No pain, no gain for Round the Bays

‘‘No pain, no gain’’ may become the motto for Chatswood family the Allports as they continue their training for Ports of Auckland Round the Bays.

With the 8.4 kilometre event only four weeks away, the team, made up of Andrea Allport, husband David, daughter Shania and boyfriend Brody Harper-Moulton, have dug their teeth into two training sessions at the Glenfield Pool and Leisure Centre.

The first, on January 28, saw the team kick off their training with four different exercises - running up and down a set of stairs carrying weights, doing kettlebell swings, medicine ball slams, and tackling battle ropes.

The circuit, designed to get the team’s blood flowing and heart rates up, left them red-faced and puffing by the end.

Andrea found it harder than she thought, David was puffing, Shania was certain she would need help up the stairs the next day, and Brody was sweating.

But the team said they ultimately enjoyed the beginning of their journey to get fit again.

‘‘It was probably harder than I thought - the first part - and then not so bad,’’ Andrea said.

‘‘We didn’t know what to expect, so I thought the first bit was quite tough, but I was puffing,’’ David added.

‘‘I really liked it,’’ Shania said. ‘‘It felt good to work out for a change,’’ Brody said.

Fitness instructor Tyler Wallace also had the team take part in a ‘‘little competition’’ - a ‘‘parents

‘‘It was probably harder than I thought’’

Andrea Allport

versus children’’ rowing challenge.

‘‘We’re going to row for calories,’’ he said.

The five minute competition saw Andrea, David, Brody and Shania row for 30 second intervals each, with Brody and Shania coming out on top by burning 47 calories.

‘‘No pain, no gain, but I think it can only get easier - hopefully,’’ David said afterwards.

But David’s hopes were shortlived, when, on January 30, the team took part in a gruelling half hour training session with the running group which included squats, burpees and laps of a field.

The team, now called the All-in Allport’s, were feeling it the next day.

‘‘We’re all a bit sore at the moment,’’ Andrea admitted.

Ports of Auckland Round the Bays will take place on March 4. See roundthebays.co.nz for more information or to register.

KENDALL HUTT/STUFF Shania Allport and Brody Harper-Moulton (right) beat Andrea (left) and David Allport in the rowing challenge, cheered on by Tyler Wallace.