Day 17

The Kite Surf yesterday really got in my head. The instructor (Tim) is here by himself and is giving me a “lesson” while also running the store. He also seems to be distracted (looses things, or people take things and he can’t find them). It isn’t much of a lesson. He sends me go out on the kite and if I crash will come pick me up on the boat. I wasn’t really able to get up yesterday. It was more of a “up and down” a lot. I only really crashed once. But the two times he needed to pick me up I was WAY OUT away from shore. Both times it was starting to feel unsafe to me.  I picked this place to get lessons from because of safety (they seem to be the only one with an active boat during lessons).  I had assumed the “lesson” would involve him being close by in the boat and giving me advice on what I”m doing wrong. I think I understand how to stand up, but I don’t understand how to get power in the kite to keep going.. One time a few days ago the boat was “out of gas” and had to go get another boat. With me being so far out I’m worried that something could happen to him or the boat and I would end up lost in the ocean. When I ask him a question about technique he is kind, but dismissive “just pull harder” and I don’t feel like he understood what I was asking. Sadly this is putting a damper on the KiteSurfing experience. That and I don’t have enough strength in my left leg to use it to get up so like wakeboarding I’m trying to do everything with my right foot. The lack of strength in my left leg first bothered me (“I am getting old”) but I am at peace with it. 

 I didn’t sleep well last night.  I think I may have over done it yesterday.  I did three workouts (1 mile run, 1 hour cross fit and 1 hour kite surf). I did a really hard CrossFit workout this morning.  It wasn’t too hard as much as the heat really killed me (Max HR doing 50 clean and jerks). I have a run test scheduled for Friday to set my zones for my upcoming training plan. The heat is really going to mess with them. The wind is going to be bad tomorrow and maybe Thursday so I’m going to try to get in a Kite lesson this afternoon if my body will support it.

The Sam Harris book on spirituality is really something I need right now. The first part is on mindfulness. What he explained is something I have discovered on my own over the last few years, and I wish I had read it earlier so I wouldn’t have had to figure it all out on my own.  He is currently explaining “self” and “consciousness” … which I kind of understand but am so tired some of it I’m not paying enough attention to and I’ll probably need to re-read the book. I’m interested to hear where he takes the book. 

I’m going to spend mid-day today trying to rest by the pool. If I can find a place to get a massage before or after the 3PM kite surfing I may try that, but they were all either sketchy or in the middle of the tourist zone and super expensive. I asked the guy at CrossFit and he said he would send me a number for a sports massage therapist so that may work out.