Paddling Update

So I realize that I've neglected to keep my faithful readers up to date with my dragon boat tryout crap. If you recall, the team captain seemed a little competitive and out there and at one point, it seemed like the actual tryout period was never going to frickin' end.

Well, tryouts are over and I'm on the team.

I wish I could brag about how awesome and amazing I am for beating out my competitors but the truth of the matter is… the competition quit. I made the team simply by not quitting. How lame is that? It's like getting a ribbon just for participating. Yes, I'm that kid.

When the captain initially sent out his congratulatory e-mail about making it through the first round, he made mention of "natural attrition". I thought he was just being a little crazy but he wasn't kidding. People dropped like flies! The level of commitment required for this team is almost crazy to me. Every Saturday morning until race day? Ugh.

I wanted to quit earlier this month but The Mr wouldn't let me. He's got like values or morals or principles or something like that. Well I guess it paid off?

So far, we've been expected to attend Monday evening land workouts that consist of running with our arms raised above our heads for 3 minutes, various stair sprints and wheelbarrels (where I got massive blisters on the palms of my hands). I actually missed the majority of the land workouts because of the boot camp class I was taking this summer but I can understand how this deterred people from wanting to commit to the team. Monday evening workouts and Saturday early morning practices. Ugh.

We're also expected to row 2000 meters on the indoor rowing machine that doesn't actually simulate the paddling motion AT ALL and submit our times to the captain. He sends around a "target time" and you're expected to beat it.

I've managed to get my row time from:
10:16 to
9:52 to
9:20 to
9:10

That 9:10 time? I wanted to vomit when I was done. And I had to wear dorky awesome weightlifting gloves because my freakishly sweaty palms previously caused me problems with gripping the rowing bar.

But even so - the physical stuff I get. I really do. This is a physical competition and they want everyone in their peak physique. The thing I didn't understand was my recruitment to participate in some bizarre-o choreographed dance with only 7 other people… in front of a large crowd of spectators.

They must have seen the video footage of me doing the robot at my own wedding reception and been wowed. I don't blame them.