This is going to be an awesome river trip!  Hope you can join us!    Click here to read more…

The Iliopsoas is a hip flexor muscle group comprising of three muscles:  The psoas minor, the psoas major and the iliacus.  This group is one of the strongest of the hip flexor muscles and the psoas major runs from our lumbar spine across the hip joint to the upper inner thigh.   Very important muscle!  The interesting thing about these muscles, is that they actually need to be stretched to keep their normal tone.  Otherwise they shorten and tighten easily which can cause back pain, hip pain and lead to poor posture.  This is a very simplistic explanation of this important muscle group, but you get the point.

If people who don’t kayak are susceptible to the shortening of the iliopsoas then you can image what can happen to kayakers!  We sit with our hip flexors flexed for long periods of time and most of us rarely stretch out the front of our hips, but focus more on the hamstrings and back.  So, it’s especially important for us to focus on stretching this muscle group because we are especially susceptible to its shortening.  Upward Frog pose is a great way to tone the Iliopsoas.

Yes, this is a strange looking pose, but I’ve found that kayakers really get a lot of benefit from it.  My husband and Team Dagger paddler, Andrew Holcombe, now practices this pose almost everyday and it has really helped reduce his lower back and hip pain. Try it and see how it feels for you!

1. Lie on your back and bend your knees so that your shins are parallel to the floor, your thighs are at a right angle to your upper body and your feet are flexed.  Keep your knees from rising up to your shoulders.  In fact, you want to move your knees away from your upper body until you feel the stretch.
2. Allow your knees to fall apart and continue to fall apart with every exhalation.  This stretch can feel very intense.  When it gets intense bring your attention to your breath and notice the stories that your mind is telling you about how you just can’t do it anymore.  Try to just observe these thoughts and take two more breaths than you think you can.  Once you release the pose hug your knees into your chest.  Try to work up to holding this pose for 2 minutes at a time.  And, you can even add some crunches to make it more interesting as long as you continue to focus on your breath.  (What!?  Crunches in Yoga?! Yes, they’re good for us!)
3. For crunches try inhaling deeply, then exhale in three parts as you crunch up in three parts, reaching the top of your crunch at the bottom of your exhale.  Then as you bring your upper body back down toward the mat inhale and lower on a three count so that you come down at the top of your exhale.  Keep the movement slow and controlled.  Lift your chest toward the ceiling and don’t wrench on your neck as you lift up.  If your knees start creeping up toward your armpits make sure to lower them away from your body so that you continue to get the stretch in the illiopsoas.  Start with 5 crunches.  Hug your knees into your chest when your done.

This year’s Girls at Play Mexico women’s whitewater kayaking trips were awesome!  We hosted three intermediate whitewater trips and one beginner whitewater trip.  Filled with paddling, yoga, salsa dancing, bongo playing, laughter and more…   I’ll let the photos and the testimonials below do the talking.  I want to give a big shout out and thanks to all of the women who joined us this year!  And, thanks to Mil, Laura and Cailyn who rocked as instructors, guides and photo/video divas!  If you want to join us in 2011 check back soon for the dates and book your spot early as the trips filled fast this year.   Happy paddling!

“I can’t thank you enough for such an amazing week! I don’t think I had
any idea I was going to have SO much fun!” — Mary Frances Hansford, Atlanta, GA

“I feel like a lot of attention has been paid to detail and catered to women. Meaning, just enough sensitivity and pampering (smiles, positive, constructive criticism and wine) yet still a full on paddling trip. I loved the yoga too. What a great compliment to paddling and for an exhausted mother/ co-business partner!” — Greyson Briere, Asheville, NC

“I learned so much about kayaking, Mexico, and myself. This trip was more than a kayaking trip, it was an introspective, cultural kayaking experience. You have put together a fantastic vacation.” – Salli Katz, AL

” Anna has weaved a wonderful creation of fun exciting rivers, gradual skill progression, authentic foreign cultural experiences and a supportive environment to let your guard down and just have fun learning the wonderful sport of whitewater kayaking. She calls it Girls at Play and I’d recommend it to any woman!” — Angie Purcell, PA

“This trip exceeded my expectations!  I’ve been paddling for a year, but I learned more this passed week than in the past 12 months.” –Eleni Fargos, NJ

“It was a real pleasure to see the level of skill exhibited by the women support staff and yourself especially since I have mostly paddled with men.   Also, appreciated the way the week was structured both on the river and off.” — Janice Fiore, PA

“I am still a little high from the trip, must be something in the air down there. Life always brings exactly the gems I need to grow and prosper… many thanks.” — Cindy Frost, Austin, TX

Our flight to Mexico City took off just before a major snowstorm hit Western North Carolina and buried the area under 15 inches of snow.  Talk about good timing!  Jalcomulco, Veracruz is one of my favorite places.  The town of about 3000 residents is located in the Antigua River Valley surrounded by beautiful hillsides of Mango orchards.  The river’s indigenous name is Huitzilpan which means river of the swallows.  And there are lots of swallows that fly overhead and around you as you paddle down the Barranca Grande, Pescados and Antigua sections of the river.  I really enjoy the pace of life in the village, how people greet one another and spend time outside.  The people are friendly and welcoming, the food is delicious and the scenery is stunning.

We arrived a week before our first trip to spend some time paddling on our own and doing recon trips on all of the rivers.  Our friends Jason and Kara McClure also decided to check out the paddling around Jalco the same week.  And, once we were down there I got to catch up with some Canadian paddlers and friends whom I hadn’t seen in a few years and who work and live in Mexico.  It turned out to be a really fun week of paddling and hiking.

We paddled the Pescados, the Actopan, the Antigua and the Alseseca.  We also did one of my favorite canyon hikes.  The hike starts in the village and follows burro trails up to and past a natural swimming hole into a long, deep canyon.  As you go up the canyon you have to do some bouldering, climbing and crawling over, around and under big rocks.  Eventually you get to a spot where you scurry up the side of a steep hill, through a grove of coffee and tangerine trees to wooden ladders that take you up the canyon wall.  There’s nothing that tastes better when you’re hot and sweaty than tangerines that you’ve just picked from the tree!  From there we walked across the meseta to another burro trail that lead down the mountain and back to the village.  The view of the valley from the highest point was breathtaking.

Along with the paddling and hiking we also enjoyed delicious food.  Our favorite place is El Navegante taco stand.  El Navegante use to be a raft guide and now he makes the best pork and pineapple tacos ever!  The bad thing is that he only sets up on weekends.

Even though it didn’t feel lik e Christmas to us because we weren’t with our families, Mexicans definitely get into the festive spirit.  One of my favorite traditions in the village are the groups of kids who decorate a tree branch, make rattles and go door to door singing Mexican Christmas carols.  If they come to your door and sing you give them a few pesos and then they carry on to the next house.  At New Years there’s a similar tradition where the adults get into the action too.   Groups get together with instruments and one or two people dress up as elders who represent the old year going out.  They sing and dance for you and then you give them a few pesos.  It’s really fun.

The day after Christmas Andrew and I hosted an awesome group of paddlers for a week of fun and kayaking.  There were different skill levels in the group so we split up and tackled different rivers on different days, coming together to paddle for a few runs.  It was a great trip and we’re so glad this group got together and wanted to come to Mexico!  In addition to the singing groups at New Years we were also treated to an Afro-Cuban band and African Dance performers as well as a fire show.  Everyone was so tired from all of the paddling that only a few of us made it to midnight!

On our way home Andrew and I spent a day in Mexico City where we were surprised to find an ice rink, an artificial snow tube run and a snowball fight area in the middle of the Zocalo.  And there were beautiful Christmas lights on the buildings surrounding the Zocalo too.  We ate at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Los Girasoles and that was a delicious way to end our holiday trip to Mexico.  Luckily I get to go back this week to run my women’s trips!  Below are some more photos from my camera, enjoy!

I have to say that I’m not a hardcore winter paddler, obviously, since I run winter trips in Mexico!  So, I can relate to those of you who hang up the paddle for other, dryer, sports in the winter.  However, I do know paddlers who still motivate even with snow on the ground and icicles hanging from the brims of their helmets.  And, I admit that when I do drag myself out when it’s 40 degrees or colder (what I consider cold weather paddling) I have a lot of fun.  So, if you’re planning on getting out this winter, or spring here are my top five must-have accessories for staying warm on the river.

1.  Drysuit — not just any drysuit, but a really, really good quality drysuit!  Trust me, it’s worth the money to invest in a drysuit that actually keeps you dry, especially if you’re going to do a lot of winter paddling.  A good drysuit will totally transform your attitude toward paddling in the cold, at least it did mine.  There’s nothing better than unzipping the suit at the end of the day with dry clothes underneath… especially a dry sports bra, socks and underwear!  All of your wet, cold friends sans drysuits will be very jealous!  My personal recommendation:  The Kokatat Meridian Gore-Tex drysuit as modeled by Emsky and I.

2.  A fleece union suit.  Yes, the fleece union/bunny suit is my newest favorite paddling accessory!  I can’t believe that I only started wearing one this year.  It makes you feel snug as a bug like a kid in pajamas.  And, yes, it’s still easy to pee after you’ve got both your bunny suit and your drysuit on if you have relief zippers that match up.  My preference is the back relief zipper for both. Some women have been skeptical in the past about the back relief zipper, but it doesn’t interfere with the seat of your kayak and is very comfortable.  I don’t even notice it except when I need it!  Kokatat makes awesome union suits to go with their awesome drysuits.

3.  Poggies and/or gloves.  Ahh, the feeling of not being able to unbuckle your helmet or lifejacket because your hands are too cold. I think this is my very least favorite part about winter paddling.  I remember some years ago experimenting with dishwashing gloves under my poggies, a desperate move to try to keep my hands from freezing off!  I have to say that I’m really happy that companies like Kokatat and Glacier Glove are now making comfortable neoprene gloves and poggies that keep my hands warm.  I suggest wearing both gloves and poggies at the same time, especially if it’s a windy day.

4.  Skull Cap.  Since large amounts of heat escape quickly through the head it’s obvious why you want to have a skull cap for winter paddling.  Look for one that fits snuggly and that has a chin strap so it doesn’t move around.

5.  Hot chocolate at the take-out.  It’s a good feeling for thawing hands to hold a warm cup of hot chocolate once you’re changed into your regular clothes.  And, it takes me back to fond memories of my childhood winter days coming inside after playing in the snow for hours.  You can always spike it with your favorite adult addition to make it more interesting and yummy

So these are my top five winter paddling accessories.  And, if you don’t consider yourself much of a winter paddler I’ll add this sixth important accessory:  A plane ticket to a warm paddling destination!  Stay safe, stay warm and happy winter paddling!

The ’seal launch’ is a term used to describe the act of getting back into the river by launching your kayak down the face of or over the edge of a rock.  I’m not sure how it got that name, I’m assuming that seals do something similar when they dive back into the ocean.  Seems like a strange comparison, but it’s part of the whitewater kayak culture.

It’s an important and fun skill, especially in class IV and V when it can be  a necessity.  There aren’t always nice banks or beaches from which you can slide back into the water easily and you may have to seal launch.    Even if you don’t ever paddle class V, you can still find some fun seal launches on class III and IV rivers that are just fun to do for the sake of doing them, like Lunch Rock on the Nantahala (pictured below).  There’s nothing like launching yourself down or off a rock into the water.  It’s like running a little waterfall… except there’s no water.  It’s fun, really!

Here are the seal launch basics:

1.  Make sure that you find a secure spot to get into your kayak on the rock.  You don’t want to be teetering on the edge of the rock too much or on a slippy part of the rock.  There’s nothing worse that flying off the rock before you meant to without your sprayskirt on because your kayak wasn’t in a stable position.  Get a friend to help hold your kayak for stability if you need it.

2.  Use one of your hands or a boof stroke to propel yourself off the rock or to pick up speed if you need it.   You can also ask a friend to give you a push.

3.  Once you’re, going commit to it.  Don’t second guess yourself and lean back or try to stop once you’re going.  It’s better to commit and keep your weight forward and balanced.

4.  Look at where you want to land.

5.  If you’re seal launching from a height then you’ll probably want to push down on your heels so that your bow hits the water at a 45 degree angle.  You’re most often seal launching into flatwater so if you land totally flat it can be jarring.

Remember to have fun with the seal launch!  It may seem scary or intimidating at first, but if you’re with a group that you trust on a river that’s within your ability it’s easier to trust yourself too and enjoy it.   You may want to watch a few people do it before you go so that you can make a more informed decision for yourself.  On the Girls at Play Intermediate Trip in Mexico (pictured below) we offer to lower people using a rope on one of the seal launches down a slopping rock.   This way paddlers can choose if they want to be lowered the whole way or want to be let go of and experience the slide.  It’s exhilarating!

The Green Race is the premiere whitewater kayak extreme race in the world.  Thousands of people hike in over steep terrain for over an hour to spectate and world-class paddlers travel long distances to compete.  Most of the race takes place in a mile that drops 342 ft so it’s a steep, narrow and technical course.  The biggest rapid, Gorilla, is a narrow waterfall that has a burly entrance called The Notch that can flip you or sub you out as you go through right above the main drop. Yeah, very intimidating to most paddlers!

I personally really enjoy paddling the Green, but I haven’t run Gorilla in some years and I have no desire to race over it!  So, I have a lot of respect for the men and women who race.  This year’s top female is 21 year old Adriene Levknecht, a very talented paddler who lives in Hendersonville, NC and is no stranger to the class V scene.   Not only did she win the women’s division, but she also broke the record for the fastest women’s time ever.  I enjoy paddling with Adriene and I thought you’d like to hear about how she approaches paddling so I asked her a few questions.  Here’s some insight into the life of this talented young paddler.

GAP:  How long have you been paddling and hoe did you into the sport?

AL:  I have been in kayaks for about 14 years.  Growing up in Michigan my parents were both sea kayakers so that got taught to me when I was a child. That spawned into river kayaking when I was around 11.

GAP:   Your Mom paddles and she is very supportive of you. How does it feel to have a Mom who paddles? Is it fun?

AL:  I love it, I really like going kayaking with her when I can. She is my biggest fan and I am her biggest fan for sure.  She just paddled down the Tellico and I love being able to talk to her about kayaking, it is a really big part in both of our lives. She can understand the lingo and I don’t have to dumb anything down for her. I love her more than anything I have ever felt and I know I couldn’t do what I do without her and her support.

GAP:  What was your training strategy for the race?

AL:  Living with Shane Benedict. He pushed me as much as he could. I spent a lot of time doing flat water on Lake Summit. I did a mix between sprints and somewhere around a 6 minute fast paddle. I also tried to spend a lot of time calming myself down and visualizing myself having fast, clean lines.

GAP:  What was your biggest challenge leading up to the race and how did you overcome it?

AL:  I never felt like I had any pressure to win but people always have the proverbial “are you going to win the Green Race” question and those are always hard to answer. I tried really hard to not let that get into my head and just make a personal goal for myself and want to succeed in that goal. I really needed to stay calm on the day of the Race because I didn’t want to overshoot anything and crash. Shane did a good job talking me down and kept telling me to stay calm all morning.

GAP:  Do you have any pre-paddling rituals?

AL:  I try to do the same thing every morning so my body gets used to the feeling. I eat eggs, some bacon, and drink a bunch of coffee. I also drink a Nalgene before I go paddling. I do those things every day including race day. I like to paddle upstream and surf the wave at the end of the Upper Green that my Mom loves to surf, there is no one up there and I can get into my confidence easily up there.

GAP:  What were you thinking coming into the Notch?

AL:  Probably not to crash in front of 500+ people, that I was confident in my training and my ability to not screw up.

GAP: How did you feel at the finish line? Did you know you had broken the women’s record?

AL:  I was super fired up that I had a really good run.  I wasn’t sure if I had broken the 5 min range, but I knew I was right on the cusp. I had caught up to Laura during my run which had fired me up.   I knew I had broken the record because I timed my run on my watch to know at least around how fast I was.

GAP:  Would you like to see more women racing the Green and what would you say to encourage more women to paddle Class V?

AL:  I always get fired up about women out on the Green and other Class 5 creeks. I think it is hard for women to really get out of their head prior to a race. It takes a lot of hard work for women to take a hit and get back up again.  To women who want to race or paddle class V: stay calm, visualize, and practice as much as possible.

GAP:   Anything else you’d like to say to boater chicks?

AL:  Find a solid crew to kayak with. Tell them what kind of kayaking you want to do. Don’t feel like you have to run a rapid because other people want you to run it. Don’t rush into big rapids if you don’t want to. Get out there and do what you love to do!

Photo of Adriene running Sunshine after the race courtesy of Shane Benedict at Liquidlogic Kayaks.

Traveling and whitewater kayaking are two of my passions so I naturally get excited when I have the opportunity to combine both!  As the regular paddling season comes to an end for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s a good time to start thinking about possible winter trips.  There are two ways that you can approach international trips.  You can choose to get a group of friends together and plan your own logistics and go on the fly. If you already know local paddlers in that country this can be a great way to go, especially if you have a lot of time, you’re very adventurous and flexible.  This is what I did throughout my twenties and I loved it!  Back then it wasn’t a big deal to fly with a kayak and that made it much easier.  These days it can be fairly expensive to fly with a kayak, if the airline will take it at all.

If you have a set time, like a week or two weeks and you prefer to have all of the logistics taken care of  you can book onto an international trip with a reputable outfitter.  This is a fantastic way to travel because there’s very little prep time needed.  You buy your plane ticket, pack your stuff and show up!  From there you’re taken care of and you can relax (in between paddling) and focus on taking everything in.  Usually the food is really good too.  With good outfitters running cool paddling trips all over the world it’s easy to plan the perfect adventure!   I encourage every paddler to take an international kayaking trip at least once.  Some fantastic destinations include Mexico, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, Africa, Bhutan, Nepal or Europe.  In case you’re still not convinced,  here are my top five reasons you should take an international paddling trip this winter.

1.  Learn something about yourself

We all know that whitewater kayaking reveals a lot about how we each uniquely deal with stress and fear.  Combine that with traveling to a foreign country where you aren’t familiar with the customs or the language and you have the opportunity to transform your life with a great deal of enhanced self-awareness.  There’s nothing like learning about the attitudes, customs and beliefs of others to help you better understand your own attitudes, customs and beliefs.  This self-awareness is empowering and life changing as you learn new ways of being.  It may inspire you to let go of old habits and patterns that no longer serve you on and off the river!

2.  Paddling new and different rivers improves your skills and confidence

If you’re getting really comfortable on your local rivers then a good challenge is to travel and paddle rivers you’ve never seen before.  This will especially develop your river reading skills and confidence.  Choose a reputable outfitter with outstanding guides that will create a safe, trusting environment that makes it fun to push your limits beyond what you normally do with your buddies.  This can be especially effective if you feel that you’re stuck in a bit of a rut.  Doing something new and outside of your comfort zone can help bring new energy into and improve your kayaking.

3.  Expand your horizons by immersing yourself in a foreign culture

One of my favorite aspects of traveling abroad is learning about new cultures.  What they eat, how they live, when they take naps, their sense of humor.  I find it fascinating to learn about people because it expands my horizons of what I think is possible.  The coolest thing is that you realize that even though we may look, sound and act a bit different, all of us are human and share the same desire to be loved, accepted and to feel good.  It’s fantastic to meet and paddle with kayakers from other countries because you immediately have a connection to a passion you both share.

4.  Go somewhere warm when it’s cold in the northern hemisphere!

This is a no-brainer!  Most of us living in the norther hemisphere welcome a little warmth, light and sunshine during the coldest winter months.  If you don’t get to paddle in the winter because of the weather then a paddling trip to the Southern Hemisphere can cure your paddling withdrawal and the winter blues!

5.  The opportunity to see places off the beaten path

Not only are you traveling abroad when you go on an international paddling trip, but you’re also visiting locations off the beaten path within that country.  This usually means that there aren’t many other ‘tourists’  who visit the area.  My favorite aspect of this is that the locals are curious and friendly and not always in your face trying to sell you something.  And, the food and customs are usually traditional because the demand for ‘tourist amenities’ is lower.  This gives you the opportunity not only to see pristine flora, fauna and rivers, but also have a friendly, safe and unique interaction with the locals.

I hope that I’ve convinced some of you to take the plunge into the world of international paddling.  It’s easy.  You can search the internet for good kayaking trips right now. There’s no better time to infuse adventure and excitement into your kayaking!  If you’re interested in joining one of the Girls at Play kayaking trips in Mexico then click here!

See you out there!

If you haven’t experienced the Whitewater Symposium then you best put it on your calendar for 2010.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn, to share and to paddle with top padders, instructors, industry leaders and paddling enthusiasts.  There are all types of presentations, speakers, panels, river running classes, playboating classes, rolling classes, stand up paddle board classes, kayak fitness… and the list could go on and on.  Whether you’re an avid recreational paddler or involved in the whitewater industry, this event is such a wonderful place to learn and share ideas about how to follow your passion,  improve your skills, encourage more people to get out on the water and grow your business or career.

At this year’s Symposium I taught paddling classes, sat on panels, tried a SUP, did a kick-butt kayak fitness workout, paddled with old friends, learned from industry veterans and just had a really good time! I met a lot of great people and soaked in the beautiful fall colors of New England.  The vibe was positive, full of excitement and cutting edge ideas.  One special element for me was getting to catch up with my friend Jessie Stone and her organization Soft Power Health.  Back in 2004 I traveled to Uganda to help her with her grassroots efforts of preventing and treating malaria in local communities along the White Nile River.  Since then the organization has taken off and continues to grow and do amazing things at the grassroots level to improve people’s lives in Uganda.   Jessie’s work is very inspiring so please check it out.  Click here to learn more about the organization.

Thanks to Zoar and Janet Cowie for organizing and running an awesome event!  Here are two photos taken by Mark Singleton.  And here’s a link to photographer Adam DuComb’s website where many more photos from the weekend are posted.

Enjoy and see you at the Symposium next year!

Gauley Fest is one of my favorite events.  Not only is it a gathering of thousands of paddlers on one of the best stretches of whitewater in the world, but it’s also a huge fundraiser for American Whitewater.  This year’s festival saw great weather and a record attendance of over 5000 people!

Ladies on the Lower G kicked off the weekend with a river run down the Lower Gauley on Friday.  We had 20 women participate and raised $500.00 for AW.  It was a sunny day full of paddling, chatting and smiles.  At the end of the day there was a raffle with prizes donated by Kokatat and Girls at Play.  Everyone won a prize!  The ladies left feeling tired, yet energized from the day.   I’m grateful for all of the women who participated and to Kokatat for donating some great gear to raffle off!  I also want to thank Kathy Zerkle, Karen Mann and Anne Conolly for helping out and taking photos.

On Saturday I headed to the festival site to set up the Kokatat booth out of which I also promoted Girls at Play.  It worked out great!  I had samples of the ‘09 line of Kokatat gear, including the new Ronin Rescue Vest which is now available in the US.  And new this fall, I also had a few samples of the Girls at Play Limited Edition Ronin PFD — Now available on the site!

Kokatat teamed up with AW to raffle off a new Rogue drytop embroidered with the AW logo. The raffle was open to AW members only.  Members signed up with AW, filled out their ticket and brought it over to the bucket at the Kokatat booth where the drytop was hanging.  The raffle took place around 10:30 p.m. and we had hundreds of tickets to draw from.  I got to meet lots of great people in the process.  The winner was a woman by the name of Erin who was very excited!

Sunday and Monday I spent paddling with awesome friends whom I hadn’t seen in some time.  I had a blast catching up with pioneer female paddlers like  Shannon Carroll, Harriet Taylor, Colleen Laffey and Katie Johnson, among others.  It was great to paddle and enjoy the river with them.  There was lots of giggling…   Here are some photos for you to enjoy.  See you on the river!