K1 Kayak racing from Novice Diary: ENTRY 25

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

Friday 13 May 2011

ENTRY 25

Decided to up the stakes a little and spend some dosh and got myself a new boat, Its going to cost me a few swims im sure as its quite a few steps up the ladder, thankfully Ive got the rest of the summer to get used to it before the winter comes back, so its bite the bullet now, just wished someone would turn the heating up in the river lol

Its a VAJDA SUPERSONIC, Ive gone for the XXL as it suits my height and weight and should mean no more scraping my back on the cockpit, and ulimatly faster and hopefully a step nearer to getting to Division 3 as my goal this year, well I can dream for a bit

Fellow club mate gave the boat a quick run for me, thumbs up all-round, faster than the 01 version, very good at tracking, quick to get up to speed on the sprint and very manouvarable with one of the better shaped sprint rudders, will have to change it for a marathon one as the shape does pick up a lot of weed which is abundant this time of year, Ive had quick try in it and definitely finding it tippy just beyond my ability at the moment, but I dont think it'll take too long, got some club mates Ive got to overtake lol.
Ive been using my other boat "Lazer" although its supposed to be a bit tippier than what I have been using Im finding it far my comfortable than any of the others as it fits nice and snug on my hips and feels more comfortable on the foot plate, I find it easier too as its a snug fit that the knees stay together a lot easier compared to the larger beam boats and therefore aids in the boat staying more stable when pushing the paddle stroke, wished id started using this boat a long time ago rather than the club boats ive been using, so dosent always mean the so called wobblier boat will be wobblier for YOU,