(Not) Racing my GP14 during the lock-down

I am sure that I am not the only Dinghy Sailor who is aching to be back on the water.

We dream of that feeling of the wind in our hair, of the perfect roll-tack that lee-bows the opposition, of the thrill of the spinnaker launch that gets us powering downwind ahead of the opposition.

But, realistically, it looks like it will still be some time. The club to which I belong is still locked down, although we are at least able to visit the club to check our boats. Whilst I am keen to restart racing, I know that to go back too soon would be dangerous. So we are stuck at home.

So what to do? Well, here are a few ideas that I have found useful during this period:

Exercise and Diet

It took me a while to realise that this at-home culture was not doing me any good, so I took up running (well, jogging really !) to ensure that I kept a reasonable level of fitness. If, like me, you doubted that you could run for more than 5 minutes, take heart. It is possible to expand your capability so that you can keep going for 20 minutes or more. So that gives me some achievable, specific goals to work at. And helps my cardio at the same time.

At the same time, it's really instructive to keep track of what you eat - I have to admit that the weight is going up - so time to limit my food intake a bit.

Reading 

Last Christmas I was given a really good book on Sailing "From Back to Front". I am sure that most people have a copy of "Start to Win". Throw in the RYA book on "Tactics" and there is plenty to keep me occupied, and away from the television.

Although reading about sailing (and not being able to put anything into practice) can seem frustrating, I console myself with believing that I am accumulating a font of knowledge that will pay dividends in the future.

Visualisation and Dreaming 

According to psychologists, the top athletes make use of visualisation as a technique to implant their skills into the deeper part of the brain. We sometimes talk about 'muscle memory' - the ability to instinctively respond to a situation. So take heart, if you are day-dreaming about sailing, maybe you are doing yourself some good, by establishing strong sailing skills which can guide you later on.

And Finally...

When we do get back on the water, I know I will need to take it in stages, since my 'sea legs' will have worn off. The only consolidation is that so will everyone else.

See you on the water again ... some time soon, I hope !