... no activity today towards the trip - just going to work so I can pay the bills.
S
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
my bad ...
Hi,
Putting together some favorite songs for the road trip.
Started this task a week ago.
Interesting ... last weekend at the States, the song Bad Medicine came into my head quite a few times ... especially on the last long work in each race and on the way back to shore. Is this normal? How would I know?
Anyay, my road trip playlist of favorites has THREE songs that have the word BAD in their title!! What does this mean?
FYI - here they are: Bad Medicine (Bon Jovi), Bad Influence (P!nk) and Bad Romance (Lady Gaga) ....
S
Putting together some favorite songs for the road trip.
Started this task a week ago.
Interesting ... last weekend at the States, the song Bad Medicine came into my head quite a few times ... especially on the last long work in each race and on the way back to shore. Is this normal? How would I know?
Anyay, my road trip playlist of favorites has THREE songs that have the word BAD in their title!! What does this mean?
FYI - here they are: Bad Medicine (Bon Jovi), Bad Influence (P!nk) and Bad Romance (Lady Gaga) ....
S
23 2 go ... fitness
My comments about fitness for dinghy sailing ....
A few observations first up:
- sailing a dinghy in a club race once a week doesn't contribute anything to your overall fitness
- for exercise to contribute to your fitness, you need a minimum of 30 minutes a day, with your heart rate up for most of the time
- once a week sailing uses up some calories, but that's about all
- so if you want to be fitter for sailing you need something EXTRA
- the majority of people have a restricted envelope of resources and time to commit to their sailing, I am assuming you work and have some other commitments in my comments below
Where to start with sailing fitness:
- set your goals realistically ie are you aiming to be a club sailor only, or are you aiming for States, Nationals, International, or Olympic levels of competition
- don't under-estimate timeframes
- if you are middle aged and overweight, you need to expect to have to work at your fitness for at least two years before you are at fitness for the top National level
- sailing is mostly strength and endurance, but cardio fitness will help you achieve the others more quickly and with less pain, so there is no escaping that you need all-round fitness
- here are some starters ...
... power walks and interval jogging will improve cardio
... squats will improve your legs and glutes (amazing impact on flexibility and mobility in the boat)
... lunges, these are amazing for hip flexors which are tight when hiking and sitting at a desk, many many back problems arise due to tight hip flexors, so do lotsa lunges
... press ups for upper body (start on your knees if you have to)
... crunches (laying on your back, knees at 90', get your wrists to your knees)
... lower abs (laying on your back, raise your legs and hold)
No weights, no equipment, no $$ to spend on the above - if you do them everyday - your sailing will improve. If you want something more technical, get a hold of Michael Blackburn's book "Sail Fitter".
Good luck, I'm off for some exercise now,
Sue
A few observations first up:
- sailing a dinghy in a club race once a week doesn't contribute anything to your overall fitness
- for exercise to contribute to your fitness, you need a minimum of 30 minutes a day, with your heart rate up for most of the time
- once a week sailing uses up some calories, but that's about all
- so if you want to be fitter for sailing you need something EXTRA
- the majority of people have a restricted envelope of resources and time to commit to their sailing, I am assuming you work and have some other commitments in my comments below
Where to start with sailing fitness:
- set your goals realistically ie are you aiming to be a club sailor only, or are you aiming for States, Nationals, International, or Olympic levels of competition
- don't under-estimate timeframes
- if you are middle aged and overweight, you need to expect to have to work at your fitness for at least two years before you are at fitness for the top National level
- sailing is mostly strength and endurance, but cardio fitness will help you achieve the others more quickly and with less pain, so there is no escaping that you need all-round fitness
- here are some starters ...
... power walks and interval jogging will improve cardio
... squats will improve your legs and glutes (amazing impact on flexibility and mobility in the boat)
... lunges, these are amazing for hip flexors which are tight when hiking and sitting at a desk, many many back problems arise due to tight hip flexors, so do lotsa lunges
... press ups for upper body (start on your knees if you have to)
... crunches (laying on your back, knees at 90', get your wrists to your knees)
... lower abs (laying on your back, raise your legs and hold)
No weights, no equipment, no $$ to spend on the above - if you do them everyday - your sailing will improve. If you want something more technical, get a hold of Michael Blackburn's book "Sail Fitter".
Good luck, I'm off for some exercise now,
Sue
Saturday, November 28, 2009
24 days - but who's counting
I have read that going into a major event with a clear mind is helpful - top golfers don't practice in the leadup to a major, they do stuff like clean the shed, mow the grass - well .... that's what I am doing today - mind, at 3 weeks before departure, some of this stuff is just routine anyway, and not really part of the preparation.
Another task I had forgottten about is to print out my Spirit of Tasmania itinerary whch is on my old computer! Maybe I need to make a list.
I have already turned my desk calendar to December ... and it is full of work and study commitments. Regardless, I have quarantined 5-6 Dec for a trip to Lake Cootharaba - my task that weekend is for a 'dry run' short trip, focus on getting comfortable quickly in the boat, and working on starting technique (I think this is now my main area of weakness).
Over the last two years my strategy has been to focus on my weaknesses - so I started with boat handling, then fitness - this is why I have stayed with 1505 - I won't upgrade the boat until I feel that is my biggest weakness. The only equipment updates to the boat are a new centreboard which is about to arrive from Martin Sly, and a small amount of shape added to the mainsail in a drop seam that I did as part of repair to the foot.
Long post - must be delaying getting into these jobs :-)
S
Another task I had forgottten about is to print out my Spirit of Tasmania itinerary whch is on my old computer! Maybe I need to make a list.
I have already turned my desk calendar to December ... and it is full of work and study commitments. Regardless, I have quarantined 5-6 Dec for a trip to Lake Cootharaba - my task that weekend is for a 'dry run' short trip, focus on getting comfortable quickly in the boat, and working on starting technique (I think this is now my main area of weakness).
Over the last two years my strategy has been to focus on my weaknesses - so I started with boat handling, then fitness - this is why I have stayed with 1505 - I won't upgrade the boat until I feel that is my biggest weakness. The only equipment updates to the boat are a new centreboard which is about to arrive from Martin Sly, and a small amount of shape added to the mainsail in a drop seam that I did as part of repair to the foot.
Long post - must be delaying getting into these jobs :-)
S
Friday, November 27, 2009
25 days - success with the drysuit
Hi,
the team at Hot n Dry are able to do the repairs so long as I get the suit to them pronto - so it will be in the mail EXPRESS this morning at 9am.
Gosh, my drysuit will be more travelled in kms than me! Intel from previous Tassie Nats has been that it still gets cold in summer, especially on the water, and the last thing I really want is the distraction of being cold! Looking at this weeks temperature forecasts for Hobart, the daily maximum is 15 to 22, so compared with Brisbane's range of 28 to 33, I'm guessing the intel might be right.
S
the team at Hot n Dry are able to do the repairs so long as I get the suit to them pronto - so it will be in the mail EXPRESS this morning at 9am.
Gosh, my drysuit will be more travelled in kms than me! Intel from previous Tassie Nats has been that it still gets cold in summer, especially on the water, and the last thing I really want is the distraction of being cold! Looking at this weeks temperature forecasts for Hobart, the daily maximum is 15 to 22, so compared with Brisbane's range of 28 to 33, I'm guessing the intel might be right.
S
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Just 26 days till departure
Hi, that's right, just 26 days till I depart Brisbane for my trip to the 2009-10 Sabre Nationals in Hobart, Tas. It doesn't seem long since it was a 100 days, or 60 days, so I'm into the final countdown.
Only two major items left on the checklist to do - drysuit repair (where can I get this done in Brisbane) and car maintenance check. Well, also packing, but that is assumed.
S
Only two major items left on the checklist to do - drysuit repair (where can I get this done in Brisbane) and car maintenance check. Well, also packing, but that is assumed.
S
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