Training turns toward water

I’m back in the country after being overseas for work last week, but managed to stay on track with my training.

I made it to the gym twice whilst in England last week and then hit my neighborhood gym again Friday night night when I returned home.  So I got in 3 solid workouts in 5 days.

Today I hit my local reservoir for some on-water training for a 14-mile workout paddle.  It was very windy and choppy and the 5-mile bridge that typically takes me between 48-52 minutes to hit outbound took me 1:06.  In my mind it took forever.

To add to the low morale, I met a goose who hissed at me as I passed her nesting area.

I hate geese who hiss at me.

It was very good for training in a new boat, though.

It tested my balance and comfort and rather than giving up and turning around I paddled a little outside my comfort zone and experienced wind gusts that caught me by surprise and forced me to low angle paddling with bracing strokes.  I kept going and eventually made it the entire length of the South Rivanna Reservoir.  I relaxed and took a break at the deep hole where the Mormans River feeds the reservoir,  and then turned around to head back after chatting with some canoeists for a while.

I thought I might make it back in record time, but the wind died down significantly on the return and then I decided to paddle up Ivy Creek for just a bit.

It was a very good workout and helped me get even more comfortable with new boat.