What originally drew you to ocean paddling, and what keeps you passionate about it?

Paddling has been a driving force in my life for many years – I’ve enjoyed various disciplines before I found ocean paddling through our lovely community. Having just moved to Scotland, I took part in a flat-water time trial, where someone invited me to try ocean racing. I loved it straight away. Ocean paddling combines so many of my favorite aspects of the sport! I love the freedom of being able to cover long distances on the sea. I paddle out to the Bass Rock at home a lot and feel immensely lucky to have such easy access to that experience each time. As a competitive athlete, I also value the opportunity for improving my skills and myself with each training session, and how this shapes me as a person.

Competing at the World Championships is an impressive achievement! How did you prepare physically and mentally for such a big event?

Thank you so much. To be honest, even now that I did it for the second year in a row, it doesn’t feel quite real. These opportunities came as such a surprise at this point in my life. I follow quite an extensive training plan to prepare physically – but it also really helps mentally. The training can feel tougher than a competition ever could, which puts me in a great position to enjoy the race and do my best. I do a mix of cross-training (pilates, running, yoga and swimming), weights, and lots of on-the-water-training, of course! Different elements take priority depending on where I am in my race prep. And I take my rest seriously; I think this is an aspect many people underestimate. To keep on top of my training in addition to my studies and work, I regularly check in with myself about how I’m feeling. Of course, training gets tough sometimes, but if it’s ever not fun anymore, I know I need to change something. Discipline should be a form of self-care, not a constant fight with yourself. I try to be on my own side, always. I have friends who I’m pretty sure believe in me more than I do myself, and who remind me of what I’m capable of when I need it. I prioritize spending time with them and being there for their events, triumphs and struggles as well; any success isn’t worth much if you can’t share it. In terms of the nitty gritty of preparing for a competition: I remind myself of what I want out of my race, of how I have improved compared to earlier versions of myself. Feeling competent on the water is the best! I actively focus on how lucky I am to travel to such amazing locations and train and race with other fantastic athletes. Of course I’m competitive with other people, but I never want that to be the priority.

How did kencko play a role in your training or recovery routine? Are there any specific products that became a must-have during prep?

I count myself very lucky to have had kencko on my team for almost two years now. Having this brand I like and respect working with me and supporting me has made a big difference. I had the purples smoothie mixed with oats as my pre-race breakfast before Worlds – it’s perfect, easy on the stomach while providing lots of nutrients (and research says blueberries improve cognitive function, too!). I really like the new protein smoothies for recovery as well. After a big race, I’m usually quite tired. Most of the time, I still have things to do, though, so I chose Matcha for the added benefit of keeping me awake.

I choose from the other smoothies based on what I feel like, for example when I’m traveling, when I’ve run out of fresh produce at home and can’t face going to the shops, or when I want to add a quick nutrient boost to a meal that otherwise wouldn’t feel balanced. And I absolutely love purples, reds, and peaches as a smoothie bowl topped with some granola for breakfast.

What’s something unexpected about the sport or your routine that most people wouldn’t know?

Something that surprises people is how much I use my legs to paddle. So much of the power I put through my paddle comes from pushing my legs against the footrest (so you need a strong core, too, to transfer it!).  I also paddle on the sea all year, even in winter. You just need the right equipment, and to judge conditions a bit more carefully because the consequences of errors would be a lot worse than when the water is warm. About my routine… I think a lot of people don’t expect that I actually have a job (I work as a literary translator) because they see me training and traveling so much. I do spend a lot of time between sessions at my laptop. I get up quite early and make this easier for myself by having a cup of tea in bed and reading for half an hour as a gentle start to my day.

Where has ocean paddling taken you? Do you have a favorite location you’ve paddled?

Oh, this is a tough one! So far, participating in the World Championships has taken me to Australia last year and Madeira (a Portuguese island) this year. Both are places I might never have traveled to otherwise. After the competition in Australia, I went snorkeling and scuba diving at Ningaloo reef, which was spectacular. My favorite location to paddle is at home in North Berwick. We have such a beautiful coastline, lots of islands and tidal currents that always provide interesting conditions, great downwinds and lovely beaches. I got to go to a training camp in Sweden this year, where I was surprised with how awesome the paddling community is there, and how delightfully the waves build up into the fjords. Some of my best downwinds ever! Paddling can be fantastic almost anywhere, especially if you have the right people with you.

Do you have any advice for aspiring athletes or people interested in starting a rigorous sport like ocean paddling?

Just go for it! Make sure you grow sustainably. Challenge yourself, but avoid getting overwhelmed. Do Pilates for core strength, flexibility, and injury-prevention. Eat enough. And most importantly, choose your paddle-buddies (or who you surround yourself with in your chosen sport) carefully. You need to feel good to progress.

How do you balance the demands of your sport with daily wellness, nutrition, and staying active outside of training? 

I don’t always manage to balance it – but if you zoom out a bit, that’s part of the balance, too. In intense training blocks, most of my focus and energy is taken up by paddling. In less intense weeks, I get more work done. I have a rest day every week, and a deload week every few weeks, and I focus on really resting then. My main focus with nutrition is eating enough. If in doubt, or if I’m finding it hard to eat, anything at all is always better than nothing, even if it’s not very nutritious. Generally, I always have a big salad with lots of different veggies, nuts, beans and seeds on the go to snack on, make sure I get plenty of carbs before sessions and protein to recover. kencko helps a lot because it is such an easy way to get a lot of fruit and veggies in. I reflect on my process and what I want out of it a lot: I write, I listen to useful podcasts and audiobooks, I have the support of my coach who reminds me to take breaks far more often than having to remind me to train. I make sure I see my friends. It’s all a work in progress.