Racing makes me do weird things.

Oy...

So I can't quite believe this but I just agreed to go for a 6 am paddle tomorrow. I'll be doing that instead of the sunset surfski run I was planning on.

I need time on the ski this week in a big way.

It is all because all of the sudden I am going in a race on Saturday. 4 miles, on the sheltered side of Sandy Hook, so weather cooperating, it won't be too bad. We shall see, though. "Kayak Boy" emailed me on Friday, said I should come - owing to a mixup involving the facts a) Mrs. Kayak Boy & I are co-workers, b) the word "Sebago" can refer to either the "Sebago Canoe Club" or Lake Sebago and c) it is actually possible to rent a car for more than one weekend in any given year, my own car-rental habits notwithstanding, I was actually ready to go on this Saturday just past. Now that is proof that I am a sucker for racing. I've been slightly cursed where races are involved, I've only done 2 real races, but in both cases, weird circumstances led to abject failure - last place in one, and an incredibly hard-won 2nd to last in the other (I was not told about the pre-race meeting and so I didn't get the word that the surfskis were going first & left the line quite some time after all the other skis, with all the outriggers, god bless 'em, cheering me on - so the fact that I caught ANYONE was my one comfort in the whole thing) but after a moment's hesitation ("I can't do this tomorrow...that would be too...awwww, why the heck not, ok, arm twisted, what time do we leave?") ready to try again, even though going in a race for my second surfski paddle of the entire year was just asking for my bad race mojo to kick in again...

anyways, fortunately it did all get straightened out and I have a whole week to train.

oh boy.

Entre nous, that's nowhere NEAR enough time. But I'm gonna give it my best shot anyways.

Part of that best shot being getting up and going for a dawn paddle or two this week.

Tonight...laundry. That's the dues for a totally frivolous weekend - good paddle on Saturday, including an exciting finish as we raced a slow-moving thunderstorm to Pier 63 (now THAT was good training for this race - talk about motivation!). dinner with the "KB"'s, then Sunday a change of gears with a Victorian house tour of my neighborhood, which is in Victorian Flatbush, with a friend who lives nearby, followed by a really nice barbecue where I got to meet hosta wizard & very cool lady Hinemoa - aka Mrs. Sea Level - and a couple of other spouses of people I paddle with a lot, which was VERY cool!

Maybe more of a trip report later - plus there will definitely be at least brief progress reports on my preparedness (or lack thereof) for the Sandy Hook adventure - right now, boring non-boat stuff beckons.