Friday 19 June 2020

Around Anglesey on a Paddleboard Solo and More - Part 4

Around Anglesey on a paddleboard solo

In this blog, I look back at the last three years, part 4. I'm going to explore briefly two mental training strategies that I use, which are super easy to work with. Both I applied to a significant effect on my Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) around Anglesey solo. These are 1) focus on what you can control, and 2) trust what you've got. 


Focus on the Controlables. 


The "uncontrollables" is the most significant mental trap in pressure and stressful situations. The "uncontrollables" are all the things in a performance that is directly out of your control. As paddlers, for example, these are wind strength and direction, air/water temperature, current strength, swell height and power. To name a few.


When the focus is on the uncontrollables, three things will happen – 1) anxiety creeps in, and tension builds up. 2) self-confidence begins to slip and 3) performance begins to suffer. We then have created a self-perpetuating vicious circle.


If we focus on what are the elements we can strengthen, develop and ultimately control, we gain confidence.  If we consider our effort, attitude/optimism, focus, preparation, those we paddle with, the location, the time in the day, and month, what we wear, what we eat and so on. This all begins to outweigh the negative stuff. 


If we look at effort, how hard I work is up to me and no one else. Preparation I find is massive towards building my self-confidence. If I've put the real-time in I feel secure and comfortable, if my kit is working for me, I'm pleased with the time I put in testing and considering options. To the food, I'm eating that's keeping me ticking over and switched on, tastes good and give me the caloroies.  To the time in the day - when do I ideally need to be around that headland and if im early or late, whats the gain or consequece




Choose to trust what you got. At the heart of paddling with confidence in the face of pressure is trusting one's ability and paddling in the present moment. When pressure builds, our minds often become cluttered, and we lose our focus. We tend to focus on what just happened or what might (or might not) happen next.


The key to being "in the moment" is moving the mind from "thinking" to "trusting". Overthinking can be a big problem, when naturally responding allows us to perform at our best.   


This can also apply with the kit - trusting that I've got the right, paddle and in this case, the paddleboard for the task, I've set myself. This is because I've used, I'm very familiar and comfortable with it. 


Preparation 


I'd had a good 2017 on my paddleboard, and as I moved into 2018, I felt my skill level, endurance and mental attitude was in the right place. In the January I solo SUP out to the Skerries, an island of the NW of Anglesey. Then around May I did an overnight paddle with my kit and a bivi bag and now with a solid paddleboard. The solid paddleboard had worked really well, and my nagging right ankle behaved (on an inflatable board, there's more flex, and after standing up for 10 hours my right ankle would be swollen). I was now waiting for the right three days and ideally around neaps, so the current flow was less.  All though the main factor was little to no swell.


Paddleboarding Solo Around Anglesey


During a super settled spell, in June 2018, I set off around 0500 in the morning. Why? It was something I could control, which allowed me a full day to work with what came my way. I had the flood with me from before Rhoscolyn which took me through the stacks (offshore) and across Holyhead Bay to Carmell Head (after waiting for The Irish Ferry to come into Holyhead). 


I had just over an hour of the flood tide with me, but the back eddy at Carmell Head inshore was running against me now. So I slowly began to head into the shore. A fishing boat came to check me out, and I thanked them and said ' the coastguard new I was on the water.' I landed and took a three-hour break, refuelled with lots of water and a couple of mugs of tea, had a good lunch and a lovely snooze in the sunshine. 


Pushing on


I was super pleased to be on the North coast and began to consider options. Stay where I was, push on (once the ebbing tide allowed to me) to Cemais Bay or .... paddle on to the East coast, eddy hopping until Point Lynas, which could be on the flood (going with me). I was refreshed and decided to have a look, and as long as I was still having fun, I'd continue. A total of 90km later I paddled into Dulas Bay on the east coast, with my personal best and called the coastguard up to let them know all was ok.  


I eat as quick as my weary body allowed and set my bivi up. A slept solid. I'd planned to be on the water early, but due to my late arrival, I decided to let the alarm clock slip. Back on the water, I started to cross Red Warf Bay, with a gentle wind on my back. It ended up being very slow. Probably because I was weary and rather than being in the eddy I was going against the ebbing current (flowing against me) and with no close coastline, it was hard to measure my progress. It was time for a good welsh breakfast at the Pilot House cafe! I worked with the flood as far as I could and then eddy hopped down to Menai Bridge and waited for the ebb to allow me through the Swellies. I was soon back at my van parked down by the Mermaid Inn, with big smiles and a great feeling of satisfaction. 


My short film below captures the essence of my adventure.




Reflections


I was the first person to paddleboard around Anglesey solo and self-contained and the third person in total. I had a personal best of 90km in a day, id paddled around 140km and in 23 hours total on the water time, in two days.  I'd seen it as fun, I saw shearwaters (amazing sea birds) at the start and at the end of the day, porpoises close in on the north coast and just as I was flagging and a magical pod of risso dolphins blitzed me!


How To


I get a large piece of paper out and create a large spider diagram with what I want to achieve in the centre and around the outside what I can control. I consider and highlight what gaps may be in my performance, ability, knowledge, skill and kit, with a different colour pen. Then create an action plan to focus on and work with. 


It had taken me three years from when I first starting paddleboarding and the early adventures of the three biggest natural Llyn, Lakes and Lochs and the first Brit to SUP around Menorca 


I had 3 main goals with my attempt to paddleboard around Anglesey 1) to enjoy it and if I wasn't then land and then reconsider options (part of the reason I got off at Carmell Head). 2) be on the water for at least one sunrise 3) develop my forward paddling style further. I had purposely focused on Process/Performance goals, rather than Outcome (of getting around Anglesey) as I knew my mindset was going to be crucial.


What have you set your self?  How can you use the above to assist you on your journey?  How can you keep a focus on the fun as well achieve the goal?




My next blog ill look at a few top tips and quick fixes that can help when emotions are running high and Ill also talk about my first-time sea kayaking up in Shetland. Shetland really did blow me away with its beauty!


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