But, you also may not know that Sperry has a collection of sport shoes designed for…what else?  Being out on the water this summer.  And, that we were…

Stand up paddle boarding is having a stand-out moment of its own, too, in oceans, lakes, reservoirs and rivers across the globe.  It’s accessible for adventurous and more leisurely types alike and offers both an effective full body workout and a relaxing, zen way to explore, depending on your locale.  I’d done it twice, once on the east coast and another time while on vacation in Aruba, but, needless to say…never in the Hudson River.

So, when the Sperry team invited me to join SUP pro and brand ambassador Slater Trout for a spin around the Hudson on a stand up paddle board, I hesitated for a minute or two (was the water going to be really dirty?!) and then decided that for STRENGTH+Sole, I’d have to jump right in.

Things to know before you go:

• You can definitely paddle barefoot, but, it was easier in Sperry’s H2O Escapes.
• Wear a wetsuit (if you’re in chilly waters), a rashguard/waterproof shorts or bathing suit plus a life jacket and lots of sunblock.
• If you’re a first-time or a new paddler, select a Supernatural board for maximum balance; once you’re more experienced, you can move on to a more advanced board.
• Use a paddle that’s taller than you, but, makes sense relative to your body height – you should be able to easily grab ahold of the handle on top.
• Once on the board, your stance should be loose: bend your knees (don’t lock them), engage your core and use your entire body to paddle, bending forward and pulling the paddle back in the water only as far as your feet positioned in the center of the board (not past them).
• Leave your smartphone on the shore!

And, by the way, as Eric Stiller, our host and founder of Manhattan Kayak Co. informed me, the Hudson is the cleanest that it’s ever been, thanks to environmentalists including Riverkeeper who have given it a 180° clean-up since its lowest point in the 1970s.  In fact, eco groups are now exploring cultivating oysters, notoriously delicate creatures, in our city’s fine west river.

So, while I live by the motto “perception is reality” as a marketer & events producer by profession, that afternoon, I experienced a major correction: I wasn’t afraid of falling in, at all.

On the Hudson River, in my Sperry H2O Escapes, I was riding high.

CHECK US OUT IN SPERRY’S VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE!

Product/experience provided by Sperry; all thoughts/assessments are my own.
Photo 4 by Eric Stiller, Manhattan Kayak Co.; photo 5 by Slater Trout & photo 6 by Brian Tetrault, Sperry Top-Sider.

It was Heroes Row the Harlem, the first annual crew race between NYC’s finest: NYPD vs. FDNY. The event was hosted by the non-profit Row New York, which teaches underprivileged kids to row competitively, in partnership with the festival and one of my favorite fitness studios Row House.

After the race (P.S. my firemen smoked the cops!), we got in on the action, hopping aboard a training barge docked at Peter J. Sharp Boathouse, Row New York’s home base in the Harlem River, with a coach who taught us the ABCs of crew in just over an hour. It’s MUCH more complicated on the water than on an erg and a different experience, altogether.

When the yachts cruised by at high speeds, we were suddenly drenched in their wake and for me, there was no escape–I got the worst of it.

So, I was happy to be in Sperry H2O Escape sneakers. As our coach said, “It IS a water sport.” Ships ahoy!

Sneakers provided by Sperry; all thoughts/assessments are my own.

Stacked colorful bracelets, smoothies with fresh fruit, yoga on the beach…this place has my heart.

Brother/sister stand up paddle boarding…a collaborative sporting success.

And, the most beautiful sunset.

But, now back in NYC, I’m shivering right along with you! (Spring is coming soon, right?!)