Back on the H2O

Yesterday I was back on the water for 10x500m. The sun was shining and the temperature was in the mid 40s so beautiful day for a workout. The intervals felt a lot better this week, I was focusing on a strong core and good leg drive. My times were slow but I feel I made progress on technique so eventually the speed will come. By focusing on core strength in the boat I realized how important it is to develop core stability off the water with physio ball workouts and balance drills, I knew this before but it really sunk in after this workout!

Snowing

Its snowing again in OKC, making training outside a little tricky. The snow comes at a good time though, my forearms decided to explode over the last few days tightening up so bad that paddling or lifting anything has become very difficult. Now I am up for a few days of cross training to try and get them to calm down so that I can get back to some quality time on the water.

USA Indoor kayak Championships

The Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation and KayakPro USA present the first every U.S Indoor Kayak Championships. Compete in 500 and 200m events. This event is open to junior men and women and open weight men and women. The fastest overall male and female in the 500m event will win a kayak ergometer courtesy of Kayakpro. Registration is due on Monday, Feb 15.
Schedule of Events
8am-Athlete registration
9:30- 500m heats
11:30 -500m final
1:30- 200m heats
3:30- 200m finals
4:30 -Awards
-For more information contact Shaun Caven scaven@okcbf.org
405-535-9311

Cross training camp overview

The 2 week long cross training camp in Lake Placid was amazing. Wake up, eat breakfast, Ski 60-120min, eat lunch, nap for an hour (if lucky), ski again or do weight training possibly do both, session 3 game (inside) or go skating, oooops can't forget dinner, now fall into bed, I believe that covers the basics of training camp life at the OTC.
The conditions were perfect, it snowed everyday and each morning there were fresh tracks and corduroy for 50km. The temperatures remained sane and in the teen for most of the time which kept the folks from the south from completely freezing.
All and all I cant wait to go back to camp next year!

Lake Placid Cross Training Camp

Lake Placid, NY is an awesome place to train in all year round but I have a soft spot for the area in the winter. Over the next two weeks the USA sprint and Slalom Canoe/Kayak teams are coming together at the Lake Placid OTC for an intensive cross training camp involving skiing, speed skating, weight training, gym games and anything else are coaches can think of.
We started of the camp with an easy 2hrs ski this morning/orientation session for those folks who had never been on snow. This afternoon will be an hour of 4 v 4 soccer in the gym. So we're off to a great start.

OKC Blizzard

Oklahoma city was hit by a massive blizzard on Christmas Eve stranding many people on the roads and in the airport for the holiday.
I left work around 11:30am and made it to my apartment and hour later (its a 20min drive). All flights out were canceled so Jen and I spent the Holiday snowed in in Oklahoma. We did get to have a Christmas dinner at a friends house today which was really nice.
The weather and snow conditions today would have been perfect for skiing alas my skies are in ME.
Hope everyone had a very happy holiday!

ICE

The river had a thin coat of ice on it the other day so we were forced indoors to the pool. Now I love the water with a passion but its a bit more specific then that, I should say I love being ON the water. Notice the emphasis on the ON not the in. Well this morning I was in the water swimming laps in a pool, I have a rather difficult issue with swimming because I get motion sick, don't laugh its true. I solved that today by popping a few Dramamine before practice and it worked I didn't feel sick! While this did nothing to improve the quality of my session I felt much better and will live to tackle the pool again another day.