Taking it easy..slowly get back into things...um yeah, right...

So Friday I take a trip to Blackies just to see the surf. I am saving my energy for Sat. and Sun. because I am getting over being sick.. Last time I surfed I got sick that night, and that was 10 days from Friday..and been sick since..So this top pix is of Blackies last Friday.. wish that was me out there..seriously looked like fun. Knee to waist high, fun little nuggets.. just my kind of ride.

But I had to save my umph for a 5K Beach Palooza in the LBC.. a little race we signed up as a surf club to do. So the following pix are just a few from that day. SO MUCH FUN! But it was hard and I was still hacking from being sick..BUT I did it.



Some how we ended up in the front of the line at the start of the race.. I am wearing a pink lei..Yes that is me with my mouth wide open in the back to the left..



I ran my heart out..but could not run the whole thing.. RUNNING in the sand is hard..and lets not forget to mention the obstacles we had to go through even fire jumping.




Just some of the girls from Wahine Kai who raced that day. We just sooo rock.

I finished and I am soo happy. My standing for my age group 40-44 was I came in 11 for my age >49:57.45 14:16/M and I am happy with it for being my first race ever.. being sick and NEVER ran in the sand before.


So yeah I wake up Sunday and I am sore and tired and wondering if I will ever move again.. I told the husband I am staying home and not surfing today, I just can't I have no more energy..but guess who got up and decided to go surf San O?
ME!! I text my husband and said decided to go to San O after all..His reply was "you are gonna end up in the hospital if you don't rest and you are still sick".. yeah I didn't listen. We had our Surf club end of summer party...although some of the Paloozers from the day before didn't make it..I did!



So San O..Waves are 2-3' I never surfed there before. My first time ever.



I can't believe how many people are out there. The paddle out is a bit farther than I am use too. But it was not so hard..My shoulder is still sore and I am exhausted and sore from yesterday and yep still getting over being sick.



So I caught my first couple waves on the inside to get use to this. They were fun and easy.
Later I did get out past the break..(the photographer left before that, so no pix of me riding in from there..and I did good too) I was a bit intimidated by how many people were out there, how far the paddle out seemed, and the waves look like they were so BIG outside. THE waves were so hard to catch, very deceiving.. I paddled my heart out thinking the wave was gonna break and nothing..SO much paddling for nothing. YOU had to work hard for these..but when you did.. and you caught one the ride in was long smooth and fun. I had so many lefts. BUT the paddling really did a number on my shoulder.. IT is very sore today. But all in all I LOVED it..I can't wait to go back to San O again. Um I think my chiropractor is not gonna be very happy with me though..I am still suppose to be "taking it easy".. "NOT pushing it."

So now today I went to work and rested. HA!

So what's a Surfer Girl to do?

So I had an unexpected nothing planned 5 days off! So as my title says.. What is a Surfer Girl to do? Well take 3 of those days and surf. Yeppers and that is what I did. First day, Since it was a last minute thing about my days off, I decided to clean my board and put a few clear ding stickers on some cracks and some fresh wax! WITH the shoulder issue I had to do that in long drawn out stages. But I was so happy when I was done. I sat in my garage just inhaling the wonderful smell of fresh surf wax. VERY intoxicating. SO next day(Friday) Loaded Tallulah in the Tahoe and headed to Blackies, after taking my youngest, the Diva to school. It was a bit windy and crumbly, but was 2-3 with a rare 4 coming in from the outside. I only surfed for 30 minutes, Did not accomplish a whole lot. Was more of a conditioning session I guess. I caught a few but very bumpy rides, really not a lot of fun. Also I feel less confident when I am out there without my girls, or not really knowing anyone. BUT better than nothing. My husband came to meet me for Breakfast since his morning trip didn't leave the dock. I could have surfed a bit more. BUT he really wanted to eat. So we did and when we were done.. The Beach was a windblown mess. SO glad I got out when I did.

So I felt good, Shoulder was sore but not as bad as I was expecting. Took advil did some stretching and rested it for the evening.I also applied some Salon Pas patches overnight. Helped the muscle ache part of the pain.

GOT up early the next day to meet some WK gals at Bolsa at 7 AM. A few of us Surfed South and some friends surfed on the other side of the bridge. A few other friends surfed North end and one, was one tower over where we were initially all gonna meet and surf. Even though we were not all together, WE all had a blast. Smaller than the day before, BUT not as much wind. Waves were fun and we surfed for about an hour. GOT 5 waves..2 waves I dedicated to 1) popping up and crouching and controlling my board, and 2) I went left then turned right... Just to see if I could.. AND I did. I was not tired, but shoulder and back and neck were starting to act up. THOUGHT hmm should get out, DON'T push it or over do it. IT was a good hour. I am happy I lasted. One of my friends was the last one out and I think she was in there for almost 2 hours. We all wondered where she was, but she was having so much fun. She didn't want to come in. Then she left with another girl to go paddle boarding after that. I wish I had her and some of my other friends stamina. ALSO I LOVED this surf sesh and I love surfing with my girls, We hoot and holler for each other over the smallest thing. BUT it really means the world! I have a lot more confidence when they are in the water with me and my surfing is sooo much better.

Sunday I rested. I almost went out and met the girls at Bolsa again. But really did not want to push the shoulder. But part of me is regretting not going, I think I would have been ok.

Monday, Went back to Blackies, Solo. My 17 year old went with me and watched, she had a Dr. apt that day.. so I took her with me first. Surf not so great, Just ankle biters as seen in picture below, was taken that day. A bit windy too. BUT not a lot of people out. I decided to get wet any way. YOU know what???I had fun, I was by myself, (well there were a few other peeps in the water, BUT I might as well been by myself) practiced my pop ups. Not a lot of inertia behind the wave, so made some short rides. BUT the vibe was good, there was some dolphins who made an appearance. I stayed out for 1 hour and 15 minutes. My daughter said on some rides I looked a bit shaky. I guess I need to work on that. Sometimes I ride like the wind, other times I look like it is my first day out. I think it is good to practice on bad days, and get something out of every minute. I am glad I did. Because even a not so great day surfing is better than not surfing at all.

So much to say.. so little space!

Ok I will try to get all this in. LETS start with this!

Yep Made it into a surf magazine.. AND not just any surf magazine..but my FAVORITE.. WSSM..sorry don't mean to brag.. but am very stoked about it. It is actually a Q and A written by my good friend about our club president and I was lucky enough to be in one of the pictures they chose...

Now onto this. LOOK WHO IS HOME! Picture of me and my son Branden who just got back from Afghanistan and came home to Cali for a little R & R.. and guess what I did with him.. ???
YEP took him to the Ocean and got him on a surfboard.

It felt funny teaching my 25 year old Soldier Sgt In the US ARMY how to surf. BUT what I thought was funnier is 30 minutes into it he says he is tired. WHAT? Hey we only just begun... SAYS the 40 something mom/grandma nursing a sore shoulder who has been out of the water for what over a month..plus these were very easy conditions, 1-2 footers, with a very easy paddle out and lots of lull in between sets. I thought you were Army strong ;-)?..He liked it, never really popped up but did get to his knees and was catching his own waves and was out past the break with me. HE tried. One time I just surfed right past him and said what you letting your mom pass you by? BUT it was all in good fun. He had the biggest smile on his face when he caught a wave all the way to shore rode it like a boogie board, He didn't pop up but who cares,He was having a blast. WE did surf for 1 hour and 40 minutes. They blackballed the beach and I figured that was a good time to go in. Especially since my Doc said 30 to 45 minutes at a time. I was in for 1 hour and 40 minutes. BUT a lot of that time I was explaining to my surfing soldier what to do. I LOVED every minute of sharing something I love with my oldest child. It was a great day!



So yep got back into the water. I had 9 day vacation and was only able to surf 1 of those days. I did good too, shoulder held up, so that is what matters. I did take Advil before and after and I was a little sore after, but not nearly as bad as I thought. I am now down to going to the chiropractor every other week. So yep getting better. MY son(the massage therapist) helps me a lot too.

Oh and the reason I was only able to surf 1 day.. was because I was so busy doing stuff with my son and his family, Catalina Island, Disneyland, Shopping, Park. Etc.. I am in need of a vacation from my staycation. But would not change a thing. Was gonna go surf Saturday AM..but we had that freakish storm... then Sunday I was just too tired. So I got my sleep on. Life is good right now. I am one Happy Surfing Grandma!

DRY DOCKED FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR SO!!

I remember doing this thing I loved.. what is it called again???.. it made me so happy... It made stress go away.. it helped with my energy level and fitness.. LIFE WAS BETTER WITH IT!.. I NEED IT!! I am forgetting.. what it is.. OH YEAH SURFING!!! I think I am not gonna remember what to do when I get a board in the water again......Well at least I have my surf blog friends to remind me. Thank You!!

Part 2 Tim O' Neil's Paddle Out

Nice tribute to a fellow Blackie Surfer! Hope he is catching Big Fish and Waves in Heaven!
Our contribution to the memory of Tim. My husband took an old picture from the fishing boat he works on. I blew it up to an 8x10 for him. My husband has known Tim for years. He use to chat with Tim in the winter at Blackies while I was out surfing. As I was going out, he was coming in.
This is how my husband and his fellow fishing friend Betty wanted to say Goodbye to their friend.
I think it is a nice gesture. I Can't say I have really "MET" Tim. But I surf the same break he did. I have seen him out there..and I believe he has given me a few pointers. while I was in the water. If I remember correctly, I think he is the one who told me how to lay correctly on my board while paddling out. TOLD me to keep my feet on the board. In the beginning I would occasionally use my feet to try and balance and they hung off the side of the board. Glad to say I have not done that since I was told not to.
My husband and few of our friends. A couple more showed up after we left. But obviously I didn't get their pix. There were also a lot of fellow surfing freinds of Tim.. the Fishing Crew didn't know the Surf crew. But They ALL knew Tim and Loved him dearly.

The Following Link is a post Surfline did on Tim... the best thing about all this.. He went out doing what he LOVED.. I hope when my time comes... I could be just as lucky!

http://www.surfline.com/orange-county/local-news/newport-surf-community-loses-tim-oneil-and-zach-morabito_57929

REST IN PEACE TIM! Every time I am at Blackies I will think of you!

Part One of 8/13/11 Doc gave the OK for a paddle out!

Well I am making this a 2 parter because there are 2 separate issues today. My first day back in the water since my Doc approved it. AND a Tribute to a surfer name Tim. I want to give Tim his own post, so I will start with my getting back in the water in almost a month of being out of commission.

Wish the circumstances of me being able to get wet again were under happier times.

I wanted to paddle out for a fellow Blackie surfer and good friend of my husband. But we could not stay for the paddle out. We had a friend coming to do the wood floors and I had to be at work by 10 AM. I did my first Dawn Patrol I believe. Left house at 5:15. it hit the water by 6:30. I went out and did my own thing prior and said a prayer for Tim by where the paddle out took place.

It felt great to be back in the water. Conditions were yucky. inconsistent 2' not really all that great and low tide.

I paddled out and it was not a long paddle out and easy. I was grateful for that. Since the shoulder is still not up to par. THE doc said I could paddle out for 30 to 45 minutes. BUT not to push it.

I caught every wave I went after a total of 3. But the rides were short and bumpy. I did good paddling for the waves. First 2 no prob. I felt I really sucked though took me a while to get up. I felt fine paddling for the wave. I think because that is what I was concentrating on. When I went to push up ..that is when I really felt the pain in my right shoulder/back. After the 3rd wave and about 30 minutes. I was almost in tears again. Burning and pulling sensation down my arm. Also sitting out there and looking over my right shoulder hurt my neck too. Those two areas are what hurt the most. It killed me to carry my board out of the water. Thank goodness my hubs was there to carry it to the Tahoe.

Well At least I did that..and got my gills wet.. and MY HUSBAND said "hey you are a lot better than last time I saw you, and you are getting up faster." I said "really and today I felt I totally sucked. I didn't even really ride a wave. I am much better than what you just saw." SO that made me happy! I got a compliment from my hubs who has not seen me surf in quite some time. SO I guess I am progressing quite nicely. today I didn't have any fun lefts... I was a bit bummed about that too!

After I felt all my therapy went down the tubes, I was in the same amount of pain as before. Killed me to pull off my wetsuit. I was so frustrated!! I guess it takes time to heal...ugggghhhh! Came home and took a nice soak in the tub and some Ibuprofen and feeling a tad better now.

OH and the new wetsuit..I went one size up.. just a tad to big..but usable. I guess I am in between sizes ..So I either need to lose weight to fit into one that I cant zip, Or gain weight to fill in my new one just a bit. LOL

AND I also learned, I can get to the beach and back and still make it to work on time. IF I want to drive over 70 miles round trip for a morning surf sesh.. OH this could be a bad trick I just learned.. ;-)

Still Out of Commission =(

So the shoulder is still not working.. been going to the chiropractor for a week now. My schedule is every other day. Some things feel better and some things feel bruised and feels like the pain is traveling, as he is working on one area, the next day I feel pain in another. Apparently I am pretty out of sorts... 2 pinched nerves in the neck. 2 ribs out of alignment a few discs out of whack. I guess that is what happens when you get thrown off your surfboard when you are in your 40's. BUT even though it hurts to lift a 1 liter water bottle with my right arm... AND... I have been put on hiatus from surfing and running till further notice. I still want to go out in the water even if it is for 20 minutes. I AM DRYING OUT HERE! I need it!

I think I may attempt a lil something tomorrow just to get wet. Doc did approve for me to attend a paddle out for my husbands friend this Saturday. Just wish it was happier circumstances to get on my board.

Any other surfers frequent chiropractors? I would like to hear from you and your stories. This is my first chiropractic adventure and was not sure about it. GUESS I am or was expecting immediate relief. ALL I have to say it Thank Goodness I finally got some health insurance and he takes it.