Dont Mince Words

I’m not much of a team sports player.  My junior high basketball career was cut short when my father accidently shaved my eyebrow off when he was “clipping” my bangs.  The pre-teen WTF torture from the girls was more than I needed.  I quit college lacrosse when I got popped in the mouth with a ball and hit on by lesbians in the locker room.  My exercise since those days has been limited to classes and gym-related torture.

Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) has been on my list of things to do for a long time.  To me it combines the best part of surfing – being on a board – without waiting for a wave to have fun.  I rarely took advantage of the beach/water when I lived in Los Angeles because the Santa Monica Bay is a toilet.  Now I’m less than a mile from a cleaner beach, so I really have no excuse.

My morning was perfect.  My instructor taught me to launch with no trouble, but when you are used to east coast rip tides and drop offs anything seems easier.  I had not even attempted to stand up when the sun rose and a dolphin crossed in front of my board.  My core, quads, and wide-ass hips helped me stabilize, not to mention yoga. But I still fell off.  A lot.  The wet suit was nice and being in the water before work was great.

Unlike rollerblading, this is something I see myself doing again.