Workout upon Ichetucknee

There was a time in my younger days my only aim in life was running the fastest, canoeing the longest, competing in everything. As I grew older, that same competitive spirit remained, though now I was more a burden to those few friends willing to let me hang with their pace.
The last time I went mountain biking with such friends, I attempted doggedly to stay with them on the trail. But in that effort I wound up falling from the bike, the handlebar knocking the breath from me, feeling as if a rib was broken. To make matters worse, with several miles yet remaining to the vehicle, the heat exhaustion set in, with the dizziness. I had to practically walk the entire way back on an unfamiliar trail. I have yet to bike with them since.
Yesterday Rick and I met at Ichetucknee Springs for an inaugural trip in his newly purchased Wilderness Systems sit on top kayak, the Tarpon 10. The downstream paddle was easy with the strong current, and Rick wanted to go further than I had gone on the river before, down to the bridge on 27 where the river shoots through the old railroad overpass.
That was fine. It was the returning that got to me. In our leisure pace, half way back at Dampier landing, it was 5PM. We had to pick up the pace in the strong current. Near the end I felt a pull in my stomach muscles. I was using them, plus my legs and arms in a push and paddle motion.
Getting to the dock, getting out of the kayak, all my stomach muscles cramped up. I had to sit there, just like I did after that mountain bike wreck, trying to recover.
It will probably be our last kayak trip together. I have become a liability to my friends still in enough shape to enjoy the thrill of strength and speed.
In looking through the many photographs taken, few were very good to me. In my hurry, I would snap quickly and move on, not mulling the settings, the compositions.
I will return later in September when the floaters are gone and paddle slowly by myself.
 If the friends choose to come, I will tell them, please do not wait up for me, catch me on the return.