The 2009 Blackburn Challenge – by Wesley Echols

Every ocean race is a unique experience. This is the excitement of ocean racing; there are so many unpredictable factors to take into account. The usual weather conditions; wind, current, tide, water/air temperature, fog and surf, if applicable. This day’s race forecast was initially for a small craft warning with thunderstorms and fog. It was downgraded by the time the skipper’s meeting took place, but it looked like it was going to be a rough day on the water. Fortunately, the forecast did not come true. It turned out to be one of the flattest days experienced, compared to other Blackburn races.

Photo by Doug Mogill

What is predictable before such huge races like the Blackburn is the pre race activity. For me, beside registering and getting my boat ready, I was saying hello to fellow paddlers that I have not seen in a while, like Richard Germain and his wife Chantal. Richard did the Molokai in May so I was excited to visit and get his take on it. I was also taking some pictures, okay, LOTS of pictures Yes, if you have a web site, you need content and lots of pics. I tried not to be too obnoxious about it. My friends tolerate this and most are agreeable. Suffice to say that every moment is a photo op.

After the flurry of pre race activity, my wife took a few shots of me, I gave her my pre-race anxiety hug and I paddled off to the start line. While waiting for the other classes of boats to go off, I was able to meet Tracy Landboe http://www.soundrowers.org/wow/tracy.htm from Washington State, who Chris Chappell had paddled with on Wednesday at the Charles River Training Race.

I also chatted with several other paddlers for a few minutes before the start. Like Tracy and others (Patrick Hemmens, Don Keisling, Joe Glickman, Erik Borgnes, etc.), all flew in from various parts of the country and the world. In Joe’s case. I often have wondered how paddlers function at optimal levels knowing the symptoms of jet lag, which can include daytime sleepiness, decreased alertness, impaired performance, fatigue, gastrointestinal disturbances and a host of other problems. ‘Jet lag: It can impair the judgment and compromise the performance of athletes,’ reads an article in Chronological International, 2002, “Jet Lag in Athletes after Eastward and Westward Time Zone Transition” cited in Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders, Sleep Medicine Clinics. I digress some here, but although jet lag can never be mentioned in the results of a race, I can’t help but think it has some impact on those who travel across time zones.

Suffering zero jet lag myself, only the typical pre-race jitters, I lined up comfortably behind my training partner, Tim Dwyer, like I have done on numerous times over the past five years. The gun went off, and the pace was intense. The lead pack of 8 or so, separated after a mile. Tim and I were together but feeling the lack of wind, sunscreen, and humidity, our heart rates were climbing. We both decided pre race, to take a more moderate pace out the river, so we backed off slightly with me pulling. I slowed some, urging Tim to get on my wash, but he decided to take no chances, and wanted some left in the tank for the last few miles of the race. Feeling pretty good, I spotted Mike McDonough off to my right, which was a surprise. Mike is known to take a very moderate approach during the early stages of the race, preferring to hunt down his prey as they grow weary. I commented to Mike; “You changed your tactic!” and quickly latched on his wash.

Mike’s goal was to close the gap between us and the back of the lead pack, which was Tracy at this point. After about a half mile, I told Mike I would pull and try to close the gap before we switched again. After a few minutes of looking at my rapidly skyrocketing heart rate, I told Mike the pace was too fast so we both slowed. After about a minute, I felt pretty good and decided to pick it up some. Mike, at this point, collected a severe case of ‘the deadly weeds’ and could not maintain the pace. Having picked up weeds at least year’s race and again during a training paddle on the race course two weeks prior to today’s race, I took extra care this year by replacing my nine inch elliptical rudder with an eight inch weed less rudder mated perfectly with an Epic kelp guard.

After a few more minutes I was able to catch Tracy, and later Andrew Soles, of Washington, DC. By this time, the lead pack was about a minute ahead. As I came out off the river into the ocean, I noticed an overturned Think ski. I thought it could be only one of two people, Jeff Hilburn or Erik. It was Jeff. As I grew closer, I called out to Jeff if he was okay. He replied that he hit a rock and would paddle it to shore. I paddled on, thinking Jeff traveled so far from Washington State only to hit a rock and dash his hopes of being in the top 10, after talking to him when he picked up a loaner Think Legend from me a few days earlier.

I paddled on, wondering if the fog was going to lift and how rough it would be once I got to Straitsmouth. I focused on two things: my heart rate and the next boat in front of me, in order to maintain a line through the fog. By this time, we were all picking off the other classes of boats, so there was always someone ahead of me. I was paddling by myself between the lead pack of guys and the pack behind me. Once I got to Straitsmouth, the fog began to lift and I could make out what I thought was another surfskier about a quarter mile ahead, although I noted he had taken a much closer line to the shore. I focused on closing the gap, but that was futile because after a mile, I could no longer see him. He had picked up his pace. What I could see, however, was a pack of 3 paddlers a mile ahead, way off shore.

I thought to myself: ‘Wow, maybe they know something I don’t know about the course.’ It turned out this was not the case. I found out later the lead pack of Patrick, Erik, and Don went way too far out due to the fog, and were trying to get back on course as the other lead paddlers of Cory, Joe, Craig, Ed, and Eric McNett had taken the correct course, and were in the lead now. Once the trio realized their mistake, they put the hammer down to chase down pack.

Meanwhile, I was getting paranoid wondering: ‘Where is the pack of paddlers I am normally behind or in close proximity to at most races?’ This would include: Tim Dwyer, Mike Tracy, Mike McDonough, Kirk Olsen, Mark Ceconi, Alex McClain, and Steve Delguadio. Paddling solo for 17 miles with no other surfskis can play havoc with your mind. I was in No Man’s Land wondering: ‘Did those guys possibly go around me in the fog?’

Again, I tried to focus on 2 things: Heart rate (since no one else was around to key off of), and staying relaxed while hydrating. Every couple of miles, I would scan toward the shore to see if the pack was gaining on me. I could see no one. I found out later in talking to Tim, that he never saw me again until the finish. Focusing now on just getting to within the 2 mile range of the jetty while maintaining my current heart rate of 153, I figured I could hold off any surge with an extended 2 mile sprint to the finish. The sprint never materialized. I did increase my pace and heart rate to 158-160 trying to catch a rowing shell, then an OC2.

I Looked at my total elapsed time and I was at 2 hours, 30 minutes, as I made the turn into the harbor, doing the quick calculations. Will I break 3 hrs? Certainly, will I break 2:50. Feeling giddy, I picked it up, counting my strokes in sets of 30 to maintain form and focus. With a mile to go, I realized 2:50 was not doable, but 2:55 was…very. That was my goal, to be within 2:50-2:55, having put in a 3:06 minute time last year, and a 2:59 the year before that in my S1R. I picked off the OC 2 within the last quarter mile and sprinted to the finish with a personal record of 2 hours 52 minutes and 34 seconds, 9th Place overall ~ Wesley.