No not the Spencer Davies Group, I did a little bit of off road tonight and followed it up with two back to back planks. I did say, "This times it's serious!"
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Loch Lomond
Yesterday (Saturday) I went south to meet up with Michael Yeomans and Graeme Stewart.
Went out for a K2 paddle on Loch Lomond with Michael yesterday in a Condor. I think this was my first K2 outing this year? After fixing the steering and me getting to grips with rear seat steering, we got the Condor flying.
Today, however, wasn't so successful. Michael and I went for a K1 outing, again on Loch Lomond. I won't blame the fizzy pop that Graeme plied me with on Saturday night but this years DW was worth celebrating! As I say in the title, this time it's serious- well this week I need to step up the training to the next level!
Tom
Went out for a K2 paddle on Loch Lomond with Michael yesterday in a Condor. I think this was my first K2 outing this year? After fixing the steering and me getting to grips with rear seat steering, we got the Condor flying.
Today, however, wasn't so successful. Michael and I went for a K1 outing, again on Loch Lomond. I won't blame the fizzy pop that Graeme plied me with on Saturday night but this years DW was worth celebrating! As I say in the title, this time it's serious- well this week I need to step up the training to the next level!
Tom
Loch Lomond
Yesterday (Saturday) I went south to meet up with Michael Yeomans and Graeme Stewart.
Went out for a K2 paddle on Loch Lomond with Michael yesterday in a Condor. I think this was my first K2 outing this year? After fixing the steering and me getting to grips with rear seat steering, we got the Condor flying.
Today, however, wasn't so successful. Michael and I went for a K1 outing, again on Loch Lomond. I won't blame the fizzy pop that Graeme plied me with on Saturday night but this years DW was worth celebrating! As I say in the title, this time it's serious- well this week I need to step up the training to the next level!
Tom
Went out for a K2 paddle on Loch Lomond with Michael yesterday in a Condor. I think this was my first K2 outing this year? After fixing the steering and me getting to grips with rear seat steering, we got the Condor flying.
Today, however, wasn't so successful. Michael and I went for a K1 outing, again on Loch Lomond. I won't blame the fizzy pop that Graeme plied me with on Saturday night but this years DW was worth celebrating! As I say in the title, this time it's serious- well this week I need to step up the training to the next level!
Tom
Monday, April 25, 2011
DW2011
| 356 | Milbank | Chris | Male | Longridge CC | 29:34:35 | 80 | |||
| Westwater | Tom | Male | Longridge CC |
my hardest earned DW medal
This year is the toughest DW I've ever done. I knew it was hot but when my support crew told me that the temperature on Saturday went up to 29ºC and Sunday was 28ºC I was shocked. I saw crews dropping out on Friday with the heat.
Let me know if the gallery doesn't work
We decided to start an hour earlier than planned due to what I saw on Friday and what support crews and paddlers were all saying. It was a good move. On Saturday we were behind our planned time when we reached Newbury.
One of the nicest things on the race was shortly before Theale. A young boy on a bike rode up and asked our number and the cycled off. We had no idea why? A few moments later it became apparent when his family in a narrow boar moored up cheered us on shouting, "Come on Chris and Tom". This was one of the nicest things that's ever happened on any DW to me!
The heat was relentless. It wasn't until the sun started to go down that it became manageable. At Dreadnought our support crew fed us hot pasta. It was the right choice.
During the night we picked up the pace and made up a lot of the ground we had lost during the day. However, between Hambledon and Hurley I almost took my first ever DW swim- we hit a large branch which was just underwater and invisible. But, being good whitewater paddlers, our support strokes were intuitive and it was the branch that broke.. I was worried we had damaged the canoe- no Kevlar isn't just bulletproof it's tree branch proof!
There were some low points during the night but for me this is my first DW where I never though about pulling out.
When the sun started to come up we saw a lot more paddlers. Reaching Teddington in time for the tide was a great feeling. I didn't know Richmond Lock was a lock never mind it being closed. I had no idea why there was no flow? Once we were on the tidal flow it was apparent that the 17 miles had been stretched to 37 miles and 25 extra bridges had been put in. In seriousness, this was the latest I had ever paddled the tidal section and the waves from the non-sympathetic tourist craft weren't just big, at one point Chris got air as we went over a wave! One jolly helpful fake Burberry wearing family in a power boat came across the front of us to help swamp the canoe. But being whitewater warriors we survived these trials.
We talked to a lot of other crews as we went down the course, hopefully they appreciated our mobile entertainment show, when the speakers were working.
Well done to everyone who entered, thanks to everyone who volunteered and a very big thank you to our support crew.
This will probably be my final blog post for DW 2011. As there are only 346 days from writing this until DW2012 I need to start plans for my next DW- 375 down so I need 2 more senior double and three other classes to reach my 1000 miles!
Anyway I've already started my 2012 DW blog
Tom
Supplemental
Well done to everyone from LCC who took part
All the LCC finishers were under 30 hours!
| 422 | Cornish | Timothy james | Male | Longridge CC | 18:28:22 | 2 | |||
| Harding | Ollie | Male | Longridge CC |
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Final post before DW2011
In 29 hours time I need to be arriving at check in in Devizes to tag crews. That's a distance of about 600 miles as I'm flying via Luton.
I hope we've thought of everything if we haven't that's what Amex is for!
As usual I'm apprehensive before the race, however, this time it's not my injuries, the distance but the weather- this is a repeat of the weather in DW 2007 but from lessons learned my partner will be drinking, will wear a sun hat and will wear sun block! I'm not even looking at a new PB, I just want to survive the Saharan temperatures. (When I was in Bosnia I was working in temperatures up to 42C!)
Nothing else need be said now except good luck to everyone else taking part in DW2011, many thanks to everyone making it happen and have the sense to play the game with the weather and don't think you can outsmart it
Tom
I hope we've thought of everything if we haven't that's what Amex is for!
As usual I'm apprehensive before the race, however, this time it's not my injuries, the distance but the weather- this is a repeat of the weather in DW 2007 but from lessons learned my partner will be drinking, will wear a sun hat and will wear sun block! I'm not even looking at a new PB, I just want to survive the Saharan temperatures. (When I was in Bosnia I was working in temperatures up to 42C!)
DW 2006 JV - Boulters Weir
Nothing else need be said now except good luck to everyone else taking part in DW2011, many thanks to everyone making it happen and have the sense to play the game with the weather and don't think you can outsmart it
Tom
Final post before DW2011
In 29 hours time I need to be arriving at check in in Devizes to tag crews. That's a distance of about 600 miles as I'm flying via Luton.
I hope we've thought of everything if we haven't that's what Amex is for!
As usual I'm apprehensive before the race, however, this time it's not my injuries, the distance but the weather- this is a repeat of the weather in DW 2007 but from lessons learned my partner will be drinking, will wear a sun hat and will wear sun block! I'm not even looking at a new PB, I just want to survive the Saharan temperatures. (When I was in Bosnia I was working in temperatures up to 42C!)
Nothing else need be said now except good luck to everyone else taking part in DW2011, many thanks to everyone making it happen and have the sense to play the game with the weather and don't think you can outsmart it
Tom
I hope we've thought of everything if we haven't that's what Amex is for!
As usual I'm apprehensive before the race, however, this time it's not my injuries, the distance but the weather- this is a repeat of the weather in DW 2007 but from lessons learned my partner will be drinking, will wear a sun hat and will wear sun block! I'm not even looking at a new PB, I just want to survive the Saharan temperatures. (When I was in Bosnia I was working in temperatures up to 42C!)
DW 2006 JV - Boulters Weir
Nothing else need be said now except good luck to everyone else taking part in DW2011, many thanks to everyone making it happen and have the sense to play the game with the weather and don't think you can outsmart it
Tom
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
DW2011 playlist
DW 2011 is now countable in hours
As final preparation I'm going to put together a few playlists to get us down the course
Not sure if I'll do any more posts before the race
DW2011 playlists
DW 2011 is now countable in hours
As final preparation I'm going to put together a few playlists to get us down the course
Not sure if I'll do any more posts before the race
DW2011 playlists
DW 2011 is now countable in hours
As final preparation I'm going to put together a few playlists to get us down the course
Not sure if I'll do any more posts before the race
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Inverness
Calendonian canal is 1.4km from the city centre
and the River Ness runs through the middle
6 days until the DW 2011 senior event!
Tom
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
the end
I've had a set back!
I injured my knee on Thursday night-
The implications are quite bad, I'm been dropped by the English National Ballet as Prima donna ballerina,
my won't be racing Hussain Bolt at the 2012 Olympics and I might not get selection for the rhythmic gymnastics either!
As for the Watersides and DW that's not a problem, I think the only year where I didn't have a life threatening condition was 2006 when I paddled Junior Vets!
That was my DW PB
Tom
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Waterside B
Pushed hard on the way down, pushed even harder on the way back:
3:56:58
For me this is a new WS B C2 PB
My previous times were:
2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011
K2 snr K2JV C2 snr K1 vm K2 snr C2 snr
A 3:24:11 2:46:10 3:04:16 dnr 3:45:11 3:06:58
B 4:16:39 03:29:00 (3rd) 04:32:14 04:21:00 rtr 3:56:11
2006 K2 JV was my overall PB and the only placing, 3rd, I've ever had in the Waterside series. However, I have never finished the entire series or not with the original partner. I intend that to change this year!
Our support crew was a huge help on WS B- Many thanks to Mark!
Our support crew was a huge help on WS B- Many thanks to Mark!
Tom
Waterside B
Pushed hard on the way down, pushed even harder on the way back:
3:56:58
For me this is a new WS B C2 PB
My previous times were:
2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011
K2 snr K2JV C2 snr K1 vm K2 snr C2 snr
A 3:24:11 2:46:10 3:04:16 dnr 3:45:11 3:06:58
B 4:16:39 03:29:00 (3rd) 04:32:14 04:21:00 rtr 3:56:11
2006 K2 JV was my overall PB and the only placing, 3rd, I've ever had in the Waterside series. However, I have never finished the entire series or not with the original partner. I intend that to change this year!
Tom
Waterside B
Pushed hard on the way down, pushed even harder on the way back:
3:56:58
For me this is a new WS B C2 PB
My previous times were:
2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011
K2 snr K2JV C2 snr K1 vm K2 snr C2 snr
A 3:24:11 2:46:10 3:04:16 dnr 3:45:11 3:06:58
B 4:16:39 03:29:00 (3rd) 04:32:14 04:21:00 rtr 3:56:11
2006 K2 JV was my overall PB and the only placing, 3rd, I've ever had in the Waterside series. However, I have never finished the entire series or not with the original partner. I intend that to change this year!
Tom
Waterside B
Pushed hard on the way down, pushed even harder on the way back:
3:56:58
For me this is a new WS B C2 PB
My previous times were:
2004 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011
K2 snr K2JV C2 snr K1 vm K2 snr C2 snr
A 3:24:11 2:46:10 3:04:16 dnr 3:45:11 3:06:58
B 4:16:39 03:29:00 (3rd) 04:32:14 04:21:00 rtr 3:56:11
2006 K2 JV was my overall PB and the only placing, 3rd, I've ever had in the Waterside series. However, I have never finished the entire series or not with the original partner. I intend that to change this year!
Tom
Sunday, February 20, 2011
K1
Or should it be collander 1?
I paddled from Longridge to Runymede today. I was the slowest boat, my portages were particularly bad due to the amount of water I was taking in but she was fine when she was moving
I did fall asleep in the bath when I got home but not before I'd eaten a packet of Wotsits in the bath!
I'll try and resist the temptation to reach for the ibuprofen!
Tom
I paddled from Longridge to Runymede today. I was the slowest boat, my portages were particularly bad due to the amount of water I was taking in but she was fine when she was moving
I did fall asleep in the bath when I got home but not before I'd eaten a packet of Wotsits in the bath!
I'll try and resist the temptation to reach for the ibuprofen!
Tom
Monday, February 14, 2011
WCC-LCC
Sunday was the hardest I've ever done this stretch of the Thames
I wasn't happy with the chop at Henley Straight, we lost time there while I had a wobble! As Richard calls it,"The Henley Incident!".
I hit Hambledon as usual, heading for the point of the island but we were pushed right over further than I've ever been pushed here
I only found out today that the main weir at Hurley has all the gates closed as they're doing work on it so the water was all going through the gates by the portage. The back of the boat slid out in the flow, Pro-Vs don't do corners!
Some of the headwinds were fierce
I didn't tell Richard that this was the toughest I've ever done this paddle until we were at Longridge.
I was very happy with our time.
Tom
I wasn't happy with the chop at Henley Straight, we lost time there while I had a wobble! As Richard calls it,"The Henley Incident!".
I hit Hambledon as usual, heading for the point of the island but we were pushed right over further than I've ever been pushed here
I only found out today that the main weir at Hurley has all the gates closed as they're doing work on it so the water was all going through the gates by the portage. The back of the boat slid out in the flow, Pro-Vs don't do corners!
Some of the headwinds were fierce
I didn't tell Richard that this was the toughest I've ever done this paddle until we were at Longridge.
I was very happy with our time.
Tom
Friday, February 11, 2011
GPS
After last weeks training session I was asked if I could supply my support teams GPS co-ords. Let me know if it doesn't work on anything else and I'll try and do a
tomtom version
Tom
Monday, January 17, 2011
Running & walking
It's said you have to be able to run before you can walk, well on Sunday we turned baby steps into giant leaps.
We went out on the canal from the Quayside in Exeter and laid down a really good pace on the way out. At our turn point I decided to mix things up and see what it was like in the front of a Pro-V. I also wanted to get Richard doing a bit of driving in a racing C2 with cranked paddles. If you haven't ever tried this it's not as easy as a trad canadian with straight paddles. Overall I think Richard did really well and with a little more practice will nail it.
The next mix up I threw in was portaging. Our K2 portages were timed with a calendar, I think Brian & Tim's DW record was quicker than some of our portages. Therefore, I knew we had to get speed up our portages. The first thing to get right was getting out the boat quickly. We persevered at this with gradual improvements.
The next point was to sort out our approach. Through a bit of trial and error and with the getting out sorted we have vastly improved our portage times. The get away is also not too shabby!
Training still goes forward and we'll see if there difference on Waterside A
Tom
We went out on the canal from the Quayside in Exeter and laid down a really good pace on the way out. At our turn point I decided to mix things up and see what it was like in the front of a Pro-V. I also wanted to get Richard doing a bit of driving in a racing C2 with cranked paddles. If you haven't ever tried this it's not as easy as a trad canadian with straight paddles. Overall I think Richard did really well and with a little more practice will nail it.
The next mix up I threw in was portaging. Our K2 portages were timed with a calendar, I think Brian & Tim's DW record was quicker than some of our portages. Therefore, I knew we had to get speed up our portages. The first thing to get right was getting out the boat quickly. We persevered at this with gradual improvements.
The next point was to sort out our approach. Through a bit of trial and error and with the getting out sorted we have vastly improved our portage times. The get away is also not too shabby!
Training still goes forward and we'll see if there difference on Waterside A
Tom
Friday, January 7, 2011
part 2
I did the same run tonight.
It was drizzling when I started and everything was a bit wetter. I hurt more today but I took 1m 9s off my time at 23m 54s. My aim is to eventually get under 20 mins, maybe!
It was drizzling when I started and everything was a bit wetter. I hurt more today but I took 1m 9s off my time at 23m 54s. My aim is to eventually get under 20 mins, maybe!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011
I don't have anything prophetic to say other than it's 8 days until the Frank Luzmore and 109 until the DW
Some training might not go a miss!
Tom
Some training might not go a miss!
Tom
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