Gut Check

Rebuilding the endurance engine...

Feb 06, 2024

It’s been a while.

Writing about training has taken a back seat to… training.

January was full-on between work, family, and finding gaps in the weather and time in the short daylight hours to log some sea miles.

But the days are getting longer, and the training is paying off.

**Roancarrigmore Lighthouse, Bantry Bay.**

Last month, a spell of high pressure—which brings cold, calm, and sunny weather this time of year—presented an opportunity for an overnight on Bere Island, at the end of Bantry Bay, with my buddy Dan.

In the week leading up to the overnight, I paddled back-to-back half days with a loaded boat to “pre-fatigue” and make the weekend microadventure more challenging.

These sessions inspired confidence. The work I’d been putting in to get back in paddling shape following last summer’s surgery finally felt like progress and not just rehab.

Setting out, we had an easy ride downwind to Bere Island. A pod of dolphins met us in the middle of the Bay.

In winter, the need for a margin to land before dark limits your range in committing water. We stopped short, opting for a lazy camp in Lawrence’s Cove and an early start in the morning.

We both overdressed in our winter sleeping bags for the cold night. Met Éireann had issued a cold weather advisory, but their charts showed a line of warmer air over the end of the bay and Bere Island. We ended up shedding layers in a balmy 1-2°C overnight.

In the morning, an offshore breeze meant a chance to explore parts of the outer Bay that are often too rough to get close to, especially this time of year.

We finished our Day 2 at the locally infamous “copper mines,” the last get out on the Sheep’s Head peninsula, rarely a viable option due to its exposure to swell.

Landing at the Copper Mines, on Sheep’s Head, after crossing from Bere Island.

Shore work

This week, I added 4-count flutter kicks to my shore training for the first time since the surgery. After months of mobility work and remedial lifting, I’m finally back to heavy (for me) deadlift sessions, kettlebell swings, and pyramids of pull-ups and push-ups.

The goal is durability and endurance——a diesel engine, not a Ferrari.

It’s not about how many reps I can do. It’s about doing as many as I can and then doing one more.

Mizen Head in the distance, as seen from the end of Bantry Bay.

P.S. When I’m not having adventures, I’m helping other people write about theirs. If you or someone in your circle has an amazing story to tell, I'd love to hear it. I have some availability for new ghostwriting and editing projects.

— Charlie

Kokatat is the official gear sponsor of The Lap.