PPP Paddle Leg - Hints & Tips

Want a faster time during the Pole Pedal Paddle water leg? It's not just all about having a go-fast boat. There are a number of racing techniques you can apply on both the land and water to shave seconds or minutes off your time. (These tips are mostly oriented to kayaks but a number of them also apply to other boats.)

Universal Truths

• learning and using the forward racing stroke
• getting out on the water and paddling as much as you can, combining endurance and interval workouts
• incorporating core strength building into your fitness program

PPP Points to Ponder

• Surfskis, ICF (Olympic sprint) kayaks, and multi-sport kayaks are faster on the water and have larger cockpits which are easier to get in and out of (faster transitions). However, see Universal Truth # 2.
  
  
• Whitewater kayaks (with the exception of downriver and wildwater boats) and inflatable kayaks/rafts don't track very well and you'll expend a lot of energy keeping them in a straight line. A straight tracking boat such as a sea kayak is preferable.
  
  
• If you're paddling a surfski, use a small rudder. Long rudders are a must for open-water paddling when you're surfing waves and swells but can catch weeds and shallows in races like PPP.
  
  
• While the PPP water course is mostly straight, the two key advantages to a boat with a rudder are quicker turns around the buoys and more precise control while drafting (see below). 
   
• Practice the course ahead of time when the marker buoys are set (usually 1 to 2 weeks before the race). Use your practice sessions to figure out the lines you'll be taking during the race. If you have the time, get a paddling session in a day or two before the race to see what the current will be like (the current changes depending on how much water is being released from Wickiup Dam).
  
  
• If you're running before or after the paddle, practice paddling with the shoes you'll be wearing for the run.
  
  
• Waxing your hull prior to the race gains nothing in performance - this is a myth. (A hard paste wax may benefit speed by filling in scratches on your hull. Hull scratches will slightly decrease potential maximum speed.)
  
  
• Make sure your seat, foot braces, and rudder assembly are all in good shape prior to the race and aren't going to give you problems.
  
  
• Put a piece of tape on your kayak paddle so you can quickly orient it correctly (blade face is inward, blade on correct side). For example, placing a red piece of tape at the point where the shaft meets the face of the right blade ("red = right") allows you to quickly see that your paddle is in the right position and ready to use. (This avoids trying to use an upside down or backwards paddle, which can happen under stress of the start.)
  
  
• Get to check-in early to ensure a good "parking spot." The closer to where you'll put your boat in on race day, the better. (However be prepared to deal with the chaos of the "running of the kayaks" with the other competitors who are also there early.)
  
  
• If you're competing solo, use a PFD you can easily slip on over your head. Zipping and fastening buckles in the transition area takes up time.
  
  
• Attaching a sprayskirt also takes time and using one really isn't really necessary for this race.
  
  
• There's an art to starting a kayak from a dead stop (fondly called "getting out of the hole")
      1. Begin with 4 long, hard strokes.
      2. Then for 25 strokes, paddle as fast as you can.
      3. Transition to the stroke rate you plan to use for the race (general rules of thumb for this distance are: recreational paddlers - 50 to 70 strokes a minute, elite paddlers - 80 to 95 strokes a minute)
  
  
• With a correct forward stroke, you'll be pressing your feet against the foot braces, alternately straightening your legs. This is important for increased power and for the solo competitor the pumping leg action helps reduce lactic acid that has built up in the legs from the bike and run.
  
  
• "Wake riding" and "wash hanging" both refer to drafting off another boat. Studies have shown that drafting 1 to 2 meters directly behind a boat can produce energy savings of up to 30 to 32% over the lead boat. Kayaks positioned 1 to 2 meters off the sides of a leading boat can achieve 16 to 18% energy savings. You should draft whenever you have the opportunity, leapfrogging from one boat to another. This can be a key strategy for solo competitors in saving energy for the final sprint. Practice drafting before the race, it's both an art and a science.
  
  
• When drafting, don't get sucked into staying behind a considerably slower boat. If a boat is traveling at a much slower speed than what you want to be going, pass it.
  
  
• Don't sacrifice distance for catching a draft. It doesn't make sense to cross to the other side of the river to draft someone if it's not your set line. 
   
• If a competitor is drafting you, it's possible to dump him or her out of your wake by maneuvering your boat so suddenly they end up in undisturbed water or in the shallows. While this might seem mean, since there are no rules against drafting it's a valid race tactic that serious competitors might consider during tight races. This technique takes practice and you have to know what you're doing.
  
  
• Avoid the shallows when you're moving with the current - deep water is your friend. When the water level is around 2.5 feet or less, there's increased hull resistance and your boat will slow down considerably. Shallower water can be useful if you're paddling against a current because the water speed is reduced in the shallows. When going against the current, find transitional areas where the bottom isn't too shallow to slow your hull down.
  
  
• Many recreational paddlers in the race don't have good boat handling skills so if you end up in traffic, prepare to paddle defensively.
  
  
• The prevailing winds are typically from the south, which means potential headwinds at the start to the first buoy and then from the second buoy to the take-out. Afternoon gusty winds are always a possibility, and can make going against the current even more challenging. When paddling against wind, minimize the amount of time your paddle blades are in the air, slightly hunch forward to make your body as small as possible, and draft directly behind boats as much as possible.
  
  
• Set up your turns around the buoys so you're always paddling - you don't want to lose momentum. If there's no traffic, take a sharp line around the buoy as close as you can without hitting it. If there's a lot of traffic, stay to the outside to avoid colliding with other boats and paddles (which costs time).
  
  
• At the finish your legs are going to feel rubbery when you get out of your boat. If you're doing the sprint after the boating leg, the only way to offset this is by practicing running immediately after a paddling workout. Try circuit workouts with a friend, where one of you is paddling while the other is running. For example, one of you paddles for 10 minutes while the other runs for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes you switch. This helps get your legs used to the transition of paddling to running as well as works on your boat entry and exit skills.
  
  
• Before the race set a goal and have a plan. During the race, stick to your plan, be adaptable (just in case), and most importantly, have fun!

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last updated April 1, 2005