All of my races this year have been around 200 miles away from my home in Norwalk, CT. I started thinking about the Outrigger Race which was 20 miles away up the coast in Milford, run by Blake Conant, and thought wouldn’t it be nice to be able to race close to home. I emailed Blake and asked if some rowers could join the fun. Blake replied he was an inclusive kind of guy and “come on down”!

Aug 8, 2009. It was a good day in Milford. The race was 8 miles. It was not the course on the web site that I had put into my GPS. I found out later that the web site hasn’t been updated. Anyway, the course was 2 laps around 4 buoys, 3 of which were regular navigational aids and 1 a race buoy.

My friend Bill and I were the only rowers. My race plan was simple- beat Bill- A quickly discarded story title for the race was “Kill Bill, Vol. 1” (apologies to Bill, but if you have read “Bill’s Most Excellent Blackburn” you will understand!)

Bill and I talked before the start. Feeling fortunate to be included, we decided to make an extra effort to stay out of the way the paddlers. We lined up at the end of the starting line furthest away from the pier. We left plenty of distance between us and the nearest paddler. We did not want the start of this race to be a contact sport. Mostly we accomplished our goal of staying out of the way, although it was close a couple of times.

So we went out fast. Bill and I were soon near the front of the pack. My stroke rate was 30 spm for 4-5 minutes and then 28 spm for a long time- most of the first lap. My speed coach was showing 3.5- 3.7 m/s for the first 15 minutes. I have done head races at a slower pace. This was enough to get ahead of Bill. The first buoy, a “Red Nun” was a 90 degree turn. If I hadn’t yelled to Bill he might have had a close encounter of the crunching kind with the “Nun”. After Bill made a quick course correction he had a crowded time at the turn with those very nice people in the mixed orange OC-2.

Anyway, it was a fast first lap. There were two Surfskis ahead and an OC-2 close to me much of the first lap. I think it was at the second big turn, at the red bell buoy, that the OC-2 and some other boats started pulling ahead of me. Bill had dropped back 20-30 seconds. After the first lap I felt like I had had a race already. Bill was back far enough so I took an unplanned hydration stop. The second lap was at 24-25 spm with speed dropping to 3.00 to 3.3 m/s. When I eased off a little I would see Bill closing in on me. He kept me working. All the buoy turns slow us rowers down. The kayakers do better with the turns.

I crossed the finish about 20-30 seconds ahead of Bill. My lungs suffered. My HR was 172 sometimes in the first lap. That’s high for me.Then down to 160 when I was more “relaxed”. My time was 1 hour 10 minutes and something. I managed to sprint to the finish from the 6A Red Can to the pier. Mark Ceconi had passed me at the 6A turn but I managed to catch up and pass in that last couple minutes. I don’t think I have beaten Mark’s time in the Blackburn or L2L in 4 years or so now (since he got really fast!). I wouldn’t have done that without Bill pushing me the whole course. So I had a good race, and I have a medal to hang next to my “trophy wife” Bev’s. (She wins lots of medals)

Great awards party afterwards, at the Citrus Restaurant in Milford. I would like to thank Blake Conant and all our outrigger and kayaker friends for letting us join the fun. Hug a paddler today! Also, whoever ordered the days weather-good job!

Long Live Open Water!

Wayne Lysobey