On a roll...

Well here goes.

BMF last friday
K1 Monday  1hr on the river wey
K1 Tuesday 5 miles on the Wey
K2 Wednesday 2 laps of the Desborough island. Strong head wind the whole way round (figure that out, I swear it was following us)

BMF tomorrow
Rest on Friday and meeting with the support crew on Saturday ahead of the long runs where they are helping out to get some pratice.

Well I have left my job and am now working part time....Ivan reckons that now makes me a full time athlete......It took a while for me to stop laughing.......Beginning to get nervous about the DW now.

Have bought a stash of painkillers and the proper old fashined really sticky plaster that rips your skin off when removed to deal with the bruising that is developing on the inside of my left thumb.

Torso rotation now well and truly cracked and blow me down it adds another 4 inches to each stroke and does actually make you go faster.  oddly enough if you rotate properly you don't actually have to cycle your legs they just seem to do it naturally without thinking about it.

Dry bag now bagged and ready to fitted into the boat for practice runs. Not looking forward to the extra weight.  Wash hanging lessons are to commence as soon as we find a willing crew to practice on.

Another report after the weekend.

Now we've done it!

We have entered the DW!  Yes, we got the receipt through this morning. Oh cripes!

Went for a BMF session last night and completely lost count of how many squat thrusts we had to do. those guys really are sadist's but having said that it does work. And underneath it all they are pussycats really. (Don't tell them I said that)

The elbow seems to be holding out and actually seems to be improving. Bit sad I missed out going to watch the waterside A race, it sounded like a good one. Might try and make it to the thameside 1 race instead.

By the way I have a booking for a double and a twin room at a B&B 5 minutes from devizes wharf which will be going begging as we have decided to drive up on the morning of the race as we have to farm out 3 children the day before and wont really have time to drive up the day before. If anyone is looking for a pillow for the night send me your email and I will let you know the costs.

I bugged out

I am so stiff today that Jamie was forced out into a K1. I sat in the carpark at Elmbridge with a nice hot chocolate watching him plough up and down in front of us.  Boat has sprung a leak he says. I reckon its his paddling, he's usually throwing water all over me behind him!

A proper workout

Went back to the British Military Fitness guys last night after deciding that my fractured elbow could probably know be trusted to take the strain as it has stood up to several paddles now.

Well, I know can't move. I dont think my stomach has worked so hard since childbirth. My shoulders ache, my back aches, my stomach doesnt work anymore and I would rather stay in bed for the day. But apparently this is all good for me. if this doesn't give me a 6pack I dont know what will!

We are taking the K1 out to the wey today to see if we are able to stay upright in it as it's a bit tippy for us but the only boat that is available. At least it isn't cold today.

Can't decide if I should go and watch the waterside A on sunday.

Coaching session

Had a coached session today with Ivan which was particularly useful. He gave us some really good tips which should shave alot of time on our portages as well as saving our backs and arms.  He also showed us a good technique to cope with boat washes, in fact so good that when a boat came round the corner we hardly noticed the wash at all.  Plus a few drills that should help improve our balance and technique.

I dont think we disgraced ourselves and we really enjoyed it.  Also our first time back on the river since we got the new boat. What was I worried about?

Thanks Ivan

a good one

tonight was a 10miler on the canal and we did it in just over 2 hours so we were very pleased with that. We were both below 5 on the effort rating out of 10 for most of it so we should be able to sustain that for longer.

Totally misjudged the temperature though and ended up being slow roasted inside my cag untill I could stop and stow it in the back. 

On the bad side our portaging seemed to have gone bad although our get aways once back in the boat are getting much better.

Too tired to write much, off to bed

Things.....can only get better

After the stress of the last paddle in terms of speed, distance etc. we did a 5 mile paddle in 1 hour dead and found it quite easy.  although still having eyesight problems in the dark......I really can't wear my glasses out paddling unless someone invents glass wipers.

Went for a 2 mile run today with alot of assistance from the dog who obviously thinks she should be pulling a sled.  Do you think it would be cheating to rope the dog to the kayak and make her pull it the one mile through the flight of locks at crofton on the race?

2 hour paddle next time out. at least its not so cold anymore.