The first time I saw paddleboarders, they reminded me of the Venice gondoliers without the striped shirts and skinny, long canoes. Then I learned it builds core, leg, and upper body strength. I’m all about exercising while outdoors. Being landlocked in Colorado, adopting a new water sport intrigued me so I reserved a paddleboard. I wondered if I would spend more time in the water than on the board. I didn’t know I would learn some life lessons too.
Union Reservoir in Longmont only allows power boats to put around and fish, so it’s a paddleboarders’ paradise. I rented a board and grabbed a paddle. I set the lifepreserver on top of the board where it taunted me. I wondered how many times I would spill and if I should put it on. I looked around at the graceful paddleboarders gliding across the lake and tensed, knowing grace was a gift given to other people. I must have been sick that day.
Ask questions and learn from instructors.
Since I took whitewater canoeing for one credit to become a junior in college, I knew the strokes. J-stroke is performed like the letter looks when paddling on the left side and it is mirrored on the right. C-stroke is the same. Holding the paddle behind me against the board would turn it quickly and slow it down. The paddle had a slight bend. I assumed it should be held to scoop the water.
“Nope,” said the instructor. “It’s counter-intuitive, but you hold the paddle so it angles away from the water with the scoop inverted.” Good thing he was there. It would have been a pretty frustrating day.
I walked into the cool water and stepped onto the board. It wobbled so I hung onto both sides. Since I had knee surgery, I couldn’t kneel with both knees. I stood in a squat and hoped I wouldn’t flail around and fly into the water in the first few seconds. Using my core and leg muscles, I stood up gradually and then inched my way to the center where there was a grab slot. I placed my feet on either side and let out my held breath.
Being an observer, I watched others paddling around. I bent my knees and kept my back straight. After a few tentative strokes, I felt pretty confident.
Then, I turned my head to look behind me. The board tilted. I almost fell in.
Life Lesson #1: Never look back.
With all the death our family over the last two years, I have learned to be more aware of what is happening now. We can’t change the past and there’s no way to predict the future. We only have the present in which we are living.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we got warnings, like falling off the board into the lake, to remind us to focus on what we are doing? Regret and worry are time sucks. Both of them prevent us from enjoying life. And who really wants to fall into cold water? Okay, if it had been ten degrees warmer, I would have taken the plunge.
Life Lesson #2: Work hard, play harder.
I paddled along the shoreline into the wind. Although it was only a light breeze, I still had to work at making any headway. Little by little, I stroked toward the opposite shore.
After ninety minutes of paddling around, I was done. I sat down on my board, aimed at the boat house, and coasted. There’s nothing like relaxing while enjoying labor’s just reward.
Life Lesson #3: Don’t judge. Try it, you might like it.
Will I go again? Definitely. My upper body felt the burn. Next time, I’ll paddle harder to work on my core. I love the exhausted feeling of exercised muscles.
With the sky above and the water below, it is a meditative sport, if you can block out the yapping dogs playing on the beach. Maybe I’ll take my Bichon, Roxy, sometime!
Have you tried paddleboarding? Would you like to try it? What’s your favorite way to exercise?
Click here for more of the Wild Ride
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I’ve never tried this Susie, but sure could use the exercise! You accepted the challenge and prevailed!
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Thanks for reading, John!
It was great exercise. Being in the outdoors distracted me from all the work. Ha!
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Looks like fun! Too bad the water was too cold.
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It was a blast! And the air needed to be a tad warmer for me to jump in. Next time!
Do you think you’ll try it?
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Unlikely. I have a bum knee.
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I have a knee I shouldn’t kneel on and I never used it. I didn’t have a problem surfing since it was a foam board, but this one was plastic. I just bent my leg and crouched to standing. It really was pretty easy!
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Wow. Longmont. I haven’t heard that name for a while. It’s been some time since I was in that area of the country, but I remember seeing that little town’s name on my way up to Estes Park. I didn’t know there was a reservoir there you could boat on.
Thanks for kindling some memories, and for drawing some cool life-lessons from your wild ride.
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Thanks for reading, James!
This one is northeast of Niwot. I’m always looking for those lessons since I can be a slow learner. Ha!
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Looks like fun! My knees wouldn’t let me kneel either, but I do love to paddle
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It was! I didn’t kneel at all. I sat while floating back to the docking area. 🙂 You should try it!
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Looks like fun but I guess that throws out the rule about not standing up in a boat. I know it’s different. You’re expected to fall in eventually. 😉
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I forgot to mention I wore my old scratched sunglasses since I was warned about how easy it is to lose them. It was fun!
That’s so true about standing. I felt like standing up in a canoe! If I moved around, I rocked the “boat.”
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I love paddle boarding! It’s a great ab workout too 🙂
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It was fun! Where do you go to paddle board?
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Gilli Trawgan island, it’s really beautiful and calm. I’m not so good when there’s waves ha ha
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Wow! You live in Indonesia? I wouldn’t be able to stand at all with waves. Ha!
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At the moment in Australia but I spend a lot of time here 🙂
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Wow! Sounds like fantastic places for all kinds of adventures.
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Good for you for trying!!
I am in awe of the paddle boarders out there doing what they do. While on vacation I observed an older man paddle boarding in the ocean. Honestly, I was a nervous wreck watching him from the comfort of my beach chair as he tried to get out beyond the surf. Lesson #4: Have patience and be persistent eventually you’ll meet your goal.
Ps. I was Googling the number for the Coast Guard, just in case.
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I Love your #4!!!
I can’t imagine paddling in the ocean. I can’t stand on a normal surf board for very long as it is! He must be very strong.
Would you try it?
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I just imagined him sleeping really well that night.
I would try it as long as it was on a glass-like lake. My niece did it down in the Carolinas and absolutely loved it!
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Loved reading it….. Hope would try to learn from you a little bit….. Keep up the good work
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Thanks, Rana! Would you go if you had the chance?
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Definitely
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I haven’t done it since my surgery. I’d be very curious to see what the strength and balance deficit in that leg does to me on a paddleboard. Some great lessons learned from this, especially about not looking back. That was how I fell in. Trying to get back on that thing when the water is over your head is not easy. It was a mistake I only made once. Hahaha!
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Oh, I hadn’t thought about how hard it might be to get back on. Another reason to avoid falling!
What kind of surgery did you have, Christine?
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I had a tumor and some muscle removed from my left hip almost five years ago.
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Oh, wow! Will you celebrate your five year mark? I’m planning to party hardy a year from now. I’ll finally be done with my anti-estrogen pill. My risk for recurrence will less than it was before I got cancer since I don’t have real boobs anymore! 🙂 I’m glad to meet another thriver!
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Oh, but your tumor may not have been cancerous.
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Mine is a rare benign tumor called a desmoid tumor. There isn’t much data on them, so I don’t even know if the five mark rule applies to this. I had a recurrence about a year and a half after my surgery. Then I had a year of tamoxifen and a little more than a year of oral chemo. My tumors have only been dead for less than a year now, but there is growing evidence that the oral chemo I was on is very effective against desmoids, so I’m hopeful this will be it for me. Fingers crossed! Congratulations on almost five years. ❤️
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I’m so glad the oral chemo worked! I’ll send you positive healing vibes. 🙂 Tamoxifen flatlined me for two years and so does Anastrozole now. When I wake up super stoked about something, like today, I try to hang on to that feeling. That’s how I am without medication every day. I can’t wait to feel like myself again. 🙂
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I understand. I can’t wait for you to feel like yourself too. These aren’t easy drugs to take for such a long period of time.
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Thanks and I’m glad it is all behind you.
That’s part of the reason why I hired a trainer. Anastrozole breaks down bone. Yikes!
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Ever since the film JAWS came out I do not go into bodies of water. This is absolutely true LOL
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You would really have incentive to stay on the board. Ha!
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I do it at the cottage, which is on a quiet lake.
But I also am on my way to Venice so I look forward to the gondaliers too!
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SUPER COOL! Venice is on my bucket list. How wonderful that you go to a lake to paddleboard. I bet it is peaceful there.
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There are loooads of people that paddle board near here too, but I sort of fancy trying kayaking more. Have you tried both? Which do you think is more fun?
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I think kayaking is more of an adventure, but paddleboarding may be better exercise. Go for it, Josy!
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Good for you! I doubt I have the balance to pull paddle-boating off.
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You should try it anyway!
It was a little wobbly considering its size. There may be different boards to try. Next time!
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My family and I tried paddle boarding for the first time this summer. Every single one of us loved it. A great activity, and yes, a wonderful workout.
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That’s so great! I saw lots of families out having fun. I’m debating over going for a bike ride or paddleboarding again today. It’s super hot here in Boulder!
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Paddleboarding sounds like the way to go! Hope you were able to escape the heat.
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Yes, I dunked my head and took a few laps at the pool! Thanks!
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Thanks! I dunked my head and took a few laps at the pool.
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I have a friend who plays tennis regularly that tried paddleboarding and said it was definitely a workout. If she had a hard time, I knew I wouldn’t survive it!! Haha! I still haven’t tried yet but I have gone canoeing before and loved it. This makes me want to give paddleboarding a try!! Maybe I can!
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Of course, you can do it! I wonder if she went with other people. Trying to keep up with others could make it competitive as opposed to going at your own pace. Let me know how it goes.
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I want to do this so bad. I think I’d be pretty good at it. I’d also like to try surfing, but I’m a little scared to try that. I have a little bit of a phobia of water so water sports aren’t really my thing, but I love kayaking and those paddleboards look like so much fun. Plus, I have a sick need to overcome my fears so I’m going to try surfing some day. Hey, I tried snorkeling. I wasn’t very good at it, but I shall try that again too.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Now I want to do this even more than yesterday.
Have a great weekend!
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
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I think you’re right about facing fears. The more we overcome, the more we succeed at other things. You would love it, Patricia. You can go at it with the idea of a workout or enjoy the flow!
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We plan on doing some paddle boarding on Lake Havasu in September. Thanks for the informative posting
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That sounds like fun! It’s a relaxing sport which can also be a pretty great workout. Let me know how it goes!
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I have been wanting to learn how to paddleboard! I’m landlocked too (in Oklahoma). Hope to sign up for a class some day before the weather gets too cold. Thanks for the tip to not look back. 😉
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Hey, Eileen!
I bet you will love it. The challenge is all up to you. The faster you paddle, the harder the workout. I would love to try yoga, but would definitely plan on taking the plunge. Ha!
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Haha yes! I want to try Stand Up Paddle (SUP) yoga too. I think poses like downward facing dog, side plank or lunge will be super difficult since I’ll be wobbling. (I haven’t been practicing yoga in a while.)
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I would flip the board, for sure! Ha!
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Those are amazing take-aways from a paddleboard. Your post makes me want to be paddleboarding right away but I must settle with those lessons first. Thank you, Susie!
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Hello, Uma!
You would love it! Is there a reservoir near you?
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I have moved to a new place which was once known as the ‘City of Lakes’. I will look out for paddleboards!
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There should be a place to rent, otherwise there could be a new business opportunity for you!
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Hi Susie! Looks great. I think I would try it yes, but possibly only if the water was warmer! (Or perhaps if I was wearing a wetsuit), I can’t bear cold water and I’m fairly certain I would fall in 🙂
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The water wasn’t too bad, but the air hovered in the high 70’s. Not exactly hot. You would rock paddleboarding, Vanessa! 🙂
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Oh, I so want to try this! We can hire them at a lake near here for 10€ an hour and after reading your post I have to give it a go soon. Thanks!!
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You should! That is a very reasonable rate. Let me know how you like it, Emma!
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Will do!!
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Yes I would like to, but perhaps I will stick to kayaks. Especially in potential shark infested estuaries and rivers!
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OMG! Where are you? Australia? Sounds pretty wild! I would stick to a very big boat in your case. Ha!
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Bingo! You guessed it!! I am thinking of buying a kayak in my retirement years! But the idea of meeting a shark is a bit scary!
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They are common there, as I recall. *gulp* I would head to cold water. They hate it.
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That is a good idea, but I live in the subtropical zone…. although they have developed a shark proof suit I think…..
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No way, really? I’m going to look that up!
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I did see that somewhere on a TV program. I don’t have any further info so it’s best to ask Google!!
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I looked it up. I couldn’t find any stats on how many have been munched with them on, but I have to believe any deterrent would help!
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Sounds like a lot of fun. I have never tried it but we have plenty of lakes here in Donegal plus tge mighty Atlantic. 🌼🌼🌼
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OOOooh! Sounds like you’ll have to give it a go. Once you’re up, it’s just about simple paddling. Trying yoga on a board might be a different thing. The ocean? Whoa! Let me know how it goes! 🙂
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I dont think I am brave enough for the ocean. 😊
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Me either! I’ll stick to a smaller board and surf.
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SUSIE!! I am so glad you tried it. This has been on my list forever, but the couple of times I’ve made a reservation for it something happened! Total burn, but I try and try again. So awesome that you got to do it. And I’m loving the lessons you learned especially No#1, that is something that hit me when the kids were born and again when I started the meditation challenges. I love that reminders keep getting sent our way. I’m so happy you got a chance to do it and that it was an great experience. Love that it. And that picture of you coasting … dude totally relaxing. What a nice adventure.
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Hey, Guat!
You would LOVE it! I can’t imagine rocking back and forth in the ocean while paddling. The challenge would become like surfing; just stand up! There may be come coves where it’s calm. Another challenge would be trying yoga. Whoa. I’d lift one leg and would dive right in! I think I’d be great at Shavasana. Ha!
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You’re so intrepid! I tried water skiing exactly once, and couldn’t figure out how to get up on the damn things. My ideal water sport is floating around a pristine pool on a floating bed with a cold daiquiri in hand. Now THAT, I could score Olympic gold.
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Ha! I bet you could, Peg. You have to try everything more than once unless you have beginners luck.
I loved waterskiing back in the day. My friend made us learn with one ski. I still remember that second when I finally felt balanced and would yell, “Hit it!” By the time I actually was pulled out of the water, I’d be all over the place. It was a thrill to get up. So much fun.
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