Body Sense

I went kayaking today.  About an hour, nearly three miles.  In fact, according to the GPS, I averaged two and a half miles per hour, and topped out at 5.8 miles per hour. Not sure I really believe that last!  If true, I'm rivaling the speed of my big sailboat, who currently sports a major garden on her bottom.

I feel very good during the paddle. I'm trying to develop a body sense, to feel the detailed mechanics of what I am doing, and imagine to myself exactly how to do it right.  This body sense is something I don't have naturally, and part of what distinguishes an athlete from a shlub like me.  I am naturally clumsy. I have given myself concussions by tripping over my own two feet. My latest injury, falling on my hand, was just such an instance of lack of coordination.

One of the first times I can remember feeling the mechanics of what I was doing was being coached in how to throw by a softball player when I was in college. He talked me through the motions of windup and release and I was amazed at what a difference it made. I loved playing catch then, feeling the rhythm and the motion and the flight of the ball and the thwack when he caught my well-thrown ball.  I never understood before then why people would spend time doing that.

Working with my personal trainers, I have learned a lot of basic mechanics of motion that make life easier. The big one is to drive up through the heel, not the toe, when standing from sitting or making a big step up. When I forget, the pain is an instant reminder to change the motion.

Today, I tried to pay attention the mechanics of the stroke. I could feel the forearm, the long muscles in my sides. When putting power into the stroke, I would step on the foot supports and lean way forward, before pulling the paddle back.  I don't think I had good form, and I think there is much still to learn about how to do this.  But I'm feeling it, and I'm going to read my book (of course I have a kayaking book!) on paddling technique.  I took classes last year, and I may go back for a reprise if I can wangle an evening off. Coaching on the form would be good.

I really enjoyed the paddle. I went way up to the end of a branch of Bodkin Creek, inside Downs county park.  I saw a turtle, a GBH, and the big one was a beaver swimming across the creek.  It was not too hot and it was not too tiring. Sadly, my magic calorie device doesn't think I worked too hard. Certainly I would paddle and rest, paddle and rest. I think I may need to do more straight paddling, to build up my strength.  The maneuver to get out of the kayak at the end is awkward, but I spent a little time thinking about how to do it, and I was more successful at avoiding a splash at the end today than ever before.  I would like to be able to paddle more often.

The one bad part is my right hand still cannot grip without pain.  It was extremely annoying, and it hurts now typing. I am told to expect this, and so I'll just work on through it.