Last year when I heard about keeners I knew instantly that going would be the best experience I could possibly have to take my paddling to the next level. So I asked my parents and unsurprisingly they said no. Flying across the Atlantic to kayak was just not sane in their eyes.
Autumn came and I became focused on attending events in Ireland and school took over my weekdays. Keeners slipped to the very back of my mind. Then at the end of the year as the Christmas holidays came to a close I looked online and saw that session 2 was sold out. I knew that if I wanted to go I had to act fast. I gathered all of the necessary information, I prepared my speech and I presented it all to my parents in a serious manner. This time they realized I was serious and willing to commit to work for my shot at coming to keeners. After a few weeks deliberation I had flights booked and was on my way.
In my mind everything I did from January to August was all just leading up to something that I could hardly believe was going to happen. Every cent I earned I saved, every training session was to get me up to the standard that I felt I should be at coming to keeners.
Now as the end of theses incredible three weeks nears I look back and see how far I've come since I first heard of keeners. How much I've learned on and off the water. Even before getting here, keeners was teaching me valuable motivational skills I never had before.
I have gotten the chance to paddle with some of the best kayakers in the world on one of the best rivers in the world and for that I am so thankful. I worked hard to get to keeners but I'd do it all twice over for the most amazing three weeks of my life.
No comments:
Post a Comment