Thus is the reality of racing.

You can come in first for all the trail runs and practices. But come race day, worst case scenario happens...

You have some sort of hong kong monster who somehow pulls ahead half a boat length from the rest within the first 2 strokes.

You then try to follow your strategy, only to to get sucked into his backwash, then try to get out, but by the time you're out you've made a S-course and missed the critical chance to increase gears.

He was using the Nelo boat. 60% the weight of my boat? On the other side, Jeremy was using the advantage kayak. Both boats imported from overseas, mine a copycat made locally which weighed heavier and resisted water more.

But the fact of the matter is. No matter what the odds or justifications there are for them to be ahead of me are, I wasn't good enough.

Assuming I didn't hit his backwash, and I performed my strategy properly with the wind assisting us at that time, my timing would have been 54-55 seconds.

But that would still be behind 2nd place, who came in at 53 seconds, and the hong kong monster who came in at 50 seconds.

I've been numb for too long. Too soft, too complacent. Couldn't feel anything to strive for. Now I can feel it. The frustration, anger of not training hard enough. This is exactly the kick in the ass I needed to wake me up.

No more excuses. Hit 40 pullups by November, then 50. Next time, I'll make up for the handicap of boat weights and cuttings.

Heh. Never felt so alive in a long time.