Cape Cod Bay Challenge Training Diary's

[stoneaxe]

Thanks Randy for letting us keep track of this here.

Lets talk training

One of the things ECSup and I decided on early was that all participants in the challenge would need to agree to a commitment of training. We don't want to spoil the fun....and that's exactly why we want everyone to train hard. I've been averaging about 15-20 hours/week since the beginning of March. typically a 50/50 mix of distance and surf paddling. I'm going to increase that as the weather gets warmer and the days longer. We have a little over 3 months left to prepare. the time is going to go by quickly. I don't think any of us wants to be the one to climb into one of the support boats at the 3/4 mark.

What I'd like to propose is that we all keep a running diary. Just a quick post here on the time, distance, type of workout, and conditions. A little something to push each other to get out and do some extra distance each week. This is going to be a long haul. The thought of 22 miles is more than just a little daunting in my head. The extra distance work is going to be important.

I'll be putting up a training schedule on http://capecodbaychallenge.org that I'm going to try and keep that I put together with a friend that does marathon's. A gradual increase in distance each week with a 18 mile paddle a couple weeks ahead of our crossing. Proper nutrition and hydration, especially in the weeks just prior to the challenge will be important too. I don't know about the rest of you but personally I've been out of shape for a long time. I'm going to need every bit of the time available to get my weight down, muscle built, and stamina maxed.

I also thought this would be the place to share training tips and techniques, resources, etc...We also would like our fellow zoners to chime in with words of encouragement...or maybe some trash talk just to keep it honest... . It would also be a big help if some of the experienced distance paddlers could share some advice. At least it would be for this newb.

Oh...and again just to remind us all of what this is all about. The article that started this idea.

http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/travel-leisure/Our_oceans_are_turning_into_plastic_are_we.shtml

and a video the bodhi just posted on the same story
http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=1485308505

For any of you that might be interested in donating you'll find the donation form at our website
http://capecodbaychallenge.org

All proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Ocean Conservancy
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home

[stoneaxe]

This one's a couple days late but I wanted to post something to set the format somewhat.

Wednesday April 30th, 2.5 hours, 7 miles total, mild chop, surfed for 1/2 hour at mid point and then paddled 2 miles back into a 6-7 mph headwind. Glad to finally hit the beach...heavy dieting and heavy exercise don't mix well.

[bodhi]

Heres my most recent.
Thursday 5/1. 5 miles (2.5 with headwind aprox 10mph) mild chop 90 minutes. Decided to begin more abdominal exs on swiss ball with emphasis on obliques. Found that when digging into head wind I really used them...
Bought a camelback (classic) today, Found that as the distance progressed and the wind picked up I got real dry and the air temp was only around 50F...

[stoneaxe]

Somebody shoot the forecaster's. I planned on surfing today but it ended up being mostly workout.

May 4th, no idea of mileage, 3.5 hrs, started as light chop with 3 ft swell, 1 mile paddle up to the near shore break, surf was lousy due to NE wind (what happened to the 3 mph offshore?) caught a few mushy waves and then paddled back. Wind picked up to 10 mph or so, the chop to 1-2 ft and the swell jumped to 4 ft. Perfect conditions for what I call my washing machine workout... Paddle out 1/2 mile or so into the swell, chop, and headwind to the lobster pot line, turn and run with them back in....rinse and repeat....do that until your arms fall off.

My biggest worry about the challenge is the weather. We will definitely need an alternate date.

[stoneaxe]

May 6th, 2.5 hours, 6 miles, light headwind and chop 1st 2 miles,, 1 mile with a fair wind, 2 miles with a stiff offshore wind and quartering chop, last mile along the shore, no wind, riding ankle snappers to knee highs.

Hit the water late so only got 6 miles in, decided to cut the corner on my 9 mile loop and was a good thing I did since the 2 mile paddle in ended up being against a stiffening offshore breeze again. Coincidence or is this a pattern? Just made it to shore before the sun went below the horizon. Nice and flat in the lee of the beach and had some fun riding and rolling with the little swells coming in. Nice that it's still light at 8:15.

[gkona]

Damn Stonaxe, you're an animal! You keep it up and you'll have no problem with the 22 miles! I've been going on some long paddles lately as the surf has been micro and I'm definately tired after 3 or 4 hours. I'd be stoked to join you guys but that is a tough time of year for me because I'm super busy with surfschool...it's such a short season...you gotta make hay while the sun shines...but we'll see...keep up the good work.!

[stoneaxe]

Thanks for the pep talk G! I'm getting good at paddling in chop and wind but my surfing still sucks.

Yeah I know both you and Christian will be busy at that time.  Should be a busy year for standup. I've been getting all kinds of questions. How long do you stay on the island. i may come over for a long weekend in Sept/Oct.

[stoneaxe]

Anybody else having issues with Magic Seaweed's forecasts? I gotta start using something else. Convenience doesn't trump accuracy.

May 7th, 2 hrs, 2.5 miles total, 1 mile downwind in 15 mph wind...gusting to 20, seemed like it took about 5 minutes. Turned around, paddled back in the same wind, seemed like it took forever, the snails on the bottom were laughing at me.... . I need to get a watch so I can actually time these things, relying on my cell phone only gives me overall start and stop times. Finally made it back to where I started and then paddled to the lee of the cliff for some light cruising and flatwater practice. The thread discussing Leleo tombstoning and practicing his turns had me stoked and its something I need to do more of so 1/2 hour of practice it was.

I liked the upwind workout but I was actually hoping for the small surf and light practice session I had planned for tonight. Oh well.

[gkona]

Stoneaxe,

I'll be on Nantucket until Nov. most likely...come over in Sept if you get the chance!

[stoneaxe]

Saturday May 10th, no mileage, 4 hours of hard paddling and surfing in head high + and choppy conditions. One of the toughest workouts I've had. Sore to the bone.

[stoneaxe]

I think we'll likely come over in early October. I love the Cape beaches that time of year. If a warm weekend is forecast we'll jump the ferry over. I was surfing nauset last season into late October without a wetsuit.

[gkona]

The water on Nantucket is WAY warmer than the Cape!

[Weed]

You guy's get the warm Gulf Stream action but I'd say from Harwich down to Falmouth on the Nantucket Sound side the water gets warm from June to October. Chatham to P-town both sides it's cold.

[stoneaxe]

Hehe...I was in at Nauset Oct 26th last fall. Beautiful sunny fall day, no wind, air and water were both at 67. I was the only one without a wetsuit. Of course everyone else was prone so I was out of the water and generating some heat but I was getting some strange looks. Nice 4 footers coming in (not that I could do much on them then) but paddled and practiced falling in for 3 hours or so....

[Weed]

You may be right about water temp. The last time I was at Nauset was right after Hurricane Gloria. I believe we were in bathing suits although their was shrinkage.