Author: DaveM

Only just remembered as I was heading out to paddle that the Canada Cup cutoff was this weekend and not the end of the month. Then I couldn’t remember if it was Sat or Sun as I couldn’t remember what day it was. Lots of memory problems today and to top it off, when I got back home to download the file the speedcoach was showing Memory Full.

I really wish the SpeedCoach could just be set to delete an old workout automatically if you need the memory but alas, it only saved about 4km before stopping. Luckily I was able to get a couple of shots of the display and hope that will be enough to satisfy the admins.

Breezy and choppy conditions today but at least the air quality has improved and the clearest it’s been all week. Out on the 14×23.5 404 Jump. Still experimenting with smaller paddle blade areas and coming to like a higher cadence even though I’m sacrificing a bit of power. Didn’t feel too worked by the end of the 10km so must be making something of a difference.

This was all done on the local lake I normally paddle on. We don’t have anything long enough close by that could just have one turn so 3 loops of Lake McIntosh was as neutral as I could get it.

DaveM

First go at the 2km sprint. Ahem, or should I say what felt like threshold until the end where I could muster a sprint for all of 10m. If they are looking for new Olympic sports, the 2km sprint would be a cracking spectacle to watch as after halfway it would be complete carnage.

Great to have this event included though, as it’s a very challenging mix of pacing, going hard and not dying at the end.

Managed a negative split 2nd half after a very average turn. Am I the only one that looks forward to the turn to catch a breath? No wind really today but the AQI isn’t great. Above 130 lately so wasn’t great for a harder effort.

Playing around with a smaller bladed paddle to see if the extra stroke rate helps in the shorter distances so will try and have a go later in the month with my usual paddle for a comparison.

 

DaveM

Thought I would be able to squeak another and hopefully faster 1KM Sprint in before the window closes a day from now. Alas, it was not to be as I burnt myself out in intervals and then the wind picked up just before my final attempt.

Still, happy enough with my original time as it was very much a downwind/upwind out and back affair. I’ve never had really any luck with fast times when one of the directions is a solid block headwind. Seems like the downwind part is never enough to make up for it.

It’s a good reminder that getting in a placeholder effort early when the window opens is a good strategy just in case the conditions or body aren’t there later on.

Looking forward to some of the longer stuff coming soon!

 

DaveM