There’s a new race , S 2, B 80, K 10, R 20 in my area this year but I’ve never been in a kayak and wonder what it would take to be prepared enough to survive the kayak portion. I wonder too about jumping into a kayak for 10 miles after being on the bike for 4+…seems like DVT would be a possibility.
I’ve got some boating experience, canoes, sailboats, guided missle frigate : ), so not to concerned about aquiring the skill, just wondering about what it takes to get resonably competent skill and endurance wise.
I did the “Big Hurt” in Port Angeles Washington. Like you I had not spend much time in a kayak. I got lessons on how to exit and right my kayak. then did some paddling training on my own. That was the easy part. The difficulty comes in the transitions. Do “bricks” of the different transitions so you can “change gears” from one event to the other. I found that the recovery stroke in the kayak was excrutiating. In other words, one has to sit forward after each stroke so the next will be possible. I almost died it hurt so bad. Happy though. Perhaps slanted situps would have made it easier? A sit on top kayak is a little easier for a novice. And if you have a choice, make sure the kayak is long enough to be fast but still appropriate for the course.