Here's mud in yer eye...

Matt and Lee pushed off from the club early today in single seat K1 kayaks to do two laps of what Reading Canoe Club refer to as the time trial club circuit, which is essentially a 5 km loop heading upstream to an island called the fisheries, then back all the way to Piper's Island beyond Caversham Bridge downstream before turning to head back upstream.

It was good to be back on the water together albeit in different boats.

We did 6 minute efforts with 1 minute rest (slow paddle) throughout the circuit.

The first loop was uneventful, but on the second lap Lee had been hogging the bank line (less current and basically cheating) and he was whacked in the eye by a very elastic low hanging branch which flicked off the paddle. After several expletives and concern from Matt we cracked on together to finish the second lap.

WeBoth agreed the efforts were hard and this session we will now do twice a week amongst other activities as we approach the race day.

No lasting damage, although for one moment Lee thought he would be completing the DW with an eye patch! And on account of the amount of spinach his wife is now feeding him would be rivaling the character below.