Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Silver Strand Half Marathon

I will be running a half-marathon in November. Why? That's a great question, and exactly what I've been asking myself.

No, I'm just kidding. I'm doing it for practical reasons: I'm looking to improve my fitness level, and in this situation my dislike for running is overshadowed by my desire to have a respectable finish at my first half-marathon. I figured this would force me to run. And it has! It'll be a good fall project for me. (Goodness knows I have plenty of room to improve.) And any boredom by the same old kayak thing will be kept at bay. At bay... get it??

Monday, August 25, 2008

Sea lions and pelicans and sharks... OH MY!

The title alludes to the abundance of sea kayaking I've been doing in the ocean. That's right, sea kayaking. It's been a long time... 6 years, to be exact. I've been going with friends, teaching eskimo rolls and surfing. It's fun to enjoy kayaking from a different perspective.

Friday, August 15, 2008

I started summer school on Monday at UCSD. I'm taking history of philosophy and propaganda: neither for any specific reason.

Other cool things I have done this week:

Running at Mission Bay, practicing violin, the movies, sailing in Mexico, lots of reading, a bit of shopping, and LOTS of Olympics on prime time and at odd hours of the night on nbcolympics.com.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Sprint Nationals: Day Five Hundred.

I'm about sick of racing by now.


Today was-finally- the last day of nationals. Jen and I came 4th in the k2 200m final this morning, and I came 4th again in the k1 200m final an hour later. 200's are not exactly my forte. Oh well.

Good week!!!

Friday, August 8, 2008

Sprint Nationals: Day Four

This morning was the k2 500m. Jen and I teamed up for this one as well, but didn't fare quite as well as Tuesday. This time we placed second to Emily Vinson and Katie Hagler. Not a terrible race, though. Actually considering it was our third time in the boat together we were okay with it.

This afternoon was the k1 500m final: the marquee event of nationals!!! I was, of course, hoping to win.... but I did not. Emily Vinson and I were even until the final 150m or so. She pulled away, and she was too strong. I finished second again, and with Emily Mickle in third it was- yes- ANOTHER EMILY SWEEP!! How fun.


After the race, Dave gave us some badass tats.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Sprint Nationals: Day Three



Just 500m heats today: I progressed straight through to the finals tomorrow. As you can see, I spent the afternoon finding other ways to amuse myself, such as the Bass Pro Shop (pictured above). I also saw Pineapple Express.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Nationals: Day Two

First thing this morning was was k4 1000m final. My crew won this (Jen Burke, Kaitlyn McElroy, Katarina Batina, and me) It was our first time in the boat together.

Next up was the k2 1000m. I raced this one with Jen Burke- also our first time paddling together. This race was pretty exciting. We had a fairly slow start (probably 4th or 5th of the line) and then we basically had our work seriously cut out for us because Katie Hagler and Emily Mickle (who were partners for World Cups earlier this summer) were in the lead. I was really proud of the way we didn't give up even though we were a full boat length behind. I actually talked with Greg Barton (2-time gold medalist in 1988) yesterday, and he said that many times when paddlers have a slow start they'll try to make up for it during the first 500 meters, and then they'll die in the second half. That ran through my head as I kept the stroke rate controlled. We ended up passing Emily Vinson and Ann Blanchard in the second 500m, and then Emily Mickle/Katie Hagler in the last 100m. It was a good race for us.

This afternoon was the k1 1000m. Emily Vinson, Emily Mickle, and I were dead even in lanes 4,5,6 until the 800m, at which point Emily Vinson pulled away from me and I pulled away from Emily Mickle, making the finish an Emily sweep. (The commentators loved this)

Tomorrow is just 500m heats and I do believe it's supposed to be cooler, so I am excited about that.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Sprint Nationals: Day 1

Hot. Hot hot hot. Burn-your-feet-when-you-walk-hot. Hurt-your-throat-when-you-breathe-hard-hot. Bake-everything-like-an-oven-hot. Drink-4-nalgenes-and-still-haven't-peed-hot. Bikram-yoga hot. Make-you-grumpy-as-soon-as-you-step-outside-hot.

YUCK.


Today I progressed straight to finals in the 1000m and 200m heats. Tomorrow are 1000m finals in k1, k2, and k4.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Oklahoma City

I'm in Oklahoma City for [my first-ever!] sprint nationals. It's rather anti-climactic so far. 110 degrees during the day...bone dry...windy. Otherwise it's generally the same as when we were here in April for Olympic Trials. I like OKC. Our cab driver from the airport to the hotel recommended we try both possum and dog meat. I think he was joking... but I'm not sure, because when I told him we were here for kayaking, he said, "Kayaking? Is that some kind of cigarette?"