{"id":27002,"date":"2022-05-13T10:00:07","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T17:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=27002"},"modified":"2022-08-09T14:32:17","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T21:32:17","slug":"how-to-pace-yourself-for-a-lifetime-of-river-trips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2022\/05\/13\/how-to-pace-yourself-for-a-lifetime-of-river-trips\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Pace Yourself for a Lifetime of River Trips"},"content":{"rendered":"

This winter, a friend of mine and fellow river guide got Covid. Once she recovered, she described to me how the virus made her feel. \u201cI was really tired and my whole body ached, especially my shoulders,\u201d she said. \u201cHonestly, it felt just like the end of rafting season.\u201d I have been fortunate enough to have avoided Covid, but I knew exactly how she felt.<\/p>\n

Let me reiterate.<\/p>\n

The virus, which has led to a global pandemic, felt\u2014to a guide\u2014like the end of rafting season for her shoulders and energy level. Clearly, that isn\u2019t right and can\u2019t be sustainable. Our conversation led me to think of ways we can pace ourselves better on the river. We love our jobs, and we love our trips, but how can we best prioritize health and longevity while we do it?<\/p>\n

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The different elements of the river are often at odds with river longevity. The river is fast, adventurous, loud, rushing. It moves quickly and is full of excitement, danger, and can be overpowering and strong. I would like to think that the flatwater and scenic days on the river balance out the tension and stress involved on rapid days. But while we bask in the silence of still water and canyons, the social and\/or internal anxieties are given a chance to bubble up.<\/p>\n

For guides, that could look like the pressure to continue to be \u2018on\u2019 for their guests. For private boaters, that could mean worrying about group dynamics or responsibilities waiting at home. In other words, when the physical demands of the river wane, the mental demands of the river rise. So, what can we do to better sustain ourselves both physically and mentally?<\/p>\n

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Physical Health
\n<\/strong>Guides spend long days rowing heavy boats and countless hours hauling coolers and dry boxes\u00a0from boat to beach and beach to boat. And then, be it mid-day or pre-dinner, they join guests on steep side hikes and end the day sleeping on the ground.<\/p>\n

Multi-day boating of any magnitude\u2014from three days on the Salmon to three weeks on the Grand Canyon\u2014takes a toll on even the fittest bodies. Whether you feel that toll in your shoulders\u2014like my Covid friend and me\u2014or in your knees, or your back, every boater I know deals with some form of lingering ache. Pace yourself, and your body, by practicing a routine that gives your body a break, on and off the river.<\/p>\n

I know guides who practice morning and evening yoga, and others who do short calisthenics before getting on their boat. And then, between trips they visit a chiropractor or treat themselves to a post-season massage.<\/p>\n