Congratulations AR_convert

Well done Brett. Marathon gold doesn't come without huge effort and extent of that recognised in Masters Male Paddler of Year Australia!

Nickname change coming up? Marathon_Gold_Macdonald has a ring to it.

Top effort.

Cheers Watto, not sure where that graphic came from, I'll have to have a look around now. Was great to see a lot of Ocean Paddlers jump in K1's for the event and also others in ski classes have a crack. The Queenslanders put on a great champs, great paddling weather over there!

How good is the WA team, all of which came from Ascot ( even though we openly invite all paddlers to attend)

The standouts to me were young Luke Dooley from Kalbarri upstaging the Eastern states boys in the Under 16, they are probably still scratching their heads saying, "Who was that guy?" and seeing Josh Kippen race a very tactical race to beat arguably the classiest open mens field assembled in recent history.

WOW!

Where is the Surfski?

Congratulations. Awesome achievement

Ranga wrote: Where is the Surfski?

Surfski is a big part of Marathon racing in Australia. Go to any state series or club flat water race and you will see around 50% or higher that paddle ocean skis.

Got my start in Marathon through first paddling a ski in marathon races.

Ski classes are offered at the National Marathon Champs, feel free to look through the pics for evidence.... www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.101542....126160049304&type=3

Congratulations AR, that's quite an accomplishment. Especially considering your shoulder injury. You must have recovered pretty well from that. Do you still have all that hardware
in your AC joint? How did you deal with the second separation? My shoulder just hasn't been the same since AC separation, chronic pain.

Fath2o wrote: Do you still have all that hardware
in your AC joint? How did you deal with the second separation? My shoulder just hasn't been the same since AC separation, chronic pain.

Thanks.

I don't know whether it is just dumb luck or a bit of good management on my behalf.

The 2nd seperation came not long after the hook plate was removed so no hardware left. In hindsight ( on both mine and surgeons part) it may have been better to leave the plate in longer to allow the clavicle to settle more but I don't think he had worked with a paddler before. As mentioned at the time, the 2nd seperation wasnt painful, so that tells me it didnt really heal well, it was just fibrous scar tissue holding it in place, so maybe leaving it in was just delaying the inevitable. I found out about another procedure months later called the Nottingham Surglig which looked like a better option if I had my time again.

Management wise as you know the shoulder is hypermobile, so in the early days I was getting lots of muscle twinges in the Teres muscles (or that area) from letting the shoulder move forward too much on the catch and using the shoulder to pull the paddle, I had to concentrate on keeping the shoulder back on the catch so as not to strain those small muscles.

I also moved to a more parallel shaped blade so that catch wasn't as intense but I could rip the blade through once I had set the blade in the water.

A few years later while the shoulder aches ( I only really notice when asked about it, just learnt to live with it) my musculature has learnt to cope as I now swap back and forwards between a teardrop and parallel without any issues.

I haven't been able to return to competitive swimming as a nerve in my shoulder gets aggravated after about 1km and the bottom part of my arm goes numb. I do really miss swimming laps for how loose it keeps your body. It must be the lifting of the arm above the shoulder level.

While I get out for the occasional social downwinder and a couple of downwind races a year I think paddling more flat water where the stroke is easier to control may have helped with avoiding more damage and injury. I train in my ski a few time each week but in a sheltered ocean area. I know after the last Doctor race it was pretty sore for a few days.

Here is the last thread on my shoulder troubles for anyone interested.
www.surfski.info/forum/18-training/6887-...t-plate-removal.html
Best wishes with your shoulder.