I thought I should share this link as more than a few friends have cameos and it is an all around great video of some funny moments caught by the ICF throughout 2011.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Excellence
Post Trials I have done a bit of thinking about what it takes to be great. I found this blog post on Joe Friel's blog ( http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/09/excellence.html ). I think it sums up what it takes to be great as well as serves as a reminder on days that I am tired or distracted. I have also copied the parts I found the most relevant below:
Excellence
Excellence is not for everyone. It's far too difficult for the great majority of those who participate in sport. In fact, those who seek excellence are often ridiculed because they are different from their peers. And so it isn't easy to seek excellence either. Humans are social animals: we we don't like being outcasts. It's much easier to go along with the crowd than to stand out in a crowd. But there are athletes who pull it off, and with great aplomb. Have you ever noticed how young, pro athletes often try to give the impression that nothing about their training or dedication to the sport is unusual? They've learned to give the appearance of being "just like everyone else," even though their performance in competition tells us otherwise. Going out of their way to be laid-back is how they cope with the dilemma and help prevent others from branding them as strange.
Here's a list of some of the best predictors of excellence in sport, in their order of importance:
1. Motivation. This one is more important than all the others combined. If the athlete isn't motivated, excellence is highly unlikely. In fact, the other predictors won't even exist without motivation. This goes well beyond giving lip service to goals. The truly motivated athlete is on a mission and has a hard time keeping himself or herself in check. This person really needs a coach to pull on the reins to prevent overtraining, injury, illness and burnout. If the coach has to use a whip then it's a losing cause no matter how talented the athlete is. The coach will never give the athlete motivation. It must come from within.
2. Discipline. This is very simple. The disciplined athlete will make daily sacrifices and make due with hardships in order to excel. This person doesn't miss workouts short of a disaster. Weather is an insignificant factor. The disciplined athlete knows that the small stuff is important. He or she doesn't get sloppy with diet, recovery, equipment or anything else that has to do with goals. Discipline is not easy. Others can accept motivation, but they have a hard time dealing with people who are disciplined. You've got to make light of or even hide your discipline if you want to be accepted by your peers. Good luck here.
3. Confidence. Some people seem to live life completely with an unwavering belief in themselves and their actions. These folks are indeed rare. Few athletes don't have some concerns about how well suited they are for whatever the task at hand may be. There's a sliding scale of confidence. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. To move closer to the high-confidence end all we typically need is some success. Success breeds confidence. While it's hard to come by you can create your own. When you go to bed and after the lights are out, go back in your memories and find anything in your day's workout or related activities that was successful at any level. This could be a very small success such as feeling strong during the workout, or eating fruit instead of a cookie for a snack. Relive that small success over and over until you fall asleep. Occasionally there are big successes. The become "anchors" which you relive often and store away in a vault to be pulled out whenever you feel low confidence coming on, like in the start gate of a race. Thinking of one's successes breeds success. Success breeds confidence.
4. Focus. This could also be called purpose; the athlete knows where he or she wants to go in the sport. Daily training is a purposeful activity that will lead to excellence. Each workout (and recovery) is a small building block that eventually results in excellence. But you have to take it one step at a time, which bring us to the last predictor, patience.
5. Patience. According to Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Outliers it takes about 10,000 hours for a person to become a master of anything. Although few have ever quantified how many hours it takes, experience shows that performing at the highest level in sport takes something on the order of 10 years of serious training regardless of when you started in life. So Gladwell is probably right. There are certainly exceptions, or at least it appears that way on the surface. But when an athlete comes along who seems to go to the top right away we often find on closer examination that he or she had been developing outside of the recognized success pathways. Patience also has another level that goes beyond this long-term approach to success. This is a more immediate, daily component associated with the ability to pace appropriately early in workouts and races. Athletes who seem unable to learn this skill are less likely to be successful that those who master it.
Notice that nothing was said about innate talent, physiology, skills, or even experience in the sport. All of these things can be developed and learned if the other predictors are there. As mentioned earlier, the challenge for most of us in seeking excellence is learning how to do it without appearing to be doing so. Watch how most of the pros do it and try to emulate their apparently laissez-faire attitude. No one achieves their levels of accomplishment without being highly motivated, disciplined, focused and patient.
Excellence
Excellence is not for everyone. It's far too difficult for the great majority of those who participate in sport. In fact, those who seek excellence are often ridiculed because they are different from their peers. And so it isn't easy to seek excellence either. Humans are social animals: we we don't like being outcasts. It's much easier to go along with the crowd than to stand out in a crowd. But there are athletes who pull it off, and with great aplomb. Have you ever noticed how young, pro athletes often try to give the impression that nothing about their training or dedication to the sport is unusual? They've learned to give the appearance of being "just like everyone else," even though their performance in competition tells us otherwise. Going out of their way to be laid-back is how they cope with the dilemma and help prevent others from branding them as strange.
Here's a list of some of the best predictors of excellence in sport, in their order of importance:
1. Motivation. This one is more important than all the others combined. If the athlete isn't motivated, excellence is highly unlikely. In fact, the other predictors won't even exist without motivation. This goes well beyond giving lip service to goals. The truly motivated athlete is on a mission and has a hard time keeping himself or herself in check. This person really needs a coach to pull on the reins to prevent overtraining, injury, illness and burnout. If the coach has to use a whip then it's a losing cause no matter how talented the athlete is. The coach will never give the athlete motivation. It must come from within.
2. Discipline. This is very simple. The disciplined athlete will make daily sacrifices and make due with hardships in order to excel. This person doesn't miss workouts short of a disaster. Weather is an insignificant factor. The disciplined athlete knows that the small stuff is important. He or she doesn't get sloppy with diet, recovery, equipment or anything else that has to do with goals. Discipline is not easy. Others can accept motivation, but they have a hard time dealing with people who are disciplined. You've got to make light of or even hide your discipline if you want to be accepted by your peers. Good luck here.
3. Confidence. Some people seem to live life completely with an unwavering belief in themselves and their actions. These folks are indeed rare. Few athletes don't have some concerns about how well suited they are for whatever the task at hand may be. There's a sliding scale of confidence. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. To move closer to the high-confidence end all we typically need is some success. Success breeds confidence. While it's hard to come by you can create your own. When you go to bed and after the lights are out, go back in your memories and find anything in your day's workout or related activities that was successful at any level. This could be a very small success such as feeling strong during the workout, or eating fruit instead of a cookie for a snack. Relive that small success over and over until you fall asleep. Occasionally there are big successes. The become "anchors" which you relive often and store away in a vault to be pulled out whenever you feel low confidence coming on, like in the start gate of a race. Thinking of one's successes breeds success. Success breeds confidence.
4. Focus. This could also be called purpose; the athlete knows where he or she wants to go in the sport. Daily training is a purposeful activity that will lead to excellence. Each workout (and recovery) is a small building block that eventually results in excellence. But you have to take it one step at a time, which bring us to the last predictor, patience.
5. Patience. According to Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Outliers it takes about 10,000 hours for a person to become a master of anything. Although few have ever quantified how many hours it takes, experience shows that performing at the highest level in sport takes something on the order of 10 years of serious training regardless of when you started in life. So Gladwell is probably right. There are certainly exceptions, or at least it appears that way on the surface. But when an athlete comes along who seems to go to the top right away we often find on closer examination that he or she had been developing outside of the recognized success pathways. Patience also has another level that goes beyond this long-term approach to success. This is a more immediate, daily component associated with the ability to pace appropriately early in workouts and races. Athletes who seem unable to learn this skill are less likely to be successful that those who master it.
Notice that nothing was said about innate talent, physiology, skills, or even experience in the sport. All of these things can be developed and learned if the other predictors are there. As mentioned earlier, the challenge for most of us in seeking excellence is learning how to do it without appearing to be doing so. Watch how most of the pros do it and try to emulate their apparently laissez-faire attitude. No one achieves their levels of accomplishment without being highly motivated, disciplined, focused and patient.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
USACK Slalom Director Named
Congratulations to Richard Perlmutter!
Mr. Perlmutter was recently named the new Slalom Director for USA Canoe/Kayak. He will be a guiding light for the slalom community through his focused efforts on regional clubs, development programs, and focused fundraising. Having been involved in slalom for over a decade, with experience in every role within the organization, Mr. Perlmutter is a qualified representative of the sport.
Congratulations again Mr. Perlmutter! We look forward to four years of growth and excellence through sport!
Mr. Perlmutter was recently named the new Slalom Director for USA Canoe/Kayak. He will be a guiding light for the slalom community through his focused efforts on regional clubs, development programs, and focused fundraising. Having been involved in slalom for over a decade, with experience in every role within the organization, Mr. Perlmutter is a qualified representative of the sport.
Congratulations again Mr. Perlmutter! We look forward to four years of growth and excellence through sport!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Happy
Today I was happy. Now, I am normally a very happy person. Don't get me wrong. But I woke up this morning with a long list of things to do and just smiled. I was happy and life was light and airy. Now that is not to say that everything was in order and life made sense...it was just a good day. I started my day right away and then got in my car to run errands all the while singing to myself and smiling. I paddled...not necessarily like a rock star. In fact I struggled. And I had the same internal struggle about my life in flux that I have been having for a bit while pushing to get to the next step.
But for a moment I was content to roll the windows down, crank up the music, sing at the top of my lungs, and smile behind my sunglasses.
Days like this are amazing and rare. You should always share them.
But for a moment I was content to roll the windows down, crank up the music, sing at the top of my lungs, and smile behind my sunglasses.
Days like this are amazing and rare. You should always share them.
Monday, April 4, 2011
It's A Beautiful Morning
It is sunny, breezy, and 85 degrees here in Charlotte, NC. I can't say that I could ask for more of a perfect day to paddle, except that it is my day off and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Once again, I have been remiss in keeping up with everything that has been going on. I came back to the east coast mid-February just in time for the NOC Glacier Breaker, the US spring season opener. Since then has been a blur of training and racing. So far this spring I have raced at the NOC Glacier Breaker, Charlotte Spring Opener, and US Open. I will go so far as to say that I raced each day. I am not overly pleased with my lack of performance, but it is a process that I am learning to embrace, although I am constantly chomping at the bit to jump ahead of myself and be faster (who could ever imagine a competitive athlete wanting that?).
Most recently I hurt my left shoulder. I'm not sure how. I raced last weekend at the US Open, came home and woke up on Monday (my day off) with a very sore shoulder. I let it rest the entire week, which translated to a very high strung, antsy athlete that was sick of the treadmill. Saturday and Sunday were my first days back on the water. It felt great. I could not stop smiling or demanding perfection of myself, per usual.
The US National Team Selection Race is quickly approaching (a week and a half away). It is interesting mentally to start to realize that the day that you have trained for all spring is actually here. For me it started when the other girls began to appear on the water a little earlier this spring. Now it is that they are here to stay until everything is decided. I cannot say I am not nervous. In fact I am petrified. I am so much better in my kayak this year. Although I have backed off on the speed, I have been much better at executing. The canoe, however, is a totally different animal. I am still exploring the course and my own limits. Being so new to a canoe (as in a few months new!) I am also still learning different pieces of different skills. The doubt in my mind is whether or not I can put it all together when it counts. Here's to a hail mary and a great big smile!
Once again, I have been remiss in keeping up with everything that has been going on. I came back to the east coast mid-February just in time for the NOC Glacier Breaker, the US spring season opener. Since then has been a blur of training and racing. So far this spring I have raced at the NOC Glacier Breaker, Charlotte Spring Opener, and US Open. I will go so far as to say that I raced each day. I am not overly pleased with my lack of performance, but it is a process that I am learning to embrace, although I am constantly chomping at the bit to jump ahead of myself and be faster (who could ever imagine a competitive athlete wanting that?).
Most recently I hurt my left shoulder. I'm not sure how. I raced last weekend at the US Open, came home and woke up on Monday (my day off) with a very sore shoulder. I let it rest the entire week, which translated to a very high strung, antsy athlete that was sick of the treadmill. Saturday and Sunday were my first days back on the water. It felt great. I could not stop smiling or demanding perfection of myself, per usual.
The US National Team Selection Race is quickly approaching (a week and a half away). It is interesting mentally to start to realize that the day that you have trained for all spring is actually here. For me it started when the other girls began to appear on the water a little earlier this spring. Now it is that they are here to stay until everything is decided. I cannot say I am not nervous. In fact I am petrified. I am so much better in my kayak this year. Although I have backed off on the speed, I have been much better at executing. The canoe, however, is a totally different animal. I am still exploring the course and my own limits. Being so new to a canoe (as in a few months new!) I am also still learning different pieces of different skills. The doubt in my mind is whether or not I can put it all together when it counts. Here's to a hail mary and a great big smile!
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| These Smiles will do! Buddy, Littlest Lucy, and Me - 2011 US Open |
Monday, January 3, 2011
Happy...
New Year and Merry Christmas!
I am well aware that I am late on all of my holiday wishes for everyone, but I have just been having too much fun. Very Seriously!
I spent a fabulous Christmas with my family and my mother's family in southern New Mexico where it was constantly in the 50s.
Now that I have once again returned to Colorado to take advantage of the water, I have been snowed in for the first time in several years by feet of snow in a single night, joined heckling efforts with Coach Cathy Hearn, wiped out spread eagle style twice in the middle of the street while trying to get to the river for a practice in said snow storm, been honked at for driving slowly on ice covered roads merely because the license plate on my Dad's car is from Texas, set a new low temperature training record of -4F (a workout which all the boys conveniently decided not to attend), met some pretty awesome people - mostly the infamous little brother Billy Hearn (warning to all: we have discussed pranks and I am trying to convince him to test out several), and tried some new recipes that may have killed a few people along the way. In summary, the training of a lifetime!
I am well aware that I am late on all of my holiday wishes for everyone, but I have just been having too much fun. Very Seriously!
I spent a fabulous Christmas with my family and my mother's family in southern New Mexico where it was constantly in the 50s.
Now that I have once again returned to Colorado to take advantage of the water, I have been snowed in for the first time in several years by feet of snow in a single night, joined heckling efforts with Coach Cathy Hearn, wiped out spread eagle style twice in the middle of the street while trying to get to the river for a practice in said snow storm, been honked at for driving slowly on ice covered roads merely because the license plate on my Dad's car is from Texas, set a new low temperature training record of -4F (a workout which all the boys conveniently decided not to attend), met some pretty awesome people - mostly the infamous little brother Billy Hearn (warning to all: we have discussed pranks and I am trying to convince him to test out several), and tried some new recipes that may have killed a few people along the way. In summary, the training of a lifetime!
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| Girls Only Workout Smelter, Durango, Co: -4F Marci Cary, Catie Vuksich (Me), Cathy Hearn, Mini Hearn |
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| The boats got so covered with ice that after 31 short courses we had to call it quits. Cathy Hearn, Mini Hearn, Catie Vuksich (Me), Marci Cary |
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| Who knew it would be better to paddle bare-handed in this weather. |
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| All photo credits to Billy Hearn, self entitled Peanut Gallery and Cold Weather Heckling Support Team |
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Colorado Bound
A week ago I began the drive from Charlotte to Albuquerque. Somehow I made it through a massive southeast snow storm that brought snow to every city on my route: Asheville, Nashville, Memphis...
After a couple of wonderful days at home with Mom, I have finally made it up to Durango, CO to get back on the water. I brought out an old boat that I am planning on leaving so that I can always have one here. Yesterday was my first day back on moving water since the USNWC shut down for the winter. It was fabulous! The water was super low creating just a little bit of current, but has a great green tongue and some wonderful eddies to practice in. Making everything that much more amazing was the fact that it was snowing. Not east coast snow, but that big fluffy beautiful snow that only Colorado has. In addition to getting some moving water time in, every workout is an altitude workout (even a simple 60 minute bike ride after lifting or an easy paddle). I'm hoping to come home having made some huge gains out of the next couple of weeks.
Oh ya, Thanks Nic for letting me crash both your home and workouts! And thanks Cathy for letting me jump in as well.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
CFA: check
Yesterday was the CFA Level 1 exam. I took it. Or rather it took me...for a six hour ride of page turning while searching for a question I knew the answer to. Ok, it was not really that bad, but it was still pretty up there on my list.
The minute I took the GMAT this past September my attentions turned to the CFA Level 1 exam. My goal was to get it knocked out this December and move on to the second test in June - we will see how that pans out. So for the past two months I have been attempting to cram two years of Wharton undergrad. I will say that while the material itself is not difficult the sheer breadth of knowledge required is daunting. I have lived in the library for full days for the past months except for the occasional brain meltdown which meant that I needed a break. I even made kayaking a second priority to this studying, frustrating my training partners and coaches. But it all ended yesterday at 5pm. And I celebrated!
Once I get rid of the remnants of my celebrations it is time to train and reprioritize again.
The minute I took the GMAT this past September my attentions turned to the CFA Level 1 exam. My goal was to get it knocked out this December and move on to the second test in June - we will see how that pans out. So for the past two months I have been attempting to cram two years of Wharton undergrad. I will say that while the material itself is not difficult the sheer breadth of knowledge required is daunting. I have lived in the library for full days for the past months except for the occasional brain meltdown which meant that I needed a break. I even made kayaking a second priority to this studying, frustrating my training partners and coaches. But it all ended yesterday at 5pm. And I celebrated!
Once I get rid of the remnants of my celebrations it is time to train and reprioritize again.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Full Seam
I have been remiss in my blogging. I am sorry. Life has been a little bit crazy, but I am hoping that it will soon get even crazier.
The first repair involved the stern, which bottom drop had decided to claim since I refuse to get outrightly thrashed there anymore. In order to make this happen I needed to remove all of the seam tape holding the bow and deck of the boat together. Doing this however meant that I would be exposing a previous repair. I decided that while I was fixing the stern I should seam the entire boat. A wise tactical decision. But a poor life choice. Because I did not have much time each day to devote to this project I did it in stages. I first ground everything down. Then I patched the stern. Then came the day for the grandiose seaming project. I wanted one continuous seam up to the bow where it would meet a section of tape that was in great shape and had no reason for coming off. Long story short, in a process of trial and error I managed to develop a system for seaming the boat that was rather ingenious, if I do say so myself. However I was greatly aided by the fact that there was no sun and that it was roughly 60 degrees at the high that afternoon. What then proceeded to hurt me was that with the low temperatures I could not get the resin to kick (or rather for the chemical reaction that makes the resin hard and stiff to take place). In an attempt to not use a heat gun, which makes the resin brittle, I kept working the resin slowly. However the resin just would not kick, which meant that I could not get the seams to stay in place. Several people gave me ideas and tried to help - Thank you Paul Manning-Hunter, John Hastings, and Marian Davidson. Finally, I decided to very carefully bring the boat inside and work from there. Thank goodness I finally decided to go to bed because when I woke up I had a dry boat with brand new seams to paddle for the last two days of whitewater.
Normally I love to do boat repair. It is a meticulous process with many different answers to a problem. Everyone has their own way and little tricks that are extremely interesting and when all put together create an awesome knowledge of how to use power tools - or not. Having raked peoples' brains about repairs each time I have to do one myself I believe I can safely say that I repair boats infinitely better than I paddle them. Which might also be a result of all the practice I have been getting in repairing my boats. Regardless, I wish the process of seaming an entire boat on no one. Moral of the story: Appreciate your seams. Keep them in tact.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Fall
It is officially fall. When I say officially I do not mean that we are long past Labor Day or that Halloween is right around the corner. I mean that I now have to think about what layers I am going to wear paddling, when the whitewater is going to be on, and when it is going to be light and warm enough to get effective work in. It also means the birth of creativity and technical perfectionism. So begins the cycle again...
This fall, this video is my inspiration!
2010 World Champ Canoe Slalom Daniele Molmenti
This fall, this video is my inspiration!
2010 World Champ Canoe Slalom Daniele Molmenti
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| North Carolina Fall. PC Marian Davidson |
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Home Sweet Home
A few days after the US National Championships I flew home to Colorado: my home sweet home. I came home to not only see my family, but also to reevaluate and refresh.
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| Both photos were captured just outside of Lake City, Colorado. My heaven on Earth. |
When I got here my Mom gave me the biggest hug ever: I LOVE you Mom! The first thing I did after being smothered was take a big, long, deep breath of air. Not the city, east coast, humid air. But the good, clean, fresh western mountain air. I was home. Finally. For the first time in a year. Mom and I definitely had our bonding time: working out, reading, running errands, and seeing all of the people that I haven't seen for the past year. It was wonderful.
I have found that it is extremely important for me to take a couple of weeks throughout the year to get out of my boat and enjoy other things. These breaks allow me to unwind both mentally and physically. This year was especially important. I came home fresh off a race and having taken the GMAT. I am also regearing to take the CFA (I will fill you in on that a little later) and head into winter training. For now though, coming home was enough. I loved it and can't believe I'm not staying. Such is life, but I will come home again to stay one day.
I have found that it is extremely important for me to take a couple of weeks throughout the year to get out of my boat and enjoy other things. These breaks allow me to unwind both mentally and physically. This year was especially important. I came home fresh off a race and having taken the GMAT. I am also regearing to take the CFA (I will fill you in on that a little later) and head into winter training. For now though, coming home was enough. I loved it and can't believe I'm not staying. Such is life, but I will come home again to stay one day.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
GMAT/US Nationals
A crazy week of paddling and life has come and gone and I have failed to fill in the gaps. My apologies for being delinquent.
Last week was a whirlwind in my attempt at taking steps forward in life. I have been studying for the GMAT for a very long time. Many different things side tracked my studying and I finally laid down the law and told myself that I could not leave for GauleyFest until I had taken the test and aced it. As it turns out, bureaucracy and red tape prevented me from even taking the test before GauleyFest, so I made the executive decision to stay home and study. I took the GMAT on Monday! And did miserably. Well, miserably depends on your standards. I received a score many would kill for, but am still not satisfied.
Tuesday, Marian and I packed up and drove to DC - four slalom boats strapped to the roof with possibly more surface area than her little Honda. Training at the DC Dickerson course was amazing. The water there is unique and caught me completely off guard on Wednesday morning. I think the course plays to many of my strengths as a paddler including demanding high speed, constant movement, and a forward lean that originates from the hips. But to the more exciting part: the race. I did horribly, but had a blast. I raced both a kayak and a canoe. Definitely a first time for everything. Thanks to Nate and Jac for letting Marian and I crash on the floor for an entire week.
And now I am home in Colorado enjoying the mountains and some much needed time with my family.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
Or rather hips, knees, and toes. I have a general question to everyone for which I would love to hear opinions, thoughts, crazy ideas, you name it.
As paddlers we know that at our best we are able to separate our upper and lower bodies and allow them to work independently, yet in tandem. Our upper body control comes from our core. But where does our lower body control come from? Does it come from your hips? Knees? Or Feet?
This thought came about when my training partner, Marian Davidson, was watching me do a set of short courses. After the workout she noted that I exclusively use my hips to control my lower body and guide my boat. There was no judgment passed, just an observation made. She also told me that she uses her knees and that most people she has watched tend to use their knees as well.
I have never thought about this concept before. I had merely separated the two parts of my body. Now that I think about it however, when I am kayaking I do guide the boat with my hips. But when I am in my canoe my knees are in control. I have talked about this topic with a couple of people, but would love to hear what other people have to say. What else is fall training for if not to experiment with new techniques and ideas?
So let me know what you think even if it is just something interesting to play with for a few weeks.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
USNWC/WK Pro-Am Hometown Throwndown for First Descents
Thanks to Chris Wing and H2O Dreams for putting together some amazing video from the Pro-Am Hometown Throwndown for First Descents.
http://worldkayakblogs.com/throwdown/2010/09/06/h2o-dreams-pro-am-video/
Everyone should also check out the First Descents website - http://www.firstdescents.org/ They are an awesome organization "committed to curing young adults of the emotional effects of cancer and empowering them to regain control of their lives by experiencing outdoor adventure therapy through kayaking, rock climbing and other outdoor adventure sports."
http://worldkayakblogs.com/throwdown/2010/09/06/h2o-dreams-pro-am-video/
Everyone should also check out the First Descents website - http://www.firstdescents.org/ They are an awesome organization "committed to curing young adults of the emotional effects of cancer and empowering them to regain control of their lives by experiencing outdoor adventure therapy through kayaking, rock climbing and other outdoor adventure sports."
Back to Basics
And the sheer love of the sport! In the last month, I ran two of the quintessential south eastern rivers: the Ocoee and the New. And I had the most fun I have had in a boat in a very long time.
When I first learned to kayak out in Colorado all I wanted to do was run rivers. I chased the adrenaline and loved it. I pushed myself to get better as fast as possible. I pushed so hard that I went far above my skill level and paid for it. I ran Todd's Slot on the Taylor River and ended up upside down. A number of logical thoughts went through my head about what was going on and I decided to swim out immediately. I was quickly washed face first into an undercut boulder. I panicked. I had hit my legs so hard on something before getting slammed into the rock that I could not use them. As the saying goes, I pulled myself out by tooth and nail. As I pulled myself on top of this boulder I realized I was sitting in the middle of the river with no way to get out. I remember just crying. And crying. And crying. I am aware that most of us have had some type of scare at one point or another and that mine is not unique or special in the slightest. What it did however was teach me to have a great respect for the river and undercuts.
When I started racing I did not have to worry about any of these things. The consequences when training may be painful, but not life threatening. Having done nothing but race for the past two years I had put my Todd's Slot experience away. I heard friends talk about their experiences running rivers, but I was content to focus on my technical skills at the whitewater center.
Several weeks ago, Joel McCune asked if I wanted to go run the New River with the Davidson Outdoors group. I quickly jumped on the opportunity due to the fact that I trust Joel in a boat more than I trust the majority of people with two feet solidly planted on the ground. As I started driving up to the river with Joel and his girlfriend Em I began to recall my mistrust of rivers and extreme dislike of undercuts. That coupled with the knowledge that east coast rivers are riddled with undercuts did nothing for my confidence.
We all put on the river, Joel and I in slalom boats and the others in a mix of plastic play boats and a raft. I was a wreck for the first several rapids, which were really just big wave trains. By the middle of the river I was enjoying myself. I was reading and running everything in sight, playing in every eddy I could catch and enjoying the wide open space of a natural river with big water and waves. I had a blast! I even enjoyed just floating for the sheer sake of enjoying the pace of the water.
Two weeks ago I managed to get off work the day after the Hometown Throwdown and drive up to the Ocoee with another group of friends. This time I took a playboat and enjoyed bopping down the river with no fear of rocks. When we got to Hell Hole, which I had never seen, I thought it was the first wave. I did a spin on top of it and was totally disappointed. I then looked over my shoulder just before I was grabbed by the actual hole and thrown down in for a massive surf. LOVED IT!
I think these experiences count as a welcome back to the world of river running for me. Not only have I loved every second of it, but I am working on getting on more rivers just to enjoy them and, since my racer nature cannot completely be erased, use the natural features to learn new things. River running is where we all started so why not go back to it every once in a while to remember why we love what we do everyday. And for that matter, why not love what you do everyday – I do!
When I first learned to kayak out in Colorado all I wanted to do was run rivers. I chased the adrenaline and loved it. I pushed myself to get better as fast as possible. I pushed so hard that I went far above my skill level and paid for it. I ran Todd's Slot on the Taylor River and ended up upside down. A number of logical thoughts went through my head about what was going on and I decided to swim out immediately. I was quickly washed face first into an undercut boulder. I panicked. I had hit my legs so hard on something before getting slammed into the rock that I could not use them. As the saying goes, I pulled myself out by tooth and nail. As I pulled myself on top of this boulder I realized I was sitting in the middle of the river with no way to get out. I remember just crying. And crying. And crying. I am aware that most of us have had some type of scare at one point or another and that mine is not unique or special in the slightest. What it did however was teach me to have a great respect for the river and undercuts.
When I started racing I did not have to worry about any of these things. The consequences when training may be painful, but not life threatening. Having done nothing but race for the past two years I had put my Todd's Slot experience away. I heard friends talk about their experiences running rivers, but I was content to focus on my technical skills at the whitewater center.
Several weeks ago, Joel McCune asked if I wanted to go run the New River with the Davidson Outdoors group. I quickly jumped on the opportunity due to the fact that I trust Joel in a boat more than I trust the majority of people with two feet solidly planted on the ground. As I started driving up to the river with Joel and his girlfriend Em I began to recall my mistrust of rivers and extreme dislike of undercuts. That coupled with the knowledge that east coast rivers are riddled with undercuts did nothing for my confidence.
We all put on the river, Joel and I in slalom boats and the others in a mix of plastic play boats and a raft. I was a wreck for the first several rapids, which were really just big wave trains. By the middle of the river I was enjoying myself. I was reading and running everything in sight, playing in every eddy I could catch and enjoying the wide open space of a natural river with big water and waves. I had a blast! I even enjoyed just floating for the sheer sake of enjoying the pace of the water.
Two weeks ago I managed to get off work the day after the Hometown Throwdown and drive up to the Ocoee with another group of friends. This time I took a playboat and enjoyed bopping down the river with no fear of rocks. When we got to Hell Hole, which I had never seen, I thought it was the first wave. I did a spin on top of it and was totally disappointed. I then looked over my shoulder just before I was grabbed by the actual hole and thrown down in for a massive surf. LOVED IT!
I think these experiences count as a welcome back to the world of river running for me. Not only have I loved every second of it, but I am working on getting on more rivers just to enjoy them and, since my racer nature cannot completely be erased, use the natural features to learn new things. River running is where we all started so why not go back to it every once in a while to remember why we love what we do everyday. And for that matter, why not love what you do everyday – I do!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Hometown Throwdown
If you are not from Charlotte or a USNWC regular you may not have heard of the World Kayak Hometown Throwdowns. They are a series of fun kayak competitions held to bring the kayaking community together and introduce people to the sport. This past weekend was my first throwdown.
I was convinced by Chris Wing, an instructor at the USNWC, that getting off of work to compete in a freestyle competition was the thing I needed to do this past Saturday. I was hesitant at first because a) I was supposed to be working, and b) I had never tried to playboat before. I will say however that I love to surf! There are few things better than sliding down the face of a glassy wave or simply carving edges back and forth on something smaller. Needless to say I got off of work, showed up at the center early and a did slalom workout, then met up with Chris for a little coaching.
The way World Kayak has the competitions set up is awesome. Everyone is encouraged to participate. They keep the competition light by giving points out for everything, including front surfs, paddle waves, and window shades - my favorite. In this particular competition each amateur was paired with a pro to create a team. The pros were scored according to international rules while the amateurs were scored according to having fun - anything remotely like a move got points. My team consisted of Chris Wing, Marian Davidson, and myself. Each competitor gets three 45 second rides - or time to play on the wave and throw tricks.
While Chris was throwing huge tricks and being generally awesome and Marian was surfing and spinning away, my competition went about like this:
Fergus Cofey (the announcer): Catie it is your turn in the hole.
Fergus Cofey: Catie I think you have to get in the hole to play on it. And there she goes. Catie is one of our local slalom paddl.....
Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle
Huge Cheers
Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle
Huge Cheers
Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle
Huge Cheers and a Sigh of relief from me
What that actually translates into is three consective power shades in which I apparently did some sort of actual trick that I will never be able to repeat followed by me finally rolling up and cursing myself for rolling up so fast that I stayed in the hole and had to immediately start surfing again.
But I must admit I had the largest grin on my face!
While I may love the speed and dynamicism I gain from my slalom boat the sheer enjoyment of playing in a hole was amazing! Chris swore that the moment I tried I would be hooked and convert. I'm not quite sure on the converting part, but I will say I am hooked!
While each of us may have a specialty there is something to be said for switching it up every once in a while and enjoying different things. Not only can new things be fun, but there is a lot to be learned from them. It can break old habits, force you to focus more, and even totally remove you from your comfort zone. Although I may not playboat everyday from here on out, I do know that I will jump at the chance to participate in another Hometown Throwdown and playboat anytime someone wants to go out.
Thanks to Chris Wing for his patience this weekend. While I only managed to powerflip every time he asked me to work on something, I had a great time!
I was convinced by Chris Wing, an instructor at the USNWC, that getting off of work to compete in a freestyle competition was the thing I needed to do this past Saturday. I was hesitant at first because a) I was supposed to be working, and b) I had never tried to playboat before. I will say however that I love to surf! There are few things better than sliding down the face of a glassy wave or simply carving edges back and forth on something smaller. Needless to say I got off of work, showed up at the center early and a did slalom workout, then met up with Chris for a little coaching.
The way World Kayak has the competitions set up is awesome. Everyone is encouraged to participate. They keep the competition light by giving points out for everything, including front surfs, paddle waves, and window shades - my favorite. In this particular competition each amateur was paired with a pro to create a team. The pros were scored according to international rules while the amateurs were scored according to having fun - anything remotely like a move got points. My team consisted of Chris Wing, Marian Davidson, and myself. Each competitor gets three 45 second rides - or time to play on the wave and throw tricks.
While Chris was throwing huge tricks and being generally awesome and Marian was surfing and spinning away, my competition went about like this:
Fergus Cofey (the announcer): Catie it is your turn in the hole.
Fergus Cofey: Catie I think you have to get in the hole to play on it. And there she goes. Catie is one of our local slalom paddl.....
Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle
Huge Cheers
Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle
Huge Cheers
Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle
Huge Cheers and a Sigh of relief from me
What that actually translates into is three consective power shades in which I apparently did some sort of actual trick that I will never be able to repeat followed by me finally rolling up and cursing myself for rolling up so fast that I stayed in the hole and had to immediately start surfing again.
But I must admit I had the largest grin on my face!
While I may love the speed and dynamicism I gain from my slalom boat the sheer enjoyment of playing in a hole was amazing! Chris swore that the moment I tried I would be hooked and convert. I'm not quite sure on the converting part, but I will say I am hooked!
While each of us may have a specialty there is something to be said for switching it up every once in a while and enjoying different things. Not only can new things be fun, but there is a lot to be learned from them. It can break old habits, force you to focus more, and even totally remove you from your comfort zone. Although I may not playboat everyday from here on out, I do know that I will jump at the chance to participate in another Hometown Throwdown and playboat anytime someone wants to go out.
Thanks to Chris Wing for his patience this weekend. While I only managed to powerflip every time he asked me to work on something, I had a great time!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
I Will Pay the First Volunteer to do My Outfitting!
I am absolutely covered in foam pieces. Head to Toe. The dog has taken to sneakily stealing good pieces of foam and devouring them bit by bit all over the yard. Awesome! Did I mention the dog decided to also dig a hole in the front yard and chase a car up the street? Oh ya. He did. And the neighbors are giving me the hairy eye ball for a) being a weirdo in a boat on the lawn - not to mention one with a huge Tasmanian devil on it, and b) letting some of the foam particles blow in their yard. Sorry. For everyone out there laughing at me...I'm laughing right along with you. I wish I had gotten my camera out before the whole thing started so that I could have documented it all. It was epic!
I knew that outfitting a canoe was hard. I knew it was tedious and very detailed. What I did not bargain for was sitting their desperately trying to get rid of the outer skin for hours so that the glue will hold better. And further more the mess that I would eventually have to try and clean up afterwards.
To make a longer story short, I am using Joel McCune’s old C1 to work on a few of the things I highlighted in Europe as key weak points: balance, leaning on the paddle, and learning effective and minimalist stroke timing and placement, and a multitude of others. My hope is that by forcing myself to relearn to paddle in a C1 that I can effectively focus on building good habits and reforming bad ones.
I will keep you updated on my progress. At this juncture I predict a mass quantity of comedy for onlookers and interesting encounters for myself.
Monday, July 26, 2010
A Paddler's Recipe
Traveling in Europe I had the opportunity to watch many different people from all over the world paddle, live, travel, and eat. One of the most interesting things that I have found is that a person’s paddling style is usually reflected in their cooking inspirations. This does not mean that if a person is an amazing cook that they will be an amazing racer. But rather that the process of cooking and eating can be strikingly similar to the training and racing process.
While everyone has their own style and personality that comes out in cooking as in paddling there are many different ways to reach the end goal of edible food and the finish line. For some the answer is to get there as fast as possible because they are driven by the need for immediate gratification and hunger. From personal experience, I grab the first thing in the pantry that either does not require cooking or can be quickly heated in the microwave. I will admit that while I am no longer hungry, there was little creativity involved in the process and I probably did not eat healthy food. In that same vein, when I am in that mode on the water getting from gate to gate on the shortest line possible is my focus, however like with food, not necessarily the best option.
 |
| Mom and I enjoying amazing ice cream at Gerbeaud while exploring Budapest: the quintessential immediate gratification! |
On the opposite end of the spectrum is cooking organically to create a fresh and unique meal. For me this process normally involves a pile of random fresh ingredients that get combined in different ways. I began to discover this process while in France living and cooking with Nic Borst and Caroline Queen. On the water this style of paddling seems to manifest itself in athletes reading the water and using its natural properties to do most of the work. This creativity has a caveat as well. While the product is never what you originally expect, half the time it is horrible and a quarter of the time it is inedible and takes forever to create.
I spent a lot of time in France learning how to cook and worrying that my roommates wouldn’t be able to eat the food that eventually came out of the pan. What I learned is that there is a healthy and productive medium between the two styles. Hungry people and racers want the best results in the fastest time, but know that truly good things take time and patience. While coaching in France I spent less time worrying about the stopwatch and focused on how the athletes were solving the gate combinations we gave them. The fastest line was always the one that used the natural qualities of the water while keeping as close to the straight line as possible. For me this realization means that my love of playing and learning by playing will continue for a long time to come. But I will be looking at the water that I race on very differently.
Stop and smell the roses. Or cook yourself a good dinner every once in a while. I promise you will love it!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
New Found Respect
I have paddled almost every day for the past two years. Last Thursday was the first time I got back in my boat after my two-month trip to Europe. Holy Shnikes! That about sums up the reaction of my nervous system and muscles.
While I was in Europe I knew that I would come home out of shape. What I did not plan on happening, especially after spending the entire time coaching others and learning so much through watching, was to come back and be so shaky. I felt like I was learning to paddle all over again! I was stern happy and catching edges all over the place. I could not control my angles for the life of me. And my new paddle– now a long straight shaft instead of the previous short bent shaft – threw me for the biggest loop.
While relearning to paddle is a daunting task, there is a bright side. After being out of the boat so long my paddling is purely instinctual. It has given me a chance to go back to my personal habits and reevaluate what I need to focus on and make new habits of.
I have also found a new respect for the other paddlers that I train with. What we do is hard. It is hard fitness wise. My muscles are screaming at me. It is hard technically. I can’t seem to control my boat right now. It is hard mentally. Realizing how much I have to work on and doing it from what feels like the very beginning is daunting.
While my new found respect is showing me how hard my goals really are to achieve and my old habits are showing their true colors I am excited to step up to the challenge. This should be an interesting end to summer training.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Trip of a Lifetime
Sitting on the floor of the Prague Airport waiting to check in to my flight, I realize my trip is coming to a close. In less than 17 hours I will be back in the United States; in less than 24 hours I will be back in Charlotte, NC.
Eight Weeks. Ten Countries: Andorra, Bosnia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Spain, Turkey. Countless cities and adventures. Family. Best friends and new friends. It started out as a return to family heritage and ended as a paddling extravaganza. When my dad planned this trip over a year ago, he referred to it as “The Trip of a Lifetime.” He was more right than he will ever know!
I have never been on a trip quite like this and I don’t know that I ever will again.
The thought of going home is comically surreal after two months. Not that I wont get home, see my bed, and thank goodness that I finally made it right before collapsing for a long nap, but rather that it feels like just another temporary stop on this crazy trip. Forgive me in advance for philosophizing, but I believe life, like this trip, is a series of momentary stops. Staying in one place too long is not good. And getting lost is a distinct possibility.
Eight Weeks. Ten Countries: Andorra, Bosnia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Spain, Turkey. Countless cities and adventures. Family. Best friends and new friends. It started out as a return to family heritage and ended as a paddling extravaganza. When my dad planned this trip over a year ago, he referred to it as “The Trip of a Lifetime.” He was more right than he will ever know!
I have never been on a trip quite like this and I don’t know that I ever will again.
The thought of going home is comically surreal after two months. Not that I wont get home, see my bed, and thank goodness that I finally made it right before collapsing for a long nap, but rather that it feels like just another temporary stop on this crazy trip. Forgive me in advance for philosophizing, but I believe life, like this trip, is a series of momentary stops. Staying in one place too long is not good. And getting lost is a distinct possibility.
Thank you Dad for the Trip of a Lifetime!
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