How do you folks deal with exhaustion? The following generic story might sound very familiar to all paddlers and mountaineers. A person paddles 20 miles in a region with few beaches, and miles of cliffs. In the way he/she has to cross two unforecasted storms, after which the water is relatively calm. There are still 5 miles to cover, and no landing close. The person is non longer enjoying the adventure and gets a bitter mood. All of the sudden he/she finds out that he/she does not want to paddle one more stroke. But there is no other alternative. Eventually the paddler is so exhausted that he/she does not care about anything anymore --"ok, I stop paddling, even if I die" kind of attitude. A happy end would be that the person eventually reaches a beach falls into a state of depression, and starts crying like a baby. What tricks do you have to go that extra mile when your body and mind are about to give up? One that works for many people is to think of something that makes you very angry, concentrate on that, and swear with every stroke until you reach the destination point. Others just cry, but not everyone gets better by doing that. Ideas? experiences? - Julio *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
>How do you folks deal with exhaustion? >One that works for many people is to think of something that makes >you very angry, concentrate on that, and swear with every stroke >until you reach the destination point. i frequently paddle til exhaustion so as to learn how to deal with it. the anger method doesn't work well for me. instead i get very happy imagining that it is a race and i envision how tired those behind me must be. then i smile more and more. another technique that i learned from Dick Bridge (a retired minister) is to sing. you can imagine what he sings. Dick also suggested that i make up 4 word chats. my boats are named after my cats, my chants consider them... they help me. Please help me Tigger. .............. these techniques are only used during warm weather paddling, it is too dangerous to do that stuff in the winter. even with training, exhaustion caused poor judgement and i ran into a cypress tree island during the final leg of a race this year. i was unhappy because those behind would see such a stupid mistake. however i recovered and with a thorn in the underside of my thigh, maintained pace till the finish. bye bye bliven *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Julio wrote: > How do you folks deal with exhaustion? > snipage > > What tricks do you have to go that extra mile when your body and > mind are about to give up? > > One that works for many people is to think of something that makes > you very angry, concentrate on that, and swear with every stroke > until you reach the destination point. > > Others just cry, but not everyone gets better by doing that. > > Ideas? experiences? > Hmmm, a valid question, but also one that my initial reaction to is - "don't go there". In the 20-odd years that I have been cross-country skiing, whitewater paddling, sea-kayaking, backpacking, mountaineering, winter ski touring, rock climbing, and generally hanging around playing outside in all types of weather conditions, I can honestly say that while I _have_ been in some uncomfortable positions, I've never been in that bad of a condition. Not because it couldn't have been that bad, but because I took precautions to make sure that it didn't get that bad. Generally, when you are in that kind of totally exhausted condition it means that there has probably been a series of errors (or problems), any one of which could have been the indicator that you should simply STOP and then quickly, and as safely as possible, either retreat or move forward to a safe position. Planning and constant evaluation of conditions are critical in tenuous conditions - letting the environment dictate what happens to you can quickly lead to the type of situation described originally. You can't control the conditions, but you are in complete and utter control of what you do. Now, having said that, what I do when things start to get bad is to think about other endurance events that I've been in - remembering how badly it hurt, remembering hours of training with a coach who preached swimming through the hurt, past the pain, into agony and thus finally to success. Thinking about the burning, gut-wrenching, pain of running a long hard race, and knowing that I survived - realizing that _our bodies are as tough as our minds can will them to be_. Getting angry doesn't work for me - when I get angry I stop thinking clearly and then a bad situation can quickly spiral even further out of control. Cool, dispassionate calm is what I look for when things start getting bad. my rather long-winded $.02 Dave Seng Juneau, Alaska *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
>Julio wrote: >> How do you folks deal with exhaustion? David Seng wrote: > Hmmm, a valid question, but also one that my initial reaction to is - >"don't go there". >I can honestly say that while I _have_ been in >some uncomfortable positions, I've never been in that bad of a >condition. Well said..... Hank Hays *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Julio wrote: > > How do you folks deal with exhaustion? And then David Seng wrote: > Hmmm, a valid question, but also one that my initial reaction to is - > "don't go there". > I can honestly say that while I _have_ been in > some uncomfortable positions, I've never been in that bad of a > condition. I agree with David (and Hank Hays, who chimed in just as I was getting fired up) that "exhaustion" should be avoided. If a paddler finds himself/herself regularly reaching an exhausted state, I'd say that person has poor judgement, or likes (seeks?) paddling on the ragged edge of control. Maybe Julio has a different perspective on this, but I'd guess that each of us deals with exhaustion in his/her own unique way. My approach is to go to sleep! A narrow, paddled water craft, which demands assertive action on the part of the occupant to remain vertical, is a crummy platform for playing with endorphin-induced euphoria! I've been exhausted a couple times hiking and such, but most land-based recreation (even high-angle rock-climbing) has the luxury of being able to "stop and get off the bus." Never been even close to exhaustion while paddling on the water, and don't want to be. I'd work hard, if I saw a situation approaching, to avoid having my physical resources completely tapped out. Drowning is probably the fate of most who reach true exhaustion on the water. Julio, do you need a chase boat? <G> -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
---- you wrote: > Julio wrote: > > > > How do you folks deal with exhaustion? Some physiological parameters here, physical exhaustion takes a couple forms: One is muscle exhaustion where lactic acid builds in the muscle fibers to the point where the muscle can't reliably contract. This form of exhaustion is characterized by "rubbery" arms or legs and the general inability to perform muscular work. In weight training, this condition is actually sought because stressing the muscle to exhaustion and then allowing recovery is key to developing strength and endurance. Endurance athletes press and extend the limits of exhaustion by exceeding aerobic capacity (oxygen debt) and then working at recovery under a physiological load--a slow jog in most cases. A second form is called "bonking" by cyclists and marathon runners. In its simplist form it's running on an empty tank. Muscles run on glycogen (and some other stuff), and when the glycogen runs out, you're out of gas. The body will try to shift over to burning fat or even muscle tissue, but it's really inefficient. You're going to feel lousy and be pretty useless as a paddler. Interestingly, "bonking" can be pretty much overcome by re-supplying carbohydrates. Fruit drinks work well. Drinks like "Gatorade" supply some complex electrolytes, minerals and a few other items to keep the muscle chemistry functioning. Fats get into the bloodstream fairly fast, protein less rapidly. Protein is not an effective way to treat exhaustion from lack of calories. Simple sugars coupled with some more complex carbohydrates seems to work well. Fruit juice with some rice, granoloa, fresh fruit. The standard energy food of kayakers seems to be the Snickers bar. I suppose because it's got sugar, some peanuts for complex carbs, and it comes in a waterproof wrapper. You can't live off of Snickers bars, but they're a good source of fast energy from sugar. (Lots of fat too!) But getting back to muscle fatigue. . . muscle recovery requires resting the muscle. It's possible to work the lactic acid out of the muscle through massage and hot soaks, but this is not likely possible in most kayaking situations. In trained athletes, recovery is very fast. Interval training consists of exhausting the muscle, then allowing recovery, then re-exhausting, then more recovery. Like flashlight batteries, each successive exhaustion is a bit more complete, each recovery is less effective. Applied to kayaking, these two types of exhaustion need to be understood. In a reasonably conditioned paddler, "bonking" is not a serious problem. Generally a short break for food and a bit of relaxation will allow the muscles to regroup and continue. But if the muscles are exhausted from lactic acid build-up (lack of endurance/conditioning) then no amount of food is going to bring them back. Likewise, if the muscles are out of food/fuel no amount of rest is going to provide recovery. Prevention. . . adequate food is crucial. Heading out on a long paddle without food (or water) is asking for trouble. In a reasonably conditioned paddler, the food will run out way before muscle exhaustion will set in unless the paddler is sprinting at an anaerobic level. Muscle exhaustion can be prevented by being careful to work at moderate, sustainable aerobic capacities. If you're paddling so hard that you're getting out of breath (anearobic), you're also paddling at a rate that builds lactic acid in the muscles. . . And you're headed for exhaustion. Keeping "inside the exhaustion window" is a developed skill that most aerobic athletes refine in training. Learning your personal aerobic capacity and exhaustion limits can be done on safe, dry land through some focused training and a little reading up on aerobic conditioning. Kayaking is an aerobic sport. Just like rolling and self-rescue are essential toward safety on the water, understanding physiological functions and their characteristics is part of understanding your physical limits in paddling and how they can be safely managed. ----------------------------------------------------- Get free personalized email at http://email.lycos.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Exhaustion can often be avoided. Many correctable factors can cause or contribute to exhaustion: 1) hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), 2) hypo- or hyperthermia (body temp too low or too high); 3) dehydration, 4) paddling too long at anaerobic levels, instead of at an easy aerobic pace. Sleep deprivation could certainly become a factor, but most folks will succumb to these others long before. Once you experience exhaustion, you may be able to overcome it if you can identify and correct one of these conditions. Perhaps the most common problem in kayaking leading to exhaustion among kayakers is the first. You simply can't paddle more than 2 to 4 hours without refueling (eating). It's like "hitting the wall" in marathon running. You've depleted all your glycogen stores in liver and muscle, and you simply can't break down fat fast enough to generate the energy you need to paddle. Once the glycogen stores are gone, it takes eating quite a bit of food that is high in simple sugars to keep fueling the muscles. How long you go before you hit this limit depends on how much stored glycogen you started out with, how hard you work, how much you're eating, how well-trained you are, etc. In Julio's scenario below, a little snack and an easy pace might do wonders! Bob Apter -----Original Message----- From: Julio MacWilliams <juliom_at_cisco.com> To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Date: Thursday, October 22, 1998 1:49 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] exhaustion >How do you folks deal with exhaustion? > >The following generic story might sound very familiar to all paddlers >and mountaineers. >A person paddles 20 miles in a region with few beaches, and miles >of cliffs. In the way he/she has to cross two unforecasted storms, after >which the water is relatively calm. There are still 5 miles to cover, >and no landing close. The person is non longer enjoying the adventure >and gets a bitter mood. All of the sudden he/she finds out that he/she >does not want to paddle one more stroke. But there is no other >alternative. Eventually the paddler is so exhausted that he/she does >not care about anything anymore --"ok, I stop paddling, even if I die" >kind of attitude. > >A happy end would be that the person eventually reaches a beach >falls into a state of depression, and starts crying like a baby. > >What tricks do you have to go that extra mile when your body and >mind are about to give up? > >One that works for many people is to think of something that makes >you very angry, concentrate on that, and swear with every stroke >until you reach the destination point. > >Others just cry, but not everyone gets better by doing that. > >Ideas? experiences? > >- Julio >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
On Fri, 23 Oct 1998, Bob Apter wrote: > Exhaustion can often be avoided. Many correctable factors can cause or > contribute to exhaustion: 1) hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), 2) hypo- or > hyperthermia (body temp too low or too high); 3) dehydration, 4) paddling > too long at anaerobic levels, instead of at an easy aerobic pace. Lactic acid build-up should probably be added to that list, the rubbery or twitching muscles sorts of thing. Okay I'm an idiot... I've "successfully" encountered all of the above while paddling, usually in a race. > >How do you folks deal with exhaustion? For me the most likely cause of problems is dehydration. I'm almost exclusively a day tripper or racer. For longer paddles I now take 2 camelbacks, one filled with water and the other with diluted gatorade. I also keep several packs of gu (basically powerbars in gel form) in my camelback or taped to my boat within reach. > >What tricks do you have to go that extra mile when your body and > >mind are about to give up? > >Ideas? I put my head down and zone out basically staring at the deck or my feet (depending on whether I'm in a kayak or canoe). I then count strokes, starting with simply counting to 5 and then working to higher numbers as things improve. Changing paddling technique will also help for a while. > experiences? In one, memorably ugly, race I was mildly hypothermic and dehydrated, dehydrated to the point that I was blacking out during the stroke and coming to during the recovery. That day I think I was just counting to 2 with alternating thoughts of "stay upright" as I headed into the finish line/take out. To add to the mental challenge I paddled past my vehicle about a half mile from the finish/line take out. I'm now extremely careful about hydration, and haven't been severely dehydrated since. kirk *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
kirk, glad you made it through that race event and thanks for the drinking advice. in an open forum it can be tedious to discuss these situations, but they help us learn. i go back to my concern with high temperatures and humidity. the heat index computes how the body reacts to those factors. on the other hand, one fellow put forth an index that also includes a +15 degree factor for direct sunlight. its the difference we feel between being in sunshine or in shade... as paddlers, we get extra stress from light reflecting from the water surface that could add maybe another +5 degrees. as some folks get on a soap box about cold weather, i jump on mine about heat and humidity.... especially at race events with us aging guys that think every race is for gold. on those hot days, i'm coming around to thinking it's more fun to find a comfortable pace, enjoy the day, and have a discussion... bye bye bliven *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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