I mostly steer at the Sr Masters level. Been paddling during the winter and doing work in the gym, mostly Pilates and yoga. First TT of the season was yesterday. I got the same finish time as last year! Ack! I am so disappointed!
I've been working on technique with a coach and feel more efficient when paddling but why no improvement in speed!?
I don't know what to do differently: more time on the water, more time in the gym, more OC1 workouts, higher stroke rate in TT... ????
Submitted by ho'okele on Fri, 03/21/2014 - 5:21am
Could you tell the audience more details of your training and technique. To get a real answer, and not just some vomit, the person helping you out would need lot more info. Here's what I would guess needs to be in your details.
#1 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 9:12am
Working through your questions, here are some more details:
Last year I was part of a rec paddling group and we were training to do long distance races. At the end of our season we went to Kona to do the Queen Lili'u. Our Sr Master's women's crew finished the race in 2:41. I was the steersperson for that race.
We did a couple of mock time trials at the start of the 2013 season but we did not have a coach and so gradually let the TT fall away.
This year I have joined a competitive Sr Women's racing program and we have a coach. She said she wanted us to do our first TT next week. So I did a mock TT yesterday just to get an idea of where I stood and how it felt to do the course again. To my shock the time was the same as the one I did about this time last year.
The course is the same one, used by all the outrigger paddlers around here. And it was windy with some tide outflowing, coincidently rather similar to the last TT I did last year.
Old stroke was relatively rushed, just going for it to get a good finishing time, kind of thing. New stroke is taking more time in the air, insure a solid catch and keep the whole thing smooth. New stroke feels more solid and I can sense more glide in the boat now.
Also, last year I did the TT in a club C-Lion and this year I am using the new Hurricane that I bought this winter.
Training this year has been OC6 workouts twice a week (during which I steer 75% of the time) according to a training plan given to us by our coach and OC1 once a week also following the coach's training plan.
Plus twice a week pilates and once a week yoga.
My main thought was to get better at the TT I need to do more in the OC1. Perhaps if I add a TT run once a week to my training program I will get better at doing the course and start improving my times. Any other ideas?
#2 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 10:09am
What was last years time vs this years time? I know you saying it's the same but exactly the same? How long the course?
#3 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 10:19am
The course is 4.68 km.
Last year's time was :33:31
Yesterday;s time: :33:35
My goal would be to have a time of: :32:30
But how?!
#4 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 11:20am
By the sounds of it you live in an area where is gets cold, ie not a lot of winter paddling. You also note buying a new canoe. So even though you've been keeping fit with lots of off-water training work, perhaps you don't have a lot of miles under your belt this season? You also may be undergoing an adjustment to your new canoe. I know C-Lions are good flatwater canoes with that long waterline.
There's also the idea of diminshing returns. You sound at least reasonably experienced. If you've got some paddling years already, gains are going to be harder to come by unless you suddenly get in a signifcant bump in training volume or intensity. And again, if you're coming off a period with less on-water training time and on a new hull, it might take some time to start seeing the positive changes in your TT that you're looking for.
Finally, if I've read your posts right, you've done a run of the TT course, but not the TT itself. If so, I'd suggest that the adrenaline and competitive atmosphere of the event will likely boost your performance.
Lots of speculation on my part, but hopefully something useful there. My bet is you'll see some improvement at the TT, but maybe not the full minute you're looking for. At least not yet.
#5 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 11:39am
Thanks CWO, and you are right, here in Vancouver we've had a relatively chilly winter and our usual year round on the water training has been interrupted numerous times by snow and below freezing temps.
Its true as well that there are noticeable differences between our C-Lion club boats and my Hurricane which I am still adjusting to.
I have contacted a teammate about being my training partner and we plan to go out once a week to do the TT route in the hopes that the added experience and this additional practice each week may nudge down our TT times in the months to come.
From what you and others are saying, there are a lot of variables that play into a TT. Hopefully as the season progresses, with more volume and experience in my new canoe, improvement, perhaps even 10 - 20 seconds faster over the course, may come.
#6 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 12:14pm
A couple of things. First, even if you think the conditions are similar, it is very difficult to compare absolute times from one time trial to another, especially paddling in tidal waters with a range that can exceed 15 feet. The only realistic thing you can do is compare your time to other people who did the same TT to see if you are getting faster/slower relative to them.
Second, if the TT course is the good old False Creek "5k", you should be aware that the distance can change depending on where exactly you turn. For example, last year there was a green navigation marker near the "McBarge corner" that we turned around. The port authority removed the marker so, in my last TT, we turned around a deadhead that had an orange safety cone nailed to the exposed part. The deadhead can float around but one of our guys measured the course distance at 4.72km vs the old distance of 4.65km (with the green marker). So, unless you used your own GPS to measure the distance, it's probably not the same as last year. If the course is 70 meters longer, that's not insignificant.
My 2 cents on training: the best way to get faster is to train in a group with people who are at a similar level. Having a training program to follow is good in order to give structure to the workouts. Having a coach give you feedback on your technique is nice, especially if they can do a video review, but it may not be very productive in the short term as what you think you understand in your brain may not be what your body is actually doing or even what your coach meant you to do. Training in a group will give you immediate feedback if you are keeping up, moving ahead, or falling behind as you adjust your stroke. Take turns at the front and try to understroke the leader as you ride their wash.
Caveat: I'm pretty mediocre all round as a paddler or coach.
#7 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 12:26pm
Not trying to be a dick, but to go faster you simply need to practice going faster. You need a GPS or some way of accurately measuring how fast you're going now. Let's say it's 6.2 mph. Make a new goal, say 6.4 mph then practice going your target pace in shorter pieces. You'll notice that it requires slightly different technique, different muscle memory to turn over the stroke a little faster. You won't be able to maintain it as long, but as soon as you can't hold the new pace and your speed starts to drop, end the piece because going slow just trains you to go slow. Rest up and repeat, and take note of the change in your technique as you become unable to maintain the goal pace. That change is likely the weakest link in your technique and you can improve faster by focusing on that one aspect to become more efficient at goal pace.
Changing your technique is way easier with video and a good coach, as HealthyE points out. Beware, though, a bad or mediocre coach is worse than no coach at all, and in my experience most outrigger coaches are pretty bad
Don't focus too much on any one TT result. Plot it out on a graph so you can see trends, any single data point isn't worth too much.
Any cross training that is done in lieu of high quality paddling is hurting your performance unless you're putting in major training hours.
Your ego is your nemesis. Humans are excellent at feeding our egos by attributing negative results to outside forces (i.e. water in the boat, what you ate for breakfast) and chalking up the positive results to our own intrisic awesomeness (I beat that guy for the first time today, my training program is totally paying off) so the fact that you are using data to keep yourself honest is a great start.
#8 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 12:49pm
Just want to re-iterate what's already been said.
-Doing a TT alone is not the same as doing a TT with others. In a 30 minute course I'm as much as 2 minutes faster when paddling with other people then when paddling by myself. My bet is that you've had a large improvement and don't know it yet.
-In dead flat water, a C-lion is hard to beat. I also used to regularly do a 15 minute TT on a C-Lion and on a Pegasus, and was always faster on the C-lion. In the ocean... not so much.
-Also, when you're remaking your stroke it takes time. You have to be prepared to go slower before you go faster.
I think the main thing is just to have confidence in your abilities.
#9 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 12:53pm
I can't thank you guys enough! It is great to get some perspective on this TT project that I have challenged myself with.
Yes, OCKen, that's the route...the False Creek TT. I get what you mean...yes, we used to turn around that green marker and you are right, yesterday I used the flagged deadhead....so definitely there's going to be a variance in the distance.
I get the idea of training in a group. It definitely pushed me if I'm being chased or if I'm trying to close the gap on a teammate.
And I did have a hunch that though useful in the winter, generally speaking, dryland training can never be equal to actually paddling.
Pswitzer, I really like your idea of training to go faster....the mechanics of that drill makes a lot of sense, I will try it.
Luke, thanks for your pointers and encouragement....yes, indeed, it definitely takes time to make/remake a stroke.
#10 Fri, 03/21/2014 - 1:52pm
You are a year older. Just keep paddling and most important have fun. More strength workouts on the canoe and technique.
#11 Sat, 03/22/2014 - 8:02am