Since I’m sick I probably won’t paddle more than once more this year, here is my end of year summary.
This year:
Paddling distances:
- Epic V10 Sport: 985.1 km
- Epic V12: 469.5 km
- WSBS Thunderbolt: 351.3 km
For a grand total of 1,805.9 km (1122.1 miles). I also managed to get in 1649.4 km on bikes, 19:21 on the erg, and 5:03 on a stationary bike. I don’t think I kept full stats in previous years but this seems a lot more than previous years. My plan for next year is to maybe slightly reduce the number of hours on cardio and work on muscle strength and speed more.
At the beginning of the year, I posted my racing goals for the year. I didn’t stick with it 100% – I missed Ride The Bull and Lighthouse to Lighthouse was cancelled.
Races:
- Round The Mountain: 15.95km, 1:34:08, Blog entry, Video
- Traverse City Race: 6.89km, 40:22, Blog entry
- Deep Cove Tuesday Night Race: 6.53km, 36:28, Blog entry, Video
- Canadian Surfski Championships: 19.86km, 2:03:56, Blog entry
- Blackburn (partial): DNF, Blog entry
- Armond Bassett: 16.16km, 1:28:29, Blog entry
- BayCreek Kayak Cup: 12.49km, 1:12:21, Blog entry
- Long Lake Long Boat Regatta: 16.83km, 1:32:27, Blog entry
This of course doesn’t include the Wednesday night time trail races at BayCreek. I didn’t beat my personal best at all this year, although I got pretty close once or twice. Surprisingly, I was faster in the V10 Sport than the V12, which just goes to prove that you can’t put down full power if you’re not feeling stable.
I’m actually a bit surprised at making 351 km on the Thunderbolt, because basically after Round The Mountain in May I put it away and didn’t use it again. Even in the cold fall weather I’ve been using a ski because I can remount a ski.
The highlight of the year of course was going to BC for the Canadians. I wasn’t quite last, but I wasn’t far off it – but then again I don’t get to train in the ocean much either. I did better against many of the same people on a flatter and shorter course the Tuesday before.
I was disappointed in DNFing at the Blackburn Challenge, but lots of people with a lot more experience than I also DNFed so I’ll try not to feel bad about it.
Next year I’m hoping to go to the Gorge Downwind Festival (recently renamed to “Gorge Downwind Champs”, which seems like a mistake to me because it’s de-emphasizing the 6 days of downwind shuttles and fun in favour of the two race days), and maybe manage to come a few days early to make the Canadian Champs again (providing I can find a rental car that allows you to cross the border). Unfortunately that would mean missing a chance to conquer the Blackburn under more normal conditions, but hey, 6 days of downwind shuttles!