Dragon Boat Racing

So Saturday, Aug 18th was the Paddle for Life Dragon Boat event at Leo Ryan Park in Foster City. Team Paddle Past Cancer (our team) was there with a full complement of 20 paddlers thanks to the folks who came out for their first time or just to help out. We paddled in the second heat and lost but we finished! Yeah! As it turned out, we did lose our heat but beat enough other boats overall to paddle in the Repercharge (consolation round?) We geared up one more time and did our best and beat our first time by 12 seconds! Pretty good in a 2 1/2 minute race. We were excited and could definitely feel the difference - more of that surge forward motion and much less of the rocking side to side motion. I paddled in row 7 - just past the middle - a spot I was not used to since I am usually in the stroke or lead position. It is a lot different being that far back. For one thing, you have paddlers ahead of and behind you and they are not always paddling together. The paddler behind me kept hitting me and my paddle with hers because she was not following and even caused me to splash water up on the paddler in front of me. I struggled to keep on going but did manage to do it. Now, I am not a perfect paddler by any means but I do know the golden rule - always follow the paddler in front of you. If the whole team did that, it would make a big difference. The amazing thing was how many people don't know that even though the coach says it every time we are in the boat - and many times over. Nonetheless, it was great fun and the team is great fun and we are looking forward to Treasure Island in September.