But Seriously by Clay Wright | Apr 23, 2011 | Whitewater | 6 comments I’ve been on the US Team before, my first time being in 1995, and I’ve always trained up on the spot and just paddled my brains out like normal leading up to the comp. But after 10 years of not making the Freestyle Kayak Team (besides in squirt) I now realize what an honor, privilege, and obligation I’ve earned with my spot on the 2011 US Freestyle Team. Obligation? Sure! As someone who’s sat on the sidelines watching how people prepare or don’t prepare for the Worlds, I can tell you for sure I’ve felt some hard feelings for those that ski all winter and then creek all spring and just roll into the event like they already won something just for being there. I’ve also seen the panic and regret that comes when someone flies across the world only to realize they forgot their A-game and will be watching the event from the stands after just 2 rides – and I do NOT want to be that guy! So – with extra focus and incentive that comes from the upcoming challenge of Worlds I’ve worked harder on my playboating this year than ever before. Joined a gym, gone out just for flatwater sessions, the Uganda trip, bought a Carbon Rockstar, and of course I’ve been Rock Island surfing at just about any level just about every day I’m home. I even jogged to the Dam n back a few times for cardio – normally I don’t even like to walk that far. Does this mean I won’t be sitting on the sidelines after Prelims? Absolutely not! As someone who used to revel the challenge of showing up late for an event after creeking all week – with nothing but beer and Poptarts for breakfast – with the goal of still making top 3 (and often meeting it) I can tell you that Hard Work is only effective at making you as good as you can be. I know for a fact that there are plenty of paddlers with more natural ability, better strength to weight, and the advantage of not caring so much about the outcome that will be able to outperform my 44 year old self on a regular basis. So with that in mind I’m training harder, planning smarter rides, and giving myself every competitive advantage I can think so that IF I’m a spectator for most of the event it will be with no regrets on ‘what I should have done’ to prepare in advance. Crunch time is at hand, and I’ve competed in 2 events already this year with 4th place finishes in both. While I haven’t placed as high as I would have hoped, this season I plan to continue going for the high scoring tricks that will but me on the podium rather than my usual ‘nickle and dime’ strategy that generates more consistent results. I figure the more I try the harder moves I’m not 100% with now – even in competitions – the better my chances are of sticking them in Plattling. We’ll see how that goes soon enough. Heading to Reno next week for more training – so if you see me with beer and a Poptart in the parking lot just ask me how much the ticket to Germany costs – that should be more than enough get me back on track. Clay 6 Comments hilde on April 23, 2011 at 9:54 pm I have to say that you and everyone on Team JK that qualified for WORLDs this year is the team with the most heart! Glad you get the chance to fulfill a dream and glad to see that it matters, maybe more than when you were younger, enough for you to train like the athlete that you are! I don’t have a favorite–all of you get major props from California. We WILL be watching and cheering you all on. Reply NedPoff on April 24, 2011 at 12:09 pm Gee… you have to be on team JK to have heart??!! I hate to tell you, but there’s some NON-jk folks who work their backsides off, too!!! Don’t write off those teenagers as “slackers” either. Anyway, Clay –I’ll be rootin’ for you ( and EJ, too) to represent us older folks over there. At a minimum, you’ll be a great example of the commitment it takes to freestyle, nowadays. I hope you achieve more (like a podium spot.) Keep training and we’ll see you over there. Reply Clay Wright on April 24, 2011 at 2:54 pm There are athletes training hard and there are athletes who are just good enough to paddle for fun and do well anyway. It’s not how hard you work, it’s how well you paddle that puts you on the podium! I guess what’s different for me is that this season I’m training harder myself and seeing those around me Nick, Dane, Emily, Stephen – all training harder as well. As for heart, it’s one aspect that can make people great paddlers. We at Jackson Kayak have injected human heart T-cells into the smiling sponges that come with every boat – they are soaked in DMSO to go right into the bloodstream so once a bit of water sloshes around your legs you’ll be adding strength and mass to your heart while you paddle! Completely steroid-free of course, so it’s ICF approved. Just have your favorite paddler bathe with one of our smiling sponges daily – or paddle a Jackson Kayak – and watch the improvement! Clay Reply brian hayes on April 23, 2011 at 10:21 pm you can do it! You Rock! Reply James McBeath on April 24, 2011 at 10:51 pm Clay… great post… I bathe with my smily sponge each day and I can tell ya at 49 I’ll be at the next Freestyle worlds! (note that I’m not sayin what capacity I’ll be there in) Reply Eric on May 2, 2011 at 2:01 pm Awesome Clay! You are paddling better than you ever have, and your results at NOC was far from where you could have been. You are a threat to win every event you are in now. Meanwhile, I am having my second cup of coffee here at the Reno whitewater park and ready to do a session with you! Get your but over here and let’s beat have another great session! I am so fired up that you are competing in Worlds! Bring on the experienced, bring on the well seasoned, and let’s do battle with the young bucks trying to knock us off the stage! ( all in good humor, of course!) Ej Reply Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
hilde on April 23, 2011 at 9:54 pm I have to say that you and everyone on Team JK that qualified for WORLDs this year is the team with the most heart! Glad you get the chance to fulfill a dream and glad to see that it matters, maybe more than when you were younger, enough for you to train like the athlete that you are! I don’t have a favorite–all of you get major props from California. We WILL be watching and cheering you all on. Reply
NedPoff on April 24, 2011 at 12:09 pm Gee… you have to be on team JK to have heart??!! I hate to tell you, but there’s some NON-jk folks who work their backsides off, too!!! Don’t write off those teenagers as “slackers” either. Anyway, Clay –I’ll be rootin’ for you ( and EJ, too) to represent us older folks over there. At a minimum, you’ll be a great example of the commitment it takes to freestyle, nowadays. I hope you achieve more (like a podium spot.) Keep training and we’ll see you over there. Reply
Clay Wright on April 24, 2011 at 2:54 pm There are athletes training hard and there are athletes who are just good enough to paddle for fun and do well anyway. It’s not how hard you work, it’s how well you paddle that puts you on the podium! I guess what’s different for me is that this season I’m training harder myself and seeing those around me Nick, Dane, Emily, Stephen – all training harder as well. As for heart, it’s one aspect that can make people great paddlers. We at Jackson Kayak have injected human heart T-cells into the smiling sponges that come with every boat – they are soaked in DMSO to go right into the bloodstream so once a bit of water sloshes around your legs you’ll be adding strength and mass to your heart while you paddle! Completely steroid-free of course, so it’s ICF approved. Just have your favorite paddler bathe with one of our smiling sponges daily – or paddle a Jackson Kayak – and watch the improvement! Clay Reply
James McBeath on April 24, 2011 at 10:51 pm Clay… great post… I bathe with my smily sponge each day and I can tell ya at 49 I’ll be at the next Freestyle worlds! (note that I’m not sayin what capacity I’ll be there in) Reply
Eric on May 2, 2011 at 2:01 pm Awesome Clay! You are paddling better than you ever have, and your results at NOC was far from where you could have been. You are a threat to win every event you are in now. Meanwhile, I am having my second cup of coffee here at the Reno whitewater park and ready to do a session with you! Get your but over here and let’s beat have another great session! I am so fired up that you are competing in Worlds! Bring on the experienced, bring on the well seasoned, and let’s do battle with the young bucks trying to knock us off the stage! ( all in good humor, of course!) Ej Reply
