Thanks to all for great advice. As recommended I drank hard the night before...
Actually the race went very well and I managed a 3rd place, had a blast, met some really cool people, and am already looking forward to my next chance to race.
If anyone is in striking distance of Florida, there's a small but growing scene here that is something to tap into. Hopefully it will continue to grow and bring more people into this sport. If you're considering, March 8th is another OC-1 race in Clearwater. Check out http://www.kanaluimiami.com/files/Schedule_Vers_2.htm
Raphael
Submitted by Raphael on Wed, 02/06/2008 - 12:05pm
Pace yourself so that you don't burn out in the first 1/2 yet you're still going hard .Some paddlers tend to sprint from the start only to die 1/4 of the way into the race and be passed by those that maybe they could have beat if they had properly paced themselves
Don't try to keep up w/ the top guys unless you are confident w/ your own conditioning and performance capabilities .Race your own race in other words and stay with those you feel you can keep up with and never be afraid to let someone get in front of you because you could still reel them in on the back half when they start to tire out .
Make sure you hydrate !
Then again what do I know ,lol
#1 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 1:06pm
IMHO.
I've found that good starting line postion and getting away clean is critical. ( and I need to get better at this) showing up on time for races also helps..
I've been sucka'd into close quarters (chatter,current and tide) on the line and ended up getting boxed in at the gun.. having to drop back and eat the wash of others. :P
depending on where you end up out of the start, begin looking for canoes to pace with.. ie, "I'll try and stay with that yellow Makia until the first turn". if you get past him/her, then find your next target.. I usually pick off several canoes ( includingMulus last race!) using this method and it helps breaks the race into segments if it's long
There's always a race within a race - I'l never catch Goto and these other speedy west coast dogs, but it won;t stop me from trying my best..
oh, and don't drop your hydration system - that looks bad...
good luck and please post your results/recap
#2 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 1:45pm
Go for a pee BEFORE the start.
Don't try anything new this day, keep the same paddle, the same iako settings, the same drink, etc.
#3 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 1:56pm
i heard, the night before the race go to a bar have 3-4 pitchers of beer along with 3-4 gin tonic's. stay up until the bar closes,hook up with a chica and your ready to rock and roll the next morning. someone told me this but i'd rather not believe them.
#4 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 2:08pm
fly-n ha-y-n wrote:
"i heard, the night before the race go to a bar have 3-4 pitchers of beer along with 3-4 gin tonic’s. stay up until the bar closes,hook up with a chica and your ready to rock and roll the next morning. "
Maybe I should try that.
Seriously now folks.......
I have only raced twice so far, and they have both been winter races. Since I am a newbie, I know that I will not rock the course so I go out and race my own race. This will change once I have more experience on the courses. The start is very important, both times I have been caught in the second wave and the water is all churned up and tough to pick up speed. My advice it to toe the line with the big guns and avoid all their wave action. Hydration is also key, a hydration bag with a tube works best.
Best of luck and have a great time,
Chris
#5 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 2:54pm
First race is an eye opener. I take it that your race is the short course? So you shouldn't be stomped on too badly. If you're racing long course with the big boyz (and gurlz) expect to be humbled.
#6 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 3:22pm
draft shamelessly!
#7 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 4:00pm
Yeah, figure out someone whose about your speed, draft the whole way, and then pass em' at the end!
#8 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 4:04pm
start fast and fade slowly
#9 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 4:41pm
routine routine
start your own, If your see it, it shall be .imagine the night before. you relax, and have pasta for dinner, get to bed early, and have a good rest, wake up early, drink water, and get to the race early, go and introduce yourself to the water, look at the tides, and currents, see the race in your mind, be out for the worm up early
and enjoy.
#10 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 5:16pm
Eh Raphael, I thought I saw that photo on wanna surf or magic seaweed-I always assumed it was pipe. Is that really in florida?
#11 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 5:19pm
i can vouch for the effectiveness of the gin and tonics.
#12 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 7:20pm
Always with a sense of humor =) On a serious note,all these folks are right. Depending on how your training if you know your in good shape (cardio,physical) then go for it. During the course of the race you can gauge yourself who's around you and if your making ground or not on them. At the end of the race you can do a self evaluation on the pro's and con's of the race and take that into your training and next race.
#13 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 9:55pm
“i heard, the night before the race go to a bar have 3-4 pitchers of beer along with 3-4 gin tonic’s. stay up until the bar closes,hook up with a chica and your ready to rock and roll the next morning. “
Those advices must come from Oscar Chalupsky, except for the chica thing...
I usualy wait for the after race party to put them into practice !
#14 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 10:11pm
Thanks to everyone - I'll take it all in and let you know how it goes Sat AM.
Jim wrote (referring to my avatar, if that's what you call it)
"Eh Raphael, I thought I saw that photo on wanna surf or magic seaweed-I always assumed it was pipe. Is that really in florida?"
Yes Jim. That shot was taken at a spot called Reef Road here in south Florida. Likely one of the best spots in the eastern US and occasionally superb. Obviuosly that was one of the superb days! And that's me on my 9'4" Takayama having some fun. What you don't see are the 50 knuckleheads trying to kill each other just behind the wave I'm on! Hence the longboard - I just sit outside and snag the bombs :)
Are you in Florida?
Mahalos!
Raphael
#15 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 8:48am
From lots of trial and (more) error, here are a few more simple tips
1) Don't eat too much in the morning
2) Try to keep cardios and breathing under control. If things go to hell in the cardio department-sit up more take a couple of deep breaths and slow rate down and pull longer twist more until you recover. Count strokes on each side- ,make them even meaning 15 on each side. depending on conditions During races , you (I) tend to do wacky things like 8 on one side and 15 on another or other crazy combinations
3) Stuff on you boat will get in your way. Make sure everything is secured tightly. I can't tell you how many times I have said in my mind-Those slippers will be fine there or that water bottle won't move, or my camelpak will stay there. Everytime they have cost me and got in way during the race.
4) Secure seat. I don't know what type of boat you have but if you huli you don't want to also have to look for your seat. Also a shifty or loose seat can cost you alot of time
5) Be conservative and smart around turn bouys. Your mind will trick you and you will thinkI can fit in that space. Be aware of wind/current direction near bouys.
#16 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 9:13am
Kona J -
thanks for the detailed advice - one more question: when turning around buoys, which side is the fastest? Ama on the outside, or ama on the inside (if I have a choice)? I assume ama on the inside...
Raphael
#17 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 9:25am
The race director will tell you which way to turn on the bouy.
Generally you turn left our counter-clockwise around the turn bouy with the ama near thebouy and yes it is easier to spin/turn on the ama-ama inside
#18 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 10:53am
Make sure you wake up early to poo poo before the race. Nothing worse than having to poo right before the race when everyone else is in the bathroom trying to poo poo too. So poo poo.
Poo poo
#19 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 11:12am
No Raphael, I'm not in Florida, I'm in Seattle, so I have plenty of time to look at waves and talk paddling on the internet! Actually, there's tons o' surf here, it's just an all-day affair ( at least) for a surf, so I usually opt for paddling.Some sick looking waves there at Reef Road. I'm guessing on the rare big north in winter?
#20 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 1:59pm
Jim,
Days like the one that produced the wave in the photo are not all that common. I'd say we get surf like that two or three times a year.
Between Oct and March we regularly get good clean swell in the chest high to head high range, so there's plenty of fun to be had. Through summer (aka hurricane season) its hit or miss, but we always get something from passing storms.
Conditions for paddling are great though and we have a barrier island/inland waterway sets up good downwind runs on most days. I can paddle upwind inside the barrier island and with the tide, then go through the inlet and back downwind in the ocean.
The Gulfstream is also very close to shore here and depending on winds, that can be unreal. It flows north at about 5mph or so and when there are north winds blowing against the current there are some big rolling swells that stand up like giant moguls. Some days I go offshore (it's about 3 miles to the eastern edge of the current) and ride southbound swells. Combined with the northbound current its kind of like running on a treadmill.
The only drawback is that I am the only one with an OC for about 50 miles, so I'm always paddling alone. Being alone 3 miles offshore in the Gulfstream can be a little bit daunting, but I think happy thoughts!
Raphael
#21 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 1:20am
Rapheal,
What race are you doing this weekend? Info would be appreciated.
#22 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 4:30am
DATE/TIME: Saturday, February 9, 2008 – 1 PM
LOCATION: Virginia Key Beach Park, Virginia Key, Florida. The race will start and finish at this location.
DIRECTIONS: I-95 to Key Biscayne Exit (Rickenbacher Causeway), just South of Downtown Miami. Rickenbacher Causeway East over the big bridge and fourth left after the bridge. Enter into Virginia Key Beach Park. $3.00 toll to enter park and proceed all the way to last beach entrance on the right approximately 1.5 miles.
COURSE: 8 mile triangle which will run clockwise, or counter clockwise based upon wind direction. All deep water with existing navigation buoys as the turning points. See attached map of course.
FEE: $10.00
CATEGORIES: OC1, OC2, Surfski, Paddleboard. With three deep medals for all categories. Open, Master, Senior Master, Golden Master. Men and Women.
Raphael
#23 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 5:24am
Raphael
#24 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 3:58pm
Rafa what do you mean with "--".
Boat broke?
ama fell of and hit your tongue?
#25 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 5:56pm
I think Raphael is in shock, he came 3rd open men on his first Oc1 race.
Congratulations and welcome to the winners circle.
I wonder which "Coaches Tip" made the difference.
Cheers Rambo
#26 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 7:48pm
i would have to say it was the gin and tonics for sure.
#27 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 8:20pm
I bet he woke up early and poopooed.
Raph, you can credit your success to everyone here on ocpaddler. Getting 3rd had nothing to do with you training hard or your superior fitness and technique. So congratulation everyone on a job well done!
#28 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 8:26pm
Poops,
I take no credit whatsoever and attribute it all to the gang on OCPaddler!
In reality, I have picked up lots of valuable info here. Living in the OC vacuum that West Palm Beach FL is, this post is the only resource. So, yes, you are all partially responsible.
Mahalos.
Raphael
#29 Mon, 02/11/2008 - 3:00am
Free beer for all of us then.
#30 Mon, 02/11/2008 - 5:48am
Congratulations on your race. How about a follow up about the race; details about conditions,how many and who paddled, etc.? Maybe with some info posted about upcoming races the oc/ paddle vacuum in Fl wouldn't be so great.
#31 Tue, 02/12/2008 - 8:13am
Rather than write my own description or cut and paste, here's the link to the event results with a nice little writeup.
http://www.sflora.org/eastcoastchamps.html
You can navigate back and check out the rest of the site.
Coming on March 8th there is another race in Clearwater, FL. See the race schedule for more.
Raphael
#32 Tue, 02/12/2008 - 9:44am