Warm up event... one week to go...

On Friday (4th April 2025) I'll be arriving in Dartmouth for the Head of the Dart Race, well I won't be racing as such (only the clock to make sure I finish within the maximum time allowed!)

I'm part of the leisure fleet, one of 163 paddlers entered in this class aiming to paddle the 8 miles from Totnes to Dartmouth. Yes, thats the full stop, no other expectations for myself other than to complete the distance. It's my warm up to the BIG Race to the Castle event (26.5miles) at the end of April and being my first ever paddleboard event there will be lots of firsts in logistics, navigating the start line, taking the right kit, learning the course, being in the right place at the right time, I think the paddling will be the easy bit!

As I write I'm reflecting on this event, and how little I actually know about it and what the day will entail. I have been so focused on getting fit, building the miles, eating...yes, just eating regularly as a base line, with eating the right stuff for my body as a goal and sourcing and purchasing the right equipment for me to enable this to happen.

 I realise that I have only viewed this event as a warm up, my focus has been on the main event but have a I missed a trick here. Any good project plan has clear milestones, we talk about taking one step at a time, not jumping (too far) ahead and that skipping a stage can risk getting to the end goal. After all I'm using this as a stepping stone, a warm up to learn the nuances of Paddle events and gauge my fitness for preparation... yet I have done little specifically for it.

So this week requires focus on this milestone in my paddleboarding event plan. Reading the detail in the emails, videos and race posts so there are no unnecessary surprises or panics when I get there.

Time for some reflection as well. My weekend paddles recently have been 16, 21 and 10 miles with a shorter one mid week. Each time I have learned something about my progress and needs, particularly in preparing my body before and afterwards. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that the warm up needs to include every part of my body and raising my heart rate on dry land would prove valuable in getting into a good strong stroke rhythm quicker, but it did. Go figure!

Taking time to adjust body position during our training!

What did surprise me was the importance of a foot and hand warm up and continued attention to them throughout the longer paddles as well as in the days either side. It's amazing what you become aware of when you really connect and commit to something isn't it. Attention to detail of the seemingly smaller (or perceived insignificant) aspects really can make a big difference. My feet and hands are the only direct contact I have with the equipment, they are the parts of my body that move the least yet are essential in providing feedback to keep the rest of my body in sync with the board.

My Takeaway

Look after feet and hands. I have a little routine before, during and after a paddle dedicated to them!

So with that think of me preparing this week, wiggling toes, rolling forwards and backwards and completing stretching and strengthening exercises for my hands every day. Reading the blurb and packing my bags of all the just in cases for every eventuality.

What is very exciting is that Salcombe Gin are one of the sponsors...and we get a free gin when we finish! Think I might need one!

If you want to see if we make the finish (and I might be on my hands and knees by then!) There is a live stream of the finish on the Head of the Dart facebook page - we'll pop our race numbers on Paddleboarding with Sara facebook page so you can join us virtually in the excitement of finishing our first paddleboard event.