Get up, stand up and stick it to fitness

OPINION: One of my biggest qualms about exercise is getting my hair sweaty, or worse, wet.

First world problem I know, but hear me out.

Living in a flat of seven girls for most of my university years, we spent more time than I’d like to admit meticulously coordinating hair washing nights with social events. Lining up a fresh look for Friday night drinks with the gals that would survive a Saturday night BYO dinner was genuinely worthy of a 20-minute debate.

So when my friend suggested replacing the dreaded daily exercise with stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), I was all in. Red raw from a day of beers and banter in the sun, we lathered up thick with moisturiser and sunblock, squirmed into togs and headed down to a popular kayaking spot on Akaroa’s shoreline.

The conditions were pristine. No wind, blistering sun and soon we were sweltering in our seemingly unnecessary lifejackets, provided with no instructions after an awkward quick up-anddown glance from the man running the show.

The water was freezing. I slipped twice on the wharf and the velcro leash was itchy and rubbed against my ankle. My thighs burned in the heat as I haphazardly lunged onto the board, pushed away from the edge and accepted my fate – fall in, or be stuck on my knees for the foreseeable future.

To everyone’s surprise, and followed by an almost offensive amount of praise, I pushed myself up. Not quite the perfect feet hipwidth apart, knees bent for balance, eyes straight ahead stance, but definitely upright.

After 20 minutes, all inhibitions were gone and we were ripping over tiny wakes left by boaties. Sweeping strokes hauled us around moored boats and we swanned around with the arrogance of professionals.

It’s a decent workout. Arm muscles I didn’t know I had powered me along, while positioning and balancing on the board kept my core tight. Cramps rippled down our legs and into our toes, tightly curled into the board’s plush surface. My legs, sore from a practise jog for the ASB Summer Starter – my first serious attempt to run any kind of distance – the night before, throbbed by the end.

SUP, coupled with a few runs and an admittedly half-hearted trip to the pool disguised as exercise, meant training for the November 26 fun run was back on track. Even better, when we returned to shore an hour later, I dismounted with my dignity still intact – and dry hair.

Maddison Northcott is a reporter for The Press. She will enter the Summer Starter for the first time on November 26.