New Sport, New fun!

Since starting my athletic life at 30 (ish) I have often wondered why I did not start sooner. I always thought I just liked learning new things... when what I really like is learning a new physical actitiy. I should have seen this coming, baseball with the brothers, loved being on my bike when I was a kid, taking dance lessons (this was very brief,, the tights were just too much!) all of it early indicators that being phyically challanged by learning a new sport was something that I enjoyed...so naturally when I entered back into this world again Triathlon was a great choice, lots of variety.. and LOTS to learn... but as some say.. been there, done that, and guess what... I am doing it again! Not triathlon however.... but a new sport, Rowing...... not the row, row, row your boat kind of rowing... in the club its called scullling. Now I can hear all the people that know me.... "of course you did!"

Don't I look happy :-)

Well, I am ...  not only is this sport physically challanging, it mentally challanging as well. This is one of the most technical activities I have ever done... and for good reason, if you dont do it properly you end up very, very wet!

I started last year... why pick this sport? Well there is a wonderful resturant called The Lift, yeah I know, wait for it, and it just happens to sit perched out into one of the prettiest harbours in Canada... sitting in  the sun facing Stanley Park watching... yes you guessed it, rowers... they looked so at ease, so happy, so graceful.. I turned to Dwight and said.. I would like to try that some day.

And so I did.......

I joined the Learn to Row program last year... level 1 & 2 - both done in two months.. September and October.. so I got a nice taste of "winter" rowing in October.. but I could not stay away.. worked hard over the last couple of months and finally got accepted into a program at the Vancouver Rowing Club out of Coal harbour.

Some good news is that I have NOT flipped a boat yet! But they do say, don't worry.. you will.. everyone does.. at least once ! I would relate it to when I first started clipping into bike pedals... you just know that it is going to happen, that day that you take your focus away for just a minute, usually at a traffic light.. and down you go!

So hopefully when it does happen, its warm.. and the water is clean :-)

In the learn to row prgram you start in an eight man boat "sweeping" so only one oar.. its really something to see, 8 brand new rowers trying to get coordinated and not go in the water.. I think I spent the first three classes with images of me swiming back to shore floating through my mind constantly... but we made it through and surprisingly we did not get wet, and we actually got to a point where we were.... if only a little.. rowing togheter.

The level 2 program has you in a four man boat "scullling" so two oars... that is even more interesting. The fact that I would be willing to rist my life with strangers on the water is knowing that I have a coach boat beside me... but I am not sure they would be so motivated to save us... at least not at first, its cold in the Pacific!

So I have started on another learning journey.. I have always said I like to do activities that make me feel like a kid again... cycling, rock climbing, trail running... and now.. rowing.. its like being in a big bath tub with a great new toy!

My New Playground!

Rowing is a sport that I expect to take a long time to learn, thats a good thing.. at least I think. So that brings me back to the question of ... why did I not start in sports sooner? The only answer that I have is.. I just didn't.. my path became one of smoking and eating potato chips.. with that behind me now I certainly have a passion for staying healthy and being fit.. its rather addicitve actually.

Hopefully I will be able to share some great stories of my new experiences here... and I might even get that picture of me in the water ....... some day... but lets say.. some day not too soon!

But for now I will enjoy my new adventure… and always..and I mean.. always… enjoy the post effort reward! 

Till next time......... Happy chatting......