After a forced layoff from training for almost one year I am back in the game. I started P90X two weeks ago. Today was the last workout of the second week and I feel great!

P90X is very intense and there is no way I can keep up with the DVD, but I am doing pretty good considering I am a few decades older than everyone on the screen including Tony. If any WaterTribers out there decide to use P90X for their workouts, be careful and pace yourself. It is a three month cycle so don’t think you have to do the same rep counts as the demo group on the screen.

Next week I am adding Insanity workouts. I’ll do a P90X workout of the day followed by the Insanity workout of the day. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I will also do Ab Ripper. The overall goal here is to get back to my fighting weight of 170 pounds of pure gristle.

Of course, since I intend to “kick the panties” off all the class 1 guys at the NCC2012, I will also be doing kayak trips 2 or 3 times each week. These are going to start off fairly short but each week they will get longer right up to race time.

I’ve been out in the Viviane three times now. Each time has been a very short and leisurely paddle just to get the kinks out. And there are a lot of kinks.

I’m too stiff, too fat, too weak and too old for this. I have a lot of work to do.

The good news is that the Viviane’s front and back storage compartments are bone dry. The bad news is that the day compartment just behind the cockpit isn’t. Also, the skeg worked fine for the first two paddles and quit working on the last paddle. For a kayak that is about 10 years old she is in great shape but needs a little work just like me.

The skeg will be an easy fix. The glue or whatever used to keep the cable sleeves in position got brittle with age and broke loose. The cable got out of position which caused a jam. Easy to fix.

I’m not sure why the small storage compartment leaks.

I am adding a rudder system because I plan to sail downwind. It is possible to sail without a rudder, but in some conditions it will be nice to multitask: steer while using an aggressive brace. Sometimes that is the difference between surfing a wave or being in a washing machine.

I’ve also started working on my body. Stretching, P90X, Kettlebells, and paddling 3 times a week.

Once again I get to do the North Carolina Challenge in 2012. But what class? It’s not an easy question.

I’m not getting any younger and class 3 seems like a better choice. But is it? I’m out of shape and the clock is ticking. I used to be invincible, but not anymore. Class 3 is the smart choice, but back in 2003 I did the EC in a class 1. It was one of the most memorable and enjoyable Everglades Challenges ever. Doing my workouts in class 1 will be much better than working out in class 3. Did I talk myself into class 1? Yup.

Isn’t it neat how stuff comes together. Right about the time I decided to do the NCC2012 in class 1 DrKayak decided to sell his Viviane. The Viviane is what I paddled in 2003. Naturally I scarfed it up and it is tied to the top of my car right now. Tomorrow will be my first paddle in my new (old) Viviane.