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!