When your love for paddling knows no bounds, and what I mean by that is when someone suggests doing something thats SUP related, my gut reaction is to say "Yes" count me in without any real thought of what my acceptance has just got me into!
So, I am sat at the prize giving for the Great Glen, a 92K endurance paddle that my previous gut reaction had got me into, still green from Nessie sickness when.....
….the discussion of the Cardiff GBSUP Series race comes up, which I hasten to add is the following weekend! Apparently, a place is available, and without engaging my brain I hear myself say outloud, ohhhhh "count me in" 😂
Fast forward a week, I am anxiously looking around me at all these fabulous racers and SUP fanatics and panicking! I don‘t really do racing, I am very competitive with myself but others hummm not really.
There’s now talk of the wake caused by the fast starts, discussion about trying not to fall off from the hustle and I feel a sickness rising.
But regardless, there I am at the start line giving myself a pep talk. The loud haler goes, so I just paddle....thats what I do, paddle.
Head down getting over the wake getting my paddle in and focussing on catching up. I am a slow starter whether it be running, cycling or SUP, but after a few kilometres I settle down and I am in my element!
A sea of green shirts are ahead of me so that’s my focus, as I pass one shirt and another I am finally just enjoying paddling.
The more I pass, the more I want to get ahead, but here comes the chop, but nothing compared to Nessie! So here I am again talking to myself "you‘re ok, you have had worse, just paddle".
Then I see it the entrance to the final leg, I can actually do this. But the winds behind me and the water is against me, treading water so if feels. I see the final turning bouy and it occurs to me, as I turn I will be heading into wind, now that's my thing, I like to feel like I am working, so head down and Turbo on!
I finished, I am dry and ahead of the other green tops I was so far behind at the start.
What an accomplishment, it’s 10k it’s my first proper race and I loved it!
Here’s to next year!
Thanks to @supjunkie for the fab photos!