SD Digest - 8/26/2009

Space Dragons -

We're in store for another fun weekend!

THIS WEEKEND (8/29-30)
What: SD YARD SALE!
When: THIS Saturday (8/29), 6:00am - early PM
Where: Jeremy "CJ" Sander's home:
2615 Rockefeller Lane
Redondo Beach, CA 90278

ALL Space Dragons - we need your contributions!

How to donate (3 options):
1) Drop-off @ CJ's home beforehand (esp for large items)
Contact CJ @ 310-339-1496 or Jlsander5@yahoo.com to coordinate.
2) Drop-off to Jason Hafer @ practice this Wed
3) Bring contribution @ 6am on 8/29
* Interested in volunteering @ yard sale on Saturday? Let us know by replying to this email.

Other things to bring:
1) Drinks & snacks to share! (Mini-CoL)
2) A beach chair to sit-on


What: Boat maintenance
When: This Saturday (8/29) & Sunday (8/30), 7:45 AM both days
Where: Practice site

Saturday Volunteers (8/29) - Thank you!
Arlene
Blanca
Ceez
Dave K
Davin
Devant
Edie
James A
Janice
Jeff K
John D
Kat S
Louise
Marty
Robert
Rod
Rose C
Russell
Scott
Step
Turtle
Wade

Sunday (8/30) -Thank you!
Allan N
Betty Y
Blanca
Brian
Christie K
Davin
Devant
Edie
Esther
James A
Janet S
Jason
Jeff K
Jennifer H
Kat S
Kat W
Kim
Marty
Mina K
Paul
Phil
Rico
Robert
Rod
Rose C
Step
Susan
Turtle
Zoe


What: Long Beach Awards Ceremony
When: Next Sunday (8/30) after Boat maintenance & practice
Where: Practice site
*Come and get the LB tournament medals you worked so hard for!

Other upcoming events:

SF TOURNEY: September 26 & 27
LESS THAN ONE MONTH AWAY - WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ENSURE WE FINISH STRONG?
Please RSVP on Evite (see email)
Roster spots available (esp for MEN): ~63 signed up so far - room for 60-70 paddlers!
Cost per paddler pending Yard Sale results

Contact Wade (wade@spacedragons.com) for hotel room/roommate


LAKE LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT : October 10
Registration deadline is approaching, please RSVP on Evite (see email)

OTHER NOTES:
Special thank you to "Uncle Tom" Loesnerita for inviting us to join him in the fight against cancer! Great times, read about it here.

Practice is ON EVERY Wed, Sat, & Sun, with the exception of this upcoming Saturday, 8/29 (Yard Sale + Boat Maintenance).

Possible order for SD Royal Blue PARKAS--please reply ASAP if you are interested (may be able to order in time for San Fran tourney).

Thanks,

Pearl, Tran, Wade

LB - Bigger, better, and Weddingrific!

Okay so I missed Big LB due to a wedding...judging by the poll on the right, that was a popular decision. Anywho Felicia Chanco was nice enough to bang out a recap so enjoy!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey EVERYBODY! It’s Felicia, attempting to do a write-up. Disclaimer: I’ve always said that I can speak better than I write… So, this article could best be described as Word Vomit. (I seem not to have too much trouble with that… according to some people.)

The word is out! Big Long Beach 2009 is “by far the most successful tournament!” Honestly? No one can dismiss that statement. With everyone, LITERALLY EVERYONE, leaving with a medal that weekend, I am pretty sure that NO ONE can look at the SPACE DRAGONS and say that we did not have great results from all the hard work we put into this tournament. Yeah, YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE! =]

But of course, my question is… How could we NOT have had a great tournament when it was opened up by the GREAT and FABULOUS news of Joani’s (Joe and Yani) PREGNANCY?!?! Congratulations, You TWO! You DID it… (Hehe.)

Let’s break down what this “success” really was.




Starting with Space Dragons’ WONDERFUL WHITE!
Although not exactly having the best results from the 500 meter heats, they took what they had (SHOOTING OUT OF THE GATES LIKE HUNGRY GREYHOUNDS FOR A RABBIT!) and applied it to the Long Beach Special: 200 meters. After smoking the competition in their first 200 meter heats, I was given the honor of calling their final heat. They were so very excited yet calmly focused and determined to repeat the results from their previous heats. And, well… THEY DID! The Space Dragons family now includes the 200 meter Division III Reigning Champions! First… NUMBER ONE… out of 35 teams!! Congratulations, White! Way to REPRESENT!

Now to… BLUE… blue BLUE blue… blue blue… SPACE DRAGONS SPACE DRAGONS SPACE DRAGONS SPACE DRAGONS! (Set to the music of “Jump On It “ by Sir-Mix-A-Lot)
The Blue Boat had a very strong crew but for some reason the boat was, in the words of Joe (the baby daddy), “heeeeeavvy.” Luckily, the Blue Crew did not get down after some hard heats on Saturday and looked for a fresh start on Sunday, as they went into the finals. Sunday comes around and Blue well-deservingly got to race the race that they always knew they had in them. Blue came out of this tournament successful by winning the silver medal in Division IIC 500 meters. YEAH BLUE! We all knew that you had it in you. :D

The Strong, The Beautiful, The DOWN RIGHT BAD ASS! Space Dragons Red. Hard work paying off cannot be better resembled by this crew. Another year with the “top dogs,” our own Space Dragons Red dealt out some hard competition that ANY TEAM can notice. I completely LOVE this metaphor that was used multiple times: Space Dragons Red showed up at the GRAND BALL saying “You know WHAT?! We are here and ready to DANCE! Watch out, dragon boating world, Space Dragons are moving their way up… fast and HARD!”
Just being in Division IA is a success within itself and, on top of that, ROCKIN’ RED’s success was solidified by winning bronze in the 200m Division I race. Heck yeah, Red… HECK. YEAH.





After all the paddling, sweating, and getting sunburned… there is no better way to wind down but with CIRCLE OF LOVE. (newly named CoL) Apparently, this CoL was twice as big as last year… MORE SUCCESS! But, this being my first time at the Circle… HAHA… not TOOO sure what was going on but it was A BUNCH OF FUN! Thanks Brian for all the special beverages (but of course… I have NO idea what that is…) which induced a lot of crazy behavior (*please see side note after paragraph). SUCH AS… POPCORN WARS, and probably the highest number of attempts to give EYEHICKEYS ever witnessed... A lot of fun and a lot of love… and of course, we cannot forget Ripple EFFECT… there probably is no better sister team for the Space Dragons than they are… who paddles and PLAYS just as hard as we do! YAY FOR CIRCLE OF LOVE!

*Just in case anyone forgot… THERE IS FOOTAGE OF CEEZ AND PHIL KISSING!

But you know… it has never just been the paddling and the fun having that makes us, the Space Dragons, who we are. IT’S THE PEOPLE! =]

Someone like Denise who, although was unable to paddle, showed Space Dragon spirit by handling business! Although there should be a whole bunch of more words to truly accommodate with gratitude what she did for us, THANKS DENISE and to those who worked with her to make the tournament outside of paddling possible. (some names: Kat, Marina, Susie)

Someone like Phil (aka Animale) who thought about Tom during our weekend of festivities. By making a poster for everyone to sign and send their wishes to Tom as he is going through a tough time, Phil exemplifies the Space Dragons spirit, by taking care of their own, on or off the race site.

Again, a sister team like Ripple Effect! Every tournament is just that much more SPECIAL when we experience it with the fabulous RFX. Thanks again for the whiteboards… those gifts were GREATLY appreciated!

All of the callers and steersman that SURVIVED yet another STRESSFUL tournament… with all the weird starts… I’m surprised that none of you guys passed out with all the craziness. GOOD JOB!
AND OF COURSE!!!! THANKS TO ALL OUR COACHES AND CAPTAINS THAT KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE! MAKING SPACE DRAGONS THE NAME ON THE BEACH! WE WOULDN’T BE WHERE WE ARE WITHOUT THESE VERY HARDWORKING AND DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS. MUCH LOVE FOR YOU GUYS!!
And because, I am COMPLETELY DENSE to all the background workings that make this tournament possible and successful… THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE A THANK YOU! YEAH, THAT MEANS YOU!

Some closing remarks: We, the Space Dragons, have such a BRIGHT FUTURE ahead of us. Each tournament that passes by, we find ourselves that much stronger and no one can deny that we are setting ourselves up for that much more success. All the hard work that we all have put in IS paying off.

I, personally, am so grateful for this team. I would not trade my experiences with the Space Dragons for anything! SO! Thanks for reading (or not =[ )

Stay beautiful, Space Dragons…

Space Dragons join the fight against Cancer!

This past Saturday, the team had the distinct honor and privilege to join in the fight against cancer by participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life!

The walk was very personal for our team, with team member "Uncle" Tom just weeks off surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. We were all very inspired & proud to see Tom in such good spirits as he walked not one, not two, not three - but countless numerous laps w/ Susan and his team mates by his side.

If you feel so inclined and have not already done so, donations to to the American Cancer Society can be made here.

The sport of Dragon Boat brings us together. From there, the bonds made support all of us through the various challenges life throws our way. SD Family!

Boat Maintenance this Weekend!

Thank you, team, for signing up for this important activity!
Let's keep these boats in great condition!

Below are the sign-ups - be sure to arrive @ 7:45am.

If you haven't signed-up yet, please sign-up for Sat &/or Sun by emailing captains @ spacedragons.org.

Saturday (8/29):
Arlene
Blanca
Ceez
Dave K
Davin
Devant
Edie
James A
Janice
Jeff K
John D
Kat S
Louise
Marty
Robert
Rod
Rose C
Russell
Step
Wade

Reminder that the SD Yard Sale will be held Sat 8/29.
Join the many who will help set-up the yard sale @ 6am and then head to Mother's for Maintenance!


Sunday (8/30):
Allan N
Betty Y
Blanca
Brian
Christie K
Davin
Devant
Edie
Esther
James A
Janet S
Jason
Jeff K
Jennifer H
Kat S
Kat W
Kim
Marty
Mina K
Paul
Phil
Rico
Robert
Rod
Rose C
Step
Susan
Turtle
Zoe

Thanks, Steve K, for coordinating on behalf of the association!

Paddler Spotlight - David! Who? Lil Lui! OHHHH!!!

Hometown?
David:
Monterey Park, CA! The MpK 626!

Birthday?
David:
January 26. But when its around January 20ish, it suddenly changes to September 19. Weird sorry if this interferes with your dunking plans, but its like that.

Favorite Food(s)?
David:
Fried Chicken!! Spicy food! Ramen!! In and Out!! Boba!! Lollicup Popcorn Chicken! LnL!! BACON!!!!!! Hm..they all sound so unhealthy…which is why they’re so gooooood.

How long have you been paddling for?
David:
Mm on and off for about 2 years. Usually when I was back from school during vacations while I was out of state, but now since I’m at UCLA I tend to come out more. But its too long tho, getting too old for this.

Why do you paddle?
David:
I get to eat good food after. LnL for the win!! And Ruby’s Garlic Fries!! Woot. Oh and supposedly its good exercise I guess? But then its all the people, so fun, so weird…and so very very perverted

Are you a better Paddler when you are Happy or Angry?
David:
I’m gonna say..happy. Tho I’d like think I’m a better paddler when I’m scared of Joe, Emily, whoever is yelling at me from the front of the boat, or when I really REALLY have to pee. That’s a really good motivator during races to get back fast.

Favorite or notable Space Dragon moment(s)?
David:
Huli in SF!! Man that was fun, and scary. There was a freakiin shark in the waters! A shark! Like the one from Jaws!

How do you prepare yourself for a Race?
David:
When Pearl is watching: I close my eyes and pretend to concentrate. When Pearl is not watching: I stuff my face with food. .

Any hobbies, activities, interests outside of paddling?
David:
I like tennis, racquetball, badminton and ping pong! Pretty much all the racquet sports. Usually if I’m not at practice Saturday Mornings, I’m at the park playing tennis with some old guys….who are smoking….while owning me… =(.

Any advice for new Paddlers?
David:
It hurts like hell!! It really does. Also, if you’re one a boat, and you look up and see Emily sitting at the very front. You should probably jump out and get on another boat, or prepare to very much hate the words "Active" and "Rest" put together. Tho if you see Joe on the front, be prepared to be introduced to a new counting systems, where numbers mean nothing.

Paddling-wise, any particular goals for yourself or the team?
David:
Hmm yea! Woot see the white boat continue to improve! Our noobies are freakin monsters!! Red and blue get into Div A or even in the long run, ALL THREE BOATS in Div A! As for myself, I would like to learn how to rotate better….I just can’t do it.

If you could change one thing about the Team, what would it be?
David:
Since everyone says practice times, I'm pretty sure everyone would want that changed. But the one thing that i Really Really and i mean REALLY change is have LnL open on Sundays, and have Doughnuts for breakfast on Race days. Oh what? That already happened?! Hm, then nothing really. Maybe...a tad bit more younger ladies on our team. Yea yea? k make it happen ladies. Bring out your younger sisters, cousins and sorts. =)

Favorite part about being a Space Dragon?
David:
Probably when we go to eat, you guys should venture up to Monterey Park to eat. Don’t worry about the C grade in the window, the C just means its real Chinese.

You have a single brother or sister. What Space Dragon would you consider hooking them up with?
David:
Sorry guys, Janet is taken. Go ask her who he is..

Most interesting character you've met through the team?
David:
There are soo many. Ceez who reminds me of a Filipino Santa Clause, Brian the bringer of deliciousness, Galen no need for explanation, Joe rather Papa Joe, the Matsunamis aka Matsunami Monsters, Jeremy who lost half his body weight, AJ who the human black hole and many many more to list unless you want the blog entry to be uber long. =)

Any interesting facts about yourself - or secrets that you want to divulge?
David:
Hm…secrets…I tend to fall asleep during the first 20 min of class…always…but somehow able to know what the professor talked about. I like to think I learn better when sleeping, my grades seem to disagree.

Who got you into Space dragons/Dragonboating?
David:
My sister! Actually, it was my Mom. She dragged me out of bed one day to make me go exercise (apparently I was pretty fat and she wanted me to lose weight) with my sister. And since that very day, I’ve been introduced to the incredibly painful sport of dragonboating, oh and the horrors that come when active rest is called. But the people keep me coming, and the phone calls from my sister upstairs at 6:45 AM Saturday morning.

How did you meet him/her?

David:

She’s my sister, I was stuck with her since birth. Tho she pays for all my food when we go eat after, unless she “forgets her wallet”. But she’s cool and awesome! BEST sister anyone could ask for. Btw Jeh, if you’re reading this, I would really like a Trivium Paddle for Christmas/Birthday =).

Lake Gregory! Organized Chaos becomes Wicked Fun!

Early morning rises aren't something new to Space Dragons, but a tourney in our local mountains is.

Welcome to Lake Gregory, where the air is dry and thin, the water is fresh, and the idea of dragon boating is relatively new.

This past Sunday, 32 Space Dragons set out on a quest for glory and came back with full bellies and smiles on our faces. Though they had to endure quick changes to the tournament layout and a certain coach/webmaster constantly yelling at them, these Space Dragons knew how to bring on the fun. Between playing with giant bubbles, frisbees, and feasting on a "fend-for-yourself" turned into defacto potluck, they somehow found time to paddle a few races.

At first, the altitude was a bit of a shock to the Space Dragons, as they jockeyed for position during the first couple races. Everyone agreed, the second race felt much better than the first and Space Dragons ended up with 3rd place victories in both the shortie division and the full "Professional" division. Several Space Dragons were also able to join our Long Beach brethren to form gender teams taking home the gold in Mens and silver in Womens.

A long morning's worth of work culminated in the race organizers accepting a Space Dragon proposal of a pursuit race (Thanks Kim for the great idea!). With Brian's masterful steering and Felicia urging us on, the Space Dragons pulled an awesome 4G turn to cut off their competitors and raced into first place!

The fruits of our labor led to a victory lap into the fountains of Lake Gregory, wild dunkings, and stuffing of faces. Happy, well fed, and tired from the day in the sun, we all returned home to our beds - dreaming of next year where bbqs and camping await!

Mad props go to the race organizers, esp Margaret, for putting on such a fun race, Mike and Dr Chen for introducing the sport to the IE, Phil and LARD for providing generous use of their head cam and to take such nice pretty pictures of us, Dee, Mary, and the rest of Aerodragons for helping set up the LB gender teams, our drivers, steersmen, callers, food providers, "soda" providers and everyone else who volunteered (I roped into helping me out). Thanks guys and see you all out on the water!

Support "Uncle" Tom Loesnerita

Updated 8/19/09 with info for joining the walk!

Fresh off of his surgery to remove his cancerous tumor, our very own "Uncle" Tom Loesnerita takes his fight against cancer on the offensive as he will be participating in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life on August 22 in Laguna Beach.

We beam w/ pride & hopes for a full, fast recovery, Tom!

From Tom:

I will be attempting to walk in a relay for life fund raiser on Aug 22nd. If there is anyone on the team that would like to join me, it would be greatly appreciated.

I saw the doctor today and got mixed diagnosis. My surgeon says the tumor was incapsulated and has not spread. But the guy that does the report on the tumor says there is a hole in it and the cancer has moved to some fatty tissue. Either way I am getting another opinion. I got a copy of all of my results to take with me.

The doctor also gave me some other bad news. My Dragon boat season is over. I thought I could make it back for the last race, but that will not happen.

I know there is always next season, it just sucks!

The pain is now starting to go away, so that is good.

Hey, thank everyone for that cool poster. I have it on the wall and look at it everyday.

You can actively support Tom's walk by:
1) donating to the fight against cancer: Tom's personal donation page here, &/or
2) joining him on the walk on August 22nd!

Meet @ 10:30 am @ El Morro Elementary School
8681 North Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

We will caravan over immediately after practice on Saturday.
Wear your SD jersey!

Also - for those interested, after the walk we will be having a picnic by the beach! And some surfing! Bring your surf gear!

SD Love.

SD Weekly Digest - 8/19/2009

All Space Dragons -

August is a busy month - lots of fun & important events!
We hope to see you @ all of them!

THIS WEEKEND (8/22)
What: Tom Loeser's Cancer Walk
When: This Saturday (8/22), 10:30am
We'll caravan to the walk immediately after practice
Where: El Morro Elementary School
8681 North Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Support our teammate & the fight against cancer!
Wear your SD jersey!
More info here.

NEXT WEEKEND (8/29-30)
What: SD Yard Sale!
When: Next Saturday (8/29), 6:00am - early PM
Where: Jeremy "CJ" Sander's home:
2617 Rockefeller Lane
Redondo Beach, CA 90278

ALL Space Dragons - we need your contributions!

How to donate (3 options):
1) Drop-off @ Jeremy's home beforehand (esp for large items)
Contact Jeremy @ 310-339-1496 to coordinate.
2) Drop-off to Jason Hafer @ practices beforehand
3) Bring contribution @ 6am on 8/29

Other things to bring:
1) Drinks & snacks to share! (Mini-CoL)
2) A beach chair to sit-on


What: Boat maintenance
When: Next Saturday (8/29) & Sunday (8/30), 8-9:30
Where: Practice site

VERY important activity.
Captain Pearl will have a volunteer sign-in sheet @ practice.
Be sure to sign-up for a shift.

NO PRACTICE on Saturday 8/29.
Practice is ON for Sunday 8/30 after boat maintenance.



What: Long Beach Awards Ceremony
When: Next Sunday (8/30) after Boat maintenance & practice
Where: Practice site

Come and get the LB tournament medals you worked so hard for!


Other upcoming events:

SF TOURNEY: September 26 & 27

Please RSVP on Evite
Roster spots available: ~56 signed up so far - room for 60-70 paddlers!
Contact Wade for hotel room/roommate


5. LAKE LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT: October 10
Registration deadline is approaching, please RSVP on Evite


And finally,

CONGRATULATIONS & good job to the Lake Gregory Crew! Team had a blast and brought home plenty of hardware!

For film footage of the race, check this out!


If you've read this entire post in detail, THANK YOU. Please continue to do so. Comment below and I may give you a prize.


Thanks,
Pearl, Tran, Wade

A Few Good Men

Mary is looking for a few good men...

She joined a volleyball league and would like you to join her. She is looking for 1 male player (possibly 2 cuz she can handle more than 1 player).

If there are any guys (must be 18 or older) that would like to join her volleyball team in the Long Beach City Volleyball League you should contact her. She plays on Thursday evenings in Long Beach exact location TBD, fee -$77.

BK BREWERY PINT GLASSES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE NOW

Just arrived, BK BREWERY pint glasses for sale $5 each! Head on over to the BK BREWERY blog for details on how to get yours! They are going fast get them while they're hot! And thank you for supporting the BK BREWERY, more BK BREW coming as we speak.

Cheers!

Lake Gregory! Final Logistics!

Lake Gregory Tournament is only 4 days away! Paddlers are you ready?

By now, your inboxes have been flooded with information. Hopefully this email will summarize and capture all that you need to know. Highly recommended that you print this.

Supplies Checklist:

- Race clothing (SD Jersey and black shorts)
- Paddling Gear (Paddle, PFD, etc...) *Extra wood padles for AZ team
- Water Bottle
- Chair
- Sunblock
- Sun glasses, hats, etc...
- Camera, camcorder
- $$$ for any misc fees, AFTER RACES food
- Breakfast and racing nourishment for self
- SD Spirit and team 1st attitude!

General 411:
This is a fun tournament with 3 races max. We should be done by noon, which leaves us enough time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the San Bernadino Mtn. The Park does not allow glass containers, alcohol, or dogs in the beach area. There is a waterslide and aquacycles to rent.
We will receive wrist bands for the team. These will allow our team "in and out" access of the park. Any additional people in your group will have to pay the $3.00 gate fee.

No Flake Policy (UPDATE THE EVITE SO THAT WE KNOW IF YOU ARE IN OR OUT):
Galen has done the initial draft of boat balancing and seat assignments. The "No Flake" policy will be enforced by Close of Business today, 8/13/2009. If you decide that you cannot make it after you have already told us you can, you will be assessed the Galen Race Fee of $20. Since the race fees for this race is already covered by Space Dragons - it is in your best interest to either show up or cancel prior to 6PM today.

Logistics:
Housing, Food, and Equipment will NOT be provided/organized by the Space Dragons. Due to the small size of this tournament and the large amount of logistics involved. You guys will be responsible for your own nourishment and prerace ordeal.

If you do NOT have a ride to the tournament please email Galen or Robert directly and do not reply all to this email. We will try to find a way to get you up there.

Call time:
We will meet at the Race Site no later than 7:30AM. If you show up later than 7:30AM, you will be assessed with a Galen Late Fee of $10.

Parking:
Parking is free but is limited. Gates will open at 7AM. The main parking lot is the South Beach parking lot but there is also parking around the lake and at the Lodge. If you get there late (Please note the Call Time and late fee assessment) you may have to park further down the road and will then have to walk the trail back to South Beach. There will be a “drop off” zone at the South Beach gate to unload but no shuttle service.

Equipment:
Please bring your own paddles, pfds, the Sacred Royal Blue Jersey, and black bottoms. Speaking of paddles, the Arizona team is short on paddles if any of you can help them out, it would be appreciated. It is advisable that you also bring chairs to sit on, or you maybe camping out on the grass.

Food:
There will be a BBQ Vendor “Gut Buster” who will have chicken, ribs, sausage links and side dishes. :) Feel free to enjoy at noon, AFTER the races are done. I know I will...Also there (maybe) some unorganized non-team related activites after the tourney where we might enjoy a few ice cold beverages. Feel free to join us a bring your own beverage of choice.

Safety:
The lake is at an altitude of 4,500 feet. Please take whatever precautions necessary to be acclimated to this change from sea level prior to engaging in strenuous physical activity.

The South Beach shoreline is dotted with pine trees and relatively shady, however, it is anticipated it will be quite warm (and DRY!). There is also a large shade structure that accommodates 100 people that is reserved for the event. It is expected to be hot and sunny...so make sure you lotion up and drink lots of fluids.

Directions:
When you come to the top of the mountain, there will be a ‘STOP” sign. Go straight through the intersection; don’t make any left turns onto side roads. The street (Lake Street) will dead end. Turn left (it is still Lake Street) and follow the road through town, at the 7/11 store, turn right (Lake Gregory Drive) then left at the first street (San Moritz). The South Beach Parking lot is on your left.

There is a Main Beach on Lake Drive at the North Shore – Don’t go there. (see picture). If you have any problems getting to the lake please call Lake Gregory at (909) 338-2233.

Finally:
This is a fun tournament. So make sure you go and have fun! The Race Organizers are new to this and will probably have a few issues to work out. That's okay, relax and enjoy the show.

- Your SD Captains and Coaches

SD Weekly Digest - 8/12/2009

1. BIG LONG BEACH MEDALS will be picked up 8/23 from organizer, thanks for everyone's patience.

2. PRACTICE
Resumes tomorrow night, 8/12
Sat & Sun practice is ON while some of us race in Lake Gregory

3. LAKE GREGORY -- 8/16 (Sun)
No race fees!
Attendees will be receiving separate emails from Galen/Robert/Brian

Please plan your own lodging (Sat night if desired) and food (on race day)
Bring your usual race gear: sacred royal blue jersey, black bottom, paddling gear, sunscreen, water bottle, chair, mobile shade

4. BOAT MAINTENANCE -- 8/29 & 8/30
The date has been confirmed, we'll be doing the morning shift (detailed info to come)
We need everyone to help - the more people the quicker the job gets done
Please reply to this email to RSVP for helping on Sat &/or Sun AM.

5. SD Yard Sale -- 8/29 (Sat)
Please continue to stash away your goodies!
We'll also need help manning the yard sale

6. SAN FRANCISCO/TREASURE ISLAND TOURNAMENT -- 9/26 & 9/27
Please RSVP on Evite
Roster spots available: ~53 signed up so far - room for 60-70 paddlers.
Email Wade for hotel room/roommate

7. LAKE LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT -- 10/10
Registration deadline is approaching, please RSVP on Evite

-- Love,
Pearl, Tran, Wade

Em's Corner

Coach Emily sends me links about fitness all the time. Aside from reminders that someone (me) has a lot of fat to lose, she also thinks about ways to optimize her performance come race day. Today's article is on caffeine.

Long story short, caffeine is good, so all you coffee fanatics go ahead and have your morning cup of joe...I certainally need one right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caffeine, it turns out, actually works. And it is legal, one of the few performance enhancers that is not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Exercise physiologists have studied caffeine’s effects in nearly every iteration: Does it help sprinters? Marathon runners? Cyclists? Rowers? Swimmers? Athletes whose sports involve stopping and starting like tennis players? The answers are yes and yes and yes and yes.
Starting as long ago as 1978, researchers have been publishing caffeine studies. And in study after study, they concluded that caffeine actually does improve performance. In fact, some experts, like Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky of McMaster University in Canada, are just incredulous that anyone could even ask if caffeine has a performance effect.

“There is so much data on this that it’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s just unequivocal that caffeine improves performance. It’s been shown in well-respected labs in multiple places around the world.”

The only new questions were how it exerts its effects and how little caffeine is needed to get an effect.

For many years, researchers thought the sole reason people could exercise harder and longer after using caffeine was that the compound helped muscles use fat as a fuel, sparing the glycogen stored in muscles and increasing endurance. But there were several hints that something else was going on. For example, caffeine improved performance even in short intense bursts of exercise when endurance is not an issue.

Now, Dr. Tarnopolsky and others report that caffeine increases the power output of muscles by releasing calcium that is stored in muscle. The effect can enable athletes to keep going longer or to go faster in the same length of time. Caffeine also affects the brain’s sensation of exhaustion, that feeling that it’s time to stop, you can’t go on any more. That may be one way it improves endurance, Dr. Tarnopolsky said.

The performance improvement in controlled laboratory settings can be 20 to 25 percent, Dr. Tarnopolsky said. But in the real world, including all comers, the improvement may average about 5 percent, still significant if you want to get your best time or even win a race.
For years, researchers believed that you needed about 5 to 6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. An 80-kilogram, or 176-pound man, for example, would need about 400 milligrams of caffeine, or 20 ounces of coffee.

Now, Louise M. Burke, the head of sports nutrition department of the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, reports that athletes get the full caffeine effect with as little as 1 milligram of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. Instead of 20 ounces of coffee, a 176-pound man could drink 4 ounces of coffee, or about two 12-ounce cans of Coke.

It’s also possible to get diminishing returns.

Terry Graham, chairman of the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences of the University of Guelph in Canada, found that at 9 milligrams per kilogram, athletes actually did worse.

Many athletes and coaches are not caffeine fans. Mr. Johnson said he has tried to spread the word and gets frustrated when runners don’t use caffeine — so much so, he said, that when he sees the team his brother coaches at Cornell, he thinks, why aren’t they all going to Starbucks?
Mike Perry, a friend who is a sculler who has competed nationally and internationally, said that, with one exception, the rowers he knew did not use caffeine.

“People would have psychological issues with using it,” he said. “They would see it as against the spirit of the law, even though it’s not against the law.”

Still, Mr. Perry wondered whether caffeine would help him. When he retired from rowing last July, he decided to do a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled experiment on himself.
He noticed that the 200-milligram caffeine pills look exactly like vitamin C pills, allowing him to code the pills so that he would not know which one he had taken. For eight months he tested himself once a week, taking two pills an hour before working out on a rowing machine. Then he worked as hard as he could for an hour, recording the results, also recording his guess about whether the pills he took contained caffeine. Mr. Perry, who also is a runner, said that an hour on the rowing machine is the equivalent of an hour of very fast running on the road.
When he finished his study and broke the code late last month, he was astonished to see how much the caffeine had affected him. He was stronger — his power output was 3 percent greater — and faster. In fact, he said the average speed for his tests when he used caffeine was faster than his fastest speed when he was not using caffeine.

He also guessed right most of the time about whether the pills he took were caffeine or vitamin C. Mr. Perry said he is now sorry that he never used caffeine when he was competing. “It would have been a pretty harmless way to do better,” he said.

Others, including my son Stefan, disagree. I urged Stefan to try caffeine and he did. Once.
He took a caffeine pill before a track workout that involved running a mile very quickly, resting briefly, and running a mile again, repeatedly. Like Mr. Johnson, he was wired and shaking. But, Stefan said, he could not recover between miles. His heart was pounding and just would not slow down. He said he has no desire to experience that again.

Then there is the problem my running partner Jen Davis and I have. We love coffee and probably have caffeine in our blood all the time except during the middle of the night (it lasts for hours).

SO would we do better if we weaned ourselves from caffeine and then took a pill or two before a race?

I asked Dr. Tarnopolsky. It turns out, he said, that you get habituated to two of caffeine’s effects right away. Caffeine can make you urinate, but only if you are not used to it.

“Athletes do not get dehydrated from caffeine,” he added, “contrary to popular myth.”
And caffeine does increase the heart rate and blood pressure in people who are not regular uses. “But after three or four days, that potentially negative effect is gone,” Dr. Tarnopolsky said.
The beneficial effects on exercise, though, remain. Even if you are a regular coffee drinker, if you have a cup of coffee before a workout or a race, you will do better, Dr. Tarnopolsky said. “There is no question about it,” he added.

He puts the caffeine research to use when he trains and competes. Dr. Tarnopolsky is an elite triathlete, ski orienteer and trail runner who has competed at national and international levels. And, he said, he loves coffee: “I love the smell. I love the taste. It’s heaven.”

And before a race? He always has a cup.

Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

The Innerworkings of Calendar Making...

Wonder how we do it over here?

Well, every month Ceez sends me a pic of someone on the team and somehow they make the calendar. (Yes, these pictures are amazingly real...I have not edited them in any way. Not sure where Ceez finds all of these quality pictures but SDs are deffinately a sexy SEXY group.)

That said, this month Ceez thought about Mr August and threw this together for him...isn't it cute that he thought of...

Ceez's Mr. August:

Phil “the Animal” Munguia

Name: Phil “the Animal” Munguia
DOB: March 25th
Hometown: El Salvador

Likes: Bicycling, kayaking, salsa dancing, mentoring fellow El Salvadorean Rico “Suave” Rivas to be a macho latino, grubbing on pupusas at Sol Maya, L&Ls with a side of Yum Yum, climbing Alex the “SkyScraper”, hula dancers that swing their hips like Deej and Kat, kissing Ceez, and biking behind the apple bottomed Blanca. Puckering up in public for special occasions and being an awesome mighty Space Dragon.

Dislikes: Video cameras, people who go nuts when the Lakers win/lose championships, rumors, rumors that he purposely let Ceez kiss him on the lips, sandbaggers, BMWs with engines that break down, jerks, and when people look at his boys when he wears tight biker shorts to practice.

Relationship Status: This smooth latin lover is single .....(Galen, put some of your magic here!!!) Ed Note: this is the part where Ceez may have asked me to make Phil be even better than the perfect gentleman he is (Did you know that the Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man in the World" was modeled after the stud up there? You should come see him at a SD practice.) However, since someone was unable to profess his (or maybe her) true love to Phil...I shall now unveil the true Mr. August...

The REAL Mr. August:

Caesar "Ceez" Longboy

Name: Caesar "Ceez" Longboy
DOB: August 30th
Hometown: Where else do you grow up with a name like Longboy? Hawaii!

Likes: Deej, Coaching, paddling, softballing, equipment managering, weight balancing, 5AM Space Dragon related emails, Poi Pounders, L&L bbq, Muhfuggers, Su-Sus, Photochop, starting the Circle of Love, getting new paddlers out to practice, adding to Rod and Joe's gun show. Latino, good looking, Space Dragons that pucker up to him. Kissing in public for special occasions and being an awesome mighty Space Dragon.

Dislikes: Weak knees, Video cameras, kissing caught on film, working weekends and odd hours, webmasters that hijack his original idea and turn it into their own gains.

Relationship Status: Sorry guys and girls, as evidence from above, Ceez IS taken. Time to set your sights on other men. ( AHEM- I think a certain webmaster is single...)

Important Dates in August:

August 2: George “Panda” Toy’s Birthday

August 5: Bowling Night Cerritos Lane

August 7: Newbie Ana Morales’ Birthday

August 10: “Kitty” Kat Smith’s Birthday

August 12: Regular practice resumes

August 16: Jennifer “Mariah Carey” Zhao’s Birthday

August 16: Lake Gregory/Arrowhead Race

August 29 & 30: Tentative dates for our Garage Sale and Boat Maintenance

August 30: Caesar's 36th Birthday

Roar! I am Ceez! Come out to practice and be ready for some Fierce Kitty Action Paddling!

Paddler Spotlight - Marina!

Hometown?
Marina:
I was born in Long Beach, CA; when I was 5 yrs old, we moved to Omaha, NE for 2 years and then to Jacksonville, FL for 3 years then Washington D.C for another 2 years; we returned to Long Beach when I was 12 years old and I have lived in the Long Beach/Carson area most of my adult life, except for 2 years in West Germany, when I was 18 years old.

Birthday?
Marina:
November 3....if I get thrown in the water, I STOP baking....

Favorite Food(s)?
Marina:
Filipino food and fish, salads and I love sweets!

How long have you been paddling for?
Marina:
This is my 4th year, but 3rd year with my favorite team, the Space Dragons

Why do you paddle?
Marina:
At first it was just to incorporate another means to workout, now I'm addicted to medals.

Are you a better Paddler when you are Happy or Angry?
Marina:
Either makes a difference.

Favorite or notable Space Dragon moment(s)?
Marina:
Last year when the Red team was in the finals at LB, my manly coaches showed how proud they were of the entire team, what an moment for SD...FINALLY we are the 'big boys'. Also, Monday night dinner in Vancouver, I enjoyed watching you all put down some food, especially Sammie, where did you put it?????

How do you prepare yourself for a Race?
Marina:
Plenty of sleep.

Any hobbies, activities, interests outside of paddling?
Marina:
I have lots of plates, I could feed over 100 people with my current collection of plates. I just think at any meal you should have a choice of what color or type of plate you use. I also crochet afghans and scarves; I love to bake and cook, it's relaxing.

Any advice for new Paddlers?
Marina:
Stick with it, we are a GREAT team of people on and off the water.

Paddling-wise, any particular goals for yourself or the team?
Marina:
My personal goal is get 'lighter' and move out of the engine room...oh yeah, and keep my eyes on the strokes.

If you could change one thing about the Team, what would it be?
Marina:
Nothing...I just love this team!

Favorite part about being a Space Dragon?
Marina:
love to go to practice, everyone is encouraging and no matter how you felt before you got to
practice, you'll be much better when you leave.

You have a single brother or sister. What Space Dragon would you consider hooking them up with?
Marina:
Galen and Tran

Most interesting character you've met through the team?
Marina:
Wade...a great coach, he's full of fun, but 'mean' on the water (in a positive way). What a athlete, he sets the bar high for himself and the team and respects everyone...BTW, he could sell anyone the Brooklyn Bridge....love you Wade!

Any interesting facts about yourself - or secrets that you want to divulge?
Marina:
It's 50th birthday this year; I thought I would be depressed about it, 50 is so 'old'... But I'm happy and proud to be 50...I think they call 50 the new 40's. Most of the time I feel 40ish.

Who got you into Space Dragons/Dragon boating and How did you meet him/her?
Marina:
I was on the 'other' team, a friend of mine said I should try dragon boating, I just ended up
liking the sport; I started practicing with SD on the off-season and asked to join the team, I think Joe may now be sorry he said yes!

Happy Hour - Bowling!! - RSVP please!!

Please RSVP to this event either via a comment on this blog (w/ the # of people including yourself) or on the evite when you get an email on Monday...thanks! Need to know if I have enough lanes reserved...

Let's try something different after work...so now the kiddies and those from south of Long Beach can join us for Happy Hour!! Not to mention celebrating our excellent showing at the LB tourny!!

Where: Cerritos Lane AMF
When: Wednesday August 5, from 8pm-10pm (no more traffic..and no practice!)
Cost: ~ $20 for 2 hrs of bowling, shoe rental, pizza and soda!
What: Bowling! But what if you think you're horrible?? No worries, there's "Low Score" bowling, too - try to get the lowest score w/ the bumpers raised!.

I reserved a couple lanes, so get up to about 6 people per lane to start playing. Cost per lane is $79.99 + tax, to be divided amongst those in your lane! Try to get 5-6 to stay under $20.

Mark your calendars and see you there on Wednesday after the LB Tournament!!


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Highlights - Long Beach Tournament, Day 2

Everyone brings home hardware (well ... as soon as they clear customs)!

Space Dragons White brings home the 200M Division III championship - 1st place out of 35 teams. Champions - Great job!!

Space Dragons Blue brings home the 2nd place Silver in 500m Division IIC - way to represent, so proud!! Awesome grit & finish in your final race!!

Space Dragons Red qualifies for both 500m & 200m Division I championship races, bringing home the 3rd place Bronze in the 200m!!

But in typical Space Dragons fashion - above & beyond the victories - weekend was definitely highlighted most w/ just a lot of Space Dragons ONE TEAM love - everyone taking care of one another in ways that truly never cease to amaze, lots of fun throughout (including the CoL), and great bonding w/ the best sister team one could ever hope to be affiliated with, Ripple Effect.

Much love.

Highlights - Long Beach Tournament, Day 1

A few highlights (competition & general) from Saturday, Long Beach DB Festival:

Very, very proud of all boats performance today - everyone came packing heat!
Especially those that paddled in heats w/ sideways starts (@ least a handful). Composure, pride, and ability to mentally overcome obstacles shone through as you handled business. Props to the officials for rectifying the microphone / speaker inaudibility issues.

WOMEN overcame a side-wise start to power through to an aggressive, pull-like-men 2nd place finish - earning a Bye in the afternoon Women's heats and qualifying directly to the Women's "A" division finals - a great victory in itself! Strong competition awaits early Sun morning - exciting!

MEN were also stellar in qualifying for the Open Division "A" Finals (i.e., likely the fastest crews all weekend) after a solid early AM heat. Our Dudes closed off the day w/ a great run in the Finals Sat afternoon - & although we likely finished off the medal stand - the heat was exciting, close, and the men put in a great feeling set. Nothing but pride. Opportunities to race against great competition is what we want & cherish.

MASTERS also had a bit of an adventure as despite being in initially great position @ the start line, we had to reposition and the race ended up getting called while we were sideways. Masters put in a good set regardless & will be no doubt coming for blood in Sunday's finals.

WHITE - Awesome efforts in both Sat heats to qualify for Division III AA (2nd highest of 5 subdivisions of Div III)! Crew looks great, & we're ultra happy to have Ripples Pat (now in Seattle) & Kurt (now in Arizona) paddle w/ us!

BLUE - Positioned nicely in Division IIC - looking forward to an awesome effort in the Finals against teams like Tianjin University, Lightwave, and other strong competitors.

RED - Handled business, qualified once again for the top Mixed Division, IA - great accomplishment! Can't wait for this race against San Diego 1 & 2, SF DW 2, Galileo, & LB brethren LARD Black & Aero.

Other awesome highlights:

RFX - gawd how we love you. Thank you soooo much for the ultra-handy & ultra-cute White Boards. We love the personalization & its really such a thoughtful gift. THANK YOU!

Great potluck spread! THANK YOU EVERYONE for bringing so much delicious food!!!
Thank you Potluck organizers (Marina, Kat, Susie, Denise, others!).

Animale Phil brought a great banner for the crew to sign for our recovering team mate Tom Loesniritazita! Be sure to sign it if you haven't already!

Other Long Beach crews look great, representing home turf in a grand fashion.

Ceez kissed Phil. Video to come later.

Champions come back stronger Day 2. Lets do this.