The best leg

Monday, 4 March 2013

The Summer Survival is the best event to be a paddler in. You get your leg out of the way early and then get to enjoy watching the rest of the race unfold. It's great! 

In fact generally, if you are only going to do one leg of a multisport race, I recon the paddle is on average the best one to do. Generally it's the most scenic (I'm thinking there's not much more scenic than the paddle on day 2 of the Freycinet Challenge), there are no hills, you're way less likely to crash or have a mechanical, and you are more often than not the first leg which allows you to enjoy the rest of the race in a manner that only the finished competitor can! Oh and of course on hot days you're splashing around in the water while the runners are baking in the hot sun.

 Now I know what you're thinking - 'sure it's great to be a paddler on race-day, but what about all the training in a Tasmanian winter - it must be freezing?' - well, I trained on my bike for the Cape to Cape all winter this year and my toes were numb for two straight months - there's nothing colder than the wind-chill factor on a bike ride - in comparison my toes are toasty warm in my wetsuit socks.  I also have a super warm Sharkskin brand paddling top that I only wore once this winter (and I got a bit hot).  There was that time when I fell into the water on one of the coldest winter days (the air temp was only about 7 degrees), and by the time I got home my boat had a layer of ice on it, but that just made the hot bath all the more enjoyable - in fact just putting my feet into ugg boots after a regular winter paddle is a delight that you don't appreciate otherwise!

Oh and one other thing is that if you are a paddler, you never have trouble finding a team as paddlers are in short supply as opposed to mountain bikers who are a dime a dozen. The family team will always be my first priority however Jon has recently mentioned that he might like to learn how to paddle himself which might free me up to try out some new team formats...hmmm... with Jon though of course.



2013summary
K.I. Day 3 Saturday, 28 December 2013
K.I. Day 2 Friday, 27 December 2013
K.I. Friday, 27 December 2013
Belair National Park Wednesday, 25 December 2013
Special Talents Monday, 23 December 2013
The K2K Sunday, 22 December 2013
Takeaway Sunday, 22 December 2013
Morning Paddle Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Before and After #28 Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Milestones Sunday, 15 December 2013
Run-Sheet Sunday, 15 December 2013
Gingerbread Houses Sunday, 15 December 2013
It must be December.. Sunday, 1 December 2013
Not at all the plan..not even a bit Sunday, 24 November 2013
in other news.. Thursday, 21 November 2013
Winners are grinners! Saturday, 16 November 2013
Before & after #28 Friday, 15 November 2013
Triple Tops Mark IV Sunday, 10 November 2013
Lake Rosebery Paddle Sunday, 10 November 2013
Tullah Challenge Saturday, 9 November 2013
Assumptions Friday, 8 November 2013
Halloween Orienteering Sunday, 27 October 2013
Chocolate Saturday, 26 October 2013
Fine and Windy, with a chance of Sulkiness Saturday, 26 October 2013
Archives.. Friday, 25 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge - Part 3 Friday, 25 October 2013
In safe hands Friday, 25 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge - Part 2 Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Freycinet Challenge Part I Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Dogs and Babies Saturday, 19 October 2013
Mt Amos Sculpture Trail Friday, 11 October 2013
Contrasts Thursday, 10 October 2013
Walking Machines Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Fishing Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Mt Graham Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Restraint Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Overnight Hike Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #4 Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #3 Monday, 7 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys Part #2 Monday, 7 October 2013
Harrowing Journeys - Part I Sunday, 6 October 2013
McComb Swimming Carnival Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Fishy Update #3 Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Lift Lounging Wednesday, 2 October 2013
not so much riding Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Sensational Sydney Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Fishy Update #2 Tuesday, 17 September 2013
It's Back! Saturday, 7 September 2013
one of these things.. Saturday, 7 September 2013
Piñata Update Saturday, 31 August 2013
Fishy Update #1 Saturday, 31 August 2013
Home-Made Friday, 30 August 2013
We should have gotten meerkats Friday, 30 August 2013
Rainbows and Puppydogs Monday, 26 August 2013
Redbanks Sunday, 25 August 2013
Soccer Season Saturday, 24 August 2013
Bookweek.. Friday, 23 August 2013
Jon in the Winter Challenge Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Well this is quaint.. Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Winter Challenge 2013 Sunday, 18 August 2013
Preparation. Saturday, 17 August 2013
Proclamation Day Saturday, 17 August 2013
Inevitabilities Sunday, 11 August 2013
Saturday Afternoons Saturday, 10 August 2013
Sunrises Saturday, 10 August 2013
Re-surfacing.. Saturday, 10 August 2013
look! Saturday, 10 August 2013
Magic Melbourne Thursday, 1 August 2013
Sunday Paddle Sunday, 21 July 2013
Saturday Paddle Saturday, 20 July 2013
The novelty is over Saturday, 20 July 2013
Happy Birthday Me! Sunday, 14 July 2013
and in other news.. Saturday, 13 July 2013
Egg Island Circumnavigation Saturday, 13 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIIIII - wrap up Tuesday, 9 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIIII Tuesday, 9 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part IIII Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part III Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part II Monday, 8 July 2013
The Icebreaker Part I Sunday, 7 July 2013
Nerves Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Frosty Toes Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Going Up Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Aurora Chasing Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Monster Cake Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Dark Mofo Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Mona Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Working in Miniature Sunday, 16 June 2013
Wheels.. Friday, 14 June 2013
Aurora Chasing Saturday, 8 June 2013
Tas Sprint Champs Saturday, 8 June 2013
Beautiful Bicheno Saturday, 8 June 2013
Saturdays Friday, 7 June 2013
Soccer Buddies Friday, 7 June 2013
Utensil Update III Friday, 7 June 2013
Doing the Hard Yards Friday, 7 June 2013
Small Change Sunday, 26 May 2013
Sunday Morning Paddle Sunday, 26 May 2013
Work Friday, 24 May 2013
Not great value Friday, 24 May 2013
Today was not a good day for Mr Fish.. Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Utensil Update II Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Utensil Update Friday, 17 May 2013
Having fun with the children.. Thursday, 16 May 2013
Mini Cupcakes Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Ye Olde Hobart Sunday, 12 May 2013
Dog People Sunday, 12 May 2013
Early Mornings Sunday, 12 May 2013
North West Bay Sunday, 5 May 2013
Tip Trip Sunday, 5 May 2013
Sculpture Trail Friday, 26 April 2013
New Bike Monday, 22 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 3 Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 2 Monday, 15 April 2013
Wombat 100 Part 1 Monday, 15 April 2013
Disco Zali Sunday, 14 April 2013
Spirit of Tasmania Saturday, 6 April 2013
Last Day.. Saturday, 6 April 2013
Mt Buller Summit Friday, 5 April 2013
What we're not doing this winter.. Friday, 5 April 2013
Jon's Ride Friday, 5 April 2013
you win some, you lose some, and then you get sick.. Friday, 5 April 2013
You win some, you lose some Friday, 5 April 2013
Luna Park Friday, 5 April 2013
Metropolitan Meerkats Friday, 5 April 2013
Bendigo and surrounds Monday, 1 April 2013
Cape Huay and the Three Capes Project Monday, 25 March 2013
Tarn Shelf Walk Sunday, 24 March 2013
Canberra Sunday, 24 March 2013
Capital Punishment 50k Monday, 18 March 2013
The Best Bike Bag Ever Friday, 15 March 2013
Lovely Kids Saturday, 9 March 2013
Beach Shadows Saturday, 9 March 2013
The best leg Monday, 4 March 2013
Summer Survival Monday, 4 March 2013
Sunday Night Dinner Monday, 4 March 2013
Bruny Island Paddling Weekend Sunday, 24 February 2013
Cuteness Friday, 22 February 2013
For Dr Evil Thursday, 21 February 2013
Almost Perfect Thursday, 21 February 2013
Lucky lucky lucky Thursday, 21 February 2013
Complaints Thursday, 21 February 2013
My thoughts exactly! Thursday, 14 February 2013
Lunchtime Ride Thursday, 14 February 2013
Our new pet Sunday, 10 February 2013
Modern Family Sunday, 10 February 2013
Blue Dragon Part 2 Sunday, 10 February 2013
The Blue Dragon Part 1 Saturday, 9 February 2013
Wardrobe! Thursday, 31 January 2013
Mad Monday Monday, 28 January 2013
Jetty Beach, Bruny Island Sunday, 27 January 2013
Thursday night paddling group Sunday, 27 January 2013
News Flash Thursday, 24 January 2013
Sunday Paddle Sunday, 20 January 2013
I have perfect eyebrows. Thursday, 17 January 2013
Little Adventures Sunday, 13 January 2013
Maria Island Friday, 11 January 2013
Face painting Friday, 11 January 2013
before & after #27 Friday, 11 January 2013
bang for your buck Monday, 7 January 2013
Surfing at Maria Island Sunday, 6 January 2013
Slide of Doom Sunday, 6 January 2013
Picture Perfect Sunday, 6 January 2013