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Questions from a newbie
Liz wrote:
Hello I'm new to newsgroups (so hopefully haven't made a pig's ear of it!) It's refreshing to see someone realise they can post something worth reading first time round, especially as this group is in need of more positive input :-) and new to kayaking. What I'd like to know is as a 35 year old beginner, are my chances of becoming a great paddler less now than if I'd started as a child or does age not enter the equation? I know I'm not old but I seem to be the eldest novice in my local club, lol. My Dad must have been in his mid 50's when we tricked him into starting to paddle. He has no ambitions beyond grade 3 but I'm sure there is plenty of grade 4 he could be running (convincing him to come paddling with us is more tricky). He is a level 2 coach and spends a lot of time coaching, fla****er paddling and on easier grade stuff - I would say he paddles more than me if not as hard! He also likes sea kayaking - which is a wonderful leveller, endurance being worth more than speed, where the youngsters can find themselves disadvantaged compared to older paddlers! I wouldn't class him as a great paddler but he gets absolutely everything he wants and possibly more out of the sport, and you are 20 odd years younger, so no worries! Sure the human body deteriorates and as we age we might need to build in extra exercise (or get out more often on fla****er) to maintain it for the sport but the governing factor really isn't age, it's enthusiasm and determination! Also, as a complete "Humbug" I was wondering if any instructors out there would be willing to give me lessons over the Christmas break. I live in Southampton, and am yearning to get out of the pool and onto a river. I'm trying to boycott Xmas this year and can't think of a better way to spend it : ) I'm too far away to know specifics for your area, but most paddling in the UK is done over the winter - people will be running rivers over the xmas break, although these might be trips for the more experienced. Obviously there are different ways things can run - there is club style training for free, and there is commercial training for a price - if you are interested in the latter I would say get in touch with kayakojacko.com and see if they will be running anything over the break. If all else fails I'm sure they will be spending time on the weirs so if you are at a stage to try playboating that might help. Most clubs arrange some kind of trip over the xmas/new year period, some go away for the period, others have a local run they always do - these things vary in difficulty but there is bound to be someone doing something at your level from your area. Personally I'll be in the highlands waiting for a warm, wet spell to make the hard rivers/burns runnable! Good luck, there are a lot of fanatical paddlers who would paddle rather than do xmas if they could get away with it, you just have to track down ones that can! Which reminds me of a xmas eve spent on the Tees white water course with my Dad, brother and a friend - at one point 2 other people appeared....... a nice quiet day out! JIM |
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