I am a late forties kayak racer. My goal is to compete at the World Masters Games in Turin, Italy in 2013. I will be racing in ICF sprint kayaks. This blog will be my training diary for the next 4 yrs. I use a variety of running, weights, and cross training to hopefully become a better kayaker.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Sun Run Training - Week #3



Week #3 Workouts - Jan 31 - Feb 6

Walk10K Programme



Session 1 - 54 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 15 min.
1 min. brisk walk - 2 min.recovery walk
Repeat this combination 8 times.
Cool-down: Walk slow & easy for 15 minutes.


Session 2 - 40 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Walk for 30 minutes
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 50 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Walk for 40 minutes
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


LearnToRun10K Programme



Session 1 - 45 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 3 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 7 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 2 - 34 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 2 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 6 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 40 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 3 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 6 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Run10KFaster Program



Session 1 - 50 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 10 min.
1 min. brisk run - 2 min.recovery jog
Repeat this 10 times.
Cool-down: jog slow & easy for 10 minutes.


Session 2 - 30 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.
Run for 20 minutes
Cool-down: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 45 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.
Run for 35 minutes
Cool-down: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Burnaby Lake Still Frozen

Here are some pictures my coach sent me yesterday of Burnaby Lake.

I have a good idea that there won't be a K1 practise this Saturday.



This is a shot of the ramp down from the club house to the dock.

Sun Run Training – Week #1 Workout #2

It was another cold and foggy morning. I was not looking forward to this mornings jog. I started off as usual with a 5 min walk, just to get warmed up. Then it was jogging non-stop just to stay warm. My glasses even had ice on them by the time I was finished.

I guess it could be worse, it could be raining. The weather forecast for this weekend is snow. We just got finished with three weeks of snow and now it is going to return. I might have to switch to indoor track running, while the snow melts.

Masters Training Camp 2009

Renton, WA March 23 – 28


The five goals of this camp are to help you:

1.Develop your kayaking technique for greater endurance, power and speed
2.Learn how to organize your training
3.Develop your racing skills
4.Develop your sport knowledge
5.Get together with others of similar interest for friendship and camaraderie, and to share ideas and experiences

The camp is organized into five activity types:

1.On the water training
2.Video analysis of participants’ paddling technique
3.Video analysis of model paddling technique
4.Off the water presentations on paddling specific topics
5.Social activities in which all participants are expected to participate

The schedule is subject to change based on weather and safety concerns. Also, if Dan feels the group would be better served by a schedule change that will be discussed for a group consensus.

Most presentations are scheduled for 1½ hours. This includes lots of time for discussion in which participants are expected to actively participate.

Monday, March 23
8:00 – 9:30 Welcome & Introductions
9:30 – 11:30 Paddling technique video session
11:30 – 1:00 Lunch & Presentation – Kayak Forward Stroke
1:00 – 2:30 Review of World Championship video
2:30 – 4:30 Aerobic Endurance Workout – intervals
7:00 Welcome Dinner Together

Tuesday, March 24
8:00 – 10:30 Aerobic Endurance Workout – pyramid intervals
10:30 – Noon Presentation – Becoming a More Powerful Paddler
Noon – 1:30 Lunch break
1:30 – 3:00 Presentation – Weight Training for Paddling
3:00 – 5:00 Aerobic Endurance Workout – repeats

Wednesday, March 25
8:00 – 10:30 Threshold Workout – intervals
10:30 – Noon Presentation - Exercise Physiology & Training Methodology
Noon – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 Workshop – Organizing your training
3:00 – 5:00 Aerobic Endurance Workout – repeats with games
7:00 Dinner together

Thursday, March 26
8:00 – 10:30 Speed Workout – intervals
10:30 – Noon Workshop – Organizing your training
Noon – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 Presentation – Racing Tactics
3:00 – 5:00 Paddle – Starts & Race Tactics

Friday, March 27
8:00 – Noon Aerobic Endurance Workout – repeats
Participants’ video review
Noon – 2:00 Drive to Bellingham, bring Lunch in the van
2:00 – 6:00 VO2 max testing
6:00 – 7:30 Dinner in Bellingham
7:30 – 9:30 Drive to Renton

Saturday, March 28
8:00 – 11:00 Aerobic Endurance Workout – repeats
11:00 – 1:00 Farewell Lunch Together – Barbeque on the pier

Boats:
We do have secure space in the boathouse for you to store your boat during the week. If you need to borrow a boat, we do have a limited number. Please check for availability and to reserve a boat when you register. There’s no charge for either.

Cost:
$475 for the week, participants provide their own meals and housing. We have a limited number of billets available.

Housing:
Participants provide their own housing. We have a limited number of billets available. Please e-mail your request.

Meals:
Except for lunch on Monday, March 23 and Saturday, March 28 (barbecue on the pier), meals are participants’ responsibility. We can accommodate vegetarian diets. Several meals will be planned for local restaurants so we can eat together.

Dan Henderson, former US Team member, coach and World Championship Team Leader, will lead this camp.

He is the co-author of the International Canoe Federation (the world and Olympic canoe/kayak racing governing body) Coaching Manual and coach of the Cascade and Seattle University Canoe & Kayak Racing Teams.

In February 2009, Dan will make a presentation to the top coaches in the world at the ICF Coaching Symposium in Warsaw, Poland on the kayak forward stroke and applications of biomechanics.

Dan is a Masters candidate in Exercise Science at Western Washington University with a focus on the kayak forward stroke biomechanics.

For information, contact Dan Henderson at 425-430-0111 or itsfun@canoe-kayak.com

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Sun Run Training – Week #1 Workout #1

Yesterday morning was really cold. I was wearing a long sleeve and a short sleeve shirt, as well as, a running vest and my running jacket. With the temperature below freezing and the fog it made for an interesting run.

I started with a warm up walk. Good thing because the road was like a sheet of ice. I could feel my feet sliding with each step. Then I just went into a easy pace jog for 5 kilometers. A good start to training for the next 13 weeks for the Sun Run.

This will not be the same as the SportMed BC program. I am modifying it to suit my needs. The first part will be just getting into run training and then I will switch to the Run 10K Faster program.

Sun Sun Training - Week #2


Sun Run 2009 - Week #2 Workouts Jan 24-30



Walk10K Programme



Session 1 - 40 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 10 min.
2 min. brisk walk - 2 min.recovery walk
Repeat this combination 5 times.
Cool-down: Walk slow & easy for 10 minutes.


Session 2 - 30 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Walk for 20 minutes
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 35 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Walk for 30 minutes
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


LearnToRun10K Programme



Session 1 - 38 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 2 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 7 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 2 - 31 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 1 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 7 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 34 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 2 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 6 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Run10KFaster Program



Session 1 - 44 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 10 min.
2 min. brisk run - 2 min.recovery jog
Repeat this 6 times
Cool-down: jog slow & easy for 10 minutes.


Session 2 - 30 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.
Run for 20 minutes
Cool-down: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 40 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.
Run for 30 minutes
Cool-down: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Sun Run Training - Week #1


The start of training for the Sun Run starts next week.

So each week on Wednesday, I will post the training schedule for the following week. This thirteen week program was developed by SportMedBC, and leads up to the 25th Annual Sun Run, were this year might break the 59,179 runner record.

SportMedBC

Sun Run 2009 Race Details

Canada's biggest and best community run takes place Sunday, April 19 at 9 a.m. The Vancouver Sun Run is the second largest timed 10K in the world and the third largest timed run of any distance in the world.

Vancouver Sun Run 2009 Web Site

Week #1 Jan 17-23

Walk10K Programme


Session 1 - 44 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 10 min.
3 min. brisk walk - 2 min.recovery walk
2 min. brisk walk - 2 min.recovery walk
1 min. brisk walk - 2 min.recovery walk
Repeat this combination 2 times.
Cool-down: Walk slow & easy for 10 minutes.


Session 2 - 30 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Walk for 20 minutes
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 35 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Walk for 25 minutes
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


LearnToRun10K Programme


Session 1 - 34 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 1 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 8 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 2 - 28 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 1 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 6 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 31 minutes
Warm-up: Walk slow & easy for 5 min.
Run 1 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat this 7 times
Cool-down: walk slow & easy for 5 min.


Run10KFaster Program


Session 1 - 44 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 10 min.
3 min. brisk run - 2 min.recovery jog
2 min. brisk run - 2 min.recovery jog
1 min. brisk run - 2 min.recovery jog
Repeat this combination 2 times.
Cool-down: jog slow & easy for 10 minutes.


*** Note: Brisk running means you should not be able to speak more than 2 sentences at one time. Any more and you're going too slow, any less and you're going too fast.***

Session 2 - 30 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.
Run for 20 minutes
Cool-down: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.


Session 3 - 35 minutes
Warm-up: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.
Run for 25 minutes
Cool-down: Jog slow & easy for 5 min.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Training Concept #10 - The Training Balance

Concept X: “The Training Balance”

Training consists of both exercise and recovery. We often don't consider recovery as part of training because it just happens. Or does it? You may train 1 or 2 hours a day but the next 22 to 23 hours may have considerable influence on the quality of your next workout. Recovery is enhanced by, good nutrition, relaxation, perhaps some easy stretching, and a good night's sleep.

Training is a balance of work and recovery. Work involves applying a force over a distance (work=force x distance) such as paddling a canoe or kayak. Recovery is a combination of rest and nutrition and it allows you to apply more force to do more work the day after a hard workout. These three components, work, rest, and nutrition, comprise the " total athlete," at least on a physical level. If one element is neglected you will fall short of your performance potential.

Physiology: Training occurs when the body adapts to a workload. The body doesn't get stronger during exercise, but rather, it develops afterwards during recovery. Recovery after strenuous work enhances fitness by:

Repairing muscle and connective tissue
Restoring metabolic enzymes (that make energy conversion possible)
Replenishing carbohydrates (readily usable energy source)
Normalizing nervous, endocrine, immune, and cardiovascular systems
Increasing muscle protein, aerobic enzymes (boosts VO2 and lactate threshold), and stored energy

This last training response not only repairs the muscles and maintains fitness, but also boosts strength and endurance. If these physiological adjustments don't occur (inadequate recovery between strenuous workouts), the athlete is susceptible to chronic fatigue, over-training, and performance decline.

So, how long does it take to recover after a hard workout? Researchers say about 36 to 48 hours depending upon the individual athlete and the type of training. This recovery window corresponds nicely with the training practice of alternating hard and easy training days. So, you don't have to push yourself hard every day and, in fact, this practice may prove counter-productive.

The additional good news is that you can ensure and accelerate recovery by replenishing carbohydrate stores immediately following a strenuous workout. Three to four hundred calories of carbohydrate (sports drink, fruit juice) within 10 minutes post exercise and again an hour or two later maximizes physiological restoration and prepares you for your next workout. The benefit of carbohydrate replenishment is three-fold:

It enhances muscle and liver glycogen stores
It prevents muscle protein breakdown
It promotes protein synthesis

These factors are essential to the recovery process. Adequate carbohydrate replenishment is effective in accelerating recovery for both strength and endurance training.

Smart training is the process of maximizing work while minimizing fatigue. Too much work and not enough rest hinders your training progress and leads to fatigue, staleness, and injury. Too much rest and not enough work provokes too little training stress to maintain or improve fitness.

Stress comes in many forms. The stresses associated with job and family responsibilities consume energy, which might otherwise be available for training or racing. When the energy demands of the day or week are prioritized, paddling often becomes subordinate. However, training may be the best prescription for renewed vitality. There are short-term and long-term health benefits, which accompany this stress management paradigm. Aside from staying fit and resilient, training may help to mediate many chronic cardiovascular, metabolic, nervous, and immune system disorders. Training is a reliable stress management tool used to maintain physical, mental, emotional, and cosmic fitness.

Conclusions: The essence of the "total athlete" includes a balance of work, nutrition, and rest. Recovery is as necessary as work. Carbohydrate intake immediately following training helps to speed the recovery process by restoring fuel and building protein. In order to maximize training effect, the exercise/recovery balance is crucial. Proper training is good for you!


by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Training Concept #9 - Hypothermia

Concept IX: “Hypothermia”

A safety reminder about hypothermia is relevant to "training concepts" because winter workouts are recommended in order to maintain or improve your paddling fitness. As the seasons change, so do our safety priorities. During the summer months we are concerned about hyperthermia and dehydration. In winter, we are exposed to the cold and vulnerable to the onset of hypothermia. Hypothermia will affect your performance and diminish the enjoyment of paddling. But more importantly, it is a health safety issue with serious consequences. Observation and awareness may help to save yourself or a friend. A little preparation and planning can make cold weather paddling more fun, more comfortable, and a lot safer.

Here are some considerations with respect to hypothermia. Your responsibility goes beyond your own safety and extends to the boating community. You can be a liability or an asset. If you become hypothermic, you become our responsibility. If your paddling partner becomes hypothermic, they become your responsibility. Be ready to respond.

I can think of a number of scenarios that the paddler may have to confront that involve unplanned exposure to cold water and air:

Capsize with or without rescue
Unexpected onset of rain and wind
A hard training paddle causing fatigue and perspiration
Early sunset
Failure to have warm dry clothes to change into after a workout

Physiology: Major heat loss occurs through conduction and evaporation. This means get out of the water, get dry, and/or cover up immediately. Most heat loss occurs from:

Head (50-60%)
Neck
Groin
Armpits/chest sides

Be aware that rapid warming of the extremities may cause cold blood to circulate to the body's interior, causing rapid cooling and risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Warm slowly.

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Training Concept #8 - Long Distance Paddling

CONCEPT VIII: “Long distance Paddling”

Long distance typically means 30 miles and longer. The Molokai Channel can be your first adventure into this new training and racing arena. In many sports, long distance is considered the ultimate challenge. Long distance paddling holds this same intrigue.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive training discussion, but is meant to address some fundamental concerns that will help to make your first long distance race a positive experience. I assume that you have been exploiting your "long training paddle" (Concept II) and "race pace training" (Concept IV) to prepare yourself for the rigors of long distance racing. Count on this race distance being very demanding, especially as the day warms up. Be prepared to race for 5 to 6 hours. The following are some highlights to consider for the race day:

1. Your race pace should be at a comfortable speed that you have been practicing (race pace training). Monitoring a stopwatch can help you avoid the common mistake of "going out too fast." Strive for even splits so that your last mile is as fast as your first.

2. Hydration is the most significant performance and health consideration for an event this long, especially if the weather is hot. Practice drinking lots of water and/or carbohydrate and electrolyte replacement liquids (sports drinks) during your long distance training so that your stomach adapts to the intake while you exercise. Some drinks may not be compatible and may be too sweet, salty, or bad taking. Try diluting them with plain water or find a new drink that works for you.

During exercise in the heat, you can lose more water through perspiration and ventilation than you can drink and absorb. If you don't have the urge to urinate every hour, you may ultimately have a performance problem or a health problem (renal failure is life threatening). So, back off and drink lots of ice water to stimulate gastric motility and fluid absorption. Dehydration can also be determined by weight loss and blood pressure drop (decreased blood volume). A gallon of water weighs 8 pounds and this degree of dehydration is not uncommon and it can have serious consequences. Dehydration often results in nausea and just finishing the race becomes challenging. Stay ahead of the game and prevent dehydration by drinking early and drinking lots.

3. Proper nutrition is part of a comprehensive race strategy. During a race of this length you need to supplement your energy reserves with carbohydrate ingestion. Sport drinks work well and often contain needed electrolytes. Fruit juice, V-8 juice (salty), fruit, cookies, pretzels, jelly sandwiches, etc. may be your favorite. Don't experiment during the race, but practice intake during your long training paddles. If your experience stomach upset during the race, head for the ice water and salty pretzels. Symptoms of low blood sugar often begin with a subtle mood change and grow into emotional or grumpy behavior, and ultimately the total exhaustion.

4. Paddlers racing in teams will have opportunity to rehydrate and eat when they are out of the boat. Rest in the shade, stretch a bit, walk some, and that might bring life back into a tired body.

Have a support crew or a cooler with extra fluids and foods that you might need. If you don't feel great, experience cramping or overwhelming fatigue, or have sore-bottom-syndrome, don't give up. A comfortable boat/paddler unit is more important than a fast boat. Taking the time to rest, stretch, rehydrate, and eat will make you feel a whole lot better. If you respond to these symptoms early, you can get it back together and still finish well. Remember to have fun!

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Training Concept #7 - The Ageing Paddler

Concept VII: “The Ageing Paddler”


I don’t like to write about things that I haven’t actually practised or experienced, but aging is something that we all do with varying degrees of effectiveness. If you read about the ravages of getting old, it is very scary. If you read about the positive effects of exercise, nutrition, and stress management on the aging process, you gain some sense of control; it all becomes more interesting and challenging. Consider that much of “normal aging” is actually mediated by disuse (hypo kinetics), too much stress, and poor nutrition. The good news is that it is never too late to make positive life-style decisions or to start training for next year’s racing season. Here are a few key factors relating the physiology of aging and physical training.

Physiology: The study of aging typically views a cross section of population that is not devoted to exercise and fitness. So, the norms that we read about tend to be skewed towards aging of the sedentary rather than aging of the fit. Older athletes are not only concerned with maintaining health and fitness, but are searching for ways to improve athletic prowess. Consider the aging effects on 1) the cardio respiratory system and 2) the skeletal muscle system:

1. Maximal heart rate tends to decline with age by approximately one beat per minute each year. Exercise may alter this process minimally, but heart rate decline is inevitable. Stroke volume, which reflects the muscle quality in the left ventricle of the heart, also may decline. The resulting diminished cardiac output reduces circulation to the exercising muscles, therefore, limiting the VO2max potential. However, research has shown that a group of aging nationally ranked marathoners were able to match their 25-year-old VO2max at age 40. Aging is slowed by training!

2. The inactive older person tends to lose muscle and gain fat as a result of the body’s physiologic adaptation to reduced activity. This adjustment in body composition stimulates a decline in resting metabolic rate (RMR), which decreases caloric need and increases calorie storage (fat). Muscle mass loss is the reduction in both the number and size of the muscle fibers. Also, motor nerve cells, which activate the muscles, tend to deteriorate. Collateral nerve development may help to reinnervate some of these abandoned motor units. However, muscle mass (and motor units) may be preserved by training!

Old muscles respond to exercise just as well as young muscles. Exercise helps to preserve and improve muscle and nerve quality and function, coordination, flexibility, posture, etc. Although some potential strength loss occurs because of the dwindling fast-twitch muscle fibers, resistance training and endurance training provide the adaptive stimulus to fight these aging phenomena.

Training: Of the three primary training variables, VO2max, economy, and lactate threshold (LT) (see previous Training Concepts), the aging athlete may derive the greatest performance gains through LT training. Mitochondria and oxidative enzymes (which ssupport oxygen utilization in the muscle cells) are key functional elements of the aerobic process and they tend to survive aging. These elements are very responsive to training and are responsible for optimizing aerobic capacity and LT. Maximizing mitochondria and oxidative enzymes allows more energy production during exercise and results in faster and longer paddles.

Research gives us some ideas about training in order to increase the density of mitochondria and oxidative enzymes in the muscle cell:

Oxidative enzymes are maximized by training 1 hour per day, 5 days per week, for 6 months.
Mitochondrial density is most efficiently increased in slow-twitch muscle fibers by paddling for 60 minutes at 70-75% VO2max (80-84% HRmax).
The best way to stimulate the oxidative capacity (increase mitochondria) of fast-twitch fibers is to paddle for 10 minutes at close to 100% VO2max. Fast-twitch muscles prefer to operate anaerobically but can be trained to assume some intermediate oxidative characteristics.

It is apparent that variation in intensity and duration is necessary to take care of training every facet of our physiology. It takes some planning and creativity to tailor a training program to include the stimulus for all the desirable adaptive traits.

Proper training greatly improves endurance in old age, probably by the same mechanism as in youth (the muscle’s increased ability to use oxygen reduces glycogen depletion). Adaptability of muscle to exercise remains high even in the very old and the response to training does not appreciably change with age. Much of the deterioration of muscle tissue associated with aging appears to accompany disuse.


How to raise your lactate threshold? A high LT tends to compensate for a declining VO2max. Ideas about LT training are continually evolving. Without dwelling on the physiology of lactate threshold, try this simple 45 minute program each week (optimally 30% +/- of your training workload):

1.Warm up, hydrate.

2.Paddle hard for 12 to 15 minutes.

3.Recover with easy paddling for 4 minutes.


4.Paddle 30 minutes of quality paced 250m intervals with equivalent length recovery times (or 75 second intervals with 75 second recoveries).

5.Warm down, rehydrate.

As you get older, be sensitive to your changing needs. You may require more recovery time between hard workouts or after racing. Over training caused by insufficient recovery will hinder your performance and subtract from the fun quotient. Also, be patient and let your training work for you. Don’t try to force yourself into higher performance. Give your body a chance to adapt to the workload. Set goals and allow enough time to achieve them; start preparing now for next year’s favorite races. Consciously monitor your state of well being both during races and throughout your training.

Conclusions: Think of the change in certain human qualities as we age in a positive way and accept the challenge. Age related strength loss is compensated for by smart training and keen racing skills. Add to this optimal stroke mechanics, a slick new carbon fiber boat, and a lightweight carbon paddle. You will enhance your lactate threshold paddling velocity (LTPV), and gain a performance advantage. Aging doesn’t have to be all that bad!


by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.