I just cannot help myself

  First of all there is one thing that I have to mention that I did not get round to writing in my last post. I have signed myself up for another gruelling endurance event next year. I just cannot seem to help myself! This is the DW canoe race. It all started with this message being posted on the Chiltern Tri Facebook page by one of the members;

  "Anyone like paddling (as in kayaks!) Or fancy trying it? A few of us are planning to take part in the Devizes to Westminster canoe race next year. The more, the merrier! It's a 125 mile paddling marathon, held over Easter weekend every year. There are a number of categories and ways to do it, but the proper race involves double canoes/kayaks and at least 24 hours of paddling, with locks, currents and tides to contend with. It will require lots of training and preparation. Who's up for it?". I was the first to reply with "I'm always up for a challenge. Tell me more". A coach of the event explains in more detail, "The Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race: described as the Longest, hardest and most challenging non-stop Canoe Race in the world. It is 125miles long and has 77 Portages, it is on a Canal River and Tidal Water it goes overnight and just to add a bit more flavour, it is held at Easter, which is not the most ideal time for weather and water conditions". It is a massive challenge, dangerous and involves tough training, how could I of all people say no?

  After registering my interest we had a small collection of people. But more importantly I needed a partner. Although Dan and I don't have the same interest in triathlon I knew that this event would appeal to him. He had seen I had registered my interest on Facebook so knew what I was on about when I asked him if he wanted to team up with me. His first reaction was to question me about how I would be able to train for such an event as well as an Ironman and a channel swim. My response was that it would aid the strength in my arms and core as well as being physically demanding so would be beneficial towards the Ironman. Anyway, I had planted the seed and when I next asked him he was getting excited about it. I told the group that I would be doing it with my boyfriend. This solved many problems for me. First of all there are race goals. I knew that in any event I do I want to do my best and this is true for Dan. I also knew that he was a good kayaker and you only have to look at the size of his arm muscles to know that (I can see his head expanding already upon writing that comment). I have done a fair bit of kayaking in the past and I loved it. It was also something I was quite good at. With these things in mind I knew we would want to be in a racing kayak for the event as opposed to a canoe. Secondly due to my shifts and the many events I sign myself up for on weekends, training would normally have to be done during the day mid-week which is unsuitable for many people. Therefore, the convenience is that Dan and I can go and train together when we can. It is really exciting for me as I have always wanted to involve Dan in my events and this way he can actually compete as opposed to just watch me. This is something my parents seem happy we are doing as well, I suppose for once it’s not all about me?

   There are a lot of logistical things that need to be sorted before the event, such as getting a support crew. They have to be on hand throughout the 20-30hours of the race and need to be able to get between each lock quicker than we can paddle it. Another more urgent issue however, is that we need a kayak and with that somewhere to store it. Dan and I unfortunately don't have the luxury of space in our flat so a hard race kayak will not fit anywhere. With that in mind we are looking into getting an inflatable one that is easy to transport and suitable to use for training. If and when we need to upgrade this to a rigid kayak for the event we shall do so closer to the time or potentially rent one for the race itself.

  There is a lot that we have to work out in regards to kit, rules and training but it is an exciting event to be involved in. It will add another skill to my physical fitness and that is an exciting prospect. We will also have some kayak coaching at some point so that we are able to deal with a capsize and be able to navigate the 77 locks there are throughout the course. There will be a lot of cold and wet training schedules for the next 11 months including night paddles and long days getting used to the burn of kayaking but that is what makes a challenge such an achievement. I'm sure there will be an update on our progress in the next few posts. We are having our first paddle on Sunday so fingers crossed it goes well.

  Back to Ironman training. Last Thursday (4th April) I managed to get enough energy and will power to go for a run in my lunch break. I have been reluctant to do this again as it always seems like a rush trying to cram a run and a shower into an hour. I had tried before to do 10 minutes, see where I get and turn around but didn't like that strategy, it felt like I had not completed a workout as there was no complete route as such. However today I felt that despite the bitter cold and potential snow I should do the 3.5mile route I first did with Andy, especially as I was working with a shift partner that day who did not mind me being a little over an hour if I obviously returned the favour. I decided to do the route the other way round to make it a little different and felt comfortable throughout the run. Just over half way through it began to pour down with snow. On the home straight I could barely see where I was going with the snow pounding in my eyes. Despite this I was enjoying myself and felt like I could go on forever. When I got back the zip on my jacket was frozen but I had done the route in 32minutes which I was happy with. I had in fact picked up the pace when the weather got worse partly due to my head thinking I was too physically comfortable and needed to get out of that zone to improve and partly because I had something else to think about (navigating my way back with no barely any vision). I was so pleased I made myself go for the run and although I felt my ankle pain come back slightly it gave me a lot more confidence in my run ability which was a good thing with my first triathlon of the season on Sunday.

  On Friday it was my half-Ironman swim time trial (1900metres). Although being late and eating a mere 25minutes before getting in the pool (something I definitely do not recommend) I was pleased with my time of 34.09. I did however know instantly I could make that better, hopefully under the 30minute mark soon enough. Furthermore, my 400m split was 6.57 which I was also pleased with especially considering during those 16 lengths I felt like my dinner was going to come up.

  I couldn't believe it when I was told to stop swimming. When I swim alone and do the 80 lengths that makes up this distance it feels like a lot longer, and after looking at my time it obviously takes longer as I was roughly 6 minutes faster! It proves that a little competition goes a long way. During the time trial I seemed to go on autopilot. I began counting the lengths in my head like I do when I'm alone so I knew where I was even though someone was counting for me, but I quickly forgot where I was as I began thinking about how to overtake the person in front and daydreaming about this, that and the other. It was as if after 10 lengths I went to sleep and woke up half an hour later to be told I was finished. I was in shock and would have carried on to complete the Ironman distance had I not have been late entering the pool.

  On a further note I got an email on Friday telling me that it was 16 days to the London Marathon. I have become so obsessed in the toughness of my Ironman goal that I have forgotten how tough a marathon on its' is. The only way I am going to be brought back to reality is on the 21st April, as nothing will jolt the pain I felt the last time I did it. I know a marathon is a tough endurance event, something that many people will never do, but my head is so focussed on an Ironman being the toughest that a marathon just seems subliminal. This may anger some people and make me sound arrogant but that is the way my head is thinking. I know in head and in my fitness that a marathon is possible, what I am trying to do now is challenge the 'impossible'. I know that once I finish the bike leg on the Ironman and even the half-Ironman I will get round the run. Although the run is my weakest discipline I am not worried or fazed by it. The run, even though it is a marathon is my home stretch. Maybe I will feel differently on April the 22nd?