I am currently in week 10 of your 16 week plan for long distance flat water racing. I am signed up to do Chattacjack on Oct. 22. I have now missed about a week of training first due to family obligations and now due to waking up with horrible lower back spasms on Tues. It is feeling better today, but still there. My question is how to tweak my training plan going forward. Also, if this continues, at what point do I need to start being realistic about my ability to complete the race?
Mahalo!

First things first. Trusting your spinal health to someone who 1) has never met you 2) never seen you paddle and 3) is not your doctor may not be in your best interest. First thing is to get a clean bill of health from your doctor. There are loads of things that can be going on. Perhaps you just overcooked things and need some time off. On the other hand you might have something more sinister brewing like a blown intervertebral disk or a spinal tumor. You really need to get checked out.

All of that said…assuming that your doctor give you a clean bill of health to start paddling again, there are a few things to consider.

1. Ultra distance races like the Chattajack are no joke. It is very possible that this race was outside your ability this year. It is really tough to go from zero to Chattajack without alot of previous paddle experience. If you are unable to handle the training in our program this is likely the case.
2. Your fitness might be right where it should be but you are breaking down. So many paddlers have shoulder, hip, and/or thoracic spine mobility issues that show up as either low back pain or elbow pain. It is possible that your problem is not even in your lower back. Your low back pain might be a symptom. A good physical therapist should be able to determine if you are fit to paddle.

To say more than that would be irresponsible without knowing more about you so we are going to have to leave it there.  The bottom line on this is

Please go see your doctor

1. Only you can determine if you bit off more than you can chew. Please be as objective as possible. If you have any questions about your ability, personal coaching might be the way to go
2. If you have mobility or strength deficiencies they can show up as low back pain.

Roch