Living on the most eastern of the San Juan archipelago islands, Fidalgo island, the variety of trip & training paddle routes from here are endless. While strong currents do exist in nearly every channel surrounding our island shores, learning how to use these currents to travel in the back eddies, the mid-channel-river-like 'green tongue', along with harnessing the strength of the winds (with kayak sails), is what paddling the San Juans is all about to us... Efficiency. Speed. Using what Nature offers to help us achieve our paddling (distance travelling & racing speed) goals. Which sometimes mandates a combination of styles & skills from river and sea kayaking mixed in with occasional surfing and sailing. Adreline rushes. Personal Speed Records. Risk-taking. Innovation. ~Paddle the Islands and let Nature Inspire.~

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

28th annual Bainbridge Island Marathon Race

Jim & Nadja racing through Agate Passage ~ photo by Michael Lampi
Marathon Race Start ~ photo by Michael Lampi

Capt. Steve Bennett -pre coffee- setting up for the race at sunrise ~
Sound Rowers President & longtime Bainbridge Island Race Director

Mt Rainier glowing to the south at sunrise...

Race day sunrise over Cascade Mts ~ from Bainbridge Is.

This years conditions for the lengthiest, open water paddling and rowing race in the Pacific Northwest were fantastic, as the results on the Sound Rowers website will show... http://www.soundrowers.org/

5 outa 17 of us in the 26 mile marathon long course around Bainbridge island set records in our class- as well as 2 outa 7 racers in the 'short' half marathon course. While the 1st overall in the long course was won by a rocketship fueld by Jeb Besser & Grant Dull in a 2X-OW, with a time of 3:09:02.

The records in classes were set by Theresa & Jeff Knakal,Theresa Batty & Susan Kinne, Peter Hirtle, Traci Cole, Jim & I, Alan Clark and Sherri Cassuto.

Despite my recent battlings with bulging disks and Jim's bruised ribs, this long of a push on this hot of a day was worth it for the scenery & wildlife encounters (multiple up close porpoises:), Mt Rainier looming, Seattle skyline, the Olympic Mts & Mt Baker...

A big 'shout out' to Steve Bennett, Sound Rower's Prez & Bainbridge Marathon Race Director for many years....his bread, homemade clam chowder & humor makes the race.

Afterwards, Jim & I raced back to our island to drop off the boat, pick up his bike & race to the base of Mt Baker to rise this morning just before dawn for him to test his endurance as he raced up & down & up & down Mt Baker in a road bike field of only about 9 in the 'D.u.m.b.' 100 mile race category of the Mt Baker Hill Climb ride 542- he finished 2nd at 7 hrs and a few seconds, (although they only 'officially' time the first 75 ?!)...

~Quite the'Ultra' weekend!...Ultra driving, ultra campin', ultra racing = Ultra FUN!!
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