Feeling the burn

Well folks, as you can see from the blog posts that have gone up over the last few days, we are all getting increasingly excited about the event — and nervous about the training...

As a result, everyone on the team was pretty exercise-focused this weekend, spending any free time doing really great pro-active stuff like kayaking, swimming, running, cycling, making up team nicknames — oh no, wait a minute...

This weekend I joined the guys for kayak training. I'm not actually taking part in this event, but thought it would be a good opportunity to get in some general exercise, bond as a team, try to capsize other team members' kayaks and all that jazz.

Turns out kayaking makes your arms ache like hell - but was a surprising amount of fun!
Once I'd got out to sea and was paddling my way forcefully across the waves, I actually felt rather pleased with my progress — so much so that I started wondering whether I should explain to the boys that I was actually rather good at kayaking (contrary to predictions) and that they might want to think about putting me in their team for the real event.

This train of thought lasted all of ten minutes, after which I realised my ineffectual little strokes were having very little impact on the course my kayak was taking, as the tide was dragging me in an entirely different direction to the one I had intended.

All the same, it turned out to be good exercise and a fun way to spend a morning.
(If anyone's looking for a fab place to do watersports in Dubai, check out Nautica at the Habtoor Grand - www.nautica1992.ae. The owner, Suzy, is lovely and very helpful!)

Aside from the kayaking, I've begun to do some arm and upper-body exercises with weights at home — not really something I've done a lot of before, I have to admit.

Matt has assured me that doing weights does not mean I will end up as an androgynous muscle-bound lady, but that it will in fact tone my arms while increasing my strength and muscle endurance, which all sounds pretty good to me.

So the next big task is our 25k trek after work tomorrow evening.
No doubt some attractive red-faced photos of that will find their way on here later in the week, but until then, look out for our team shopping expedition pics!
(It might sound like a bit of a cop-out, but those who have spent time trekking round Dubai Mall desperately wondering where the hell they left their car will understand what a great work-out this can be.)