Shek Mun Initiation, and Fan Goh's program

Trained K1 with Suk-Fun today (instead of Man-Sir), then went to Shek Mun to train for the first time.  Spend the first 15 minutes being told off with a lot of far-fetched metaphors about what a liability I could be to HKCU if I were to paddle solo and get hurt.  But then we talked about the circumnavigate NZ trip, and that was very helpful.

Am too tired to write coherently.  So will use point forms and maybe reorganize later (or not).

• I have 6 months before the expedition, so make 6 progressive monthly training plans.
• write up all my calorie intakes (food + drinks), time of consumption, (how frequently)
• write up  how much work out I did every day, and paddling speed
• make a point to analyze my recovery (how long did it take to recover after a long, hard, continuous trip?) and make a log 
• measure my pulse rate after the paddling exercise, aim to work it up to 191bpm, but starting with 114.
• paddle 20-30 km every day, with a tiger, with no break at all (not even to bail water or to drink, bring a mountain fountain for drinks.)  Must work it up to 8km/hr by the end of June.  And that's "leisurely pace," not the 100m dash pace.
• sync my breathing with every stroke.
• run/jog for 7-8 km every day for cardiovascular conditioning.
• #3 Work on Endurance
• #2 Work on Strength
• #1 Work on techniques, skills, postures, rhythm, cadence, coordination... 
• must work on speed for the sake of survival -- in case I need to turn around at the mercy of a storm
• use a pair of 8 lbs dumbbells to tone the biceps.  Lift (L.R.L.R...) for 5 minutes, rest for 3, lift 5, rest 3, repeat 3 cycles until I can do it easily, then do 4 cycles, and so on.
• 3 sets of 20 : pull-ups, push-ups, dips, sit-ups.  When I can do it steadily with decent speed, add another cycle. (ha!  fat chance!  oh, but think survival...)
• work on 20-30 lbs dumbbells only just before the trip (or tournament)
• take frequent, small meals, with lots of veggies, but must also eat meat.
• absolutely no smoking, only half to one glass of wine per day, and avoid fatty food.
• avoid using a liquid-only diet for long term
• stretch for 20 minutes before paddling, stretch for 10 after.
• towards the end of the paddling exercise, paddling slowly to cool down and let the lactic acid out.
• experiment with seat paddings for height and also to reduce blisters.

That's all that I can remember for now.  Oh, and the gym session was humiliating.  I couldn't even finish one set of dips.  And I had to finish my second set of push ups on my knees.  Got down to the water  after 3 cycles though, paddled a tiger and somehow managed to keep pace with the k1 paddlers.  So that lifted my mood a little.

whoa, 0129 in the morning!  must...get...sleep.

K1 at DCC, and a night time stroll in Tai Tan Hoi

Paddled K1 at DCC with Winffy, Grace, and May today -- it was so hot I nearly didn't go. 

Got there at 1400 anyway, tried out a few K1 kayaks -- including a tiger-K1 and also a tiger K1 with a high seat.  Didn't capsize but not particularly proud of it either, obviously I didn't try very hard.  In fact, I was bracing and slapping for support the whole afternoon, I was too chicken to really plant the paddle deep into the water, and I wouldn't dream of pushing the blade behind me.

Towards the end, I paddled a really stable K1 (woodpecker), and thought I would push myself a little harder and allow myself to go a bit farther out -- I did that, and ... got ... lost u_u  I know, stupid as stupid do.

Started panicking once I rounded the Island and realize I don't remember what DCC looks like =_=  Decided to pull off my sun glasses, which was a pretty mean task when you're clutching onto the paddle shaft for dear life.  It was past 1800 so the wind was picking up, and the stupid wake-board duo that kept zapping past me didn't help either.

Heard the girls calling out for me to come back at one point, but as I removed my sunglasses to look for them, my lanyard got all tangled up with my paddle shaft; tried to correct it a few times by wrapping it around my left pinky and tried to yank the sunglasses away, and nearly got myself capsized.  Finally decided to move to a rocky island nearby to fix the lanyard. (lined with oyster shells too, so typical...)

At that point Winffy came out to where I was with a green plastic kayak, I had to be rescued u_u  SOOO typical.  She helped me to turn around so that I could get away from the oyster-island, then I followed her back to DCC ... yeah, I had to follow her.  Because ... her stubby little plastic boat still coursed faster than my K1.  I was *that* pathetic.

Bused back to WSWSC to pick up my tiger, launched it at 1904 from the CAS patch, got to Nam Fung Kok by 1930, but there was enough daylight/moonlight for me to see where I was and even read my watch without the backlit on (HKO claims the sun sets at 1905).  Got back to the Orange buoy towards To Kwa Peng by 20:03 and stayed till 2030 to practice bow-rudder and high brace turns. 

Felt fairly comfortable playing around the boats in the dark, but that's with the full moon shinning over my head.  Landing in Tai Tan was still a struggle though, especially with the lowish tide.

Comfortably tired today, looking forward to a KA trip with Siu Ming tomorrow.

"L" and "IR"

had an interesting day.  Paddled with Phil at 0530 around Kau Yi Chau, then rushed to SK to paddle K1 with Man-Sir.  He pretty much gave me free reign and I actually paddled past Tung Sum Kei; I was heading for the little white house in Tan Ka Wan when I heard a slow, deliberate L signal from the marine police, then they announced, "the boat ahead, come over here and submit yourself to be inspected by the marine police."   Since the bow of the police boat was pointing between a sampan and my k1, I was getting nervous -- should I paddle over obediently and submit myself for an inspection?  But I wasn't even carrying my HKID!

So I got hit by the waves generated by the police boat.  No problem, was tired but could still balance.  Then the WSC powerboat sped towards us as well, I thought I was in deep shit for sure.

But the police boat continued to turn and headed straight for the sampan, so I understood I was free to go, and paddled away quickly... and the WSC powerboat left me alone as well.

And I saw the water-treatment ship again today; I saw the same boat the last time I paddled with Vincent, too.  It hoisted the HKSAR flag along with the signal flags "IR," I got curious and asked Man Sir what it meant, but he didn't know either.  So I looked it up and turns out it's supposed to mean somebody is working under water and we are supposed to keep clear and slow down.  Why couldn't they just fly an "A" flag??

Am really tired, with a sore throat too.  Hope it's not the flu.  Am going to bed now and probably not going into the water tomorrow.