K1 Kayak racing from Novice Diary: April 2011

The beginning

At 47 most would regard you over the hill as an athlete, hopefully I can prove that's not always the case, and Ive got a few more puffs of steam left yet.

Ive chosen the fantastic sport of K1 Kayak marathon racing for my last ditched attempt of a physical endurance sport before I fall the wrong side of the hill.

The last time I did any Kayaking was well over 20 years ago, technology has made vast improvements in construction and weight saving, paddle technology too has gone a long way in deign and efficiency, but the overall concept has changed very little.

I have chosen to enter the Devizes to Westminster race Easter 2011, raced in a solo K1 its a race against the clock over 125miles of the Thames river, with 77 portages (get out of your boat and carry it around locks etc) over a period of 4 days,

if raced in a K2 (2 man) then its a race non stop from start to finish inc. through the night, advertised as one of the worlds toughest Kayaking races it not only tests your fitness and stamina, but your mental endurance as well together with the help of a good ground crew providing support with food and water.

Have a look at the posted YOU TUBE 6 part documentary to get a better idea of how tough this race can be, and for a laugh there's a couple of videos showing how difficult it can be trying out a K1 kayak for the first time.

I'm planning to enter one of the winter 6 race series starting on the 7th November to help towards the Devize race, my general fitness is OK and quite reasonable for endurance, perhaps bordering insane to take this on, got a feeling I'm going to be feeling some pain along the way.

I am smoking but that has another 7 days before I stop, aghhhh I have to :( I'm getting so much grief from my boys so all in all it'll be a good thing and a few more coins in my pocket.

Technique does play a major part in this sport, but fitness and training can't be ignored, so much to achieve in a short time, where to start I haven't a scooby yet or what other training away from Kayaking will help, another whole ball game to look at and plan.

The K1 Kayaks have a stability rating of 1 to 10, 1 being the least stable, the less stable they are the faster they go, that is if youre staying in the boat that is.

I'm comfortable on a 5, but the difference between the 5 and 4 seem a big step, the width (beam) is even narrower, if you can imagine trying to keep upright on a uni cycle for the first time then you're getting near how difficult it can be, once you're moving it's a little more stable, well that is until your co-ordination goes haywire then it seems to remind you you're on a tight rope and the ejection seat is getting ready to dump you overboard,

I keep being told its like learning to ride a bike all over again, mmmmm seems a lot harder than I remembered, so looks like practice and more practice will be the order of the day,

the club have told me as soon as I'm comfortable with the current boat ill be put on the next faster boat, heck the one I'm on is like balancing on an ice skate, the next one was like balancing on a knife blade aaaagghhhh

Im going to use this blog as a diary entry to show how I get on and some useful information about the K1 & K2 kayak marathon and sprint racing as I go, and my preparation for the Devizes to Westminster race, it should be a laugh and hopefully some may find it useful starting the sport themselves, or perhaps what not to do!!.

Feel free to add comments and any advise on any of the subjects I may be failing on, that'll be ALL to start with !!! lol

Tip's and hints will continually be added to entry 18

Saturday 2 April 2011

Entry 22

Hasn't taken long for the 2011 Hasler series start, first race tomorrow and a start at the bottom in division 9 with the possibility of promotion to the higher divisions if your overall time is good enough, seems a little complicated how its worked out but as I understand its based on the percentage of the finishing times in the above division.

Looking forward to the Hasler series as after a while you'll find yourself settled in a division with others of the same ability's compared to the winter series where you compete against the top guys who will be in the same class as yourself as its an age class.

Cant say Im feeling up to the challenge as a week and half with flu has left me pretty wasted, trainings been limited with the feeling of lead arms after each session.

Im going to do this race in the "slow" boat as the the last couple of weeks with the flu I haven't been so thrilled about cold water swimming whilst getting to grip with my new boat, not too worried as were racing the Cambridge Hasler, after the winter series race there the first part of the course can get very choppy and a lot of traffic from the punts and rowing boats, so slow boat could be safe boat lol.

Well Ive got myself a new boat, was lucky enough to get it for nothing, for some reason the health and safety has deemed the Scouts at Stains can no longer use boats made of fiber glass for health reasons, and only plastic boats to be used, not quite sure how they justify that.
Its cost me fuel to get the boat, £30 for a new seat and £20 for a new steering cable, and a few hours of wet and dry sandpapering to try and get rid of the hand painted varnish, so not the tidiest or smartest boat, but for an interim boat Ive managed to get a bargain.
Its called a "Lazer" built by the Canoe Center in Twickenam, so shes about 25 years old, the Canoe Center was to eventually become Kirton,
Shes a wobble factor 5, Ive had a quick sit in her on the water and could balance ok stationary,
a couple of the other lads gave her a run for me and gave her the thumbs up for speed and comfort, looking forward to giving her a run out next week.

Ill run the on board camera for the race tomorrow and hopefully theres some free hands to use the other video camera.