EVENT # 20 BEACH SPORTS (July 30)

Well it is REALLY hard to try to play a true sport when you are on a 5 day vacation to the beach!  Most people just want to relax and let the waves crash over their feet.   But with this challenge I have set before me, I had to get creative.  I had thought about a variety of options, none of which I felt were solid enough to include alone.  So I created a SPORTS COMBO DAY at the beach.  I started out Saturday morning doing something that is a little "different" and new for me.  It is called funcycling or recumbent biking on the beach.  It is kind of like a big wheel that you control with your body.  I biked several miles up and down the beach as loungers were soaking up the rays.  It's just as well since I would be sitting around burning and not tanning!  Upon returning, I got engaged in a quick game of paddleball with my wife and a good round of bocce ball with the kids.  Then after a fun afternoon of boogie boarding with the boys out in the water, we went in for some much needed rest and then back out in the evening for the classic beach sport of Putt-Putt.  I knocked in a few hole in ones as did my 5 and 8 year old.  Not the toughest competition of the summer but I think I made it work.  Now on to the last third of my challenge.

EVENT # 19 TRACK AND FIELD (July 25)

I was back on my feet today thankfully.  I was able to get connected with the Sprints and Hurdles coach, Coach Vaught, at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where I teach part time.  He invited me to practice tonight with a group called the Carolinas Track and Field Club.  This club is designed for ages 30 and up and apparently there are some competitors in their 80's and 90's.  THAT IS MY GOAL!!  I was told for only $20 you can come out and join the team and participate in major events such as sprints, hurdling, relays, shot put, and all the other events involved with Track.  Tonight I began my training with an AWESOME dynamic warm up which included some jogging, skipping, squats, forward and backward walking lunges, and grapevines (sideway motion).  The coach then engaged us in three 50 meter sprints in which I finished.....well let's just say 8th place.  I was then trained individually by one of the members of the team with hurdles and was made aware very quickly that track runners do NOT wear basketball shorts or New Balance running shoes.  So I was not prepared completely but I began working on walking over hurdles, which then let to running over hurdles.  And as you can tell on the video, my hurdle was just a little bit shorter than the one next to it.  Yes it was the girls hurdle and also the above 60 age group hurdle.  I was just getting in shape for that.....in 23 years from now.  Anyway, I raised the hurdle up to mens level and thought it might just be easier to go UNDER but that is not allowed.  So THANK YOU COACH VAUGHT AND THE CAROLINAS TRACK CLUB for a great experience in my event # 19.

http://www.carolinastrackandfield.org/

EVENT # 18 ROLLERBLADING (July 24)

OK, here's the story.  I was about 13 years old and on a middle school church snow skiing retreat.  As my ski lift approached the top of the mountain, I attempted to get off and fell right in front of all the other lifts coming by.  I couldn't get up and the guy standing there just looked at me!  Then it took me about 2 hours to get down the mountain!  Needless to say, I DO NOT LIKE THINGS UNDER MY FEET!  I have never been good at skating, rollerskating, skiing, etc.  So tonight, I went out to my garage and dusted off an old pair of rollerblades that have been stored away for years and got completely padded up to face my fears.  I would absolutely LOVE to be able to skate freely and fast but as you can see, I look more like Frankenstein walking.  So after a few falls, I got back up and SLOWLY made it down the street.  I need some real coaching in this area.  Not one of my best events this summer but I tried and don't ever forget that lesson boys and girls.

EVENT # 17 RUGBY (July 21)

Today was the first day that I was feeling a little exhaustion from this challenge.  Maybe it was the heat.  My recovery time has been great though.  I thought I would be hurting after kayak polo the other night but I woke up feeling pretty good.  Things changed quickly tonight as I participated in Touch Rugby.  Let me put the emphasis on "touch", which is a good thing.  My energy came back to me tonight as I was once again thrown into a sport in which I have never played.  I was invited by a guy named Adam Angulo, who is also a parent at my school.  He runs the Matthews Rugby Club (for ages 6-18) in Matthews, NC.  Find him at:  www.matthewsrugbyclub.com.    He is located with his son on the picture.
My friend Jason accompanied me again for this adventure tonight.  He is the one in the blue and I'm the one with gray hair making a pass.  You may wonder why I'm passing backwards but that is the way rugby is played.  Tough concept to grasp but basically it is a non-stop running game in which players pass the ball  at an angle behind them to their teammates as they advance toward their goal.  I don't want to explain too much more because I was trying to grasp the whole concept myself.   I did have one pass bounce off my head because I was not in position and ready for it and I dropped a few along the way but overall it was a really great workout and fun!  THANKS TO ADAM AND RUGBY GUYS for not only allowing me to play but to participate in a safer and modified version of rugby so I can try to make it to event 18.
http://www.matthewsrugbyclub.com/

MY OPINION!

Someone asked me if I saw the women's soccer game the other day.  As much as I would support that, I haven't watched ANYTHING this summer!  I've been too busy playing and I 'm realizing now how much better that is than getting bogged down with all of this nonsense in Pro and College sports right now.  We have NFL lockouts, the NBA looking bleak for next season, and multiple colleges on probation.  Do you want something that is satisfying?
GET OUT AND PLAY!!!

EVENT # 16 KAYAK POLO (July 19)

So I decided to combine two of my favorite activities into one.  Kayak Polo is basically kayaking and basketball combined on the water.  Sounds easy?  This was by far one of the most physically draining and challenging sports so far.  And I was sitting the whole time!  The club's name is the Carolina Kayak Polo Club and they play at McDowell Nature Preserve.  Find them at:  http://www.carolinakayakpolo.org/.  I was invited by Adam, who is a parent at my school.  He has been playing for years now and took the time to introduce me to this incredible sport.  I started out just learning how to put on the equipment (helment, life jacket, and a skirt??)  You just have to experience it if you want to know what a skirt is.  Once I got locked into place, the paddling came naturally to me, until it was game time!  Then, just like in lacrosse, I was thrown into a real game and there were not enough people to sub in.  So I played four games at about 20 minutes each.  Beside the little bit of pain in my lower back and hamstrings, I was getting a heck of an upper body workout.  So basically, in a nutshell, Kayak Polo is kayaking back and forth from goal to goal trying to THROW a ball into your goal while being defended by the other team.  So you can imagine that things can get ugly and FUN!!  I describe it as intense bumper boats....at least that is what I did a lot of.  There is dribbling which is basically throwing the ball ahead of you and paddling up to it.  You can carry the ball under your arm while paddling and you can pass the ball in the air or give a lead pass to your teammates as you break for the goal.  Because I got totally immersed into this sport so quickly, I WAS able to attempt several shots, actually about 5 or so.  I did make 2 shots for my team.  The guys were going easy on me though but it was a blast!  Oh and by the way, I only flipped over twice which made for a nice refreshing dip in the water on a 95 degree night on the lake!  The guys came to my rescue and I was able to pull myself out quickly with only a little embarrassment.  THANK YOU POLO GUYS and thank you Adam for you time.  I will definitely try this one again!
http://www.carolinakayakpolo.org/

HALFTIME SPEECH: "PUT ME IN COACH.....I'M READY TO PLAY"

First of all, let me say how blessed I feel to have been healthy enough to participate in 15 events so far.  I really hope to finish this thing by Labor Day, which will put me at 30 sports in 90 days.  It as been as much fun to play these sports as it has to search for them.  It is kind of like finding a good deal.  So far, after 15 events now, I have only spent $50 and that was the birthday gift to my wife for ballroom dance lessons.  My goal is to spend as little as possible to prove that there are free and cheap things to do to stay active.  Most people think you have to pay hugh fees to play in a league.  It just takes some pre-planning and a simple question of asking "Can I Play?"

HOW DID I COME UP WITH THIS CHALLENGE?
Again, I was inspired by this video:  http://eas.com/unstoppabletour
I wanted to try this but modify it for the "average joe" who works and has a family and obligations.  So I picked a season of my life (summer) where I knew I could devote some energy into this and with the support of my wife....I think, I have been playing and blogging all summer.  I also have been mulling over this idea for a while now.  I wanted to try a workout that focused on cross-training, very similar to that show Shaq Vs.  Remember how he was trying to get into shape for the NBA and decided to cross train by competing against other athletes?  He was not afraid of failing.  He just enjoyed the art of competing and playing.  That is what I have focused on so far.

WHERE IS THIS GOING?

Hopefully to 30!  Maybe 31 since it has been noted that walking Disney was NOT a sport.  I agree.  I should have used a pedometer on those days to tally my steps.  Then it would have been interesting.  Anyway, I really hope to inspire my own two boys by doing this so that they will have a desire to get out and play as well as my 500 students at my elementary school.  I have quite a few things to tell them when we get back to school and ask that famous question, "What did you do this Summer?"

EVENT # 15 Disc Golf (July 17)

On this lazy Sunday afternoon, I took my boys to Squirrel Lake Park in Matthews, NC.  This is described as a heavily wooded course and I believe it by the way we were hitting trees.  The object of this sport it to throw discs, not plastic frisbees, toward a target in as few times as possible.  The scoring is similar to real golf.  My boys have enjoyed this before.  We usually take turns throwing the disc and it usually takes a lot of throws to get it there.  After I played with my boys, I decided to go again for nine holes running the course.  As I started, there were three other guys getting ready and they showed me their elaborate collection of discs.  There are driving discs, short range discs, and putting discs.  I only have ONE disc which is a all-purpose driver.  So I used that the whole time.  Maybe my game would have been better if I used other discs because I only shot bogeys and double bogeys the whole course.  But I did get my heart rate up and a good sweat going in the 12 minutes it took me to run this course.  My next challenge with this would be to try some of the more difficult courses in Charlotte such as Renaissance.  The distance for that course looks to be more than double what I played to day.

EVENT # 14 Taekwondo (July 15)

Friday night I participated in the sport of Taekwondo under the instruction of Master Abhai Singh.  He is the president of Sangrock Black Belt World which is located in South Charlotte, Matthews area.  I had Master Singh participate in my Field Day at my school this past year and the kids loved it.  So I had to try it out.  I called to schedule an appointment for my two sons and me but I didn't realize I would be the only "grown up" in the class.  I kind of felt like Billy Madison going back to school as an oversized kid.  With that said, Master Singh personally took the time to work with me, particularly with stretching out my lower back so that I would be ready for those kicks.  At one point, he had me stand back to back with him while he leaned forward and I went backwards.  He told me to relax but it's kind of hard when you are balancing on another guy's back upside down!  My two sons had a great time as well and are wanting to possibly take classes in the fall.  I can't say enough about how professional and kind Master Singh was throughout this class.  I really enjoyed stretching, running, jumping, kicking and punching my way though my event # 14.

EVENT # 13 LACROSSE (July 12)

(I'm the guy in the GREEN) Tuesday night, my challenge came to LIFE big time!!  This is what I envisioned when I began this whole experience.  It all started out last month when I heard about a new Major League Lacrosse team coming to Charlotte called the Charlotte Hounds.  So I thought what better way to learn about it than to actually email them directly and say "help me learn it".  I was quickly emailed back by the Director of Sales and Marketing, Wade Leaphart, who then connected me with a guy named Doug Little.  Doug is on the advisory council for the Hounds and is director of the South Charlotte Old Guys (SCOG) Lacrosse Club.  You can find them at:  www.scoglacrosse.com.  Doug not only invited me out to play with the SCOG's but personally found what I was doing interesting enough to give me and my friend Jason an hour long lesson to get ready.  This is the first event this summer that I was a little nervous but the nerves quickly went away along with every bit of sweat I had in my body since I chose to participate on the first 100 degree day this summer!  Doug drilled me in the fundamentals of holding and cradling the lacrosse stick as well as throwing, catching and scooping up the balls.  He also gave Jason and I a good education in offense and defense, which is similar to basketball.  I felt comfortable with what he was telling me until he asked if we have brought our protective cups!!  Then I got nervous again!  Then came the equipment.  I had to wear a protective helmet, elbow pads, gloves, and shoulder pads....all in this HEAT!!!  So I felt a little like a mascot walking around disoriented in a theme park.  Then came GAME TIME!  Doug encouraged me to start by watching on the sidelines and then line up to sub in whenever I was ready.  I'm not sure I was ever ready, but I stepped up and one of the guys from my team needed a sub and I was in!  I clearly started out looking like a chicken with my head cut off on that field.  I not only had to orient myself on the field but try to run with all this equipment on me.  However, with that said, the guys were nothing but helpful and coached me up while I was running in circles.  I had two passes to me in the first half and I missed them both which led to the ball on the ground and a mad scramble to scoop it up and a turnover for me.  I just wasn't aggressive enough to go after it.  I quickly subbed out of the game with my heart pounding out of my chest.  Thank goodness for subs!  I stood on the sidelines and watched my friend Jason, who used to teach with me, as he was learning the game for the first time as well.  He mixed in very well and was doing a great job completing catches and passing the ball around.  Doug started counting down the time toward the end of the half as I was dripping wet from sweat.  I took my helmet and gloves off and sat down to rest.  The second half was a different story for me.  Even though I still looked a little or a LOT out of place on the field, I began to breathe a little and take my time to think though things.  I slowed down enough to successfully catch both of the passes made to me and even had a clear shot at the goal in the final quarter.  I really had no business taking that shot but it was there and I was wide open and I did it.  No, I missed it wide but I had the opportunity.  The game came to an end.  I peeled my equipment off of my body and was completely in awe of this game and the guys who play it.    Thanks SCOG's and Hounds!

EVENT # 12 PADDLE BOARDING (July 9)

This was the COOLEST thing I've done all summer so far!  In fact, I think I have a new hobby.  I love to kayak, as you can tell from my earlier entry.  However, today I went to Lake Norman for some "real" kayaking.  As I was coming back in to dock my boat, I noticed a few people doing this thing called Paddle boarding.  Now I have known about this for a few years, but have never actually gotten the chance to try it.  That is the cool thing about this challenge this summer....sometimes I have to really seek something and sometimes it shows up right in front of me.  So long story short, I got connected with a guy named Rob with My Aloha Paddle Sport and Fitness in Lake Norman today.  His website is www.standuplkn.com.  Rob was very gracious to allow me to try paddle boarding today.  In my mind, this was something that I felt like I could really do but I figured it would be a different story once I got on.  Rob started me out on my knees paddling and then lifting one knee at a time, I was up and balancing and paddling standing up!  I NEVER once fell in the water.  Yes, I know that would make for a great story here, however, I am pumped about how cool this was and how much fun I was having on this board.  The great thing about this too is that when I am kayaking, I tend to get a lower back ache and a little pain through my hamstrings.  Here there is no pressure on your spinal cord from sitting too long.  It was smooth and very comfortable.  Thanks Rob for introducing me to a new sport!!

EVENT # 11 BALLROOM DANCING! (July 7 and 8)

OK, OK, OK.  I did NOT lose my man card here!!  If Hines Ward can do it, so can I.  This was my birthday present to my wife this year to take ballroom dancing lessons at Piper Glen Ballroom Dancing.  She loves to dance, especially zumba, but as for me, I'm not exactly John Travolta, maybe more like Elaine Benes.  As an elementary PE teacher, I do have to teach my students different dances like the chicken dance, hokey pokey, square dancing and even the electric slide, but this was quite different.  We were taught the rhumba, the swing, and the fox trot.  Trust me, we will not be on Dancing with the Stars anytime soon but it was fun to learn these dances with my wife.  I was WAY out of my comfort zone and she was the one cracking the jokes.  I like the Seinfeld reference she made when our teacher told us to face belly button to belly button......HEEELLLOOOO!...LA LA LA!!    Our teacher, Lucianne, was very good and gave us great cues to help me out with my awkwardness.  We have two more lessons coming up and I'll see where I'm at then.  This will probably not be my most successful sports this summer but will possibly be my most improved.

EVENT # 10: ULTIMATE FRISBEE (July 5)

I MADE IT TO # 10!!!!  I am a third of the way there.  However, I believe that it will only get tougher from here because I am really going to have to rely on other people and appointments to get this done.  No longer can I just go out and do something on my own.  So tonight, I remembered that some college kids usually play Ultimate Frisbee beside the school where I teach physical education.  Now I have been on this field for many years teaching my kids how to play games like this, but it has been since college since I've played a true game of ultimate.  I drove up only to find out that I would definitely be the only 37 year old going gray at this event.  They did, however, welcome me with handshakes and then came that dreaded moment that everyone hated back in high school......who will be shirts and skins!!!  And of course, I would be one of those skins.  Notice folks that there will be no pictures on this blog.  Let's just say that we did not need any of the overhead field lights on since I was there lighting the field.  Anyway, with that said, what a great workout and fun game!  This was definitely one of my more successful events so far.  I successfully caught every pass made to me and I'm pretty sure that I passed for a touchdown through several people.  They didn't really acknowledge it but I think I did.  Now I was passed up for the winning touchdown.  I was wide open and the guy gave me a look but chose to throw another way.  He caught it and we won!  It's nice to finally be in a true competitive contest where I was a part of a win!  That is something that will not happen very often in this challenge so I'll take it!  By the way, these guys had some very impressive throws.  Great lead passes as well as forehand and backhand passes.  I need to practice that more!

EVENT # 9 Hiking (July 3)

I've discovered another reason for doing this challenge.  To try to expose my two sons to a variety of different activities as well.  Which means that the intensity of some of these sports are not where I want them to be but I have to make it work for them as well.  So, as we were visiting our college friends this past weekend in the mountains of N.C., we were able to get in a 30 minute hike through the woods using our hiking sticks.  My boys have always enjoyed hiking since we live near trails and have even created one in our back yard.  I can't say my heart rate got up too much but good family time.