The overall plan is roughly as follows
weeks 1 - 4 are base fitness.
Weeks 5 - 8 are about getting changes of pace into your paddling, while getting used to the race specific conditions.
Weeks 9 - 10 are about speed, racing & knowing the course.

So the plan for week 1 is pretty simple. Get out 3 times & do an hour of base work. This means only hold your mid range heart rates.

Session one. Make this a true 1 hour float, with nothing but chat within the group. (50%-65% zone).

Session two. Paddle hard enough so that you can't quiet talk comfortably (The Aerobic Zone - 70% to 80%). Don't be tempted to move up into the higher zones (eye-balls popping out of your head zone), or be too slow so that you can recite The Life of Brian (The Natter Zone).

Session three. Same as session two, except that you can lift the tempo for one 5 minute block. If you're training with others then make this a 'lift' through to a marker on the water that is a good distance away. This lift is not an all out race, just a lift in the pace.

If you get blown off the water with bad weather this week (possible...), then take your running shoes & go for a slow jog. Use exactly the same structure to your sessions.

If you need a reminder on heart rate training zones, go to http://www.brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm for the details.

Make sure that you get one rest day between sessions.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers, WP.