Hi all,
Day 2 started off with an alarm at 830am, my dear mummy asking me if I was OK this morning with my back and all. Can’t even get a good sleep in!
I went downstairs and grabbed a bowl or two of cereal. Cheerios (Honey and Oat of course!) !!! Then knocked back a few crumpets and drank a sports drink and started the daily stretch and foam roll program to support my back. While doing so I listened to some music and watched this awesome video a friend sent me on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LEQl0Qh8fE&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LEQl0Qh8fE&feature=related
I dont know 100% why but I found it exceptionally powerful despite its simple message. Every day I fight with pain and have to take great care and spend as many hours doing recovery to keep my back working as I do on the water. I don’t sit if I don’t have to and I am always careful of bending to lift anything lest I have a muscle spasm. I had a tear this morning because every day I look forward to the day it subsides and something else takes its place. It’s a scary ratio and one that the younger guys out there should note. You don’t want this guys, it just hurts every day and while character building its much faster to be well balanced, limber and have a strong core to support your back.
After breakfast I rode down and got physio treatment and had the muscles around my back released with some accupuncture. Arrived in the boat park, rigged up and chatted with the Swedes and Norwegians. Headed out to do battle about 1215 noon.
I was in Blue Fleet today and subsequently spent the most time waiting for other fleets to start and finish etc. A bit painful but sometimes that happens!
Race 1, was a mixture of 5 – 15 knot weather driven breezes. Some big shifts and it really paid to get the side right upwind. I started at the boat and tacked. Held my lane but had to wait and wait until the fleet folded in on me. I chose the boat end to start because a large rain cloud was coming down the right hand side of the course and I figured in true form it would drag the breeze right as it pushed pressure in front of it as it rained. The breeze slowly died from the left and we were sailing in about 4 – 6 knots for most of the beat. Anyway the breeze when right Exactly as predicted and luckily just before the starboard layline (and i mean like 10m before haha!!!).
I rounded the top mark in 15th and then battled my way into the top 10 with a good downwind. Then on the next beat I again nailed a good right hand shift and moved into 5th. On the run I sailed too far out the side and lost 5 boats. On the next beat I hung in there and then a polish guy (Radial world champion i think!) sneaked underneath me on the reach which turned out to be pretty broad. On the last run I recaught him just and finished 10th. OK and a keeper BUT man I need to look at the rhumbline more carefully downwind and get the top quarter of the beat right.
Race 2 was a more steady 15 knots gradient but still weather effected no doubt. I took the conservative route again and started midline and hoped to rely on speed. Unfortunately by this time my backs hiking endurance was worn down so I ended up doing more of a meatball or the ‘masters hunch’ … hahahahahaha
Needless to say it wasn’t that quick and I got rolled and had to duck some sterns. Luckily I rounded in the teens and fought my way back on the downwinds and caught one or two upwind. My best leg was my final downwind, I retook 3 boats I lost on the previous beat because I essentially wasnt hiking … Best part was my friend watching the tracker said I was .5 of a knot slower upwind then the 5 guys behind me hahahaha … ouchhhhhh
I recovered then to 7th and very happily got a tow in from Blackers with Slingo who got a 1 and 1 today and damn well deserved it with blinding speed and great positioning. I watched from back in the top 10 and just wished I could get that same extension. Tommy Burton also had a great first race taking a bullet at the worlds is always something to be proud of. I hope he celebrated in style when crossing the line (as I plan to do, yes Mike Leigh, i’m just waiting for my chance).
I think the key notes from today were that weather strategy was very important upwind and downwind. New pressure came from the sides with the rain clouds coming down course and you had to be aware and move to it. The chop was messy and pretty gnarly and you had to be able to get the bow down to go fast. The masters hunch/meatball is relatively efficient and saves my back but I really see from being a little behind that those who extend and foot are litterally a knot faster upwind. A big part of that IS CHARACTER and being able to fight through the pain and keep extending for key riding moments. Finally KEEP CHECKING FOR WEED TOO !!! wonder why your going slow? take a quick look haha
After sailing went straight back to physio and got treatment again. Got a lift home from our team personal trainer Verge, thanks mate! Now home, eating and writing my blog. Bring on the same thing tomorrow. More consistent results and never quiting is the key !!! wish me luck.
Ash
