My 2023 goal is return back to river racing after a few years of break. The main event of this year will be the Missouri River 340 – ultramarathon paddling race from Kansas City to St Charles, 340 miles nonstop. 55 to 65 hours? I posted a blog article about this challenge, Paddling Against Time: My 2023 Challenge – Back to River Racing, and also talked about it in the YouTube video, My 2023 goal: return back to paddle racing (MR340 and more). So, my fitness focus is shifting now from backyard gym workouts to paddling and other outdoor activities.
I’ve been paddling kayaks, canoes and stand up paddleboards for more than 50 years. 22 years ago, I started to participate in long distance paddling races like Texas Water Safari, Missouri River 340, WaterTribe Challenges, Chattajack 31. Paddling has always been a strong motivational drive for my fitness lifestyle, and I’m thrilled to get back into river racing after my last racing season in 2019, just before the COVID pandemic hit.
It’s not surprising that my recent motivational video shorts are featuring a paddling theme:
- Find your rhythm on the water and achieve balance in your life with stand up paddling.
- Get fit, feel free, paddle on.
- Paddle your own path. Fitness is not a destination. It’s a journey.
It doesn’t really feel springtime in Colorado, but paddling is always good.
Are you a fan of paddling or interested in trying it out this season? If so, stand up paddling (SUP) is one of the most accessible and adaptable water sports available. Check out my video to see some of the benefits of SUP.
If you’re in the market for a paddleboard, there are plenty of options to suit your needs. My own paddleboards are quite specialized because of my interest in ultra marathon river racing where weight and speed are important factors. However, if you’re looking for an affordable, recreational board suitable for fitness or yoga, Amazon has a range of inflatable SUPs to choose from. For a more advanced board, REI offers a variety of options including the SIC Maui Okeanos 14′ or 12’6″ touring boards, which are similar to my personal favorite, the old SIC X-14 featured in many of my video clips. Additionally, REI also carries some Starboards SUPs, including the Waterline, which I am currently testing (see pictures above).