M2O: The Open Ocean is a whole other beast....

I can't believe it is over.... It's funny how these BIG adventures you work towards through training, logistics, hype, and emotions come to a brisk ending. Well, this has been one hell of an adventure. I would suggest to everyone and anyone to go through your dreams/bucket list/desires, pick at least one and DO IT. The hours of preparation, the excitement, the unknown, the ups and downs, the money, the logistics, the training and learning is ALL WORTH IT. It may seem tough and possibly impossible at times but that is what makes them big dreams, special and possibly why you haven't done it yet. I truly believe pushing yourself, testing yourself, learning, adventuring, making mistakes and succeeding and stepping out of your comfort zone will enrich your life and open your eyes to possibilities you never thought were possible. As my students kept telling me: YOLO (You only live once!)

Andrew is the best hubby/friend/partner EVER.... HE went out of his way to help me realize a dream of mine while putting his own on hold. He also made a great video and took some awesome pics along the way.

VIDEO M2O: I crossed that finish line! YES!
Molokai to Oahu from Andrew Dye on Vimeo.

PICTURES: follow link

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8442196@N02/sets/72157634846126885/

It was one tough crossing. The heat, the bumpy not consistent waves, the length, and the bigness of the ocean all played a part in making it a really tough race: physically and mentally. I had a good start, was happy with the people around me but the experience of prior races, the ocean, and their amazing paddling slowly kept the top females paddling further ahead of me. I need more practice, time on the water, and training (fyi tough to do when you are working full time....). The escort boats came along and then everything got a little jumbled for a bit... awkward boat waves made it tougher to paddle and focus. Eventually people spread out but people were never far away. My captain, Chuck kept me on the middle line going slightly north and then slightly south.... I was happy with that. I had moments out there where I was pushing hard digging with my Werner Small Grand Prix Paddle, and then I would have moments where I just didn't feel like going super hard (prob not the best in a race....) I would have day dream moments, moments where I didn't care about the "race" aspect. I would then randomly snap out of it and push hard again... ?!? funny. I did one swap with Andrew with a different camel back. I thought I drank a lot but in the end I only drank slightly more than 2L of water with Nuun...not enough.... arg. I never drink enough.... I ate 2 packages of Cliff block shots, one package honey stringer chews, and one mini snickers. I actually found it super awkward to eat out there. Next time I would try and consume all of my calories, proteins, and carbs through liquid.... I just need to find a good drink for this...

The water definitely got choppier as we got closer to Oahu. The China wall was pumping so my boat captain took me around the bay. I lost time but also likely saved my body and board. With about 10 miles to go my legs started to get sore.... When I fell it was the worst... it hurt so much to get back on the board. I also seem to have been standing on the rudder peddle awkwardly as my right knee started to really hurt... Infact when i finished I couldn't step off the board and bare weight on it. I needed to ice it and sit down for about 1.5 hours before I could walk. It feels better now but was slightly worrying at the time. So the last bit in the bay is the worst, people did not lie about that. It hurt a lot and the headwind and outgoing tide were awful.... but the finish line is so close and so you can't give up. I am happy that I crossed that line. 6 hours 27min.... 6th female SUP..... I'll take it. Thank you M2O for a great adventure!!!!!! I love pushing myself like that!


Congrats to all the athletes who crossed that finish line. Congrats to Norm and Dan the other Canucks out there. Thank you for all the support from all over.. I could not have made it without you!!!!!!!!!!! (you know who you are.)

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!

Time for well deserved mini surf sessions and relaxation with friends

lina

On Molokai! 1.5 days until M2O!

SO we are a day and a half from the race and Andrew and I are on Molokai. We are staying with Clare from Molokai Outdoors. I sort of misunderstood the race start and the hotels/villas situation and so we are not staying at the race start. Now I know for future that is where I want to be... Mistakes happen the first time around for sure.... Although, I wish we were at the race start,  Clare is taking care of us nicely, so thank you Clare.

Andrew and I cruised around the east coast of Molokai island today and enjoyed the rocky cliffs, very windy roads and beautiful valleys at the other end... I am now trying my best to rest but its difficult... I hate the couple of days before an endurance race... what we call a taper.... I get very anxious and annoyed at not moving my body... haha... I know it will help rest my body for the big day so I am working on it.... I am also trying to hydrate lots starting today... I am pretty bad at drinking throughout racing and so the better hydrated I can be before race start the better off I am during race time...

Tomorrow we meet Chuck, my boat captain, and transfer most of our luggage onto his boat...there is a race briefing and dinner as well. Then its Sunday morning, race morning..

Off the top of my head: Some little things I have learned along the way:
Downwinding
1. To catch waves you have to paddle really fast. High cadence is key. A shorter paddle is better. Small blade works well... My Werner small grand prix is great. I think I would even go an inch shorter than my already shortened 75" length...
2. Moving your feet is useful when downwinding
M2O
1. book Kulaukoi Villas for race start....
2. Bring your significant other.....I am already loving having Andrew around
3. Come early and practice and race the races on Maui: they are awesome!

Not sure if I will have time to write tomorrow... this is it..

My goals:
To finish
To paddle as well as I can and give it all I've got... where that leaves me on the race standings doesn't matter as long as I feel like I have tried my best.
To enjoy and feel the energy of the ocean
To learn and grow out there
To finish with a smile....

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

M2O: t-4 days...Maui Paddle Championships and Hiking the Haleakala Crater

Finish...Maui Paddleboard Champs

Saturday Andrew arrived and it was my day off from the water... Infact, my first day off the water since I arrived onto Maui.... I haven't taken a break because I wanted to take advantage of where I was and figuring out the skills of downwinding.... its been good.... Saturday I went for a walk and to the coffee shop until Randy and I went to pick up Andrew... SO amazing to see him again... felt like forever. We picked him up and then straight to Charlie's in Paia for the some pre race pizza and friend gathering.... nice to finally feel like I know the community around here....and luckily it is a great one! We then got Andrew settled in and had a nice house dinner with Tomo and Randy! What a loving place to be! I feel so lucky!

Waiting before the start of Maui Paddleboard Champs photo: jeremy Riggs

Sunday was race day.... Maui Paddleboard Championships.... Lots of people.... lots of great vibes and good wind! It's funny in these downwind races I don't get the "normal" race jitters of the pressure and nervousness of trying to win.. Although I am trying to "win" downwind racing for me at this point in time is about learning and enjoying and if I do well its a huge bonus and motivator.... Of course the competitiveness in me out on the water comes out but its different in downwinding as you can't just power through everything. More often than not that pure power will not lead to faster time but good technique and knowledge of the water will... its about patience, skill, timing, and fitness..... Anyways, its kind of nice to not have that huge nervous bug in me.... So I was happy go lucky at the race start talking to people and just taking in the vibe of it all.... My goal was to get under 1hr30min.... and to smile and connect some glides....

Just after prayer start of Maui Paddlebaord Champs photo: 808photo.me

The start was a little nutty as it was an outside start which meant that we had to paddle into the side chop and then into the wind for about 20 minutes.... and try to sit on our boards in a line behind a boat.... tough in ocean swell and strong winds but somehow it worked out better than I would have ever imagined... I got out there with the earlier crowd as I was nervous not to make it to the start line.... I found a spot I liked: nice and close to the support/start boat and on the edge of the crowds. And we were off... I caught a wave right off the bat but unfortunately so did a prone guy and another SUP but luckily we all stayed up right and only lightly touched each other's boards....phew...

I stayed kind of in the middle of the line... I tried to go outside but whenever I would focus back on where I was going I seemed to have shifted towards shore.... I wasn't too upset with my line... I was feeling good physically throughout... I fell in once and had a good little wipe out.... got my visor all crooked in good Lina fashion..:) I connected some glides and caught some bigger ones. I struggled a little before the harbour entrance and couldn't really catch anything... I was trying to stay calm and wait for them but maybe I should have just motored through? More experience in these waters would have helped in this situation.... The harbour was easy as the wind was in our favour which was nice but not an advantage for being on a rudder system... :) I finished in 1 hr 27min something.... which I was happy about. I was 8th female SUP and 5th in the UNL 30-45 category (a very highly competitive category). I have some more learning and practice to do in downwinding but for my first 1.5 weeks I feel happy with my results...

The next two days I took off from the water and hiked and camped up in the Haleakala Crater with Andrew. This is something he really wanted to do and I had no objection.... other than I wanted to do it early on in the week so my legs could rest afterwards and not be sore for the big crossing. The crater was pretty surreal... We hiked 10 miles into the Paliku campsite where we crossed different terrain about every half hour from black lava rock to lush fern land and everything in between.. It was a dreary day with heavy fog, rain, sunshine,..pretty much all sorts of weather... gave it all a spooky atmosphere. We set up camp and enjoyed some cold pizza and better evening weather. We woke up at 5:15 am the next morning and started our hike with the sunrise... it was beautiful and gradually got pretty HOT. we were above the clouds and could fully take in the magical scenery of the crater.... We hiked out at about 11am and headed for the Twin Falls along the Hana highway for a jump and dip over the waterfalls into pools.... it was lovely. We then enjoyed a lovely lunch in Paia before heading back to Wailuku. We had a lovely dinner at friend Peggy's place in Kula.... the high country is very peaceful!
A couple of pics from the crater hike.... Andrew will put together a better album I am sure but wated to post a few quickly now...

Today is my last downwind before the big race..... I am also taking Andrew out for his first downwind run..... (later in the day) He made it! 10 miles in the ocean.... He did well for his first go! Yay Andrew!  The board is off to Molokai and we have one more day on Maui before we head off to Molokai.....


live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

M2O: Day 8 and 9 Maliko runs..... Learning is not always easy....

Today is my first REST day since I arrived onto Maui.... I know I should have taken more but my mission has been to get out there on the water and practice in the bumps.... figure out the board, the water, some systems, and gain confidence in the Hawaiin waters, waters that are just soooooo different than back home. The support here and from friends back home have kept me motivated and positive as learning is not the easiest thing sometimes on our emotions.... I am used to be being one of the fastest and here in the bumps my lack of surfing and just water knowledge shows.... I am glad I am fit and I WANT this so am out there falling, getting up, falling, missing bumps, catching bumps and really trying to take in all the amazing advice I am given each day.

The mouth of the Maliko photo: Chikara Tsumura

photo: Chikara tsumura

Just leaving Maliko Gulch photo: Chikara

photo: Chikara

photo: Chikara

Thursday on the Maliko I will admit I cursed and yelled and sat on my board thinking WHAT AM I DOING HERE?!?!? I CAN't DO this.... I am idiot for thinking I can,...... why did I have to go an sign up for this stupid race.....
I fell a lot, I couldn't connect or even catch most of the glides and then to make it even worse I went way too far on the inside and it took forever for me to get to the Harbour mouth..... Oh Man, I was in a bad mood.... It was hard to pick myself up for a while there.... I just sat on the beach and just sat there staring out watching the ocean, hating it.... hahahaha... looking back I know I was being silly and really I was just learning out there...
 Steve wrote a great thing on my facebook "after observing me awhile, a local wise man on Maui said "hey bro, you gots to fall! don't fight it, that's how you will learn to ride".... remember you are paddling with the best of the best and they even fall... falling means you are pushing yourself to surf - which is what downwinding is, not paddling - no doubt you need rest too - like skiing the moguls too many days in a row  get rejuved and hit the water - when you fall, stop and look around and be amazed with 
where you are "THANKS Steve, so true....

I was pretty nervous to go out Friday, I didn't want to have another bad run.... I went out with Randy and Todd.... Randy stuck with me (he is way faster....) and helped me out with tips and encouragements and it helped! I had a much better run, and was starting to see the water and how it moves..... and infact connected some glides... it felt soooo much better. THANKS Randy!!!!!

Today is a rest day... Tomorrow we are all racing in the Maui Paddlebaord Championships which is the Maliko run.... I am excited to just be out there with the best of the best at downwinding...... its going to be quite the experience I think. Also, Andrew, my amazing hubby that I miss sooooooo much is arriving today!!!!!!! I can't wait for him to be here.

Here is a little clip about Molokai..... I still can't believe I will be out there.... doing this! Still feels like this unreachable dream... a dream I am currently living RIGHT NOW! Amazing.




THANK YOU: Werner paddles, Nikki Rekman Sales, Trident Performance Sports, Chacos, Ryders Eyewear, Laiph Clothing, Onit Pro


live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina 



I

M2O: Day 6 and 7: Figuring out the SIC F16.....turning DREAMS into reality....

People on Maui are so lucky to have such a consisten downwind run. Not only is it consistent, it is also beautiful and convenient. I also feel lucky to have met some really wonderful people that have taken time out of their day to help me with a variety of things.

I have had 4 Maliko runs on the F16 now since last weekends races. I am starting to figure out where to stand, the rudder system, catching bumps etc. I am very glad I am here a little early to learn and figure out the kinks. I am still pretty slow on the downwind runs if I compare myself to the locals around here... They are brilliant at reading the water, surfing waves, and loving it! I sometimes think I see what I am suppose to see in the water but really I have no idea. I am understanding how to catch the bumps and most of the time can ride them but I still don't quite understand what I am suppose to see in order to connect the bumps. Occasionally, I connect by sheer luck or maybe sometimes I actually see something and its right but I don't actually know what it is... Randy and Jeremy have been great in trying to explain it all but until I really "get it and it clicks"out there on the water its going to be a learning adventure.. Apparently its an art that takes many years to master so I can't get tooo frustrated with it just yet:) I have been a little awful at picture taking the last few days and been out there on my own so for now words will have to do. I still haven;'t quite figured out what I am going to do for energy(food and hydration) while out racing M2O but am sort of getting some ideas... It will be an experiement this first time but that is kind of exciting in itself.

The wind, the water, the weather has been brilliant. I am loving the adventure of learning and pushing my limits. Doing the double Maliko was great practice. I also went for a run this morning.... which felt really good since I have been concentrating on paddling so much I haven't done anything else for over a week.

Looking ahead: Two more sessions on the Maliko, a day off and Andrew arriving and then its Maui Paddlebaord Championships... I am not expecting any big results here (the local girsl really know the water and can surf super well), but I will try my best and it will be good fun and kind of mental I think racing with tons of people down the Maliko....

I can't wait for my husband, Andrew to arrive (2 more days), I miss him sooooooo much!

Below are a couple of pics from the recent Maui 2 Molokai race. Thank you 808photo.me for the pics...  Pretty crazy being out there in the channel! What an experience....

ALOHA!

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

M2O: Day 3, 4 and 5: Maui 2 Molokai and Molokai 4 Molokai Downwind races

Before race start at M2M photo: Jeremy Riggs

Maui 2 Molokai  
27 miles downwind across the Pai'lolo Channel
Start: Honolua Bay, Maui
Finish: Kaunakakai Pier, Molokai
My time: 4:49
Board: SIC 14 and it was pink! Thank you Peggy King for the lend!
Paddle: Werner Small Grand Prix
Drank two litres of Nuun... no food...
Fell in about 8 times
The hardest part was through the middle of the channel and the end.... The best part was the Kamalo Buoy for about 7 miles...
NO support boat..

So, Saturday morning I woke up early made an egg/cheese sandwhich and dran loads of Nuun. A bunch of us took the Moore shuttle to the start which was grand. It was about an hour drive from the Kahului harbour. At the start you have to walk your board down a tropical little path and boom a little piece of heaven.... What a beautiful bay. I put my overnight bag on Peggy 's support boat. We had  a pre race Hawaiin circle prayer and then it was 15 minutes to the start. I was pretty nervous: my first time crossing, no support boat, not much downwind experience.... my goal was to learn some things along the way and to make it to Molokai in under 5 hours...

Carrying boards to race start with Peggy and Sharon Photo: Jeremy Riggs

Getting boats off the Moore Shuttle photo: Jeremy Riggs

 The start went off and people paddled hard out of the bay... In these big ocean downwind races ppl spread out pretty quick... I stayed around some folks for a bit but was having trouble actually catching and riding waves. I think ti was a mix of nervousness and lack of skill.:) After a while noone was really around me but I could always see some folk and so just made sure that I was checked and saw someone at least... it calmed my nerves in the open ocean! Once we hit the kamalo bouy it was much easier downwinding and catching glides and I was definitely getting the hang of it. The last bit was tough again and the very last bit was really tough.. a strong side wind when you are tired.... My knees got a little sore and the bottom of my feet a little but I didn't feel too bad on the whole which is great! After the race we had some food and beverages and there were awards... I managed to score a 1st in the 14ft category and won a paddle and a medal.... About 20 paddlers stayed the night. After the race Clare from Molokai Outdoors and Dayna took care of us shuttling us to our hotels, to dinner and then again in the morning. They really created a special vibe! We ate at the Paddlers restaurant and most of us stayed at Hotel Molokai. Thank you Clare and Dayna at Molokai Outdoors for all the amazing organization.



Molokai 4 Molokai
A race to raise funds for youth in motion...
8.5miles from Kamalo to Hotel Molokai
approx 1hr 32min

Beach start M4M race photo: Dayna Harris

Sunday morning we all got shuttled to the race start at Kamalo. We got some great beta from Clare, had a Hawaiin circle prayer and then got ourselves ready for the beach start. I was a little tired all over from the previous day but once I jumped up and started paddling the adrenaline kicked in and I forgot that I paddled for 27miles the day before:) I definitely caught more bumps and only fell in twice. I was really enjoying it and getting the hang of things. Of course I was still missing loads of bumps etc but things were coming together. I managed to paddle in as the 2nd women across the line. We enjoyed food, beverages, and awards before we got shuttled back to Kamalo to get on the small boat home. Clare, Johnny Mac, Dayna, Rodney, and everyone involved in these races did a great job and MAHALO!

Me winning some $$$

Breakfast by the ocean

Hawaiin Prayer

With Zane and Tomo from Starboard

Today was my first Maliko on the "BIG" F16 board.... It was a fun shuttle ride catching up with Jenny Kalmbach (an amazing female SUP paddler!). Today was all about getting used to the board and the rudder and starting to figure it out... I definitely caught many good glides and still missed many more but I am getting there..... PRACTICE everyday!

I wanted to give a shout out to everyone who has been sending me such positive vibes,...your support is keeping me going:) THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Werner Paddles, Nikki Rekman Sales, Trident Performance Sports, Chacos, Ryders Eyewear, Onit Pro, Laiph,....

boat ride back to Maui from Molokai. Photo Jeff Chang

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

M2O: Day 2: getting ready for Maui 2 Molokai and Molokai 4 Molokai races...

I made a short video on my prep and thoughts on the upcoming races this weekend...

Hopefully I will get in a Maliko downwind run today... the more practice out in that water the better for me! Wish me luck this weekend! Training for Molokai 2 Oahu!

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!

lina