Not quite warm enough . . .

...for the beach towel and swimming trucks in Hyannis, MA but the kids participating at the Hyannis YC's 420 clinic are ready to go! Today is day one for the club's first ever clinic and I feel honored to have been invited to speak and participate. Tonight is full of "chalk talk" were we've already covered "Preparation" and I was able to discuss with them the importance of: self care, hydration, nutrition and physical condition. They asked excellent questions about hydration and look forward to tomorrow morning's warm-up and on the water tips for all day energy and injury prevention. For those interested this was the assigned HW:
1. Go to bed with clear pee
(first and easiest self check a person can do to monitor their hydration and though a few giggles, they all are earnest to start tomorrow well hydrated!)
2. 3-5min pre-bed leg drain
(The simplest way to help blood and lymphatic fluid return to the heart and liver for proper "recycling")
3. Place a glass of water by bed for consumption first thing in the morning
(Start the day hydrated and you are already a step above the rest!)

The other point well received and my favorite for small boat sailors: pack a post sailing recovery meal:

• 50/50 water sports drink mix
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain
• Cut up oranges, a banana
• Pretzels...

And finally, my favorite came from the coaches: Mental Readiness!

• Confidence (To be built through practice!)
• Concentration (Deal with issues as an "Event", address and think forward)
• Determination

We had a cool discussion on how to practice concentration and ways to keep your mind wondering . . .this would be good on big boats as I have found myself hiked out on the rail during long legs leaving the boat and going someplace far away . . . . hmmm . . I think before you can practice you have to "acknowledge" you sometimes lose concentration. Oh boy...

It's time for dinner and I am beyond excited about tomorrow. Stay tuned for tomorrows report!

Fair Winds ~ Jenn