These training sessions are dedicated to Master Sgt Benjamin F. Bitner (ARMY) Special Forces, assigned to 3rd Special Operations Group, who lost his life on April 23, 2011 while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. A lot of folks don’t like to do things at night much less go out on the water. Things are different on the water but it doesn’t mean night paddling is bad. Like a lot of things in life you have to spend time doing it to get comfortable with it. The paddle I was schedule to do was a 40-mile paddle, which means a very long day.  I decided to start in the early morning hours so I could spend a couple of hours making friends with the night. The water was like glass, with a slight sea fog, and it was very peaceful. Even the marine life acts different at night. I came across a large flock of sea birds that were just sitting in the water. You wouldn’t think they would do this considering a shark might see them as an easy meal. I guess it doesn’t happen because I came across a couple of other flocks doing the same thing. For this paddle I stayed away from downtown Tampa due to the chaos of Gasperilla. I heading south and went up the Little Manatee River. You can see my track in the section “Find me on SPOT”. In the UFC I really need to watch the tides so I can let the tides work for me. Last weekend and this weekend I hit the tides at the worse time. I hit the outgoing tide going up the river. Mentally I was telling myself this is ok and I will put the energy in fighting this current going up the river but it will be a nice ride down.  This worked for the first hour going down river then I hit the incoming tide and had to fight it all the way to the river mouth. Just before getting to the mouth of the river I started to get this feeling that this weekend’s long paddle is going to end like last weekend’s long paddle. The afternoon winds were forecasted to be from the West at 9 MPH but as I exited the Little Manatee River into the Bay that is not what I found. The winds were from the NW at 13 MPH. Great, the exact direction I had to paddle for the next three miles. Nothing like fighting head seas when you are tired. I guess this is what people refer to as the character building part of the training.  I don’t know how much character building occurred but I can tell that I started remembering some language from my sea-going days that I had thought I had forgotten. Thankfully the four miles after these three miles I had a course change and had the wind on my port quarter. I did do this paddle without gloves to continue the toughening of my hands and thankfully no blisters. My fueling protocol work pretty well but the transition to burning fat for energy was not the best. On my past long paddles the transition had been getting easier and easier but not so on this one. Go figure ! For about 15 to 20 minutes things were not going well but once I got through it I was fine the rest of the day. Ended up covering the 40 miles in 10 hour 8 minutes, which gave me an average speed of 3.95 MPH. Not bad considering that I was fighting the river current for most of the paddle. The other workouts for this week were as follows:

Friday – Ran 3.5 miles 33 minutes / TRX 2 – 7 week routine

Thursday – Elliptical 4 miles 33 minutes /  Weight lifting Routine 2 / Paddle easy  6 miles

Today was a rest day from yesterday’s long paddle and I needed it.  For the family of MSG Benjamin F. Bitner, that included two sons, there is no rest day from the pain of his loss . A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for the families of fallen warriors such as MSgt Bitner.   http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

These training sessions are dedicated to QM2 James E. Suh (SEAL), assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle ONE, who lost his life on June 28,2005 while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. QM2 Suh was a Gator who graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Statics.  Sunday was a rest day and it was needed after the long (35 mile) paddle on Saturday. Monday stated out with a run of 3.5 miles in 33 minutes and a weight lifting routine. Still keeping the weights to 3 sets with 12,10, and 8 reps and a 30 sec rest interval. Monday evening completed a 12 mile strength paddle in 2 hr 24 minutes which gave me an average speed of 5 MPH. This was a good workout. I was able to obtain and hold the 5 MPH speed and not exceed my heart rate target zone. Tuesday I walked 5 miles with a 35 lb pack in 78 minutes over various elevations. This was two minutes better than I had done before so it appears that I am making  progress in my walking fitness.  Wednesday I biked 11.4 miles in 33 minutes and completed a TRX1 – 7 week workout.  Finished the day off with a 6 mile time trial that had some wind and waves. Completed the six miles in 1 hr and 7 minutes which gave me a speed of 5.37 which was better than my last time trail. Based on this result it appears that the training regiment is still providing improvements in my fitness level. At this point it is really too close to the event and the scheduled tampering to make any adjustments. Today’s time trial was a painful one but the pain left as soon as I finished. For the family of QM2 James E. Suh (SEAL)  the pain of his loss never leaves . A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for the families of fallen warriors such as QM2 Suh.   http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

These training sessions are dedicated to MSgt William J Kerwood, assigned to 20th Special Operations Squadron ” Green Hornets”, who lost his life on Nov 23,2003 in  Afghanistan. As I indicated in my last post last weekend started muscle chaos with not having Sunday as a rest day. I suffered through all the workouts this week. I was just plain tired all the time. I did get through the workouts and it was good prep for the UFC. I will not get the luxury of a rest day in the UFC. The workouts this week were the following:

Monday – 5 mile walk 35 lb weight / 80 minutes
Tuesday -10.8 mile bike / 31 minutes – Lifted weights
Wednesday – 3.5 mile run / 33 minutes – Lifted weights – Row 11,500 meters / 50 minutes
Thursday – 4 mile elliptical / 33 minutes – TRX1 – 7 week routine – Paddle 5 miles / 62 minutes / 4.8 MPH
Friday – 3.5 mile run / 33 minutes – TRX2- 7 week routine

Today was a long paddle. 35 miles in 8 hours 35 minutes which gave me an average speed of 4 MPH. I did the first 21 miles in the Hillsborough River and unfortunately on this paddle I was fighting an incoming tide. Sure felt different from last week when I was riding the river current with an outgoing tide. On exiting the Hillsborough River I had another 14 miles to go to complete the workout. Decision time – go back up river 7 miles or go out into the Bay. The wind had been very mild and in fact at times almost non-existence. Since my muscles were so tired I didn’t want to push it too hard but I also wanted to get some big water time.  I assume, that right there tells you I was not thinking right, I mean I do carry a VHF radio with weather on it, that the winds would be the same for the next 3 and half hours.  I had about 7.5 miles to go when I turned around and started heading back to Tampa. That was when I felt a little wind. Hey, nice, a little wind to cool things off I thought. For the  next 2 and half miles I was paddling near a spoil island that was acting as a wind break so I really didn’t detect that my future had a promise of some waves. I did say I wanted to get some big water time, right. When I cleared the spoil island I had completed 30.5 miles and I had a 2.5 mile paddle where I would be exposed to the wind, waves and would have to cross the shipping channel.  I don’t know why things always happen to me mid way through a difficult stretch of paddling but it always does. Today was no different. I have commercial traffic coming from my port side. I am still not completely clear of the shipping channel. I have confused seas  for some reason that I don’t totally understand, and low and behold, I have a LARGE fin and tail pass by my starboard side. There is a different between a shark’s fin shape and a dolphin’s fin shape and in the motion on the surface. As much as I wanted to believe it was a very large dolphin I knew it was not a dolphin. About this time I am  feeling kind of small and way too close to the water.  I can only hope that this shark is not confusing me with a twinkie and I am the soft inside. Talk about some motivation to not get swamped and to get out of a particular space of water. Nothing like a good rush of extrusion for the last few miles of your longest training paddle to date. Obviously I survived, no pulled muscles, and I finished the workout. No muscle chaos this week. Looking forward to a nice rest tomorrow. This paddle was a long one and a grind but it all ended as soon as I finished. For the family of MSgt William J Kerwood (USAF), that included a daughter, the grind of facing life without him never leaves . A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for the families of fallen warriors such as Msgt Kerwood.   http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

These training sessions are dedicated to SFC Mitchell A Lane, assigned to 3rd Special Operations Group (Airborne), who lost his life on August 29, 2003 while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. Muscle chaos is the theme of this week’s training. Over the past six weeks I would end the week-long training session with a long paddle on Saturday and a big time rest on Sunday. Not so this week. I did my longest training paddle (30 miles) of this training regiment and instead of resting on Sunday the schedule called for a 12 mile easy paddle. I think my mind, muscles , and overall body was in a state of shock. I really didn’t want to do this paddle. Peanut was in full-time whine mode but Rocky prevailed. I ended up doing a 12 mile paddle with an average speed of 4.2 MPH. As much as I didn’t want to do the paddle I felt pretty good after it. Today I did a 5 mile walk with a 35 lb weight and I felt pretty spent after the workout. This really is good training because in the UFC I will not get a day of rest. Each day I will have to get back into the saddle after completing a long day. Along with the training the planning for the event is consuming my evenings. It is amazing how much time I am having to spend on the planning phase. The workouts this month have not been easy and the future ones don’t look to be any easier. For the family of Army SFC Mitchell A Lane, Special Forces, that included two young children, the days without him are not easy. A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for the families of fallen warriors such as SFC Lane.   http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

This training session is dedicated to Navy ABH1 (SEAL) Neal C. Roberts who lost his life in Afghanistan in 2003. Today was a long distance training day. Due to the forecast of high winds I decided to do this session in the Hillsborough River.  The paddle was a good one. Covered 30.4 miles in 7 hours and 14 minutes which gave me an average speed of 4.2 MPH. Since the tide was outgoing the river current was flowing at a pretty good pace. I ended up having a speed up river of 3.8 MPH. All the work going up river was paid back with a great down river run with speeds at times of 5.2 MPH. The fueling protocol worked very well and I felt  great at the end. At no time during the paddle did I get the feeling that a bonker coming on. In fact of all the long distance training paddles to date I felt the best today. For the family of ABH1 (SEAL) Neal C. Roberts, that included one child, there are no easy days without him. A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for his child to get a college education.  http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

These training sessions are dedicated to Capt. Joshua S Meadows USMC, assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, who lost his life on Sept 5, 2009 while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. Wednesday started out with a 10 minute rowing warmup and a weight lifting routine with 6 exercises with 12,10, and 8 reps and a 30 sec rest between sets. Wednesday evening was interval time. The positive part was that the scheduled distance for this workout was not as long as the previous weeks. Ended up doing 4 miles of intervals with an overall average speed of 5.3 MPH. The original schedule for Thursday had a bike ride, a TRX workout and a 4 mile easy paddle. I completed the bike workout covering 11.4 miles in 33 minutes and a TRX-1 7 week workout but I had a conflict come up and was not able to fit in the paddle. Since it was an easy short paddle I am not that concerned with missing it. Friday was an elliptical workout of 4 miles in 33 minutes and a TRX-2 7 week workout. The workouts seem to be going ok. I am starting to be a little conservative on how much I push my max effort sessions to avoid a pull muscle and an injury. At this stage of the training I think it is more important to get my body conditioned for long periods of effort versus multiple short periods of max effort. Tomorrow will be a long paddle – 30 miles. Spending lots of time planning routes, figuring out gear needs, ordering food, and thinking through different scenarios. Lot of concern right now in the Watertribe about the water levels on the St Mary’s and the Suwannee River. They are both very low which makes passage on the upper parts of these two rivers very difficult. Praying for rain over the next few months. The workouts this month have not been easy and the future ones don’t look to be any easier. For the family of Capt. Joshua S. Meadows (USMC), that included a young child, the days without him are not easy. A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for the families of fallen warriors such as Capt. Meadows.   http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

These training sessions are dedicated to Sgt David P Day USMC, assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, who lost his life on April 24, 2011 while conducting combat operations in  Afghanistan. Sunday was a rest day and it was needed after the long distance paddle on Saturday. Monday stated out with a run of 3.5 miles in 33 minutes and a weight lifting routine. Still keeping the weights to 3 sets with 12,10, and 8 reps and a 30 sec rest interval. Monday evening completed a 10 mile strength paddle in 1 hr 57 minutes which gave me an average speed of 5.13 MPH. In both my long paddle and this strength paddle I probably was pushing it too hard. During most of the workout I was exceeding the max heart rate targets. Incurring an injury at this point would not be a good thing so on future workouts I am going to bring the intensity down to stay within the target heart rate range. Tuesday I walked 5 miles with a 35 lb pack in 80 minutes over various elevations.   The strength workout was a painful one but the pain left as soon as I finished. For the family of Sgt David P Day (USMC) the pain of his loss never leaves . A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for the families of fallen warriors such as Sgt Day.   http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

This training session is dedicated to Navy ET1 (SEAL) Jeffrey A Lucas who lost his life in Afghanistan in 2005. Today’s training was a long distance paddle. Started out early and the weather was perfect. There was very little wind, the sun rise was beautiful, and the temperature was cool until the last two hours. Ended up covering 25.6 miles in 6 hours and 15 minutes with an average speed of 4.1 MPH.  Felt pretty good and the fueling protocol worked very well. In comparing how I felt at the end of this long distance paddle versus last Saturday I would say I pushed this one a little too hard. There is a balance between pushing to get the maximum benefit from the training session and pushing so hard that it will take more than a day to recover. It was a long day and long week of training but it is over and tomorrow will be a rest day.  For the family of ET1 (SEAL) Jeffrey A Lucas, that included one son, there are no easy days without him. A donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation will make it easier for his child to get a college education.  http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012

“In Honor of Army Sgt. First Class David Metzger” Nov 23,2011 post, I talked about the mental toughness of Watertribers. In that post I stated that there were fours areas of mental toughness. As I have stated in past post I am not a psychologist and the thoughts I am sharing are strictly from my prospective. Dr. Nick Hall, who is an accomplished Watertriber http://www.brnickhall.com, has probably done the most work in studying the mental side of Watertriber http://www.watertribe.com . The four areas of mental toughness that I have targeted are: (1) Fear management, (2) Pain management, (3) Decision making while fatigued and (4) Resiliency. In my post ” In Honor of  Navy SEAL Senior Chief Petty Officer Theodore Fitzhenry” Nov 25, 2011 post I addressed fear management.  I explained what I go through with pain management in my post “Mental Toughness – (2) Pain management” Dec 04, 2011 post. In my December 17, 2011 post I explored decision-making while fatigued. In this post I will explore resiliency. In the military I often heard the phase ” No plan survives first contact with the enemy”. I kind of viewed that the purpose of this phrase was to get folks to think about contingencies. I had an old salt give me a different prospective. His opinion was that yes we should be thinking about contingencies but even with multiple contingencies there will be some thing that will happen that no one had thought of. That was the real environment to prepare for. In my civilian job I have observed a similar phenomena when we are trying to restore power after a hurricane. We have restoration plans that have been perfected over the years. We train, drill and come up with improvements to the plans each year. But it is uncanny that each new storm throws us something unique that was not in the plan. In both the military and in my civilian job the level of success in dealing with these unique situations hinged on the ability of people in the field to absorb the fact that things are not working according to plan, to assess the new situation and then change tactics to address the issue.   I think the US Marine Corps was the originator of the phase that goes  ” Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome”. That for me means resiliency. For myself I have yet to complete a Watertribe event where my original plan worked. Stuff happens, gear breaks, things get lost, injuries occur and the weather just doesn’t cooperate. Throughout my life I have observed folks that when things did not go their way they got upset and spent a whole lot of energy on things that did not help the situation. For a Watertriber yelling and being pissed off at a piece of gear that failed will not repair the gear. Staying angry at yourself for not packing a piece of gear will not make the gear appear. Screaming at the wind and giving the sky the finger will not make the weather change. Might be a good way to have a lighten bolt hit you. Sitting on the beach having a pity party because things are not working out will not get you to the finish. There are multiple stories of Watertribers overcoming some unbelievable situations to finish races.  For myself I have found that approaching a challenge with the mind-set that one of the many satisfactions of completing a challenge is the number of problems that I found a solution for. In fact I have tried to view it as a game. The other thing that I try to do is to remember a principle Stephen Covey explain in his book ” The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People“. This principle is to concentrate on the circle of influence versus the circle of concern. So for a piece of gear that failed, that is in my circle of concern, being pissed off at it is not in my circle of influence to fix the situation. Figuring out a way to repair the gear or to do without it is in my circle of influence. For bad weather, that is in my circle of concern, but screaming at it is not in my circle of influence. Figuring out a different course to get me out of the weather, or getting different paddle clothes, or deciding to stay on the beach until the weather passes are all in my circle of influence. What is neat about this concept is that it can be used for everyday problems and in fact I view that work and everyday life give me plenty of opportunities to test my mental abilities in this area. I think about Wizard, a Watertriber who has completed multiple events, and the problem he encountered in the UFC that he completed. He had a flat tie on his 40 mile portage that could not be fixed. He could have spent time being angry about what damaged his tire, he could have been upset about his bad luck and that there wasn’t a store close by, he could have just sat down, had a pity party and said it is hopeless. Nope not Wizard he took the old tire off, found a piece of rope and with a hose clamp made a rope tire and finished the portage. Now that is staying in the circle of influence and being resilient. I am kind of amazed that he isn’t half nuts after hearing that hose clamp go click click every time the wheel complete a revolution. In my past post I have tried to touch on the four areas that I feel make up strengthening my mental toughness for this event. I am sure for others they might have a different viewpoint.  Please consider a donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation to help reduce the burden that the families of our Special Operations Warriors are carrying. That act will help them have resiliency to face life. http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/billwhale/ufc2012