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| Druce and I on the Start Beach the day before the race. |
This song was much on my mind while on the water during this challenge, "This Is The Sea" The Waterboys. While you read further, give it a listen.
We got ourselves a new boat, a Stellar ST21 multi-sport layup, and new paddles, GARA Odin S's. We trained well for this race. For three months we paddled once a week anywhere from 25 to 60 miles. Most times we paddled with a full or near full race kit. We always paddled at least at pace, many times harder, many times doing interval-sprint work, many times adding in self-rescues or rolls. We paddled against the wind. We paddled with the wind. We practiced setting up camp. We practiced taking down camp. We showed up at the race ready.
Mike Bartichek helped us with this training, dropping us off at remote beaches, picking us up at remote beaches. That's a lot of driving. That's a lot of waiting. We couldn't have done this training without him.
Still, I didn't feel like myself going into this challenge. I had torn the anterior cruciate ligament of my left knee in September. All year I could not run or ride my bike, activities I normally do almost every day. I had to compensate - and I did.
Our the hour by hour details of our course are in the video below. Be sure you hit the un-mute button.
Druce and I are a good paddle team. About 40 miles into the race I asked him how he was doing. I meant it in all earnestness. He told me, listing various complaints, including among others, his finger which he had broken some months before. There was a pause in our conversation and we both laughed. There would be negative points assigned for that answer. About a hundred miles later, I asked the same question again - and again I meant it in earnest. A team has to function together. A team has to care about each member of the team. If one part of the team needs help, the whole team needs help. Anyway, this time Druce replied, "Grrr, S-O-L-I-D! We both laughed again, that answer would log positive points with the Master. The Master of course being the Master of the Order of the Sea Breeze Ninjas. Thus, the Chronicles of the Sea Breeze Ninjas continue.
Grrr: Onomatopeia for the growling sound of bears, canines, felines or a sea breeze ninja.
This was the ninth time we've completed this challenge. This year we logged our shortest course and finished the challenge with our best time; 264 miles in 68 hours and 6 minutes. This would be the fastest time for all challenges, any paddle craft (class 1 or 2), any division (single, double, male, female or mixed).
I've been asked if I'd ever consider doing this challenge in a relaxed manner, just cruising the course. My answer is no, not at any time, that I can at this time, envision.
This coming May 14th I will be 65 years old and I am looking forward to another year of training, of adventure, and competition.
As the song goes...
These things you keep
You'd better throw them away
You wanna turn your back
On your soulless days
Once you were tethered
And now you are free
Once you were tethered
Well now you are free
That was the river
This is the sea!
"This Is The Sea" The Waterboys
Awesome and enlightening. I've had my hands lock up rock climbing but never my whole arms. Its weird. No pain (in my case) just won't work. Good job on the race. How did you make that map?
ReplyDeleteBTW, on my screen there is no map on this page. Had to click the link..
DeleteThe arms thing; I think it was simply too much muscle exercise, too much pushing it. At some point my ability to stay properly fueled, though we had a great fueling plan, was at its end. There was no fuel to move those muscles, so my brain shut them down. It was basically, the classic 48 hour bonk. As to the 'no map' thing, I just implemented Google's suggested fix, now there's no map on my screen. I don't know, a smarter IT guy than me is required.
ReplyDeleteDruce and Bob, Outstanding read/watch! Bob, re your arms locking: Do you mean they cramped, or that you just couldn't move them? How long did it take for your arms to recover? Did Druce have the same problem? For your recovery, what did you eat? Need details, details, details!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, have you had that problem before?
ReplyDeleteAnd by "lock", do you mean they were so fatigued you could not move them, or you could move them but you had no strength to do so?
ReplyDeleteAh, for the scientist: By locking; I could move them, but it only weakly and painfully. Essentially, I had no strength to move them. Druce did not complain of this. I don't think it has ever happened to me before to this extent. Recovery took maybe less than 5 min but no more than 10 but that was never a 100% recovery. To attempt to recover I put my paddle down, and drank deeply and copiously from my bladder. Both of us had Tailwind in our hydration bladders. Tailwind being a powdered mix for water that is fuel, hydration, and electrolytes. We've used Tailwind before and like it! My feeling is I was paddling longer and harder than ever before and I was bonking like never before and therefore I needed an additional electrolyte replacement source beyond the Tailwind, say Endurolytes from Hammer Nutrition, which we've used in the past. At each beach stop, the first thing we did was drink a mix of Hammer Nutrition Recoverite and before returning to the task of paddling we drank a mix of Perpetuem. We've used both of these mixes before and like them. While paddling we ate every 30 min. At each 30 min eating period, we alternated eating meat and fat with nuts and dried fruit.
DeleteBob, Thanks! Yes, I'd agree with your diagnosis/remedy. Unfortunately I don't think enough research has been done on ultra events--seems like all/most exercise studies are on 20 year olds running short distances on treadmills or doing resistance reps on a machine. I'd sure like to see more work done on ultramathoners, who come the closest to what you are doing, IMO. I know you are an expert in ultra events, having done multiples of 24hour runs etc. many times. When I did my first 24hour pull-up marathon I experienced "bonking," too (in my case I couldn't do another pull-up after 18 hours), and I ascribed it to poor eating--the adrenaline just seemed(es) to shut my appetite down, and I've since learned I have to force myself to eat. I've also learned, the hard way, that there is wisdom to the saying "beware the chair," meaning that rest stops that are too long and not long enough (like 30 min) can counter-intuitively shut you down. Doesn't sound like that was your issue--I just think this whole area of study is very very interesting and I'm betting no one knows yet what is going on when the body is pushed to the limit--especially on us "old" bodies! You are an inspiration to all, and I hope there is a bunch of geriatrics that looks at what you are doing and is motivated to "do more."
DeleteSteven, you are, I believe, more thorough in both research and application. But, I think in the end we are very much alike. We push until we can't, but look upon that as just another problem to solve, and we find a way to push further.
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