Norfolk Classics 2014
I missed the Norfolk classics the previous year and having never been to that area before it was one I wanted to try and attend. This year saw it taking place as part of the UK SUP CLUBs series and as such was a bit of a double edged sword. Good that it meant a chance to add points to the tally for the year but bad in the fact everyone wanted to do that same thing and meant large numbers and a tough turn out. Logistics wise it was a tough race to get too, I had only managed to get the Saturday off and as such had to travel after work, have a short kip and then race ready to travel back for work the next morning, it’s a good job I love racing really!!! The Race itself was just shy of 10 miles winding through the broads from Staithe to Martham, a very flat area filled with fields, banks lined with reeds and windmills, it looked scarily like Holland, in fact too much so. A ghost like pain filled my body or perhaps it was just the other 2 races within the week and the 7+ hour drive up, either way I wasn't the only one who was having 11 cities flash backs. I had traveled up with Tom Stockwell a fellow Waterborn rider and we had made fairly good time on the drive up but it wasn't without incident, the CD player decided that 25 miles into the 700+ mile round trip that it wasn't going to work anymore, also I had picked up food poisoning on Thursday night and had spent all of Friday morning onward's trying not to be sick, I wasn't going to let that ruin my fun though. 
When we finally arrived after a short kip at the wrong address we parked up next to tea drinking buddy Scott Warren and began the important part of any race, chatting! Oh and occasionally sorting out boards and hydration packs and the such, also another coat of polish was added just for that extra ooomph to make up for not feeling well. It seemed as though the location of the race had limited who had turned up, that and a lot of people had already got their 6 races for the series sorted and some of the big guns hadn't turned up, at least within the 14’ class. A chance perhaps to get some good points and maybe some silverware. After a few cups or tea and a generally relaxed feel to the morning everything started to pick up pace, we loaded onto the bus and headed off down the country roads to the start location to be reunited with our boards, it was an odd sight-seeing the bus lined with green and orange tops with paddles propped up next to every seat but also quite an interesting novelty. As we took the boards down to the water’s edge it was like a bad case of de je vu, I checked to see if Sam Ross had curled up into a ball and started shaking but he seemed OK at the time.
As we all set up for the start line I checked my watch to get an idea of the time remaining and when to take my energy gel and then heard a shout saying 1 minute left, I quickly had my gel but wasn't prepared as I though we still had 4 minutes or so to go, I started my watch and got ready for the off, I managed an OK start but was still in the usual place of being buffeted about and trying not to take on to much water. After a few meters I managed to find a good section of water and could think about getting my head down and racing, already a clear pack of 4 was forming ahead of me as well as the few who were beside me, I knew if I was to have any hope of doing well id have to stick with the 4 starting to pull away. With this focus in mind I started to increase the pace knowing full well it wasn't sustainable but figured I could rest once I found their draft. I had to use all my knowledge of the board to rail the board round the meandering river and cut little by little off the distance while maintaining speed, it was working, every now and then having to pull right to avoid boats cruising gently on the broads. I caught up with the group around the 1 mile mark and was about to slot in behind nick but figured I had found a good rhythm and wasn't actually as tired as I thought I would be, I kept my momentum and started slowly edging passed nick, then Sam, from here I could see the others trying to work out there game plan, stick with Phil Plume currently leading the charge or slot in behind me and see if I had enough in the tank to get a gap, as soon as I got in sight of Scott he pulled out from Phil and was edging towards me, although it took maybe ½ - 1 mile to do I took the lead and was in clean water and able to wind through my paddle strokes. The head wind was very beneficial, not only do I prefer the challenge of it, it keeps your face cool and stops a lot of sweating and overheating issues, although it was fairly overcast it was still a hot and muggy day. Although I had done well to get out front I knew I hadn't really changed to much, I could hear paddle strokes behind me and knew I was only a few seconds in the lead and pulling them along. Scott obliviously figured I was going to slow and started pulling alongside, I managed to ask for some directions to keep me going the right way and it worked out in my favour as I realized I had dropped off the pace and as soon as I got his nose draft I pushed once more. Thankfully as we rounded the corner there was a brisk headwind and I started my into wind crunches, it seemed enough to pull a slight gap and suddenly I was free from being drafted and able to make a lead. After a few more corners and really trying to keep a good pace I realized I was really starting to get in a bad way, I was overheating and feeling awful from food poisoning and having had such an exhausting week. I was aware of someone catching me and I did manage to catch a glance backwards and saw nick powering after me. i got to a branch in the river where I had to turn left and my heart sunk, it looked exactly like the section of water after Sneek day 1 of 11 cities, my fatigue and general feeling made it feel as though I was reliving the pain and although gaining a sense of grit and determination I also knew I was in a bad place mentally. I managed to keep ahead until around the 5 mile mark but then head wind dropped and I was starting to overheat, Nick pulled out and started to surge ahead, I tucked in behind and tried to hold onto his draft.
I was fighting the urge to vomit and was really struggling from not having eaten since Thursday night (other than some blueberries in the van before the race) and I could only stay with him until shortly after we had passed all of the other SUP’s on the cruising course. Annoyed I had let slip first place, Nick was pulling away as I struggled to keep pace, I was now worrying about the rest of the pack closing down on me, I knew I only had about 2 miles to hold out but was seriously suffering. I glanced back and saw Scott was baring down on me and knew it would be a close run thing if I could hold him off for the distance, although I wasn't going slow that small amount I was missing was the difference he needed, I saw the flags in the distance and knew I was almost there but Scott was chasing down Nick, I managed to only lose out by 2 seconds for 2nd place and missed out of fulfilling a 1/2/3 podium slot in 1 week of racing but a 1st and 2 3rd places I am still really stoked with.
After crossing the line I was really feeling bad, I almost fainted as I pulled into the slipway and took on some fluids, I managed to take a cold shower and cool down before lying in the shade in the recovery position trying to feel better before the long drive home, thankfully though I managed to be sick and it cleared through whatever it was that had been making me feel so unwell for the last few days, I felt much better, it was a shame I couldn’t have managed to do that before the race and then who knows what would have happened. A big thanks to Martham boats, apart from an issue with the postcodes to find the event the whole thing was very well organised, ourselves and the boards were shuttled to the start line at Staithe by bus and instructions were clear for the event, food was laid on both after the race and at prize giving which is a simple yet effective addition to making an event go well. I look forward to racing there again in the future. Thanks to Starboard and Tushingham, once again giving me and edge over the competition even when not on top form, TeaPigs for their refreshing and energy boosting Matcha tea that kept me going on the long journey, and Onit Pro for keeping my board looking and performing well. Until my next race, the last of the UK SUP CLUBs series in Gower, Whoop Whoop!!!
