When you go out for a paddle, how far do you go? How long are you out?

[SUPmission]

Somewhere between 6 to 12 miles depending on time / weekday v weekend

[Wetstuff]

Wow,  I am amazed at some of your endurance.  Like tw, I go out for about a 1hr 'grind' and end up well satisfied with that. 

Jim

[blueplanetsurf]

For training I highly recommend doing shorter distances/ interval training and focus on speed rather than distance.  If you only do long distances you will improve your endurance but not necessarily your speed. 

That said, long distance paddling is a lot of fun and good for your body and soul.  The furthest we paddled in one day was 47 miles from Kailua to Ko Olina as part of a 3 day trip around Oahu. 
http://zenwaterman.blogspot.com/2013/03/paddling-around-oahu-124-miles-in-3-days.html

[piece of 8]

   During late spring to early fall I'll do my Plymouth Harbor loop of around 7-8 miles, 3 days a week, in under a couple hours. Occasionally with more time, I'll do a 14 mile run to Duxbury and back. I go other places to paddle and I'll also surf whenever possible during that time from 2 hours to 6-8 hours with a few breaks, depending on conditions and the stoke factor.
   The longest I've paddled is 34 -37 miles for the CCBC taking anywhere from 12 to 13 plus hours depending on conditions.

[covesurfer]

For flat water, 6 to 9 miles is a good solid paddle for me. That's about an hour and 15 minutes to just under 2 hours. Depending on the time of year, I'll do this distance between two and six days/week. Right now, it's on the lighter side but it's almost time to start upping to at least 3 days a week of flat water distance. I like using my 14' race board for those paddles but like PB said, paddling a surf board can be really beneficial for your technique.

Downwinders are an hour to an hour forty minutes and during peak season (5 or even 6 months/year), if the conditions are good, I might do as many as 3 in a day. Mostly, I'll just do two. I was doing a ton of downwinders in the Gorge last summer, some for work (guiding/coaching) but mostly they were for fun. On the 'fun' runs I was going fast but even on teaching paddles I found the balancing workout to be fantastic. You don't have to be hammering to get benefits from paddling.

I found that my paddle fitness got very high from doing higher mileage but it's time consuming. Especially if it involves shuttling. It is harder for me to motivate to spend more than an hour or hour and a half paddling if it's just flat water distance vs down winding.

What I lack for in distance and time I kind of make up for with consistency - usually paddle something (downwind, distance or surf) nearly every day. If there is surf, I'll stay out 2 to 3 hours. That is an incredible workout I find.



 

[mrbig]

I go every day. From 45 minutes in the lake behind my house to 3 hours on Pleasant Bay. If there is surf here I go. Not as long now - snow squall today! My flatwater is slow, not a racer!

[sup_surf_giant]

I've done a 3 hr 10 mile jaunt, but mostly do hour runs due to children.

[teamalty]

  OK, six bathtubs and two ironing board enduring the frigid conditions on the lake today, and note, board shorts and bikinis are not an option. Smile. OK, back to an interesting theme that is purely individual. Why one puts in the miles/time has too many variables. Mine is simple because I'm basically retired, still put in the miles when I wasn't, and the weather and Lake conditions are never THAT tough that one couldn't go out.

  We maintain a year around race-prep training program: two interval days, two rest/paddle days, one/two distance days, and one TT day this time of the year. No races until late January. A minimum of one and a half hours to two and a half hours is the norm. Today was an interval day: five 1x1, four 2x2, five 1x1, and two five on five offs in one and a half hours.

  With my wife retiring this year, we get out most every day, missing my two-a-days, and my miles and races are down from last year. The 323 paddling days, 20 races and 2830 miles are well short of my 10.3 mpd average from last year. I know, there's still time left.

  Anyway, I'm glad to read there are others enjoying our outstanding sport and taking advantage of the many opportunities afforded us. Smile.