Monday: WCDBA / SADBA team training
Tuesday: Paddlesnappers
Wednesday: Amabele Belles
Thursday: Paddlesnappers
Saturday: Amabele Belles & Paddlesnappers

Personal training:
Monday: gym
prepaddling sessions: 2km, 4km or 5.5km run
pushups / situps / crossovers

current mass: 91kg
benchmark 4km run: 19'40''
current status: pie eater

return to form

It's been year. Back to form for me.
A small change will be more self-interest and notes on my views.

M

21 man session

So the first session went off well.
90% of participants completed the 3x10 before 18h00.

Present were (in approximate seating order on boat)
Thor
Bianca
Saskia
Nadine
Mandi
Gill
Des
Daggie
Kevin
Torsden
Yoshi
Yasmo
Toby
Tara
Mike
Jman
Vince
Ben S
JJ
Fayeg

Apologies: Craig S (sick), Craigus (work), Carol & Nicky (over seas).

Session focus was on Power and knocking off the rust.
Highlights were timing - very pleasing in the full boat.
Lowlights were weakish finishes (prob because boat is zippy and biceps/shoulders are not toned yet), and short striding (understandable, but not to persist!).

Ladies for Saturday
Confirmed: Des, Daggie, Bianca, Mandi, Gillian, Tara,
Not: Saskia, Nadine, Nicky
Maybe: Carol, Nazli, Faiza, Roisin, Sam, Susan, Karin, Hayley, (other novices I've missed), Sue & Angie?

Men:
Confirmed: Thor, Shane, Mike, Jman, Vince, Torsden, Kevin, JJ, Ben S, Martin, Craigus, Fayeg
Not: Toby, Craig S
Maybe: Igshaan, Iemraan, Nadir, (other novices I've missed).

Thursday is our last chance to pull together to do start patterns and sort out timing.
PLEASE let Thor know by email if you do not plan to come to a (any) session!
If you wish to race, and you missed Tuesday's session, please come to Thursday's session.

If you can't come to Thursday, or are injured, please come to the regatta anyway so you can see how it all works and help support the crew. We'll have a post-regatta lurk somewhere around there for good measure.

Much experience is gained from the "debriefs" (post-race discussions), race configuration discussions and general banter.

So the hiatus has kicked in and I wish everyone a restful break for the back, shoulders and arms.

We will be sliding back in practice gently after the break, which will be a great time to raise a paw for interest in the Feb Fest 2008.
I'm talking specifically to people like Jono, Timi, Sandra (ok so pregnancy is her excuse) and any novices you think would like to try out paddling, or any of the paddlers who have been quiet for one reason or another.
The incentive of the regatta is always a good one - the Paddlesnappers have a decade of being the top local team every single time. We do not plan to lose that hold!

To that end, we will be doing time-trials in the last 10 days of November (before December break, but enough time after Ramadan to get strong enough to handle the strain without too much risk of injury).
Based on the times there, attendance, differentials with previous performances, technique and mass we will be selecting our starting line-up for the regatta, which won't be final, but may be all the difference between a favourite and/or a place in the boat.

I thus implore you to please keep in shape with walking / stretching / jogging / cycling / light to heavy cardio work outs as this will definitely gain you a few seconds in the time trials. Definitely.
Or at least stop you from setting a slower time than before.

I'll take this opportunity to please implore you to make full use of this time off to focus on your self and enjoying succeeding at a personal goal.

My goals are to get to 83kg and run from Roeland str to Kloof Nek and back in 35 minutes, but the point is the pursuit of the goal must be enjoyable and rewarding to you (whatever the goal is). (Even if part of your goal is ignoring anything I say for one month!)


Just remember:
The privileges we have and the freedoms we enjoy - the freedom to paddle, to paddle at a convenient, beautiful (if smelly occasionally) location, the freedom to move without restriction, the freedom of association with good people, the blessings of good health, sound mind and a full active life - are not for all the world to enjoy.
We have all these things, and just need to choose to have the courage and discipline to reach out and revel in it.

Have a selfish break, and see you in the new month.

-M

The inaugural Great Annual Paddlesnapper Pie Fest.

Every so often, we need a break from it all (the muscles, the people).
Also, as it turns out, it is worthwhile to throw caution to the wind and indulge in the more chocolaty aspects of the typical diet.

Therefore, for the duration of Ramadan, we will not be paddling.
Those who wish to continue training (and thwarting pies), can continue to come along and we will be jogging and doing full motion training to compliment our full-body fitness.

However, before we do so, let's celebrate all the forbidden culinary delights.
On Tueday 11th Sepetember, at our house (address withheld - ask Thor if you're not sure), we will be eating like it's Armageddon.
We're talking:

• pies
• cakes
• pizza
• chocolate
• hot chocolate
• chips
• lasagne

etc.

Please bring your fav. junk food with a surplus to share.

Please bring drinks (coke / fruit juice / beer etc)

It's a breather before we get down to the serious business of training for Feb Fest 2008.

M

Winter focus

The winter focus will specifically be on strength.
It is a Paddlesnapper tradition to be there in the rain, cold and sundry unpleasant climes.

Do not think that training is optional.

Eulogy for Gino Feng (May 2007).

When I moved to Gauteng in April 2004, I went to a paddling session one Sunday afternoon. I think it was at Florida Lake on the West Rand, but it might have been Wemma Pan; it doesn't matter.
GDBA were about to sit and discuss something (it doesn't matter either) but Gino invited me to join in. I sat down on the grass under a tree and listened to the issues the committee were facing at the time, and thought dryly how similar they were to the issues facing WCDBA. As it turned out, it was because of that chance meeting that I joined Chung-Wah as coach and derived great benefit from a relationship with Bridget and Aiden Ah-Ling and the Chung-Wah regulars, but which also ensured further interactions with Gino and GDBA.

What struck me was the basic sincerity in his invitation to sit down. He was relaxed, smiling and munching on some of that East-Rand biltong he loved so much, he hardly knew me from a bar of soap, but everything about him said "if you have a contribution to make, which I think you might, please sit down and contribute". I am so glad I did, because the rewards I have reaped, and inspiration I have derived have been extraordinary.

For instance, I recall vividly the torrid time our crew had at the hands of the Taipei midsummer heat, humidity and cuisine, but when someone shouted "GINO!" in the middle of the race, just as the crew was flagging, there was a stirring and immediate surge in the boat. You see, Gino was such a man that to associate his name with underperformance was unacceptable. His person, contribution, ethics and dedication spoke to the soul within each of us.

When I have lived my life, when I have achieved what I have set out to achieve, when I have worked and toilied and triumphed, let them compare me to Gino Feng, who was humble enough not to seek comparison, but let his actions and words speak for themselves.

7% for free

I've been totally unable to post recently. Work.
Anyway, the developments as I judge them are:

• 50% paddling attendance on average
• >1minute race times
• low levels of sporadic cross training

That said, we had a task last Saturday. We'd set 1'08 over the course in the wooden boats and the Amabele Belles had set 1'04, so optimism was not high going into the final.

However, the 'snappers really pulled finger and took the race with aggression last seen in Joburg in May.

Well done.

The team in the regatta was as follows:

Th Ben

Sandra Iemraan

Nazli Nadir

Mandi Daggy

Renicia Col

Yoshi Gil

Jman Mike

Igshaan CraigS

J-J Imtiaz

Martin on sweep

Carol raced two races on the 4 seat.

==============================

Tues: 1 Aug 2006

Shared session with Mujaji:

Warmup.

Power pyramid to 50 (10 normal 10 power)

Insanity pyramid to 30 (normal, power, rate)

250m race.

change sides

Repeat.

This made me stiff. This concerns me as we have 12 weeks to the International.

Are we going to be ready for this?