I Impulsively Joined a Dragon Boat Team

Summary

The author, a self-described non-athletic individual, recounts their impulsive decision to join a dragon boat team, reflecting on past experiences with sports and the pursuit of physical activity without competitive pressure.

Abstract

The narrative begins with the author on a family vacation, seeking respite from the daily grind, when they stumble upon an Instagram post inviting individuals to join a dragon boat team. Despite a history of being non-athletic and often the last to be chosen for sports, the author is intrigued by the promise of a fun, noncompetitive environment and reaches out for more information. The author reflects on their previous attempts at sports, including a challenging start in lacrosse and a love for the intensity of a women's boxing class, which led to running events despite not being particularly fast. After a hiatus due to pregnancy and knee issues, the author finds themselves drawn to dragon boat racing as a low-impact, community-oriented sport that provides motivation and enjoyment without the stress of competition.

Opinions

The author values the sense of community and mutual support found in group sports activities, which motivates them to participate and persevere.
Despite past difficulties in athletic endeavors, the author appreciates the personal growth and fun that can come from noncompetitive sports.
The author believes that pain and discomfort associated with physical training are temporary and that the sense of achievement outweighs these challenges.
There is an expressed preference for sports that do not exacerbate previous injuries, such as knee pain, which makes dragon boat racing an appealing option.
The author sees themselves as an athlete, albeit a non-traditional one, who enjoys the process of trying and improving without the pressure to win.

Another Adventure in the Life of a Non-athletic Athlete

It was the Monday night of spring break. I was with my family at the Oregon coast, trying to catch my breath from work and life hustle and other assorted expectations. It was incredibly rainy and we spent the day puzzling, reading, watching crappy movies on the condo cable TV, commercials and all. The kid was asleep, I was finishing the last piece of cold pizza (Angelina’s in Seaside- how are you so good?) and half watching a Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock movie while scrolling mindlessly through Instagram stories.

There it was- a blip of a post: Anyone want to join my dragon boat team? We are fun and noncompetitive! No experience needed!

I messaged her- ok tell me what I need to know…

When I was growing up, I was not sports oriented. My brother was a natural soccer talent, little leaguer, and eventual skate boarder. I have memories of being the oldest kid still in the beginners swim group at camp, and had a real knack for being picked last in PE and camp games. I never made it up that dreaded rope, and I walked the mile whenever it was part of school. I preferred books and arts, and camps like Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth where we slept in college dorms instead of tents, and wrote critical essays instead of participating in track and field events.

When I was a sophomore in high school, our school got a brand new sport- Lacrosse. Because it was new, there were no experts. My friend and I decided to join. Warm up consisted of running two miles- I had never run one mile- or one half of a mile. By the time I made it back the field, the team had stretched, bonded, and played a game. Ok- I have no idea what they had done, but I was definitely the very super most last person. I didn’t give up, though. I went running on non practice days, I practiced throwing and catching with my friend, I even joined a winter league between my first and second year playing. While I did get better at running without dying, I never got better at Lacrosse. As a flincher, it just wasn’t panning out. Not to mention the other players were improving, and younger students with experience were moving up and joining the team. My senior year I wasn’t picked to move up to varsity with my friends so I quit.

I used to joke that one of my prerequisites when looking at colleges was that they had no mandatory PE classes. It was mostly a joke. I didn’t participate in any organized sportiness again until after graduate school, when I joined a women’s boxing class with some teacher friends. It seemed like a great way to destress. Newsflash- flinching is really bad in boxing! Luckily, the class was less about fighting and more about training. It was REALLY hard and I loved it. The teacher used to yell supportive slogans at us and I kept going back for more.

PAIN IS ONLY TEMPORARY

WE DO IT TO OURSELVES

I never got good enough to spar, but I did get stronger.

I started running, using the couch to 5k program, after my partner started- I’m a tag-along athlete. We started running 5ks, then 10ks, then we trained for a half marathon. I got stronger and faster but never fast. My knees started to hurt. Walkers passed us during the half marathon, but we finished and I felt proud. We took a break after that race and somehow never got back into it.

About a year later I was pregnant, and ended up with significant diastasis recti. I struggled to find a way to be active that didn’t exacerbate it. Eventually we discovered Peloton, but despite the high fives and virtual community- I was still exercising alone.

So what do I know about Dragon Boat Racing? Well, I know a couple of friends who do it- and that they don’t care that I literally have never set foot in a Dragon Boat before. I know that I could really use some external motivation to get me moving and get me outside. I know that they have life jackets and paddles I can borrow, and that practice does not interfere with work. And I know that now in my mid-40s a sport that doesn’t involve pressure on my knees sounds lovely.

There is something about group activities where people expect you to show up and do your part. I work harder in a group, and I’m more likely to stick with it. If I’m lucky enough to find a sport where the expectation is that we try, but without pressure to win I find myself in a space where I improve and have fun. I guess I am an athlete. Just not an athletic one.

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