Wednesday evenings always feel special. The air is cooler. The lights reflect softly on the water. And at QD’s in Deira Creek, the Falcons gather again.
On 14 January, Desert Falcon returned for another focused Dubai dragon boat Wednesday evening training session. Call time was 7:15 PM. By 7:25 PM, paddles were lined up, life jackets secured, and that familiar pre-training chatter filled the dock.
At exactly 7:30 PM, we pushed off.
Coach and steerer Intan guided the boat calmly from the stern. Her voice was steady. Clear. Confident. When Coach Intan calls commands, everyone listens. And rows.
Falcons Green on the Water
The team showed up in Falcons Green jersey. It looked sharp under the dock lights. Strong. United.
At the bow, Ghail and Tina set the early rhythm. Tina locked in on stroke timing, and the rest of the crew followed the beat.
Behind them, JJ powered the right side with steady strokes. Glenn added strength on the left. Borbz and Josh brought balance in seats seven and eight, keeping the middle section firm and controlled.
Zoe and Mark worked smoothly together in seats nine and ten. Their timing improved with every set. Gin and Farhan added endurance power further down the boat. Rahdi maintained stability and communication across the left side. Mahmoud and IS kept the engine running from the back section.
Even with a few seats unfilled, the boat felt alive.
Sometimes you don’t need a full lineup to build a strong session. You just need commitment.
And this crew had it.
Focus of the Session
This wasn’t a celebration paddle. It wasn’t a relaxed cruise either.
It was work.
Captain Intan focused on:
- Clean entry at the catch
- Strong leg drive
- Staying long before exiting
- Timing as one unit
At first, strokes were slightly uneven. Some paddles entered early. Some exited too fast.
But that’s training. You fix it. You repeat. You improve.
Set after set, the rhythm got better. The splash reduced. The boat started gliding instead of fighting the water.
And when a dragon boat glides, you can feel it. It moves smoothly. Quietly. Fast.
That’s when smiles appear — even when arms are tired.
Mid-Session Energy Shift
Halfway through the session, Coach Intan increased the intensity.
Short bursts. Strong pulls. Higher rate.
Mahmoud responded with power from the back. JJ kept the right side stable. Tina maintained stroke tempo up front.
The boat held together well.
Was it perfect? No.
Was it better than last week? Yes.
And that is what matters.
Progress.
Training Data & Accountability
After training, some Falcons uploaded their sessions to Strava. Tracking progress is part of building a stronger team.
Some of our paddlers logged their activities on Strava, giving us a neat snapshot of how the session went and helping everyone track progress over time. Strava records include entries from Mahmoud, JJ, Intan, and IS, each showing a solid evening of steady paddling and controlled effort throughout the session. Rather than just counting kilometres, Strava’s metrics help us interpret the workout through intensity and effort patterns — and that’s where heart-rate tracking becomes useful.
When heart rate data is captured during an activity, Strava can estimate how hard the body is working by showing how long you spent in different heart-rate zones. These zones range from easy, endurance-building efforts to more intense tempo work. For example, easier efforts help build aerobic capacity and endurance, while more intense effort zones strengthen cardiovascular fitness and overall stamina.
Even if not every device records every detail, the general level of effort shown in these Strava activities aligns with what we felt on the water — a steady, controlled pace focused on technique and boat rhythm, rather than short bursts of maximum effort. That’s exactly the kind of training that builds sustainable fitness over time.
Using Strava consistently gives paddlers a way to compare sessions, notice improvements, and understand how different training intensities affect performance, beyond just distance and time. Compared with our 12 January evening training session, where rhythm and endurance were the main focus. It’s another tool in the Falcons’ training toolkit to stay accountable, track gains week by week, and plan future workouts with confidence.
Seeing teammates log their training keeps everyone accountable. It reminds us that improvement doesn’t just happen on the boat. It happens with consistency.
Small steps. Every week.
Why Wednesday Matters
Wednesday evening training at Deira Creek has become part of Desert Falcon’s rhythm.
It breaks the workweek stress. It resets the mind. It strengthens friendships.
When paddles hit the water together, outside worries disappear. You focus on timing. Breathing. Pulling.
One boat. One beat.
That’s the Falcon way.
Building Toward More
January sessions are not random. Each training builds toward stronger endurance, better technique, and smoother boat control, just like we began during the 7 January session at Deira Creek.
With Coach Intan steering and the team responding well, the foundation keeps getting stronger.
The season is long.
But Desert Falcon is getting ready.
And Wednesday night proved one thing again:
We show up.
We paddle.
We improve.
See you at the next water training, Falcons. 🦅💚
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