4:00 AM. My mobile phone alarm goes on. With one eye shut, I search for the phone amongst the pillows and sheets on my bed to stop the ringing.

Slowly falling back to sleep again, I would receive a text message from a friend “Gising na!” (Wake up!) “Ok, Ok I’m awake,” I tell myself.

I splash cold water on my face, do my early morning bathroom rituals, quickly change into my training gear, and pack my work clothes, water, and paddle. Within 20 minutes, I am out of the house. Sometimes, I’d pause for a quick look at the mirror and tell myself, “Oh well, I’ll get darker again” then check my bag if I brought the sunscreen.

Still cold and dark, I’d hope that a jeepney or taxi would pass by quickly. “I shouldn’t be late or it may mean an additional 20 pushups or cash demerits,” I thought.

At a little over 5 AM (or sometimes 5:30… oh no, I’m late!), I arrive at the docking area near Manila Bay to meet my teammates for an hour and a half of dragon boat training. The team meets this early, especially on weekdays, so we would not be late for work.

Training starts with a 20-minute land training/calisthenics to warm up the body. This is followed by an hour of paddling, and then ends with 10 to 15 minutes of cool down exercises. The training could get physically intense. This is why, by the middle of the day, my body simply refuses to function. I would find myself taking a power nap after a quick, big, high carbs lunch.

Dragonboating is physically demanding, considering that I also have an 8 to 5 job to support myself and my dragonboat (travel) activities. Yes, dragonboating takes you to different parts of the country (Boracay, Subic, Pampanga, Batangas, Bicol, etc), as well as overseas. As a competitive paddler, I’ve raced in the International Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Penang, Malaysia with my mother team, the Manila Dragons. I’ve also had the privilege to compete as guest paddler with the Philippine National Women’s team in Shatin, Hong Kong where we won silver.

Lessons on the Boat
The lessons from dragonboating are different from other sports. Of course, there is the need for discipline – to perform well with the group and not be the “weakest link.” Here, I’ve also learned that "dragonboating is the longest two minutes of my life."

During the last 20 meters of a race, when all my muscles would feel sore and negative thoughts come into my head, the test of not giving up and still following the team's paddling rate is tested. Similarly, in life and in work, we encounter our longest two minutes every so often…. And the dragonboating experience teaches us to hang on and not give up.

And I guess, the ultimate satisfaction comes not only from winning race competitions but also from the team’s camaraderie after each race. Win or lose, as long as my team had a good competitive race, we are happy. Dragonboating is definitely the best team sports ever, where life lessons abound.

Off the Boat
This had been my life, my routine when I was a competitive dragon boat paddler. Looking back, I still could not imagine how I managed to pull this schedule off for several years. Maybe, I was really hooked on dragonboating – I guess, until now.

By 2004, my so-called “career” as a dragon boat paddler / athlete was abruptly stopped. Due to a chronic stiff neck problem followed by a minor bike accident, I had to temporarily leave dragonboating.

However, still hooked on the sport, I volunteered with the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) in administering dragonboat races and coordinating activities for them.

Volunteering would allow me to share the sport. It would be fulfilling to know that others would also learn life lessons and enjoy new friendships through dragonboating. Sometimes, I dream that each of the Philippines’ islands is hooked on the sport. It could mean that we can actually learn to work together, for the good of the whole team/country. By volunteering, I start small, and facilitate the lessons from the sport, one team at a time. I figured, it can’t be that hard – and was I so wrong about this.

The PDBF is the governing body of all dragonboating activities in the Philippines. It was established in 2003. Prior dragonboating activities (since the 1980s) were managed by the Amateur Rowing Association of the Philippines (ARAP). With the inclusion of the Philippines in the International Dragon Boat Federation, the PDBF was formed.

Volunteering at the PDBF was a different challenge. Instead of sacrificing the early morning sleeping hours, with volunteering I had to sacrifice sleeping early. My work hours during weekdays and weekends extended because of the Federation. On weekdays, I’d squeeze in dragon boat work during office breaks and after office hours. This would involve writing, doing layouts, editing and coordinating tasks for the dragonboat magazine; writing letters to potential sponsors and different organization for fund raising projects; and other tasks involved in coordinating the Federation’s different activities. During weekends, I would prepare for and meet with affiliate dragon boat teams – assisting and responding to their concerns and requests. In other words, it is like overtime work with no pay.

Often, a day before a race day (Saturdays), I would spend the whole day finalizing all logistical requirements for the dragonboat race.

Preparing for a dragonboat race is not an easy task. It requires preparing all requirements for more than 500 participants. It is a big deal, considering how the federation only has five to six volunteer colleagues on a part time basis. To top our extended Saturday work, we are the same volunteers who form part of the technical committee that needs to be on the race site early morning on the next day. Here, I realize that volunteering is actually harder than dragonboat paddling. (At least, it exposes me to the technical side of the sport where there is also opportunity to travel to more prestigious and bigger dragon boat races.)

Admittedly at times, I’d wish I could just go back and paddle. It is strange but I’d miss waking up earlier than dawn and waiting for late teammates, complaining about the muscle-aches and the additional tan I get from the other day’s training, being sleepy and exhausted by the middle of the day, eating three to four cups of rice each meal to prepare for upcoming races, and of course, getting together with my teammates.

Now, volunteering and being “off the boat,” I realize that I became a member of another team – a league of its own – the unseen champions who work for the development of the sport…. “For the love of dragonboat” …so that others may continue to experience and learn life lessons from dragonboating.

Happy paddling everyone!

Photos used with permission from Jilla Decena.