Every year or two I like to come up with some kind of challenge that pushes me physically and mentally. I've done an Ironman triathlon many moons ago, and recently ran a 67km ultramarathon with my good friend Peter Oxley. For 2017 we decided it was time for an aquatic adventure.
Peter was a Canada Games rower from back in the day when we had our youth. He's rowed his single seat shell across The Bay of Fundy........ya THE Bay of Fundy, from Saint John to Digby. So Pete is no stranger to long days pushing himself on the water. The Blackburn Challenge has been on his bucketlist for awhile. Blackburn is a 20 plus mile ocean race around Cape Ann in Gloucester, Mass. and is open to pretty much any human powered paddling craft. It started as a dory race to honour Howard Blackburn a Gloucester fisherman, who while lost in a fishing dory on the Burgeo Banks in a winter storm rowed 60 miles to shore with his hands frozen to the oars. Since I am a proud Newfoundlander and grandson of fisherman who fished from a dory, it's only fitting that I accompany Peter on this adventure. I however am gonna enter the SUP division. A challenge of this distance will require a somewhat speedy board that is capable of handling rough water, so I think the Jimmy Lewis 12'6 Sidewinder maybe the board of choice. The 14' would be faster, but for everyday paddling and downwinding on the Kennebecasis the 12'6 is easier to live with. Training has already started. I'm doing some easy strength training with P90X3 (30min) workouts until the New Year, and then will go to the P90X2 (60min) workouts 6 days a week. I'll also be paddling all winter on the Bay, SUP surfing whenever possible, and running. The race is on July 22, and goes ahead regardless of weather. In honour of my Newfoundland roots and connection to this race, I'll be naming my board "The Newfie Bullet" If you are unfamiliar with the Newfie Bullet, it's the nickname that was given to the train that used to cross the island back in the day, because it was so slow.
2 Comments
Jimbo
12/1/2016 06:52:33 pm
Hmmm, I'm intrigued. Training for this would be an excuse to get on the water....a lot! Good luck Tel.
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Tel
12/1/2016 07:45:03 pm
Jimbo, you should come with us, could always use another SUPer.
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