Ash & I were invited to join some of Yelp’s Elite Squad for a Stand Up Paddleboard experience in New Symrna Beach. We knew it’d be a super-cool experience, but what we didn’t realize was just how cool it’d be.

We arrived at JB’s Fish Camp in New Symrna where we met Todd & Tim of East Coast Paddle.  From there, we hopped aboard the East Coast Paddle boat and headed toward Canaveral National Seashore Park.  The currents were pretty strong that day, so having the boat there as backup was quite a relief.  During our boat ride, Todd & Tim explained what the tour would consist of and also gave us some spectacular insight into the surrounding lagoon.

Once we got off the boat and onto our boards (which East Coast Paddle manufactures themselves, by the way!!), our adventure really began.  Todd, our guide, paddled along with us teaching us about the plants and wildlife surrounding us.  We were even escorted a time or two by local dolphins — it was simply amazing!

We learned about Turtle Mound, which is a prehistoric archaeological site believed to have been the site of oyster and other shell refuse from the Timucuan people–pretty crazy stuff!

We wrapped up our paddling experience just past the JB’s docks in a cove full of Florida Manatees.  And, let me tell you, if you think paddling around with dolphins is cool, just imagine being surrounded by dozens of manatees!

The guys at East Coast Paddle were fantastic guides, and did a great job with our group … most of whom had never even been on a paddleboard before!

Wanna learn more about East Coast Paddle?  Check out their website or like them on Facebook!

The whole group!

Gettin’ brave!

Dolphin!

We’re on a boat!

Our beautiful Central Florida has so much to offer, so much to see and do! We try to cover as much as we can here on our little site, but we’re only two folks with full-time jobs. So we want to hear from you guys–our awesome audience–about some of your favorite gems in Central Florida. Maybe some place we haven’t been or blogged about, something we haven’t yet experienced.

A couple of my personal faves are Harry P. Leu Gardens when the weather’s nice (which we haven’t yet covered) and Wekiva Island (which Kim wrote about several years ago)!

Leu Gardens

Give us some tips by leaving a comment or emailing us, and we’ll try to feature it here on the site! It could be a place to go or see. A person we should know about. An exciting event we just haven’t caught. Some nightlife, or even something touristy. Let us hear!

Looking for a new pair of running kicks?  The Saucony Van will be bringing their pop-up shop complete with full runs of seven different shoes to Track Shack this Saturday from 9 to 2 p.m.

Sounds like it’ll be a pretty fun event, with a raffle, games and freebies for trying on shoes.

This isn’t a fitness blog … but you already knew that, right? But, since both Ash & I value a healthy lifestyle, why not continue to share things we learn along the way. Like 10 Ways to Get Fit in Orlando or our favorite new boot camp?

In July, I realized my own efforts toward getting fit weren’t enough.  I needed an expert.  Luckily, a friend of Pulse had long ago recommended his trainer at A Balanced Body in Winter Park.  Enter Rob Murray, whose name has more initials after it than most doctors I know!  Seriously … did you know someone could be certified as an athletic trainer, massage therapist and a health and fitness director?

Sure, picking a personal trainer is, well, personal, but what if you knew you could get:

• A workout tailored to your fitness goals
• Efficient workouts that yield visible results
• Nutrition counseling (this one is more important than I ever gave it credit for)
• One-on-one instruction from experienced trainers who actually want to see you succeed
  

  The Gym at A Balanced Body

I’ll be the first one to admit, I was extremely skeptical.  What could a trainer do that I couldn’t do on my own in a gym? After several months of ongoing sessions, it’s impossible to list the endless number of things you can learn from adding a trainer to your fitness routine.

A couple of the most important takeaways for me so far:

• No amount of exercise can make up for a crappy diet, and by diet I mean crappy eating.  Your body “starts over” every four hours, so no skipping breakfast so you can have a cheeseburger later … it doesn’t work that way ( … I thought it did!)
• You’ll never push yourself as hard as a trainer would — this one is a biggie.  Beyond just helping you with proper form, a trainer is there to convince you to do two more reps when you were ready to give up the moment it becomes uncomfortable.
• Having someone put you ‘in check’ when the scale doesn’t move as quickly as you’d hoped is invaluable.

So, if you’re looking for a new way to jumpstart an old fitness routine, check out A Balanced Body.  The no-frills gym is the perfect place to get fit … they also offer Thai massage and Pilates in their neighboring studio.  What more could you ask for?

Details:
A Balanced Body
1971 Howell Branch Road
Winter Park
407/644-5001

Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post. This is my experience.

Get There and Get This Amazing Body! Do It!

What better time than now to drop everything and get started with a new fitness routine? Get There Boot Camp, hosted by friend of Pulse, Dena Davis, is sure to help you burn those extra holiday pounds in no time.

Held most weeknights and Saturday mornings at Lake Eola, this upbeat group boot camp is not only fun, but an awesome workout. Ash & I tried it ourselves a few weeks ago and Ash has already been back for seconds.

Bring $10, a towel and some water and be prepared to work hard for the full hour that follows … no wussies allowed! Boot Camp attendees meet at Lake Eola across the street from the downtown Publix on Central Avenue … to confirm, make sure to ‘like’ the Get There Boot Camp Facebook page. An added benefit of liking the page: daily inspirational messages and reminders to stay fit.

What are you waiting for? Get There!

I won’t necessarily say I’m the most fit person on the planet – I go through phases as I’m sure many folks do – but I plan on making 2012 one of the fittest years of my life! Gonna make it happen!

What better way to kick it off by participating in this Season’s 52 Park Avenue 5.2k presented by Florida Hospital? Seems like a good start, right? (I think I might’ve even talked Kim into doing it with me….) And what’s even more special about this particular race is proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida and the Track Shack Foundation. Getting fit and healthy for a good cause sounds like the perfect combination to me!

Here are deets on time, date, and location:

Saturday, January 21, 2012
7:30 am: 5.2k (3.2 miles)
8:45 am: Healthy 100 Kids’ Run
9:00 am: Awards Presentation

Full details about the event and registration can be found on Track Shack’s website.

See you there?

She would probably never post about this herself, so I’ll do it on her behalf! As you all know “Pulse” co-Founder and my PIC (Partner In Crime) Kim Taylor is an avid rower. Yesterday I got to see her in action for the first time when she and her crew team rowed in the Head of the Giblet Regatta at beautiful Bill Frederick Park Turkey Lake.

Here is some video I shot accompanied by a couple of photos (yes, that is a turkey leg you see). Enjoy!

And in the news of “man it’s a small world,” “Pulse” Friend and Follower Matt Sokoloff was in Kim’s boat. They’re rowing mates!

Ever thought about rowing yourself? Have you ever been to a Regatta? Or a Regatta Gala, perhaps?

If you’ve been following Pulse for a while, you know I’m a rower. But, did you know my Rowing Club also has Dragon Boat crews?

Dragon Boating is so cool! Don’t believe me? Check out this video of the Second Annual Dragon Boat Festival in 2009.

Wanna be a part of the action? Head over to Downtown Disney October 15 for the Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival!

It’s a great event for the whole family to enjoy. Races will run from about 8-6. For full event details, check out the official Dragon Boat site.

This weekend I had the chance to use a Groupon for Stand Up Paddleboarding in Cocoa Beach. One of the great things about Groupon, besides the great discounts, is that it introduces you to cool places like 321 Kiteboarding & Watersports.

Not only did the guys at 321 let us use our Groupon after it’d expired, but they were super-friendly, knowledgeable and made it worth the hour drive over from Orlando.

Next time I'm bringing my camera so I can get shots like this!

So, if you’re looking for a relaxing way to spend an hour or a half-day, or even the whole day, check out 321 Kiteboarding & Watersports!