I kicked ass!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
I just finished my outrigger paddling time trials. My first ever. I've done races before, but those have always been in 6-man boats against other paddling clubs. Time trials, though, are in 1-man boats against your team mates to see where you place.
I was pretty nervous going into this. I'm still fairly new to this sport, only doing it for 3 months last year and a few months this year, while most of the people in this club have been at it for several years. In fact, you're still considered a "novice" for the first three years because it takes so long to get the technique really refined. Plus, I'm really not used to the solo boats. They behave quite a bit differently than the 6s, and I'm really not very good at steering them, so I waste more time doing zig-zags than I really should. Put it all together and I really wasn't too confident about how I would do. I know that I'm strong and that I'm willing to push really hard, but I was worried I'd be left way behind.
There were 3 women and 8 men, split into 3 separate heats. I was in the last heat, so I'd seen how quickly everyone else did the course. And then it was our turn. The course took us from the dock in False Creek, out to the green buoy near English Bay, then a hard left out to the sand barges, a 180° left turn back to the green buoy, and then a right turn and a hard push all the way back to the dock, for an approximate 6km race. Not long for a real race, but a pretty decent one for a time trial.
I CAME IN SECOND!
That's right, not only in my heat, but in the overall standings too! I had a time of 25:08, while the winner came in at 24 minutes and 40-some seconds. A 20-odd second spread in a race that long is a tight finish, and I was really proud of my performance. And when I saw how the others did? Wow! There was a 27-minute time, one or two 29-minutes, and everyone else was 30 or more, I think all the way up to around 34. And better yet? The guy who beat me is the other gay guy in the club. So the two faggots won! Woohoo! And yes, I even beat the owner of the club, who's been paddling for years. You have no idea how excited I am!
I'm on the biggest high right now. I've been jumping, laughing, clapping, and squealing in absolute giddiness for the past hour. I hoped to do okay, half-way expected to do badly, and ended up kicking ass! Woohoo!
They had the video camera out in the coach boat so that we could see ourselves paddling later and get tips on how to improve our stroke. If they have any video or pictures worth posting, I'll put them up. And yes, I'm shirtless, sweaty, and straining. ;)
I just finished my outrigger paddling time trials. My first ever. I've done races before, but those have always been in 6-man boats against other paddling clubs. Time trials, though, are in 1-man boats against your team mates to see where you place.
I was pretty nervous going into this. I'm still fairly new to this sport, only doing it for 3 months last year and a few months this year, while most of the people in this club have been at it for several years. In fact, you're still considered a "novice" for the first three years because it takes so long to get the technique really refined. Plus, I'm really not used to the solo boats. They behave quite a bit differently than the 6s, and I'm really not very good at steering them, so I waste more time doing zig-zags than I really should. Put it all together and I really wasn't too confident about how I would do. I know that I'm strong and that I'm willing to push really hard, but I was worried I'd be left way behind.
There were 3 women and 8 men, split into 3 separate heats. I was in the last heat, so I'd seen how quickly everyone else did the course. And then it was our turn. The course took us from the dock in False Creek, out to the green buoy near English Bay, then a hard left out to the sand barges, a 180° left turn back to the green buoy, and then a right turn and a hard push all the way back to the dock, for an approximate 6km race. Not long for a real race, but a pretty decent one for a time trial.
I CAME IN SECOND!
That's right, not only in my heat, but in the overall standings too! I had a time of 25:08, while the winner came in at 24 minutes and 40-some seconds. A 20-odd second spread in a race that long is a tight finish, and I was really proud of my performance. And when I saw how the others did? Wow! There was a 27-minute time, one or two 29-minutes, and everyone else was 30 or more, I think all the way up to around 34. And better yet? The guy who beat me is the other gay guy in the club. So the two faggots won! Woohoo! And yes, I even beat the owner of the club, who's been paddling for years. You have no idea how excited I am!
I'm on the biggest high right now. I've been jumping, laughing, clapping, and squealing in absolute giddiness for the past hour. I hoped to do okay, half-way expected to do badly, and ended up kicking ass! Woohoo!
They had the video camera out in the coach boat so that we could see ourselves paddling later and get tips on how to improve our stroke. If they have any video or pictures worth posting, I'll put them up. And yes, I'm shirtless, sweaty, and straining. ;)