Take a Clinic

I’ll actually be giving a clinic at the Carolina Cup with Jimmy Terrell when this gets posted, but that’s not the reason I’m suggesting you take a clinic.  I simply think that if you’re really serious about becoming the best you can be in this sport it’s worth hearing what people who’ve achieved a lot have to say and learning from them.

When I was a young C1 paddler I used to hang on every word the older National Team paddlers had to say about training, technique and racing.  When I became a National Team member myself I used to like to talk to the competitors from other countries and share ideas about everything to do with training for paddling.  I’d pick up little things that I could try in my own training, some of which I’d find really useful, and some which I never tried again because they didn’t seem to add anything.  The point is I was willing to learn, and over the course of my career this helped me get better.  Many of the things I learned back then are things I’ve been able to apply to stand up paddling and I still use today as both an athlete and a coach.

When I worked for Toronto’s bid for the 2008 Olympics I had the opportunity to rub shoulders with a lot of former and current Olympic athletes from a variety of sports.  I had way more time to actually talk to them about training and competing than I did when I was in the Olympic village and met them there.  I found that even though our sports could be incredibly different the experience we shared as athletes while training and competing was remarkably similar.  I learned things from these athletes, especially about the mental side of training and racing that I found useful, and with athletes in events with a similar energy system profile to mine I learned useful things about training.

I’m fortunate that my sprint canoe background helped me become competitive in SUP pretty much from day one, at least on the flats if not in the ocean.  But I’ve had a lot of help from, and asked a lot of questions of, paddlers with far more experience than me.  They’ve helped me become better and pretty competent in the ocean.

I haven’t done a Kalama Kamp, but I’d love to.  I’ve had the privilege to teach a clinic with Dave and Jimmy.  In that circumstance, even though I’m teaching the clinic, I’m essentially taking it as well as I’m listening carefully to everything Dave says.  As much as I’ve spent most of a lifetime with a paddle in my hand, his has been spent on the ocean.  I can’t think of a better learning opportunity considering where I am at now as a paddler than to hang with him for a week.  If I can find a time when work isn’t busy and he’s offering a camp, I’m definitely in.

At the Carolina Cup this year there are lots of clinics and if I weren’t teaching one myself at the same time I think I’d be signing up for a couple of them.  I’d love to hear what Annabel Anderson has to say.  Here’s an athlete that excelled in other sports unrelated to paddling and surfing before starting SUP.  In a very short time she became not only the fastest woman in the world but frequently paddled with, and even beat, some of the top guys in races.  I figure her background and mine are at least a little related in that they weren’t on the ocean.  I’m sure she’s picked up a ton of tricks in becoming such a strong ocean athlete that I’d find useful as I continue to improve on the ocean myself.  Annabel is doing her clinic with Johnny Puakea who is a very successful ocean paddling coach.  I’d really be interested in his perspective on SUP as well. 

Travis Grant and Jamie Mitchell are also giving clinics at Carolina.  I’ve sat in on a clinic Jamie has done with Jimmy and it was well worth it.  I’ve also taught one with him and Jimmy.  Though I’ve had the opportunity to actually train with Jamie, which is the best way to learn from him, the clinic experiences were really useful for learning as well.  And though I’ve raced Travis in both outrigger and SUP and talked paddling with him, I haven’t had the opportunity to hear what he has to say in a clinic.  I know it would be useful to me.

This week’s Tip of the Week is to take a clinic.  Hopefully by this point I’ve convinced you to do that sometime, but let me take it one step further.  Take as many as you can, with as many different instructors as you can.  Don’t make the mistake of always signing up for one with your favorite paddler, be it me or anyone else.  Get as many different perspectives as you can, and then figure out how they apply to you.  All of the paddlers I’ve mentioned here are incredibly well spoken, articulate and passionate about paddling.  They’re personable and can tell a good story.  You’ll not only learn, you’ll be entertained while you’re learning.  They’re motivating and inspiring.  I guarantee if you take a good clinic you’ll be a better paddler and enjoy your own paddling more because of it.

Some Tips for the Key West Paddleboard Classic

The Key West Paddleboard Classic is a great race in an amazingly fun location.  If you’ve been to Key West you’ll know what I mean.  If you haven’t been to Key West then trust me, you’ve got to go.  The race is a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge.  There is always a strong field, the water is warm and because you’re paddling around the island the conditions change every 20 minutes or so which keeps it interesting.  It’s a 12-mile race which is on the long side, particularly if you’ve done the Carolina Cup the week before, but Key West’s 12 miles are psychologically and physically a lot easier than Carolina’s 13.  That said, it has its challenges.  It’s hot and humid, it can get really windy, and if the wind is blowing the right way it can get really rough.  

 

Tip 1 – Inspect the course before the race and STAY RIGHT

This tip is pretty much a rule for me.  In general, if you’ve got the time to inspect a race course before racing you absolutely should.  If you don’t have time to inspect the entire course then inspect the trickier parts of it.  Fortunately, unlike Carolina there aren’t things like shore break, inlets and sections with lots of sandbars that you have to worry about at Key West.  For me the big reason to inspect the course at Key West is to get familiar with the sight lines in order to pick the most direct course around the island when racing.  Last year I got lost when I was leading heading into the harbor.  Having not done the race before and only arriving the day before I had no time to check out the course.  Although I studied the map and paid attention at the racers meeting, having never done the course before and chasing some fun bumps, I got way off course and only realized that when a friendly motor boat sped over, asked if I was in the race, and told me where I had to go. 

 

So if you’re like I was last year and aren’t able to inspect the course beforehand, here are a few things to be aware of:

Water start off Higg’s Beach

This is pretty straightforward, however if it is a south wind like last year it will be choppy.  Last year there were some great bumps to ride as we headed east towards the harbor. 

Turn north into the harbor

As I recall it’s a little rocky as you make to the turn into the harbor, but if you don’t get super close to the shore here you’ll be fine.  I figure I was about 10 feet from the shore and was a little concerned that I was too close once I had chosen that line, but it turned out to be okay.  If you’re conservative you may want to be a little farther out.  If you’re bolder you can try the line I chose but I wouldn’t get any closer.  I just don’t think the risk is worth the reward.  As we got into the harbor last year the south wind was at our backs kicking up great, fast moving bumps two to three feet high.  If the wind is the same this year there’ll be some fun here.   Last year I stayed in the middle and caught bump after bump.  Unfortunately I got farther and farther away from the right turn you have to make into the channel that goes under Fleming Key Bridge and into the gulf.  If you’ve got bumps to ride here, catch as many as you can but stay close to the right shore so you can tuck into the channel quickly when you reach it.  I figure I had to do an extra half-mile or so at this point last year.  If the wind is coming from the north or the east you’ll want to hug the right shore anyway to avoid the wind so you’ll be in good shape when you reach the channel.  You should be aware that “hugging the right shore” might actually mean tucking up against a giant cruise ship, but you get the idea.

Gulf of Mexico

This is the north side of the island.  The channel you traverse to enter the gulf is only about 500m long and last year it was the flattest, most sheltered part of the course.  I don’t recall any tide in the channel last year, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be tide there this year.  Use your GPS and check your speed here.  Even if you don’t see any signs of current on the surface of the water, you should be able to tell from your speed pretty quickly whether or not there is a current.  If there is and it’s with you then stay in the middle.  If it’s against you hug the right shore which is a concrete wall.

Once you’re in the gulf it is going to get choppy simply because it’s more open.  A south wind won’t be challenging, just small wind chop.  A north wind could be much choppier and an east wind will be a headwind.  Either way, this part of the race is a slog.  When you exit the channel you kind of have to turn left a bit and head towards the left side of the island you’ll see ahead of you.  You can get pretty close to the island without it getting too shallow, which you’ll want to do in a south wind to get shelter. 

Rounding the island you’ll want to aim for Cow Key Channel, which you can’t see for the longest time.  This is always a confusing part of the race for me.  I’ve done this section three times now – once in the Classic and twice in a smaller race the Lazy Dogs host in late January – and I always want to go further left than I should.  The confusing thing is that there are boats moored there that make it look like a channel, but you want to stay a little more right.

As you get closer you’ll start to see Cow Key Channel and eventually a bridge you want to go under.  There are some condo like buildings on the right bank at the start of the channel.  This area was really tidal last year with strong currents against us.  In that scenario you’ll want to hug the shore except that this is the one area on the course that is full of sandbars.  If you are going to inspect any section of the course I suggest this be it.  The great thing is you can just drop your board in at the Lazy Dog Paddle shack that is right at the bridge here and then easily check the area out.  I’d actually focus more on the stretch from Lazy Dog out into the ocean, as that is where most of the sandbars are.  Know how close you can get to the shore as you turn the corner at the Key West airport without getting grounded out or hitting your paddle on the bottom.

Back into the ocean

As you round the bend to the right by the airport you’ll be coming back into open water.  Last year this area was crazy, as the wind had picked up during the time we were on the backside of the island and the waves had built.  The bounce backs off the break wall here were insane. 

Once you’re fully into the ocean you’ll see a pier in front of you.  Aim for the end of it as the finish at Higg’s Beach is just past it.  When you round the end of the pier you’ll have about 500m of paddling left.  The finish is a beach finish so you’ll have to hit the beach, jump off your board and run through the finish. 

Tip 2 – Drink fluids

This race is hot and humid.  I drank a ton of water on the course last year and though I usually hit the beach with a fair amount of water left in my 1.5-liter pack, last year I was almost dry.  Test your hydration system before the race and test out any mixes you use before the race as well.

Tip 3 – Use a stable board, or at least have one on standby

This course could be entirely flat if there’s no wind.  If that’s the cast then a 24-inch rocket might be in order.  However, if it is windy and choppy, and in particular if the wind is from the south, you’ll want a more stable board.  Last year I borrowed a 30-inch Bark custom from Mike Metzger simply because I couldn’t get my own board down from Canada.  It turned out to be an excellent choice for the conditions.  I was super stable on it in all the slop and mess in the ocean and able to pick out lots of great rides and it didn’t seem a whole lot slower than my 27-inch Bark in the flats.  Unfortunately I saw a lot of people on narrow boards really struggling trying to get to the beach at the end of the ocean leg, and heard a lot of stories after the race from frustrated paddlers who didn’t have much fun in the ocean leg.  That’s really a shame because if it is windy and you’ve got the right board you should be having a ton of fun.

Tip 4 – Wait till Saturday night to party

I’ve travelled a lot over the years and haven’t been to many places that are quite as much fun as Key West.  I’m a pretty disciplined guy but I have to remind myself when I go there to behave the night before the race and save it for the night after.  You’ll be able to grab a great dinner after the registration the night before the race, but try to wait till Saturday night before taking full advantage of what the island has to offer.

This is a hard, challenging race that gives you a great sense of satisfaction upon completion.  It can be a lot of fun if you’re prepared and a long, frustrating slog if you’re not.  Fortunately the level of preparation required to enjoy yourself out there isn’t too extreme and I think that just about everyone should be able to have a blast.  The tips I’ve provided here will go a long way towards making your race both fun and successful if you incorporate them into your race plan.

Sadly, I’ll be coaching in Gainesville, Georgia this year at the National Team Selection Trials instead of on the starting line with you at Higg’s Beach.  I certainly love my new job, but it was a real disappointment when I realized I wasn’t going to be able to do this race this year.  So…if you’re going, have fun for me!