Wednesday July 26th 2017 Training to compete in marathon canoe races does involve many hours paddling at a moderate pace or “long slow distance (LSD)”. However, if all your training involves is counting hours you will not be able to reach your true potential. We need to train not only our aerobic endurance, but our speed and lactate threshold (LT) as well to be able to handle the various aspects of marathon race. That’s where interval training comes in. Intervals are simply a period (time normally, but distance is OK too) of work at a higher intensity followed by a rest period of lower intensity repeated some number of times. For example, you may perform 1 minute at high intensity with 1 minute rest and repeat 10 times. That would be one set and you may perform multiple sets during one training session with longer rest between the sets. The number of sets, repetitions, effort vs. rest ratios, and intensity are based on the specific goals of the workout as part of an overall training plan. Development of training plans is a much too complex subject for this short article, but the following table gives a bit of a taste for the types of training zones and intervals that will be part of an entire training plan (best developed with help from a knowledgeable coach). To get a rough approximation of your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. Wednesday July 19th 2017 Portages can be critical moments in a marathon race. There is no wash to ride when you are running so teams will often use the portage to try to break up a pack or otherwise gain an advantage on their competitors. While being able to run fast is never a bad thing, there are many other aspects of a good portage that can enhance your running advantage or make up for lack of running speed. Tips for a good portage:
Wednesday July 12th 2017 The Saskatoon races are this weekend so we will work on starts and review buoy turns and race rules and tips. Here’s a summary: Starts
Buoy turns
Race rules and tips
Wednesday July 5th 2017 Appropriate hydration and fueling is critical for race performance especially as the length of race increases. Nothing can derail your race quicker than dehydration, cramps or the dreaded 'bonking' when your body runs out of fuel. Proper race day nutrition starts well before race day. In the days leading up to a race it's important to make sure that you're well hydrated and that you are eating lots of healthy foods with a focus on making sure you are getting lots of complex carbohydrates. On race day make sure to start your day with a healthy breakfast. Don't try new foods on race day; it is always best to try to eat food that your body is used to and that you have trained on. A lot of paddlers experience nervousness on race day which can lead to digestive issues so best to stick with simpler/blander foods if that applies to you. During the race you will need to make sure that you take in enough fluids, electrolytes, and fuel. Your required water intake will depend significantly on the weather conditions as you'll use more on a hot day. For a warm summer day a good rule of thumb is that you'll use around one litre of water per hour. It's unlikely you're body will be able to process more water than that so there is no need to take in more. Generally you can trust your body to tell you if you need fluid. If you feel thirsty, you are likely getting dehydrated so take in more fluid. In addition to fluid you need to consider your electrolyte needs. The most common side effect of electrolyte deficiency is muscle cramping. There are many commercially available electrolyte products. In general, look for one that contains a number of electrolytes, not just sodium. The choice to include electrolytes in your fluid or to take them separately as capsules is something to consider, but most paddlers will have some in their drink and carry some backup capsules in case of cramping. Fueling is a very complex topic, but the most important point is that you should practice taking in calories during training to find out what does and does not work for you. Trying out a new fuel on race day is never a good idea. There are lots of products available including gels, bars, blocks, powders to mix in your drink, etc. that you can try out to see what works. It's worth noting that you will almost certainly burn more calories during the race than you can intake. In most cases your body will not be able to process more than 250-300 calories per hour so there is no benefit to intake more than that. Some paddlers prefer to eat more solid food while others like to get their calories as part of their drink. There are pros and cons of each approach. There are really no right or wrong answers as long as you find a method that works for your body. Wednesday June 14th 2017 Understanding how water flows down a river channel gives you a great advantage in paddling. Current can hinder or help you whether you are going downstream or upstream. If you know how to use the current and riverbed topography to your advantage you will be a far more efficient paddler and racer. Simply put, when paddling downstream you want to be in the fastest navigable current and when paddling upstream you want to be close to shore where the current has the least effect against your boat. Understand ferrying, front and back. Ferrying is moving across the current by using the force of the current to push your bow or stern. If you angle your boat to the current, it will push it towards that side. This is an excellent skill to practice, both forward and backward, and requires both paddlers to maintain the correct angle to the current. A meandering river has a predictable pattern. In the absence of complicating factors, the current will be fastest on the outside of curves. On the inside where the current is slowest you should find the shallowest parts of the river. When paddling downstream you need to determine which is the best route: staying wide in the current or cutting the shallow corners. Often popping your boat up in the shallows is the quickest route but it depends on how much energy you have to spare, how big the corner is, and if/how you are traveling in a pack. As the current moves around corners eddies are created. These are areas of dead water or water flowing upstream. Often there is a clear eddy-line which is where many boats tip due to the unpredictable forces of the current. You can use eddies to pull you upstream more quickly, dump boats off your wash and other fun things. When crossing strong eddy lines you may need to lean the boat downstream to present more hull to the current so it doesn’t pull the boat right over. Almost every river has obstacles. Watch the water: if you see waves that stay in one place, they may indicate a rock or log under the water. Shallow corners can be dangerous if there is any debris in the water. Anywhere there is an obstacle the current will be affected: watch where the water is going and use it to your advantage. Unless you live on the wild side, don’t pass boats on the inside when going upstream. Their wave can drive you straight into the shore. This is worst on shallow corners when you think you’ve got a good chance to fly by on their side wave and suddenly find your boat nose-deep in the riverbank! Wednesday July 13th 2016 The Saskatoon races are this weekend, so this week we’ll review some things to get prepared. Starts
Buoy turns
Strategy
Rules
Wednesday July 6th 2016 Starts are important even in long races. The easiest water to paddle is the undisturbed water up front; big waves build behind the lead boats which can be tricky to navigate. As well, a good start can get you up with a pack of faster boats which can pull you during the race. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Wednesday September 9th 2015 To prepare for the Rec. and Rookie Races in Saskatoon this weekend, we will review of some important aspects of racing, with a few mini-races to practice. Review of starts:
Building mileage is often done with steady state paddles, the long slow distance that forms the bulk of training, especially in the early season. However, even long distance racing requires high-intensity speed and power. We need sprinting in order to get into a good position off the start, to pop the boat over shallows, and to fend off advances from other boats. Interval training involves periods of very high intensity and periods of active rest (slow, low-intensity paddling). Intervals can be Aerobic when the high-intensity is as long or longer than the rest, for example, 3 minutes on and 1 min off. In aerobic intervals, the rest period is not long enough to fully recover from the work, so the fatigue accumulates. Intervals can also be Anaerobic when the work period is short, the rest is longer than the work, and the body gets to recovery more fully between bouts, for example 20sec on and 3 min off. Anaerobic intervals are for high-quality speed work and practicing starts. The longer the work pieces and the shorter the rest, the more you train the aerobic energy system. The shorter the work and the longer the rest, the more you train the anaerobic system.
Interval etiquette Intervals provide an opportunity for different-speed boats to train together, because slower boats can catch up on the rest. In order to keep the group together, the faster boats need to STOP during the rest. Faster boats can also choose less-ideal water, or take a zig-zag line, or paddle on the outside around a curve. Slower boats need to keep moving during the rest, and turn early so that the group can catch back up to them. Slower boats should also start a boat-length or two ahead, so the faster boats have to catch them. Today’s workout 3 sets of 5 x 30sec on and 1 min off. Take 3-4 minutes rest between each set. Wednesday July 21st 2015 Portages can be critical moments in a marathon race. There is no wash to ride when you are running so teams will often use the portage to try to break up a pack or otherwise gain an advantage on their competitors. While being able to run fast is never a bad thing, there are many other aspects of a good portage that can enhance your running advantage or make up for lack of running speed. Tips for a good portage:
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