| A Paddler's Perspective "I can't say that I've accomplished everything that I wanted in my 23 years of life, but I wouldn't trade in any moments of paddling with MAD for anything..." MAD is a motley group of people of all ages, ranging from late teens to early 40s. Some of the veterans have been on the team since the beginning and others have just joined recently. Anyone who has paddled with us will tell you that paddling is a great way to exercise, build friendships, gain responsiblities and acquire sportsmanship. When the season starts, we hit the water weekday nights and weekend mornings. Every practice is grueling and tests your physical and mental endurance. When we're not in the water, we train in the gym. Our competitions included races in Montreal, Boston, Rhode Island, and D.C. When we travel to other cities to race, we get an opportunity to meet new paddlers, who already share the pains and joys of dragonboating. When we're not racing, MAD will explore a new part of the city and for the veterans, revisit favorite parts of the city. MAD roadtrips are full of "unexpected" surprises. Pranking and teasing each other make for great laughs and lasting memories. Being part of MAD is not just going to practice to paddle. It's also about a group of people that have built long lasting memories and friendships. By, Hye-Kyung Yang | an architect moonlighting as a paddling extraordinaire |
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