|
111 km: A Stand Up Paddle Ultra Marathon (Part 1 of 3) |
|
|
|
|
By: Stuart Murray
|
|
Friday, 14 November 2008 |
The Hawkesbury Classic, a race down a river. Its overnight, navigation is by marine compass, temperatures can drop to 4 degrees. There are snags, overhanging branches and the tide is your friend or your enemy. You decide. This race does not allow relay, you go all the way or you don’t.
On the 1st of November 2008 we turn up at Hawkesbury Base Camp for scrutineering and pre-race briefing. There is a thick buzz in the air as hundreds of athletes prepare themselves and their gear for the evening ahead. It is us that get the strange looks and the curious questions as we unload and prepare our gear amongst the gathering of conventional craft, canoes.
Stuart Murray, pohaku paddle in hand stands by a sleek shiny red C4 Waterman racing machine, the XP Vortice 14 footer. Inoke Tuhukava does the same beside a yellow and red holo holo, a 12 foot river cruiser. We know our gear and are quietly confident; except we are Stand Up Paddle Surfers and we are creating quite a stir. Some one asks, “do you have a strategy to finish the race. I reply “to paddle with my heart”. The gathered people laugh at my reply. I keep my eyes down appreciating the laughter and know I mean it.
Later I look back at the photos and see my brave shirt emblazoned with the statement “superstar” “because I can”, though it didn’t seem too much at the time.
The pre-race briefing holds some good news. We are told we are 300 metre’s above sea level and technically the race is all down hill. The sports physiotherapist tells us that if we fatigue we can try to paddle from a different posture and thus remind our muscles of a new muscle memory and freshen the muscle. This is a tip that saves me some six hours later when my right knee possessing half a cartilage begins an ache that has to be stopped.
End Part 1 of 3
Beyond the Break
Sports Coaching, Lifestyle Coaching, Surf Coaching
Stuart Murray
0431 231 542
 |
