Quest for the Wieland Shield, part 1

The Journey to get the Journey Started

The trip to Brisbane, Australia was supposed to begin on January 1st, 2010, at 11:30pm. After an odd gate change with a flight headed to Melbourne, my flight was delayed until 1:50am (at least) for a "mechanical issue". At 12:20am we were told that the flight was going to be delayed until 1:00pm the following afternoon. People in transit were given hotels for the night, and I went home (thanks Amy).

We returned to the airport that morning (thanks Amy), went through security, and went to our supposed gate; only to be told that we had to walk to another terminal, and get re-booked onto 1 of 2 flights leaving that evening - It was January 2nd. Some travelers were booked onto, essentially, the same flight...the rest of us were booked onto a flight into Sydney, where we would catch a connection to Brisbane after we landed, cleared customs, went through security again, and took a bus ride to another terminal. Sounds fun huh?!

I landed in Sydney, Australia on Monday, January 4th, hopped onto another plane up to Brisbane, then caught a train down to the Gold Coast where I was met by some of my teammates (thanks Allison and Nate).

The training & tune-up have begun!

after the break....

it has been quite a while since my last post, for that I apologize. But, to give the 90 second (or so) recap since the last post here we go.... (think voice over from the 'micro-machines' guy)

Central Section won the Taplin Bell in decisive fashion, but, South bay went 2nd and 3rd with a strong presence from the younger Guards - Big Props to all who came out to race, watch and support...Sean Lemm won the pier-to-pier swim, separating himself from his closest competitors in the final 3oo-meters...I finished out in solid 4th... 4 days later came USLA Nationals in Ft Lauderdale, Florida...

Huge congrats to Monmouth County, NJ for clinching the OPEN Point Score Title - That's right, LACOLA came in second in the open - BUT, thanks to our Age Groupers, LACOLA still won the OVERALL Championship Title....personal highlights, after 19 races, multiple gallons of fluid, almost the same amount of WATERMANS sunscreen, I was happy to climb up to an overall 6th open points scorer, with an epic debut in the American Ironman finishing 5th... Congrats to Dave Cartlidge and JVD for their AMAZING 2nd place finish in the Open Surf Boat, and props to all of our Young and oldER Guards for coming out to race, hangout, and have an amazing trip to sweltering Ft Lauderdale, FL...

Then came a week of severe illness brought on by "Overtraining" - yes racing TOO much can happen....

Then JAPAN!!!! ooooooooooooh Japan.....

(what?! I can't give it all away in one post can I?!)

The Bell

Saturday Night

Chop or smooth; Swell or flat; Currents or stillwater - The Judge Irvin Taplin Relay will always bring the best competitors to the forefront. Velzy, Doyle, Kahn, Donahoe, Rink, Fortune, Solberg, Baker, Gair. Legends of Surf and Surf-lifesaving, These are but a pin-prick of the talented and determined lifeguards who have proudly rung The Bell.

Northern held the Bell for nearly a decade; Southern a bit longer than that; Central claimed The Bell with authority last year. Who will take The Bell Home Tonight is anyone's guess. But, when there's surf involved, that's all it will be - a guess.

Lifeguards, Watermen, Athletes of the highest caliber will fight for the right to put their names onto The Taplin Bell.

Can Central Repeat? Can South Bay put a Second Woman onto The Bell? Will Zuma push back into their glory-days of old? Can a non-laco team lay claim for the first time since '87 - and the establishment of the Mitch Kahn Rule?

Tonight at 7pm at Manhattan Beach Pier - Let the Games Begin!!!!

Lions, Tigers, and Boats OH MY!!!!

There is no comparison to the sound produced from two Dories colliding! There is also no comparison to the sight of the bow of a Blue Dory drilling the broadside of a white Dory in the surfline on its way out to sea! This was just one highlight of an amazingly-spectator-leaned Intercrew Championship Relay.

The question was posed, "Can Venice make it three in a row?"; sporting the better part of an Olympic swim crew, surf-savvy board crew, and a near flawless boat team - YES, is the simple answer. But, They were not unchallenged in their pursuit.

Dockweiler, aka Carnage Asada, pushed the pace - and maybe a boat broadside - and forced Venice into overdrive to claim their title.

Altogether the night was a great success for all parties involved - great racing, a little bit of contact (I have an 8inch laceration on my right ribs from someone's nail in the Shallow-Water-Sprint - gotta love when rugby and swimming mix!), some surf - and the boat carnage that went with it - made this an unforgettable night.

Congrats to Venice on their win; Dockweiler for making them earn it - and adding some flair in the boats and on the exit; and to my Crew - The Baywatch Crew, amazing what can happen when WE stick together!

International Surf Festival

Will this be a Three-peat Year?! After claiming the Bud Stevenson Intercrew Championship Trophy 2 years running, the Lifeguards of Venice Beach have their sights set on making it 3-in-a-row this Friday night at Manhattan Beach Pier.

But, they are not alone in their search for victory. The contingent from Manhattan will look to break through to the top after knocking on the door the last year. However, no team is really out of the running when it comes to this event. The Manhattan Beach Pier always lends itself to a little bit of surf on nights when lifeguards race. Every Team is only a Wave Away from victory - or defeat.

Friday nights' progresion of events will provide a ltany of entertainment for the evening. Starting out with a rescue demonstration by members and assets from our L.A. County Fire Dept. Lifeguards and the US Coast Guard--Sector Los Angeles.

Whoever said swimmers cannot run, never watched the 6-man run relay. Can the Guards of Dockweiler claim another another as the fastest on sand. The sand will fly from the heels of these, and other Guards, in the pursuit of speed.

It was probably the same guy who thought that swimming was NOT a contact sport. Bodies will mix and collide in the 4-person shallow water sprint relay...1 catch - the total age of the 4 members of each team must add up to 125 years.

No age minimums or limits - just pure, simple, SPEED will show itself during the 6-man Board Relay. The simple out-&-back format of this race is always a crowd pleaser, as spectators can line up along the pier for an over-the-top view.


Will surf dictate the pace? The mix of fiberglass, surf, bodies, and speed is sure to provide an elixir of sheer athletic satisfaction. The perfect appetizer for a weekend full of excitement!

A Preview of Upcoming Events

As the Summer continues to flow, many athletes in Southern California are seeing the light at the end of the summer competition tunnel. Hampered by injuries, but buoyed by an amazing work opportunity, I have missed most of this year's competition. However, there are certain events that could never be missed without being confined by hospitals or handcuffs.

Next week marks another year in the continuing saga of the International Surf Festival, held throughout the South Bay, Friday July 31st through Sunday August 2nd. While there are numerous events that are held during the festival, Three stand out for me: the Bud Stevenson Lifeguard Intercrew Medley Relay, The Judge Irving Taplin Lifeguard Championship Relay, and the Dwight Crum Pier-to-Pier Swim.

Each of these events carries its own storied history and tradition, and each its own mark of pride for its Champions.

Leading up to the start of the "Weekend of Champions", previews of each of these three events will be posted.

Spring Back Into Action

As summer comes ever-closer upon us it is time to shake off the cobwebs – if you haven’t already.  Whether you’re jumping back onto your paddleboard, bicycle, surf ski, back into the pool or ocean, or back onto the sand/road to run, now would be a good time to review some pre season training topics. 

We are always eager to get back into the swing of training, racing, and the good times that coincide.  But, it is important to remember that we not do too much too soon.  Overtraining is a legitimate physical & mental health concern – especially for those who no longer have the privilege of a dedicated coach.  Take your re-introduction to training in 3’s.

1. Take your first 3 weeks easy – not loafing – but, not trying to kill yourself or the guy next to you. 
1. If you are weight training (or intend to start), take these first three weeks to strengthen all the muscles you will need to train properly – This means NO WEIGHTS! Core exercises and body weight ONLY – and at a MAX of 3 DAYS A WEEK. Weights, and individual strengthening movements can be added after your body has that simple base. 

2. Getting back onto the water? Paddleboard? Ski? Surf? Fly Fishing? Your first three weeks should include a substantial amount of time out of the water building CORE STRENGTH. No, not all of your training should be done on the water.  But, what is done on the water should not be excessive in compensating for your softness around the beltline. The first 3-4 sessions on the water should not exceed 1hr-1.5hrs (max), and at no greater than 75-80% -- if your heart-rate is above 160, your going too hard.

3. Swimmers and Runners – Keep the K’s low for this first period. Work on technique and finesse. Swimmers this means NO hand-paddles or crazy fin workouts – power and lung-buster sets will come in time. Runners this means no repeat 400’s on the track, or HR’s above 150* (*HR= regardless of fitness level, keep it low)

REMEMBER – We’re trying to break ourselves BACK IN

Not simply BREAK ourselves

2. During these first 3 weeks make sure you are getting adequate rest. That generally means keeping your sport-specific training to 3-days/week, maybe a 4^th on Saturdays.

1. Strengthening sessions should be kept to a minimum of 2, and a maximum of 3 sessions per week. Remember, lots of CORE STRENGTHENING.

2. Board and Ski paddlers, a Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine will give your shoulders an opportunity to rest – as well as let that newly formed rash to heal. Use the days between paddles to work on CORE STRENGTHENING, and shoulder exercises.

3. Swimmers – there really is no such thing as a 3day week. But, there is a 4-day one.  Take Wednesday off to allow your body to adjust to the new abuse your taking.

3. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Have a snack. Hydrate some more!

1. This truly is the key to success at any point in a training cycle. Without proper amounts of fluid and nutrients your body CANNOT repair itself properly.

2. Look at your diet! McD’s and T-Bell? Time to move on to something a little better for the system – Besides, in this economy, saving coin by making your own food is a nice way too take less of a dent out of that bank account.  We’ve all heard all of these things a hundred times – and we all know it’s true. Take some fruit with you to work, and have that as a snack to keep you energized. 

3. Small snacks, or meals, throughout the day will actually keep your metabolism firing – ie, that winter coat you acquired this year, you can help tone it down by actually eating more often.

4. HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE

5. When you look at your dinner plate, you should see a plethora of colors and textures – the more the better. Lots of variety in veggies and proteins will keep your body amply fueled to recover before your next beating err workout.

6. Be Smart. Don’t overload your body with any one thing. Don’t take massive portions on your plate.

7. HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE

8. If your workout is NOT going to last longer than 1 hour, just use water to hydrate. Electrolyte replacement drinks are loaded with sugars that, if your not working past the 1hr-1.5hr mark, your body DOES NOT need.

9. If your workout is going past that 1-1.5hr mark, DO USE electrolyte replacement drinks.

So wipe the dust off your board, bike, paddle, oars, ski, shoes, or swim cap and get back out there!