Last week was a busy week on the training front. With a new workout underway and snow it got a little crazy. Had the great opportunity to get a weekend of paddling in. Always fun disturbing Canadian geese, swans on the other hand, they are mean. Just saying. With the mindset to push on a paddle even when the rivers freeze over is rewarding enough.

While taking a water break paddling Saturday I heard an awful crunching coming from the train bridge next to me. Expecting to see either the train come and blow by or the bridge come falling down into the river, I then saw a piece of snow/ice push through the supports under the bridge. Had to at least be the size of a small car!

And that is just a small part of last week. I also had a meeting with Patrick Broemmel from Banh Pho Surfboards and Crispy Noodle. He has volunteered his time and energy to shape a board for me to use during the race!

What?!?

Patrick has been at the forefront of the Stand Up Paddle scene on the East Coast for years. Check out an article on him here. To have him on board for this project is amazing. While we were talking we came up with a great "paint scheme" for this board...

To everyone who donates to the project we will write the names of those they lost to cancer, are fighting it now or have survived cancer.

Those people are the reason I am paddling this challenge. They are my inspiration. I want them to be with me the entire way.

If you would like to donate you can do so here.

Thanks for reading.

The surface is like glass gliding inches above the water. Osprey fly overhead as geese migrate north. Stroking through the marsh the only obstacle seen are floating pieces of ice. Some small enough to fill a glass, some larger than a refrigerator.

The air and water are the same temperature with the sun poking through the clouds. No boats are out, no stand up paddlers just me.

This is the perfect time to be training. It is an awkward thing to say training. I have not competed for over a decade. All activities I do are done out of the desire to do that activity.

This paddle is not out of the desire to paddle twenty miles. This paddle is about the desire to help make someone's life better.

With each stroke I take, every dip of the fingers I think of those I know that have been affected by cancer.

I paddle faster.

Then I think of those who I do not know.

I paddle harder.

I also think of those who will be affected in the years to come.

I dig deeper and push harder.

This paddle isn't about what I am doing, it is about who I can support as they show their grit against cancer.

For more info check out here. Or make a donation at:
http://www.teamduke.org/site/TR?pg=fund&fr_id=1040&pxfid=15260