Race #2: Toronto International Dragonboat Festival at Centre Island

We had our big race of the Dragonboat season this past weekend. 200 teams descended upon Centre Island in Toronto to compete. There were tons of races, festivities, booths, food trucks and tons of spectators! We were lucky to have beautiful sunny weather for both days!

What really bummed me out about the first race we had in Pickering a few weeks back was that I didn't bring my SLR camera. So I was sure to bring it along this time and took a lot of team pictures and candid photos. 

Up on stage collecting our medals! I am in the middle holding the award frame/certificate.

We took home two medals, placing third in two divisions: Recreational and Non-profit. Our last race was VERY close the top three teams had the same time but only differed by milliseconds.

Our First Dragonboat Race!

We had our first dragon boat race in Pickering, Ontario! We've been training since fall of last year, building up our cardio, core, upper body and lower body strength doing circuit training. We recently started water training at at Sunnyside Paddling Club by the Toronto Harbourfront area. 

These training sessions are grueling 2 hour practices of just continuos padding. On race day, however, the races last about 2.5 minutes, and we have a couple of hours rest between races.  It as actually fun!

Dragonboat Update - Pool Practice

I joined a Dragon boat team sometime in Fall 2013 to help me reach my fitness goals. In the fall/winter season its "off-season" training, so we focus on strengthening, endurance, flexibility and core exercises. With an extended long-winter season, many of us have been eager to hit the pool to practice our paddling technique. 

Dragonboat Practice Entry #4: Circuit training and Upper Body Strength

Since the new year the dragon boat team has been commencing its practices on a weekly basis for two hours on Sundays. I liken it to a bootcamp that occurs once a week. I have been trying to keep up with my own fitness workouts during the week (half an hour each day), and I'm realizing its not quite at the intensity I need to keep up with the dragon boat "bootcamp" practices. 

How it works is we usually do three circuits focusing on upper body, abs, core, back and some legs. We move from one circuit to the next in order to build up strength in the different areas. 

Dragonboat Practice Entry #3 - Off Season Training

I've joined a Dragonboat team which starts its training during Fall/Winter aiming for summer season 2014. After doing a series of core, upperbody and lowerbody training several weeks in a row, today was the fit test to set a baseline to go from at future fitness tests.

When I set out to try new things, my goal was primarily to have new experiences. What I realized through all of this was actually the new people I met and the friends I met. Meeting friends once I finished school was extremely challenging, but by partaking in these different activities, you get exposed to new networks of people outside of your friends (and even friends of friends).

Dragonboat Entry #2 - Week 3 & Volunteering at Mon Sheong

So this weekend has completely packed with activities. 

Dragonboat Practice

Sunday morning I headed down to Don Mills station where my good friend Bernice picked me up and we headed to Dragonboat practice. This is our third week thus far and I'm really enjoying the camaraderie I am building with many of the team members. 

Being on the Dragonboat team has also encouraged me to work on my endurance and conditioning. Right now, my fitness isn't the best and my diet isn't the greatest either. I will work on eating healthier and having a more balanced lifestyle in order to keep up with the Dragonboat practices. 

Our practice was shortened slightly because we had to head out to downtown Toronto to volunteer at the Christmas Party:

Volunteering at the
Mon Sheong Christmas Party

The Dragonboat team has many of its fees subsidized by the Mon Sheong foundation which runs a long-term-care centre. This event invited elders in the community to come enjoy music, food. There were many volunteers from the Mon Sheong youth group volunteering at the event. The dragonboat team came to show their appreciation for the financial support.

I decided to attend and had the chance to interact with some seniors. They all spoke Mandarin (the only language I speak at all is English) so it was challenging. Luckily some people were there to translate for me. 

Our dragonboat team members on the far left:

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Dragon Practice Entry #1 - First Day

So I went to my first dragonboat trial practice ever. The practice location was all the way at Scarborough; and I have to travel from Union Station. The entire commute was 1 hour and 15 minutes.

I joined the dragonboat tryout through a friend at Salsa, who is part of a Chinese Youth Group (I'm not Chinese, but thats okay, I can still participate). 21 people came to the practice and there are 20 people on a boat, with a minimum of 8 girls that are required on the boat.

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I am excited to do this for a couple of reasons: I'll have a goal to work towards and I'll get the opportunity to meet new people and new friends.