…. and likely no wiser; but nevertheless a perfect morning for the traditional jaunt between Edgartown and Menemsha– paddled in that direction today due to a strong current ebbing around East and West Chops, then down Vineyard Sound. Murky, light SSW wind and maybe a mile visibility at 5:25AM.
With the 20-mile Blackburn Challenge race around Cape Ann a little over two weeks away, I decided to push the pace just a bit more than the LSD (Long, Slow Distance), sub-100 heart rate efforts of the recent past; having 1-3 knots fair current almost the whole way sure helped kick the speed up to the high 6s, with plenty of 7s and no shortage of 8s. Another valuable trial run; I found that I could easily maintain 6.5+ with the current down the Sound, despite a moderate headwind; also found two eddies off West Chop and Makonikey where speed dropped to low 5s until I moved further offshore and back into the fair current.
Past Cedar Tree Neck a wall of fog rolled up from the south, and I veered in towards land until I could see the faint silhouette of the north shore hills; somewhat disorienting, but the GPS kept me on course as the sea went completely flat. Had maintained a 6.4mph average for 18 miles, then watched it drop a 10th (with attendant and colorful profanity) as the current turned against me off Menemsha Hills. Tried to envision the final 1.5 miles of the Blackburn up Gloucester Harbor and push the pace to the finish; much speedwork to do over the next 2 weeks, though! 21.0 miles, 6.3 mph average, 8.6 max in 3:19; ashore at Menemsha before 8:45. I’d love to get conditions like this (minus the fog) on August 9th!
Today’s route
Birthday boy
Another useful training paddle
Keeping track