Insanity apparently

Well, here's something new - my new workplace has a bit of an informal fitness club, where colleagues gather twice a week to work out together.

Usually they do circuits, but this time they are trying out Insanity! Even the name is a worry :)

How scary is the advertising?!

So yesterday evening I tried out my first insanity workout. It was a test session where you do each exercise for one minute and count the number of reps you do. The idea is that we repeat this session and improve our numbers. There was a lot of squatting type movements (hence why my thighs are sore) and some hideous press up/jumping type things which I couldn't do at all (I had to settle for on-my-knees-press-ups). Hmmm... It wasn't *too* terrible! 

The Insanity program is designed to be done six times a week. However, time constraints at work mean that they're running it just twice a week. My plan is even more gentle - one Insanity session and 1-2 ballet classes each week (plus one rowing machine session a week - the only gym machine that I don't hate!). It's something to aim for at least. Wish me luck...

My totals for comparison:

Doesn't everyone bake scones for breakfast?

Woke up.

Fancied scones.

Baked scones.

Yummy.

:)

Pretty details of a lovely day

 

A much better collection of professional photos are to follow.

One happy RainStorm. And Mr RainStorm :)

Finally! Stand up paddle boarding

I decided months and months ago that my next big sporty thing would be stand up paddle boarding. It's been a while since I've tried anything new so I stuck it on my Summer Ambitions list. It just looks fun and is supposed to be really good for your arms and core muscles.

So last weekend, I went out with a whole bunch if friends to try it out. The guys at Engage Watersports were superbly accommodating and helpful.

We started with a spot of kayaking:

Then some of us moved on to the stand up boards:

I found the actual "standing up" bit quite hard, but once I was stood it was pretty straightforward.However, I wasn't great at steering - you really have to pull the paddle right across the front of the board to get it to turn. And I wasn't quick either!

Next we played with getting two people on the board. Despite my slightly dodgy balance, this went pretty smoothly too. I discovered it worked much better for me if I stood at the front :)

Then our instructors happened to mention that they'd never had three people on a board. Challenge accepted!

I think we lasted about 7 seconds the first time and only about three the second time (because I bailed!).

After about 90mins of playing, we reorganised ourselves into two-up kayaks for the trek down the river to the pub for lunch. It was 2.5 miles each way and rather knackering - I thought I did quite well but the next morning my left arm was seriously sore! In a deep heat, ibuprofen and keeping it still kind of way :S

All in all a fabulous (if tiring) day out. I really want to get back on the stand up board sometime soon. Need to work on those arm muscles first!

 

All the photographs in this post are from ClareDowlingPhotography and are used with permission.

Summer nails

I finally have time to paint my nails! So far, they've been electric blue (with darker tips):

And then this pinky-beigey-greyy-sparkly colour, which took lots of experimenting with various layers to achieve the desired effect:

This picture really doesn't do the colour and sparkliness justice.

I might go with the bright neon orange from last summer next...

What I did yesterday

It's Marvellous Festival time again (how do these things come around so quickly?!). So, fireworks in a field...

1) I sported a delightful black tide mark around my hairline after re-applying sun cream with blackened, firework-powder covered fingers. Didn't realise for several hours. Attractive!

2) I forwent my usual baseball cap in favour of my cowboy hat, which did a wonderful job of keeping the sun off my face.

3) We enjoyed slightly cooler weather! After over a week of official heat wave (30degC+ everyday), it cooled slightly to a more comfortable 24degC with a cloudy sky and light breeze. Much better for lifting and lugging.

4) I enjoyed a post-rig and pre-show hog roast (otherwise known as pig-in-a-bun). It was delicious, especially the cracklings and apple sauce.

5) I surrounded myself with wildlife. The deer kept their distance this year - I could see them hiding in the woods, but none ventured over like in previous years. There were a few ticks about but not so many as to cause problems. Topping the chart were the butterflies! There were loads of them. Must be the sudden hot weather.

6) Fireworks were lovely :)

Photos from Sunday - clear sky and temps back up to 28!

Rigging, morris dancers and paella

Last weekend I helped out at a street party. Our task was rigging sound. The best part about rigging days is that no one cares a jot what I look like. I didn't brush my hair all day! Just tied it back in a crazy ponytail/bun combo so that it was out of my way and got on.

If you think you recognise the building on the left, that's probably because I set fireworks off the roof of it last year as part of the Queen's Jubilee celebrations.

Halfway through the set up, about a million (I am so not exagerating) morris dancers came past us in procession:

Things eventually got underway about midday...

... and the town was full of people.

I treated myself to paella from one of the hundreds of food stalls (again, not exagerating):

Yummy :)