I took up dragon boat paddling in 2016 as a way to meet like-minded people and build connections. I’ve always loved being on the water, and joining a team sport seemed like the perfect way to immerse myself in a community. A year ago, I started OC paddling to improve my dragon boat skills, and in hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It combines my love for nature with staying active. The only challenge is juggling my busy schedule, which requires careful planning to make it all work.

This morning was the perfect weather to be on the water; calm and sunny. According to the numbers, I was faster at the second round of the pyramid. I assume it’s related to the change in direction, and by that point, I was also fully warmed up.

What were your favorite races from this past year? Any races that you’re looking forward to participating in? Jump onto Skool and write it in the comments. Make sure to like what other paddlers share too! This past week was a lower mileage week for the body to recover. (Still about about 30+ miles). The upcoming week will move into some intervals for me. Happy New Year to everyone! This is the last WOW of 2024. Here is 2024.12.5 WOW! A fun one! 10' Warmup (WU) 2(1/1, 2/2, 3/3) at 90%/active 10' Cooldown (CD) You will do two rounds of 1 minute on, 1 minute active, 2 minutes on, 2 minutes active, 3 minutes on, 3 minutes active. You’re climbing the pyramid twice. The active paddling can be as light as you want, but it should be light. Good luck! 1 more day for the leadership board. Current standings are: Lana, Kevin, and Janet! Top 30-day contributors will be winning prizes or $$$. 1st - 1:1 on-water session with me ($200 value) 2nd - 1 week of Personalized Training Program ($90 value) 3rd - 1 gift of a month to a friend for to join TLC Skool Community ($50 value) Note: must be redeemed within the following month. PS: I’ll be online for 30 minutes each week for a Tek-Talk where I share about what it takes to develop community-focused paddlers and leaders. Here’s a video from this past week about 3 strategies for new/intermediate paddlers. https://youtu.be/FC4p4qYlySU

The path to paddling is not the same for everyone. How did you first get started with paddling? Share your story and give a like/comment to members who share!