Epic Kayaks

Monday, May 6, 2013

USA Sprint Team Trials


Ok, we just got back from trials this past week.  There were a few extra big names returning to the game this year.  A few athletes took off the Olympic year (last summer) for school or surgery or what not.  Olympic year is kind of a low key season for athlete’s below the Olympic level; so if needed, athletes are more likely to take this year as a reflection/recuperation year.  The field for senior women was looking a bit deeper than in the past. We even had more athletes then the men’s events (which still isn’t that many compared to other nations, but you know what I mean).  I’m happy to say I was 4th in the 500m K1 race. 

It would have been nice to come in top 3, but I could tell that a lot of my training this winter was focused on building-the-base to carry me throughout the summer months.  Unfortunately, I feel like I might have started speed work too late and too close to trials.  That might have been a disadvantage for me, but live and learn! I have high hopes that as we develop more speed-work throughout the summer, my times could seriously improve.  Coming from my surfski/marathon background, I always feel like I have a solid base.  It’s those short little 200m races that I now have to focus on.  I’m hoping to put most of my focus on the 200m throughout summer, figuring that, at the very least, I can meet in the middle with a killer 500m time.  We’ll see what happens.  Unfortunately, women don't race the 1000m; so bummed about that.

Being relatively new to sprinting, I learn a lot from every regatta in which I’m lucky enough to participate.  It’s been quite a journey discovering all of the little innuendos of this bizarrely unique sport of sprint kayaking.  I’m excited for what the summer has in store for me.  If it’s anything like last summer, it will be a lot of heavy training, and if I’m lucky, crazy improvements.  Next up for me:  USA Marathon World team try-outs in Texas, May 18th.  After that, a bunch of training and a surfski race or two as part of the Southeast Point Series.  Way more to come!

 

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