If there’s one thing I learned from last summer’s attempt, it’s that toughness, both mental and physical, matters more than fitness or technical ability.
This winter, opportunities for technical paddling sessions and flat-water time trials have been few and far between. The weather has made training dirty and shore training my only options. It’s good toughening up weather.
Here’s what I’ve been getting up to when Poseidon says no paddling.
SWIMMING 🏊♂️
The first piece of advice I ever got from someone who's been around Ireland: Swim. A lot. I’ve since heard this echoed by others who’ve completed this trip.
An hour in the pool is like a day in the boat. The motion is the same—catch, pull, recover—with reach and rotation providing the power. Sea swimming and coasteering add the cold, rocks, roughness, and the deep.
BODYSURFING 🌊
On a trip to see my family in warmer latitudes this winter, I got a chance to bodysurf a punchy little shore pound.
Besides being the most fun and faff-free way to enjoy the ocean, bodysurfing is a great way to train dirty and build confidence in violent water.
The water was warmer than Ireland but not that warm. So swimming in boardshorts was a cold-exposure challenge as well.
Here I am, enjoying a split-second in the barrel before I get thrashed…
TRAIL RUNNING 🏃🏻♂️
Running in the hills with friends is a simple and social way to maintain a cardio base when the seas are too rough and the indoor bike is too boring.
FARM WORK 👨🏻🌾
Record-breaking rainfall has meant lots of pothole repairs on the dirt road where we live. Pushing a wheelbarrow is the original farmer’s carry.
I recently helped friends pour concrete on their farm. This involved carrying bucketloads up a steep hill to lay the foundation for a shed——good practice for awkward loads and pushing through pains and imbalances.
There’s also been some chainsawing on dry days——good practice for staying focused while doing something extremely dangerous.
YOGA & MOBILITY 🧘🏻♂️
It’s no surprise that the only kayaker to make it all the way around Ireland last summer has a robust yoga practice.
No matter how fit you are, sitting for hours in a tiny cockpit can be excruciating. It helps to be supple. I tend to neglect stretching until something hurts. But this year, I’ve made an effort to practice daily.
On my first attempt, meditation and yogic breathing helped me remain calm on the water and wind down after long days.
UNDERDRESSING 🥶
John Dowd’s Sea Kayaking suggests underdressing while ashore to prepare for the constant cold on an expedition.
I’ve been working with the heat off in my study and wearing as few layers as possible while going about my day.
WATCHING THE WEATHER 🌦️
Even when the weather keeps me off the water, I’m watching it as if I were looking for my window to get moving. If it’s better or worse than forecast, I study the charts to understand why.
PRACTICING PATIENCE ⏱️
My family might laugh at this one... But I mean patience with the sea.
If/when that weather window opens, it won’t stay open long enough to get all the way around Ireland. Being weatherbound at some point is inevitable. This winter has given me a lot of opportunities to practice waiting and staying ready for when the wind drops and Poseidon lets me paddle.
SIDE QUEST: SUMMIT 2 SEA FOR MND
This weekend, I’ll be joining kayakers all over Ireland in paddling a section of the coast to raise money and awareness for motor neuron disease research.
Stand by for a trip report.
Thanks for reading,
-Charlie
Kokatat is the official gear sponsor of The Lap.
The lap will be fueled by Resilient Nutrition’s Long Range Fuel and bars.
Expedition coffee by 3fe.
CH Marine will be providing a VHF radio and other safety equipment.
Camp kit and cooking gas provided by Paddle & Pitch. Trolley by KCS.
REAL Field Meals at a discount from Adventure.ie.
Love the well-roundedness of your fitness routine! All for the yoga, someday I'll learn to embrace running, and I have no desire to body surf ;)