produce good strokes.
It's hard to know exactly why I was a whole minute slower today than I was on September 3. I have not achieved consistency in this boat yet.
I warmed up in the boat by paddling from the marina down to the mouth of the harbor, and then I timed myself on the same course I did back on September 3, only in reverse. Starting at the imaginary line that extends into the harbor from the double yellow line on Beale Street, I proceeded to record the following splits:
4:34 at the southern edge of the monorail bridge
6:57 at the southern edge of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge
10:24 at the southern edge of the Auction Avenue bridge
11:46 at the northern edge of Harbortown Marina
23:13 at the finish by the barge mooring tower at the north end of the harbor
Relaxing my legs, hips, and abdominals is a big theme--I want to trust the stability of my boat so my body can do all the things it needs to do to produce good strokes.
It's hard to know exactly why I was a whole minute slower today than I was on September 3. I have not achieved consistency in this boat yet.
Friday, October 4, 2013
In a day's work
I spent most of the day painting at my building, but I stole down to the riverfront for an hour in the K1 this morning.
Down at the marina my friend Joe was preparing to paddle for the first time since having rotator cuff surgery back in June. As we set off together toward the south end of the harbor, he apologized for how slow he was going, but it was just fine with me. I paddled a relaxed pace and did all kinds of little balance drills while we talked. I remember Joe and I paddled together shortly after I got the K1 last winter and I could barely listen to what Joe was saying because I was so focused on staying upright. The fact that I could carry on a normal conversation with him today is a sign of some good progress over the summer.
Joe returned to the dock after 40 minutes or so of paddling, and I spent another 20 minutes doing some short sprints before coming back in myself. Then it was back to work over at the building. I think most people hear the word "kayaking" and they imagine epic trips through remote canyons or out on the open sea. Such things are wonderful whenever you can do them, but I enjoy just as much the idea of taking a little time to paddle during the course of a busy day here in my home city.
Down at the marina my friend Joe was preparing to paddle for the first time since having rotator cuff surgery back in June. As we set off together toward the south end of the harbor, he apologized for how slow he was going, but it was just fine with me. I paddled a relaxed pace and did all kinds of little balance drills while we talked. I remember Joe and I paddled together shortly after I got the K1 last winter and I could barely listen to what Joe was saying because I was so focused on staying upright. The fact that I could carry on a normal conversation with him today is a sign of some good progress over the summer.
Joe returned to the dock after 40 minutes or so of paddling, and I spent another 20 minutes doing some short sprints before coming back in myself. Then it was back to work over at the building. I think most people hear the word "kayaking" and they imagine epic trips through remote canyons or out on the open sea. Such things are wonderful whenever you can do them, but I enjoy just as much the idea of taking a little time to paddle during the course of a busy day here in my home city.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
More on the MRT
In Monday's post I mentioned the Mississippi River Trail. For those not familiar with the MRT, it's a bicycle route that follows the Mississippi River from source to sea along paved roads. More information can be found on its website, here.
The route is marked with signs like this one on Mud Island in downtown Memphis:
The route is marked with signs like this one on Mud Island in downtown Memphis:
Trying to learn some speed
Work continues on my building, and I've been doing a good bit of it myself, such as painting and going to the store for supplies and stuff like that. But I learned my lesson from last week and set aside some time this morning to paddle.
I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes. I timed myself twice from the monorail bridge to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge, and did a few shorter sprints as well. I've been trying to incorporate these faster pieces into my K1 sessions all summer so I can develop some modicum of motor skill at a higher level of intensity. I don't just want to paddle this boat without flipping; I want to go fast in it. That's what a K1 is for, isn't it?
My times from the monorail bridge to the HDB were 2:05 (not bad) and 1:59 or 2:00 (possibly my best ever). I had a pretty strong tailwind, and on that second piece I think it blew me as much as a boatlength over the starting line while I was waiting for my watch to reach the top of the minute, so I probably shouldn't get too excited about my good times--I'm a cheerless coach, I know. But it was nice to see some positive results.
I spent the afternoon back at the building and got some good work done. It's all added up to a day I can feel good about.
On another topic, I have weighed myself the last two days and I'm down to 143.5 pounds... yikes! Oddly, I've been feeling pretty good, not low on energy like I often feel during low-weight periods.
I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes. I timed myself twice from the monorail bridge to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge, and did a few shorter sprints as well. I've been trying to incorporate these faster pieces into my K1 sessions all summer so I can develop some modicum of motor skill at a higher level of intensity. I don't just want to paddle this boat without flipping; I want to go fast in it. That's what a K1 is for, isn't it?
My times from the monorail bridge to the HDB were 2:05 (not bad) and 1:59 or 2:00 (possibly my best ever). I had a pretty strong tailwind, and on that second piece I think it blew me as much as a boatlength over the starting line while I was waiting for my watch to reach the top of the minute, so I probably shouldn't get too excited about my good times--I'm a cheerless coach, I know. But it was nice to see some positive results.
I spent the afternoon back at the building and got some good work done. It's all added up to a day I can feel good about.
On another topic, I have weighed myself the last two days and I'm down to 143.5 pounds... yikes! Oddly, I've been feeling pretty good, not low on energy like I often feel during low-weight periods.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Monday photo feature
Joe Royer took this picture several years ago on the Mississippi River up near Shelby Forest, some fifteen miles above downtown Memphis. I believe he and his wife Carol Lee were taking the "Mississippi River Challenge," Joe's term for an endeavor he dreamt up: you leave a bicycle at Harbortown Marina on the Memphis riverfront, drive with your boat up to the Shelby Forest boat ramp, paddle down to Memphis, put your boat away at the marina, and ride your bike up a section of the Mississippi River Trail to retrieve your car at Shelby Forest. Reasonably fit men and women can complete this circuit in around four hours.
I haven't done the Mississippi River Challenge in years--sometime back before my road bike got stolen. But I do love this photograph. Our river is most definitely beautiful.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Overcast and lovely
I paddled the surf ski for 60 minutes today out on the big old river. The weather today was cool and drizzly.
Other than a couple of barge rigs way upriver, I saw no motorized craft on the water today. That's a perk of paddling on something other than a beautiful sunny day: you tend to have the river to yourself. Nothing like some inclement weather to weed out the riffraff.
Other than a couple of barge rigs way upriver, I saw no motorized craft on the water today. That's a perk of paddling on something other than a beautiful sunny day: you tend to have the river to yourself. Nothing like some inclement weather to weed out the riffraff.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Paddle, don't worry
Today I went down to the river for the first time since Sunday. I spent all week hanging around my building, anxiously watching the guys working on it and wondering how soon I'll be able to move in. My doing so accomplished absolutely nothing, of course, and I should have just let it go and paddled my boat at least a couple of times.
Oh well. I spent 60 minutes in the harbor in my K1 this morning. I did some balance drills and some sprints, and basically tried to make the most of my K1 time while the weather is still favorable.
Oh well. I spent 60 minutes in the harbor in my K1 this morning. I did some balance drills and some sprints, and basically tried to make the most of my K1 time while the weather is still favorable.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Monday photo feature
Tammy Lundy shot this pic of me approaching the finish line of the Gator Bait Race on the 14th of this month. Pretty day on a nice reservoir.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Surf was almost up
I paddled for 60 minutes this morning. Paddled the surf ski out on the mighty river. And mighty it is, even though it's quite low: today's 7:00 AM CDT Memphis gauge reading was 5.6 feet below zero.
Just like two weeks ago, there was a barge rig coming upriver as I was coming out of the harbor. I tried to surf behind it, but the waves were moving just a little too fast and they were wide from peak to peak, not quite deep enough to get a good surf. A pretty good north wind was blowing and I think that flattened the waves out a bit. But I still did a lot of short, hard sprints in my effort to catch them, and I think that made for a good workout.
Just like two weeks ago, there was a barge rig coming upriver as I was coming out of the harbor. I tried to surf behind it, but the waves were moving just a little too fast and they were wide from peak to peak, not quite deep enough to get a good surf. A pretty good north wind was blowing and I think that flattened the waves out a bit. But I still did a lot of short, hard sprints in my effort to catch them, and I think that made for a good workout.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Still not immune to the swimmies
Yesterday saw heavy rain in the Memphis area--the first we've had in a while. A front moved in behind it and today we had a high temperature in the 70s (Fahrenheit) with a stiff north breeze.
I went downtown this morning and paddled my K1 for 60 minutes. There's no question I've gotten better in that boat--I actually felt quite confident nearly the entire hour today--but I'm not safe from the occasional mishap. Today's mishap occurred when my right blade hit a waterlogged stick that was floating just beneath the surface. It upset my balance just enough for me to go over. As I found my footing on the muddy bottom to dump out the boat, I learned that swimming is not nearly as fun in this cooler, breezy weather as it was when it was ninety-plus degrees outside. I guess the day will come when I'll put the K1 away for the winter.
I went downtown this morning and paddled my K1 for 60 minutes. There's no question I've gotten better in that boat--I actually felt quite confident nearly the entire hour today--but I'm not safe from the occasional mishap. Today's mishap occurred when my right blade hit a waterlogged stick that was floating just beneath the surface. It upset my balance just enough for me to go over. As I found my footing on the muddy bottom to dump out the boat, I learned that swimming is not nearly as fun in this cooler, breezy weather as it was when it was ninety-plus degrees outside. I guess the day will come when I'll put the K1 away for the winter.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Fish kill
The results from last Saturday's race are now posted here.
This afternoon I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes. I did numerous balance drills and felt pretty good in the boat the whole time.
There have been many dead fish floating in the harbor the last several days; I first noticed it when I returned from my trip Sunday and was putting my boats away at the marina. I have no idea what the cause might be, but one guess concerns the oxygen content of the water. When I finished paddling today there was a layer of green algae-like scum on my boat.
This afternoon I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes. I did numerous balance drills and felt pretty good in the boat the whole time.
There have been many dead fish floating in the harbor the last several days; I first noticed it when I returned from my trip Sunday and was putting my boats away at the marina. I have no idea what the cause might be, but one guess concerns the oxygen content of the water. When I finished paddling today there was a layer of green algae-like scum on my boat.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Monday photo feature
With Jason Salomon behind me, I enjoy a little surfing in Five Boat Hole on the lower Gauley River in September of 1994. I don't know where the other three boats were.
Gauley season has rolled around again. Water is released from Summersville Dam every September and October, and paddlers from all over flock to this rugged area for some autumn whitewater fun. I went up there last year and I'd love to go back there right now, but I'm afraid there might be too much on my plate. I'm on the verge of moving into my building, at which time I'll get busy relocating my workshop. I've got a crafts fair coming up in less than a month. And there are several other places I want to travel soon.
I'll get around to all these things. But maybe not all this year.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
The Deep South by kayak
The results of yesterday's race have been released on the event's Face Book page. I'll make a note of it here when they go up on the Gator Bait Race website.
Ross Barnett Reservoir was formed by building a dam across the Pearl River upstream of Jackson. The three races I have entered on the "Rez" have all been on the lower part of the lake, just above the dam. When I got up this morning I wanted to paddle somewhere, but preferably a place I hadn't been before; I also wanted to go someplace that would put me on a good path toward home from my motel in Brandon. After studying the map, I decided on a place farther up the reservoir where Mississippi 43 crosses over.
The water was dead calm when I arrived, so I finally had my chance to take the K1 off the car. As I set off on my 60-minute session, I felt relaxed and comfortable, and that continued for a half hour or so. Then the motorized traffic began to pick up, and even though I was far from the main navigation channel, the waves that came my way were enough to shake my confidence a bit. I was a good two hundred meters offshore at that point, and I started thinking about the long swim I would have with my swamped boat if I flipped.
The fact is I'm still spending a lot of energy just concentrating on balance, and I therefore have reservations about competing in that boat. In order to compete well I would have many things to occupy my attention besides just the basic motor skills. I guess it's possible I'll never do a race in the K1, and if so, so be it: I got the boat mainly for a new challenge, and there's no doubt I'll be a better overall paddler as a result.
I finished paddling before eleven o'clock. I had some 20 miles of secondary roads to travel before catching Interstate 55, and I admired the lovely central Mississippi countryside on this beautiful morning.
Ross Barnett Reservoir was formed by building a dam across the Pearl River upstream of Jackson. The three races I have entered on the "Rez" have all been on the lower part of the lake, just above the dam. When I got up this morning I wanted to paddle somewhere, but preferably a place I hadn't been before; I also wanted to go someplace that would put me on a good path toward home from my motel in Brandon. After studying the map, I decided on a place farther up the reservoir where Mississippi 43 crosses over.
The water was dead calm when I arrived, so I finally had my chance to take the K1 off the car. As I set off on my 60-minute session, I felt relaxed and comfortable, and that continued for a half hour or so. Then the motorized traffic began to pick up, and even though I was far from the main navigation channel, the waves that came my way were enough to shake my confidence a bit. I was a good two hundred meters offshore at that point, and I started thinking about the long swim I would have with my swamped boat if I flipped.
The fact is I'm still spending a lot of energy just concentrating on balance, and I therefore have reservations about competing in that boat. In order to compete well I would have many things to occupy my attention besides just the basic motor skills. I guess it's possible I'll never do a race in the K1, and if so, so be it: I got the boat mainly for a new challenge, and there's no doubt I'll be a better overall paddler as a result.
I finished paddling before eleven o'clock. I had some 20 miles of secondary roads to travel before catching Interstate 55, and I admired the lovely central Mississippi countryside on this beautiful morning.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
I won a gator trophy
I participated in the Gator Bait Race this morning, and finished first with a time of 47 minutes, 35 seconds on a course advertised to be 5.5 miles. The choice of boat turned out to be an easy one, as conditions were pretty windy and choppy. That's not so K1 friendly, especially for a paddler with less-than-expert skill level in such a boat. I paddled the surf ski.
I actually felt better in the second half of the race, after I had emerged from the lily-pad canal and was paddling across an open section of the lake. Although I have been in the boat only three to four days a week this summer, the sessions have been good quality, and I think that paid off today.
I try to seek out good competition and learn from superior athletes as much as I can. But it's also satisfying to get a win. To be sure, chasing guys who are better than I am goes a long way toward making me a winner in races like today's.
There seems to be a trend in recent years for race organizers to offer the most creative awards they can think of. Today's event had some of the better awards I've seen; they are pictured here. The alligator head mounted on a section of log (yes, it's a real alligator head) was given to the first-place finisher in each class.
I actually felt better in the second half of the race, after I had emerged from the lily-pad canal and was paddling across an open section of the lake. Although I have been in the boat only three to four days a week this summer, the sessions have been good quality, and I think that paid off today.
I try to seek out good competition and learn from superior athletes as much as I can. But it's also satisfying to get a win. To be sure, chasing guys who are better than I am goes a long way toward making me a winner in races like today's.
There seems to be a trend in recent years for race organizers to offer the most creative awards they can think of. Today's event had some of the better awards I've seen; they are pictured here. The alligator head mounted on a section of log (yes, it's a real alligator head) was given to the first-place finisher in each class.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Checking out the race site
I arrived in the greater Jackson, Mississippi, area around four o'clock this afternoon and went for a 50-minute paddle in Pelahatchie Bay, in the southeastern quadrant of Ross Barnett Reservoir. It was quite windy when I got there, so I paddled the surf ski.
The course winds back into a wooded backwater area of the lake that feels a little like the Everglades. It's rich in lily pads, and there's a canal cut through it by one of those boats with underwater choppers.
I felt tired in the boat, probably because I spent all day yesterday pouring some concrete countertops for my building. I plan to turn in early and try to get some rest.
The course winds back into a wooded backwater area of the lake that feels a little like the Everglades. It's rich in lily pads, and there's a canal cut through it by one of those boats with underwater choppers.
I felt tired in the boat, probably because I spent all day yesterday pouring some concrete countertops for my building. I plan to turn in early and try to get some rest.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Doing what I can, when I can
I'm trying to get ready to race this weekend amid an incredibly busy week at my building. I managed to steal away for a 60-minute K1 session yesterday afternoon and a 40-minute K1 session this afternoon. In both, I did six 12-stroke sprints. My concentration was not what it should have been because of all the outside distractions--one more reason I should just race in the surf ski on Saturday. Both boats are now on my car: I plan to leave Friday morning and paddle at the race site that afternoon.
The weather here is odd these days. We're having some of the hottest weather of the summer right now, but both yesterday and today there were scattered showers in the area. I saw no rain yesterday even though there was some thunder and dark sky nearby. Today it did rain, and I got soaked in the last ten minutes or so in the boat. The rain continued for about a half hour, and water was spewing out of the storm drains into the harbor.
The weather here is odd these days. We're having some of the hottest weather of the summer right now, but both yesterday and today there were scattered showers in the area. I saw no rain yesterday even though there was some thunder and dark sky nearby. Today it did rain, and I got soaked in the last ten minutes or so in the boat. The rain continued for about a half hour, and water was spewing out of the storm drains into the harbor.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Monday photo feature
Roger Cotton shot this picture of me entering the harbor in the 2012 Outdoors, Inc., Canoe and Kayak Race. I'm paddling my surf ski, the boat that I should race in this Saturday. My other option is the K1, and even though I've had that boat for some eight months now, I don't yet have a photograph of me paddling it.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Moving into a race week
I got in two 60-minute paddling sessions this weekend: yesterday afternoon in the K1 and this morning in the surf ski. This morning there was a barge rig coming upriver just as I was coming out of the harbor and onto the Mississippi, so I went out and got some sweet rides on its wake.
On my registration form for this Saturday's race, I declared that I would be racing in the surf ski, and I should probably stick to that plan. While I am considerably more comfortable in the K1 now than I was when I got it, I'm not sure I'm really ready to compete in it. But maybe I'll throw it on the car and take it down there, just in case the lake is extra-calm and I'm feeling extra-bold...
On my registration form for this Saturday's race, I declared that I would be racing in the surf ski, and I should probably stick to that plan. While I am considerably more comfortable in the K1 now than I was when I got it, I'm not sure I'm really ready to compete in it. But maybe I'll throw it on the car and take it down there, just in case the lake is extra-calm and I'm feeling extra-bold...
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Paddling harder ≠ going faster
I paddled the K1 for 60 minutes this afternoon. After warming up I did six 12-stroke sprints and then timed myself from the monorail bridge to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge. My time was 2:10, and I was disappointed because my split at the HDB was 2:05 during both those pieces from the monorail to the Auction bridge that I did last Saturday. But I've known for a long time that a law of diminishing returns is in effect when it comes to how hard you paddle, and I hope these higher-intensity paddling sessions will help my race pace later on.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
A good workout with balance and stroke work
I paddled the K1 for 60 minutes this afternoon. I mailed my registration form for the 5.5-mile race down near Jackson on the 14th, so eleven days out I wanted to push the intensity some more today. But I didn't want to go as hard as I did on Saturday, when my stroke quality suffered from the high stroke rate. So today I timed myself over the length of the harbor, almost: I started next to the barge mooring facility at the intersection of north Second Street and Seventh Street, and finished at the imaginary line that extends into the harbor from the center line of Beale Street.
Balancing that boat is still not second nature for me, but the lower intensity over this not-quite-three-mile piece allowed me to relax and take better strokes than I did on Saturday. I tried to insert the blades precisely and not let them go "ker-plunk" in the water.
My splits were 12:32 at the northern edge of the Auction Avenue bridge; 15:31 at the northern edge of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge; 18:04 at the northern edge of the monorail bridge; and 22:15 at the finish.
I also did some balance drills before and after the timed piece: paddle-over-the-head, one-sided paddling, and paddling while leaning the boat right and left.
Balancing that boat is still not second nature for me, but the lower intensity over this not-quite-three-mile piece allowed me to relax and take better strokes than I did on Saturday. I tried to insert the blades precisely and not let them go "ker-plunk" in the water.
My splits were 12:32 at the northern edge of the Auction Avenue bridge; 15:31 at the northern edge of the Hernando DeSoto Bridge; 18:04 at the northern edge of the monorail bridge; and 22:15 at the finish.
I also did some balance drills before and after the timed piece: paddle-over-the-head, one-sided paddling, and paddling while leaning the boat right and left.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Back on the surf ski, back on the river
It was another hot, sunny morning as I went to the riverfront for a 60-minute session. I paddled the surf ski for the first time in quite a while. It felt big and slow compared to the K1, but once I got it out on the mighty Mississippi (where I have not taken the K1), it felt somewhat more in its natural habitat.
The low-water season has arrived: today's 7:00 AM Memphis gauge reading was 1.4 feet below zero.
I'm thinking about doing this race on Ross Barnett Reservoir outside Jackson, Mississippi, in two weeks. I'll probably race in the surf ski because R.B. Reservoir has been known to get quite rough, and I haven't proven to myself I can go hard for the better part of an hour in the K1 yet.
The low-water season has arrived: today's 7:00 AM Memphis gauge reading was 1.4 feet below zero.
I'm thinking about doing this race on Ross Barnett Reservoir outside Jackson, Mississippi, in two weeks. I'll probably race in the surf ski because R.B. Reservoir has been known to get quite rough, and I haven't proven to myself I can go hard for the better part of an hour in the K1 yet.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Swimming weather
Overall, we've had a pretty mild summer here in the Mid South. Quite a few days in July and August have seen highs in the mid 80s Fahrenheit and lower. We're now moving into a hotter spell, with temperatures in the mid to high 90s, but it hasn't seemed stifling the way it typically gets at this time of year.
I thought it was very nice down on the riverfront this morning, where I paddled the K1 for 60 minutes. The temperature was well on its way up into the 90s, but there was a nice breeze blowing from the south. I would get pretty hot during my paddling session, but, well, it should be in the 90s in Memphis on the last day of August.
I mentioned in last Sunday's post the importance of incorporating some speed in your training throughout the year. Ron Lugbill reinforces and expands on the idea in this post on his blog. He's talking mainly about slalom racing, but I think there's some relevance to the straight-ahead racing I'm doing these days.
After about a 15-minute warmup, I did four of my 12-stroke sprints. Then I proceeded to do two timed pieces from the monorail bridge to the Auction Avenue bridge, a distance I estimate around 1100 or 1200 meters, maybe.
I've mentioned in past posts that my PR from the monorail bridge to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge is just over two minutes, and from the Hernando DeSoto Bridge to the Auction Avenue bridge it's just under three minutes. So five minutes would have been an excellent time; considering my not-so-intense training this summer and my intermediate skill level in the K1, I was more realistically expecting 5:15 or 5:20. And the faster end of that range is what I got: on the first piece, I hit the HDB in 2:05 and the Auction bridge in 5:15, and on the second it was 2:05 HDB/5:13 total. The times were pleasantly surprising considering that my mechanics felt a little clumsy; my strokes on the right in particular were really ker-plunking.
After the second piece I felt quite fatigued and I think the heat was getting to me a little. I paddled back to the monorail bridge to finish off with a piece from that bridge to the HDB, but my form was really flagging. About a third of the way in I missed a stroke on my right, and over I went. Was I discouraged? Nope--the water felt wonderful. I swam the boat over to the Yacht Club boat ramp and dumped out the water, and paddled a nice cooldown back to my dock.
I thought it was very nice down on the riverfront this morning, where I paddled the K1 for 60 minutes. The temperature was well on its way up into the 90s, but there was a nice breeze blowing from the south. I would get pretty hot during my paddling session, but, well, it should be in the 90s in Memphis on the last day of August.
I mentioned in last Sunday's post the importance of incorporating some speed in your training throughout the year. Ron Lugbill reinforces and expands on the idea in this post on his blog. He's talking mainly about slalom racing, but I think there's some relevance to the straight-ahead racing I'm doing these days.
After about a 15-minute warmup, I did four of my 12-stroke sprints. Then I proceeded to do two timed pieces from the monorail bridge to the Auction Avenue bridge, a distance I estimate around 1100 or 1200 meters, maybe.
I've mentioned in past posts that my PR from the monorail bridge to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge is just over two minutes, and from the Hernando DeSoto Bridge to the Auction Avenue bridge it's just under three minutes. So five minutes would have been an excellent time; considering my not-so-intense training this summer and my intermediate skill level in the K1, I was more realistically expecting 5:15 or 5:20. And the faster end of that range is what I got: on the first piece, I hit the HDB in 2:05 and the Auction bridge in 5:15, and on the second it was 2:05 HDB/5:13 total. The times were pleasantly surprising considering that my mechanics felt a little clumsy; my strokes on the right in particular were really ker-plunking.
After the second piece I felt quite fatigued and I think the heat was getting to me a little. I paddled back to the monorail bridge to finish off with a piece from that bridge to the HDB, but my form was really flagging. About a third of the way in I missed a stroke on my right, and over I went. Was I discouraged? Nope--the water felt wonderful. I swam the boat over to the Yacht Club boat ramp and dumped out the water, and paddled a nice cooldown back to my dock.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Forward strokes, not braces
I paddled the K1 this afternoon for 60 minutes. It was hot but not stiflingly so, and the harbor was calm.
I did some more of that paddle-over-the-head drill, along with some one-sided paddling, which some might call a "canoeing drill" or "canoe paddling drill."
Interestingly, French flat water C1 racer Mathieu Goubel, in the video that I posted last Thursday, does what he calls a "kayaking drill," where he takes a stroke with his blade on one side, then pretends to take a stroke on the other side with the grip end of his paddle, and so on.
Basically, the objective is the same for Goubel's kayaking drill and my canoeing drill: to lengthen the interval during which the paddle is out of the water. At these moments, the paddler must balance the boat without any help from the paddle. I think my balance is improving, but I still seem to be leaning on my strokes for stability too much; one telltale sign is soreness in my wrists and forearms. Ideally, you should be doing nothing but pulling yourself forward with your paddle.
I did some more of that paddle-over-the-head drill, along with some one-sided paddling, which some might call a "canoeing drill" or "canoe paddling drill."
Interestingly, French flat water C1 racer Mathieu Goubel, in the video that I posted last Thursday, does what he calls a "kayaking drill," where he takes a stroke with his blade on one side, then pretends to take a stroke on the other side with the grip end of his paddle, and so on.
Basically, the objective is the same for Goubel's kayaking drill and my canoeing drill: to lengthen the interval during which the paddle is out of the water. At these moments, the paddler must balance the boat without any help from the paddle. I think my balance is improving, but I still seem to be leaning on my strokes for stability too much; one telltale sign is soreness in my wrists and forearms. Ideally, you should be doing nothing but pulling yourself forward with your paddle.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Not fattening up, but trying to pamper myself more
During this very busy summer I haven't been very good about doing some of the little things that keep an athlete healthy and feeling good. My diet hasn't been bad, and I'm getting almost eight hours of sleep a night, but I haven't been getting in those recovery sessions I talked about during the spring race season.
But I was motivated to do one tonight. I've spent the last few days stripping almost a century's worth of gunk off the wooden staircase in my building, and that has involved much bending over while operating a couple of different electric sanders along with some hand-planing and hand-sanding. This evening I was really feeling it in my lower back and hamstrings, so I took a nice warm bath and followed that with some stretching. I still feel stiff but not nearly as bad as I did before.
On another topic, I weighed myself on my mother's bathroom scale today and registered 148.5 pounds. I'm generally not very diligent about weighing myself, largely because I don't own a decent scale of my own.
I've always been a pretty slender guy who doesn't put on weight easily. During the peak of my career as a collegiate distance runner I weighed in at a waifish 115 pounds. Once a series of injuries had waylaid my running endeavors, I began to gain some weight, but not because I was getting fat. Rather, I was spending more time in the weight room and putting on some muscle mass. Eventually I started taking my paddling more seriously and I think that further development of my upper-body muscles made me carry more weight naturally. By the end of my twenties I weighed in the mid-130s, and a decade later I was tipping the scale in the high 140s.
These days, about 150 pounds seems to be what my body wants to weigh. Once thing I've found when I very occasionally step on the scale is that a drop in weight seems to correlate with feelings of low energy and lethargy. This was the case a week or ten days ago when I was in the physical doldrums: my mom's scale told me I was down to 146.5 pounds. Now, at a couple of pounds more, I'm feeling pretty good in spite of my sore back.
But I was motivated to do one tonight. I've spent the last few days stripping almost a century's worth of gunk off the wooden staircase in my building, and that has involved much bending over while operating a couple of different electric sanders along with some hand-planing and hand-sanding. This evening I was really feeling it in my lower back and hamstrings, so I took a nice warm bath and followed that with some stretching. I still feel stiff but not nearly as bad as I did before.
On another topic, I weighed myself on my mother's bathroom scale today and registered 148.5 pounds. I'm generally not very diligent about weighing myself, largely because I don't own a decent scale of my own.
I've always been a pretty slender guy who doesn't put on weight easily. During the peak of my career as a collegiate distance runner I weighed in at a waifish 115 pounds. Once a series of injuries had waylaid my running endeavors, I began to gain some weight, but not because I was getting fat. Rather, I was spending more time in the weight room and putting on some muscle mass. Eventually I started taking my paddling more seriously and I think that further development of my upper-body muscles made me carry more weight naturally. By the end of my twenties I weighed in the mid-130s, and a decade later I was tipping the scale in the high 140s.
These days, about 150 pounds seems to be what my body wants to weigh. Once thing I've found when I very occasionally step on the scale is that a drop in weight seems to correlate with feelings of low energy and lethargy. This was the case a week or ten days ago when I was in the physical doldrums: my mom's scale told me I was down to 146.5 pounds. Now, at a couple of pounds more, I'm feeling pretty good in spite of my sore back.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday photo feature
There's a truly nifty park-and-play spot on the Colorado River upstream of Grand Junction. "Big Sur" forms when the river rises above 20,000 cfs and the dam just downstream at Cameo opens its gates, allowing what's usually an impounded section of river to flow. The picture of me above was taken in the summer of 1997 or '98. The photographer was a guy I used to know named Tim... arrgh, his last name escapes me.
I've been thinking a lot about the American West lately. I haven't been out there since a trip to New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah in 2005. I want to go back to the Rockies, and to canyon country, and to California, and to Idaho, and to British Columbia, and to Alaska... one day I'll have a little spare time and a little spare change, and I'll go to all those places.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Paddling fast
I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes this morning. I felt about as comfortable in the boat as I ever have. I did some more of those paddle-over-the-head drills and was able to relax my whole body while doing so.
I also did six of those 12-stroke sprints at maximum intensity that I do to give the ATP-CP energy system some work. I usually do a lot of those in the final days before a big race, but I think it's useful to do some now and then just to keep feeling sharp and not so sluggish. Also, because the motor skills for paddling at a high stroke rate are slightly different from those for steady paddling, I think it's a good idea to incorporate some fast paddling as I try to build my skill level in the K1.
I also did six of those 12-stroke sprints at maximum intensity that I do to give the ATP-CP energy system some work. I usually do a lot of those in the final days before a big race, but I think it's useful to do some now and then just to keep feeling sharp and not so sluggish. Also, because the motor skills for paddling at a high stroke rate are slightly different from those for steady paddling, I think it's a good idea to incorporate some fast paddling as I try to build my skill level in the K1.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Much learning took place
I taught my last class of the summer this morning. Thanks to Outdoors, Inc., for making these classes possible.
This was the most productive of the six classes I taught in terms of topics covered: in addition to all the stuff I listed in this post two weeks ago, we went much more in-depth on the forward stroke, and also covered sweep strokes and deep-water re-entry.
There are two reasons that we covered more ground today. The first is that there were only two students, and so I spent less time with group management. The second is that we finally had the sort of weather one expects in August in the Mid South, and the students (and I) were much more eager to get wet than in previous classes.
This was the most productive of the six classes I taught in terms of topics covered: in addition to all the stuff I listed in this post two weeks ago, we went much more in-depth on the forward stroke, and also covered sweep strokes and deep-water re-entry.
There are two reasons that we covered more ground today. The first is that there were only two students, and so I spent less time with group management. The second is that we finally had the sort of weather one expects in August in the Mid South, and the students (and I) were much more eager to get wet than in previous classes.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Scofflaws in the harbor
This blog passed ten thousand views today. But I'm not really that excited about it because a huge number of those "views" came from spam-bot sites of one kind or another. Thanks to all the sure-enough human beings who have visited here out of a genuine interest.
I went down to the harbor this morning and paddled the K1 for 60 minutes. I did so having just seen this video of French flatwater canoeist Mathieu Goubel. Flatwater canoe racers use the high-kneel, or "take-a-knee," position in their boats, and this high center of gravity in a boat that's just as tippy as a K1 makes for the most difficult balancing act in paddlesports.
In the video Goubel shares a few staples of his training routine, and I tried one of his balance drills, sitting in the boat with my paddle over my head, this morning. While doing so I tried to keep my lower body as relaxed as I could, like I mentioned in my post about Sunday's session.
I felt good for the first 20 minutes or so of the session, but then got all distracted by outside events: a speedboat came screaming off the river into the harbor, with no regard for the "no-wake" zones; a short while later, a pair of officers with the Police Harbor Patrol came roaring out of their marina, looking to issue the driver of the speedboat the ticket he so richly deserved. The result was a very choppy harbor that took a long time to calm down. My concentration blown, I ambled around on a succession of braces for the next half-hour. And so, today's session was not as satisfying as it should have been.
I went down to the harbor this morning and paddled the K1 for 60 minutes. I did so having just seen this video of French flatwater canoeist Mathieu Goubel. Flatwater canoe racers use the high-kneel, or "take-a-knee," position in their boats, and this high center of gravity in a boat that's just as tippy as a K1 makes for the most difficult balancing act in paddlesports.
In the video Goubel shares a few staples of his training routine, and I tried one of his balance drills, sitting in the boat with my paddle over my head, this morning. While doing so I tried to keep my lower body as relaxed as I could, like I mentioned in my post about Sunday's session.
I felt good for the first 20 minutes or so of the session, but then got all distracted by outside events: a speedboat came screaming off the river into the harbor, with no regard for the "no-wake" zones; a short while later, a pair of officers with the Police Harbor Patrol came roaring out of their marina, looking to issue the driver of the speedboat the ticket he so richly deserved. The result was a very choppy harbor that took a long time to calm down. My concentration blown, I ambled around on a succession of braces for the next half-hour. And so, today's session was not as satisfying as it should have been.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Monday photo feature
Teresa Faulk, who handles the social media presence for Outdoors, Inc., snapped this picture as I went over boat nomenclature with the kids on Saturday morning. She posted it on the Outdoors, Inc., Face Book page.
Relax!!!
There's just one more Outdoors, Inc., kayaking class on the schedule for now. It's this Saturday from eight to eleven o'clock. Go here for registration information.
I continue to be sore from Friday's post-hole digging, especially in my wrists and forearms.
On an overcast but otherwise nice morning yesterday, I paddled the K1 for 60 minutes in the harbor. I did some drills (hesitation drill, one-sided paddling, backpaddling) and a couple of short sprints.
One thing I was conscious of during the session was my need to relax the lower half of my body. In a tippy boat like the K1 there's a desire to "grip" the boat with my buttocks and legs to keep it upright. But all that really accomplishes is to make my stroke more herky-jerky than it should be.
I continue to be sore from Friday's post-hole digging, especially in my wrists and forearms.
On an overcast but otherwise nice morning yesterday, I paddled the K1 for 60 minutes in the harbor. I did some drills (hesitation drill, one-sided paddling, backpaddling) and a couple of short sprints.
One thing I was conscious of during the session was my need to relax the lower half of my body. In a tippy boat like the K1 there's a desire to "grip" the boat with my buttocks and legs to keep it upright. But all that really accomplishes is to make my stroke more herky-jerky than it should be.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Ah, youth
A late addition brought this morning's roster to six, and I couldn't have asked for a more enthusiastic and good-natured bunch of kids. I think they were all in the ten-to-twelve age range.
It's hard not to marvel at the energy of human beings at this age. Each of these classes this summer has included a "tour" around Patriot Lake, a distance I estimate at a mile and a half or so, and the typical adult student looks as though he's been thoroughly challenged physically when it's over. But today we got in a full lap and then added another half-lap, and the intensity was high enough that I came away feeling that I'd gotten a reasonably good morning of work. I always enter these classes into my training log as a 60-minute session, but most Saturdays I'm drifting along with the slowest students, trying to keep an eye on the whole class. This was the first time I thought I got anywhere near the same level of exercise that I'd get paddling myself or with a paddling peer for an hour.
The kids all left this morning acting like they wanted to paddle some more soon. I hope they all do.
Friday, August 16, 2013
I'm getting soft
I haven't been lifting weights or doing any kind of strength work since my last races in June. So it was a shock to my system this morning when I did some post-hole digging for the deck that some guys are building on the rear side of my building. After some twenty minutes of busting through rocky, rooty soil, my arms quivered like gelatin and didn't stop for several hours. I also got several monster blisters on my hands.
I guess teaching my class pain-free tomorrow morning would have been too easy. I've got five pupils signed up for the "kids' class," and I'm hoping for good weather and loads of fun.
I guess teaching my class pain-free tomorrow morning would have been too easy. I've got five pupils signed up for the "kids' class," and I'm hoping for good weather and loads of fun.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Beating the heat
At the end of another busy day (they're all busy these days), I made it down to the river for a 40-minute session in the K1. I paddled steady and felt pretty solid in the boat. I timed myself from the monorail bridge to the Hernando DeSoto Bridge--the course I'd like to break two minutes on one day--and finished in 2:07. I felt like I was flying for the first 30 or 40 meters, but then as I settled into a lower stroke rate I started thinking about my balance too much and my stroke quality suffered.
At least the weather was nice: we're having several days of idyllic weather, with low humidity and temperatures in the low 80s Fahrenheit. It's not at all what we Mid Southerners are used to in August.
At least the weather was nice: we're having several days of idyllic weather, with low humidity and temperatures in the low 80s Fahrenheit. It's not at all what we Mid Southerners are used to in August.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Good end to the day
In case you haven't seen yesterday's post since early yesterday, I have added a link to Heather McNie's website.
I spent most of today running around town gathering supplies for the crew that's working on my building. I finally got down to the dock just before five o'clock, and spent 60 minutes in the K1. As usual there were moments of confidence and moments of wobbliness, but I think the quality of the confident moments is improving. I'm able to focus more on clean, crisp strokes and good rotation.
I spent most of today running around town gathering supplies for the crew that's working on my building. I finally got down to the dock just before five o'clock, and spent 60 minutes in the K1. As usual there were moments of confidence and moments of wobbliness, but I think the quality of the confident moments is improving. I'm able to focus more on clean, crisp strokes and good rotation.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Monday photo feature
Heather McNie is a lady up in Ontario who makes high-performance clothing, boat covers, paddle bags, and similar gear for canoe and kayak racers. I've been buying stuff from her for a number of years now. It's a bit of a hassle figuring out the current exchange rate between U.S. and Canadian dollars and dealing with shipping across an international border, but her stuff is nice enough to make it worth the trouble every several years.
My most recent purchase from Ms. McNie is the boat cover pictured above; I got it for the K1 I bought last winter. It's a nice cover but it came with one flaw: the pouch that the rudder fits into was positioned about a foot too far forward.
I could have sent the cover back to Ontario for alteration, but doing so would have been a hassle for the aforementioned reasons. So instead I turned to my friend Mary Allison, the co-founder of a business here in town called Sew Memphis. Sew Memphis offers classes for anybody interested in learning to, well... sew.
Mary Allison said the job was "a piece of cake": she moved the rudder pouch aft about a foot, and now the rudder fits into it very nicely.
If Mary Allison is still seeking her niche in this world, maybe she could become the Heather McNie of the U.S.A.!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Still trying
This morning I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes. It's a day of scattered storms in the Mid South and I heard a lot of thunder, but I didn't get rained on.
During today's session I timed myself from the Hernando DeSoto Bridge to the Auction Avenue bridge, over which my best time in a surf ski is a little under three minutes (2:57, I think). I didn't paddle all-out because I still haven't yet achieved a skill level in this boat where I can paddle all-out. My time was 3:22... meh. But I think paddling at speed, along with steady paddling, slow paddling, and stroke drills, is part of the mix of stuff that will help me get comfortable in the K1.
During today's session I timed myself from the Hernando DeSoto Bridge to the Auction Avenue bridge, over which my best time in a surf ski is a little under three minutes (2:57, I think). I didn't paddle all-out because I still haven't yet achieved a skill level in this boat where I can paddle all-out. My time was 3:22... meh. But I think paddling at speed, along with steady paddling, slow paddling, and stroke drills, is part of the mix of stuff that will help me get comfortable in the K1.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Class comes to order again
I went back out to Patriot Lake this morning to teach another class for Outdoors, Inc. This was the fourth of six sessions I'm scheduled to teach. There's one next Saturday for kids ages 10 to 15, and then the last one on the schedule for now is August 24. You can find more information here.
Each class is a stand-alone kayaking "primer," with a different group of students each week. Most of the students are newcomers to paddling, and we cover as many of those frequently-asked questions newcomers have as we can. We talk about things like putting on and adjusting a sprayskirt and PFD; stretching the skirt onto the cockpit coaming and then doing a wet exit; putting together a break-apart paddle and understanding the various feather angles; adjusting the boat's footpegs and deploying the rudder; and the basics of a good forward stroke. We finish each class with a "tour" around the perimeter of the lake, a distance of between one and two miles, I would guess.
I also try to help the students make some sense out of the huge variety of boats that are on the market, as I mentioned in last Monday's post.
At the very least, I hope each student comes away feeling as though he's made a productive use of a Saturday morning and learned a thing or two he didn't know before. With any luck, maybe a few will appreciate what an incredible way this is to enjoy the outdoors.
Each class is a stand-alone kayaking "primer," with a different group of students each week. Most of the students are newcomers to paddling, and we cover as many of those frequently-asked questions newcomers have as we can. We talk about things like putting on and adjusting a sprayskirt and PFD; stretching the skirt onto the cockpit coaming and then doing a wet exit; putting together a break-apart paddle and understanding the various feather angles; adjusting the boat's footpegs and deploying the rudder; and the basics of a good forward stroke. We finish each class with a "tour" around the perimeter of the lake, a distance of between one and two miles, I would guess.
I also try to help the students make some sense out of the huge variety of boats that are on the market, as I mentioned in last Monday's post.
At the very least, I hope each student comes away feeling as though he's made a productive use of a Saturday morning and learned a thing or two he didn't know before. With any luck, maybe a few will appreciate what an incredible way this is to enjoy the outdoors.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
More than just a midlife-crisis indulgence?
This afternoon I paddled the K1 in the harbor for 60 minutes. I suffered from a bout of diarrhea, which kept coming and going, intensifying and easing (geez, I hate that), but somehow I gutted out the entire hour-long session.
I've got to say one thing about the K1: even if I never get comfortable enough to race in it, I think it's proving worth the expense because it's given me a purpose this summer. Now that my biggest races are over, it would be very easy to skip paddling entirely while I deal with all the other crazy things in my life, but my desire to make use of the warm weather for practicing in this tippy boat has gotten me down to the river on a regular basis.
I've got to say one thing about the K1: even if I never get comfortable enough to race in it, I think it's proving worth the expense because it's given me a purpose this summer. Now that my biggest races are over, it would be very easy to skip paddling entirely while I deal with all the other crazy things in my life, but my desire to make use of the warm weather for practicing in this tippy boat has gotten me down to the river on a regular basis.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday photo feature
The boat I'm paddling in this photo is a Storm by Current Designs. It's the boat I have been teaching class in this summer.
Students in class always ask what sort of kayak they should buy. As in most other areas, you get what you pay for in this sport. You can buy a kayak for a couple hundred bucks at places like Dick's Sporting Goods, but those boats are generally short and wide, and therefore slow and unwieldy and not much fun to paddle. If a boat isn't fun to paddle, you're not going to paddle it very much.
The next step up is a polyethylene plastic touring boat, and there is a broad variety within this category. The boats can be anywhere from 13 to 17 feet or so; some have rudders and some don't; most have hatches for gear storage; and they can glide nicely or be slow as a barge. The retail price of these boats ranges from maybe $800 to over $2000.
The nicest touring kayaks are made of composite materials like carbon fiber and Kevlar and are designed to glide effortlessly. They are 18 feet long or longer, and retail for $2500 and up.
I have a fair bit of experience with these nicest boats: my ex-spouse owns one (a Looksha III that Necky used to make) and a number of my friends have them. They are certainly a delight to paddle. I have also logged many miles in the Storm pictured above. It is heavier and slower than a composite boat, but one nice thing about it is I don't feel like I have to baby it. Cramming it full of camping gear and dragging it over sandbars and gravel bars is no big deal.
I tell students and anybody else who asks to get the best boat they can comfortably afford. At a minimum, get a decent polyethylene boat like my Storm. It will reward you with many years of good times out on the water. Remember that a longer boat is generally a faster boat, and a rudder is a nice feature, especially if you plan to paddle open bodies of water with a lot of wind exposure.
And I'll add this: please support independent dealers rather than big chains like Dick's and Bass Pro Shops. You might--might--have to pay a little more, but you're more likely to have a salesperson who knows the bow of a kayak from the stern helping you choose the right boat.
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