That is so awesome, Paula. I’m so proud of you. You are such a great example of what a great success one can be when one follows the MTM tools true to their heart. Thank you for being such an inspiration for so many of us, myself included.
The April Countdown to Certification. I can’t believe the exam is this month!
Two days of hard paddling in 20 mph winds and rough ocean waters. No chance to practice my roll - I made most of my braces, and a good brace (prevention) is much better than a good roll (cure). Actually I did miss one brace doing a surf landing, set up to roll, got half way up, (enough to breath), then side surfed a wave and landed on the beach before I could finish the roll. We did some rescue practices, and some real rescues. After a long hike from the beach to parking lot with boats and wet gear, we met some hikers who were getting into their cars. They said that they saw us out there, and their main comment was “You Guys are CRAZY!!”
The more I’m out in the rough nasty stuff, the easier things look when it’s calm.
I took my instructor’s workshop and instructor certification exam over the past two weekends. What an experience.
We had a very strong group in the workshop. I felt really glad to be mostly keeping up with the younger, and more experienced paddlers. It also made me very nervous to think that I was going for the same certification. At the end of the workshop I had a list of things to work on at home, but very limited time to actually do the work.
I came so close to calling and dropping out of the exam. I could work hard this summer, and try again in the fall, but then a little voice somewhere told me to just go for it. I had nothing to lose, I don’t need the certification for my work, I don’t need it to paddle and have fun, so I decided to go for it and just enjoy the process. Enjoying the process was hard work, stressful, scary, and very rewarding. At the end of the first day, my stroke videos were excellent.
We had high winds (gale force to be more specific), but I still did my teaching, and made all my rescues and recoveries. I even made all my rolls. Wow, only one more day.
Sunday was another stressful day in rough windy conditions, but I did it!!! I know I’ll never be teaching in the conditions we were in, but I was successful at reuniting a paddler with her boat when she fell out and let go. I got the swimmer up onto my bow, then went backwards to her boat and grabbed it just before the evil instructor was going to push it out of my reach. He kept pulling on it and I just hung on, half in the water. By that point, I was relaxed enough to start laughing.
I’m not done yet, I have homework! I need to teach some classes, and report on what I did, with a critique of how the class went and what I would do different for the next one. I’m going to take at least 2 weeks off from serious paddling and just go out and have fun before I get back into the grind. I’m expecting to have my certification in hand by the end of the summer if not before. Then there will be another GOAL ACCOMPLISHED post.
Now all I have to do is get two more tickets on Southwest so I can come up to San Francisco and take lessons ..... (huh oh, she problably charges alot Kayak lessons!!! )
Congrats! Seriously would LOVE to come up and play with a Kayak in the ocean!
So far, I haven’t been paid to teach. Occasionally I’ve gotten a tip for the classes where I’ve assisted - that helps cover the gas money to get to the place where I’m teaching. I’m teaching because I really love the sport, and I love to share my excitement for a healthy physical activity. I hope that we can develop a Woman’s kayaking program so that people taking the classes understand that you don’t need to be a young, strong, super athlete to enjoy the sport, and to learn all of the skills. Technique and fineness over muscle.
Maybe someday I’ll be able to charge a lot for lessons, right now, I’ll be happy getting the pro discount on all the equipment I buy.
Last week my weight session with my personal trainer was canceled. I was already at the gym, ready to go. Great excuse to do lots of cardio (I love cardio) and leave. What I did - just a short warm up on the elliptical, then off to the weights. I managed to stumble my way through legs (what was scheduled that day) without my Personal Torturer standing over me. Not only did I do a weight workout in my home gym. I was so motivated by my success with weights in the gym that I did a shoulders, back and chest workout in the hotel gym. I guess I’m on a roll now - no more excuses.
In 2007, I set a goal to walk everyday for at least 10 minutes. I kept that up for 3 months, then at the beginning of April life got in the way (I don’t even remember what it was). I ended up stopping and didn’t do anymore for the rest of the year, I just gave up.
So in 2008, I was tired of being tired and out of shape so I decided to try again, this time I told myself I would do 40 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. After a month of that I rewarded myself with an iPod. And that made all the difference because I found MTM land. If it was not for the encouragment and accountability of the forum I am sure I would have quit again when life got in the way.
Instead I have now reached 6 months of exercise. And as Scott says, it will be with me for life. I am doing 60 minutes 5 or 6 times a week. I have added resistance training. I am eating more gooder than badder and I have lost 23 pounds.
Thanks to everyone in the forum. Your words of encouragement or just reading that you are going through the same things that I am have helped me tremendously. You will see me around here for a long time.
Another Milestone - Last week I taught my first solo kayak class, followed by an advanced rescue / recovery clinic.
It was really fun to take a group of people and introduce them to the world of kayaking. The class went well and the most rewarding part was to be a role model for a group of women in their 40’s and 50’s and to show them that they are very capable of participating in a physical outdoor activity.
The advanced recovery class was also a challenge. I stayed with the people who were more fearful of cold rough water. My greatest success was assisting a person who was very fearful of capsizing. That fear was preventing her from fully enjoying the sport. We worked most of the day and after lunch, she finally allowed herself to be upside in the kayak. Of course I was holding her hand so she knew that I would not let anything happen. The trust involved was very powerful. It was a baby step for her - someday she will do this alone, but it was at least a step towards overcoming a fear she wants to overcome.
It’s funny that my biggest accomplishment was not with the person who did everything well - it was with the person who accomplished the least (based on the objectives of the clinic) but was also the person who accomplished the most in terms of personal challenges.
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