Post your training paddles

[Alan Gage]

I don't get out in the canoe much anymore and I don't do any racing at all but I still like to paddle fairly hard when I get out. I like exercise and a canoe isn't a bad way to get it. I thought it might be fun to start a "Training paddle thread" where we can post a little about our workout paddles. Doesn't matter what you're paddling, if you're fast or slow, if you're training for a race, or just out for a little exercise and fun.

Post whatever pertinent info you have about the paddle (time, distance, average speed, heart rate, etc) and tell us what boat you were paddling.

I got out for my first paddle of the year tonight and averaged 4.9 mph over 7 miles with an average heart rate of 107 bpm. This was lake paddling with virtually no wind.

It was immediately apparent that my paddling muscles were out of shape and that the muscles would tire long before my lungs so I just kept a steady pace and didn't try to push things very hard. It was a satisfying paddle.

The boat was my Bloodvein. This is a 16.5' solo of my own design. It's a tripping canoe but was made to be fairly quick below the water line. I'd say it's about on par with the Magic.

20160729_001 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan

 

[lowangle al]

My best training paddles are the long day trips I do. Five or six hour jaunts where I sometimes push it the whole time. Poling upstream and paddling in the wind kick it up a notch.

For my typical workout paddles on my lake I have been trying to get five miles in a session. I don't push it the whole time and sometime I take it pretty easy. Sometime I'll take a few beers and stop to drink them over a few hours. Other times when I want an uninterrupted workout I'll drink all three beers at once, which is fun. Most times I don't drink at all, but I do keep a bottle of Yeager in my pack basket for medicinal purposes. At any rate, my philosophy for a paddling workouts is, "if you put the time in, you'll get results." No need to kill yourself. I mix up paddling, a LITTLE fishing, and just floating around drifting with the breeze, heck one day last week I ate a blueberry pie out there. I still feel like I'm getting a good cardio workout, as long as I'm out there long enough.

I shouldn't be promoting drinking and paddling. I never did it for the first forty years I paddled. At some point I realized I had 40 years of responsible paddling and almost as many years of responsible drinking, and decided to combine the two. It works for me, but I'm not recommending it. I also don't have to drive after my paddles when I do drink.

 

[Tryin']

Great thread idea, Alan. I have just started training for the 2027 MR340. Depending on how that goes, I may become more involved in canoe racing. Looking forward to seeing some info!

Do workouts on a paddle erg count? I have one on order to train through the winter.

 

[dutchlennart]

gogogo everybody. currently recovering forma broken leg. so not paddling for a while and ccertainly not racing with or without portaing ... Most of my paddlen racing was in kayak. either Marathon or sufski or slalom (that was when I was young) Mainlydueto thefact there is hardly any canoeracing in Europe. In the Netherlands only a bit in Slalom (i guess less the 20 where I guess 15 of those mainly kayak and do canoe on the side. )

 

[Alan Gage]

Do workouts on a paddle erg count? I have one on order to train through the winter.

You bet. Go ahead and post them. I always thought paddle ergs looked interesting but never bought one. I have a really hard time doing indoor cardio work. I'm not really sure why but I find it easier to go for a 40 minute run in the cold and dark when I care barely see the road under my feet than to do 40 minutes on a nice treadmill in front of a TV.

The MR340 is a pretty serious race. Looking forward to hearing how the training and race go!

Alan