How I became hooked on SUP

It went like this: the last time I wrote in my sorely neglected blog was in anticipation of going to the Big Island, my spiritual home, to enjoy 8 days of sun and fun for Samir's big 49th birthday, and to finally experience Stand Up Paddle.

And experience I did! The couple months of SUP-related training along with 60+ days of visualizing holding steady on a board ended up having a decent pay off since standing on a board was quick. To say I fell in love with this sport is an understatement as I liken myself more to junky/addict status which makes sense considering my OCD tendencies. What really transpired during my handful of SUP experiences in Hawaii was the rediscovery of a young girl undaunted by getting her feet into just about any body of water.

3 months later, on the eve of what has been a completely delightful 52nd birthday, I write to say I'm about to prep for the maiden voyage of the East Bay SUP MeetUp group which I started to fill a void until I'm able to return to warm waters. Not only did I fall completely in love with SUP while in Hawaii but I've proven I'm willing to don a wetsuit to SUP in the Bay Area. Hence the MeetUp group.

It surprises me, too!

I will attempt to keep a record of my experiences here if anything to keep track of my new found love of stand up paddling. I look forward to the ride!

SUP, brah?

It's 10pm-ish, October 15, and keeping with the obsession with Stand Up Paddle Surfing that's been accelerating for the past two months I continue to read blogs, forums, and Athleta posts as I count down the hours before boarding a Kona-bound trip tomorrow morning.

Once upon a time, as a sun and ocean obsessed youth in the San Gabriel Valley, I had dreamt of surfing but had always had a decent fear and reverence for the strength of the ocean. And this was matched by a certain prowess for being uncoordinated. So I never surfed. Then in my very late 40s I decided a goal of taking a surfing lesson with Rabbit Kekai, in my 50th year which would also be Hawaii's 50th year, would be a dream come true.

Needlesst to say, while I did fulfill the dream of making it over to the 50th "state" (I still consider Hawaii occupied territory...) in my 50th year, but I never sought out Rabbit Kekai for a surf lesson and resisted a very strong urge to take a SUP Lesson in the little lagoon next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

So why now? A couple of things, first being that the only New Year resolution I've ever kept has me at my best health EVER, and secondly I've found some great training info on the Athleta Chi blog whiCh I started to incorporate into my gym visits. Lastly—it's about time for me to do It!

Taking a queue from Team in Training advice regarding visualizing the end result of a marathon I'm certain I've visualized myself atop a SUP in Kailua Bay for the past two months as I try to fall asleep. Only tongiht will be different since I'll be less than 48 hours and 2300+ miles closer to fulfilling my dream of standing atop a surf board. And I can't wait!

Now I've done it—or, do I REALLY need an iPad?

One thing I'll say is this—it's much easier to type on an iPad than on my iPhone but then again I won't be placing iFitness on my iPad. I'm find an interesting contrast between my home screens on both devices in that the iPhone functions as the little extension of my Brain that resides in my pocket. My little brain comes to the gym, helps to remind me when my metered car is running out of time using the built-in timer,is a handy little camera, allegedly keeps heed of my appointments and schedules, and serenades me when I need it too. My iPhone both a blessing and a curse, mostly a blessing.

So then what, aside from being an Apple gadget fangirl, drove my urgent need for the iPad? It will not likely accompany me to the gym, nor will it remind me to return to a metered parking space before the meter expires, but I can read the "Helmet for a Pillow" book and create a wireframe for an iPad app concept on my iPad. The productivity factor. And that's precisely what lead me to the Apple store in Santa Rosa last night. I too am chasing the rainbow of mobile and iPad app design and after a day of playing around with a few apps, in particular Drawing Pad, iBook, the Kindle app, and OmniGraffle, I'm appreciating the productivity aspect of it and want to be part of this new world.

Maybe I won't use JoggyCoach on the iPad but I can't wait to read Haruki Murakami's thoughts on running while lounging in in my Puerto Vallarta hotel room. I'll just need to stay away from OmniGraffle while on vacation...

One unexpected bonus is my niece and nephew all of a sudden find auntie to be "sick" :-)

When I grow up I want to be Harriet

I meant to post three weeks back when I completed my first 5K ever over here in my back yard on Southshore in Alameda. It was a small little event to raise funds for Alameda elementary school sports programs, the weather was gorgeous and it was time for me to take my C25K training to the task by running someplace other than on the treadmill at Mariner Square Athletic Club. Mind you, I have done 5Ks, 6 miles (Portland), Bay to Breakers, 10 milers (Big Sur), and even a marathon (Anchorage with TNT) but all as a walker with a *tiny* bit of running thrown in.

The truth is that I've never felt I had running in me until recently. I flirted with it, on a treadmill, a couple of years ago but gave it up as I started to work crazy insane hours. The other truth is that before I quit the gym to honor crazy insane hours I have to acknowledge that my time at the gym probably enabled the energy to work so much to begin with. Ah, live and learn.

My first 5K as a runner meant a lot to me and after meeting a couple of very nice women involved with the Mermaid Series Triathalons I had seriously considered the Mermaid Series Duathalon in September. Yes, I can run four miles and yes, I can definitely bike 11 miles, uphill even.

And this is where Harriet comes in. I watched her finish Kona Ironman this year and shed a tear of joy watching a 74 year old woman cross the finish line before the cut off time. (And trust me, having the patience to watch Ironman on a computer is also an endurance test ;-) Thanks to Athleta, the money pit that tends to swallow a few of my hard-earned bucks more often than not, for giving us young whipper snappers more insight into Harriet Anderson. Because now I have a counter to everyone that politely suggests I am too old to start jogging aspirations, and I now have a beautiful grey-haired babe to inspire me to keep going. I will definitely think of her as I walk up the 11% grade that is Hayes Street during Bay to Breakers on Sunday.

The conclusion of this post is that Harriet has inspired me to officially sign up for the Mermaid Series Duathalon event in Santa Cruz after all. Thank you thank you Harriet. And here's to my 72 year old mother for a speedy recovery after knee surgery... you can do it!

Happy keyboard—finally

Hooray. The rift between my iPhone keyboard and blogger seems to have resolved and for the time being I'll cease the desire to switch this blog to WP. For one thing no body reads this blog and there are more pressing tasks for me to address.

So, Blogger, my blog is safe with you for now.

Joggy Coach is my co-pilot

I did what almost any normal person would do after completing a C25K program using their iPhone, especially a person such as myself with an obsession with purchasing iPhone apps—I bought a new jogging app. And then I decided that it was a good idea to enter a 5K, too.

One of the problems with working as a User Interface Designer for a living is that I'm rather picky with typography and sadly there is an overabundance of jogging-related iPhone apps with bad typography which is why Joggy Coach managed to make the cut. I'm actually able to read the text and find the video game look of this app appealing and fun. Once I was able to figure how to use it (oh, a learning curve) the app couldn't be easier. It maps my route, informs me of pace and progress, lets me listen to my playlist, and keeps track of my outings. I like it!

It's still not my beloved FeltTip C25K but I'm pleased just the same.

But even more pleasing was actually running the 5K without having to slow for a walk or feeling like I would keel over after completing the run. Today's run was almost as rewarding as walking the Anchorage Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon with TNT in 2001, achievement-wise.

I can't wait to take Joggy Coach to Bay to Breakers on May 16. Woohoo!

I did it!

While I'm waiting for my work out clothes to dry I'll scribe a brief love letter to my favorite iPhone app ever--FeltTips' C25K.

When you came into my life I was a sedentary 50 year old mouse potato commencing perimenopause with an obsession with visiting the iTunes App Store. You had good looks and our life together had potential. You inspired me to make a New Year's Resolution that I have thus far kept--a new record for me. You inspired me to be consistent, you inspired me to be active, and you inspired me to want to meet the challenge even on the days when I didn't want to. And nine weeks later (actually 10 since I managed to stretch one week into two in March) I am proud to say I completed the program without serious malice done to my being. And you have allowed me to justify a new pair of Athleta Dipper Pants.

Just because I have deleted you from my iPhone to make room for other Apps doesn't mean I won't always love you.

xoxo The slightly more fit Lucija