Sporting Life

Looking for an adventurous holiday? As writer Andrea Karr recently discovered, Costa Rica has something for everyone.

- Andrea Karr

UNLIKE THE FRIGID WATERS OF most Canadian lakes where I’ve dipped my toes in recent memory, the Pacific Ocean off Santa Teresa felt like wading into a soothing milk bath – so warm that I was tempted to lie down, close my eyes and float in the shallows. But I wasn’t here to relax. I was suited in a rash guard, my hair tied up in a messy bun, ready to attempt surfing for the very first time. My instructor stood at my side, and we waited for a suitable wave. When he gave me the cue, I launched my chest first, onto my board. He whipped me around as I paddled and gave me a push as the warm salt water crashed over my body. I shot upright with as much strength as I could muster – left foot forward and arms splayed out for balance – and f lew, racing toward the shore. There was no slipping, toppling or jumping off the board in fear. I did it: I rode my first wave.

It may seem like nothing – single girl takes a group trip to Costa Rica, surfs tiny waves with help of an instructor and goes back to her regularly scheduled programming – but for me, it means so much more. Rewind just a year and I wouldn’t have had the confidence to try surfing, or basically any activity that requires strength, balance or athleticism of any kind. In high school, I was the girl who walked the entire one-mile run in gym class and was too self-conscious to join the volleyball or basketball team. It wasn’t until I hit 30 and realized that I had low muscle mass (and shockingly high body fat, considering my weight) that I knew I had to make physical activity a priority in my life. As I slowly developed my muscles through running, boxing and weight training, I discovered a side effect that I never anticipated: confidence in my abilities.